Evian (3)

“T-Teacher. What do you mean…?”

With a sharp clinking sound, a teacup was placed on the saucer.

The still-hot tea, steaming profusely, splashed due to the movement, finally overflowing and leaving water marks as it sprayed onto Bigrind’s fingers.

But without even registering such heat, Bigrind was staring at Eize.

“…It’s exactly as I said, Bigrind. Yona came by.”

“Y-Yona… did?”

“Yes. She left just a few days ago.”

Bigrind quickly looked around.

Fortunately, none of her companions, including Ludvic, were present.

It was fortunate that she had come alone, wanting to meet Eize privately, just the two of them.

Perhaps Eize had spoken because Bigrind came alone.

“H-How was she…? Yona?”

At that question, Eize smiled faintly.

If questions like where the apostate went, or why she met her, or if she knew it was a great sin had come first—

Eize would have been greatly disappointed if such questions had come first.

“Seeing that you ask how Yona was first, I didn’t teach you all wrong.”

“Ah…”

Only then did Bigrind fluster, seemingly embarrassed.

Was asking how Yona was inappropriate after all?

Now that she’s the saint of the Celestine Church, should she have asked more strict questions?

But what could she do when the question of how Yona was came out before those other questions even occurred to her?

“It’s alright. You two are my pride, after all. Yona… yes, she must have her reasons. That’s what I think. You think so too, don’t you, Bigrind?”

“……”

Bigrind couldn’t answer Eize’s words.

Thinking about it differently, it wasn’t such a surprising thing.

It was Bigrind who thought that Yona would surely come to Evian to meet Teacher Eize, and as she expected, Yona had visited Evian.

She safely met Teacher Eize, and although it was surprising that she somehow arrived before Ludvic and Bigrind and met Teacher Eize and left, that was fortunate in its own way.

“…Actually, I still…”

She couldn’t bring herself to say that she wanted to believe Yona hadn’t apostatized.

Bigrind had confirmed all too painfully that Yona had become an apostate.

In this situation where there are even numerous witnesses due to what happened in the middle of the Infula church territory.

It was meaningless for Bigrind alone to think it wasn’t so.

“She did apostatize. Bigrind, even if I say that, you shouldn’t.”

Eize’s stern voice drew Bigrind out of her thoughts.

As always, Eize was looking at Bigrind with a strict voice and expression.

Although undeniable benevolence seeped through that gaze, it was still a direct gaze looking straight at Bigrind.

“You are the saint of the Celestine Church. It’s right that you should be stricter about the doctrine than anyone else. I can be swayed by personal feelings, but a saint shouldn’t be. You’re in a position where you should prioritize the church over personal feelings, aren’t you?”

“…Then, can you tell me? Where Yona went.”

“What do you intend to do if you meet Yona?”

The answer to her question didn’t come.

Bigrind remained silent, just looking at Eize without answering that question.

Eize also quietly looked at Bigrind like that.

Time passed idly as they just gazed into each other’s eyes.

A silence that wasn’t just heavy, but not entirely light either.

In the silence, the teacup had already cooled to a chill.

“…I’ll grab her by the hair and shake her thoroughly. Ask her what on earth she was thinking, doing such a thing.”

“And then?”

“I’ll make her kneel behind the cathedral with her arms raised.”

Puhah—

Eize burst into laughter.

It was something that happened often.

Yona, caught by Eize after skipping classes to play, always knelt behind the cathedral with her arms raised.

Sometimes she would sit holding buckets filled with water too.

“Is this the answer you were looking for, Teacher?”

“Yes, Bigrind. It was an answer befitting a saint. You should follow the doctrine, but as a saint, there are things you can do. Such as compassion, or inclusiveness.”

“You haven’t forgotten that it was you who said a clergy shouldn’t be so fierce, have you?”

Bigrind looked at Eize with narrowed eyes.

And comfortably deflecting such a gaze, Eize smiled faintly.

“There’s a rumor that even the first Saint Sonia had a terrible personality before becoming a saint. There’s even a story that she fought tooth and nail when she first met Hero Siu… Though it’s just an unofficial story, so the credibility is low.”

“…I don’t aspire to that.”

“I know. Well, anyway…”

Eize picked up the teacup and leisurely savored its aroma.

Although the tea had already cooled and only bitterness remained without any aroma, Eize took a sip of tea and put the cup back down.

“…She said she was going to the Katus Empire.”

“The Katus Empire?”

If going to the Katus Empire, there are two routes.

There might be more if you look, but from Evian, it’s either the port city of Foret, or Lukasia Port in the Kingdom of Lukasia.

Among these, Lukasia Port is closer to the Katus Empire, and Foret is where Ludvic and Bigrind came from, so it’s definitely not that one.

“…It must be Lukasia Port.”

“Well. I’m not sure about that.”

Actually, she knew, but deliberately.

“Thank you, Teacher.”

“No, it’s fine. I didn’t say anything. Right?”

Eize joked while giving a deliberate wink.

Bigrind also nodded with a small smile.

If Ludvic asks who she heard it from, she can just make something up.

It’s also something she shouldn’t say she heard from Eize.

“And I have one request.”

“Please tell me, Teacher.”

“…You know about the crazy things the Celestine Church is doing now, don’t you?”

Bigrind’s fingers paused.

Bigrind was not unaware of what Eize called the crazy things the Celestine Church was doing.

Rather, she knew it well.

“Can’t you stop those crazy acts? I wonder if His Holiness the Pope has finally gotten dementia, as he seems unable to distinguish between what should and shouldn’t be done. No matter how much authority the Celestine Church has, rivaling the imperial family, such acts cannot be tolerated.”

Both Bigrind and Eize could understand the reason for capturing girls with white hair.

But it was the problem after this.

The persecution of black hair that occurred in the Echo-less Era was still quite a famous story.

The rumors spread maliciously by the False Celestial God, and the persecution of black hair carried out by people deceived by that malice.

Eize couldn’t shake off the feeling that these things were happening again.

Rumors that the Celestine Church’s inquisitors were intensively capturing girls with white hair were spreading rapidly.

The perception that the Celestine Church – especially the inquisitors – wouldn’t capture girls with white hair for no reason was also spreading along with it.

Families with white-haired girls were busy hiding their children, and even rumors that white hair meant demon followers were spreading together.

“It’s already happening in Evian too. This is truly madness. Perhaps this might be even more important than following Yona.”

“…That’s true.”

And at that moment, someone’s knock was heard.

• • High Priest Eize.

“Who is it?”

Pausing her conversation with Bigrind for a moment, Eize turned around and asked, and soon the answer came.

• • It’s the branch head of the Inquisition. May I come in?

The branch head of the Inquisition, Alistain.

An unexpected person had visited.

It seemed they had come about halfway now.

Although they had been delayed a bit in each village along the way, they couldn’t give up on moving by carriage.

“Why are there so many carriages passing by? Isn’t it strange?”

At Yona’s words, Kaiyak glanced at her.

It was indeed something that she might find strange.

Although Evian was a medium-sized city, that was because of the many adventurers, and it had nothing to do with heavy trade or such.

Yet, since Yona’s group left Evian, they had passed by dozens of cargo carriages.

At first, Yona didn’t pay much attention either.

But after passing by so many cargo carriages, it was natural for Yona to find it strange.

“It’s midwinter now, so it’s not the season for transporting grain, and it’s not a busy trading season either, so why are there so many cargo carriages?”

“It must be a coincidence.”

Kaiyak’s eyes twitched as he became uncomfortable.

Those cargo carriages probably— they must be full of the white-haired girls Kaiyak had seen.

It seemed they were capturing them even from the Kingdom of Lukasia and sending them to Evian where the diocese was, but in the end, even Yona had become interested in it.

“What coincidence, they say if coincidences keep happening, it becomes inevitable. Something feels off.”

Yona had always been quick-witted.

And now that she had become a saint, this intuition was added to her perceptiveness, ringing alarm bells that the current situation shouldn’t be overlooked.

“Alebbian, come out here.”

The cargo carriage that had just passed was still in sight.

Yona was sitting with her back to the carriage so she couldn’t see inside, but from where Alebbian was sitting now, it should be visible.

Alebbian moved aside without a word, and Yona switched to Alebbian’s seat and stared intently at the cargo compartment of the passing carriage.

“…What is that?”

Yona’s eyes widened.