The city of Amrita. Its outskirts.
The followers of the Ira faith—that is, the members of Mynoghra—had managed to escape the notice of Saint Nerim, thanks to Vittorio's final, desperate act of devotion.
"No pursuers... seem to be coming. That painfully intense aura of light... still lingers over the city of Amrita..."
The streets were sparse. While Yonayona and the Elful sisters were present, the number of other believers was strikingly low.
It wasn't that they had escaped late. Given the many familiar faces, it was likely that the original believers who had arrived with Yonayona and her group were safe.
In other words, all the new followers they had gained in this city had been completely reclaimed.
"Were we overlooked? Or did they just lose interest?"
Yonayona, looking utterly exhausted, stared blankly toward the city center.
As always, a pillar of light rose from the heart of the city, signaling the constant, scattered miracles of the Saint.
"Probably the latter. I'm sure the priority written in that diary was to help people first."
"They seemed completely overwhelmed. That was a fortunate thing for us."
Even the Elful sisters showed signs of fatigue.
The moon hanging in the sky was granting them renewed strength, yet the mental strain of the extreme battle had clearly stolen their usual vigor.
Still, at this point, they should be safe barring any extraordinary circumstances.
All they had to do now was retreat through the darkness of night to their own secure territory—a specialty, one might say, for those who belonged to the shadows.
"So... what are you going to do?" Yonayona decided to tie up a loose end once things had settled.
Her gaze fell upon the inquisitor, Kree Imreis.
Or rather, it was more accurate to say *former* inquisitor. At the very least, she had now abandoned the god she once believed in.
"I... I... I don't know what to do anymore. I... just..."
"Hmm... Well, when things get tough, it's important to stop and rest for a bit! It's no big deal, we're good at that kind of thing. You can't exactly go back to the kingdom anyway, right? So come with us."
She gave Kree a light pat on the back, her tone cheerful.
Difficult questions in life rarely have immediate answers.
Pressuring her right now for a stance or future plans would be cruel, to say the least.
What Kree needed right now was rest.
A warm drink and a bed. A good, deep sleep to let her body and mind recover. Only then could she truly look toward the future.
Yonayona's own experience, and the experience of guiding the people she had so far, gave her the most fitting words to offer Kree.
The title of acting pope was not just a name. She possessed the qualities to fill it.
"Still, though..."
Murmuring softly, Yonayona looked with gentle eyes at Kree, who had nodded silently and begun walking again.
Those nearby with sharp ears instantly understood what she meant, and at the same time, they remembered a certain man they had been trying not to think about.
"He's dead, isn't he?"
"It was so abrupt."
Vittorio acting as their shield meant he had sacrificed his own life to protect them.
Of course, death hadn't been confirmed, so there was a slim possibility he was alive. But considering the strength of the Saint opposing them, hope was thin.
Vittorio was not, by nature, a hero suited for combat. Anyone who had known him for any length of time understood that.
His superhuman intellect might have devised some brilliant scheme to escape that situation. It wasn't impossible.
But unfortunately...
Yonayona and the Elful sisters both sensed that the faint trace of dark presence lingering moments ago had now completely vanished from the center of the city.
"That idiot pope... stirring up all this trouble, turning everything upside down, and then going and dying on his own... that's not okay, you know..."
Murmured with loneliness.
The Elful sisters offered no reply to those words. They understood all too well that the relationship between Yonayona and Vittorio was one they could never fathom.
Extra words to those drowning in grief are but thorns.
Knowing the pain of loss, they grasped that maintaining silence was itself a kindness.
"Here I was planning to lecture you, beat you up, and even thank you, and it's all ruined..."
Whoosh, the wind blew.
The night wind, sharp against the skin, stole away the heat that had gathered in their bodies, replacing it with rest.
Along with that cooled heat, something precious seemed to vanish as well, and a sense of desolation took hold of their hearts.
"First, we return to Selduchi."
"There, we consult the king on future policy."
At the twins' words, everyone began to walk slowly.
Night travel was something they were accustomed to. The journey south to the controlled city of Selduchi should pose no particular problem, so long as no pursuers were sent after them.
But the situation was far from favorable.
Depending on the circumstances, abandoning Selduchi might become necessary.
Though it was a shame to relinquish a major city in the southern provinces they had just secured, against that holy woman, the wisest course was to retreat for now.
The rest depended on the judgment and commands of their king, Takuto Ira.
After all, the divine strategy they had somewhat come to rely on no longer existed...
As if to sear that final scene into her memory, Yonayona turned once more to gaze in the direction of Amrita.
"...It can't be helped."
The words she muttered drifted away on the night wind.
No one answered her words.
◇ ◇ ◇
"The dramas enacted by foolish humans are more radiant and beautiful than anything. The greater the longing for peace, the more poignant the wailing when everything that should have been theirs spills away."
The jester speaks.
That man who should have been dead began delivering his oration right there, as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Ah, yes, it is so. I was truly bestowing mercy upon that wretched little girl. Just as my God bestowed upon me the only hope to go on living. What lay at the end of the right choice should have been a flawless, untainted happiness!"
"And yet! Ah, and yet! Why do humans make such catastrophically wrong choices? And why, oh why, do I find myself so utterly enamored with human misery!"
"It vexes me to no end that there is no freshly steamed, fluffy hot rice right here!"
He struck a pose with a resounding *bang*, a disingenuous grin plastered across his face.
Light flickered to life around the room, revealing where they were.
A familiar wooden floor, furnishings warped into grotesque, twisted shapes.
Two silhouettes — one seated upon a throne, and another standing at its side.
"My prayers have been answered. The hour of celebration is upon us. I had intended to draw out both the strongest Saint and the renowned vessel Saint, but I must say, having the Saint of the Diary take that role instead has saved me a great deal of trouble."
"An overwhelmingly powerful adversary has appeared — one against whom even those diminutive girls wielding the power of a hero cannot hope to resist. Precisely, precisely what I have been waiting for! With this — with this, all of your schemes are sealed!"
Round and round, truly delighted — from the very bottom of his heart delighted.
Vittorio declared.
That everything had gone according to plan. That your defeat was absolute.
"Isn't that so?"
He proclaimed his victory to the one seated upon the throne.
"Great God — Takuto Ira!"
Eterpedia===
[The Fortunate Tongue-Lash Vittorio] Special Unit
Combat Power: 0 Movement: 3
<Malice> <Heroism> <Zealotry>
<Incitement> <Indoctrination> <Persuasion> <Intimidation> <Preaching> <Conversion> <Missionary Work>
<Sabotage> <Mana Corruption> <Cultural Decline> <Book Burning> <Fraud> <Counterfeiting> <Espionage>
<Stealth> <Disguise> <Lurking> <Escape>
※This unit cannot be controlled.
※This unit cannot participate in combat.
※This unit can use certain leader commands.
※This unit revives at the stronghold upon death.
―――