It was understandable. Cesenia and Lizbeth were alone, and Lizbeth had just made a not-quite-confession.

“Why are you so surprised? He’s been with us from the start. Even when you committed blasphemy.”

“Oh, that…!”

Lizbeth hastily waved her hands, but her flushed cheeks hinted at what she had said.

“But… who is this person that needs to be protected?”

Belatedly grasping the situation, Senior Priest Ray stepped in front of the Grand Priest.

“It’s this child.”

“A child…?”

Perhaps because Cesenia had completed the deal, or because they trusted the Grand Priest who had sworn in front of their god. Silian showed them the young child in his arms. A child with clear sky-blue hair and pale cheeks, peacefully sleeping, looked like a doll.

“It’s my sister.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Protect this child. No matter who comes, do not let her be seen or discovered, and keep her safe until she wakes up.”

“Is that all?”

“Yes. But, Cesenia. Are these people trustworthy?”

“The temple is the safest place. Don’t worry.”

Though Silian had come out angrily at being called a mad dog, he now seemed concerned as he stared intently at the Grand Priest.

“We won’t just leave her without any protection.”

“Right.”

“Then, we’ll leave my sister in your care, and…”

“Sister Cesenia. Aren’t you going to tell us their names or where they need protection from?”

“Yes!”

Cesenia nodded brightly, her carefree demeanor leaving the Grand Priest speechless.

“Ah… I see. Heh heh…”

“Then, I will bring the mentioned item soon.”

“Aren’t you leaving today? Didn’t you say you had a method?”

“We’ll communicate it through our mad dog. So, don’t worry.”

“Heh heh… Can I trust you?”

“You know who I am. If there’s a problem, you can always come to me, right?”

Her demeanor during the deal was starkly different now. A bit childlike, a bit reckless, not thinking much about the consequences, her relaxed demeanor made the Grand Priest chuckle.

“I see. I’ll be waiting then, Sister Cesenia.”

However, Senior Priest Ray’s expression hardened.

“If anything happens that inconveniences the Grand Priest, I won’t let it slide, Sister Cesenia. Your divine power doesn’t matter to me. Only the Grand Priest does.”

“Don’t worry. Now, our mad dog.”

“Are you going to keep calling me a mad dog?”

“Or a mad cat?”

“Yah.”

“Go do your business, and come back. We have things to do, right?”

With that, Cesenia continued to refer to Silian as a mad dog, not even bothering to use his real name.

“Then, I’ll be leaving now, Grand Priest.”

“Let’s start the protection right away. It will make me feel a bit relieved.”

Though the Grand Priest agreed, he seemed quite attentive. Cesenia, fully aware of his nature, smiled warmly and turned to leave. Silian did not follow her anymore. For him, it was a time when he had to do anything to survive.

Having made a deal that involved his own life, Silian was willing to do anything to live, and it didn’t matter how he was referred to. All that mattered was that he could protect his sleeping sister.

“But Sister Cesenia. Aren’t you going to pray to the gods?”

As Cesenia reached the door of the prayer room, the Grand Priest spoke, amusement in his voice.

“In my world, I try to become a god. So, I guess I don’t need to pray.”
“Heh heh… In front of the Grand Priest…”

“It’s a joke. Just that today, I said I’d do something against the gods… I don’t want to pray because it might draw attention.”

I don’t believe in gods.

If there were gods, would they have given me such hardships? Someone once said that gods only give us the pain we can bear. But why give us pain in the first place? To cry out to the gods in the face of such pain? That’s a laughable thought.

Gods, if they exist, have nothing to do with me.

Cesenia turned around, mentally raising her middle finger.

In the place where gods are closest, she sincerely cursed the gods.

‘I don’t believe in gods.’

That was it. Cesenia returned to her carriage without hesitation.

“Mistress.”

On the way back to the company, now that only the two of them were left in the carriage, Lizbeth cautiously spoke up.

“Yes?”

“Why did you leave that person there?”

The most curious thing was the sister who appeared with him, whom they hadn’t even known existed. Contrary to expectations that she would find the sister strange, Lizbeth, as if she already knew about the sister, didn’t ask about her.

She just asked about what was different from the past.

“It’s necessary.”

“Why? Are you planning to announce his presence to the world?”

In the past, that’s what happened. It wasn’t Cesenia who brought them to the temple, but they definitely became the temple’s talk.

“No. Under no circumstances do I plan to announce them. You know who they are, right?”

“Yes.”

“The royal family of Salmon. Fugitives. But stronger than anyone.”

“But aren’t they dangerous?”

“No. Not dangerous at all. They will be the most helpful to me.”

Lizbeth’s worried expression tightened her grip on Cesenia’s hand.