The sanctuary of Hibras that we returned to looked exactly the same as when I saw it as a child.
The buildings showing traces of time, the small vegetable garden, and the temple the size of a countryside church—everything remained unchanged.
It was so peaceful that it was hard to believe it existed in the middle of a demon realm.
Though there were fewer people now that Hibras temples existed outside the forest as well, some still lived within these grounds.
For example, someone who had come down from being a guardian of the order to a guardian of the sanctuary. Edwin was one such person.
Edwin was waiting for us at the entrance of the sanctuary.
He bowed respectfully to Sirien.
"It's been a while, Holy Maiden. Have you accomplished everything you set out to do?"
"Most of it. Though there's still some bloodshed ahead."
"I hope you face no difficulties in completing what remains."
"Thank you."
Edwin hadn't changed at all either.
Even his attire was exactly as I remembered from childhood.
His not aging wasn't particularly surprising at this point.
His gaze then turned to me.
"You acted like you'd never return. Now you reek of blood."
"What's with the sudden observation? You think I came back because I wanted to?"
"Insolent boy. Do you have no intention of fixing those disrespectful manners?"
"You personally told me to be at ease."
"I told you to be at ease, not to be rude. While this sanctuary remains unchanged, you seem to have only grown in size, not maturity."
Despite his words, he didn't seem displeased.
Seeing his slight smile, it seemed to be his way of expressing that he was glad to see me.
Speaking of the smell of blood, I certainly had more blood on my hands than before.
Not just the blood of demons and magical beasts, but also human blood when eliminating the branch family of Ilensia.
Though I have no regrets about the path I've walked.
Edwin glanced at the boundary and said:
"Your skills seem to have improved greatly, but let's catch up later. Holy Maiden... I'm glad you didn't arrive too late."
His words about not being too late sent a chill down my spine.
This sanctuary had grown smaller as the church's influence expanded.
What if we hadn't progressed faster than in the original story?
What if we still hadn't reclaimed the Grand Duchy of Ilensia, or couldn't intervene in the war between Gamigin and Eligos?
We wouldn't have sought out this sanctuary.
Even if we had arrived late, the sanctuary might have already disappeared.
Edwin slowly guided us forward.
"You seem to have many questions. Follow me. This place is safe, and I have plenty of time. I'll answer whatever you ask."
* * *
Generally, a sanctuary refers to a place where divine power directly manifests.
However, not all sanctuaries are paradise-like places.
Rather, when divine power acts too strongly, it can transform into a dystopia where humans struggle to survive, or even a cacotopia where life becomes impossible.
For instance, Hibras's sanctuary could be filled with death, making it uninhabitable for any living being.
How a sanctuary's divinity manifests depends entirely on the deity's intention.
Even sanctuaries of the same deity could have vastly different governing laws and powers.
And Hibras had a very clear intention for this sanctuary.
"The current order is growing rapidly. Though it's not yet comparable to the five major orders, soon there won't be anyone in the empire who doesn't know Hibras's name."
"I'm aware. You've done far better than I expected, Holy Maiden. None of the previous holy maidens or holy men accomplished as much as you have. Perhaps none will in the future either."
Sirien asked:
"Then why is this sanctuary disappearing?"
"It's exactly as you said."
"The sanctuary is disappearing because the church is growing stronger? Is that really the cause?"
"Yes. This sanctuary was created by Hibras to protect the surviving believers and ensure the continuation of the order. Happily, it has now served its purpose and no longer needs to exist."
The Hibras Order had once been nearly extinct.
The sole purpose of this sanctuary was to prevent its complete demise.
Now that the order was unlikely to perish even without the sanctuary, there was no need to maintain divine power here.
In essence, the sanctuary's role had been fulfilled the moment Sirien became the Holy Maiden.
Edwin continued toward the sanctuary's temple.
He spoke casually:
"And I will disappear along with this sanctuary."
"You... were indeed already dead."
"Yes. I am merely an arrangement to protect this place. While Hibras generally doesn't interfere with the peace of souls, guardians like me are exceptions. In situations where the fate of the order hangs in the balance, I simply fulfill my duty."
I had already suspected that Edwin couldn't leave the sanctuary.
And that he was a person from the distant past.
Still, hearing it from his own lips felt quite different.
Though Edwin himself seemed unbothered, Sirien glanced at me anxiously.
Her eyes were full of worry. Perhaps she feared that I might end up like Edwin in the future.
Edwin smiled slightly, easing Sirien's concerns.
"Don't be too afraid. Hibras is not so cruel. Even if the church faces persecution again someday, I will be the guardian of the sanctuary. That was the promise."
"Ah... when you say promise?"
"You'll come to understand that without my explanation."
It was a meaningful statement, but I didn't press further.
Given Edwin's character, he was unlikely to lie.
If he said we would understand, we probably would soon enough.
"Was it you who had been following us since we were children? That presence that observed us from a distance?"
"Yes. While I cannot leave the sanctuary, one of my familiars can roam this forest. I've known about you two since you first entered the forest."
"Why didn't you say anything before?"
"You never asked me."
"..."
Sirien was at a loss for words.
That was technically true, but...
It felt a bit disappointing to get such an answer.
Seeing our pointed stares, Edwin scratched his head.
"Please understand. Even if I had told you then, you wouldn't have accepted it gladly. I decided it was better not to mention it, though I wouldn't lie if asked directly."
"Hmm, that's true. I understand."
Sirien's mood improved with his explanation.
Well, I couldn't disagree either.
We were in quite a desperate situation back then.
We might have wondered why he hadn't helped us earlier when he clearly had the power to do so.
People's hearts can be narrow-minded at times.
Besides, to Edwin, we were outsiders or even intruders at that time.
Strictly speaking, he could have killed us without consequence.
That's why we didn't receive a warm welcome when we encountered the giant.
- I clearly said I didn't welcome you.
- Whether you lived or died was of no concern to me.
- I cut down those who caused disturbance here, and you merely happened to survive in the process.
- If it weren't for the nagging one, I would have cut you down too.
Come to think of it, Edwin had been dropping hints since then.
"The nagging one"? Who else in Hibras's sanctuary could nag at Edwin?
Sirien was quite far away at that time, so I was the only one who heard those words.
If she had heard them, she might have figured it out sooner.
This is why I'm no good at these things.
"You intervened in the fight with the giant, didn't you?"
"As I said then, it wasn't my will."
"I know. Something's been bothering me. When you mentioned 'the nagging one'..."
"Ah, I did say that, didn't I? You'll understand that soon too."
"Soon" again.
By the time we finished this conversation, we had arrived at Hibras's temple.
The place where Sirien performed her Holy Maiden ritual and I received my baptism as a guardian.
Naturally, nothing special happened during my baptism.
It was just a cleansing with holy water, if I recall correctly.
Edwin led us to the prayer rooms on the second floor of the temple.
He guided Sirien and me separately to the only two prayer rooms.
"Prayer rooms?"
"Since you've come after so long, it would be good to offer a prayer. Especially this one, who I understand isn't particularly devout."
"Well, that's true."
"It's nothing to be proud of. Anyway, I might not be here when you come out. In that case, use the lodgings you used before... Ah, I've been debating whether to mention this. I suppose it's better to say it."
Edwin paused, choosing his words carefully.
It was unlike him to hesitate. He seemed to be both selecting the right expression and questioning whether he should speak at all.
Finally, he made his decision.
"Hibras is not a particularly rigid deity. He doesn't demand special chastity in relationships between men and women. However... I would appreciate if you could show some restraint near the sanctuary. It puts me in an awkward position."
Sirien's face turned bright red.