Chapter 267 – The Reluctance

Chapter 267

The Reluctance

Date : Day 21 of Firstthaw 1024 Aethellgard Concord Year.

The darkness tore apart. Hyoren's hand shot out toward the fading voice, grasping at nothing.

"Wait!!"

The shout ripped out of his throat and echoed through the silent room.

Hyoren's eyes snapped open.

For a moment, he didn't know where he was. Darkness. A ceiling. The faint shape of curtains against a window. His heart was pounding so hard he could hear it in his ears, and his whole body was drenched in cold sweat. His shirt clung to his back.

He sat up abruptly.

The room was dim and quiet. Outside the window, the sky was still dark. There was no hint of dawn yet, only the faint glow of the three moons slipping through the gap between the curtains.

His eyes found the small clock on the table beside the bed. Its hands glinted faintly in the moonlight.

04:12.

Beside him, Elise sat up almost instantly.

She was moving before her eyes were fully open. Her body went tense and alert, one hand braced against the mattress, the other half-raised as if reaching for a weapon that wasn't there. It was the instinct of years spent adventuring, sleeping in forests and camps where a sudden movement in the night could mean a monster at the edge of the firelight. Even here, in the safety of their own home, her body still remembered.

Her emerald eyes were heavy with sleep, but sharp beneath it. They swept the room once, then settled on him.

"Hyoren? What happened?"

On his other side, Ina stirred more slowly. She pushed herself up on one elbow and rubbed her amber eyes with the back of her hand. Her cat ears twitched sleepily, one of them still flattened from the pillow.

"What… happened… munyaaa…"

A big yawn escaped her before she could stop it.

Hyoren didn't answer. He couldn't yet. He sat with his hands gripping the blanket, his chest rising and falling quickly, his breath coming in short, uneven gasps.

Elise and Ina looked at him. Then they looked at each other over his shoulders.

It was only a glance. But in that glance, a whole conversation passed between them. Something's wrong. Yes. Don't push him. Wait.

Ina's sleepiness vanished. Her ears lifted and turned toward him.

Neither of them said anything more.

Instead, Elise shifted closer and laid her hand on his back. She moved it in slow circles, the way one might soothe a frightened child. On his other side, Ina wrapped both arms around his arm and leaned her head against his shoulder. Her tail slid across the blanket and curled loosely around his waist.

They didn't ask. They simply stayed.

Slowly, the warmth of their touch began to seep in.

Hyoren's grip on the blanket loosened. His heartbeat, which had been hammering against his ribs, began to slow. Little by little, his breathing evened out. Short gasps. Then longer breaths. Then something close to normal.

He closed his eyes and drew in one deep breath. Held it. Let it out.

Then he opened his eyes again.

"I'm sorry. For waking you two up."

Elise shook her head at once. Her hand never stopped moving on his back.

"Don't apologize. That's not a problem at all."

Ina squeezed his arm a little tighter, her chin resting on his shoulder.

"Yeah. You don't need to be sorry, Hyoren."

Then she lifted her head and looked at him. Her amber eyes were wide now, fully awake and full of worry.

"What's wrong? Was it a nightmare?"

Elise's brows drew together. Her hand paused on his back.

"Or… is it the backlash?"

Her voice dropped, careful and low.

"Berserker's backlash was cut short by a whole day because of the Light Saint. You should have been unconscious until today. What if it didn't fully heal? What if something is still wrong with your body?"

Her fingers pressed against his back, as if she could feel for the damage through his shirt.

Hyoren shook his head slowly.

"No. It's not that. My body's fine."

He hesitated.

How was he supposed to say this? Even to him, it sounded strange. But these were the two people he trusted most in this world. If he couldn't tell them, he couldn't tell anyone.

He took another breath.

"I received a Divine Message."

Both women went still.

"From Luminara."

Silence.

Ina's ears shot straight up. Elise's hand froze in the middle of his back. The two of them stared at him without blinking.

Hyoren looked down at his hands and told them.

The white void. How he couldn't move or speak, just like after Hifoppe. The static crawling across the brightness. The blurred figure of the goddess. How even through the blur he could feel that she was afraid. The calm, motherly Luminara, shaken and desperate.

And then her words.

He repeated them slowly, exactly as he had heard them.

"Child… please… help my Saint… Sophia's soul… won't hold much longer… please…"

When he finished, the room was completely silent.

Elise's lips had parted, but no words came out. Her emerald eyes were wide. Slowly, her hand slid down from his back and came to rest on the blanket.

Ina's grip on his arm had loosened. Her tail had gone rigid, and her ears were pointing straight up, trembling slightly.

"Sophia's… soul…?"

Elise found her voice at last, barely above a whisper.

"Luminara Herself asked you… to save Her Saint?"

Hyoren nodded slowly.

Outside, the three moons hung silently in the dark sky. The clock on the table ticked softly in the stillness.

Dawn was still a long way off.

***

For a while, none of them spoke.

The words of the Divine Message still hung in the dark room. Hyoren stared down at his hands. Elise sat with her knees drawn up, her brow furrowed in thought. Ina had leaned back against the headboard, her tail flicking restlessly against the blanket.

Sleep was gone. All three of them knew it.

Finally, Elise let out a slow breath and pushed the blanket aside.

"We won't be able to sleep anymore. Let's go down to the kitchen and drink something warm."

She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and reached for her shawl.

"Lena and Vina should be awake by now, preparing breakfast. And if they aren't, Ina and I can brew some tea ourselves."

Ina nodded and slid out of bed. She stretched once, her ears twitching, then grabbed a cardigan from the chair.

"Tea sounds good. And something sweet. My brain needs sugar for this. Nyahaha."

Hyoren managed a small smile. He changed out of his sweat-soaked shirt, pulled on a clean one, and followed them to the door.

Elise opened it.

At the very same moment, across the hallway, another door creaked open.

Arianna's door.

A head of long crimson hair peeked out through the narrow gap. Arianna was wrapped in a purple robe over her pajamas, the sash tied loosely at her waist. Her light blue eyes were heavy with sleep, but they sharpened the moment they landed on Hyoren.

"Leader?"

She opened the door a little wider and pulled her robe tighter around herself.

"I heard you shout. I was wondering what had happened."

Hyoren blinked.

So she heard that…

He rubbed the back of his neck, then looked at Arianna. His expression grew serious.

"Sorry for waking you, Arianna. But… there's something I need to discuss with everyone."

Arianna studied his face for a moment. Whatever she saw there chased the last traces of sleep from her eyes. She straightened and gave a single, firm nod.

"I understand. I shall wake Jackey and make myself presentable. We will join you shortly."

She slipped back inside and closed the door softly behind her.

Hyoren, Elise and Ina went downstairs.

***

The kitchen was already warm.

A lamp glowed softly above the counter, and the faint crackle of the stove filled the quiet room. Lena stood at the counter kneading dough, her sleeves rolled up to her elbows. Vina was beside her, slicing vegetables into a bowl, her fox tail swaying lazily as she hummed under her breath.

The humming stopped the moment the three of them walked in.

Lena's hands froze in the dough. Her fox ears shot up.

"Master Hyoren? Lady Elise? Lady Ina?"

She glanced at the window, at the dark sky outside, then back at them.

"It's still so early… Is something the matter?"

Vina set down her knife. Her eyes moved from Hyoren's pale face to Elise's furrowed brow to Ina's restless tail.

"Hyoren… you look awful."

Hyoren gave her a tired smile.

"Thanks, Vina. I feel awful."

Neither of the Fox-clan women asked anything more. They didn't need to. One look at the three of them was enough to tell them something was wrong.

Lena wiped her hands quickly on her apron and reached for the kettle.

"Please, sit down. I'll put on some tea right away."

Vina was already moving to the cupboard. She pulled out a plate and began arranging the biscuits she had baked the day before, along with a few slices of bread and a small pot of honey.

"Un. And snacks. You can't think properly on an empty stomach!"

Hyoren, Elise and Ina sat down at the small kitchen table. Within minutes, the kettle was whistling. Lena poured the tea into cups—Yilmint and Blue Tea leaves, the party's favorite—and the warm, fresh scent filled the kitchen. Vina set the plate of snacks in the middle of the table and pushed it toward Hyoren.

"Eat."

Hyoren took a biscuit, mostly to make her happy. Ina took two.

Not long after, footsteps sounded on the stairs.

Arianna came in first. She was still in her pajamas and purple robe, but she had brushed her crimson hair and tied it back neatly, and a warm shawl now rested over her shoulders. Her eyes were fully awake, alert and focused.

Jackey stumbled in behind her.

He was wearing a plain loose shirt and a pair of shorts, and his tabby orange hair stuck up in every direction. His eyes were barely half open. He yawned so widely that his jaw cracked, and his ears drooped sleepily on either side of his head.

"Mmmh… Big Bro… what's going on… it's still dark outside…"

Arianna guided him gently by the elbow to the nearest chair and pushed him down into it. Then she took the seat beside him and folded her hands on the table.

Lena set two more cups of tea in front of them. Vina slid the plate of biscuits closer to Jackey. His nose twitched, and without opening his eyes any further he reached out, grabbed one and stuffed it into his mouth.

Then the kitchen fell quiet.

Lena and Vina stood by the counter, their hands still. Elise and Ina sat on either side of Hyoren. Arianna watched him calmly from across the table. Even Jackey, still chewing slowly, had begun to wake up enough to sense the heavy atmosphere. His ears slowly lifted.

Every pair of eyes in the room turned to Hyoren.

They waited.

Hyoren wrapped both hands around his warm cup and stared down at the tea for a long moment, gathering his thoughts.

***

Hyoren told his family.

He kept it short. The white void. The static. Luminara's blurred figure, and the fear he could feel from her even through the blur. Then the message itself, word for word.

When he finished, the kitchen was silent except for the soft scrape of Vina’s knife against the cutting board.

Behind them, Lena and Vina had quietly gone back to work. They exchanged one glance when Hyoren spoke the goddess's name. Then Lena turned back to her dough and Vina to her vegetables. Neither of them said a word. They knew this conversation wasn't one they could help with. What they could do was make sure everyone had a warm breakfast when it was over.

Arianna was the first to speak. She rested her chin on her folded hands, her light blue eyes narrowed in thought.

"How strange… Lady Sophia told us she had received a Divine Message as well. That Luminara instructed her to help you, Leader."

She tapped one finger slowly against her knuckle.

"And now Luminara tells you to help Lady Sophia instead. It's completely reversed. This is rather confusing."

Elise nodded slowly, her hands wrapped around her cup.

"And what does she mean by her soul? What's wrong with it?"

She frowned down into her tea.

"I mean… her behavior is shameless. And completely unbecoming of a Saint. But that doesn't mean something's wrong with her soul. Does it?"

Ina nodded too, though more hesitantly. Her ears tilted back a little.

"People like her aren't actually that rare."

She glanced down at her tea, then up again with a small, wry smile.

"To be honest… I used to be like her."

She tilted her head toward the sleepy Cat-clan Beastkin across the table.

"Jackey used to be like that too."

Jackey stopped chewing.

"Hey!"

He looked around the table, saw that nobody was disagreeing, and slumped a little in his chair.

"…Okay. Yeah. That's true."

Arianna patted his arm without looking at him.

"Used to, Jackey. The important word is 'used to.'"

Jackey brightened immediately and sat up straighter.

"Yeah! Used to!"

Ina giggled, then her expression turned more thoughtful.

"Even Killa's like that. But our souls are fine. I think. Nothing's wrong with them."

At the mention of Killa, Arianna's polite smile froze for half a second. Her fingers tightened around her teacup. She said nothing, but the temperature at her end of the table seemed to drop slightly.

Jackey edged his chair a tiny bit closer to her.

Hyoren pretended not to notice and turned his cup slowly between his hands.

"That's what I don't get. What even is a soul?"

He looked around the table.

"At the funeral yesterday, those tiny motes of light that rose from the caskets. Those were the souls of the departed, right?"

Elise nodded.

"Yes. That's what everyone believes."

Ina nodded as well. Jackey, mouth full of biscuit again, nodded vigorously.

Arianna lowered her cup to its saucer.

"That's what we believe, yes. But to be honest, Leader… the study of the soul is not very advanced. For several reasons."

She lifted one finger.

"First, we cannot really see a person's soul. Not while they're alive."

A second finger.

"And second, we cannot measure it. We can quantify Aethell, levels, attunement… but not the soul."

She lowered her hand and shook her head slightly.

"The only one who is said to truly understand souls is the Dark Saint. And no one even knows who the current Dark Saint is."

Elise raised an eyebrow.

"What about the Headmistress? With her Akashic Record?"

Arianna gave a small, rueful smile.

"Headmistress Thavenessia once told me she doesn't understand the soul very well. And she has no plans to study it either."

She straightened her back and lifted her chin. Her voice dropped into a deeper, sterner tone.

"'Studying the soul is like peering into the divine realm, my stupid pupil. Only gods and goddesses are capable of truly understanding and manipulating it. Mortals who try usually regret it.'"

Ina snorted into her tea. Elise's lips twitched. Even Hyoren couldn't hold back a small smile at the impression.

Arianna cleared her throat and returned to her usual voice.

"There is one Branch Magic of Dark Magic that touches on it. Soul Magic. But even that is mostly used to anchor the soul of the dead, so that it stays in this world instead of passing on to the afterlife."

Jackey's ears flattened.

"That sounds creepy."

Arianna nodded gravely.

"It is. Very."

Hyoren was quiet for a moment, staring into his cup.

Then something surfaced in his memory.

"Luminara and Noctynara told me something like that once. When I first met them."

Everyone turned to look at him.

"They said they took my soul from my original world. It was picked because it was strong enough to cross between worlds. Then they put it here, in this world."

He looked down at his own hand and slowly flexed his fingers.

"My body's different. It's not the one I had back then. But I'm still… me. So the soul seems to be the fundamental thing. What makes a person who they are."

Arianna nodded slowly.

"That's what most scholars agree on, Leader. The body is a vessel. The soul is the person."

Jackey scratched his head, his ears drooping in confusion.

"So… Big Bro is Big Bro because of his soul. Not his muscles?"

Ina reached over and patted his head.

"Yes, little brother. Not everything is muscles."

Jackey looked genuinely shocked.

"…Not everything?"

Elise covered her mouth to hide a smile. Behind them, Vina let out a small giggle and quickly turned it into a cough.

Hyoren smiled faintly. Then he took a sip of his tea and set the cup down a little harder than he meant to.

"But that's exactly what makes this so weird. How am I supposed to save someone's soul? I'm not a priest. I'm not the Dark Saint. And I don't even know what happened to her soul in the first place."

His jaw tightened, and he let out a long sigh.

"Haaah… That clumsy goddess. She always leaves out the important information…"

Elise gave him a sharp look over the rim of her cup.

"Hyoren. That's a goddess you're talking about."

Hyoren shrugged.

"She'd agree with me, honestly. Noctynara definitely would."

Ina leaned forward, her ears perking up with an idea.

"Then why don't you just ask her? You have Divine Protection, right? Pray again and ask her what she meant!"

Hyoren shook his head.

"I already tried. Right after I woke up, while you two were calming me down. I prayed as hard as I could."

He stared down at the table.

"Nothing. She didn't answer."

Ina's ears drooped.

"Oh…"

Hyoren rubbed his forehead.

"Back when I first met them, they told me that reaching the white void isn't easy. And that it's bad for the body if it happens too often. She just sent me a Divine Message a few hours ago. I doubt she'll answer again so soon."

Arianna nodded in agreement.

"That matches what I know. Even the Blessed of a god or goddess rarely speak with them directly. Once a year, at most. Sometimes several years pass without a single word."

Jackey frowned.

"That's so slow. Gods should just talk more."

Arianna sighed and patted his arm again.

"I'm sure they'll take your suggestion under consideration, Jackey."

Hyoren leaned back in his chair and stared up at the ceiling.

"So we have no clue."

Arianna lowered her eyes apologetically.

"I'm afraid I've already told you everything I know about Lady Sophia, Leader. The academy rumors. Our afternoon teas. The incident with Duchess Valor. There's nothing more."

The kitchen fell quiet again. On the stove, a pan began to sizzle. The smell of butter and frying eggs drifted across the room.

Elise set down her cup.

"Then let's ask someone who knows her better than any of us."

Everyone looked at her.

"Archbishop Sherine. She came here with Sophia. She's the one who brought her to your room. If anyone knows what's wrong with her, it's Sherine."

Hyoren was silent for a moment. Then he let out a long, resigned sigh and rubbed the back of his neck.

He had hoped to avoid the Light Saint for as long as possible. That had been the whole plan. And now the Goddess of Light herself was pushing him straight toward her.

"…It can't be helped, I guess."

***

By the time their discussion came to an end, the sky outside the kitchen window had begun to pale.

The deep blue of the night slowly softened into grey, then into the faint gold of dawn. The three moons faded one after another, and the first light of Sol and Luna crept over the rooftops of Akela.

And breakfast was ready.

Lena and Vina had moved everything to the dining room while the others talked. When Freedom Party walked in, the long dark oak table was already covered. Thick strips of Ramtauro bacon, still sizzling. Plump sausages. A mountain of fried eggs. Warm bread, fresh from the oven, with butter melting on top. And a steaming pot of coffee set right beside Hyoren's seat at the head of the table.

Jackey's eyes, which had been half-closed all through the discussion, snapped fully open.

"Meat… MEAT!"

He was in his chair before anyone else had even reached the table.

Arianna sighed and sat down beside him.

"Jackey. At least wait for everyone to sit."

Jackey froze with his fork halfway to the bacon, looking as if he had just been asked to hold his breath for an hour. His tail twitched anxiously.

Hyoren laughed and sat down at the head of the table. Elise took her place on his left, and Ina on his right.

"Go ahead, Jackey. Everyone, let's eat."

Jackey didn't need to be told twice.

For a while, nobody talked about saints or souls or goddesses.

They simply ate. Lena and Vina sat at the far end of the table after serving everyone, and the dining room filled with the familiar, comforting sounds of breakfast: the scrape of cutlery, the clink of cups, Jackey asking for seconds before he had finished his firsts. The heaviness of the past few days didn't vanish completely. But for the length of one warm meal, it loosened its grip.

Hyoren took a long sip of his coffee and let out a slow breath.

This is nice…

Ina set down her fork and turned to him, her ears perking up.

"Oh, right. Hyoren, I almost forgot to tell you."

Hyoren looked at her over the rim of his cup.

"Hm?"

Ina’s cat ears twitched.

"There's going to be a celebration tonight. At Baron Guts' castle."

She counted on her fingers.

"Everyone who joined the battle is invited. The Baron is going to hand out rewards to everyone. And there'll be special recognition for distinguished service."

She gave him a meaningful look.

Hyoren winced.

He put his cup down slowly.

Another hero celebration…

He could already picture it. A great hall full of people. Speeches. Applause. Everyone staring at him. And somewhere in the middle of it all, someone would definitely call him the Hero of Akela City again, out loud, in front of everyone.

His shoulders sagged.

Across the table, Jackey grinned with egg on his cheek.

"Big Bro's going to be the star again!"

Arianna dabbed her lips with her napkin, her eyes glinting with amusement.

"Naturally. The Field Commander who led the city to victory against eleven thousand goblins. My Esteemed Father will certainly give a long speech about you, Leader. Ohoho."

Hyoren groaned.

"Please don't say that."

Ina giggled, her tail swaying happily behind her.

"You're going to get so many compliments. And so many people are going to want to shake your hand."

Even Vina chimed in from the far end of the table, beaming.

"You're a hero, Hyoren! Heroes have to go to their celebrations! Hehe."

Hyoren looked helplessly at Elise.

Elise calmly took a sip of her tea. Then she set the cup down and gave him a small, merciless smile.

"You can't skip this one, Hyoren. You're the Field Commander. Everyone will be expecting you."

She patted his hand gently.

"Just give up. Fufu."

Hyoren rubbed the back of his neck, his face growing warm.

"…Fine. I'll go."

Everyone around the table laughed. Jackey thumped the table with his fist and cheered. Lena smiled softly behind her teacup.

Hyoren cleared his throat loudly, desperate to change the subject.

"Anyway. This morning, I'm going to the church."

The laughter faded. Everyone knew why.

Ina's ears drooped slightly. She leaned toward him, worry creeping back into her amber eyes.

"Already? Are you sure, Hyoren? You only just recovered. You should rest a little longer."

Hyoren shook his head.

"I'm fine, Ina. Really. I can walk normally now. I'm just a bit slower than usual."

He flexed his arm to prove it. It moved smoothly, though it still felt a little stiff.

"Besides, if Luminara said it like that… I don't think we have much time."

Elise set down her cup.

"Then I'll go with you."

It wasn't a question.

Ina's ears flattened. She looked torn, her tail lashing behind her chair.

"I want to come too… But I have work at the Guild today. There's so much to process after the battle. Rewards, reports, the injured, everything…"

She puffed out her cheeks in frustration.

"Mou… Why does work always come at the worst time?"

Hyoren reached over and ruffled her hair gently, right between her ears.

"It's alright, Ina. Elise will be with me. I'll tell you everything tonight."

Ina's ears twitched under his hand. She sighed, but nodded.

"…Promise?"

Hyoren nodded.

"Promise."

Elise smiled softly.

"Then it's settled. Hyoren and I go to the church this morning. Ina goes to the Guild. And tonight, we all go to the castle."

Everyone nodded. The plan for the day was decided.

Hyoren drank the last of his coffee and began to push his chair back.

The sound of the doorbell echoed through the manor.

Everyone froze.

Hyoren's hand stopped on the edge of the table. Elise's cup halted halfway to her lips. Ina's ears shot straight up. Jackey stopped chewing. Arianna slowly lowered her napkin.

Nobody said a word.

They didn't need to. Every single person at that table had the same name in their head.

It can't be…

Lena rose quietly from her seat and smoothed her apron.

"I'll see who it is."

She left the dining room. Her footsteps faded down the hallway toward the front door. Then came the faint sound of the door opening, and muffled voices. One of them was low and lazy, and it dragged.

Ina's tail bristled.

A moment later, Lena returned. She stood in the doorway of the dining room with her hands clasped in front of her, her fox ears tilted back uncomfortably.

"Master Hyoren… you have guests."

She hesitated.

"Lady Sophia Harvengald and Bishop Robert."

Exactly as they had feared.

***

Hyoren let out a long, heavy sigh.

He looked down at his empty coffee cup, then at the faces around the table. Elise's lips were pressed into a thin line. Ina's tail had puffed up to twice its size. Arianna had folded her napkin with exaggerated precision. Jackey was quietly stuffing one last sausage into his mouth, as if preparing for battle.

There was no escaping it.

"Let them in, Lena. But take them to the reception room, please. Not here."

Lena bowed.

"Yes, Master Hyoren."

She disappeared down the hallway.

***

The reception room was on the ground floor, near the front of the manor.

Freedom Party almost never used it to receive guests. Over the months, it had slowly turned into something else entirely. Tall bookshelves now lined three of its walls, crammed with books Hyoren had bought from Dandi's bookstore, Arianna's academy journals, and stacks of notes on runes and magic. It was more of a library now than anything else.

But the room still had what it needed to receive guests properly. A low polished table stood in the center, surrounded by two large sofas facing each other and a pair of single armchairs.

Hyoren sat down in the middle of one of the large sofas.

Elise sat down on his left. Ina sat down on his right. Both of them sat very close. Close enough that their shoulders pressed against his, and Hyoren found himself sandwiched firmly between them.

He glanced at Elise. Then at Ina.

"…You two are aware there's plenty of room on this sofa, right?"

Elise didn't even look at him.

"We're aware."

Ina crossed her arms, her tail lashing behind her.

"Very aware."

Hyoren decided not to argue.

Jackey didn't sit at all. He leaned against the wall beside the window, arms folded over his chest, his golden eyes fixed on the door like a guard at his post. Arianna took one of the single armchairs and smoothed her robe over her knees. Her expression was calm and polite, but her back was very, very straight.

Footsteps approached in the hallway.

The door opened, and Lena stepped inside and stood aside.

"Lady Sophia Harvengald. Bishop Robert."

Sophia glided into the room.

She was wearing the same robe as yesterday. If it could even be called a robe. White fabric with gold embroidery, a neckline that plunged nearly to her stomach, a skirt slit all the way up to her hip, and a completely bare back. Her golden hair spilled loose down to her waist in soft waves. Her lips were painted a glossy, deep red.

Hyoren immediately found himself very interested in the bookshelf to his left.

Where am I supposed to look…?

Not at her neckline. Definitely not at the slit. Her face, maybe. But her face was smiling at him in a way that made him want to look somewhere else entirely.

Behind her, Bishop Robert stepped in. He was ramrod-straight as always, his grey hair neatly combed. But there were shadows under his eyes, and the lines on his face looked a little deeper than yesterday.

Sophia's gaze swept across the room—slowly, lazily—until it landed on Hyoren.

Her sky blue eyes lit up and glittered.

"Ahnn… My Hero…"

She pressed one hand to her chest.

"I missed you… so much… Hihi…"

Then, without warning, she skipped forward. Her heels clicked across the floor, and she threw her arms wide, launching herself straight toward him.

Elise moved.

Ina moved at the same time.

Neither of them even had to look at each other. Elise's arm shot out across Hyoren's chest. Ina leaned forward and planted herself directly in Sophia's path, her tail bristling and her small fangs bared.

Sophia stopped short with barely a hand's width to spare.

Before she could try again, a large hand clamped down on her shoulder from behind.

Bishop Robert didn't say a word. He simply guided her firmly backward, turned her around, and sat her down on the sofa across the table. Then he took his place beside her, still holding her shoulder.

Sophia's painted lips pushed out into a pout.

"Ahnn… Why is everyone… so cruel to me…?"

She looked around the room with wide, wounded eyes.

"I only wanted… to greet My Hero… Mmhn…"

Bishop Robert closed his eyes briefly, as if praying for patience.

"Lady Sophia. Your conduct is unbecoming of the Light Saint. We are guests in this house. I must ask you to…"

Sophia didn't even turn to look at him.

"Shut up… Robert…"

The bishop's jaw tightened. He said nothing more.

Hyoren rubbed his forehead. He had been awake since four in the morning. He had a Divine Message sitting in his head that made no sense. And now this.

"Lady Sophia. What do you want?"

Sophia's pout vanished in an instant, replaced by a slow, lazy smile.

"Ara… So direct… I like that… Hihi…"

She leaned back against the sofa and crossed her legs. The slit of her skirt fell open. Hyoren went back to studying the bookshelf.

"I came… to finish what I started… My Hero…"

She tilted her head, and her golden hair slid over one bare shoulder.

"You're not… fully recovered yet… are you…? I can tell… Mmhn…"

Hyoren hesitated. She wasn't wrong. His body still felt stiff and heavy, and he still couldn't move as fast as he wanted to.

"…No. Not completely."

Sophia's smile widened.

"Then… one more cast… and you'll be… good as new… Hihi…"

She rose slowly from the sofa and drew the Luminescent Cudgel from her hip. Elise and Ina both tensed, but Sophia didn't step any closer. She simply raised the pure white mace toward him.

Light Aethell began to gather around the crest. Tiny golden motes drifted from the air and spiraled toward it. A bright yellow runic array bloomed in front of her.

Then her free hand moved, and once again the lazy woman disappeared. Her fingers cut through the air quickly and precisely, and rune after rune locked into place in glowing lines.

Fifteen runes.

"Luminara's Absolution!"

A matching array appeared above Hyoren's head, turning slowly. Warm light poured down over him.

It was the same warmth as before. It sank into his skin, then into his muscles, then all the way into his bones. Everything that still ached, everything that still felt stiff and heavy, slowly melted away under it.

Then the light faded.

Hyoren blinked. He lifted his hand and clenched it into a fist. It closed instantly, smoothly, without the slightest resistance. He rolled his shoulders. Nothing. No pain. No stiffness. No heaviness at all.

He was completely recovered.

He looked up at Sophia, genuinely surprised.

"…Thank you. I mean it. My body feels completely back to normal."

Sophia lowered the cudgel and hooked it back onto her hip. This time she didn't wobble at all. She had clearly rested well.

"You're welcome… My Hero… Mmhn…"

She sat back down slowly, crossed her legs again and leaned forward, resting her chin on one hand. Her sky blue eyes fixed on him.

"Now then… since you're all better…"

Her voice dropped lower. Huskier.

"When are you… going to embrace me…? Ahnn…"

Ina's tail went rigid.

Sophia sighed dramatically and fanned herself with one hand.

"I've been waiting… so patiently… And I'm getting so… itchy… Haa…n…"

She traced a slow finger along her collarbone.

"Luminara told me… to help you… So I thought… as a good Saint should… I would offer you… my body… Hihi…"

Jackey nearly choked. Arianna closed her eyes as if in physical pain. Lena, still standing by the door, turned bright red and quietly slipped out of the room.

Hyoren met Sophia's eyes and kept his voice firm.

"No. I won't accept you."

He held her gaze.

"I already have Elise and Ina. That's more than enough for me."

Elise's hand found his and squeezed it. Ina leaned her head against his shoulder and glared at Sophia.

Sophia didn't look hurt at all.

Instead, she slowly ran the tip of her tongue across her glossy red lips.

"Ara… Everyone says that… at first…"

Her smile curved, slow and predatory.

"But in the end… everyone… succumbs… Hihi…"

A cold, crawling feeling settled in Hyoren's stomach. The same chill as when he'd learned what she had done while he lay helpless.

The Light Saint tilted her head.

"I have… many plans… My Hero… And I'm very… very… patient… Mmhn…"

That was too much.

Ina shot to her feet. Her tail was bristling straight up, her ears were pinned flat, and her fangs were fully bared.

"You! He just said no! Are your ears only there for decoration?!"

Elise didn't stand up. But her voice came out cold, sharp enough to cut glass.

"Lady Sophia. You healed Hyoren, and for that I'm grateful. But he has refused you. Clearly."

Her emerald eyes narrowed.

"Please respect that."

Sophia's eyes went wide and glassy. She pressed a hand to her chest and her lower lip trembled.

"Ahnn… so harsh… I came all this way… I healed him… and this is… how you treat me…?"

She sniffled theatrically and turned to Bishop Robert.

"Robert… they're bullying me…"

Bishop Robert stared straight ahead and did not move.

Sophia peeked back at Hyoren through her lashes, clearly expecting something. Sympathy. A softened expression. Anything.

Hyoren just looked back at her. His face didn't change.

For a long moment, Sophia studied him.

Then her tears dried up as if they had never been there.

"Well… My Hero…"

She giggled softly.

"You are… stubborn… Hihi…"

She licked her lips again, slowly. Then she folded one arm beneath her chest and pressed upward, making sure he couldn't possibly miss it.

"Let's see… how long… your refusal… will last… Hihihi…"

Hyoren looked at the bookshelf again. Very hard.

Then Sophia stood up.

And something changed.

The lazy, honey-slow drag in her movements was gone. She rose in one smooth, quick motion and brushed off her skirt with a sharp flick of her hand. When she spoke again, her voice was completely different. Clipped. Clear. With a thin edge of irritation running through it.

"Bishop Robert. Don't follow me."

Bishop Robert stood up as well.

"Lady Sophia…"

She didn't let him finish.

"I want to taste the men of Akela."

The room went dead silent.

Sophia glanced over her shoulder at Hyoren. For just a moment, the slow, sweet smile returned.

"Think of it as… an appetizer… before I get My Hero… as the main course. Hihihi…"

Then her face turned back to the bishop, and the smile was gone.

Bishop Robert stepped toward her, his voice stern.

"Lady Sophia. I cannot allow you to wander the city alone in that state. Archbishop Sherine specifically instructed…"

Sophia turned on him. Her sky blue eyes were sharp and cold.

"I said I want to fuck."

Her voice was flat.

"Don't make me angry, Robert."

Bishop Robert froze where he stood.

Sophia held his gaze for one more second. Then, just like that, the lazy smile flowed back over her face as if nothing had happened. She turned toward Hyoren and gave him a slow, fluttering little wave.

"Bye-bye… My Hero… I'll see you… soon… Mmhn… Hihi…"

She sauntered out of the room. Her heels clicked down the hallway, unhurried. Then the front door opened and closed.

And she was gone.

Nobody moved.

Ina was still standing, her mouth half open, her tail frozen mid-bristle. Elise sat completely still beside Hyoren, staring at the empty doorway. Arianna had both hands pressed flat against her knees. By the window, Jackey's jaw had dropped open.

"Whoa…"

That was all he managed to say.

Hyoren slowly leaned back against the sofa.

He had seen two different people just now. The lazy, teasing, moaning Saint who dragged out every word. And then, for a few seconds, someone else entirely. Sharp. Cold. Irritated. Someone who had said exactly what she wanted with no shame at all, and dared anyone to stop her.

She changed personality like flipping a switch…

Bishop Robert stood alone in the middle of the room.

He stared at the doorway where the Light Saint had disappeared. His hands, clasped behind his back, were trembling slightly. He didn't follow her. He didn't move at all. He just stood there, ramrod-straight, watching the empty hallway.

He looked very, very tired.

***

The silence stretched on.

Finally, Hyoren let out a slow breath and gestured toward the sofa across from him.

"Bishop. Please, sit down."

Bishop Robert blinked, as if pulled back from somewhere far away. For a moment he looked uncertain, as though sitting down in the house of the man his charge had just tried to seduce was somehow improper. Then his shoulders sagged, and he lowered himself onto the sofa.

Hyoren turned toward the doorway.

"Lena, could you bring some tea? And something to eat for the Bishop, please."

Lena peeked in from the hallway. Her cheeks were still faintly pink, but she bowed at once.

"Right away, Master Hyoren."

She returned a few minutes later with a fresh pot of tea, a plate of warm bread and butter, and a small bowl of the morning's sausages. She set them down in front of Bishop Robert and quietly withdrew again.

Robert looked at the food for a long moment. Then he bowed his head deeply toward Hyoren.

"Thank you. Truly. I… confess I have not eaten since yesterday."

He picked up the cup with both hands and took a slow sip. Some of the stiffness eased from his shoulders. He ate a piece of bread in small, careful bites, the way a man does when he has forgotten he was hungry until food is put in front of him.

When he finally set the cup down, he straightened his back and placed his hands on his knees.

"Forgive me. I have not properly introduced myself."

He inclined his head.

"My name is Robert Ritter. I was originally a bishop in Harvengald. But ever since Lady Sophia was recognized as the Light Saint, I have been assigned as her caretaker."

He said caretaker the way some men said sentence.

Hyoren nodded.

"Hyoren Enjo. Leader of Freedom Party."

Robert's mouth twitched into something that was almost a smile.

"I know who you are, Sir Hyoren. The whole city knows. And now, I'm afraid, so does Lady Sophia."

Hyoren winced.

Beside him, Elise and Ina exchanged a glance. Across the room, Arianna lowered her teacup slightly, listening. Even Jackey had stopped fidgeting by the window.

Hyoren studied the bishop.

This is a chance…

He hadn't forgotten the Divine Message. Luminara's broken, desperate voice was still echoing in the back of his mind. Sophia's soul won't hold much longer. He needed to understand what that meant. And sitting in front of him was the man who had spent more time with Sophia Harvengald than perhaps anyone else alive.

But he wasn't going to reveal the message. Not here. Not yet.

He didn't know Robert. He didn't know how the bishop would react, or who he might tell. A goddess saying her own Saint's soul was in danger was not something to share carelessly. If he was going to tell anyone in the Church, it would be Sherine. Sherine, who had healed Elise when no one else could. Sherine, whom he trusted.

But asking a few questions couldn't hurt.

Hyoren leaned forward slightly.

"Bishop Robert. If you don't mind me asking… has Lady Sophia always been like that?"

Robert didn't answer right away. He looked down at his hands, folded on his knees.

"Yes."

The word came out heavy.

"Since the very first day I was appointed as her caretaker. She was only eighteen years old then. It was before she went to the Academy."

He shook his head slowly.

"What she was like before that, I cannot say. I didn't know her then. But from the first day I met her until today… she has always been like this."

Arianna's brow furrowed slightly. She set her cup down on its saucer without a sound.

Robert continued, his voice low and tired.

"She loves to hunt men. Wherever we go, whatever city, whatever village, she always looks for men. And she doesn't discriminate at all. Young or old. Rich or poor. Handsome or not. Any man will do."

Ina's ears flattened slightly. Her hand found Hyoren's sleeve and held on.

Robert's eyes moved briefly to Arianna.

"I believe Lady Arianna already knows this, from their days at the Academy. Whenever someone asks her why…"

He hesitated, clearly uncomfortable repeating it.

"She only says that she likes to… fuck."

Arianna gave a small, grim nod.

"She told me the same thing. Word for word."

Robert sighed.

"And when she is irritated, it gets worse. She hunts even more than usual. As if she needs it to calm herself."

His gaze drifted toward the doorway Sophia had left through.

"Like today."

Jackey scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"So she's going to… today… because Big Bro said no?"

Robert closed his eyes.

"Most likely."

Nobody knew what to say to that.

Then Robert rose to his feet. He stood ramrod-straight once more and bowed deeply to Hyoren and the others.

"On behalf of the Church of Luminara, I sincerely apologize. For her behavior yesterday, and today. You and your companions have done nothing to deserve this. Especially after everything you have already given for this city."

Hyoren shook his head immediately.

"Please, raise your head, Bishop. It's not the Church's fault."

He glanced at Elise and Ina, then back at Robert.

"And she did heal me. Twice. I owe her for that much at least."

Robert slowly straightened. He looked at Hyoren for a long moment, and something in his tired eyes softened.

"You are a kind man, Sir Hyoren. More than she deserves, perhaps."

Not long after, Lena led Bishop Robert to the front door.

Hyoren watched him go from the doorway of the reception room. The bishop walked out into the morning sunlight with his back straight and his steps steady. But he paused for a moment on the threshold, looking out at the street. Searching. Left, then right.

Then he lowered his head and walked away alone.

Hyoren stayed where he was.

Behind him, Elise and Ina were talking in low voices. Arianna was murmuring something to Jackey by the window. Their words drifted past him, but he didn't really hear them.

His mind was somewhere else.

Child… please… help my Saint…

The memory of that voice came back to him. Broken. Trembling. Afraid. The Goddess of Light, who had always been so warm and gentle, so calm even when she groveled in apology, had sounded afraid.

And then he thought of Sophia.

The lazy, dragging voice. The predatory smile. The way she had thrown herself at him the moment she saw him. Licked his cheek while he lay unconscious. Laughed about making him her "main course". And then turned on her own caretaker with cold eyes and said exactly what she wanted, without an ounce of shame.

Luminara wants me to help her Saint.

His hand slowly tightened against the doorframe.

But the more I learn about Sophia Harvengald… the Whore Saint… the more reluctant I am to get anywhere near her…

He didn't know what was wrong with her soul. He didn't know how to save it. He didn't know if he even could.

He didn't even know if he wanted to.

The morning sun shone brightly through the window. Somewhere outside, the city of Akela was waking up, its people beginning a new day after the funeral. Life was moving forward again.

But for Hyoren, the thought settled on his chest like a heavy stone and wouldn't go away.

A plea from a goddess.

And a Saint he could barely stand to look at.