“If you go inside, the High Priest will be waiting for you.”
“Thank you.”
Ian knocked, and when he heard a voice from inside telling him to enter, he opened the door.
The room, furnished with a shabby bed and desk, looked more like the quarters of a priest than a prayer room.
“Due to the large number of visitors at the temple, I had no choice but to invite you to my private quarters,”
Ian, surprised by the accommodations, waved his hand in dismissal.
“No, it’s fine. I’m sorry for visiting so suddenly.”
“Not at all,”
The High Priest replied with a gentle smile before approaching Bernaba.
Then, kneeling on the floor, the High Priest placed hands on the ground and bowed deeply.
“I greet the one who walks with the world.”
“Rise.”
Bernaba, receiving the formal greeting with a dignified air, clicked his tongue in irritation.
“You priests are still so rigid. Don’t you know that in situations like this, you should just pretend not to know? Or are you feigning ignorance on purpose?”
The High Priest rose and answered,
“If I were to pretend ignorance, Aether would be displeased.”
Bernaba scoffed and turned his head away.
Smiling faintly at Bernaba, the High Priest shifted the gaze to Ian and spoke.
“The deity has delivered a message.”
“Yes.”
“It is not a prophecy.”
Ian’s expression grew serious.
Not a prophecy? Then what could it be?
“The deity said that due to someone’s wrong choice, the arrangements have been completely disrupted.”
“The arrangements have been disrupted?”
The High Priest nodded.
“He said it will be a treacherous journey, so you must prepare yourself and remain steadfast in your duty.”
Prepare for a treacherous journey and remain steadfast in duty.
Though Edelmar couldn’t fully understand the message, to Ian, it was an encouraging reassurance.
Remaining steadfast in his duty meant that God wanted Rose to live, giving Ian a clear answer.
“What does the deity want from that man?”
Bernaba asked, directing his question to the High Priest.
The High Priest shook head.
“I am but a messenger of the deity’s words. I know nothing beyond what is told to me.”
“Of course. Tsk.”
Bernaba clicked his tongue again, clearly displeased with the High Priest.
Unlike Bernaba, Ian lowered his head respectfully.
“Thank you.”
“Everything will unfold according to the will of the deity.”
“Yes, it will,”
Ian replied with a bright smile.
“I’ll take my leave now.”
As Ian turned to leave after his farewell, the High Priest called out to him once more.
“On your way, please stop by the temple in the Bio territory and meet with Priest Dazio.”
“Priest Dazio?”
The High Priest smiled and nodded.
“You will find something in your favor, Duke.”
“I understand. Stay safe until we meet again.”
“I will pray for the deity’s blessings to accompany you.”
The High Priest offered blessing with a bow.
Ian bowed back and left the High Priest’s chamber.
Outside, a holy knight was waiting to guide them again.
Even on their way out, other knights surrounded the group, ensuring that Rose wouldn’t be noticed by anyone.
Once everyone had boarded the carriage, it set off again.
As he had done when arriving at the temple, Bernaba cast a spell to block Rose from hearing their conversation, then asked,
“Is the duty the deity mentioned related to Rose?”
Ian glanced at Edelmar before nodding.
“I believe so.”
“Hmm.”
Bernaba pursed his lips and turned his gaze to Rose, who was engrossed in solving her puzzle.
“What is this child to them?”
Ian shook his head.
“I don’t know.”
What was Rose to the deity?
Why had the deity placed Ian’s soul into another dimension and even granted him sacred relics just to protect Rose?
As Ian fell into thought, Edelmar stared at him intently.
It was clear Ian was hiding a bigger secret than Edelmar had anticipated—a secret tied to Rose, which the dragon already seemed to know.
‘What could it be?’
Edelmar’s eyes narrowed, resembling those of a predator stalking its prey.
***
After joining the knights at the west gate, Ian and his group headed toward Quarch territory and then raced toward Fend territory.
The empire’s western region was bordered by the sea, so the ocean was visible from the road the carriage traveled on.
“Bernaba! Look over there! It’s sparkling!”
“That’s the sea,”
“The sea?”
“Yes. It’s also the origin of all life.”
Rose tilted her head in curiosity at the philosophical comment and turned to Ian.
“Fish live there. Rose, don’t you like fish?”
“Yes! Fish are delicious!”
“Right. The tasty fish live there. And the sea never gets lonely because it’s always talking.”
“Talking?”
“Yes, it keeps whispering, whoosh-whoosh. Shall we go hear the sea’s whispers together with Uncle someday?”
Rose nodded enthusiastically.
Ian patted her head but sensed two sets of gazes on him, causing him to look up.
“You’re raising the child well,”
Bernaba remarked.
“Raising… No, love makes it natural to care well,”
Ian quickly deflected, unable to admit that he had no actual experience raising children due to Edelmar’s presence.
Noticing Ian’s quick change in subject, Edelmar’s eyes glinted with interest as he spoke.
“Where did you hear that the sea is talkative?”
“From my sister,”
Ian replied honestly, as both his original self and Ian had sisters, leaving no need for him to fabricate a story.
“My mom?”
Rose asked, recognizing that Ian’s sister was her mother.
“Yes. Your mom told me. She said the sea is talkative and never stops chattering.”
“Mom said that?”
“Yes. Would you like to hear more about your mom?”
Rose nodded enthusiastically.
Though the stories Ian shared were about her mother from Earth, Marianne, the mother Rose had spoken about, had mostly been bedridden and asleep. So, Rose wouldn’t sense the difference.
“There are clams in the sea, but clams can’t talk.”
“Why not?”
“When they open their mouths, fish pinch them,”
Ian explained, playfully pinching Rose’s side to mimic a fish pinching a clam.
Rose burst out laughing.
“So they keep their mouths shut tightly and wait until they’re out of the water where there are no fish, but then they don’t have any friends.”
“Hmm. Then they wouldn’t have anyone to talk to,”
Ian gently tapped her nose.
“That’s why the sea repeats the clams’ stories quietly.”
“Repeats them?”
“Yes. When you go to the sea and hold a seashell to your ear, you can hear the sea repeating their stories.”
Rose’s eyes widened.
“Whoosh, whoosh?”
“Exactly, whoosh, whoosh.”
“That’s amazing!”
Rose clapped her hands together with excitement, then suddenly looked glum.
“Rose, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”
Rose shook her head.
“Fenrex isn’t here.”
For a moment, Ian and Edelmar exchanged glances.
Both of them had been so busy that they had forgotten about Fenrex’s absence.
Rose tugged on Ian’s shirt and asked,
“Uncle, when is Fenrex coming? Is Fenrex at the place we’re going?”
“Um, well…”
Ian hesitated and glanced at Edelmar for help.
But Edelmar, too, had no answer to give.
At that moment, Bernaba, who had been silently observing the three, spoke up.
“Little one, who is Fenrex?”
“Fenrex is my friend who can turn into a dog!”
“A dog? Are you perhaps talking about a beastman?”
Rose nodded.
“Yes! Fenrex said he’s a prince of the beastman tribe.”
Bernaba turned to Ian and asked,
“Is this child a bonded one?”
Ian sighed deeply before answering.
“Yes.”
“Tsk. The child is caught up in something troublesome,”
Ian nodded in agreement.
It was truly something unusual. If it were possible, he would have severed the bond.
‘If Bernaba is a dragon who has lived for ten thousand years, wouldn’t he know how to sever a bond?’
Ian thought, and then asked,
“By any chance… is there a way to sever the bond?”
Bernaba shook his head firmly.
“If such a method existed, there wouldn’t be wolves in the beastman tribe dying because of it.”
Ian clicked his tongue in disappointment.
Bernaba turned his attention to Rose and asked,
“Do you want to see that wolf?”
“Yes. He’s my first friend, but I haven’t been able to see him for a long time. I miss him,”
“Will you bring him to me?”
Rose tilted her head.
“Can you bring him here?”
“Yes, but not right away.”
“Why not?”
Bernaba pinched Rose’s soft cheek gently as he replied,
“Because when we arrive, there’s a place I need to go with you first.”
“Your house?”
Bernaba patted her head in approval.
“That’s right. Animals aren’t allowed in my house.”
“But! But! Fenrex is a person!”
“How can he be human when he has ears and a tail? He’s a furry beast,”
Rose tilted her head, still not understanding, but Bernaba didn’t explain further.
“Once we visit my lair, I’ll bring your friend to you. Alright?”
Rose nodded obediently.
“Now, play with this,”
Bernaba said as he handed her the puzzle she had been solving the day before. Rose immediately became engrossed in it.
Ian turned his gaze out the carriage window.
The rolling blue ocean came into view.
‘The second sacred relic is beneath that sea,’
***
On their first journey for a sacred relic, they encountered monsters. However, the journey for the second relic was quiet.
When they arrived in the Bio territory as the High Priest had mentioned, Ian carefully carried the sleeping Rose out of the carriage.
“This place doesn’t operate fishing during winter. That’s why, when spring arrives, they hold a festival to pray for bountiful catches. It seems like it’s that time of year now,”
As he said, the territory was lively with festivities. Lanterns were hung everywhere, and people wandered joyfully through the streets.
“Are we resting here for the night?”
“Yes, it’s already late,”
“Alright. Then I’ll step out for a moment,”
Bernaba said, dragging his long hair behind him as he wandered off.
“Let’s go,”
Edelmar said, leading the way.
As before, Edelmar had his subordinates rent out an entire inn for safety.
Ian and his group stayed on a middle floor, with knights stationed on the floors above and below for security.
“What about meals?”
“I’m fine. Could you watch over Rose for a while? I need to visit the temple.”
“Are you going to meet Priest Dazio?”
“Yes.”
After a brief moment of thought, Edelmar said,
“I’ll come with you. Wouldn’t it be better to leave Rose with the dragon?”
Ian nodded in agreement.
At that moment, Bernaba returned to the room, seemingly done with his wandering.
“Are you heading to the temple?”
“Yes,”
With a wave of Bernaba’s hand, a chair appeared beside the bed where Rose was sleeping.
“Go on. I’ll look after the child.”
“I’m counting on you,”
