A few hours after the carriage departed from the lone house in the vast green fields, they finally caught a glimpse of the Royal Church. From the window, they watched as countless villages and structures assembled in concentric circles, and in the very center, an enormous, glorified white cathedral stood, practically roaring with a sense of absolute power.

  Arvain watched the church with a sigh of relief, smile afterwards. "Home sweet home."

  However, Saria’s hands trembled with fear. Her nervousness escalated steadily as they drew closer to the heart of the territory.

  Carol, noticed the sudden shift in Saria's behavior, hardened her expression with worry. Hana, who also sensed something was wrong, simply looked away as her face clouded with guilt.

  Once they arrived within the Church's territory, the carriage came to a halt in front of an old, seemingly abandoned cathedral. Hana opened the door and stepped out. Arvain and Carol followed suit, but Saria couldn't bring herself to take a single step; hesitation had a firm grasp on her heart. She stared intensely at the structures before her, lost in a memory of her past. In her mind’s eye, she reached out her hand, only for the other children to look at her with disgust, ignoring her and leaving her alone.

  Noticed Saria, especially the way her arms shook with fear, Carol decided to snap her back to reality. "Saria."

  Heared her name been called out, Saria startled. Her focus shifted toward Carol, who stood beside the carriage with a worried expression. "O-oh... uhm... is there something wrong, Carol..?" she asked, trying to mask her terror with her usual nervousness.

  Instead of answering immediately, Carol fell into deep thought, though it wasn't long before she questioned Saria in return. "You don't want to be here, do you?"

  Carol's questions made Saria froze, her eyes widening in shock. She looked down at the ground, overwhelmed by guilt and frustration with herself.

  Watching Saria’s vulnerable state, Carol let out a deep sigh and gently tapped Saria’s shoulder. "Come on. I'll help you carry the boxes."

  "A-alright..!" Saria exclaimed, finally stepping out of the carriage as her boots touched the ground.

  At that moment, Carol glanced away from Saria, catching a glimpse of a silhouette watching them from the shadows. The figure disappeared the instant it was noticed by Carol’s intense glare.

  Meanwhile, as Hana reached for the doorknob, the sound of several rushing footsteps echoed from the other side. Hearing this, Hana chuckled in amusement. She opened the door as she usually would, but instead of entering, she stepped aside into the corner, clearing the way. In that exact moment, several children excitedly burst out of the church, rushing immediately toward Saria.

  "Sis Saria!" one of the children exclaimed.

  Hearing her name called, Saria turned toward the source, only to be caught off guard as one of the children jumped and hugged her. The momentum knocked Saria to the ground, where the child happily nuzzled her head against Saria’s stomach.

  "That's not fair!" another child, watching from behind, pouted in frustration.

  "Hehe. First come, first served," the girl said, looking back at the other children with a smug grin.

  "Uhm... Rurin..? Can you please get off me first..? I still have some work to do," Saria requested.

  "Oh!" The girl, Rurin, stood up immediately after being told. "Sorry for attacking you all of a sudden, Sis Saria! I just missed you so much after a whole year!"

  Saria chuckled softly. "Is that so?"

  Nearby, Carol exhaled and wiped the sweat from her forehead, having finally placed the last of the boxes on the ground. She signaled the carriage driver with a sharp slap against the wooden frame, and the carriage immediately pulled away.

  "Need a hand?" Carol offered. Saria shifted her focus to her friend and, without hesitation, accepted the help. A genuine smile touched her face as Carol pulled her to her feet.

  "Uhm, are you Sis Saria's friend?" Rurin asked, looking at Carol with curiosity.

  In response, Carol offered a friendly smile. She knelt down and gently patted Rurin's head. "Of course. I suppose your name is Rurin, right? Where is your guardian?"

  "We're just an orphanage, so we don't have guardians," Rurin explained. "Not that we need them, anyway."

  Upon hearing Rurin’s explanation, Carol’s expression shifted drastically to one of sympathy. "I see."

  "Rather than being sad, how about you stand up and help us sort these boxes, Le—I mean, Carol," Arvain cut in, annoyed by Carol's behavior.

  "Whatever you say, 'Big Shot'," Carol countered as she stood up, her tone teasing Arvain.

  "Hmph. Thanks for saying that, I suppose," Arvain replied with an arrogant smirk.

  Rurin sighed as she watched Arvain’s attitude. "And here I thought you were far more mature than us, Brother Arvain."

  "Of course I am, Rurin!"

  Carol snorted in amusement, while Saria chuckled happily as they both watched the two bicker.

  As Hana, Saria, and Arvain entered the old church with their boxes, Carol followed close behind. She felt a sense of astonishment as she took in the interior; rows of fractured wooden chairs were set up in neat lines, just like any other church. Though moss had begun to cover parts of the stone figures, the sight remained majestic as sunlight poured through holes in the rooftop, shining down like a divine spotlight.

  "This place really doesn't change, does it?" Hana mumbled to herself, a soft smile touching her lips.

  The sound of footsteps echoed from a corner of the church. Hana shifted her focus toward the sound, revealing a nun who looked around with an expression of worry.

  When their eyes met, the nun froze, her hands trembling slightly. "Oh, Lord..." she whispered.

  In response, Hana set her boxes on the ground and opened her arms wide. Taking the invitation, the nun rushed forward and threw herself into the embrace. Tears began to stream down her cheeks as she clung to Hana.

  "I-I’m so glad you’re okay... Miss Blight..." the nun sobbed, her emotions overflowing. "I thought... I thought you had been killed after you were expelled by the Royal Church..."

  Hana patted the nun’s head gently, like a mother reassuring a child. "Of course not, my dear Narlia. And looking at those children, I can see you’ve done a wonderful job."

  "You mean... taking care of them while you were gone..?"

  Hana nodded. "Not everyone is suited for this work, and honestly? I’m glad you chose morality over power back then."

  Hearing those words, Narlia gently stepped back from the embrace and wiped the remaining tears from her eyes with her sleeve. "Thank you for the compliment, Miss Blight," Narlia said, now back to her calm, nun-like composure. "Now then, with Sir Arvain and the Child of Light returning, I would like to host a welcoming party. Is that alright with you, Miss Blight?"

  "Of course. Just be sure to make a little extra."

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  Listening to Hana’s request, Narlia finally noticed Carol’s presence. She bowed slightly before raising her head. "I see. It will be done, Miss Blight."

  "Do you want me to help?" Hana offered, her tone teasing.

  "N-no! I can’t simply let a Holder like you help a common nun like m—"

  "Saria, Carol. Do you want to join us?" Hana asked, cutting off Narlia’s protest.

  "Fine by me," Carol answered casually.

  "S-sure!" Saria answered nervously.

  With that, Hana walked past Narlia. Carol and Saria set their boxes on the floor and followed her.

  "What are you waiting for? Come on, Narlia!" Hana’s voice boomed across the church.

  "C-coming!" Narlia replied, finally following them toward the kitchen.

  "Wait! What about these boxes?" Arvain asked, his voice echoing as well.

  "You’re a man, aren’t you? You can take those boxes to the rooms," Carol called back, causing Arvain’s eyebrow to twitch in frustration.

  "Uhm..." One of the children gently tugged at Arvain’s outfit to get his attention. "We can help you carry and sort these out."

  Hearing the child's offer, Arvain let out a sigh of disappointment, having no choice but to accept their help.

  With both sides having their fun, from the chaotic cooking to the heavy sorting of boxes, the welcoming party finally began. Although their preparations had lasted until the world around them warped into a quiet, dark night, the darkness didn't stop the church from coming to life with celebration.

  Everyone had their fill of joy. The children ate their food like wild predators, while Narlia and Hana watched over them with fond smiles. Arvain, unbothered by the noise, simply ate in the comfort of his own space.

  "Miss Hana," Saria called out. She and Carol, who was yawning from exhaustion, approached Hana. "May we head to our room? Carol seems quite tired."

  "Sure. Go ahead."

  Hearing Hana’s permission, Saria gave a respectful bow. She and Carol slipped away to their room, leaving the children, Arvain, Hana, and Narlia to continue the party.

  Once inside the room, Carol immediately let her head hit the bed, groaning happily at the comfort of the mattress.

  "C-Carol! This isn't the time to sleep yet!" Saria exclaimed, trying to remind her.

  "Yeah, yeah. You want me to help you arrange the items in those boxes, don't you?" Carol replied, her eyes shifting toward the sorted boxes in the corner of the room.

  "S-something like that. Can you help out?"

  "Well, rather than doing that... can you tell me something, Saria?"

  Hearing Carol’s sudden question, Saria startled slightly. "About what..?"

  "What exactly was it that made you so afraid back there?"

  Saria’s eyes widened in shock, leaving her speechless for a moment.

  Carol snorted as soon as she saw Saria’s reaction. "I figured. You didn't expect it to be your turn, did you?"

  "I..." Saria let out a sigh, releasing some of her tension. "Actually, I already knew my turn was coming, especially with graduation and everything. Yet... the memories... the expectations from everyone else... it really makes me feel helpless."

  "Is that so?" Carol fell into deep thought, though only for a moment. "But hey, if Revir and Rein could deal with their trauma, there’s no way you can't resolve your own, right?"

  "I hope you're right, Carol... I hope it were that easy," Saria replied, her hands clenching in frustration as her gaze fixed on the floor. Her expression darkened. "But when you've been forced to remember that 'destiny' since you were a child... even though it’s not what you wanted... especially when almost everyone has such high expectations of you... you understand what I mean by that, right, Carol?"

  "Sort of. But the way you’re saying it..." Carol snorted with amusement, offering a casual, taunting smile. "That’s not the full picture, is it?"

  "That’s..." Saria couldn't find a counter-argument to Carol’s words.

  "Well, at least you’re being honest about your situation," Carol replied, looking down at the bed with a look of guilt. "At least... you don't have to hide and lie about yourself to everyone else."

  Saria fell into a deep silence, understanding the weight behind Carol’s words. She looked at her friend with an expression of pure sympathy.

  However, their conversation was cut short. Through the window, Carol noticed one of the children walking out of the church in the middle of the night. Her face hardened with worry.

  "Saria. Do you know who that child is?" Carol asked, her gaze fixed on the small figure.

  Saria walked to the window, her eyes widening in surprise. "Is that... Rurin..? Why is she going out alone in the middle of the night?"

  "Who knows," Carol said, her gaze shifting to Saria. "Wanna follow her?"

  Saria answered with a silent, determined nod.

  As both girls followed in silence, Rurin suddenly stopped in front of a dark alley. Carol and Saria watched from the bushes as a figure clad in armor stepped out from the shadows. Carol’s expression hardened, while Saria felt a spike of terror surge through her body.

  "I-I'm here, just as you wanted," Rurin said, trying to face him with an expression of forced determination. Her hands, however, gave her away; they were trembling uncontrollably. "You won't hurt the others, right?"

  "Of course. I swear it in the name of God," he said, lifting his sword with both hands. "Because of that, you should be grateful for being a 'sheep for our Lord.' I imagine He will be pleased with your contribution."

  Hearing his words, Rurin’s eyes widened in horror. she looked down at the ground and tightly squeezed her eyes shut.

  "Then... see you in the afterlife." He swung his blade down, intent on ending the child’s life.

  In response, Carol, grinding her teeth in frustration, instinctively rushed forward while pulling her wand from her waist pouch. Closing the distance, she yanked Rurin away from the strike and morphed her wand into a familiar, yet different blade using her Vergus spell.

  The metallic clang of their clashing swords echoed loudly. As their blades locked, the new form of Carol’s weapon was revealed; the body of the blade was a deep, reddish-violet. Unlike her previous transparent sword, this one featured a solid cross-guard.

  "W-who are you?!" the knight barked, stunned by Carol’s sudden intervention.

  "Heh, why should I tell you my name?" Carol answered with a taunting smirk.

  "You..!"

  Seeing that he had taken the bait, Carol’s signature smile widened. She easily broke the clash, swinging her sword to the side before driving her boot into his stomach. The force sent him crashing against the alley wall, where he slumped to the ground, unconscious.

  "C-Carol..! Behind you!" Saria exclaimed nervously as another armored figure attempted to ambush Carol from the rear.

  Thanks to Saria’s warning, Carol spun around, her eyes shifting into a hollow, reddish glow. She swiftly caught the attacker by the helmet, her grip tightening like a vice. The figure struggled desperately to break free, but Carol only pressed her fingers deeper into the metal.

  "Now then, can you tell me why your partner just tried to murder a child?" Carol demanded, her gaze filled with contempt.

  "Why should we tell an outsider like you..?" the figure countered.

  Carol sighed. "I guess you're right." She lifted the figure off the ground and turned back toward the depths of the alley. "Off you go!" She threw him like a discarded toy, and he too lost consciousness upon impact.

  With the ambush neutralized, Carol blinked, her eyes returning to their normal dark pupils. She morphed her sword back into its wand form and tucked it away before running to Rurin, who had fallen to the ground.

  "Are you okay? Sorry for pulling you so hard," Carol apologized as she knelt, offering a hand.

  "Y-yeah, I'm fine," Rurin replied, accepting Carol’s hand and standing up beside her.

  "Good." Carol shifted her focus to Saria, who looked overwhelmed with guilt. Despite her fear, Saria shook her head, pushing her emotions aside for the moment as she gave a silent nod.

  Carol exhaled in relief. "Let's go. There might be more of these guys lurking around." With that, the three of them retreated toward the church.

  Fortunately, Carol’s instincts were correct. A nun from a rival parish watched them from the rooftops.

  "What should I do with them, Pope Zen?" she asked through the telepathic device on her neck.

  "Is the Child of Light with them?" Pope Zen asked, his voice transmitting clearly through the device.

  "Yes. It seems the Blight Holder has influenced her to fight back."

  Hearing this, the Pope snorted in amusement. "You really think so? Is there not a third party present as well?"

  "A third party?" The nun fixed her gaze on Carol. "If you mean the outsider, then yes, you are correct."

  "I see." In his distant sanctuary, the Pope looked up at a stone figure bathed in moonlight filtering through a stained-glass mural. "Watch them for now. We cannot afford another reckless move with our knights."

  "As you wish, Pope Zen," the nun replied, deactivating the device and vanishing from the rooftop.