There was an overturned carriage there.
It’s strange.
Usually, no one travels in the North. Apart from the regular caravans, it’s almost isolated.
But to see just one overturned carriage?
Shekina tilted her head.
“That’s so random. What’s going on?”
“It looks like there are people inside.”
“Should we help them?!”
Pardes asked, and Merdes’ eyes sparkled as he exclaimed.
Merdes seemed obsessed with the idea of helping someone. He was always going on about helping and protecting, making a fuss about it.
“Hmm.”
Arthur, who had gotten close enough to the window to touch it with his nose, spoke.
“It’s a carriage from the temple. Inside are… two humans. Both unconscious.”
“The temple?”
Merdes frowned.
“I don’t want to help them! No way!”
“It’s best to just pass by.”
Despite growing closer to humans, anything related to the temple still instinctively bothered them.
Shekina understood their attitude completely, especially considering Lucifer’s conquest of the temple left some bitterness, but she couldn’t just pass by.
Not because of some noble idea of saving lives, but,
‘Something’s off.’
Why would only two people leave the temple in the North?
Could something have happened at the Northern Temple? If not, were they called from the central temple?
‘In that case, I know who they are.’
Shekina smiled and waved her finger.
“We should help them. They’ll freeze to death if we leave them like that.”
“Ugh… but they’re temple priests? I really hate temple priests.”
“Merdes, you don’t seem to understand.”
Shekina said, pulling Merdes, who was horrified, by the arm.
“It’s better to keep your enemies close.”
“Why?”
“So you can strike them when they least expect it.”
“Oh…!”
Merdes nodded, looking enlightened.
“Shekina, you’re really like a demon!”
“Right? For a moment, I thought you were Lord Lyat.”
“I was a little moved, Shekina.”
…I’m human, you idiots.
As Shekina grumbled, the cat, Sera, lying on her thigh, sent her thoughts.
– How does it feel to be praised for being like a demon by actual demons?
‘Shut up.’
– I’m curious about what will happen when they find out you’re human.
‘I said shut up.’
Shekina pushed Sera aside and pointed out the window.
“Let’s help them.”
Arthur went outside, and not long after, the two people Shekina had expected entered the carriage.
***
How did it come to this?
Yuriel thought as he looked at the world covered in white snow.
He had left the Northern Temple with Dehan at the summons of His Holiness the Pope.
Of course, the other priests didn’t look kindly upon his departure. Especially Anna,
– Are you abandoning us to go to the central temple? I came all this way trusting only in you, Yuriel!
– How can you leave us!
She had been furious.
Yuriel couldn’t understand her. He couldn’t understand any of the Northern Temple priests.
He was leaving at the noble call of His Holiness the Pope.
I can’t refuse His Holiness’ words; I must follow them.
But why?
Why do they try to block my way?
Why do they wish ill upon my path?
They’re fellow believers serving the same god, noble priests praying for everyone’s happiness. Why?
But he didn’t intend to dwell on these questions any longer.
He just needed to get Dehan to the central temple safely and focus on that task.
However,
– Priest!
Not long after, the carriage overturned.
Yuriel didn’t know what had happened. Despite his injuries, he managed to get Dehan out of the carriage and then checked on the coachman.
But the coachman was gone. Not only the coachman, but the horse was also gone. In this white world, there was only the overturned carriage.
Only then did Yuriel realize.
The Northern Temple had tried to kill them.
Priests were humans.
They were just lowly humans who couldn’t dispel the darkness in their hearts.
Why had he only realized this now?
– Dehan… stay with me…
Yuriel hugged Dehan’s cold body tightly and closed his eyes.
His body wasn’t in good shape from being thrown around when the carriage overturned. He had lost too much blood, making his head spin. If things continued like this, the smell of blood would attract monsters.
Then they would die.
I can’t die.
As a servant of the god, I can’t die without fulfilling the Pope’s command. Even if my body is broken, I must follow the will… No, no.
Is that all?
Is the desire not to die now just to follow the god’s will? Is that all?
He thought of the priests who had died following the god’s will.
He thought of the knights who had disappeared following the Pope’s orders.
– Are you afraid of dying?
– Are you afraid to go to the god?
I, I …!
“…… me.”
…I don’t want to die.
“….cuse me.”
…I want to live.
“Hey!”
Yuriel’s eyes snapped open. Through his blurry vision, he saw a familiar face.
“Oh, you’re alive.”
It was the servant of Daimon Margrave, the man who had tried to kill him, and the one who now stayed by the youngest lady, Shekina.
Yuriel’s eyes widened in shock.
“I thought so from the last time I saw you. You’re incredibly sturdy for a human. You don’t die easily.”
“Wh-what…! H-how are you here…! Ugh!”
“Anyway, I’ll save you. Lady Shekina ordered it.”
As soon as he heard those words, it didn’t matter why Arthur was there or how he found them. Only the hope of survival and the desire to live filled Yuriel’s mind.
“Close your eyes. It’s safe now.”
Feeling Arthur’s hands lifting both him and Dehan, Yuriel passed out.
Alright.
Saying he must live to fulfill God’s will was just a noble excuse.
There’s no reason to want to live.
He simply wanted to keep the flame of his life burning a little longer.
***
There was an artifact inscribed with a heating spell inside the carriage, but what Dehan and Yuriel needed was immediate medical treatment.
Unfortunately, none of the people in the carriage could use healing magic.
If Yurian were there, it might have been different, but all of them only knew offensive magic.
They agreed they needed to reach the next village as quickly as possible for treatment.
The carriage rattled.
“Is this guy dead?”
Shekina pointed indifferently at Dehan lying on the carriage floor.
“If he were an average human, he’d be dead. But he’s far from average. He’s much tougher than other humans.”
Pardes responded, his eyes gleaming.
“I’d like to dissect him…”
This madman.
Shekina shuddered and clicked her tongue. Then she looked over at Yuriel, who was sweating profusely.
“What about him? Is he okay?”
“He doesn’t look okay, he’s in the same place as the person who had tried to kill him.”
Arthur chuckled, looking at Yuriel leaning against his shoulder.
Though Arthur’s expression was rather malicious, Shekina nodded in approval and squinted.
“I don’t understand why they were there.”
Isn’t it strange?
The temple carriage, protected by magic, wouldn’t overturn easily.
Something smelled fishy. Shekina sniffed.
“When I checked earlier, the coachman and the horse were gone. From the tracks, it looked like they ran away!”
Both Shekina and Pardes’ eyes widened at Merdes’ shout.
“What, what? When did you check that?”
“Brother, I’m a swordsman. A swordsman must know where the fleeing enemy went!”
“Oh…”
Pardes leaned slightly towards Shekina in genuine admiration.
“Merdes seems to have gained some smarts.”
“I think so too. When people change suddenly, it means they’re about to die.”
“Die?”
“You two, seriously!”
As Merdes huffed and puffed, Shekina chuckled, then refocused.
“Anyway, we need to ask them some questions when they wake up. I suspect they were abandoned by the Northern Temple…”
Shekina smirked.
“That makes them more useful to us, doesn’t it?”
Abandoned priests from the temple.
How convenient.
Shekina felt a sense of joy as if light was shining on her path.
At that moment,
“Ugh… cough!”
Dehan started coughing and stirring.
“Oh! He’s awake!”
“Is he really human?”
The twins squatted down, peering at Dehan. After a few more coughs, Dehan finally opened his eyes.
“Where is this…”
Looking around, he quickly realized they were in a carriage and had been rescued by the Daimon family.
“…Lady Shekina.”
Dehan looked up at Shekina with a dazed expression.
He wanted to meet her.
Not out of romantic feelings.
He just wanted to ask her something.
“Do you know me?”
About his existence.
