Episode 112
In the room where only the frantic breathing of a feverish child filled the air.
Coincidentally, the spot where the pendant engraved with a lily emblem had fallen was right next to it.
Perhaps that’s why. Light emanated from the pendant, quickly seeping towards the child, who was breathing heavily as if their breath might cease at any moment.
As it happened so quickly, and with only newborns who had just begun to understand the world as witnesses, there was no one to see.
Just as the light disappeared without anyone noticing, the frantic breathing that filled the room also began to gradually calm down.
Color, color.
As if the fever had suddenly subsided, the child’s breathing became calm.
The next morning. The teacher who opened the door, expecting the child to have died, was surprised.
The fact that the child, who was so feverish until last night, was perfectly fine, was the first reason, and the second was the object placed next to them.
“Principal, there’s something like this here.”
“What? Where did it fall?”
“Yesterday’s feverish girl. It was next to her…”
Winston, the director of the orphanage, received the item from the teacher and confirmed the feverish child. His heart sank. He knew what the lily emblem engraved on the pendant meant.
The black-haired girl and Maynard’s pendant. It was clear what these things meant.
“Damn it, it could’ve been a big problem! Why didn’t you tell me earlier that this child had black hair?”
“What? But yesterday…”
Yesterday, she certainly didn’t have black hair.
The teacher examined the child’s face closely. But newborn faces all looked similar, and especially the face the teacher remembered was only wrinkled due to the fever. It was quite different from the calm face now.
“Did I see it wrong?”
The teacher shook their head. Since there was no point in speaking to Winston in his current state of anger, they decided to remain silent.
“Alright, take better care of this child.”
“Yes, Principal. But there was also something like this next to the necklace…”
Winston gestured with his chin towards his office, not seeming to think it was anything important.
“It doesn’t seem like anything special. Put it on my desk.”
“Alright.”
Since it didn’t seem particularly valuable, the teacher went to the principal’s office without complaint.
Clatter. With a small sound, the teacher’s hand left the desk.
In its place were two gemstones the size of coins.
* * *
My head hurts. No, it feels like my whole body is throbbing.
The first thing I felt when I regained consciousness was pain.
But Lillian wasn’t particularly bothered by that fact. According to Agnes, pain was evidence of life.
‘I’ve returned to reality.’
Looking back, during the time in the past, my senses were dulled. Pain wasn’t felt naturally, and hardly any other sensations were perceived. Even realizing that I was crying came a beat late. How frustrating.
Moreover, as her vitality weakened in reality, her consciousness in the past gradually forgot reality. If Theo hadn’t pulled her out, Lillian would have fallen asleep in that state.
And she might never have woken up.
‘So, did Theo use the Platinum Chalice?’
Lillian grabbed her throbbing head and sat up. As consciousness returned, the fact that there was no time to indulge in memories of the past became clear.
She herself, even if Theo’s help was revealed, would face considerable trouble.
She needed to get Theo out of here quickly…
“Are you awake?”
“Ugh!”
At that moment, upon hearing the voice, Lillian involuntarily frowned.
Partly because the surroundings had brightened. She hadn’t realized it due to her absent-mindedness, but until a moment ago, where Lillian was, it was a very dark place. Suddenly, light had flooded in.
With the sensation piercing her eyes and a moment of surprise passing, realization came belatedly.
Thanks to the brightness, Lillian’s surroundings began to come into view.
And one thing was certain, this place wasn’t where Lillian had used the Platinum Chalice.
“…Where is this?”
“It’s the baptismal chamber. Everyone must pass through here to become a member of the temple.”
Lillian slowly opened her previously furrowed eyes. Then she saw a middle-aged man standing in front of her.
Behind the man, there was a giant crystal.
“Through this crystal, we make vows to the Lord and promise to become His servants.”
The baptismal chamber and the crystal.
Victoria’s words flashed through Lillian’s mind.
―The temple’s baptismal chamber has a huge crystal. It’s also called the Tears of the Lord, and everyone must raise their hands on it for baptism.
―That’s the implied medium. The temple’s strong control originates from there.
The reason why the daughters of the moon had to obey the temple, and what Victoria wanted to destroy, was right in front of Lillian.
‘I thought I might see this if luck wasn’t on my side.’
And indeed, she saw it. Lillian unwittingly rummaged in her pocket. The dagger she had received to destroy the relic was still there. If she used the dagger, she would die.
But if she didn’t use the dagger?
‘…When I came in here, I thought I might have to use the dagger.’
Lillian had anticipated this situation since she decided to infiltrate the temple.
She hadn’t expected to be completely free from the temple’s pursuit by bringing Theo, who might be affected by the temple’s implication. So Lillian brought the dagger.
In case of emergency, to destroy the relic and also end her life.
‘The best option is… to take Theo and leave.’
Lillian scanned the room. As expected, Theo was collapsed behind the middle-aged man. He seemed still out of it. But even if he came to his senses, there was a possibility that he wouldn’t cooperate with Lillian.
‘Theo must have been affected by the temple’s implication.’
He was probably brought along as a hostage for such situations.
With the dagger in her pocket, Lillian stood up.
‘Is Theo okay?’
“You don’t need to worry about Theodore. He just exhausted his vitality and lost consciousness, he’ll probably wake up soon.”
“Then who are you?”
“I am called the High Priest Kaden. You can just call me Kaden.”
“High Priest… I’m not sure if I should address you like that.”
“Of course, you can. Strictly speaking, I deserve to be addressed as such.”
Kaden smiled faintly.
“You are the only one who receives the love of our god.”
Talk of the daughters of the moon. Lillian blinked her eyes repeatedly.
“…So, did you bring me here to eliminate me?”
“Of course, there are such opinions. You are a threat to the temple just by your existence.”
The daughters of the moon were the only ones who could destroy the crystal.
So now that there was only one daughter of the moon left, the temple’s opinion narrowed down to one.
Kaden lifted his hand from the shining crystal.
“Huge sacred power is stored in this crystal. Can you feel it?”
“…Yes.”
Of course, Lillian could feel it too. The enormous divine power roiling inside the crystal.
It was so immense and powerful that it could be called a god in itself.
“Do you know how we gathered this divine power?”
Kaden removed his hand slowly from the crystal and smiled faintly.
“We absorb people with strong divine power into the crystal as a whole. There’s no more effective or powerful method than that. It’s a shame we couldn’t put Agnes here.”
Damien Portier succeeded.
