After the duel between Aghan and Judas concluded, several priests guarding the shrine appeared discreetly. They were there for the aftermath of the battle, primarily assessing the state of the miserably defeated Aghan.
A few priests approached Judas, who waved his hand dismissively.
“I’m fine.”
“Not a chance,” Eliya interjected, quickly scanning Judas’ body.
“Just in case, you should get checked.”
“I didn’t even get grazed…”
“Still.”
Eliya could use healing magic, on par with a cardinal, but that magic only healed external wounds and didn’t address internal injuries as divine power would.
“Alright,” Judas conceded. While he had no real reason to accept, there was also no reason not to.
He sat in the prepared chair while the priest examined him. Eliya, however, was staring at a door.
“Hold on, I have to step out for a moment. You can manage being alone, right?”
“I’m not a kid… wait, where are you going alone?”
“I need to speak with someone privately. No one can hear that conversation.”
There are limits even for escort knights; they are just hired hands. There are some conversations between their master and others that should not be overheard.
“Understood.”
Judas acknowledged this. After all, he could summon her immediately if he wanted, even from a distance. But still, something felt off…
“I’ll call for you if it gets urgent.”
“Yes.”
“I’ll be back soon, so don’t worry.”
Eliya left, and Judas quietly watched her retreating figure while receiving the priest’s attention.
A notification arrived in his mind. Technically, it had come earlier, but he was only checking now.
[You have completed the hidden quest ‘Perfect Noble Hunt.’]
[Please select your reward.]
*
While Judas and Aghan were fighting, Balak was having a conversation with Bishop Herald in a small confession room set up in one corner of the shrine. No one could enter.
“It’s been a while since we last met,” Balak said casually.
“I’ve been busy and couldn’t visit. My apologies,” Herald replied formally.
“Is there really a need to apologize? We’re both in the thick of important preparations, so being busy is expected.”
“About what you mentioned, it’s slightly delayed but proceeding without issue…”
“Herald.”
Balak calmly interrupted him; this wasn’t a place for mundane chit-chat.
“Yes, Duke.”
“I won’t beat around the bush. Are you considering joining forces with Bevel again?”
“What do you mean…?”
“Did you think I wouldn’t know?”
“…….”
“Even our dear Emperor must have caught on; it’s strange you haven’t received any hints about this.”
“…….”
Herald remained silent as Balak intentionally prolonged the pause, aiming to unsettle him. Silence is a powerful means of manipulation—it allows the imagination to run wild.
“This is both a warning and a seduction. I don’t know what promises the Emperor made, but do you really believe he will keep it?”
Balak briefly paused to observe Herald’s reaction. He remained calm, breathing steady.
It’s not that he believes the Emperor wouldn’t do that, or that he couldn’t trust you either.
He expected such a response to burst out, but it didn’t.
“Think carefully. Once the hunt concludes and there are no further hunts to be had, hunting dogs are typically slaughtered, not fed.”
“…Understood.”
Herald left, leaving behind a vague response that was hard to decipher. Balak leaned back against his chair, pondering whether this was sufficient…
It’s about time to show some kind of action. A great war is likely on the horizon. What will happen then? The Bevel family, his children, and Eliya…
“Phew…”
As he exhaled, unsure of the future, the door across from him opened.
The confession room is divided into two spaces: one for confessors and the other for priests listening to the sins. Balak found himself in the former.
The door to the priest’s room opened, and Balak looked towards it in confusion.
Beyond the intricate grating, he couldn’t see the person.
“Who’s there…?”
“Duke Balak.”
“!”
Balak’s eyes widened. He recognized that calm, gentle female voice.
“I’m not someone you’d want to have long conversations with, so let’s get straight to the point. What’s your relationship with Angra?”
“…….”
“What are you conspiring with the Molsin Church behind the scenes?”
Balak fell silent, half in shock. He couldn’t figure out how she knew that.
“You seem flustered. Your breathing quickened a tad. That’s the reaction when a concealed truth has been uncovered. After all, you can’t be negotiating world peace with the Molsin Church.”
“…….”
“Are you unwilling to share? If not, how about this: I know Angra’s whereabouts. I could capture him right now if you wish.”
“…!”
“What’s your ultimate goal, Duke? Now that you intend to reconcile with the Molsin Church, there must be a compelling reason. Let’s take a guess—destroy the Empire? Revive the Evil God? Or is it to manage an unbearably grown bastard…?”
At that moment, the other party’s words were abruptly cut off.
A strange silence fell.
Balak peered into the other room.
“…?”
The person he had been speaking to was nowhere to be seen.
Clearly gone.
The door didn’t open either. They hadn’t simply hidden like children playing a game.
The conclusion was singular. They had teleported.
Balak, dazed, called out the name of the person who had just been interrogating him, as if expecting a response.
“…Eliya?”
*
The priest checking for internal injuries had left since there were none to find.
[Please select your reward.]
[1. Soul Binding]
[2. Magic Barrier]
[3. Enhancement of Revelation’s Discovery]
Growth was still welcoming.
Alone, he pondered the rewards displayed before him.
‘Hmm, what’s good…?’
Each was quite impressive.
Soul Binding.
This allows a specific object to be bound to his soul, enabling him to summon or return it at will.
It had appeared on a list before.
‘Back then, I had nothing worth binding, but now it’s different.’
The Moon’s Pupil.
This relic would be an excellent weapon for binding.
The advantage of Soul Binding isn’t merely portability.
He could pretend to be unarmed and then summon it for a surprise attack.
‘It’s pretty nice, but… it somehow feels lacking compared to the others.’
For now, he decided to hold off.
Next, the Magic Barrier.
This also seemed quite alluring.
Similar to forming swords from magic, he could create a massive barrier.
‘In some ways, it suits the identity of an escort knight.’
However, several problems arose.
Making it larger than a sword would mean immense magic consumption. Moreover, fundamentally, Eliya wasn’t someone who needed such excessive protection.
‘Honestly, she’s stronger than I am, so…’
Considering the effectiveness, it seemed better suited for someone on the battlefield than for an escort knight.
He decided to skip it.
Lastly, the Enhancement of Revelation’s Discovery.
He couldn’t discern its meaning just from the name.
He read the explanation.
[Enhances the effect to completely defend against all magical damage for one use.]
[When hit by magic, it automatically activates, allowing complete immunity to all magical damage for 3 seconds. The first spell activated is also nullified.]
[Cooldown: 24 hours.]
This would help him avoid the fire magic Eliya had been using.
He was about to choose a reward when a priest approached suddenly.
“Are you Judas?”
The priest’s face was hidden beneath a deeply drawn hood.
“Yes. What can I do for you?”
“I’m here to check if you have any injuries.”
“I had another priest check me earlier.”
“Oh, is that so? No issues reported?”
“That’s correct.”
“Thank goodness. However, I’ve been sent to confirm; if it’s not too much trouble, may I check again?”
The priest’s demeanor was very serious and cautious. If that was what he had to do, then it was fine.
“Sure.”
“Just a moment, please.”
I extended my hand willingly.
The priest reached out to me, showing a glimmer of light.
A question suddenly rose in my mind.
‘Why is he wearing that hood like that?’
There weren’t any priests like that among those here.
It was strange from the start—there were dress codes.
Something felt off.
Just as I moved to withdraw my hand, someone suddenly said, “Step back.”
The delicate figure of a woman, someone I was all too familiar with, appeared before me.
The red scarf, the black cat plush tucked under one arm, and those red eyes gazing down at me.
“Miss?”
It was Eliya.
But why was she telling me to step back?
“Why are you telling me to step back…?”
“Keep quiet…”
Eliya turned away, her face flushed.
At that moment, I realized.
‘Ah. I must have misjudged the direction when teleporting….’
Wait.
But how did she end up directly in front of me?
More importantly, why suddenly…?
“What business do you have with my escort knight?”
She addressed the priest who had tried to touch me.
Returning to her usual tone after her earlier embarrassment, Eliya’s voice came across sharply.
The priest took an awkward step back, clearly flustered.
Eliya drove the point home with her words.
“That’s for the Dark Wizard to decide.”
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