IFLDMHF | Chapter 105

Episode 105

In truth, if I didn’t think that way, I felt like I wouldn’t be able to endure it.

To the extent that I might regret today for a long time.

‘No, it’s fine.’

Even if Euclid’s unspeakable circumstances simply meant that he didn’t like me.

Thinking about it, was there anything more miraculous in this world than having the one and only favorite character like me? Of course, it wasn’t something that could easily happen.

More than anything, I had my own reasons to believe.

— If I were to hold someone in my heart, it would naturally be none other than you, my wife.

I believed that one day, Euclid would undoubtedly keep that promise.

I was in a far more hopeful situation than most, so there was no time to hesitate or sulk.

Instead, a sense of competitiveness arose within me, and rather than despairing, I burned with determination.

Since my feelings were already as good as exposed, I would push forward without hesitation from now on!

As I made that resolution and looked out the window, something suddenly caught my eye.

“The moon is really bright tonight.”

“It’s the last day of the lunar cycle.”

Anne, who was behind me, responded to my murmuring.

For a moment, I was puzzled, thinking it was some kind of wordplay. But then I recalled the original story and nodded.

“I should pray.”

It wasn’t an especially crucial setting, just a brief mention in the background, so I had forgotten about it.

In this world, the last day of every month was called ‘the day when the goddess Heseirin listens to prayers.’

The reason was that the moonlight was so bright that all the street lamps could be extinguished.

> ‘So that those with earnest desires who seek the temple deep in the night won’t lose their way.’

And also, there was an episode where, after being rejected, Melissa went to the temple that night just to catch a glimpse of Damien from afar but returned in vain.

On her way home, she encountered assailants and was saved by a mysterious man. He wore a mask, so his identity was unknown, but based on the description and his role, it was undoubtedly Richard…

‘Wait a minute?’

But Richard is in the Duchy of Rudion right now. Then who will save Melissa?

I blinked in stunned realization.

At that moment.

The grand temple was bustling with people hoping for the goddess to hear their prayers.

However, High Priest Antonio was striding briskly out of the main sanctuary.

His destination was the temple’s back entrance, where an old, rarely used prayer room stood.

Antonio knew that Damien occasionally came here alone, so he had come on a hunch. And sure enough—

“High Priest!”

Right in front of the prayer room, Damien was standing with his brows furrowed, gazing up at the sky.

“There you are! I’ve been searching for you everywhere.”

Antonio, having scoured the vast temple for Demian, spoke between deep breaths.

Instead of answering, Damien responded with an unexpected question.

“Priest Antonio. Today is the last day of the month, isn’t it?”

“Huh? Of course. The moon is so bright. You can tell just by how people keep coming to the temple even at this hour.”

Antonio, though perplexed by the sudden question, answered sincerely.

Hearing this, Damien’s face visibly tensed.

“…!”

At that moment, a young apprentice priest, seemingly returning from an errand, appeared from the back with a light step. Upon seeing Damien and Antonio, he gasped and rushed over.

“H-High Priest! And Priest Antonio as well… What brings you here?”

“Ah.”

Damien, as if relieved by the encounter, urgently asked,

“Are you the priest in charge of this prayer room tonight?”

“Yes! My name is Jamie. I am the assigned priest for this week.”

“I see. Priest Jamie, I was actually looking for you.”

“M-me? For what reason…?”

“The person who came to use this prayer room tonight—have they already left? I thought I arrived on time, but it seems I was late…”

Though young, the High Priest always maintained a solemn and composed demeanor.

Yet now, not only was he uncharacteristically flustered, but his voice also carried unmistakable regret.

Jamie, startled, quickly collected himself and replied.

“Um, High Priest… My apologies, but no one has come to this prayer room today.”

“…What?”

Damien’s mouth slightly opened in disbelief.

“It’s true! Although I briefly stepped away to use the restroom, there’s no way I would have missed anyone coming in. You may check the temple’s entry logs if you wish!”

Eager to prove he had not been negligent, Jamie fervently defended himself.

Yet Damien remained frozen, silent.

“I understand. I trust your words, Priest Jamie. You may return to your post now.”

Antonio spoke on Damien’s behalf.

Jamie, though looking somewhat uneasy and frustrated, had no choice but to obey the senior priest.

Watching Jamie retreat without another word, Antonio let out a small sigh.

Then, lowering his voice, he asked the still-serious Demian,

“High Priest, were you expecting to meet someone here?”

“…What?”

“Now that I think about it, many have suggested closing this prayer room since it is rarely used anymore. But you specifically insisted on keeping it open.”

Not only that, but he also assigned apprentice priests to clean and maintain it in rotation.

“I thought you simply came here when you wished to pray in solitude.”

In hindsight, it was rather odd.

The High Priest’s chambers already had a private prayer room—quiet, cozy, and ideal for praying.

Although their ranks were different, Antonio had grown up alongside Damien in the slums before entering the temple.

He had always believed he knew everything about him.

Feeling slightly betrayed, he asked incredulously,

“Who could possibly be important enough for you to arrange a meeting like this?”

Though his tone was interrogative, Antonio had no impure thoughts, such as suspecting a secret romantic rendezvous.

While this old and narrow prayer room had no windows and was rarely visited, making it a suspicious location, the person in question was Damien.

The most devout High Priest he knew.

“N-no, it’s not like that…”

That was why, even upon seeing Damien visibly flustered, Antonio couldn’t help but chuckle.

“But you were definitely waiting for someone, weren’t you?”

Who could it be? Most likely someone who couldn’t openly visit the temple—perhaps someone in dire circumstances.

For example, a patient suffering from an illness that others feared.

If that were the case, Damien might have noticed them and discreetly arranged to treat them without letting rumors spread.

While Antonio considered various possibilities from Damien’s perspective—

“……”

Damien himself felt unsettled by his own inability to answer Antonio’s question.

Of all people, Antonio had grown up with him in the slums.

So…

> ‘Do you remember the person in the black robe who used to visit once a month, bringing food and clothes?’

If he simply said that, Antonio would surely blink in surprise before exclaiming in shock, ‘Wait, was that benefactor supposed to come today?’

But Damien felt a dryness in his throat and ultimately kept his mouth shut.

> ‘If I were going to say anything, I should have said it back then.’

Back when he was still an apprentice and first learned that person came to pray in this room on the last day of every month.

Yet even after becoming the youngest High Priest, he had never once spoken of it.

It had been so natural to keep it a secret that even he hadn’t realized why—until now.

> ‘Because that person… cried so sorrowfully.’