Chapter 13

Two days later, at dawn.

Shivering with my shoulders hunched against the cold that seeped into my body, I climbed into the carriage.

Each time I exhaled, a white mist bloomed into the air.

Before I knew it, winter had arrived in full force.

Inside the gently moving carriage, my father was reading a book, while I gazed out the window at the snow-covered fields stretching beyond.

I won’t get caught… right?

The worry never left my mind for the entire ride.

The Arsane Grand Cathedral.

The most holy place in the world.

As someone currently studying dark magic, I couldn’t shake off an uneasy feeling.

It wasn’t illegal, but society didn’t look kindly upon it.

In my past life’s world, there was no such thing as noble or lowly professions, but in this world, magic itself had a hierarchy.

After all, this was a world where a strict class system still existed.

Only the sound of horse hooves echoed in steady rhythm over the snow piled in white.

With my eyes half-closed in a sleepy daze, I suddenly locked my gaze on the huge structure that had begun to come into view.

“We must be here,”

My father said, and I nodded my head in response.

The only place in the Empire where the Emperor’s command could not reach.

A realm where even the imperial family dared not interfere.

The land where all life sought forgiveness. The Arsane Grand Cathedral.

As the carriage wheels slid smoothly over the snowy path, I stared intently at the cathedral.

The spires soared as if they would pierce the sky.

A faint fragrance wafted through the air.

It was a place where the very existence of it felt like a form of faith.

It was reverent and sacred, yet somewhere deep in my heart, an inexplicable sense of discomfort lingered.

I couldn’t tell if it was the influence of the dark magic I had been learning.

***

The carriage came to a stop in front of the grand cathedral.

The attendants quickly unloaded the luggage, and I began to walk slowly alongside my father.

… So this is it…

The Arsane Monastery, where the cathedral was located, was even more majestic than I had imagined.

Expansive gray stone buildings stretched across the grounds, and the corridors were so complex they resembled a large labyrinth.

The priests moved about quietly, and the nuns kept their heads bowed and mouths tightly shut, as if under a vow of silence.

The atmosphere itself was steeped in stillness.

Even as the snow continued to fall, it did so in utter silence, as if the flakes had lost their sound.

“Count Gerald Bernard. Young Master Ethan Bernard. Please allow me to guide you this way.”

A neatly dressed priest approached and bowed his head.

My father and I followed him into the monastery, and not long after, I heard a familiar voice.

“You’ve arrived! Count Bernard!”

At the edge of my vision, as I turned my head—

Between the pillars of the hallway, I saw a man and a woman standing.

“Huh?”

Ariel Prodenteia.

The woman was a face I knew all too well.

Then that man must be…

“Ahahaha! Is this your first time seeing each other in person? Tell me, Ariel….is this the fellow you’ve been exchanging letters with?”

…

He was Ariel’s father, Howard Prodenteia, the Duke of the Prodenteia family.

I remembered the novel describing him as having a bold and hearty personality, and it seemed that was true.

“Father.”

In contrast, Ariel’s voice was not just calm; it was cold.

After hearing Ariel’s words, the Duke immediately wore a gloomy expression.

This… somehow makes me feel like the villain here.

“Hello.”

Unlike the cold way she had spoken to her father, Ariel greeted me with a faint smile and a small wave.

“Uh… hello?”

Had Ariel always spoken informally?

“We agreed to speak casually in private, remember?”

Still wearing a gentle smile, Ariel said that to me after hearing my awkward greeting.

…Did we?

I had absolutely no memory of that!

It must’ve been something she wrote in a letter. I’ll have to ask Linia about it later.

If that had been mentioned, she could’ve given me a heads-up.

“It’s been a while, Duke.”

While Ariel and I were awkwardly exchanging words, my father also greeted the Duke.

“You arrived earlier than expected.”

“Yes, the journey was quieter than I thought it would be.”

“Haha! Of course it was! I made sure the path was cleared beforehand!”

At the Duke’s words, my father offered a faint smile.

It was a thoroughly professional smile.

“Hmph.”

After rambling on about his own exploits for a while, the Duke eventually turned his head toward me.

He looked me up and down, then gave a short nod.

“Don’t even think about entering Ariel’s room!”

“…Huh?”

“If I so much as catch you lurking around Ariel’s room…!”

“Father.”

Once again, it was Ariel who stopped the Duke’s outburst.

The fierce energy that had seemed ready to explode just a moment ago faded instantly.

Having subdued her father, Ariel took a cautious step toward me and gently adjusted the collar of my coat.

“You look cold.”

“Huh…? No, I mean—uh?”

“You didn’t wear a scarf.”

Ariel lowered her gaze toward my chest, speaking as if she were genuinely concerned.

“…It’s fine. I can handle this much.”

“Winter air is harsh. Don’t try to tough it out.”

Then she unwrapped the scarf from around her own neck and placed it around mine.

It was a scent I had never smelled before.

The scent of a cold rose.

And then—

I saw the face of the Duke of Prodenteia, standing behind Ariel.

His face was so red, it looked like he’d punch me if I didn’t back away from Ariel immediately.

“Uh… thanks.”

I gently placed my hands on Ariel’s shoulders and eased her away from me, as she was still standing so close I could almost feel her breath.

Perhaps realizing the situation herself, Ariel let out a small “Ah…” and took a step back.

Thank goodness.

If I’d hesitated even a moment longer, something bad might have happened.

“Well then, I’ll see you a bit later. The long journey’s left me a little tired.”

“Ahem! Yes, then I’ll see you later. Ariel, let’s head inside too. Your neck looks quite cold.”

With those words, the Duke shot me a sharp glare.

If I hadn’t accepted the scarf, he would’ve exploded, yelling, “How dare you refuse the scarf my daughter lent you!”

“Let’s go, Ethan. There isn’t much time left before the service.”

“Yes, understood.”

Before we parted ways, I looked at Ariel one last time.

She was waving with the same faint smile as before.

I gave her a small wave in return.

The wind blew.

A quiet breeze drifted in through the cloisters of the monastery.

In that wind, the hem of Ariel’s cloak fluttered softly.

***

A short while later, during the service.

The resounding tones of the grand pipe organ echoed throughout the cathedral.

Under the gray sky, not a single beam of light was in sight; hundreds of candles cast a soft glow inside the sanctuary.

I stood beside my father, quietly closing my eyes.

Looking back, I was probably dozing off.

It wasn’t like I had any god I believed in, anyway.

Just across from us were the Duke of Prodenteia and Ariel.

The duke had his head bowed, hands clasped with solemn reverence, while Ariel sat in silence with her eyes closed.

Is she dozing off too…?

No, of course not.

She was probably deep in prayer, earnestly mourning the stars who had left while defending the Prodenteia territory and the Empire.

In a space where even the sound of breath seemed weighed down.

In the stillness that made it feel as if time itself had stopped, my chest remained uneasy.

I couldn’t say why.

Whether it was because of the dark magic I had learned or for some other reason—

And then it happened.

A quiet sound echoed as the door opened from the empty central aisle.

Creeaak—

Everyone packed into the cathedral turned their heads at once.

It was as if all of them had been holding their breath in a kind of expectant silence, waiting for this very presence.

And then—

She appeared.

Saintess Lucia.

A white, veil-like light flowed in behind her.

From within the wall of pale light that bloomed around her, she stepped into the cathedral as though her feet weren’t touching the ground at all.

The surface of the altar floor that touched her toes reflected the light without a speck of dust, leaving not a single footprint behind…

Her golden hair flowed gently down past her knees, and the pure white ceremonial robe wrapped around her like a single blooming flower.

Her eyes were as clear and transparent as the mist of a winter sky.

The moment I saw her, I felt as though I couldn’t breathe.

Instinctively, I straightened my posture and tried to close my eyes with my hands clasped together.

But—

Our eyes met.

Still, and unmistakably.

In this cathedral full of people, she looked straight at me in an instant.

Her transparent gaze felt as if it pierced straight through me.

…Did she notice?

Cold sweat trickled down the back of my neck.

My heart pounded wildly.

Everyone else had their heads bowed, but the saintess was looking straight at me alone.

One step.

Two steps.

The saintess began to move.

But the place her footsteps reached was not the altar.

Without a sound of footsteps or even breathing.

“…….”

She was walking toward me.

…Should I run?

As I watched her walking toward me, countless thoughts flashed through my mind.

But none of the choices that came to mind felt like the right one.

There was no emotion on her face as she walked toward me, as she looked at me.

That, somehow, was even more terrifying.

And finally, when she came to stand before me, I instinctively lowered my head.

I couldn’t even swallow my breath, just hoping that maybe being cast out would be a mercy.

And in that very moment—

That was when I heard it. A calm yet strangely lively voice.

“…Sage?”

“…Huh?”

I lifted my head, and she was looking at me from a very close distance.

“You are the Sage, right?!?!”

“…Are you talking to me?”

“Yes! Wow! I finally found you!”

As if greeting an old acquaintance after a long time.

Like someone who had rediscovered something from the depths of memory.

Frozen in place, I couldn’t say a word as I watched her bounce excitedly while holding my hand.

[Skill of ‘Meta Fiction’ has concealed its presence!]