The chill of midwinter was particularly biting in the forest.
On a night when the winter wind howled with a mournful sound, shaking the bare trees.
However, inside the carriage, the glowstone kept them warmly insulated, making the fierce winter wind seem irrelevant.
Alex looked down at Yona, who was sleeping with a frown and couldn’t help but chuckle.
The flat seat of the carriage was spacious enough for Yona and Rubina, but with Rubina sleeping on her arm, Yona’s expression was filled with annoyance, probably due to her numbed arm.
“Oops…”
He grabbed a small pillow, gently lifted Rubina’s head, and pulled Yona’s arm free.
After supporting Rubina’s head with the pillow, he tucked Yona’s arm comfortably, and finally, Yona’s expression relaxed considerably.
‘You’re doting on Rubina, huh?’
It wasn’t hard to understand, which only made it more painful.
According to Yona, she wore a nun’s robe for efficiency in using her divine powers—
But she always wore that nun’s robe even in the village, not just in battle.
And now, she was still in that nun’s robe.
From a human perspective, it was a hindrance for Yona, who was now dealing with magic instead of divine power.
That nun’s robe, so worn and tattered, that she still kept wearing, mending it as needed.
Alex knew well the meaning behind it.
She had given up the priesthood that she held dear and was now even on the run; one could only imagine her feelings.
Perhaps it was a sense of compensation.
Rubina was now probably the only being she could hold onto affection for.
So, that was probably it.
After pulling the blanket over Yona and Rubina, Alex straightened his back.
—Well.
That’s that, but now it was time to get to work.
“Regent.”
“Yes?”
Ceres looked up at Alex with bright eyes.
And Alex quietly looked back at her, saying,
“Let’s talk for a moment. We have a lot to discuss, don’t we?”
Alex’s expression was stern.
*
“Is it a conversation that can’t be had inside because it’s too cold?”
Brr, it’s cold— Ceres said playfully, shivering.
But Alex, who was a few steps ahead, ignored her remark and continued walking, leaving Ceres to silently click her tongue and follow behind.
Alex stopped some distance away from the carriage.
It was far enough that their voices wouldn’t reach the carriage unless they shouted.
Once they were far enough, Alex took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.
“Regent.”
“Yes.”
Ceres responded, and Alex turned around.
His usual gentle gaze was gone, replaced with sharp, piercing eyes that glinted ominously.
“Oh my, that’s scary. Why the scary eyes…”
“Regent. No, Ceres. What should I call you?”
It was an abrupt question, interrupting Ceres in mid-sentence.
It was also a comment that could be abruptly cut off mid-sentence.
But Ceres didn’t seem to care about that; instead, she was smiling brightly.
“Since we’re going to be traveling together for a while, feel free to call me casually. You can just say Ceres!”
“Regent.”
“…There’s quite a distance between us, isn’t there?”
Maybe I should have just told her to call me Ceres.
Ceres mumbled quietly, but Alex didn’t mind.
“Regent. Our Yona may seem clueless about the world, but she’s a good kid. You know that, right?”
“Uh, well, if you say so, I wouldn’t know how to respond.”
“She’s a good kid, right? You surely realize that.”
Ceres looked quite embarrassed at Alex’s repeated questions.
But if I say that sounds like an insult, saying otherwise also feels like an insult.
Such a question was really hard to answer.
“…She is good, yes.”
“Then why is that?”
“Huh?”
In an instant, the atmosphere shifted.
While Alex’s expression remained unchanged, the energy he emitted felt as sharp as a blade, ready to strike, the moment Ceres opened her mouth.
“I’ve now been released from my restrictions. While I can’t yet devote myself to Yona, I can say that I’ve returned as a Cathedral Knight—worthy of the name Johannes Spillban. You shouldn’t see me as that old adventurer anymore.”
“Uh, yeah. So?”
Ceres could now somewhat predict what Alex was about to say.
That straightforwardness was part of Alex’s charm, even more so.
‘Pretty impressive.’
Thinking that, Ceres couldn’t help but keep a smile on her face as she looked at Alex.
“I’m not as soft as Yona. Yona, being unaware of the world, must have thought she needed your help, but I don’t think that way. I can take care of Yona myself.”
“Then why didn’t you just do that?”
“Because Yona and Rubina are struggling a lot, and I’m leaving them be… I’m sorry for sidetracking, Regent. What’s the purpose of your so-called plan?”
“Purpose…? I told you, right? It’s for the day when the Heavenly God returns.”
Ceres had mentioned resurrecting the Heavenly God.
And Yona was chosen as the Saint to maintain that divinity for the resurrection of such a god.
“…Why Yona? Was there a reason? Of all the people, why Yona?”
Alex’s voice trembled slightly.
Why Yona of all people?
The question returned to him like a dart, asking if it would have been okay if it were someone else—
Honestly, it probably would have been.
If it were someone else, at least as a former Cathedral Knight, it would have ended with Alex feeling regretful.
But because Yona was chosen, that naive, simple-minded girl who would be more than happy to receive praise, because of her—
“The most valuable priestess is the Saint—oh no, wait, that’s confusing. Anyway, it’s because it was Yona.”
“I was a cat, you know.”
“…What did you say?”
That response was truly unexpected.
Ceres looked at Alex and chuckled.
Then, with her arms crossed behind her back, she approached Alex and slowly circled around him.
“Yona was, in our view, the most valuable priestess.”
“Our view…?”
“Alebians and I.”
“What on earth are you two?”
Questions multiplied like rabbits in Alex’s mind.
The more he tried to dig for answers, the more tangled things became, like a sweet potato vine.
“That’s something you don’t need to know yet. Anyway, Yona was, to us, the most valuable. I mean, is she just a priestess flaunting her title while standing in the back pretending to be holy? Or is she a truly sacred priestess willing to risk her life for everyone?”
Ceres, standing directly in front of Alex, tilted her head slightly to peek at his face.
“You must’ve seen it, right? In Evian, the Pomett—oh right, that goat-headed monster’s name is Pomett. The way Yona bravely charged at Pomett. I wish I could’ve seen it.”
– …No, I think there’s a way out.
– But I might die.
– Still, I have to do it. Who else will?
He couldn’t deny it.
Without Yona’s intervention, all the adventurers there might have been killed by that goat-headed monster.
Yona had courageously leaped from behind to attempt a full purification and—she succeeded.
“Exactly, that’s why. As you’ve seen, the Church of the Celestial God is rotting away. In a situation where it’s questionable if there’s even a proper priest, having a brave and faithful priestess like Yona, willing to risk herself for others, deserves to become the Saint of the Celestial God.”
“…You’ve been watching since then?”
“Since then? Oh no, we’ve been watching from the very beginning. Well, Alebians have, at least.”
Alex clenched his fist tightly.
He felt the painful realization that everything was in Alebians’ and Ceres’ hands.
“…Why go so far? Just for that, for that to mess up Yona’s life…!”
“Just for that? Yona would be better off living as a saint in the true world of the Celestial God that will rise after we topple this rotten church, rather than being treated like a despised healer, don’t you agree?”
“That’s nonsense…!”
“Oh my, calm down. Please, don’t raise your voice.”
“Do I look calm to you? You two, treating Yona’s life like some toy, what kind of twisted argument is that—!”
“Shh.”
Ceres smiled and placed her finger on Alex’s lips.
As he shivered at the cold touch, Ceres chuckled again while watching him.
Alex chuckled again.
“Please don’t use such strong words. After all, I’m sure you’ve realized that Yona would only be used by others if things stay as they are. Besides, all the plans I’ve laid out will have my full support, every step of the way. Of course, I can’t stick to her all the time, but I’ll guarantee the best assistance possible. Isn’t that better?”
“……”
“You’ve experienced it firsthand, haven’t you? Can you honestly say the Church of the Celestial God is in a good place right now?”
No.
He couldn’t say that.
His faith in the Celestial God was still strong, and Johannes Spilvan’s devotion was to the Celestial God—
Even he was aware that the current Church of the Celestial God was problematic.
We can’t go on like this,
Change is necessary,
This cannot continue.
“So, Alex. The Church of the Celestial God needs to crumble once. It has to die before it can be revived, right? Of course, I don’t intend for it to come back. If I ever recognize that there’s hope in the Church before we achieve our goal, I might reconsider, but honestly? I don’t see that happening.”
“That…”
“Go on, say it. In this situation, if Yona was to absorb all the other demons with my help, assuming the High Celestial God resurrected, would there be anything better for Yona? Refusing to join my plan and getting caught by the Church while harboring Vervaria, or surrendering? Which do you think would yield a better outcome? Sure, if she surrenders, it’ll just lead to execution.”
Alex said nothing.
Maybe he had nothing left to say.
But one thing was certain.
“…I will move in a way that’s more beneficial for Yona. No matter who it involves, Yona is all I need. And that includes you, Regent.”
“What do you mean—”
“I won’t claim I’ll help your plan. I will help Yona. If Yona chooses to work with you, then I will too. But if Yona shows hostility towards you, I will become her hunting dog and bite your neck off. If you torment Yona, I will be her dagger and stab your heart. If you become an enemy to Yona, I will be her judgment and punish you. With my very being, without fail.”
“…That won’t happen, so don’t worry. Ultimately, both you and Yona will thank me.”
“That’s something we’ll find out later.”
With that, Alex turned and walked towards the carriage.
As he passed by Ceres, who was facing away from the carriage, he whispered softly.
“Remember. I will always be on Yona’s side. Please don’t make her cry.”
Leaving those words behind, Alex returned to the carriage.
Ceres, left alone, shivered against the winter wind.
“Oh—it’s cold,” she murmured quietly.
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