“Your insistence on denying the temple’s safety, despite knowing well it is secure, seems like a true display of pride, doesn’t it?”

Cesenia looked at him with a slightly puzzled expression, wondering if his desperation had lessened compared to the past.

“…”

“Don’t deny it. If you cannot trust anyone because of your pride, you’ll end up becoming nothing. You’ll always be chased and live a life filled with anxiety. So, try to live well. After all, I too have staked myself in this deal.”

Only then did his expression start to change slightly.

“Then, I guess I should help out. I have a promise to keep with the archbishop.”

“What do you need help with? I thought you came here today to make a deal?”

“There’s something that needs to be made. You’ve heard, haven’t you? A fake relic.”

“You want me to make it?”

“Yes.”

“It won’t look like a relic, though.”

Cesenia slowly shook her head.

“No, it will look like a relic. Your power is close to that of a god.”

“What do you mean?”

It was a story from the past.

In the past, when the temple in the empire was protecting the royal twins of Salmon, its publicity brought much attention to the temple. The changes brought by their appearance were not just one.

The archbishop at that time realized something. The power held by the royal twins of Salmon was very similar to the divine power spoken of in the Elzerat Empire. Despite realizing their power, he chose not to act on it, even going so far as to suggest to the emperor that they should be sent back because they were from the Salmon royalty.

Cesenia knew at that time. The power held by the Salmon royalty was similar to divine power.

However, the emperor, knowing this fact, ordered the archbishop to use their power to sustain the temple. There were three powers in equilibrium: the temple, the magic tower, and the empire. But at that time, the power of the temple was weakening while the magic tower was growing stronger.

The empire and the magic tower were not on good terms. If the temple completely collapsed, the empire would lose its support, so despite the archbishop’s reluctance, the emperor forced him to exploit the power of the Salmon royalty.

‘The archbishop was very displeased at that time, but thanks to that, I could find… that thing.’

A truth. The fact that the Salmon royalty had powers derived from the god of Salmon was known to everyone. But no one thought their power could actually be divine.

However, different powers drawn from different gods attracted each other. When the Salmon royalty used their power in the temple of the empire due to the archbishop, there was a reaction. That’s why Silian had to use his power, leading to a solution.

‘Eventually, the temple will find it. The relic of the god Lowick, the origin of the empire.’

This time too, the power of Salmon will be used, but the power of the Salmon royalty will not be revealed. They must act only for Cesenia.

“What are you thinking about for so long?”

“The power of gods attracts each other. I’ll use that. The relic you create won’t be fake. It will just be a relic made with the power of a different god. That relic will eventually reach the item that the empire’s temple so desperately seeks.”

“Do you really think that’s possible?”

“Yes. Doing nothing is worse than trying. Anyway, the temple will use me, whether it works or not. They’ll protect you and your sister in return for using me. So it doesn’t matter.”

“It doesn’t matter? What a boring thing to say. Why do you think it doesn’t matter?”

Arrogant prince. Silian, in the form of a dog, hopped onto the windowsill in Cesenia’s line of sight.

“Are you sacrificing yourself for us?”

“Silian. Even if it does matter, think of it as if it doesn’t. The pretense of a wealthy noble. That’s all I’m doing.”

“So if you don’t achieve what you want in the end, won’t you collapse, as the archbishop said?”

Cesenia watched the dog, now sitting boldly on the windowsill.
“Are you aware? Your eyes, even when smiling, seem sadder than ever.”

“Do you know what you gain from this? Will you really become a saint?”

“No, just… a presumptuous person. Thinking that everything might go my way… Wanting to become a god myself. So, just follow me. Don’t say anything, just follow.”

A deflated sound came from the dog’s mouth.

“What’s with that deflating sound?”

“I really don’t like it. You, I mean. Why are you so intent on tarnishing your reputation? As if you need to appear as a horribly selfish person. In the end, there’s nothing in it for you.”

“No, it’s all for me. It might not seem like it now, but in the end, everything will be for me. That’s why I asked you to protect me. See, not everything is just for me, right?”

The dog’s snout twitched like that of a cunning fox.

“So, what exactly am I supposed to do?”

“Make a contract to protect me and create the relic. There won’t be any harm to you.”

“Alright, I’ll try. What kind of relic should I make? What do I need to do?”