His voice began to flow, and at the same time, the world started to be enveloped in darkness. It darkened gradually as if someone was pouring black water from the sky. When the pitch-black darkness completely engulfed the surroundings, his golden eyes flickered like a full moon.

Pedro held his breath, unable to look away from the spectacle. Just withstanding the overwhelming, superior power was an act of bravery in itself.

Enzo, rigid and firm, spoke towards his descendants, who were still but still standing.

“If it weren’t for her sacrifice, the empire would have vanished.”

Before his unsettling words could disperse in the air, he vanished suddenly like black smoke. Simultaneously, the darkness that had been dominating the surroundings also evaporated without a trace.

Only then could Pedro sit down.

His back was drenched in cold sweat. Even though he couldn’t make an exact judgment, he was certain that someone had possessed Lucian.

And that person harbored ill feelings towards the empire.

“Excuse me for a moment!”

Sensing something even from outside, the Duchy’s knight commander rushed in before permission was given. He saw Pedro kneeling on the floor and hurriedly approached him.

“Previous Duke, are you alright?”

He moved his gaze to look for Lucian, but there was no trace of him anywhere in the small bookstore.

“…Where is the Duke?”

Pedro regained his composure at his words. There was no time to waste. He couldn’t predict what would happen, but he couldn’t afford to be lost in thought.

He has no intention of repeating the past. He will never again sacrifice those around him because of him.

“…Withdraw right now.”

To do that, he first had to go to the one he had to protect. And when the moment came to sacrifice himself for his son…

He wouldn’t hesitate.

That was his atonement.

* * *

As I ascended the stairs, I felt the light flowing, becoming stronger, and that light swam as if guiding me. Following the light, a spacious hall was revealed. The space, supported by several large cylindrical pillars, had become desolate over time, yet it felt warm.

“…This was the sanctuary where the priests used to gather for prayer.”

Paul looked around the vast space with a nostalgic face. I couldn’t dare to empathize with his emotions as he remembered the past.

While he looked around, I glanced back at Oscar, Damien, and Elliot, who had followed behind him. Oscar kept turning his head here and there with a curious face while Damien, amidst it all, couldn’t take his eyes off Elliot.

Nevertheless, Elliot seemed the most composed. He was staring at me with an expression that seemed somewhat depressed.

Seeing him sweating, it didn’t seem like a fake expression.

Still, what did it matter? It wasn’t because I wanted to save him that I had kept him alive, but it was simply because he seemed like someone who needed to be saved, so I immediately turned my attention away.

“…Saint, let’s go.”

The bright light still guided me, and Paul led me as if he knew the way.

I followed him.

In a space that would have been bustling with people in the past, only our five sets of footsteps echoed.

Walking along the corridor, where the crumbling areas were visible in various places, I reached a dead end. When we opened a door similar to the one I had entered earlier, a bright light streamed out like a flood. The sunlight pouring in from the hole-ridden ceiling filled the place, almost blinding.

As I spotted someone, I halted my steps.

Paul, done with his guidance, stood there, gazing at the place with a face soaked in sorrow. Oscar, who didn’t understand anything, merely blinked. While even Damien, who had been keeping a close eye on Elliot, looked at the spot with a pensive expression.

Elliot, with a contorted face of discomfort, let out a groan. The muttered words were coarse curses that seemed unnecessary to hear. It was probably the dark spirit within him unable to exert its power within the sanctuary.

Darkness and the temple were polar opposites.

I started my momentarily frozen steps.

It would be a lie if I said I wasn’t trembling. Who had lain here alone in a space that no one else could enter? Considering the various information I had received so far, one figure came to mind.

The one who sacrificed herself to seal the Demon King and to save others.

“Saint…”

The words flowed unknowingly. In that moment, the voice I heard in my dream began to fill my mind.

— My beloved daughter…

Ah…

The voice was even warmer and kinder than when I heard it in my dream.

— You have finally returned to where you belong…

This time, I couldn’t help but ask.

“My return means…?”

I was slightly nervous. If me inhabiting Rachel’s body wasn’t a coincidence, then what significance did it hold?

“Does it mean I was supposed to be here all along?”

When I asked, the gentle voice chuckled softly.

— Yes.

God answered briefly before continuing.

— You may not remember it now, but at that time, you completed the seal that restrained the Demon King and the demons, using your body as the medium. If the spirits had contributed their power, there might not have been a need for such sacrifice.

Even in the soothing voice, there seemed to be a hint of frustration.

— As a saint, your body was filled with divine power, which allowed it to serve as a medium, but your soul was also trapped here.

“But how was I able to be born in a different world then?

Considering God’s words, it seemed inconsistent.

— The power of the Demon King is much stronger than it appears. Trying to seal such an entity with an imperfect barrier resulted in inevitable side effects. The imperfect seal, constantly clashing with the Demon King’s power, created a passage to another space.

“I apologize, but couldn’t you have helped then? Isn’t God all-powerful?”

— Haha. Even for God, there are limits to what they can intervene in. If God were to intervene in everything, humans might not be able to live freely.

While I could somewhat believe it since God said it, I couldn’t quite comprehend it.

— That’s why I couldn’t stop your soul that was breaking into pieces to flow into another world. I apologize for the suffering you endured, living with an imperfect soul.

Right, I could understand the reasons to some extent now. Anyway, it seemed that it wouldn’t be a problem for me to settle here.

That was enough. It was comforting to think that enduring through a time I couldn’t recall was all to meet Lucian. While that didn’t pose any problem, I needed a definitive confirmation at the end.

“So, you mean it’s appropriate for me to live here?”

— That’s right. This world is your home.

“That settles it then.”

With a definitive answer, my mind was completely at ease. It was then that God spoke.

— Though you must complete what you couldn’t finish then.

“…How do I do that?”

Even if I had regained my abilities, I didn’t know what to do.

“Didn’t I give you a faithful servant?”

The faithful servant was probably referring to Paul.

“That alone doesn’t tell me much. Please tell me clearly.”

I had no intention of wasting any more time. I only wanted to hurry back, thinking of Lucian waiting for me.

— To complete the seal requires divine power, the magic of a wizard, and finally, the power of a spirit. These were the conditions that had to be met in the first place.

Was it necessary to complete it when the seal was still functioning adequately?

I began to wonder.

“Even now, the seal is already performing its job well. It has been constantly perceiving me as an intruder, causing quite a stir. If it weren’t for Paul, I might not have been able to enter the temple in the first place.”

God’s voice became somewhat stern.

— The seal has a limit of a thousand years. It won’t be long before it reaches a thousand years. Let me say it again, the power of the Demon King is incredibly strong.

Ha, it was clear that if it weren’t properly completed, chaos would ensue soon.

This was the world where I was going to live.

A deep sigh escaped me.

I just wanted to live with Lucian, in simplicity and happiness. I wasn’t someone capable of bearing such grand responsibilities, nor did my personality suit it. Still, I was prepared to sacrifice anything to live with him.

— You don’t need to worry too much. Just by returning to your place, everything will eventually fall into place.

The voice that had been so vivid became distant. I wanted to ask more, but as I opened my mouth, a voice cut through my thoughts.

“Master!”

Damien, who had suddenly come to my side, was peering at me with a pale, worried face. I thought I was standing, but suddenly, I found myself lying down.

And not just anywhere, but beside the former saint who had radiated light until a moment ago.

Clearly, she was now nothing but a shell, akin to a corpse, yet the former saint appeared to be merely asleep. She slept with an undisturbed serenity on her face as if she hadn’t decayed even a little. Somehow, her face even seemed to show a resemblance to Rachel’s.

Despite being a descendant, they looked strikingly similar.

“Are, are you okay?”

Despite thinking I had recovered, I fell. It seemed I was still grappling with a sense of dissociation.

As I patted Damien’s shoulder with a reassuring face, I recalled the hint God had given me and glanced at Elliot, who was cursing in the distance.

So, this was why I wanted to save him.

The power of the spirit… at least that condition had been fulfilled.

__