“Why is the atmosphere like this? Did something go wrong? The return hasn’t even started yet.”

Fei entered with a deliberately calm voice. Summer, upon seeing Fei, smiled faintly as if pleased.

That black hair was quite fickle indeed.

When did she act so fierce before? Fei grumbled but approached Summer and worriedly placed her hand on her forehead.

“You don’t have a fever. Are you sick somewhere?”

“Nothing happened. I just got a bit nervous and caused trouble.”

“What, is that all? I brought it as promised, Summer.”

Fei pulled out Summer’s soul that she had been holding at her side and proudly showed it off.

The real Summer’s soul looked closer to faint smoke. Summer’s expression darkened at the different appearance from what initially looked unmistakably like her soul to anyone.

“Did something happen to Summer’s soul?”

“It’s like that because it couldn’t find a body for a long time, but it’s fine. I’m capable, you know.”

“That’s a relief.”

Russell, who had been quietly holding Summer and constantly pulling up her outer clothes to keep her warm, asked indifferently.

“Who is that person?”

“A witch.”

Wait. Wasn’t Fei normally invisible to people’s eyes? Summer unsteadily stood up and grabbed Russell’s collar.

“Russell, can you see Fei?”

“Is Fei the witch?”

“Oh my. You can see Fei? What on earth is going on here.”

Summer looked up at Russell with eyes full of confusion. Russell was looking at Fei. With a very precise and direct gaze.

“I can see her.”

“Oh dear. It would have been better if I wasn’t visible. So when are you going back?”

Fei spoke as if she truly pitied the situation, then abruptly turned her gaze to Summer.

Summer answered immediately, as if she had already thought it through.

“When the moon shines brightest.”

“Just say later. Why speak so cryptically.”

“Haha, that’s right. I’m planning to go back a bit late.”

Summer took a deep breath. The image of the urn still lingered in her mind, but she tried hard to shake it off.

“Fei. I’m asking just in case.”

“What.”

“Is it possible to put me in a different body?”

“What? Did you find some other body you fancy?”

“It’s not that. I’m just curious.”

“It’s possible. Originally, a soul that’s popped out can be put into another empty body. But it’s hard to find such a body.”

“…Why?”

“Because it’s only possible with a body right after the soul has left.”

“It’s not impossible then, right? Right?”

Fei tilted her head and furrowed her brow. No matter how she looked at it, Summer seemed too unstable right now. Her anxiety and impatience were clearly visible. Even more than Selena.

“No matter how I look at it, you’ve gone a bit mad?”

“…”

Summer didn’t bother to deny it. It was true after all. She was in a state where it was difficult to think about or judge anything.

From far outside the prayer room, a loud crashing sound was heard. Fei turned her head sharply towards the source of the sound and exclaimed in disbelief.

“What’s that ruckus about now! Geez!”

“Could it be the Pope…?”

“Yeah. Black hair, I’ll take care of that and be right back. You rest for a bit, okay?”

“…Alright.”

“The strongest witch is by your side right now. Don’t worry.”

With that gruff reassurance, Fei took out a small jewel box from her bosom and stuffed Summer’s real soul into it.

“Is that really okay?”

“What do you think a soul is? This is just a lump. It can only think and feel when it has a body.”

After finishing her words, Fei put the box back in her bosom and abruptly left the prayer room. She seemed to be going to placate the Pope in a rather aggressive manner.

Tick. Tock. Only Russell and Summer were left in the cool, spacious prayer room.

“Summer. Your clothes are wet, so it would be best to go to a room first.”

“Ah. I didn’t think of that. Shall we?”

Summer tried to stand up but staggered. If a large, firm hand hadn’t caught her waist, she would have fallen right on her bottom.

“Thank you.”

As soon as Summer expressed her gratitude, Russell picked her up.

Despite the wet dress likely being quite heavy, Russell showed no sign of exertion.

“Lord Russell.”

“Yes.”

“Have you used a sword?”

“If not for Ian, I would have won the swordsmanship tournament every year.”

“…What?”

Anyone would think he only read books wearing silver-rimmed glasses. Summer tilted her head with a skeptical look.

“Summer. That kind of look is quite hurtful to my pride.”

“But…”

Russell precisely found the door the Pope had come out of and stood in front of it.

Holding Summer with one arm, he grabbed the doorknob with his other hand and turned it, but it didn’t open.

“Ah. It’s locked.”

Russell said brightly and then applied force to the doorknob a few times. And then, the door opened.

“Um… Russell. This isn’t right.”

“It’s fine.”

The Pope’s room was exactly the same as when Summer had visited before.

“This is His Holiness’s room…”

“I can beat the temple.”

“…That’s childish.”

At Summer’s muttering, Russell carefully sat her down on the sofa.

Russell sat across from Summer and quietly looked up at her.

“You often laughed at my jokes, but it seems you won’t laugh today.”

“I’m not in the mood to laugh.”

Summer said that and then avoided Russell’s gaze. Russell stared at Summer for a long time as if trying to read her thoughts, then stood up.

Russell, as if it were his own room, took out spare robes and priest’s clothes from the Pope’s room and asked.

“Are you going back?”

“Yes.”

“Is going back the right thing?”

“…Yes.”

“What was that you said earlier? About seeing a grave.”

I knew he would ask. Summer took a small breath and confessed.

“Lord Lancaster’s mother. She was also an outsider like me. The Pope was curious if she had returned well.”

“…”

“So he asked me, but I lied. I said she returned well. In fact, she died both in this world and that world.”

“…Summer.”

Russell, who had returned in front of Summer, softly called her name.

Summer could easily tell what he was thinking. Because Summer was thinking the same thing.

“I’m going back. I will definitely go back.”

If she absolutely couldn’t return to her original body, she could enter another body. There was no option of not returning.

Summer completely blocked out any other possibilities, like a racehorse only looking straight ahead.

“Summer. If you return to that world, will we never meet again? Or is there any way to contact you?”

Russell started drying Summer’s wet hair. Summer quietly let him do as he pleased.

Russell’s touch was so careful it was almost ticklish. It felt like he was cherishing not himself, but Summer, which made her insides twist.

She wanted to grab his collar and shake him, asking if he could treat her so carefully and preciously even if she had black hair and was nothing special.

“There isn’t. So just forget about me.”

That’s not likely. Summer replied coldly. As if consciously trying to distance herself from him. But Russell was not the type to be swayed by such emotional things.

“I’m quite studious. Until I finish reading a piece of writing that hasn’t been fully deciphered, I won’t give up.”

He was saying he wouldn’t forget.

Reading and rereading the text called Summer, until he could understand. He wouldn’t stop remembering and thinking about Summer.

Summer knew, but she couldn’t help but ask.

“That piece of writing… is that me?”

“Yes. You are my text.”

“Even though you don’t know my name.”

Summer grumbled. Russell silently finished drying Summer’s hair and started wiping the water flowing down her arms.

Even Mary or Daisy didn’t do this when they were serving.

“I, I’ll do it.”

Feeling strangely uncomfortable, Summer quickly snatched the cloth from Russell’s hand.

Only then did Russell’s eyes turn to Summer’s face.

“If I ask now, can you tell me?”

“You’re not asking if Summer Lindsey is my name.”

“The name you think of would be your real name.”

“…”

Summer fiddled with the edge of the innocent cloth.

“I won’t look, so change into this.”

Russell handed over the robe and stood facing the wall with his back turned.

Summer slowly began to undo the strings and peel off the wet dress layer by layer.

Trying to undress alone, she kept fumbling. Summer struggled for a long time before finally taking off the dress and picking up the robe.

“Russell. I’m dressed.”

“…Here.”

Russell quickly approached and tidied up the disheveled robe. In that brief moment, the loose string had caused one shoulder to slip down.

Russell put more firewood in the fireplace and hung Summer’s clothes nearby.

“Ah, it’s fine…”

“Wasn’t it the clothes you wanted to wear when you return?”

“That’s right. But, when I go back, this body…”

“Enough. That’s enough talk, Summer. I know well enough.”

Russell’s voice wavered for a moment. This time, Summer noticed Russell’s wavering and closed her mouth.

At that moment, it was unclear why the urge to provoke him suddenly arose from within.

“Even if you ask me to forget, I will remember.”

Russell didn’t seem to know what he was saying. Summer, knowing the truth, let out a hollow laugh.

The world would manipulate the memories of those involved the moment Summer returned to her original world.

Saying he would remember Summer was tantamount to defying the will of the world.

“Lord Russell, you’re so pure.”

“That’s the first time I’ve heard such a thing.”

“Pfft. No matter what, Lord Russell, you’ll inevitably forget me.”

“Why do you think that?”

“Because Lord Russell is quite an important figure in this world. So the world won’t leave you alone. To remember an outsider like me.”

“Then I’ll have to deceive the world this time too.”

“…Deceive it?”

Russell’s tone as he spoke of deceiving the world was, very much like him, calm. It was as if he was saying, The moon is bright tonight.

Russell rummaged through the Pope’s desk and soon brought a pen and ink in front of Summer.

Summer, unable to guess what he was trying to do, just blankly watched his actions.

“I intend to try everything I can.”

Russell handed the pen and ink to Summer as if placing them in her arms.

Summer, who had received the items reflexively, looked at Russell again and closed her eyes tightly in shock.