Temple Knight Evris

Even I, not exactly the best at reading a room, could tell how coldly the Sun God delegation was being received.

But I felt no sympathy.

I'd been through plenty of unpleasant things myself, and I would never forget that night.

That said, I wasn't the main player here.

I would focus on my role as a guard.

"I expected Cardinal Arius to come. At least he's someone I can reason with."

"Cardinal Arius is a busy man. And regarding a moving Sun God statue? I wouldn't call it a tall tale, but we suspect it may be the work of someone trying to frame us."

"Which is precisely why we allowed a delegation to come, unofficial as it may be."

Duke Baroba said this and took his seat.

Archbishop Poplas moved to the chair prepared for him and sat down as well.

Everyone else remained standing.

The red-hooded men who had carried out the attack had left nothing behind to identify them.

And the Sun God statue alone wasn't conclusive proof.

Archbishop Poplas rubbed his hands together, glancing around the room.

It was plain to see he was choosing his words with great care.

"… Our relationship with the Deianclure Kingdom is in an extremely delicate state at present."

"It is. And that is also the doing of your church."

"That was, you see, the result of certain individuals acting on their own…"

"But the responsibility lies with your organization."

"I can't very well argue with that. But please don't forget, that is precisely why we are here."

Archbishop Poplas did his best to deflect, but he was clearly cowed by the duke's severity.

Elza-san seemed to be enjoying this more than usual. She was smiling much more brightly than normal.

"Time is precious. Let us begin."

"Very well. It seems we're in no state for a friendly discussion anyway."

An attendant wheeled in a cart bearing a stone statue.

The head and neck were still separated, but the rest had been restored enough to show its form.

A statue modeled after the Sun God, supposedly.

Compared to the one we'd fought that night, it looked, how to put it, cheap.

If someone told me it was a fake, I might well believe them.

"I see. So this is it."

Archbishop Poplas produced a loupe and examined the statue.

He inspected every inch, then put the loupe away.

"Are the other two the same?"

"They should be."

"I see."

All eyes were on Archbishop Poplas.

In that moment, one of the Temple Knights slipped away. I didn't miss it.

The one who'd left was Evris.

"One of the guards has left. I'm going after him, so I'll be stepping out."

"Understood. If anything happens, blow the whistle."

I told Anatia-san and quietly gave chase. She handed me a whistle on the way.

Pointing out his absence would have some effect, but I wanted to see what he was up to.

With Elza-san and Alexia-san still there, they could handle anything that arose.

Evris moved stealthily, avoiding the eyes of those around him.

He was absolutely scheming something.

He slipped out of the mansion and headed for the spot where the two Sun God statues had been placed.

There, he crouched down and started searching the ground.

That was the spot where I'd cut down the red-hooded figure.

After being defeated, the body should have crumbled to ash and left nothing behind.

Evris pulled something from inside his coat.

It was a test tube containing some kind of clear liquid.

I'd seen test tubes at the alchemist's shop before.

But I didn't know what was in this one.

He carefully dripped the liquid onto the ground, and a blue flame rose from the earth.

"Magnificent. The catalyst reacts to even a lingering trace… such power was gained after all. I thought it had been wasted, but this is an unexpected boon. Sneaking out here was well worth it."

He was peering into the blue flame with a grin when he grabbed it and swallowed it whole.

"Hahhh… Just an ember, yet I can feel the breath of God."

"What are you doing?"

I couldn't let this go on any longer.

And I had a very bad feeling about it.

"Hmmm? Well, well. You were watching? I was merely conducting an early inspection of the scene."

"That's a lie. And I know you snuck away. Shall I go inform the duke?"

"My, my. How harsh… That face, I've seen it before."

Evris drew his sword.

Not with the right arm I'd severed last time, but with his left.

The right arm appeared to be there, but its movements were stiff.

"Yes, that time! The girl who cut off my right arm!"

"That's right. I let you off easy then, but I've regretted it ever since. Letting you live after you tried to kill Master."

"Don't get above yourself, girl. You're not the only one who's gained power."

I drew my sword.

Given the terms of our job, killing him might cause problems.

I'd try to keep him alive if I could.

Make him testify, and the finishing blow could come later.

"Let me repay the debt for my right arm. I'm very conscientious about these things!"

Evris's right arm, the one that had been moving stiffly, burst into flame.

Blue flame.

Yet there was no trace of pain on Evris's face.

"I'm grateful, you know. Afterward, I received a portion of the Sun God's salvation in this very arm."

So he'd done something to his right arm.

I'd cut it off again before he could use it.

Right, the whistle first.

I blew it and kicked off the ground at the same time, closing the distance in an instant.

Evris couldn't track my speed at all.

When we'd first met, his haughty bearing had made him seem terrifying.

Now, I didn't feel that way.

The instant my sword was about to reach Evris, his right hand caught the blade.

What was strange was that Evris turned to look at the sword after he'd already grabbed it.

He'd caught a sword he couldn't see. How was that even possible?

His grip was like iron.

"What speed. Come to think of it, that night, I never saw the moment you cut my arm, either. And this accursed presence. I understand now. So this is what the Creator King's Apostle is. O Sun God."

I kicked him in the face, and the instant his grip loosened, I wrenched the sword free.

… Something about Evris felt different from before.

Back then, he'd been far more worldly.

Now there was something hollow in his gaze, as if he were staring at nothing.

"All Apostles but those aligned with the Sun God must be destroyed. They defile this world. They impede salvation."

The fire on his right arm was spreading.

It had reached his shoulder, burning away the fabric of his coat.

"People will be here any moment. When they see you like this, do you really think you'll be able to talk your way out?"

"Once they witness salvation, all will believe equally in the Sun God."

"There's no reasoning with you."

"Watch over me, O Sun God."

His distant eyes locked onto mine.

A chill shot down my spine, and in that same instant, Evris lunged at me with his sword.

If my reaction had been even a fraction slower, it would have been dangerous.