Chapter 55

It was a room in the great cathedral.

Satuki, pen in hand, stopped writing as a knock echoed through the room. He stood up and opened the door himself. The one peeking through the gap was Echidna.

"Oh, I'm so sorry to trouble you."

It was impossible to tell from her voice whether she was being sincere or just being polite. Even Satuki, who sometimes felt a chill from her, found her to be an unfathomable woman.

"I'm coming in, then."

Swinging her blonde hair and white coat, she entered the room. Looking around, she pouted slightly.

"As always, this room is unnecessarily large."

As she said this, Echidna sat down on the guest sofa.

"You say that, but I find it overwhelming too."

Satuki also sat down on the sofa opposite her.

"So, has there been any change in the situation?"

In response to his straightforward question, Echidna placed her index finger on her cheek and made a thoughtful gesture. Her every move was deliberately coy. She was the type of woman who would likely be disliked by other women, but it wasn't as if she was particularly liked by men either. And it wasn't an act. This was Echidna's true self. After making him wait, she put on a deliberately troubled face and said,

"Maria has escaped."

"…Huh, I see. That woman is tougher than I thought."

Satuki didn't seem surprised by the news of her escape. It was as if he had expected it from the beginning.

"Is it alright if we don't catch her?"

"It's fine, she's a hero, after all."

"But if she were to side with the Children…?"

"Then she will meet the same fate as them. Either way, it will be interesting."

At his calm words, Echidna blushed slightly and laughed happily. His decisive judgment and insatiable curiosity—these were the reasons she had decided to follow Satuki.

"The king and the pope are still captivated by Origin, and the queen is obsessed with her son and another man. It's practically a done deal, isn't it, Your Holiness?"

"That's jumping the gun. How many times do I have to say it?"

"It's a done deal, but I find it tedious to keep calling you 'Your Holiness.'"

"I won't let my guard down until everything is settled. I won't make the same mistake as my father."

"In that case, was it alright to cut ties with the demons? I think it would have been better to keep at least some of them around."

Satuki laughed and dismissed the idea. Such things, such people, were unnecessary for his path to dominance.

"To me, demons are enemies, nothing more, nothing less. I won't do petty things like using Origin's lackeys like Fedro."

"Oh, how manly of you."

Echidna laughed, mocking him. She was used to his unpredictable behavior. Satuki lightly brushed it off and declared with a serious expression,

"First, we need to gather actors worthy of the stage. I'll make sure that man is useful, as I've been laying the groundwork for it."

◇◇◇

The next morning, Flamm woke up before Milkit and went outside first. Opening the mailbox, she found an envelope inside.

"It's not a prank, and it's the second day in a row."

The envelope was the same material as yesterday's. Opening it on the spot, she confirmed the message inside: "Three more days." But this time, there was additional text.

"We walk straight toward a single goal, with no hesitation in cutting off branches…?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

As Flamm read this aloud, a man's face suddenly appeared behind her.

"Whoa!?"

She almost fell forward and dropped the letter. He picked it up and examined it closely.

"Flamm, are you being threatened?"

"Linus!"

"I'm sorry for startling you. You seemed so engrossed, I couldn't help but get curious."

"It's been a while, but why so early in the morning?"

Linus chuckled and answered her straightforward question.

"I just wanted to confirm if this is really your house. I happened to run into you by chance. But wow, you've really come a long way since you left the party, haven't you?"

Explaining everything would take a while, and there were things she wanted to ask Linus too.

"Let's not stand here talking. Why don't you come in?"

With that, Flamm opened the front door.

"Then I won't hesitate… but first, I need to do something."

However, he stopped and, without warning, knelt on the ground. Not only that, he pressed both hands and his forehead to the cobblestones, assuming a position of complete submission. Flamm was taken aback.

"Wh-What are you doing all of a sudden!?"

"I'm truly sorry!"

Linus apologized from the heart, ashamed of his own foolishness and regretful.

"It's not your fault about Jean. You don't need to apologize."

"I can't just push all the blame on him. I also, deep down… thought of you as a burden. I even made excuses, saying it was for your own good to leave."

Being told this directly was somewhat shocking to Flamm. However, it was an undeniable fact. At the time, without any cursed equipment and with completely zero stats, she was indeed a burden.

"Such thoughts seep into one's attitude, don't they? I'm sure I was putting pressure on you too. I can't come in until I apologize for that."

Flamm had never thought about forgiving or not forgiving Linus. She was certainly angry with Jean, but that was because he had directly harmed her. She had some reservations, but that was because there was no communication between them. If they could talk honestly, such trivial grudges would easily disappear.

"…I didn't really know many men your age back home."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, men around Gadio's age are easier to gauge, but with you and Jean, I just couldn't figure it out."

Linus was confused by Flamm's intentions but realized it wasn't a complicated matter. She felt intimidated by tall men with a subtle age difference. That was all there was to it.

"The bad feelings I had toward you were just that. There's no need for apologies or forgiveness."

"…So, my groveling was just self-satisfaction?"

"It's touching that you felt so bad about it. I'm glad, but let's go inside, shall we?"

◇◇◇

It took some time for everyone to gather in the living room. Milkit had woken up from the noise downstairs and naturally appeared in the living room without being called. The problem was Eterna and Ink. They wouldn't wake up no matter how they were called or shaken. In the end, Flamm's persistence paid off, but both of them were still in their pajamas, rubbing their eyes sleepily.

"Hey, it's been a while."

He called out to the dazed Eterna, who was still half-asleep.

"Yeah, it's been a while…"

She responded in a dazed voice, completely defenseless, a far cry from the formidable witch she was on their journey. However, his confusion wasn't just because of her. His eyes were drawn to the maid in a bandaged face and the young girl with a blank expression.

"Hey, Flamm, what kind of gathering is this?"

Linus asked, and Flamm was at a loss for words. Not only did they look unusual, but each of them had their own complex backgrounds.

"Milkit is my partner. I met her when I was sold to a slave trader."

Starting with Milkit, who sat next to her. When introduced, she bowed politely.

"So, she's a slave too. What's under the bandages… I'd rather not know, right?"

"Originally, it was rotten from poison, but my master healed it."

"Then why not take it off?"

"Only my master, who saved me, is allowed to see my true face."

Milkit blushed. Linus narrowed his eyes and looked at Flamm.

"…What's the relationship between you two?"

"It's not the kind of relationship you're thinking of. We've just been supporting each other until today."

"More like partners, then."

It felt a bit different, but Flamm didn't correct him.

"And that little girl?"

"Ink is my patient and now my friend. That's why we live together."

Before Flamm could explain, Eterna cut in. Ink was still half-asleep, sitting in a chair, nodding off.

"In short, we've had our own share of troubles."

"Your way of saying it makes it sound like you've had your own troubles too."

"That's why we're here. Actually, Maria and Kirill have gone missing."

"Those two!?"

Flamm was shocked. Eterna listened intently with a serious expression.

"Maria was just out, as far as I knew yesterday. But… this morning, there was strange activity in the castle."

"What happened?"

"Apparently, dozens of soldiers disappeared. At the same time, someone saw Maria leaving the castle."

"That's a big deal!"

"The traces were completely erased, and everyone was silenced. That's why the information didn't leak out."

"Still, it's a reckless move… But how did you find out, Linus?"

"I have a friend among the soldiers who told me."

Linus had a wide network. He knew many soldiers in the castle.

"Though, he disappeared before he could tell me more."

He was probably already dead somewhere. Just for telling Linus what happened. How many lives would it take to satisfy them?

"The church and the kingdom, both only care about their own convenience…"

"Why bring up the church now?"

Linus didn't know the true nature of the church. Flamm was hesitant about involving him, but he would probably chase after Maria. If he did, he would eventually uncover the church's dark side. It might be safer for him to know from the beginning.

"The church is using Origin's power to conduct dangerous experiments. The number of victims is not just one or two."

"You mean the church, the one with Pope Fedro at the top?"

"Exactly as you imagine. It's a long story, but…"

"I don't mind, tell me."

"…Alright. I think it's related to Maria's disappearance too."

The Children's attack, the two disappearances, and the mysterious countdown. Everything happened almost simultaneously. Moreover, Maria was involved with the church, so it couldn't be unrelated.

Flamm began to tell Linus about the threats of Origin she had encountered. The encounter with the aberration in Enichide's underground, meeting Ink, the aftermath of the research to revive the dead—she shared all the information she knew. In the process, she also explained the power of inversion within her. Despite summarizing, it took about an hour, including the time for Linus to process it all. When she finished, he furrowed his brow and stared at the table.

"The church is doing such things… Did Maria know?"

"Given her position, I think she did."

"I see, that's why she…"

He finally understood a part of her darkness. Although not as high as a cardinal, the Holy Maiden held a significant position in the church. It was impossible for her not to know about the human experiments that even bishops were aware of.

"But I'm not sure about Kirill. Why did she go missing?"

"That girl found out that Flamm was a slave. She couldn't bear the fact and left the castle."

"Kirill…"

Flamm could understand her pain and suffering, especially now. Kirill was a normal sixteen-year-old girl when they played together. She probably didn't want to be a hero. But the power within her and the expectations of others wouldn't allow it. Her heart was breaking, and the cracks allowed Jean's whispers to seep in. The act of looking down on others, the sense of superiority, temporarily healed Kirill's feelings. But it was a strong medicine, and side effects were inevitable. After Flamm left the party, it slowly pushed Kirill to the brink. When she heard that Flamm had become a slave, she finally broke.

"So, Kirill's disappearance is probably not related to the church."

"Yes, and she's strong, so I don't think her life is in danger. Still, I want to find her as soon as possible."

Thinking of Kirill, who was likely still suffering, Flamm's expression turned sad. She had been hurt and felt bad many times, but if forgiving her could save Kirill, Flamm was willing to let go of all her anger and resentment. Just as Kirill had supported Flamm, Flamm had been able to continue her journey because of Kirill.

"I need to find Maria as soon as possible too."

"But… there are reports of Maria being seen, and dozens of soldiers have disappeared. Could Maria be one of them?"

Flamm was hesitant to say it, but it was a possibility that couldn