It was understandable. She was the one who had made a confession that wasn’t quite a confession, thinking she was alone with Sesenia.

“Why are you so surprised? We were together from the start. Even at the moment when you committed blasphemy.”

“Ah, no, that’s…!”

Lizbeth hurriedly waved her hands, but her reddened cheeks revealed what she had said.

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

Senior Priest Ray, who had belatedly grasped the situation, blocked the path of the High Priest.

“It’s this one that needs to be protected.”

“A… child?”

Was it because Sesenia had completed the deal, or because he trusted the High Priest who had sworn before their god? Silian showed them the young child in his arms. A child with clear sky-blue hair like the heavens were contained within it, and snow-white cheeks. The sleeping girl looked like a doll.

Even Sesenia, seeing her for the first time in person, kept glancing at the doll-like child.

“My younger sister.”

“Ah. I, I see.”

“Protect this child. No matter who comes, don’t let her be discovered, don’t show her to anyone. Protect her until she wakes up.”

“Is that all?”

“Yes. But Sesenia. Are these people trustworthy?”

“This is the place that will protect her more perfectly than anywhere else. You don’t need to worry.”

Though he had come out angry at being called a mad dog, now that worry had set in, Silian stared intently at the High Priest.

“It’s not like I’m leaving her without any precautions.”

“…That’s right.”

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

“Saint Sesenia. Are you not going to tell us their names… or what we need to protect them from?”

“No!”

Sesenia nodded with a very bright smile. The High Priest was left speechless at her overly cheerful demeanor.

“Ah… I… I see. Hehe…”

“Then I will have the items I mentioned brought to you soon.”

“Are you leaving like this today? Didn’t you say there was a way?”

“I’ll send it through our mad dog. So don’t worry.”

“Hehe… Can I trust this?”

“You know very well who I am, so what is there to worry about? Besides, I’m leaving the child here. If any problems arise, you can come right away, can’t you?”

It was markedly different from her demeanor during the negotiation. The High Priest couldn’t help but smile at her relaxed appearance that seemed somewhat childlike, somewhat thoughtless, somewhat unconcerned about future consequences.

“I see. Alright. I’ll wait. Saint Sesenia.”

In contrast, Senior Priest Ray’s face hardened.

“If I find even the slightest inconvenience caused to the High Priest, I won’t let it slide. Saint Sesenia. To me, a saint with divine power is not important. Only the High Priest matters.”

“Don’t worry. Now then, our mad dog.”

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

“Or would you prefer mad cat?”

“…Hey.”

“Go take care of your business and come back. I have something to say. We have things to do too, don’t we?”

That was all she said. Sesenia seemed determined not to call him by his name at all, continuing to refer to Silian only as ‘mad dog’.

“Then I’ll be taking my leave now, High Priest.”

“Yes. Let’s start the protection right away. That way I can feel somewhat reassured too.”

Though he said that, the High Priest was quite attentive. Sesenia, who knew his nature all too well, turned away with a bright smile. Silian also no longer followed her. For him, this was a time when he had to do anything to survive.

Enough to propose a contract with death as collateral, he had to do anything to survive, and it didn’t really matter what he was called. As long as he could protect his sister, his sleeping sister.

“By the way, Saint Sesenia. Don’t you pray to the god?”

As Sesenia reached the door of the prayer room, the High Priest spoke up as if amused.

“In my world, I’m trying to become god. So I don’t think I need to pray.”

“Hehe… In front of me, the High Priest…”

“I’m joking. It’s just that I said I was doing something against god today… so I don’t want to pray because it might draw attention.”

I don’t believe in god.

If god existed, would he have given me such hardships? Someone once said that god only gives us as much pain as we can bear. But why give such pain at all? To make us cry out to god at the end of such suffering? That’s a ridiculous notion.

God doesn’t exist. Or even if he does, he has nothing to do with me.

Sesenia turned away like that. With her third finger raised in her heart.

In the place closest to god, where god was most near, she cursed god sincerely.

‘I don’t believe in god.’

That was all. Sesenia returned to the carriage without the slightest hesitation.

**

“Miss.”

On the way back to the guild once again. When only the two of them were left in the carriage, Lizbeth carefully opened her mouth.

“Yes?”

“Why did you leave that man there?”

The strangest thing was the younger sister who appeared with him, whose existence was unknown until now. Contrary to the expectation that this would be considered strange, Lizbeth didn’t ask about it, as if she knew all along that there was a younger sister.

She only asked about what was different from the past.

“Because he’s absolutely necessary.”

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

In the past, it was certainly like that. Although it wasn’t Sesenia who brought them to the temple, they clearly became the temple’s horses.

“No. They have no intention of announcing it to the world under any circumstances. You know who they are, right?”

“…Yes.”

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

“But… aren’t they dangerous people?”

“No. Not dangerous at all. They’re people who will be more helpful to me than anyone else.”

Lizbeth grasped Sesenia’s hand tightly with a worried expression.

“I thought something was strange when you suddenly woke up one day. But now, Miss… you look too anxious and troubled. Like someone… living just to not die… like someone trying everything possible for fear of dying… you look precarious.”

“You’re right, Lizbeth. I’m living in order not to die. And to live without dying, I need the power of the Salmon royal family. You understand? This time too, follow me without asking anything, without finding anything strange.”

What if Lizbeth didn’t know anything? If that were the case, what would have happened? Would she have thought like ordinary noble house maids, ‘Our miss has become strange,’ and left it at that? Or would she have thought it strange and informed the family?

She would have questioned and stopped all the things Sesenia was doing, finding them strange. In that sense, the fact that Lizbeth knew to some extent was a great advantage for Sesenia, but at the same time, it was also a big disadvantage.

“If that’s what you say, Miss… I have no choice but…”

“Just be by my side like a friend, advising me, and believe in me like family. To me, Lizbeth, you are my only family.”

“…Yes! Don’t worry! I’ll be on your side until the very end, Miss.”

“Thank you.”

“So what are you going to do now? Are you really going to make that holy relic thing? Such a thing… I don’t even know where it can be made… and if something really goes wrong…”

Lizbeth wore an expression of worry, as if concerned that her mistress might get into trouble, that something might go wrong while doing something very illegal.

“You really don’t have to worry. The person who will do it will never be able to say with their own mouth that they made a fake holy relic. And that… will eventually lead the temple on a different path. Even though it’s fake… it will become real.”

“What…?”

Lizbeth still wore an expression of incomprehension, but Sesenia was smiling as if the big picture was already drawn.

Smiling much more comfortably than before, Sesenia said nothing more and just looked out the window.

**

That evening.

In Sesenia’s room on the second floor. Late at night, a silver-furred puppy was tapping on that door. Fortunately, only Lizbeth was attending to Sesenia by her side, and she had gone to rest, so Sesenia discovered the puppy.

“Silian?”

Silian, whom she thought would take a few days to arrive, had come to see Sesenia.

At those words, smoke rose from the body of the silver-furred puppy, and in an instant, it transformed into Silian’s appearance.

“Did you come in the form of a dog because I called you a mad dog?”

“…Well. Among other things. Since you called me a mad dog.”

“You have a cute side.”

Sesenia couldn’t help but laugh for a moment. To think he would come in the form of a dog because she called him a mad dog.

“Why don’t you live in that form while you’re at it? It’s quite cute.”

“…I don’t want to.”

“Then I might be able to hug you, you know.”

It was just something she said because Silian showed an unexpectedly cute side, but Silian transformed into a dog as if he had been waiting for it.

“…Did you change so I would hug you?”

“Well. No. Of course not. Me? No. Not at all. I’m just in this form because it’s comfortable. It’s useful for moving around.”

But contrary to those words, Silian’s appearance as he entered Sesenia’s open room looked like a puppy waddling along. Quite cute. A small puppy that really made you want to hug it.

“You walk quite cutely.”

“It’s valiant. So, did you ask me to come today to make a contract?”

“That’s right. You’ve experienced it for a day, albeit short, so you should know. The empire’s temple will protect themselves more perfectly than anyone else.”

“Well…”

Seeing him answer so resolutely, Sesenia didn’t back down at all.

“If you haven’t realized that, then you’re not desperate enough.”

“…Are you going to blame me until the end?”

“No. Don’t deny it. Don’t let go of the only hope laid out before you because of petty pride.”

Silian said nothing.

“You know, in life, pride isn’t that important. Sometimes, you have to let go of that pride to see certain things. Like you right now.”

“Do I look like I’m standing on my pride?”