MTM 141

Harto and leon left Zed behind in the office, and followed the young priest to their assigned quarters. The long corridor was so quiet that only the sound of their footsteps echoed through it.

The interior of the temple was as austere as the Archpriest’s office. Despite being the only temple in Carseon, there were no lavish gilded decorations or imposing statues to be found. Instead, unnamed plants had grown freely in the cracks between the bricks and were left untouched; rather than appearing untidy, they blended with nature to create a familiar and peaceful atmosphere. Harto’s anxiety gradually subsided as a result of his modest simplicity.

“Well then, please make yourself at home here.”

“Thank you so much for showing us around.”

Their quarters were a spacious suite located at the far end of the hallway. As they opened the door and stepped inside, a space much larger than expected came into view. Apparently, it had been converted from a former prayer hall into guest quarters, which explained why there were as many as four rooms lined up beneath the high ceiling.

“Phew, I don’t feel like I’ve done much, but I’m pretty tired…”

Leon muttered as he slumped back into a hard wooden chair. Harto, too, was overwhelmed by a wave of exhaustion. But he couldn’t rest like Leon. He took out Sleepy, the rabbit he had been carefully protecting in his arms, and gently placed him on the windowsill where the warm sunlight reached.

“Sleepy, you must have been feeling stuffy in there.”

When Harto held out a piece of carrot he’d prepared in advance, Sleepy wrinkled his nose and began to eat it with relish. As the rabbit focused peacefully on eating the carrot, the elementals began to appear one by one to watch Sleepy’s meal.

Meanwhile, Leon seemed to have finished his brief report to the group outside the castle via the communication device.

“It looks like Allen’s group has also secured lodging. It’s a relief that nothing much has happened here either, aside from that commotion at the entrance with that crazy… no, that commander.”

“Yes…”

Harto replied briefly while staring out the window. No matter how hard he tried to forget it, that gaze from earlier wouldn’t leave his mind.

‘It seems that monster is sustaining its power with “that”.’

Recalling the eyes with which Commander Gerard had pierced through his heart, and the words he had spoken, Harto grew restless.

“Harto.”

“Hm?”

He turned his head at the sudden voice. Leon, who had been stretching his arms wide like a slumbering beast, asked out of the blue.

“What is Zed hiding?”

“Huh…? Hiding something…?”

Harto was confused by the unexpected topic. He had never once suspected that Zed might be hiding anything.

“Oh, come on.”

Leon scratched the back of his head, looking exasperated by Harto’s naive reaction.

“What kind of secret conversation did he have with the Seeker in Etheria that made him act like that…? Don’t tell me you didn’t hear a thing either?”

“Yes…”

Harto replied in a slightly dejected voice.

“What…? A secret from you too? It seemed like Allen and Ser didn’t know anything either. Hmm, that’s strange.”

Immediately after that, Leon lost himself in contemplation. Only then did Harto recall the promise Zed had whispered while smoothing his hair before they set off for Carseon.

‘When we arrive in Carseon… there’s something I absolutely must tell you.’

What was Zed trying to tell me? Does he really know everything about my true identity?

But he quickly shook his head to dismiss the distracting thoughts. After all, the Seeker had clearly stated that the issues Zed was worried about were fundamentally different from his own.

“Ah!”

Just then, Leon exclaimed when something had suddenly occurred to him. Harto’s eyes widened in surprise, but Leon quickly muttered with a deflated expression.

“Ah… maybe not? Hmm. Ugh, I don’t know! Zed will speak up himself when the time comes. I think I’ll just write a letter!”

“A letter?”

“Yes, I promised to send a letter to Reina once we arrive in Carseon.”

Leon, who had been so serious just moments ago, suddenly jumped to his feet as if nothing had happened and headed for the room at the very end of the hall.

“I’m using this one!”

Leon declared energetically and closed the door behind him. As the noisy atmosphere drained away, the elementals began hopping around and pestering Harto.

“You can look around. But you can’t go outside, understand?”

As soon as he gave his permission, the elements scattered to explore every corner of the quarters, led by Krom. Sleepy, looking very sleepy, yawned on the windowsill, then flopped down in a sunny spot and closed his eyes.

“……”

Harto cast his gaze out the window once more. The sky over Carseon, where the sunset was beginning to set, was warmly tinged with peach hues, but Harto’s heart felt, conversely, cold. He unconsciously brought his hand to his chest.

Perhaps what Commander Gerard had seen through the holy sight was…

‘Inside you… there is a heart that is not your own.’

“A heart that isn’t mine…”

Harto murmured in a small voice. He was torn between a desire to know what “truth” Zed intended to reveal, and a fear of discovering what the beating within his own chest truly meant.

In stark contrast to the beautiful scenery outside the window, a shadow of anxiety fell across Harto’s face.

***

Clack.

The door to the office closed. Zed took a step into the hallway, but his mind was still reeling from the conversation he’d just had with Edmund.

‘…Oh God, why have you inflicted such trials upon them?’

Upon hearing the entire harrowing tale Zed had confided, Edmund sighed.

‘Have you never seen the relic of Regnovar with your own eyes, High Priest?’

‘To my shame, not once. The very fact that such relic existed in the Regnovar Empire never reached this old man’s ears. Had I known beforehand, I would have gathered all the wisdom of the temple to find a solution… I am truly ashamed of my ignorance.’

Edmund not knowing about the relic of the Regnovar Empire was perhaps to be expected. Before Carseon fell to vassal status, it had been an enemy state in conflict with the Empire, so there was no way they would have shared such a crucial secret.

Edmund also recounted to Zed the events Carseon had endured over the past three years. At the same time, the old priest’s gaze, filled with genuine concern for Prince Damien’s safety and a desire to express his gratitude to Sir Isadora for protecting him, felt comforting to Zed.

Afterward, he finally broached the subject of his visit to Carseon.

‘As you know, Your Eminence, I have heard that this very place, Carseon, is the sacred site where the sealing of the Demon King was performed in the past. I would like to know if the Temple has any remaining records regarding the specific circumstances or the sealing ritual from that time.’

The moment the words “Demon King” were said, a fleeting look of concern appeared on Edmund’s previously gentle eyes. He stroked his beard thoughtfully for a moment, then replied in a benevolent voice.

‘I understand. If it is something Your Highness is seeking, I shall search through every ancient text in the archives and even the records in the restricted section. However… your journey must have been quite exhausting today, so why not set aside your heavy burdens for a moment and go rest?’

Thanks to his considerate suggestion, Zed was finally able to relax. Zed bowed politely and stood up from his seat once he received a promise that he would look for the records of the Demon King’s sealing.

‘Prince Ares.’

Edmund’s kind voice rang out behind him as he turned to leave.

‘You have truly grown into a fine young man. If Saintess Arkanis, the pride of Carseon, were still alive, she would have been overjoyed to see you, Your Highness.’

Zed’s heart grew heavy as he recalled Edmund’s words referring to his mother.

“Your Highness, this way.”

A young priest approached him, and bowed respectfully. Zed began walking down the corridor behind the priest. In the cool, crisp air unique to Carseon, he felt a longing he had long forgotten.

It was then. He saw a group of holy knights approaching from the opposite end of the corridor. And at their center stood Gerard.

“…….”

“…….”

The moment their eyes met, the air in the corridor froze. Neither spoke, but their gazes were cold.

Determined not to forget the rudeness he had endured earlier at the gates, Zed glared at Gerard, making no effort to hide his displeasure. Gerard was no different. He wore a smile, but his gaze fixed on Zed was inscrutable.

As the distance between them closed, the corridor filled with a suffocating atmosphere. It was almost as if invisible magical energy was colliding in the air.

To show there would be not a single word, not a single concession, they passed each other without exchanging a word. When the sound of footsteps faded behind him, Zed exhaled, trying to get rid off Gerard’s unpleasant stare.