Even though it was merely a message being relayed, the gate officer bowed deeply in apology.
Rita didn’t say anything to him; she simply turned around. Not only Satin, but Cain and Edward had also overheard the conversation between Rita and the director.
Without saying a word, Rita merely raised an eyebrow. It seemed to mean, let’s talk later when no one else is around.
“Thank you for coming all this way.”
“Ah, not at all. If Her Highness is off to accomplish a great task, then something like this is nothing.”
“I don’t know when I’ll be back, but, hmm.”
Rita pulled a watch from her coat and checked the time. Satin caught a glance—it was almost sunset.
“I’d like to be back before morning. Can you hold this position until then?”
It was a loosely set time. She had no idea what she might have to do inside, so there was no way to estimate when she’d return. Still, the gate officer declared his loyalty with exaggerated enthusiasm.
“No matter when it is, we’ll be waiting!”
“Alright, then.”
Without the slightest hesitation, Rita stepped into the corridor. Edward followed behind her, looking slightly tense.
‘Is the evil being the long spoke of actually a demon? That phrasing sounded way too scripted…’
Satin straightened his back as much as he could, thinking of the future moment when the gate officer might boast of this adventure to his grandchildren. It wouldn’t do for the hero who saved the nation to be remembered as hunched over.
‘Man, this incline makes it hard to walk upright…’
Just as he thought that, Cain whispered from behind him.
“Watch your step.”
“Got it.”
“If you fall and hurt yourself, I’m hauling you out of here on my back.”
“Alright, alright…”
Hopefully, the gate officer hadn’t heard that.
***
The path grew wider the farther they went. The change had been so gradual that none of them noticed right away. At some point, they realized it—along with the fact that the slope had vanished.
Rita brushed her hand lightly along the wall and remarked,
“This place is a bit different from the Demon King’s Castle.”
“Indeed it is.”
Edward didn’t touch the wall like Rita did. He seemed a bit uneasy.
‘Is it just because it’s unfamiliar?’
The walls of the Demon King’s Castle had been made of dark bricks. Whether they were real bricks or just an illusion crafted to look that way, they were at least a recognizable form.
But these walls were smooth. The material was unidentifiable. They were as slick as glass, yet had no shine. Even Satin, who had lived in the modern world, couldn’t recognize the material.
‘Is that why it feels like something out of science fiction?’
In any case, the material didn’t matter. What intrigued them was where this path would eventually lead.
With one hand still resting on the wall, Rita suddenly asked,
“If this was all really planned out, then none of us are going to die or get hurt, right?”
“Most likely not.”
“If anyone else had said that, I wouldn’t have believed them.”
“Same here. The idea that the gods choose someone, it’s kind of…”
Edward trailed off and looked over at Satin. Despite being a priest, Edward had a rational personality. It seemed he simultaneously believed and doubted the High Priest’s words.
“Satin, why do you think you were chosen?”
He asked, though his face didn’t seem to expect much of an answer. Satin shrugged, and Edward turned his eyes forward again.
“Makes sense.”
Surprisingly, it was Cain who spoke up.
“He was chosen because he deserved to be.”
Satin was honestly stunned. It was the first time he’d seen Cain show even the slightest positive attitude toward the temple or its affairs. Cain came up beside him and added,
“Maybe he was the best person for it.”
‘What does it mean to be the “best person”?’
As Satin rolled his eyes, Edward turned to him and asked,
“Is it because Satin once saved you that you think that way?”
“That too.”
“I do agree that was an incredible act, but… would that alone have been the reason for the choice?”
“Are you insulting Satin right in front of me?”
Cain’s expression grew grim. Even knowing it was for his sake, Satin instinctively flinched and took a small step back. Cain clicked his tongue and returned to his usual expression.
Rita sided with Edward.
“No matter how heroic Satin might’ve been saving you, I doubt someone was chosen just for doing a good deed. Good deeds follow criteria made by people, and those standards change with each era.”
It was a fair point. Cain didn’t refute it, and seeing that, Rita even stopped walking and continued.
“If someone really was chosen because they were the best person, then maybe we’ll never understand what made them better. How could we possibly know the standards of a god?”
Satin glanced at Cain’s expression. He didn’t seem upset—if anything, he looked like he agreed with Rita. He even gave a small nod.
Rita started walking again, and a brief silence fell over the group. Before the topic vanished completely, Satin quietly asked,
“Don’t you feel a little… resentful?”
“About what?”
Rita glanced back with a puzzled look. Edward didn’t seem to grasp what he meant either. Scratching the back of his neck, Satin elaborated.
“There are people way more devout than me. I’m not even someone who really believes in God, and I’ve never once prayed at the temple, yet I was chosen. I mean, sure, we don’t know the criteria, but still.”
Satin had a guess as to why he’d been chosen. But no one else knew. Maybe not even the High Priest.
Shouldn’t someone be resentful? There must be plenty of people who love and worship the gods far more earnestly than he does. And yet Satin, not one of them, was the one granted the title of Hero. The very fact that faith wasn’t the determining factor—it felt unfair in itself.
‘They’re even throwing a grand welcome ceremony…’
After the Demon King’s Castle was defeated, lots of people had come out to watch the parade. But the capital was many times larger than Cloverland. Satin couldn’t even imagine how many people might show up to this one. He was worried he might have a panic attack just seeing the crowd.
Maybe the people were simply happy because a great threat had been resolved. But Edward wasn’t like them. He’d seen what kind of person Satin really was. Naturally, he must know Satin wasn’t all that special.
Wouldn’t it feel uncomfortable, seeing someone like Satin get glorified as a hero and possibly reap the benefits?
Surprisingly, Edward responded without hesitation.
“I’m not resentful.”
It wasn’t the tone of someone hiding their real feelings. But that didn’t mean there wasn’t some unease lingering beneath the surface.
“I’m just curious. A bit regretful, maybe. There must be a reason, but it’s something I can’t understand.”
Satin didn’t bother voicing that maybe not knowing was for the better. Instead, he quietly bowed his head. Then Edward, perhaps trying to lighten the mood, added with a small smile,
“It’s kind of funny, actually. Satin, who probably hasn’t even caught a rabbit before, having to defeat a demon.”
“I’ve caught a rabbit, okay.”
Satin muttered a soft protest, but Edward just replied, “Ah, of course you have,” without taking him seriously.
‘Wasn’t just rabbits, actually.’
He hadn’t slain them with a sword like a proper Hero, but he had taken lives before. In cowardly ways.
‘I deceived Cain, and Edward too. Might as well call me a con artist.’
He felt a dull ache growing in his gut and began rubbing his solar plexus. Cain immediately noticed and checked on him.
“You feeling okay?”
“Nah, just… maybe I’m hungry?”
Satin gave a sheepish laugh. Rita checked the time on her watch.
“Should we take a break here?”
***
After a short rest and a fairly long walk, the group finally came to a stop. Though the corridor still hadn’t ended, moving forward any farther was no longer feasible.
Rita, who’d been leading the way, opened her mouth a few times before finally asking,
“What do you think that is?”
No one answered.
What had once been a corridor had widened so much that it felt strange to even call it that anymore. In the vast space ahead, a massive head loomed. Its eyes blinked slowly. It had a broad mouth and a thick beard. The horns rising behind its pointed ears resembled a stag’s but were far more majestic.
A real Long.
Only its head was visible, but already its sheer presence was overwhelming. Even without the horns, its head alone was about the size of a person. There was no guessing how large the rest of its body was.
If it opened its mouth, it could probably swallow the entire group in one bite. Just like Pinocchio wandering inside the whale’s belly.
“Didn’t they say it spoke to that guy?”
Rita furrowed her brow, eyes fixed on the Long, hand resting on her sword hilt. She was referring to the story the gate officer at the Southwest Gate checkpoint had told them before they entered. Apparently, a local villager had come here and claimed the Long had spoken. But now, it remained silent.
“Should we try getting closer?”
Edward carefully drew his sword and stepped forward. Not one to be outdone, Rita closed in right beside him. Sensing the shift in energy, Satin moved as if to join them—but Cain grabbed him by the back of the neck.
“You stay put.”
“Come on, shouldn’t I be doing something?”
He was the Hero, after all. Wouldn’t it be way too embarrassing if he just stood in the back until the end? Even if no one else saw it.
But Cain didn’t let go. He clearly cared more about Satin’s safety than his pride—however small that pride might be.
Still, perhaps not wanting to completely shut him down, Cain softened his tone a bit.
“Let’s wait and see for now.”
“And if something does happen?”
“It’s not like you going in is going to stop it from happening.”
“Well, yeah, but still…”
In the end, Satin decided to follow Cain’s advice. Cain didn’t stop him from pulling out the dagger on his belt, though. Maybe he figured it wouldn’t matter anyway.
The Long merely blinked slowly as Edward and Rita approached. It made no move, even as they came right up to its massive face. Truly right up close—when it exhaled, the breeze from its breath gently ruffled Rita’s hair.
“…Um, Long?”
