Chapter 486 : Castle Struggle (2)

“Alon, the gods of the Forgotten Age are not dead. They are merely all imprisoned within the Prison of Time.”

Silence ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍filled the room at Lainisius's statement.

“What ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍do you mean by that?”

“I'll ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍explain from the beginning.”

When ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Alon questioned him with obvious confusion, Lainisius placed the Foot That Runs Through the Past onto the desk.

“As ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍you know, after you left for the Empire, I began researching the Foot That Runs Through the Past. Before long, I realized several things.”

“First, ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the Foot That Runs Through the Past does not summon souls through a medium. It is closer to sending a communication to an Outer God that is still alive somewhere.”

As Alon connected the conclusion Lainisius had reached from studying the artifact, the dragon nodded with a grim expression.

“Correct. Just as I suspected, this item does not summon souls. It is, in essence, a one-way communication.”

“A one-way communication? Yes. Through a medium, it establishes contact with a specific individual somewhere. And that target is alive.”

His explanation continued.

“Once I realized that, I continuously used mana to maintain contact with Kylrus and began searching for the location of his true body. However, finding it was not easy. More accurately, locating the general area was simple enough, but finding anything beyond that proved difficult. Whenever I reached a certain location, the communication would simply disappear as though it had never existed. So after making several deductions, I concluded that he was inside a subspace.”

“A subspace?”

“Yes. It's somewhat difficult to explain, but describing it as a subspace fixed to a specific location would be the most accurate.”

“Can I think of it as something like a mirror world?”

“Not exactly, but that analogy is sufficient for understanding what I'm about to explain.”

“Hmm.”

“Anyway, once I realized that, I changed my approach. Using mana, I searched through the coordinates of that location by brute force. Eventually, I found Kylrus within a gap.”

“No.”

Lainisius paused briefly.

“I found countless individuals within a subspace, trapped in the Prison of Time with their time completely frozen.”

“And Kylrus was one of the people you rescued from there?”

“Yes. Though saying I rescued him is somewhat strange. Aside from his frozen time, he was practically in the same condition as during his prime.”

Alon mentally organized everything he had just heard.

“......Were you able to determine how it happened?”

“No. I couldn't.”

“Because I only managed to retrieve Kylrus.”

“Didn't you say you saw others?”

“I did. But I couldn't rescue them.”

“Why not?”

“It's somewhat complicated, but that subspace had been divided into thousands of separate spaces.”

The new information made Alon lean forward.

“To put it simply, even if you can see them, unless you enter the exact coordinates, you cannot interfere with the separate space they're confined in.”

“So you need to open the subspace at a specific location to rescue someone?”

“Exactly.”

“That's why I couldn't save the others.”

After hearing the answer, Alon fell silent and rubbed his chin.

Lainisius watched him for a while before continuing.

“However, I did not leave empty-handed.”

“You found something?”

At Alon's question, Lainisius nodded and placed a small flask in front of him.

Inside it swirled a black substance.

“......What is this?”

“Mana left behind within that subspace. It most likely belongs to whoever opened it.”

“And it allowed me to make a few deductions.”

“Deductions?”

“Yes. They're only my personal theories, but would you like to hear them?”

When Alon silently nodded, the dragon immediately continued.

“I believe it was meant as preparation.”

“......Preparation?”

“Yes.”

“Preparation for what, I do not know.”

Lainisius slowly continued.

“When I entered the subspace, it wasn't populated only by the gods of the Forgotten Age. There were figures from eras even older than any I had personally witnessed.”

“......”

“Their condition was mostly identical to Kylrus's. They appeared imprisoned while remaining completely uninjured, preserved exactly as they had been in their prime. Among them were individuals whose strength I could not even begin to measure.”

“In other words, only the strongest individuals were preserved there?”

Lainisius nodded at Alon's question.

“Yes. And preserving so many powerful individuals in that manner implies—”

“......That it was preparation for something?”

“Correct. Otherwise, there would be no reason to go through all this. However, my theory has certain flaws.”

“What flaws?”

“It does not explain why those preserved individuals temporarily descend into the outside world and receive specific powers whenever one of the Five Sins appears.”

“Ah......”

“Nor does it explain who orchestrated all of this in the first place.”

At that addition, Alon let out a quiet sound of realization.

That was indeed the weak point.

As Alon fell into thought—

“Would you like to see it for yourself?”

“What?”

“The gap.”

“Can it be viewed from here?”

“I've already located the coordinates, so observing it is possible. Though rescuing anyone remains impossible.”

After considering it briefly, Alon answered.

“If possible, then I'd appreciate it.”

Immediately afterward, Lainisius began drawing an enormous magic circle across the office floor.

A magic circle so complicated that even Alon could not easily comprehend it.

Then Lainisius began speaking.

Words Alon could not understand.

Yet words carrying a power that felt impossible to resist.

And at that moment—

Crack—

A black dot appeared before Alon.

The tiny point hanging in empty space was so small that anyone glancing at it might wonder whether they had imagined it.

Then—

Riiip—!

The black point slowly began tearing apart.

Its size expanded rapidly.

Soon the entire space split open, creating a gap.

A void.

A gap filled with nothing.

And—

“You'll only be able to remain inside for about one minute. After that you'll be forcibly expelled.”

Ignoring Lainisius's explanation, Alon stepped into the black gap without hesitation.

What he saw was—

“...?”

A star hanging in a sky as dark as the abyss.

A sky resembling one untouched by descending divine-bloods.

Or perhaps similar to the heavens Alon had witnessed while using Reverse Heaven.

As he gazed upward—

“!”

He suddenly realized his mistake.

It wasn't a star.

It was—

“......!”

“!”

Countless lives.

Countless living beings floating in the sky, each imprisoned within a glowing white membrane.

Alon stared blankly upward.

There were too many to count.

Every single one trapped inside those glowing white shells.

And none of them were people Alon recognized.

Though it would have been stranger if he had.

After all, those trapped above were all beings from the distant past.

As he continued gazing upward—

“....?”

Alon felt something strange.

Among those he should not have known, he saw a figure that felt familiar.

“......That.”

More accurately, the imprisoned individual did not look familiar.

Yet somehow felt familiar.

The sensation was as though he had spent an extraordinarily long time with that person.

Unfortunately, from Alon's position, he could see only their back.

Even so, he felt certain he knew them.

No.

Not merely felt.

He knew them.

And just as he unconsciously began raising his hand—

Tak—!

“Ah......”

His vision changed.

The impossible familiar back disappeared.

Replaced by a familiar ceiling.

“Did you enjoy the sight?”

Lainisius asked between heavy breaths.

“Has it already been a minute?”

“Yes.”

“Could I enter again?”

“Not immediately. Even this consumes an enormous amount of mana.”

Only then did Alon properly look at him.

Despite only a minute having passed, Lainisius was drenched in sweat.

“Even a dragon can only maintain it for a minute...?”

His surprise lasted only a moment.

“......My apologies. Then may I ask again another time?”

“Once I've recovered my mana, I'll open it again.”

“And—”

As Lainisius spoke, Alon picked up the flask he had placed on the table.

“May I take this with me?”

“I don't mind. But what do you intend to do with it?”

At Lainisius's question, Alon replied:

“I intend to ask someone who might know.”

He pocketed the flask as he spoke.

***

Several days after Alon finished speaking with the Golden Dragon—

“Ahh~ We're finally done!”

“You worked hard.”

“You too, Lord Alon......”

While Lainisius recovered his mana, Alon had spent the time clearing the mountain of accumulated paperwork.

At last he slumped back into his chair in relief.

“Lord Alon.”

“Evan.”

But only briefly.

He turned toward Evan, who had entered naturally through the door.

“Lady Yutia has come to visit.”

“Yutia?”

It was not something Alon had expected to hear.

“Did she mention she was coming?”

Without thinking, Alon glanced upward as he considered it.

But he could not recall having any such conversation with her.

“No. I don't believe so.”

He shook his head and rose from his seat.

“Still, there's no point worrying about that if she's already here.”

“That's true.”

“Where is she?”

“In the reception room.”

“Then let's go.”

Mid-sentence, Alon suddenly turned his gaze elsewhere.

Because there stood Penia.

The same Penia who had looked delighted only moments ago that the paperwork was finally finished.

Now her face had gone pale.

“......Penia?”

“Ah, y-yes—”

Alon tilted his head at her frozen appearance.

“Is something wrong?”

“N-No......? Not really......?”

“?”

“Then why do you suddenly look like that?”

“I think my body is suddenly...... feeling very...... unwell......”

She looked as though she were waiting for the final falling leaf before death.

Then—

“Lord Alon?”

“Yes?”

“I'll just go out for a little while!”

“Suddenly? Where?”

“Yes! I have something urgent to take care of!”

With a quick “See you later!” she dashed out of the room like an arrow.

Alon and Evan exchanged puzzled looks.

Then shrugged.

“Let's go.”

“Yes.”

And headed toward Yutia.

A short time later—

“My Lord.”

“Yutia.”

Alon finally met her.

“Have you been well?”

“Of course.”

“How long has it been since you returned from the Empire?”

“Mm~ Not very long.”

The two exchanged light greetings.

But only briefly.

“So what brings you here? You can't have fully recovered from your journey yet.”

At Alon's question, Yutia let out a small sigh.

“Well... the thing is, I've temporarily lost access to my residence.”

“......You've lost access to your residence?”

“Yes.”

“......Ah. Come to think of it, the temple.”

“That's right. So you knew.”

“......?”

A sudden chill ran through Evan's entire body.

Yutia continued speaking.

Her expression was sorrowful.

Yet for some reason a small, strange smile lingered at the corner of her lips.

“So, since there's a church here, I thought I'd move here temporarily.”

“To the church?”

“Yes.”

Alon briefly wondered:

Couldn't she simply move somewhere else in Rosario? Someone like Yutia should be capable of that.

But he chose not to say it aloud.

There could easily be reasons she had not.

Suppressing a sigh, Alon suddenly remembered something.

'Ah. Right. The castle.'

The enormous castle intended for Alon himself was not yet complete.

But the smaller surrounding castles had already been finished.

“Yutia, if you don't mind—”

Alon began speaking.

And just as the sadness on Yutia's face started turning into a smile—

Creeeak—

The door opened.

“Godfather, so this is where you were?”

“......Rine??”

Rine entered.

“??”

Caught completely off guard, Alon blinked.

Rine politely bowed toward him.

Then smiled upon seeing Yutia.

“Oh my, Yutia. You're here too.”

“......Rine.”

Yutia looked back at her.

Their gazes met in midair.

And—