The alarm bell's sound resonated through her entire body, passing through the stone walls. Caaang, caaang, caaang——. The sound that awakened the entire Holy City. Reon pulled Riri's hand as he slipped through the north service entrance. Baldo's chestnut hair swayed in the night breeze ahead of him. The silver ring on his right ear reflected the torchlight. Beyond the service entrance lay a plaza. And——torches were lined up in rows. A dozen or so. The cult soldiers formed a semicircle, blocking the path of the three. The moment they emerged onto the stone plaza, walls of light closed in from left, right, and front. Behind them was the service entrance door. There was no escape route. Riri held her breath. Her small hand gripped Reon's hand tightly in return. "[scared]Reon……" "[cold]Fall back." Reon stepped forward. He drew his sword. The silver blade reflected the torch flames. The cult soldiers advanced one step closer. A blue light began to seep into Riri's hand. She was gathering magical power——but the exhaustion from the Sanctification Chamber still lingered. Her legs wavered slightly. "[serious]Can you fight?" Riri didn't answer. She bit her lip, trying to gather light in her palm. But her strength wasn't returning as she wished. Baldo stood beside Reon. He held his dagger at the ready. His golden eyes swept across the encirclement. "[serious]Six in front, four on each side. How are we breaking through this, big brother?" Reon was about to answer when——. BOOM!! The north outer wall shook. An explosion tore through the Holy City's night air. Then a pillar of flame rose beyond the outer wall. Orange light stained the sky. The sound of wind magic slamming against the stone walls. A low rumble——Zaaah. "What's happening!?" one of them shouted. The cult soldiers' gazes turned toward the outer wall all at once. Half the encirclement moved. Someone was yelling, "Attack on the north wall, fall back to defense!!" Baldo smiled slightly, but with certainty. "[serious]They came——!! The carrier pigeon got through!!" The companions from the hidden settlement had moved. Just as Baldo had written in the message he sent to the settlement——requesting a diversion attack on the north side of the Holy City's outer wall. The mages were shaking the outer wall with fire and wind magic, exactly as planned. A gap opened in the encirclement. Reon didn't hesitate for a moment. "[cold]Let's go!!" He charged toward the gap. The remaining cult soldiers reacted and swung their swords——he deflected. He pushed the first one aside with the flat of his blade. The second thrust a spear——he twisted his body to avoid it and dashed past. Behind him, the sound of Baldo's footsteps supporting Riri's arm as they ran. Reon cut open a breakthrough while sweeping his blade. He used his body as a shield, creating a path for Riri and Baldo to pass through. An impact ran through his shoulder. A spear's butt grazed his flank. Pain could wait. Now——run. The three broke through the plaza. The outer wall's gate came into view. And before it——a figure stood. White silver armor. Crimson-purple hair bound up. Cold silver eyes looked straight at them. It was Sera. Subordinates stood on either side. Five of them held unsheathed swords at the ready. But Sera alone——kept her sword sheathed, standing motionless. "Inquisitor, we will apprehend them." one of them stepped forward. Sera's arm pressed down on his shoulder from the side. His movement stopped. Silence. Reon came to a halt. The distance between the three and Sera was about ten paces. The flame light flickered. The distant sound of crumbling stone echoed from the direction of the Grand Cathedral. Reon looked at Sera's face. In the gap of her cheek guard, dry traces remained. Marks where tears had seeped into the cold metal of her armor and dried. The traces of tears shed in the Sanctification Chamber were still there. Reon and Sera's eyes met. A few seconds. Neither said anything. Sera's lips moved slightly. "[cold]……Go." A low, brief voice. "[cold]Only now." The subordinates stirred. "Inquisitor!" someone called out. Sera didn't answer. She simply faced forward, unmoving. Her eyes——didn't waver. Reon stood in place for just one beat. He wondered if he should say something. But no words came. It felt as though something heavier than words had already been exchanged here. He nodded. Short and certain. "[cold]Let's go." He pulled Riri's hand. Baldo followed behind. The three dashed past Sera. As they passed beside the white silver armor, Riri looked back at Sera just once. But she said nothing. They passed through the gate. The night air beyond the outer wall struck their skin. Sera watched the three figures' backs the entire time. A subordinate said, "Pursue them." Sera didn't answer. The subordinate called out again, "Inquisitor!" Still, Sera didn't move. She had chosen, knowing full well what she was losing. The weight of that choice made the white silver armor feel as heavy as stone. ＊ The night path through the Helden Mountains was rocky and difficult to walk. The three proceeded in silence. Riri was walking on her own feet, but Baldo didn't leave her side. Every time she stumbled, he casually offered his shoulder. Riri started to say "I'm fine" at first, but gradually she quietly accepted his support. As they crossed the mountain, the sky began to lighten. When they reached the entrance to the Grouden Great Forest, a figure emerged from the shadows of the trees. "I was waiting for you." a young woman's voice said. It was the guide from the hidden settlement. A small woman in a brown hood stood holding a magic stone lamp. Behind her were two more figures. "[serious]Baldo's pigeon arrived. I'm glad you made it safely." she said, giving the three a light bow. The magical barrier——the concealment spell covering the hidden settlement——was temporarily lifted by the guide's hand. A quiet change with no light or sound. But certainly, a path continuing into the forest became visible. The settlement was deep in the forest. A dozen or so wooden houses. Medicinal herb fields and a communal well. In the thin light of dawn, several residents had come outside to wait for the three. Riri looked at their faces. They weren't afraid. There was no hostility. Only——worry and welcome. Faces she'd never seen before looked at her with such eyes. Humans who looked at her, someone with magical power, with such eyes. Riri couldn't understand it and stood frozen for a while. She was led into a small wooden house. There was a bed. It was crude, stuffed with straw, but clean. A blanket was folded and placed there. Riri looked at the bed, then turned around. Reon sat beside the entrance. His back against the wall, his eyes closed. She could tell he was exhausted. Blood seeped slowly from the wound on his shoulder. His flank was also bruised. Yet he remained here. Riri hesitated for a moment. Then she reached out her hand. She placed her hand on top of Reon's. A small hand resting on a large one. Her fingers touched gently above the old burn scars and the grass bracelet wrapped around his wrist——the one they'd made in the abandoned village. Reon opened his eyes. Riri said nothing. She simply held his hand. The hand that had faced her with a blue blade on the night they first met. The hand she'd been afraid to touch, her body freezing every time someone drew near. Now she was reaching out to it herself. Reon looked at Riri's hand for a moment. Then he slowly applied pressure with his fingers. "[gentle]I won't leave you alone again." It was a blunt voice. But that was enough for Riri. ＊ Night fell. Residents gathered in the central house of the settlement. The mages who had participated in the diversion attack had also returned, injured. Some had bandages wrapped around their arms, others had soot-covered faces. But everyone had come back alive. Baldo thanked them. Reon pretended not to notice his eyes turning red. After a while, the conversation turned to what came next. When the cult's pursuit might arrive. How long the settlement's barrier would hold. That's when Reon spoke up. "There's something I need to tell you." The room fell silent. "[serious]When we escaped the Grand Cathedral, we went deep underground." He recalled that moment. Crumbling stone corridors. Fragments scattered at their feet. In the deepest part——a layer even deeper than the Sanctification Chamber. Between the walls of a collapsed section, something had been visible for just an instant. "[serious]There was a stone pedestal. A crystal larger than a human was placed on top of it. Inside, a dark red mist swirled." Baldo furrowed his brow. "[serious]Isn't that an Ether Crystal?" "[serious]No. The color was completely different. It was moving like it was alive. Something sealed inside that crystal——it was moving." A low voice came from the back of the room. "……If that's true" The oldest man among the residents. An elderly man with a white beard and a thin frame. His eyes were fixed on Reon. "[serious]That's the Crimson Mist from 80 years ago." The room froze. ——The Crimson Mist Calamity. Approximately 80 years ago, a red mist of unknown origin covered the central continent. In three days, an estimated 80,000 people died——the world's greatest catastrophe. And that mist——was sealed away in the basement of the cult's Grand Cathedral? Baldo started to stand, then sat back down. "[surprised]Wait. That means……the cult had it from the beginning?" The elder nodded quietly. "[serious]The cult began right after the Crimson Mist. The Holy Saint Volf founded the cult two years after the calamity. He spread the ideology of rejecting magic and claimed to manage those with magical power, expanding his influence. But——if they possessed the crystal that sealed away the mist from the start" "[serious]Then they knew the cause of the calamity." The elder nodded. "Or they caused it themselves." he said in an even lower voice. No one said anything. Riri looked at her own hand. A blue light seeped slightly from her fingertips. Traces of magical power leaked unconsciously. "[scared]Is my magic……connected to that mist?" A quiet question. No one had an answer. The elder shook his head——not in denial, but meaning "we don't know now." Reon looked at Riri's hand. The small hand that had reached out to grip his of its own accord. He watched the blue light flicker at her fingertips. Then he looked up and surveyed everyone in the room. "[serious]We need to uncover the cult's true purpose and what the Grand Inquisitor really is." His voice held no emotion. But it didn't waver. "[serious]We have more to do. That's all." Baldo took a deep breath. "[serious]This is where it really begins." The residents exchanged glances. Nods passed between them. The room was quiet. Outside, the night wind of the Grouden Great Forest rustled through the trees. The sound of leaves brushing against each other continued in a low hum. Riri sat with her hands folded in her lap, listening to that sound. She was afraid. There were too many things she didn't understand. She didn't know what her magical power was connected to, where they were heading, anything. But——there was a warm hand beside her. Reon's left wrist bracelet was illuminated by the lamp light. An awkward grass ring. The frayed end of thread swayed gently. Riri took a small, deep breath. The Grand Inquisitor. The Crimson Mist crystal. The cult's true purpose. The answers were nowhere yet. But the questions had become clear. The direction forward had become clear. For tonight——that was enough.