Chapter 112…………………………………….
It was something I had never imagined.
“Why, Grandfather?”
“Why, indeed. He came to make a request, one similar to what he asked of Young-ae.”
“R-Really?”
“Yes. He threatened so fiercely, insisting that his grandchild must be saved. Of course, that plan didn’t succeed back then, but I never thought I’d hear the same story again.”
“Why didn’t it work back then?”
The Pope exhaled deeply and shook his head.
“You should hear that directly from Lord No.”
“…Alright. Then why are you so hesitant to give the Holy Power to Ron Careys? This isn’t just a personal matter—it’s something that must be done to save thousands of lives.”
Shebert, standing beside me, also raised his voice.
“Exactly. This is something that should rightfully be done by the central temple.”
The Pope looked at us in turn, his deep eyes shifting between me and Shebert.
“As you both said, it is indeed something that must be done to save thousands of lives. But that is a future that has not yet come to pass.”
“…What?”
“In the Empire, besides the guardian deity of Trensia Forest, each noble family has their own guardian deities. If we followed all of their prophecies blindly, the Holy Power would have been drained long ago. And besides, some prophecies were right, and some were wrong.”
The Pope’s expression was resolute.
“H-H, so you won’t do it?”
I blurted out the words in frustration. All the effort I had made to meet the Emperor, to deliver the golden statue—was it all for nothing? Who do you think protected the temple’s sacred relics!
Unlike my anger, the Pope remained calm, his composure unwavering.
“No. I will purify it with my Holy Power.”
“…Hah, why didn’t you say so earlier?”
“However, I have one proposal.”
“A proposal?”
With a gentle expression, the Pope delivered a shocking statement.
The Pope said he would give us enough time to consider and excused himself.
Shebert and I didn’t speak for a while. Or rather, we couldn’t.
“…Loudne. What kind of place is it?”
Shebert let out a heavy sigh.
“A place crawling with devilish monsters.”
“Devils?”
“Yeah. They’re high-level monsters, far stronger than the beasts living in the Triya Empire. Until now, the massive walls kept them contained.”
Shebert crossed his arms and continued seriously.
“Lately, though, I hear the monsters have begun breaking through the walls. It’s still far from the Triya Empire, so no one’s paying much attention yet—not even His Majesty.”
“So it’s fine for now?”
“For now, yes. But a major threat starts from a small crack.”
Shebert shrugged.
“So that’s why they want to send the men of the Careys there.”
“….”
The Pope’s proposal was exactly that: to go to Loudne, the lair of the monsters. He intended to send Duke Careys, the Swordmaster, or Shebert, who had proven his swordsmanship at the academy and resembled the Duke, to face the monsters.
“If it’s called a devil’s lair… the chance of returning alive is slim.”
“Until now, yes. But Careys is different.”
“W-What? Are you seriously going?”
When I asked in shock, Shebert, who had been expressionless until now, smirked mischievously. Seeing him like that made him seem like the playful, terrifying Shebert from before.
“Anne, what’s the Carey family motto again?”
“The Carey brothers must survive until the end.”
It was emphasized so much that I could never forget it. Shebert smiled even more, satisfied.
“Exactly. That means a few monsters are nothing to me.”
“W-What? …Shebert! You can’t!”
No matter how much I disliked him, I couldn’t just push him into that place. If Shebert didn’t return alive… I didn’t even want to think about it.
“Surprising you’d refuse. I thought you’d agree naturally.”
“Why would I agree!”
“…Because you want to save Ron more than anyone. And I also want to protect my returned younger brother.”
Shebert ruffled his hair as if to shake off his complicated thoughts and brushed his face.
“Phew, all sorted!”
“Sorted? No! You can’t decide this rashly! If you don’t receive His Majesty’s Holy Power, that’s fine.”
“Then what about Ron?”
“…We’ll find someone else with Holy Power.”
“And if we can’t?”
“We will. We can. So… don’t go there.”
Saint Bianca’s face appeared in my mind. Though we had lost contact, I would go to her mansion to meet her. Though her Holy Power was weak, it would still be enough for purification.
As I stood, Shebert’s voice stopped me.
“I guess it’s time I call you ‘madam’ again.”
“…Huh?”
He helped me back into my seat, awkwardly. Then he leaned close, looking me in the eyes.
“Listen carefully, madam.”
“….”
“This is the best way for now. My thoughts have been troubled lately, but I’ll go, purge the monsters, and clear my head.”
“Shebert!”
Seeing that he had already made up his mind, I could only shout. Shebert furrowed his brow slightly, as if my voice hurt his ears.
“Quite loud. Must be a sign of health, right? Madam, grow up strong like this.”
I pushed away his hand from my head. Shebert pretended to hurt himself and frowned.
“I don’t like the Pope’s proposal either. But that doesn’t mean I can kill the Pope who possesses Holy Power, right?”
“….”
Seeing me unable to respond, Shebert stood, brushing off his seat.
“Anyway, only a small part of the wall is broken. We just need to fix that. Madam, let’s not take this too seriously. Okay?”
“…But even so…”
“I want to do this for my younger brother… for my long-lost brother, Ron Careys.”
“….”
Shebert’s gaze was sincere. Looking at him, my anger surged and I clenched my fists.
“…So infuriating. That wretched Pope!”
He had even protected the sacred relics! Not all villains in this world are cruel and evil. Some, like the Pope, are just petty and annoying.
“Heh, exactly. Our madam is doing well.”
“I won’t stay idle!”
“Then will you strike His Majesty? No, you’re a Dark Mage—planning to destroy the temple?”
“No… I’ll take revenge as sneakily as His Majesty did.”
I gritted my teeth and gestured to Shebert. Leaning close, I whispered my thoughts of revenge.
Then came a knock at the door.
“Anne, your voice was loud. What’s happening?”
It was Ron’s worried voice from outside. Shebert quickly looked at me and said:
“This stays between us, okay?”
“…Huh?”
Before I could answer, the door swung open and Ron entered.
“Anne, are you okay?”
“Uh… yeah. I’m fine.”
“Really? Are you sure, Anne?”
Ron’s gaze shifted from the smiling Shebert to me, still in a daze.
Shebert walked alone in the temple garden.
The first spring flowers were just beginning to bloom. A gentle breeze carried their scent to his nose.
Yet, he felt nothing.
His steps stopped at the pond, where his reflection shimmered on the water. Staring blankly, a face he had tried to forget resurfaced.
“Bianca Alter…”
The image of her at the tea party lingered. Since that day, he hadn’t been able to sleep easily, constantly seeing her before his eyes.
“Anne… could never know.”
But he could not let himself act on it for the sake of his fiancée, Marianne. Anne had saved his life and protected his father and brother. Betraying her was unthinkable. Yet, the love that had seeped into his heart was unavoidable, so he had focused only on training to steel his mind.
“She liked lemon cake so much…”
Hearing that Bianca often visited a dessert shop, he had secretly gone there, only to find Marianne, not Bianca. His body felt drained, his chest aching painfully. He felt endless remorse toward her…
“It’s probably for the best.”
The best way to shake off complicated thoughts was through action. Being physically distant was also a bonus. So, heading to Loudne, the so-called devil’s lair, was the best choice for him.
Moreover, he had done nothing for his younger brother Ron until now. To save him, this much was necessary.
The decision in his heart had already been made.
Step by step, Shebert’s footsteps moved away from the pond.
The person he was about to meet was the Pope.
