Debriefing

Renn left early the next morning.

There was no elaborate farewell. He simply stood at the tavern door for a moment, offered Esper a knightly salute, and then, with his broken sword slung across his back, set off down the highway toward Avalon.

His back was straight, his steps steady. His empty right sleeve fluttered gently in the morning breeze, like a flag torn in half.

Esper and Eladia set out on the same day.

It was a long journey from the border town to the City of Holy Radiance.

Esper spoke very little along the way. Eladia did not pry, simply following quietly three feet behind. Occasionally, when Esper slowed her pace, Eladia would take a couple of steps forward to make sure no new exhaustion had crept onto her face.

Every night, Esper remained silent, quietly sensing the flow of magic within her body as she repeatedly struck at the threshold of Rank Seven.

While passing through the last stretch of woodland, Esper broke through to Rank Seven.

There was no earth-shattering phenomenon. With one casual breath, she simply felt the blood in her veins surge for a fleeting second before returning to a calm state.

The Holy Sword at her waist vibrated gently, as if nodding in approval.

If she had broken through a little sooner, would she have at least been able to say those words back then?

She looked down at her hands, then continued forward.

The City of Holy Radiance was ahead.

This was her first time here.

The massive city gates, constructed from pure white stone bricks, gleamed under the sun. The guards at the gate stared in a daze for a long moment when they saw them. Then, one of the younger guards suddenly pointed at the Holy Sword at her waist and cried out.

“The Hero! The Hero has arrived!”

The news traveled faster than her feet. The distance from the city gates to the central cathedral of the Church's headquarters was only two streets, but by the time she reached the cathedral square, the roadsides were already packed with people.

They wore the plain robes of the Church of Radiance believers, holding holy emblems and bouquets in their hands. Some children sat perched on their fathers' shoulders, craning their necks to get a glimpse.

Some shouted her name, some recited blessings from the holy scriptures, and a few elderly people knelt by the roadside with their hands clasped, their lips moving in silent prayer.

Esper paused for a brief moment.

She saw something on their faces that she was not accustomed to.

Expectation, trust, and an unreserved, blindingly bright hope.

“Lady Hero! We heard you defeated Zhong of the death marchers!”

“Yes.”

“And that wanted criminal! The girl whose bounty has been up for so long! You captured her too, didn't you?”

“...”

“Long live the Hero!”

Esper did not reply to that last exclamation.

She continued forward, her pace slightly faster than before—so fast that Eladia had to jog a few steps to maintain their three-foot distance.

Her gaze swept past the crowd, whose faces were distorted by hope, and settled on the steps leading to the cathedral.

The cathedral doors slowly opened before her, shutting out the clamor of the crowd. The hinges turned in absolute silence.

Beatrice was waiting for her in the central hall.

“Welcome back, Esper. And our Lady Eladia.”

It was that same cloyingly sweet voice, coming from a face that was far too young yet carried an air of solemnity and maternal warmth.

“I hope I didn't disrupt your journey. I've already received the reports regarding the border events.

Zhong of the death marchers, the Saintess of the World-Forging Cult, and the gathering of three Sins in the same forest... It seems the Black Tide's side is finally losing its patience.”

Esper stopped ten paces from the Holy Seat. She did not kneel, only offering a slight nod.

“Since there's no one else here, just ask whatever you want to ask.”

The Pope on the Holy Seat let out a soft chuckle, her solemn and maternal demeanor shifting into slyness in an instant.

“Still as impolite as ever. Though, you seem to have grown stronger.”

“I've reached Rank Seven.”

“Oh? That's quite impressive. At this rate, in another year or two, you might even qualify to face the Demon King...”

“Get to the point.”

“Fine, fine~”

Beatrice let her smile fade, staring straight at her with those golden eyes.

Her gaze lingered on Esper's face for a moment before shifting to Eladia, who stood three feet behind her.

The gaze rested on the precise distance between the two for less than a second before she pulled it back.

“Eladia, your complexion looks much better than before. I take it you've been living quite comfortably by the Hero's side?”

Eladia nodded gently.

“...Yes...”

Beatrice's eyes narrowed.

“That is good to hear. I was worried you two wouldn't get along.”

She hopped down from the Holy Seat, walked over to a long table nearby, picked up a silver pitcher, and poured water into three cups.

“Esper, we have a preliminary draft for your next phase. The date for the Abyss Expedition has not been set yet, but all factions are stepping up their preparations.

The activities of the death marchers are becoming increasingly rampant. Even those wielding the Authorities of Sin, who are rarely seen, are appearing one after another. Therefore, you must seize every opportunity to learn about the precautions of the Abyss Expedition, and build up your equipment and strength as much as possible.

For the next few days, stay here at the church. I'll arrange some training regarding the Abyss Expedition so you won't make a fool of yourself when the time comes.”

Beatrice suddenly paused, then giggled.

“Well, the Abyss Expedition is a massive event. The leaders of all races will gather together—like the Beast King, the Elven High Priest, and so on. I hear even the last fire dragon will make an appearance.

And surely... a certain villain you need to defeat will show up too~”

Esper clenched her fists.

“By the way, word from the Mage Tower says that their Deputy, the ‘Word-soul Caster’ Noelle Gray, will soon complete her research project and join your Hero's party. Exciting, isn't it?”

“Noelle Gray?”

“The Deputy of the Mage Tower. Grand Mage Wald's only personal disciple now—formerly one of two. She's several years older than you, probably pushing thirty. She's already Rank Eight.

Not only is she highly accomplished in spatial magic, but she also has research in alchemy. Currently, she spends most of her year holed up in the public lounge on the seventeenth floor of the Mage Tower, sleeping about twenty hours a day. Oh, and if she's not there, try the tenth floor—I hear she loves sunbathing there.”

“...Is someone like that really reliable?”

“Wald did mention to me that she isn't. But he also added that leaving things to her is always the right choice, though he's a bit reluctant to admit that second part himself.”

“...She loves sleeping that much?”

“It's a sort of price she pays. Her mind works incredibly fast, and she constantly has bursts of inspiration. But as a cost, every time she finishes thinking things through, she gets extremely sleepy. That's why she ended up like this.”

Beatrice handed the cup of water to Esper, then turned to Eladia.

“Alright, Esper. Go ahead and take a walk outside. I have some matters to discuss with Eladia in private.”

Esper glanced at Eladia.

Eladia nodded back, a very gentle motion, as if telling her not to worry.

“...Alright. We'll meet back in our room later.”

Esper set her cup on the table, turned to push open the cathedral doors, and walked out.

Eladia gave her a soft wave before the doors shut behind her.

Click.

Beatrice stood on her tiptoes and patted the Saintess's shoulder.

“Eladia, your performance has been quite disappointing.”

She said in a leisurely tone.