The sacred relics that had once been lent out for free during the Demon King’s Castle incident were now being sold at a discounted price. There was also a slightly more expensive version, which, according to the description, could seal away unclean things. Visually, there was almost no difference between the cheap one and the pricier one—just a pair of small, rough wings attached to the latter.
‘They’re really serious about making money, huh.’
Satin clicked his tongue inwardly.
After some deliberation, Rita decided to buy the more expensive one. She handed it over to Satin, saying it was better for someone more cautious to hold onto it.
As they exited the temple, Rita spoke.
“No one really knows what the Demon God actually is, right?”
“What do you mean?”
When Satin looked over at her, Rita rubbed her chin and explained her thoughts seriously.
“Like, what it wants, where it shows up from. Whether it uses magic or some entirely new kind of power. If it’s alone or has an army. We don’t know anything, do we?”
“That’s true.”
Even the term “Demon God” felt unfamiliar to most people. Satin was only used to it because he’d read a lot of fantasy novels.
“But the High Temple got the oracle directly, so maybe they know something?”
“Most likely.”
“And if the High Temple knows something, maybe the other temples heard something too?”
“Probably.”
When Satin agreed, Rita shared her own speculation.
“What if the Demon God doesn’t even have a physical form? Or what if it’s an immortal being?”
“Why do you think that?”
“The temples are selling relics that can seal things away. Even if they’re just merchants in disguise, they don’t do pointless stuff.”
“That does make sense.”
While Satin and Rita were busy speculating about the Demon God, Cain remained silent. He had been deep in thought for a while now.
“What are you thinking so hard about?”
When Satin asked, Cain answered like he’d been waiting for the question.
“It’s just… something feels off.”
“What does?”
“The atmosphere in the temple. It was kind of strange, don’t you think?”
Cain’s expression was grim.
Satin had no idea what the usual temple atmosphere was like. On his first visit, he’d thought it felt like a bank. The second time, it had felt like a red ocean business desperate to attract customers. So what was it about today’s visit that struck Cain as odd?
Then Satin realized something strange. Cain shouldn’t know what the temple was usually like either.
‘Didn’t he come to the temple for the first time back then, just like me?’
When Satin looked at him with questioning eyes, Cain actually looked puzzled and asked back,
“Didn’t you notice the priests were staring at us the whole time?”
“Staring at us?”
Satin blinked, not understanding. Looking over at Rita, she wore the same confused expression. Cain let out a sigh.
“Every priest who passed by was looking at us.”
“Maybe it’s just because we were the only customers?”
Satin asked back while reviewing his memory. Unlike when they’d come to get the relics the last time, the temple had been pretty empty today. The prayer booths were crowded, but the relic shop area was deserted.
‘Probably because they weren’t handing stuff out for free this time.’
And unlike during the Demon King’s Castle crisis, there weren’t sick people in every household now either.
The priest manning the register had greeted them mid-yawn. Nothing had seemed particularly out of the ordinary. Rita must have felt the same, as she kept tilting her head in confusion.
Cain clicked his tongue quietly.
“You two are so damn slow. Five priests looked at us from outside. They didn’t even come in—they just watched and left. Isn’t that weird?”
“Maybe they just came by for something else and turned around when they saw there were customers?”
As serious as they might be about making money, they weren’t actual merchants. They wouldn’t casually hang around chatting when there were visitors.
But Cain didn’t agree with Satin’s reasoning.
“No. You think I can’t even tell the difference?”
Cain’s expression was so serious that it made Satin’s own thoughts grow heavy with confusion.
‘Could the priests really have been up to something?’
Rita was the one to break the sudden tension, shrugging her shoulders and speaking with easy optimism.
“Maybe someone was looking for us or something. Anyway, nothing happened, so it’s fine.”
“For now, sure.”
Even with Cain’s gloomy reply, Rita didn’t falter.
“If something does happen, we’ll deal with it. No point wasting energy on something we can’t figure out right now.”
“Must be nice to be so carefree.”
Cain muttered with a hint of sarcasm, but Rita ignored him.
“Anyway, before we leave Cloverland, let’s go buy some weapons!”
***
Like a sailboat gliding over a calm sea, everything was going smoothly.
“We didn’t forget anything, right?”
At Rita’s question, Satin paused to think for a moment before nodding. They had stopped by the Adventurer’s Guild to inform them that Cain wouldn’t be working for a while, and asked a neighbor to watch over the vegetable garden while they were away. Their weapons had been checked and prepped, and they’d packed all the other supplies necessary for the journey.
‘Feels like we’re going on a trip.’
Their initial destination was northward. Since Edward had previously left through the northern gate, they figured that route would be the easiest way to catch up with him. What came next, they hadn’t decided yet.
As they rode a hired carriage through the north gate, Cain casually asked,
“What if that guy doesn’t end up joining us?”
“That guy” referred to Edward.
Even aside from how the story might unfold, it was highly likely Edward would follow Rita. He seemed to like her, after all. But they still had to account for the possibility that he wouldn’t. As a priest, Edward might not act purely on emotion like an ordinary person.
“If he’s not in, then we’re out. I’m not interested in dangerous crap.”
Cain wasn’t bluffing. He valued Satin’s safety over some hopeful bonding built on camaraderie. Satin wanted to say that wasn’t necessary, but held his tongue.
Rita smiled slyly at Cain’s attempt to lay down the law. She didn’t look even the slightest bit worried.
“No need to fret over nonsense. That’s not gonna happen.”
Her confidence was so over the top that it made Satin curious.
‘Did she have some kind of guarantee?’
“How can you be so sure? Did you talk to him beforehand?”
“No, nothing like that. I just know.”
When Satin looked at her in confusion, Rita grinned and boasted,
“Ever since I was a kid, every time I knew something was going to work out, it always did.”
“…Right.”
It was such a ridiculous basis for confidence that Satin couldn’t muster a sincere response. But Rita didn’t seem offended—on the contrary, she looked even more amused.
“You’ll see. It’s gonna turn out just like I said.”
Cain shook his head and turned to look out the window. Satin gave a hollow chuckle, but deep down, maybe Rita really would be right.
‘With a personality like that…’
She’d been born into a high-status family and even had the rare gift of magic. Her looks were clean-cut, and her personality was open and straightforward. You could tell she hadn’t gone through much hardship. Sure, she’d probably had her share of inner struggles, but it didn’t seem like she’d ever really experienced failure or despair.
Maybe Rita had been destined from the start to live a life like that. No matter how many things had changed, this world still originated from the story his sister had written. Just like Cain had been destined to endure hardships as a child, Rita had likely been fated to grow up bright and optimistic.
If that was the case, there was no point in being jealous. There are always people who start life with more than you. Envying every little thing won’t change anything. It’s better to spend that time thinking about what comes next.
If this world really was governed by a fixed narrative and some kind of force of fate, then the Demon God subjugation wasn’t the real issue. What mattered was what came after.
What’s the one thing that defines a story? It ends. When that time comes, Satin will have to make his own decisions.
‘Not that there’s going to be any grand decision to make.’
He figured he’d just go back to living like he had in the village with his grandfather—worrying about what to eat for three meals a day.
Even so, the tiniest sliver of unease lingered.
‘Will it really be that simple?’
“Satin, if you’re sleepy, take a nap.”
Cain patted his thigh. Maybe he thought Satin had dozed off because he’d been quiet. Satin reflexively leaned over, then hesitated. Rita was looking his way with her mouth shaped into a little triangle.
Satin quietly straightened up.
“…I’m good. Not sleepy.”
The moment he finished speaking, Cain clicked his tongue softly.
“Tch.”
And Satin wasn’t the only one who heard it. Rita turned her head, eyes narrowing into little triangles to match her mouth. Her expression practically screamed: clingy leech.
***
Rita’s optimistic prediction turned out to be right. After leaving Cloverland and passing through a small village, they arrived at a city—where Edward was already waiting.
When Edward spotted the group, he walked over and scolded them.
“I told you I’d come, so wait for me. What if something had happened and I couldn’t make it? Leaving a message like that—what were you thinking?”
Even though he spoke with a frown, Rita didn’t seem fazed in the slightest.
“Have you been well? Did you stay here the whole time?”
“I was just about to leave when I happened to run into someone from the Adventurer’s Guild. I nearly missed you.”
“Well, we did meet, so it’s fine.”
The name of the city they’d arrived at was Daisyland. Satin privately thought it sounded like an amusement park, but he didn’t say it out loud. Whether it was Cloverland or Daisyland, they were equally absurd.
‘Guess my sister didn’t have much talent for naming things.’
Edward, who had arrived a few days ahead of them, took the lead.
“Let’s head to the inn I’m staying at first.”
“You found a good restaurant too, right?”
At Rita’s question, Edward furrowed his brow.
“I’m on a pilgrimage, not a gourmet tour.”
“There’s no rule that says you can’t enjoy good food while you’re on pilgrimage.”
Letting out a quiet sigh, Edward replied,
“…There’s a decent place near the inn.”
“Perfect!”
