“Haa.”
A long sigh escaped Priest Ersi’s lips. Sitting on the desk in front of him was the green healing potion he had acquired not long ago. It was a medicine capable of dispelling demonic energy.
Ersi repeatedly rubbed his face, unable to stop the heavy sighs escaping him. The more he thought about it, the more tangled his thoughts became.
“How is this possible?”
He couldn’t understand why this medicine was suddenly in circulation. He had even secretly planted someone inside House Ellesia to investigate, but unfortunately, they had come back with nothing useful.
There was only one lead. He had heard that the woman who had recently served as acting head of House Ellesia might be connected to the new medicine.
The daughter of House Drow, was it?
Ceres Drow. By now, there wasn’t a single person in the temple who didn’t know that name. Nearly everyone had already heard about the owner of the Tamer Relic.
At this rate, it wouldn’t be long before the entire capital was talking about it. The imperial family was trying their best to keep the matter under wraps, but could something like this really be hidden? Too many people had their eyes on Tamer Relic.
“Should I meet with her?”
If she really was the one who had brought this medicine to House Ellesia, there was so much he wanted to ask. How did she learn about this medicine, and who taught her how to make it?
Knock, knock.
“Yes, come in.”
A moment later, the door opened and a young priest stepped inside.
“Lord Ersi, you have a visitor.”
“A visitor? Who is it?”
“Well...”
Before the young priest could finish, someone suddenly poked her head through the doorway. She looked to be in her late teens. Her vivid purple eyes and platinum-blond hair immediately stood out.
“Who are you?”
He didn’t recognize her. Was she really here to see him?
“.....”
At Ersi’s question, Ceres was unable to answer right away. The moment she saw his face up close, she was once again left speechless.
Haaa...
That was Enoch. Anyone would think so at first glance. Even his voice was identical. How could she possibly forget that voice? It was the same voice that had always nagged at her.
Even after waking up in this body, she would sometimes hear that voice in her head out of habit.
“Did you come to see me?”
Seeing him look at her with those same innocent eyes, always seemed far too naive for someone his age, Ceres sighed.
Let’s not jump to conclusions yet.
This was impossible. There could simply be someone who happened to look and sound exactly like him. Right now, there was only one thing she needed to confirm.
After thanking the young priest who had guided her here and sending him outside, Ceres stepped closer to Ersi.
“I came looking for a key.”
“A key?”
Ersi tilted his head in confusion, but the expression on his face quickly faltered. A certain long-forgotten object had suddenly surfaced in his mind.
Surely... no, it can’t be.
Ersi quickly shook his head, brushing aside the thought. As far as he knew, there was only one person who should know about that key. The key this woman was referring to must be something else entirely.
He asked again, his usual gentle smile still in place.
“What key are you talking about?”
“This one.”
Jingle.
“—!”
The instant Ersi saw the black key dangling from Ceres’s hand, his mouth fell open.
“Why do you have that...?”
At those words, Ceres’s eyes gleamed. That wasn’t the reaction of someone seeing the key for the first time.
***
After arriving at the temple with the two keys a short while ago, Ceres had begun searching for the last remaining one. Naturally, she’d first explained that she was looking for someone inside the temple and asked for permission.
“May I ask who it is you’re looking for?”
“I don’t know either.”
“Pardon?”
“It’s someone the being I’m contracted with wants to meet.”
“A contracted being...?”
Was it because of the Tamer Relic’s influence? Whatever the reason, they had agreed right away. The eccentric, foul-tempered, and self-centered nature of the beings dwelling inside Tamer Relics was already common knowledge.
Jubelios is the perfect example.
Maybe it was thanks to the prickly personality he’d shown over the years. The High Priest who had welcomed her seemed convinced that upsetting a Tamer Relic was the last thing anyone should do, so he’d readily given her permission to look around the temple.
[Ppii?]
Ignoring Airien, who kept blinking its large eyes as if to ask when it’d ever said it wanted to see someone, Ceres quietly placed the two black keys together.
The transparent map immediately appeared before her. Judging by the lack of reaction from the young priest guiding her, he couldn’t see it at all.
So it really is invisible to everyone else.
She was told that only the person holding the key could see the map. The map itself was constantly changing as well. The closer she got to the missing key, the more detailed it became, displaying the surrounding area in real time as it guided her along.
Following the map’s directions had brought her here, right in front of Ersi’s room. And there, she encountered someone who looked exactly like Enoch.
“Do you know this key?”
“Where did you get that key?”
A sharp glint suddenly flashed through Ersi’s eyes, completely at odds with the gentle man who looked like he’d never held a sword in his life.
Seeing it, Ceres’s lips slowly curved into a smile. It was a look she knew all too well.
Enoch had worn that same look whenever he faced an enemy, always the first to draw his sword.
“I asked where you stole it.”
Ersi’s expression turned even colder.
That key belonged to his master. As far as he knew, there was only one way anyone could have gotten their hands on it. Did she actually go digging through the remains of the dead? The nerve!
“Why do you want to know? Do you even know what this key is?”
Without realizing it, Ceres had spoken in a teasing tone.
Ah, so this is why Kai always asks me questions like that.
She felt like she finally understood him a little.
“That guy left a message for you.”
“A message? What was it?”
“Why? Curious? Why would someone who doesn’t even know who Artia is be curious?”
Remembering how Kainel had teased her before, Ceres snorted.
“I don’t like dancing around the subject, so I’ll ask you outright.”
“.....”
“Enoch.”
“—!”
“Do you know that name?”
Ceres didn’t need an answer. The sight of Ersi staring at her in stunned silence, his mouth slightly agape, was answer enough.
“Y-You...”
Enoch...
How long had it been since he’d last heard that name? More importantly, how did this woman know it?
“Who are you?”
“Me?”
Ceres stepped closer, the smile on her face deepening.
“I’m your master.”
“What?”
“If you’re Enoch...”
Ceres casually rolled up her sleeves.
“Then let me hit you first.”
***
“Um...”
“What? Were you about to put your hand down?”
“N-No!”
Shake, shake!
Ersi, who had been kneeling obediently off to the side while carefully gauging Ceres’s mood, hurriedly raised the hand he’d almost lowered.
W-What in the world is going on...?
He couldn’t tear his gaze away from Ceres, who sat before him with her legs crossed.
That arrogant gaze that seemed to look down on the entire world. That playful smile that, despite its teasing edge, looked capable of biting someone’s head off at any moment.
Master.
How was he supposed to process this? The woman before him resembled someone he knew far too closely.
Could it really be her...?
Ersi shook his head hard. He was there when she died. He had watched her draw her final breath with his own eyes and personally laid her body to rest. He had even presided over her funeral.
But then... what about all this?
When she punched him earlier, he knew.
Ah. It’s Master.
...That thought had come to him instinctively.
“What happened?”
“Huh?”
“Why are you alive? You should’ve turned to dust long ago. So how are you standing in front of me right now?”
“That’s what I’d like to ask you.”
Ersi held Ceres’s violet gaze in silence.
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