Episode 106

“A… heretic?”

I flinched and turned to look at Ismail.

I had never heard that purple had such a meaning.

“Wh-where did you hear that?”

“In the 15th scripture.”

“F-Fifteenth scripture?”

“Yeah. It says that heretics who serve demons use black magic infused with a purple hue. Ah, but I guess you haven’t read that far yet.”

“Uhh…”

I gave a sheepish smile at Ismail’s explanation.

‘There’s no way I’ve read the fifteenth scripture when I barely managed to get through the fifth one.’

Unless someone was planning to become a priest, there was no reason to study the scriptures that deeply.

I didn’t even have time for idle thoughts about how different the next pope candidate was—my body froze cold.

‘Then… does that mean Diana is using black magic?’

But that didn’t make any sense.

Diana was only five years old.

How could a five-year-old have learned and used black magic?

‘Or… has she regressed, like me?’

It was a real possibility.

Last time, when she deliberately ate pecan pie despite her allergy, she had seemed completely out of her mind.

I had been trying to ignore it, but her behavior was nothing like that of an ordinary five-year-old.

‘If Diana really has regressed, then… was she the one who caused the miracle of reversal?’

It was a plausible theory.

In both the original story and my past life, Diana had ultimately become the Saintess.

Even so, questions remained.

‘Why?’

Why would the heroine, who successfully defeated the villainess and became the Saintess, have any reason to turn back time?

‘Because Edwin died? Or because the Crown Prince fell into a coma?’

The natural assumption was that she had loved one of them so much—both being strong male lead candidates—that she had sacrificed her heart to turn back time.

And yet, I still couldn’t understand.

‘Then why did she just stand by and let the Crown Prince and Edwin reach that state in the first place?’

It sounded ridiculous, but—

Even when I was imprisoned in the imperial dungeon and heard of the duchy’s downfall, I had never once doubted that Edwin would be safe.

Given that their engagement had been discussed, I had firmly believed that Diana would help him.

But—

 

“…Don’t cry, Belze.”

“When you cry like that… I don’t know what to do.”

Edwin ultimately died.

Unlike me, who burst into tears the moment I saw him again after returning, Diana…

Diana looked disturbingly unfazed.

Even when we met Edwin together at the duke’s estate.

Even when she first laid eyes on the Crown Prince during the volunteer work.

Even now, every time I see Edwin, my heart drops, and I can’t help but question whether this moment is just a fleeting dream.

But someone who supposedly turned back time because she loved one of them so much…

‘There’s no way she’d have that kind of expression.’

An expression that said she knew nothing.

That innocent, pure face—it didn’t make sense.

“…Je?”

“……”

“Belze!”

Lost in deep thought, I snapped back to reality at the sound of my name.

“…Huh?”

“Why do you look like that?”

Ismail was staring at me, eyes filled with concern.

“Did you actually see a black magician using purple magic or something?”

His question made my throat tighten.

At the same time, I recalled Diana forcefully healing me.

That brief moment when I saw a faint purple glow seeping from her fingertips.

Not just that—Dung-keski, the Second Prince, Logan.

The purple light I had seen on their bodies swirled chaotically in my mind.

“…Did you really see something?”

Ismail must have noticed my sudden silence, as his expression grew serious.

I quickly shook my head.

“N-no! I didn’t see anything!”

This wasn’t something I could speak about carelessly when nothing had been confirmed yet.

‘…Maybe I just saw it wrong for a second.’

I pressed down the unease roiling inside me.

Ismail let out a small sigh, as if saying, I thought so.

“All those wicked heretics were wiped out with the Holy War.”

“Oh… I see…”

I gave a halfhearted nod, feigning agreement.

Just then, Ismail suddenly lowered his voice and whispered urgently.

“Now’s not the time to be worrying about black magicians. I was actually planning to send you a letter, but you came at the perfect time.”

“Huh? A letter? Why…?”

“You know about it, right? That when Dung-keski was taken away, the Chamber of Repentance disappeared too.”

His abrupt statement made my eyes widen, but I nodded without hesitation.

“Yeah, I know.”

Of course, I did. It was all because of me.

Ismail’s face darkened even further at my answer.

“But they’re still taking children with abilities from the temple. Just two days ago, two more were taken.”

“What?!”

The shocking news made me gasp and scramble to ask,

“W-why?!”

“How should I know?”

Ismail shrugged.

But even if he didn’t say it outright, we both understood the reason.

‘There are still people in the temple trying to steal the children’s abilities.’

I had already suspected that Dung-keski hadn’t been working alone.

However, with the key figure removed, I had assumed they would lie low for a while.

I never expected them to act again so soon.

Mumbling to myself, I grew more serious.

“…Where could those scum like Dung-keski still be hiding?”

“Dung-keski? Ah, you mean Dunkeski.”

Ismail pretended to ponder.

“I don’t know. But honestly, I don’t really trust the new Headmistress either. Her smiling face is just…”

Just then—

Step, step.

The faint sound of approaching footsteps made me instinctively grab Ismail’s arm.

“Shh.”

At my silent warning, Ismail immediately closed his mouth.

His eyes wavered with anxiety.

Step, step.

The sound grew closer and closer to the library, until finally—

Creak—

The library door opened, and a tall, doll-like figure appeared.

“…Oh? Belze, so you were here.”

Speak of the devil.

The person who opened the door was none other than Magnus, the High Priest.

A young man who had recently been appointed as the new headmaster of the orphanage.

“I heard voices whispering in the library and wondered who it was.”

His gaze naturally shifted to the person beside me.

“The friend you were looking for… was it Ismail?”

“…Yes.”

His sudden appearance made me tense up.

‘Could it be? Did those beaten-up brats snitch on me?’

I doubted we’d been caught already, but my guilty conscience made me uneasy.

Right then, Magnus smiled and said,

“So, you two were having a little tea party here. I hope I’m not interrupting?”

‘Phew.’

Thankfully, it didn’t seem like he knew about the kids getting hit.

Suppressing a sigh of relief, I quickly put on an innocent face and said,

“Nope! Does the Headmaster wanna join us too?”

“Shall I?”

It was just a polite offer, yet he accepted without hesitation.

Thud.

Closing the library door behind him, he strode toward our table as if he had been waiting for this moment.

Tap, tap.

Ismail, looking alarmed, nudged my foot under the desk.

But this was something we’d have to face sooner or later.

We needed to know what kind of person Magnus really was.

‘If he’s nothing more than Dunkeski’s successor…’

That would be the worst-case scenario.

From what I had seen, unlike Dunkeski, Magnus seemed to have earned the Pope’s trust.

If such a person was put in charge of the orphanage, he’d surely notice Ismail’s hidden powers.

And worse, it wouldn’t bode well for me or Kallios either.

“Excuse me.”

Despite the childlike table setting, Magnus politely greeted us before sitting across from me.

At the same moment, Ismail abruptly stood and moved to sit beside me.

It matched what he had said earlier—he didn’t like the new headmaster.

“Ismail must be quite shy.”

Magnus didn’t show any displeasure at the action, only smiling as if he found it amusing.

‘…He might be more dangerous than I thought.’

People who hid behind an impenetrable mask were far more frightening than those who underestimated children and carelessly revealed their true nature.

Glancing over the table, Magnus finally spoke.

“Once again, thank you, Belze. Thanks to you, the children were delighted to have so many delicious treats today.”

“Hehe.”

“I had been wanting to see you ever since your selection as the Saintess Candidate, and now we’ve met like this. No wonder the Goddess favors you.”

“Thank you!”

At his words of praise, I responded with a bright, childlike smile.

“…But.”

Looking at both me and Ismail, Magnus suddenly asked,

“Were you two having a conversation just now?”

“Huh? What do you mean…”

“I thought I heard two voices. Or… did I mishear?”

Still wearing that same deep smile, he stared at the both of us.

Ismail flinched ever so slightly.

My heart also sank, but I had long learned how to handle such shallow provocations.

In moments like these, a child’s body made for the perfect disguise.

“Yes! We were doing this!”

“……”

“Big bro, hand!”

I grabbed Ismail’s tightly clenched fist and forcibly opened it.

Then, I traced imaginary letters on his palm as if writing something.

― Signal, Control.

“……!”

Ismail’s eyes flickered as if he understood my message.

Magnus, of course, wouldn’t be able to decipher my finger movements.

“…Well. Ismail doesn’t speak, after all.”

Satisfied with this explanation, Magnus nodded.

“Looks like I misheard.”

I let go of Ismail’s hand.

His palm was drenched in sweat, proof of how tense he had been.

At that moment, Magnus added in a gentle voice,

“…Belze, you’re quite considerate. Seeing how you found such a clever way to communicate with Ismail despite his difficulties.”

“Hehe. Big bro taught me how!”

“Oh? You two were always close?”

“Yes! We grew up together in the temple!”

“Ah, that’s right.”

Magnus nodded, then suddenly seemed to reminisce as he muttered,

“Seeing you two reminds me of the past. I also grew up in this orphanage.”

His eyes swept across the library with a nostalgic glint.

“I used to read a lot of books here…”

“Headmaster, you were an orphan too?”

“Yes.”

His response left me feeling oddly unsettled.

‘First Logan, and now Magnus?’

What were the odds of meeting two adults from the same orphanage in a single day?

Just then, Magnus suddenly exclaimed as if he had just remembered something.

“Oh! Speaking of which, I heard that one of my old classmates is working at the duke’s estate. Do you know him, Belze?”

“……”

“His name is Logan.”

An unexpected revelation.

I had been wondering who Logan was connected to within the temple, and now the most suspicious person had opened his mouth on his own.

“I suppose you might have seen him around. I heard he serves as Duke Kallios’ aide.”

“Aha!”

I had nothing more to gain from this conversation.

Turning to Ismail, I spoke naturally.

“Ismail.”

“……”

“It’s time.”

 

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