On a dark night, two shadowy figures crossed the empty hall of the Terios Church.

After walking a short distance, the two paused in front of a tightly closed door.

One of them inserted a key, and with a click, the door opened.

Stairs leading to the basement were revealed, and a gust of wind blew up from below.

As a result, the candles installed on the descending stairs flickered, creating an eerie atmosphere.

“…Let’s go.”

The one who was clearly Count Scala gave a short order. The person standing beside him, wearing a hood, nodded.

The Count went down the stairs first, and the hooded figure followed, closing the door behind them.

As the massive door shut with a thud, the wind ceased.

The flickering candles also stopped, revealing the pathway to the underground.

“Elder. I think… it might be better if I stop coming to the church for a while, don’t you think?”

The hooded figure was the Count’s assistant.

The assistant glanced back nervously, waiting for the Count’s response.

Count Scala, walking about two steps ahead, turned his head back towards the assistant.

“That would be even stranger.”

The Count, seemingly dismissing the comment, continued walking forward, adjusting the front string of his hood once more to ensure it wouldn’t slip off.

“But… you never know, right?”

“Are you worried?”

“I feel at ease now that the revelation has come, but I’m concerned that your identity might be too exposed.”

“It’s about time we reveal ourselves. Since ancient times, our believers have been hiding for hundreds of years. This time, we’ll finally eliminate that devilish duke and reveal ourselves in the sunlight with God’s grace.”

The Count clenched his fist as he walked. His fist, protruding from under the hood, was still wearing a black glove.

“…You’re right.”

The assistant nodded at the Count’s words.

“But you’re also right. It’s not… time to reveal ourselves yet. If only Bruno had done his job well, it wouldn’t have been this difficult. It’s a shame that I hoped for something despite knowing he was an idiot.”

“Still, if we kill him and link it to the Duke, we can fabricate a conspiracy about the Duke having to kill his own brother, right?”

“That’s true. That’s why we need to resolve this within that place where the Duke has hidden Bruno.”

“Yes, I understand.”

The footsteps of the two walking along the damp corridor came to a stop. The Count took out the key once more and turned it in the lock with a click, opening the door.

Inside, several hooded figures were seated at a round table, with about twenty believers standing behind them.

“You’ve arrived? Before taking your seat, please remove your gloves to prove you’re a believer.”

Even as an elder, he couldn’t avoid this verification.

Count Scala routinely removed his gloves, showing the three dots imprinted on his hand to those seated at the table. The assistant followed suit, completing the verification before standing behind the Count.

As Count Scala took his seat, everyone held their breath and looked at him.

“The revelation has come, and this is our first gathering.”

Count Scala surveyed the audience with a very solemn face. After clearing his throat once, he delivered the words of revelation to the believers in a resounding voice.

“Until now, God has remained silent regarding the punishment of Duke Damian, who has been damaging our doctrine. However, this time, a revelation has finally come down concerning Damian, who is no different from Satan himself.”

When his booming voice paused for a moment, silence fell.

The silence, as if not a single person was present, showed the believers’ level of concentration.

Despite the dimness of the room, the believers’ eyes showed a desire for prey, like those of beasts.

At this tremendous desire, the corners of Count Scala’s mouth turned up into a long smile.

“The divine revelation to punish Damian, who damages our doctrine, has been received!”

It was at that moment.

Clatter— Thud!

At the sudden dull sound, those seated at the round table tensed up and turned their heads towards the source of the noise.

Along with the sound of something tumbling down the stairs, the door creaked open.

The believers surrounding the elder all warily eyed the door.

“Cough, k, big trouble… has come.”

At the opened door, a hooded figure coughing up blood collapsed on the spot.

“What happened!”

The startled group approached the bleeding hooded figure.

They immediately removed his gloves, and upon confirming the presence of dots, they grabbed him.

“What on earth happened?”

“We succeeded in killing Bruno, but… ugh… everyone else was either killed or captured.”

“What?”

Count Scala slammed his hand on the table.

“What good is succeeding in killing that guy if this is the result? Are there any gloved believers among those captured?”

“Yes… there are.”

At this answer, everyone froze in their seats for a moment.

“This is a big problem. Even if they committed suicide, once the gloves are removed, the dots would be seen. It might not mean much at first glance, but if anyone sees the same dots on any of us even once, they’ll immediately realize.”

“El, Elder. Then, what should we…”

“It seems it’s time to change the pattern.”

At Count Scala’s words, the believers’ eyes wavered.

But it was only for a brief moment; they soon nodded with firm resolve.

“The Elder is right.”

*

In the late hours of the night, under the moonlight, a rattling carriage was filled with the pungent smell of blood.

Blood was flowing freely from Damian’s leg as he lay half-reclined on the carriage seat.

“D-Duke… Because of me… I’m sorry.”

Charles shed endless tears as he tightly bound Damian’s leg in front of him.

“…It’s fine.”

As he tightly wrapped the wound, Damian patted Charles’s shoulder.

Charles wiped his face vigorously, his shoulders shaking with stifled sobs.

“I should be helping you, but it seems I’m just causing you trouble, Duke.”

“It’s alright. You came here with wounds that haven’t fully healed in the first place.”

At Damian’s consolation, Charles closed his eyes.

The tears that flowed felt infinitely hot.

A subordinate who should protect his superior was instead being protected. He felt he couldn’t hold his head up anywhere.

The Duke had always been quick to throw himself into danger for his subordinates since the battlefield, acting as if it was nothing, but Charles felt as if someone was stabbing his heart repeatedly with a sharp spear.

Unable to stop Damian every time he stepped forward for his endangered subordinates, Charles had been telling Damian to be careful since they were on the battlefield.

He said that if the superior, Damian, was injured, it would shake the entire unit, so he should take care of himself for the sake of victory.

However, today, Charles owed his life to such actions of Damian.

To think that after giving such advice, he was the one whose life was saved because of it! It was a shame as a knight.

Charles clenched his fist and lowered his head.

The fact that his injury hadn’t fully healed was a major mistake.

When he swung his sword, the healing wound in his abdomen burst open with a sharp pain that struck his torso.

Because of this, he couldn’t dodge the incoming sword in time, and Damian, in the middle of fighting an enemy soldier, blocked the sword for Charles instead.

As a result, the enemy soldier Damian had been facing, though fallen, raised his sword and struck Damian’s leg.

Even though he had witnessed the entire moment, Charles couldn’t do anything.

“Urgh. I’m really, really sorry.”

“More importantly.”

Damian reached out and pulled back the curtain attached to the carriage window. After briefly observing the rapidly passing scenery, he furrowed his brow.

“…Are we heading to the ducal residence?”

“Huh? Yes. I thought the safest place for you to treat your wounds would be the ducal residence.”

“No.”

Damian turned his gaze to Charles.

“Tell the coachman. Let’s go to your mansion.”

“But Duke. The distance to my mansion is…”

Charles started to object but then bit his lip. Though covered in cold sweat, the Duke’s face showed a resolute light. His blue eyes, as always, held conviction.

“It’s fine, turn back.”

Charles immediately understood why Damian was acting this way.

Without needing to explain further, it was clear he was concerned about the young lady and the duchess who would be at the residence.

Remembering how the Duke had smiled at the mention of his daughter, Charles clenched his fist.

“The doctor residing at the Gorman Count’s house won’t know your body as well as the one at your residence, Duke. Besides, the road to the Gorman Count’s house requires a detour from here. If you lose any more blood, it will surely cause problems.”

“Charles. It’s fine, turn back.”

The Duke’s face, with clenched teeth, was pale.

His already fair face was turning even whiter in the moonlight.

Charles recalled the face of the duchess he had seen at the ceremony.

And how she had urgently grasped him, inquiring about the Duke’s well-being.

“Duke. I dare to say this. We must go to the ducal residence.”

Charles did not relay this to the coachman, and had to endure the Duke’s frowning gaze.

And… he would have to inform the duchess that all of this was his fault, and beg for forgiveness.