[What? The temple… you’re abandoning it?]

It meant betraying the temple, the linchpin of his power.

[To be precise, it’s more like leaving.]

Benjamin, who gave supplementary explanations to the surprised Yurisien, grabbed Yurisien’s shoulders, busy thinking.

[I’ve succeeded in finding the traitors hiding in the temple. But we don’t know when another traitor might appear. With Greta missing, she might still be able to charm and manipulate people.] [But…] [I’ve secured important figures who support me with strong mental fortitude. I warned others, but they ultimately didn’t abandon the temple following me.]

The trust and support Benjamin gained by driving out the schemers played a significant role for him, but that was it.

[Greta knows my power is the temple. Even if she didn’t know, she’ll know now, and if she already knew, that thought would have become more solid. So, she’ll strike the temple. It’s the most significant blow she can deliver to me.] [If the Lady suffers a blow, we all suffer a blow.] [So, we have to cut off the tail. Otherwise… something more dreadful will happen.]

Benjamin, saying this, looked extremely pained.

‘Probably… because he foresaw this tragedy.’

The temple was annihilated.

In just a few hours, by Greta’s hands.

And all the clergy who died at her hands resurrected.

Undead. Her research had finally succeeded.

Benjamin spoke painfully, contorting his face.

“Now, Copellador is no longer a secret force.”

Not only Benjamin but also among those who didn’t support the temple, there were several who knew about Copellador. Now that Greta’s research had succeeded, they were likely revealing information that would be detrimental to Benjamin under Greta’s command.

“Perhaps we need to undermine Copellador itself. The higher-ups tend to look down on the guild because of its secrecy. The Hwang faction will undoubtedly try to take advantage of this gap.”

Yurisien felt strange at his words. Copellador. It was Benjamin’s power and also the starting point that allowed Yurisien to find Uergen. While the Copellador Guild moved secretly, Yurisien felt that he and Benjamin were sharing a secret only known to the two of them. Though he felt that memories were being pushed aside, Yurisien grabbed Benjamin’s hand instead of indulging in sentiment.

“It’s okay. It’s what I expected.”

“Yeah. That’s why I went to SouthHood.”

“And it’s a name, Copellador. Just because the name disappears doesn’t mean the power of the Lady disappears. So, let’s…”
I tried to say not to be too depressed, but before that, Benjamin slapped Yurisien on the back of the hand. Seeing that, it seemed that premature consolation was unnecessary.

“Now is not the time for this.”

“Yes.”

“The temple, which was the core of my power, has collapsed, and we need to erase the name Copellador.”

“Yes, we have to. And we need to recruit new forces. We can’t just sit back like this, right?”

Yurisien’s slender fingers slipped through the thick fingers of Benjamin. Feeling the firmness of the ringed hand, Benjamin pulled her close. They stayed like that for a while, then, upon hearing Daisy’s news that preparations were complete, they headed to the underground prison.

“I’m fortunate that while I was wandering around unable to find Hwangbi, Mitchell and Aibi were handling things properly.”

“That was in SouthHood. If she’s not here, she’s there, in the Hwang Castle prison.”

Now the two were heading to meet the reasons for the SouthHood trip disguised as their last date.

In a somewhat damp prison, a man who looked somewhat cowed was seated by the entrance, and Benjamin, who was looking at him with a subtle expression, approached together with Yurisien.

“It’s the first time we’re exchanging greetings like this.”

The man, who had been bowing deeply at her sonorous voice, slowly raised his eyes. His eyes were so black that they reminded her of a dungeon. Without being intimidated, Yurisien, with a slight smile on one side of her mouth, approached.

“Yeah, the Rat King?”