The proverb "if you're going to eat poison, eat the plate too" is a well-known saying.
It means that if you've already eaten poison, you might as well eat the plate too.
Back when this proverb originated, people often used hard-baked bread as plates.
Hard-baked bread absorbed the flavors of the main dishes placed on it, and you'd tear it off and dip it in soup to soften it before eating.
"Eat the plate too" essentially means to finish everything.
Eat whatever is served, even if it's poison.
That's the spirit of finishing your meal.
That's a lie.
The real meaning is more of a positive attitude that goes: "Well, I'm doomed to die anyway, so I might as well eat something I don't normally eat while I'm at it."
You don't normally eat plates, after all.
Whether your stomach bursts from swallowing porcelain or the poison kills you, the outcome is the same.
That's also, of course, a lie.
Anyway.
Right now, I'm in one of the properties
It's the basement of a defunct bar in the commercial district.
Barrels of preserved goods and unprocessed black coats are lined up all around.
I got here using a scroll inscribed with a teleportation magic circle.
A bidirectional teleportation magic circle.
Something I'd set up precisely for situations like this.
And in front of me sits one woman.
A girl who usually acts cute and childish.
A woman who's probably over twenty years old.
"What an interesting place you've chosen."
The Holy Child was sitting on the floor like a little girl.
Her hands and feet weren't bound, but she sat right down on the dusty floor all the same.
In the end, I'd brought the Holy Child here just like that.
"What exactly are you planning?"
"Planning? What do you mean?"
"Coming out at that timing, and not even trying to run away..."
Come to think of it, the Holy Child had appeared at the perfect moment. Almost as if she'd been waiting for me. And then she'd let herself be captured without any resistance.
"I... came out by accident. I wasn't told there would be a fight like that. When I stepped outside, the garden was covered in fog, and I was shocked."
Yet her judgment had been remarkably quick.
"You're lying."
"Yes, I'm lying. The truth is, I read the mind of the person in charge of looking after me and learned that Therese and the others were going to do something to you. That's why I came out."
"Oh... so you came to save me?"
"Yes. Then, when I went outside and looked into your eyes, I immediately understood what had happened."
She can read memories the instant she makes eye contact.
She must have been able to see through my magical armor.
With the Holy Child's mysterious abilities, I guess that's par for the course. I don't even know the secret behind
"I am on your side. I want to help you."
I silently pointed a finger at the Holy Child.
If you're going to eat poison, eat the plate too.
Since I'd already abducted her, there was no point worrying about it.
No more plans, no more deliberation. I had to act.
My cards were just two: myself and her.
With that understanding, I needed to consider the worst-case scenario.
The Pope was an enemy. The Cardinals were enemies. Therese was an enemy. Claire was an enemy.
They were all pawns of the
Only about an hour had passed, but the Temple Knights were already on the move.
I'd thought no one had seen the moment of our teleportation, but they actually had, and the Temple Knights were heading our way right now.
My magical armor, "Unit One," had been sunk into the mud of the swamp since I hadn't had time to prepare a return magic circle, but it had already been dug up and secured.
That was probably the worst-case scenario.
Maybe too worst, to the point where there'd be nothing I could do.
I had my own combat ability and the Holy Child as my card.
I had to use these two to break through this situation.
"Holy Child, before I trust your words, answer my questions."
"Of course."
What I needed to do was interrogate the Holy Child.
A woman who claimed she wanted to help me.
Whether I believed her or not, I needed information first.
"Tell me about your abilities as the Holy Child."
"I believe you already know them."
"I want to hear it from your own mouth."
What she told me might differ from the information I'd gotten from
I needed to double-check.
"I can see the surface of a person's memories."
"The surface?"
"Yes. What that person is thinking of, and the memories connected to it. Just a little bit."
"Isn't that the same as reading minds?"
"No. I can only see the past. If I keep looking into someone's eyes, I can trace further and further back..."
She can see memories.
Or rather, she can see the past connected to what the person is currently thinking about.
That's what it amounted to.
"Can you only look, or can you do more?"
"Yes, I can only look."
"Can you restore someone who's lost their mind and body?"
"No. If combined with healing magic, perhaps some method could be devised..."
So she couldn't restore Zenis's memories, then.
"So you can't actually read people's hearts."
"But I can make inferences."
She couldn't see what someone was currently thinking. But no one could hold a conversation while thinking about something completely unrelated.
If you asked "What did you have for breakfast?" and the answer was a scientific treatise on the blueness of the sky, that would be suspicious indeed.
"People with something to hide would naturally avoid making eye contact with you."
She was essentially a lie detector.
She could condemn anyone she didn't like.
Just because their eyes met — that was reason enough for condemnation.
Even if she herself was lying, no one would know...
But maybe that didn't matter.
That was simply what the Holy Child was.
As Zanoba's case demonstrated, all that was needed was someone in power to guarantee her abilities.
"You haven't been looking away,
"I have nothing to hide."
I hadn't been avoiding the Holy Child's gaze for a while now.
Part of it was that I was getting a bit fatalistic. But if she could see my past, then simply maintaining eye contact would save me the trouble of explaining everything.
"Are you sure? Even the things you have nothing to hide about — everything will be known to me..."
I kept looking directly at her.
"Oh my, Orsted-sama was under that kind of curse... I see, the Man-God... the first words were like that... oh?"
Suddenly, the Holy Child's face turned red.
What happened?
Did she see something perverted?
But even a formal interrogation would reveal that sort of thing eventually.
When the Millis priest had his affair, surely that had come up.
"W-what, at the same time... just the two of you, and yet there's love... ah... ah, this is an altar... eh? ... eh?"
At that point, the Holy Child finally averted her gaze.
She was breaking out in a cold sweat.
Her breathing was heavy.
It seemed she'd seen something she shouldn't have.
"Did you... see something?"
"H-heresy... ahem, for those of the non-Millis faith... that is, radical — no, unconventional rituals you perform..."
"That is my soul."
"Eh, y-yes."
The Holy Child pressed down the hem of her skirt while subtly leaning away.
Don't worry. The
Nothing like what you'd find in perverted doujinshi.
"Let's get back on topic."
"Yes, let's."
We both cleared our throats.
It wasn't like there was anything shameful about what she'd seen, but having someone know about it was a bit embarrassing.
If she'd seen the two of us together, she might have also heard the words I'd said during it.
It's not like that! I was just carried away in the moment! I don't normally say things like that...
Anyway, back to the conversation.
"First, about what caused this incident. Holy Child, who do you believe is behind it?"
"His Holiness the Pope, most likely. Or perhaps the Cardinals who wished to frame His Holiness. I don't believe the Man-God was involved."
So the leader of the Millis anti-demon faction.
Was the Ratoreia family involved?
Did this attack have anything to do with the Ratoreia family?
"The Ratoreia family isn't involved?"
"They may have been used, but I don't think they were the masterminds."
So it had nothing to do with Zenis's kidnapping.
Right.
In any case, the Pope's faction and the Cardinal's faction.
The leaders of each were suspicious.
"Why do you think the Man-God wasn't involved?"
"If His Holiness had truly obeyed the Man-God's words, that would be a disgrace to Millis followers. The Popes may be terrible people, but they are devout Millis believers."
"But how can you judge that?"
"I can tell by looking into their eyes."
Perhaps that was a foolish question.
But still, could I really trust her?
"If you don't trust me, you could offer me as a hostage and exchange me for what you want."
"I don't have enough cards for that. The Temple Knights have surely made their move by now. Even if I demand something in exchange for you, in the end—"
"I am the entirety of the Temple Knights."
The Holy Child cut me off mid-sentence.
She continued with a soft smile.
"The Temple Knights — or rather, the anti-demon faction — know very well that if I die, they lose."
"So what you're saying is, if they try to negotiate, I can play hardball by threatening your life, and my demands will be accepted?"
"I am worth that much. I'm confident of it."
Are you really?
I certainly didn't want to see Aisha get hacked apart in front of me because I'd trusted her on this.
"The Temple Knights aren't idiots or incompetents. They might have already captured Aisha by now and extracted this location from her. Or they might not even need to — if they'd been tracking my movements, they'd figure out this place was suspicious soon enough. There's also the possibility that by the time I go to headquarters to make my demands, the Temple Knights will have already rescued you."
"Then why not just bring me along when you make your demands?"
"That's bold, but we could get surrounded en route and end up in an all-out battle."
"If it's Rudeus-sama, couldn't you break through all of them? After all, you fought Orsted-sama and Obell on even terms."
She saw that too?
Well, it was certainly possible.
Not to boast, but I was experienced enough at mowing down hordes of enemies to call myself "Rudeus the Fodder Reaper."
If I didn't hold back and fought with lethal intent, those guys from earlier would be easy pickings.
"Besides, if someone attacks, it won't be the Temple Knights — it'll be the Pope's people."
"Why do you think so?"
"The Temple Knights can't afford to let me die under any circumstances. But the Pope's faction wants me to die — preferably by accident."
The Pope's faction would also publicly move to protect the Holy Child on the surface. But if she happened to die in the chaos, it would be all benefit and no loss.
"Maybe the Temple Knights could use barrier magic or something to safely rescue you."
"The most combat-capable group among the Temple Knights has already been defeated by you. Given the nature of the Temple Knights, they won't throw in new forces. It would be too risky."
The most capable group... those guys from earlier?
Come to think of it, they'd been called the strongest, hadn't they? Their coordination had been excellent, but those were...
No, I shouldn't belittle them. They'd deflected my rock bullets and bombarded me with magic in rapid succession. Even against the magical armor, they'd drawn their swords without flinching.
If I estimated each of them at roughly "Sword God Style Upper, Water God Style Upper, Attack Magic Intermediate, Barrier Magic Intermediate, Healing Magic Intermediate," they were a high-level, versatile fighting force.
There would be individual variations, of course, but gathering seven people of that caliber and executing such clean coordination — you could see they were an elite unit.
Therese had been a cut above the rest, and her command had been superb.
I didn't think I would have lost without using Unit One, but I certainly would have taken some damage.
In any case, if I'd beaten the strongest group, then indeed...
No, but that was only within the Temple Knights.
"I've heard there's also the Order of the Holy Knights and the Order of the Sacred Knights?"
"Those are orders belonging to the Millis Holy Kingdom. They don't interfere in internal Church matters. Besides, the Order of the Holy Knights is currently not in this country."
Oh, they're not here?
But hearing that made me feel more confident.
Take the hostage and negotiate boldly, face to face.
As a subordinate of Orsted, I was deeply offended by the sudden ambush.
Normally I'd tear the Holy Child limb from limb and crush the prestige of the Millis Church into the dirt, but we were magnanimous. If they offered a proper apology and agreed to our demands, we might spare the Holy Child's life.
Along the way, I'd have the Holy Child help identify the Man-God's apostles and the perpetrators.
There would undoubtedly be some lingering resentment, but depending on the negotiation, we might leave this country safely.
I should probably give up on the mercenary group for now. That was something Cliff could pursue again years later, when he'd truly risen to prominence.
Depending on how things went — say, if the Pope turned out to be the Man-God's apostle — Cliff would also need to abandon his plans for advancement in this country.
It was what it was.
I felt bad for Cliff, but there was no other choice.
"If you're worried about other knight orders, I think you should act quickly. If someone related to you has truly been captured, there's no telling what will be done to them as time passes."
"Right."
Only about an hour had passed since the kidnapping.
In the worst case, Aisha might have been caught already, but torturing her and Geese for information would take time. Still, the longer we stayed hidden, the more desperate they'd become. And when people grew desperate, there was no telling what they'd do.
All right. From here on, it was a gamble.
If things went wrong, at the very least, someone would die in exchange for the Holy Child's life.
I had to be prepared for that.
I wanted to be prepared.
I couldn't quite manage it.
I wanted one decisive advantage.
"...Hey, Holy Child."
"Yes?"
"Why are you trying to be on my side? You let yourself get captured so easily."
The Holy Child tilted her head in confusion, then smiled gently — the kind of smile befitting the symbol of the Millis Church.
"Because the karma that keeps me alive today exists because of you and the Sperd tribe warrior."
Had she seen my memories? Or had she seen
I wasn't sure, but it was true that I and
Still, it was almost too convenient an answer, which made me a bit suspicious.
"If that doesn't satisfy you, then just believe that I'm angry because I was made to fight to the death with a friend I was just starting to get close to and a subordinate I'd become truly fond of."
"..."
"And as thanks for all those days of entertaining stories and the picture you drew. Lady Millis herself teaches us: 'Do not forget courtesy, and do not forget kindness.'"
"..."
"Originally, I had planned to help you secretly if you ever came to me for help regarding your mother... but you never did, did you?"
When I remained silent, the Holy Child pouted like she was sulking.
"Besides, Rudeus-sama, you must have abducted me because you were convinced at first glance that I wasn't your enemy, correct?"
"Well, yeah."
I had thought she wasn't an enemy the moment I saw her.
That was precisely why I'd abducted her quickly and brought her here to talk.
Fine. It was all said and done now.
I'd been put on the defensive and trapped in this situation.
Worrying about it further wouldn't improve things.
In the next scene, I needed to enter from a position of advantage and achieve my goals.
My goals were as follows: First priority: rescue Zenis.
Second priority: ensure the safety of Aisha, Geese, and Cliff.
Third priority: avoid causing trouble for Cliff.
Fourth priority: establish the mercenary group.
Fifth priority: obtain permission to sell Ruijerd dolls.
Sixth priority: bring Millis to our side.
For now, I'd aim to achieve at least the first two.
All right, time to make the first move.
I was holding strong cards now — the Holy Child, an incredibly powerful card.
My own card was also reasonably powerful.
So before someone else — someone who didn't understand the situation at all — could prepare something, I should quickly take my turn and launch a preemptive strike.
"If this whole affair resolves cleanly, with no lingering grudges... I'll bring Eris."
"Yes. Please do."
Now then. Let's go.
--- And so I returned to the Church headquarters.
About two or three hours had passed since the fighting began.
Strangely, there were almost no Temple Knights to be seen in the streets.
That meant I could rule out the possibility that Geese or Cliff had betrayed us.
We'd escaped using a scroll inscribed with a teleportation magic circle.
The existence of teleportation magic circles wasn't generally known to the public.
On top of that, the Temple Knights had sealed the entrance, so the logical assumption would be that we were still inside.
It would take about an hour for the field commander to conclude we'd already escaped.
Then another hour to request reinforcements from the main body of the Temple Knights, organize a search party, and send them out.
And if someone's foot got caught on someone else's and caused a delay, add another hour...
They might have sealed the city exits by now, but a full-scale search wouldn't start for a little while yet.
Large organizations were always slow to move.
Cliff and Geese both knew about the teleportation magic circle. Geese had been present when the emergency escape circle was installed, and Cliff had helped me draw one in the basement of Sharira's office.
Of course, if they'd betrayed me, the Temple Knights could have been waiting at the teleportation destination from the start.
That was a possibility I'd dismissed early on.
But the Pope and the Cardinals might already know I'd used a teleportation magic circle. They'd been that well-informed. If the Man-God was pulling strings from behind the scenes, they'd surely know.
Come to think of it, the whole thing felt strange. It had only been two hours, yet the other side was playing catch-up...
Could it be that Therese and the others had acted on their own initiative?
As I mused on this, I approached the Church headquarters.
Just then, a group of blue-armored figures filed out of the building.
"It's the Holy Child..."
"Rudeus has appeared with the Holy Child!"
"Call for reinforcements!"
They really did file out, one after another.
From all directions.
Before I knew it, I was surrounded.
Was this really going to be all right?
"Rudeus-sama, please never let go of me."
I had a grip on the Holy Child's upper arm — my lifeline.
I wasn't brandishing a weapon, but the Temple Knights were visibly agitated.
They wouldn't actually attack, though.
Just as the Holy Child had said.
"To treat the Holy Child so violently!"
"Damn you, Rudeus... I've never even touched the Holy Child myself..."
"To take the Holy Child hostage is beyond the pale for any Millis believer! Unforgivable!"
Their anger was a bit odd...
But from the moment I'd arrived without a word, it was already an established fact that I'd taken her hostage.
Well, naturally. I'd wiped out her escort knights and kidnapped her.
It was only natural they'd see it that way.
The mastermind behind this incident would see it the same way.
"Commander, let's do it...! After fighting the 'Guardians of the Holy Tomb,' he can't possibly have much magic left!"
"Wait. He'd still have enough power to harm the Holy Child."
"It's fine! If we attack all at once in one, two, three, he'll prioritize protecting himself over hurting the Holy Child...!"
There was one guy stirring everyone up.
Could he be the mastermind's puppet?
"Holy Child, who is that one? Is he the Man-God's agent?"
"No, he belongs to His Holiness the Pope. He has nothing to do with the Man-God. He doesn't seem to have been briefed on the details of this incident either."
When I asked in a low voice, I got a whispered reply.
Well, if I was going to be suspicious of everyone like that, there'd be no end to it.
Fine. Let's get this started.
"I want to speak with His Holiness the Pope about this incident! Open the way!"
I bellowed at the top of my lungs.
The Temple Knights bristled at my somewhat aggressive tone.
"What did you say!"
"You think a lowlife like you can see His Holiness!"
"Release the Holy Child immediately and accept your judgment!"
Several of them were already reaching for their swords.
But when the Holy Child flinched in my arms, the knights hesitated and sheathed their swords.
Oh, impressive. So this was the Holy Child's power.
I'd had some idea watching the 'Guardians of the Holy Tomb,' but...
She really was more of a princess than I'd imagined.
Now then... ahem.
"My name is Rudeus Greyrat! I serve as the representative of the Dragon God, Orsted!"
I raised my left hand.
There, the bracelet Orsted had given me gleamed brilliantly.
It might not be the strongest proof of identity, but it should at least serve as a bluff.
"However, if my request for dialogue is refused, I offer no such guarantee! Know this: by opposing me, the Millis Church makes an enemy of the Dragon God and all of his subordinates!"
I'd decided beforehand to be aggressive in this negotiation.
I'd also prepared my lines.
I'd borrowed Orsted's name without permission, but that should be fine.
I didn't actually have many subordinates, but that should also be fine.
"...!"
The Temple Knights flinched and took a step backward.
With that one statement, they recognized that I wasn't some common thug but a representative of an organization.
The opening gambit was a success.
"I wish to hear directly from His Holiness the Church's explanation for the previous incident!"
"Why was my life — the life of the Dragon God's representative — targeted?!"
"Why was my mother detained?! Depending on your answer, the Holy Child's life is forfeit!"
I am merely a guest. I was suddenly accused of being a kidnapper and had my life threatened, and I am furious.
Hmph hmph.
I demand an apology and reparations.
And while I'm at it, I'd fold the matter of Zenis into the whole Church's problem.
There was no response.
"Commander, what do we do...?"
"What can we do? The Holy Child is being held hostage..."
But the Temple Knights wouldn't open the way.
They were hemming and hawing.
Since only low-ranking officers were here, they couldn't make a decision.
If I waited a bit, the commander might come out.
"Open the way!"
"Move!"
"Are you going to abandon the Holy Child?!"
Just then, a commotion erupted from inside, and four men and women appeared.
Three of them were familiar — members of the 'Guardians of the Holy Tomb,' their dented armor looking painful.
Therese was among them. When she saw me, she lowered her eyes apologetically.
The fourth was a man in his late fifties with a white beard.
His face was deeply lined, but his gaze was sharp and he showed no signs of aging.
I didn't recognize him. Who was he?
He too wore blue armor, identifying him as a Temple Knight.
But his armor was more ornate — like a further upgrade of Therese's.
If the current Temple Knights surrounding me were standard-grade, the 'Guardians of the Holy Tomb' were elite-grade, and Therese was top-tier...
Then this man was roughly king-grade.
"I am Carlyle Ratoreia, Commander of the Sword Division of the Temple Knights."
...Oh.
This man... was Carlyle.
My grandfather.
"Forgive the circumstances. It's a pleasure to meet you — I'm Rudeus Greyrat, son of Zenis
When I hastily replied, Carlyle fixed me with an eagle-like gaze.
An even sharper look than Claire's.
Perhaps the couple was alike after all.
I couldn't afford to get bogged down in a staring contest, though.
"...Is that how you wish to introduce yourself?"
"No."
For a moment I didn't understand, then I recalled my exchange with Claire and shook my head.
Right now, I was Orsted's representative. I was indeed Zenis's son, but that wasn't the role I was playing.
If I didn't claim an equal position, I couldn't negotiate as an equal.
"I am Rudeus Greyrat, representative of the Dragon God, Orsted. I request an audience with His Holiness."
"Very well."
I puffed out my chest, tucked my chin, and modeled my posture after Eris's.
At that, Carlyle's expression softened for just an instant.
But he quickly composed himself.
"Follow me."
Carlyle turned on his heel, his face stern.
Therese and the others followed behind him, equally strained expressions on their faces.
"...What do you think, Holy Child?"
"Therese seems to have simply been following the Cardinal's orders. Carlyle didn't meet my eyes, so I can't say."
I'd asked quietly, just to be safe.
Useful, that.
Carlyle was... gray.
He didn't feel like an enemy, but there was something slightly off about him. I'd stay alert.
With the watching Temple Knights at my back, I followed them.
--- I was led straight to the inner sanctum.
Along the way, other members of the 'Guardians of the Holy Tomb' flanked me on all four sides.
They'd removed their helmets.
The fact that they were walking steadily on two legs meant they'd been healed with magic.
I knew they had no intention of attacking, even though they remained alert.
I'd broken their vaunted king-class barrier and then crushed them head-on.
They hadn't been trying to kill me, and I hadn't been trying to kill them either.
The gap in our abilities was obvious.
On top of that, I had the Holy Child in my hands.
They wouldn't be foolish enough to challenge someone who'd defeated them just hours ago, even at the risk of the Holy Child's safety.
Actually, their expressions were notably awkward.
Especially Dust — he hadn't even tried to make eye contact with me.
There was no malice. No hostility.
They weren't even particularly wary of me.
If anything, their positioning suggested they were protecting me.
I'd been walking through the inner sanctum for just a few minutes when I realized I'd lost all sense of direction.
It was just a slightly curved corridor and a few turns at seventy-degree angles, but...
I'd thought so the last time I'd been here too — the corridors were absurdly winding.
Like a maze.
"It really is like a maze."
"Yes. It's designed so that I or His Holiness can easily escape in an emergency," the Holy Child explained.
She was probably saying it wasn't anything to do with barrier magic.
At the very least, I wouldn't suddenly be put to sleep or something.
"Oh, right!"
"The Holy Child knows every part of this corridor!"
"We used to play chase games here in the beginning, and she always got away!"
Her entourage proudly chimed in.
So it was designed to help important people escape.
But I was starting to lose my way.
If they took me deep inside, escape would be difficult...
Though I could always smash through the ceiling to get out.
The walls probably had barriers on them, but with mana-absorbing stones, it should be possible.
Hmm. I'd walked in here boldly enough, but was I going to be all right?
"Are we there yet? Going too deep could be problematic."
"A little further."
Carlyle said without looking back.
Really?
Were they trying to lure me into a trap?
Staying alert, I glanced at the people behind me.
They looked alarmed and started clamoring.
"Carlyle, sir! How rude! At least turn around when you speak!"
"Rudeus has the Holy Child's arm!"
"What if he gets upset and something happens to the Holy Child?"
"Look at the dent in that armor! This man has the superhuman strength to dent our Temple Knights' blue armor like that!"
"Even a slight change in mood could leave ugly bruises on the Holy Child's hands..."
"Everyone, quiet!"
Therese's sharp command silenced the entourage.
At the same time, Carlyle stopped and slowly turned around.
"A little further."
"...Yes."
I nodded and continued following.
About ten more steps.
Carlyle stopped before a door and knocked.
"I have brought Rudeus Greyrat."
It really had been just a little further.
I felt bad for rushing him.
Come to think of it, losing my sense of direction or not, I'd only made two turns. I could have gone back if I'd wanted to.
"You may enter."
The voice from inside belonged to the Pope.
Carlyle offered a brief prayer toward the door, then opened it.
Holding the door open with half his body, he gestured for me to enter.
"Please."
"Excuse me."
I entered the room while still holding the Holy Child's arm.
I was starting to think I could probably let go by now...
But no. I couldn't let my guard down.
Inside, it looked like a conference room.
Over a dozen people sat around a long table, heads together.
Among them were the Pope, Cliff, and an elderly man in expensive-looking vestments similar to the Pope's. That must be one of the Cardinals.
There was also a man in blue armor even more impressive than Carlyle's.
And someone in white armor.
Further back, seven knights stood with their hands clasped behind them.
I recognized two of them — the Pope's bodyguards.
Everyone was looking at me.
It was as if my arrival had interrupted a heated debate.
They stared at me in silence, holding their breath.
And at the far end of the table sat two figures.
One was an old woman with lips pressed into a thin, hard line.
She glared at me.
Claire Ratoreia.
And next to her.
There she was.
I'd finally found her.
A woman with a vacant expression, gazing up at the ceiling.
Nearly forty years old.
The woman my father had loved more than anyone.
My mother.
Zenis was sitting there.
Wait.
Hold on.
...Why were there two of them?
What was going on?
I hadn't made any demands yet.
I hadn't asked them to bring Zenis.
With a heavy thud.
A sound that shattered the silence.
The door had closed behind me.
Temple Knights took up positions guarding the door.
They formed a line, facing the knights at the far end of the room.
Therese alone had taken a seat.
"Now that all the players are present, let us begin our discussion."
The Pope, seated at the far end, spoke.
It seemed that in the past few hours, something had shifted.
I'd meant to take the initiative, but they'd beaten me to it once again.
Damn it.
"Rudeus-sama, Holy Child — won't you please take your seats?"
Was I gifted at being perpetually one step behind?
But the situation wasn't bad. Not yet.
This was still workable.