From a certain day onwards, Dehan started having strange dreams when he fell asleep.
At first, he couldn’t remember the dreams well. He would just wake up with an uneasy feeling, thinking, ‘I had a bad dream.’ But as time went by, the dreams became clearer. In other words, he started to think, ‘This might not be just a dream.’
In the dream, Dehan wasn’t himself.
He appeared as a more mature, tall young man, always dressed as a holy knight. However, there was always a woman lying in front of him.
This woman changed in every dream. Sometimes she was a pitiable noble lady, sometimes a steadfast knight, sometimes a great magician, and sometimes a poor victim of a terrible experiment…
The woman always changed, but Dehan knew they were all the same person. This was purely instinct. No, to be precise, it was ‘obvious.’
And Dehan… seemed to know who she was.
– This makes me nostalgic of the old days.
– You may not remember, but I do.
Shekina Daimon.
There is no way this nonsensical illusion could happen if it weren’t her.
That’s what Dehan thought, and then Shekina appeared in front of him.
***
“What is this guy saying?”
Shekina picked her ears and sniffled. The twins beside her tilted their heads.
“Of course I know you. I’ve seen you many times.”
“No way, is your head hurt? Should we dissect you?”
Seeing the twin’s gleaming eyes, Dehan finally came to his senses.
The fact that the woman in the illusion was Shekina was just a hunch. Saying that the person appearing in the dream seemed to be her would make him look like a madman.
He thought he should tell her this story later, if given the opportunity, or even make an opportunity. Now was not the time.
Dehan shook his head.
“No… I’m sorry. I must have lost my mind for a moment.”
“Tch. What a shame.”
Pardes, who had been refused a dissection, pouted visibly. Dehan’s face turned slightly pale, and Merdes laughed beside him.
At that moment,
‘What is it. What’s going on.’
Shekina was sweating coldly.
– You know me, right?
There was no doubt or speculation in his words. It sounded like a statement of certainty. Shekina gulped dryly.
‘Sera, I’m curious about something.’
So she spoke, stroking Sera who was in her arms.
‘Is it possible to remember things from a past life?’
– It is possible.
Sera answered with a big yawn.
– Everything in the world is stored. If for some reason you peek into that storage, you can know about your past life.
Damn it.
Shekina inhaled nervously.
To be precise, Dehan couldn’t have had a ‘past life.’ Shekina had always reincarnated after returning.
But still, the memories remained?
Her lips dried up.
‘If he finds out that I lived and died as the lover of the warrior…’
Who knows what Dehan might do. He might not follow the scenario and could act in unpredictable ways.
‘ Let’s hide it. No matter what.’
Shekina vowed, taking a deep breath.
“Hey, kid. Why are you spacing out like that? We saved you, and you’re not even grateful?”
“Right. You should be on your knees thanking us right now.”
Ignoring the twins’ nagging, Dehan hurriedly looked around. He was searching for Yuriel.
“Priest Yuriel is…”
“He’s sleeping soundly, leaning on me.”
Finding Yuriel sitting on a chair behind him, Dehan finally sighed in relief and lowered his head.
“…Thank you. You’ve saved us twice now.”
Dehan’s face was full of despair. He must also know. That the temple at the Northern Fortress intended to kill them and caused this situation.
‘Why?’
He and Yuriel were innocent. They had never committed a sin worthy of death.
They had always followed the temple’s orders and never disobeyed the word of God.
Then, why?
Why are they trying to kill us? Why, why?
He couldn’t overcome the rushing injustice and confusion. Dehan buried his face in his hands.
“Hmm. He looks quite pitiful.”
“Indeed. Being abandoned by the temple.”
“Now that he’s been abandoned, where will he go?”
The twins exchanged words and smirked.
“It was us who saved you.”
“Right. We’ve saved you twice.”
Dehan could tell what they were implying. They meant he should pledge loyalty to them since he had been abandoned by God.
If he refused, he might be thrown out into the blizzard.
With Yuriel unconscious, Dehan had to make the decision himself and take responsibility for it.
First, he needed to stay alive.
Having made this decision, Dehan looked up at the twins.
“What do I need to do?”
Merdes’ lips curled into a smile.
“First, you should kneel and bow your head…”
“Merdes, stop.”
Shekina interrupted Merdes’ tirade by pressing down on the back of his head, then looked down at Dehan.
“Where were you headed?”
“…We were going to the capital.”
“Why?”
Dehan hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should tell the truth. Realizing that it was the temple that had tried to kill him and that Shekina had saved him, he decided to be honest.
“I was summoned by His Holiness, the Pope.”
“Hmm.”
Shekina’s eyes gleamed.
The Pope, who was presumed to be Lucifer, was calling Dehan?
‘There must be a reason.’
There had to be a reason for the summons.
But Shekina wasn’t too worried. Dehan was already in her hands, so she was confident she could uncover the Pope’s intentions.
“We’re also heading to the capital. We’ll take you there. Think about your repayment until then and get some rest.”
“But…!”
“You better get some rest.”
Shekina’s words were meant to gain the trust of these people so she could exploit them later. However, Dehan, unaware of this, felt a warmth in his heart.
The temple suspected Margrave Daimon’s family.
They questioned and pursued them out of suspicion.
But these people were extending a hand to him, just like the God who hadn’t responded.
“Thank you.”
Dehan smiled faintly, feeling a deep sense of gratitude.
He hoped Yuriel would wake up soon.
So he could share this feeling with him.
Dehan didn’t notice Shekina laughing as she watched him.
***
“We’ve joined up with some rather troublesome folks.”
The Fifth Elder, Muller, said as he looked into the crystal ball. The Fourth Elder, Karte, who was also watching the crystal ball, frowned.
“Is it that priest? The one who came to the castle?”
Karte let out a long sigh and clicked his tongue.
“If we kill them now, will the temple intervene?”
The Second Elder, Vincent, who had been silent until then, finally spoke.
“Being there means he’s been abandoned by the temple.”
Vincent examined the crystal ball he had pulled closer with interest.
“So killing him doesn’t matter, but…”
He tapped his fingers on the table surface and narrowed his eyes.
“I don’t want to help the temple’s failed schemes succeed.”
Muller rubbed his hands together as he replied.
“I agree! There will be plenty of opportunities to kill that young homunculus!”
“………..”
Karte’s gaze at Muller, who was trying to curry favor with Vincent, was unfriendly. Karte wanted to destroy the carriage immediately.
But as Vincent said, they didn’t want to turn the temple’s failure into a success, and with a priest present, they couldn’t use their full strength. For now, they had to stay put.
“Let’s leave them alone until they reach the capital.”
Vincent pushed the crystal ball away and said.
“We can kill them as soon as they arrive.”
The elders of the Demon King’s castle, having made this plan, cursed Shekina’s group as they moved further away.
