About an hour later, Belladonna arrived at the Gaia Hotel and looked up at the old sign, breathing heavily.

It took much longer than I thought…!

Whether it was because she hadn’t been to Astagna in a long time or her memory was faulty, she had gotten terribly lost on the way from the Vatican.

Ah, I’m already tired. Surely Fabion isn’t not here?

Belladonna swallowed dryly as she approached the reception of the Gaia Hotel.

“Welcome.”

The elderly man standing at the reception said without taking his eyes off the ledger. He seemed to be the hotel owner.

Instead of answering, Belladonna held out a paper she had prepared in advance.

[I’m looking for an elderly wizard among the guests.]

The owner finally looked up after checking the paper she handed over.

He quietly observed Belladonna, who had her face tightly covered with a robe, and then spoke.

“Are you perhaps a wizard as well?”

N… Nod!

Belladonna ended up nodding her head in bewilderment.

If I say no, he looks like he won’t let me in!

Seemingly interested in the mention of wizards, the owner leaned his upper body closer to her.

“An elderly wizard… This hotel has many diverse wizards staying here. And as you know, we ordinary people can’t easily judge the age of wizards. Some of them can even alter their external appearance. Do you still want to find an elderly wizard?”

“……”

“Hmm… By the way, can you perform magic to change your external appearance? At a glance, you look quite young, are you showing me your true appearance right now?”

“……”

“Ah, seeing a wizard wrapped in a robe reminds me of when I was in Suriat a few years ago. I was 28 at the time, lost and wandering, when I met a wizard in a forest…”

I’ve made a mistake…

Belladonna, standing still and listening to the owner’s words, slightly clenched her fist.

I heard the Gaia Hotel owner was favorable to wizards, but this person wasn’t just favorable, he was a magic enthusiast who loved magic itself.

And he’s so talkative…!

The owner soon began rambling about the wizard he met in Suriat and the magic he liked to perform.

“So once I snatched that wand and…”

The owner’s story showed no signs of ending.

At this rate, the story won’t stop…!

Unable to bear it any longer, Belladonna stretched out her hand and slammed her fist down on the note that read ‘I’m looking for an elderly wizard among the guests.’

Startled by her intensity, the owner finally closed his mouth.

“Ah, I’m sorry. The conversation strayed quite a bit. I lose my mind when it comes to magic stories… Rather than an elderly wizard, I know of one wizard who looks old. I’ll bring him down right away.”

As he left his seat, Belladonna let out a small sigh.

I almost wasted precious time, thankfully.

A moment later, Fabion appeared behind the owner coming down the creaking wooden stairs.

Belladonna, who had been sitting in a lobby chair waiting, was so glad to see him that she almost jumped up and took off her robe.

Fabion approached her with a puzzled look.

“You were looking for me…”

Belladonna slightly turned her body to avoid the owner’s gaze, then slightly removed her robe to show him her face.

Fabion’s eyes, buried in wrinkles, could be seen widening in real-time as he confirmed her face.

“Ah, no, what brings you all the way here?”

Somehow feeling that things were progressing smoothly, an excited Belladonna smiled slightly and pointed outside.

Shall we talk outside? It’s a bit awkward here.

Realizing her intention, Fabion quickly stood up.

“L-Let’s get out of here first.”

The owner’s expression at the reception, who had been subtly listening to their conversation, visibly sank with disappointment, but it couldn’t be helped.

They went to a nearby restaurant and took seats in the most secluded corner.

Belladonna, who took the innermost seat, took out a notebook she had hidden inside without removing her robe.

“This is…”

She pointed to a paper attached to the notebook.

It was a note she had written in advance before coming here.

[I found this in an old chapel that used to be used. But it’s written in a language I can’t read.]

After checking Belladonna’s note, Fabion quickly reached out and opened the old notebook. After quickly flipping through the pages and scanning them with his eyes, he spoke.

“These are in ancient language. It’s natural that you can’t read them.”

Ancient language…? Was the Holy Mother someone who could use ancient language?

“It seems she wrote in a language no one uses now, worried about others finding out. But even for someone like me with experience in various languages, I can’t interpret these sentences immediately, and will have to translate them one by one using a dictionary.”

So it’ll take some time, but you can confirm the contents, right?

Belladonna nodded, feeling proud of the small achievement she had made.

Although she couldn’t immediately know what was written in the notebook, she felt that it could be solved somehow since Fabion knew the method.

I guess I just need to find the remaining two clues in this way?

“I’ve been visiting the Vatican regularly… But you’ve been too busy to meet for the past few days. The confessional was fully booked…”

That’s why I came to find you!

Fabion seemed to understand her feelings and nodded with a smile.

“You did well. With your wisdom and ingenuity providing such help, there’s no need to worry.”

Afterwards, they continued their conversation through written notes about where Belladonna had found the old notebook, how she came across the three related keys, and how she had come here.

Fabion praised Belladonna’s ingenuity, gave his own opinions on places the Holy Mother might have gone within the Vatican and places where she might have hidden things, and engaged in various conversations.

‘I should have asked earlier!’

Listening to Fabion’s surprisingly detailed advice, Belladonna recalled her wasted efforts over the past few days.

She felt very regretful, and Fabion consoled her.

“It’s not entirely fruitless. At least you now know for certain that there’s no evidence in the places you’ve already searched.”

Still…

Belladonna pouted and leaned back in her chair.

Then, inadvertently checking the clock on the restaurant wall, Belladonna suddenly straightened her upper body in surprise.

“…!”

Oh, already…? The half-day she had promised Roshi was almost over.

I think I should go back now…!

Noticing that she didn’t have much time left, Fabion tidied up and said,

“Ah, time has already passed like this. Shall we head back then? Don’t worry too much. Everything will be resolved well.”

Yes! Let’s not worry!

At Fabion’s encouragement, Belladonna stood up with a small smile.

As they got up in turn and exited the restaurant, Fabion turned left and said,

“I’ll go this way. There’s a library straight ahead. I should be able to find an ancient language dictionary there.”

Belladonna nodded to him and pointed in the opposite direction. I’m going this way!

The path to the Vatican was in the opposite direction from him.

“I’ll visit the Vatican every day from now on. I’ll be walking around the garden from after lunchtime until the end of the Holy Mother’s schedule in the evening, so you can find me anytime you need me.”

That’s a relief… Belladonna smiled with a more reassured heart.

If she could see Fabion often, she could exchange found evidence much faster. Then progress would be made quickly!

“I’m sorry I can’t escort you to the Vatican.”

Oh, no need. You should hurry and start deciphering the ancient language here, Fabion!

“Then, please take care!”

Belladonna waved her hand at Fabion, who was bowing his head towards her.

As he turned around completely, Belladonna also turned in the opposite direction.

Now, shall I go too?

It took an hour to get here, but now that she knew the way, it would definitely take less time to return.

Perhaps because hope was beginning to appear, she felt good.

Belladonna lightly stepped forward with her legs that had become heavy from walking longer than expected.

‘…Huh?’

At that moment, a very familiar and longed-for back figure caught her eye.

‘Just now…’

Belladonna, who had been standing dazed for a moment in surprise, quickly turned her head in that direction.

She looked around with wide eyes.

The huge figure striding past her side and walking ahead felt very familiar.

A much larger build than others, a thick upper body, dark skin well-tanned by the sun, and even a large sword carried on his back…

‘Could it be… Escalion?’

As soon as his name crossed her mind, her heart started pounding heavily.

Belladonna moved her legs as if entranced, approaching where the man had disappeared.

‘Where is he? He was definitely here just now…’

Belladonna hurried her steps with her gaze fixed somewhere, like someone who had lost something.

Could it really be Escalion? If that’s true, what business does he have in Astagna? He said he wouldn’t come to the birth celebration, did he change his mind?

Could it be… he came to see me?

As she walked through the crowd, thousands of thoughts ran through her mind.

Some of them made her hopeful and some made her despair, but more than anything, she wanted to find that man quickly and confirm his face.

‘He definitely passed through here…!’

Just when she thought she had completely lost sight of the man, the back of his head appeared again in the distance.

It wasn’t difficult to notice because he was much taller than ordinary people.

Belladonna quickly moved to follow him.

Perhaps because the birth celebration was approaching, the streets of Astagna were crowded.

She pushed through the people pressing in on her and barely caught up with the large man, grabbing his arm.

‘Escalion!’

At the small force of her grip, the man who had been looking into the distance turned his head.