Chapter 58: Because It’s Scary

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Though Gabriel is a religious city, it’s still a place where people live.

Moreover, as the headquarters of the Saint’s faith and the holy ground where the Saint’s remains rest, countless people apply for entry for tourism purposes.

In such a place, the market is an inevitable attraction to many.

“Wow…”

Sugar’s eyes widened as she saw the market in Gabriel for the first time. Unlike the city she and Riley used to live in, the religious atmosphere was thick here. The items being sold, the white buildings—everything gave off a strong sense of sanctity.

As a result, Sugar felt like she was on a sightseeing trip, her eyes darting around excitedly.

Decorations made of white wood, magical tools created in connection with the floating islands and the various street foods.

The crowd was bustling. Though the Advent season was almost over, the excitement still lingered.

As she looked around the market, a particular sign kept catching her eye.

‘Even the Guardians enjoy it! Gabriel’s specialty, the Eight-Pointed Star Bread!’

Since the Saint descended to this land alongside the stars, the eight-pointed star, resembling a compass was a major symbol in the Saint’s religion.

In her past life, it would’ve been something like ‘cross bread.’

However, is it really okay to advertise like that? She got the vibe of ‘Even the President came and enjoyed the food!’ but this is a religious city. It feels like the sacredness is being dragged down to the level of a mere tourist attraction.

Slightly worried, Sugar glanced at Ione, who simply walked past the sign without any reaction.

‘Well, if the leader allows it, it must be fine.’

Sugar followed behind.

But then, out of habit, she stopped and looked back. It was one of Sugar’s habits. She always walked a step ahead when with friends, so she often checked if they were keeping up.

Of course, she saw the blond-haired boy and without realizing it, she turned around out of habit and quickly looked forward again.

‘When did he get so tall? Annoying.’

She got irritated at her own actions, picking on herself for no reason.

Sugar silently followed Ione, who seemed to know her way around, likely having been out a few times before.

She goes out like this while keeping her younger sibling locked up, yet doesn’t seem like the type to act selfishly on purpose.

However, she’s so extremely quiet and her actions are so peculiar, maybe there’s a deeper meaning others can’t understand?

Anyway, since she allowed Riley’s magic book, she must be a good person!

Sugar laughed silently to herself, her thoughts bouncing rapidly. Then, thinking about Riley, her feelings plummeted. Her emotions felt all over the place.

Whenever she got lost in her own thoughts, she tended to act like this, so she decided to try starting a conversation.

“By the way, where are we going?”

At Sugar’s cheerful voice, Ione turned her head slightly. She tilted her head as if to ask why Sugar was asking such a thing.

“A gift.”

“Do you know a shop or something?”

Her head tilted even further.

What? Did I ask something wrong? Confused by Ione’s inexplicable behavior, Sugar was taken aback when Ione suddenly spread her arms wide, as if to say the entire area was full of such shops.

“Wait, are you already walking around to pick a gift?”

Ione nodded.

Wow, this person is really something.

“You brought us along to help you choose, right? You can ask us for our opinions anytime.”

Even though it hadn’t even been a day since she became friends with Ian, picking a gift for a child was something she could definitely give her opinion on.

When Sugar said that, Ione stood still for a moment before nodding slightly.

“So, have you seen anything you liked so far while walking around?”

Ione tilted her head back and forth.

Is that a yes or a no?

As Sugar waited patiently, Ione soon pointed to a shop. It was a store that sold magical tools made from the floating islands.

What kind of reaction would a child who’s desperate to go outside have if given something from the outside world?

Still, thinking it was better than something they could see every day in Gabriel, Sugar said, “That seems like a good idea.”

Next, their gazes turned to Riley. But Riley was already staring at the shop with sparkling eyes. There was no need to ask, obsessed with magic as he was.

As they entered the shop, a strange scent wafted through the air. It was light yet heavy, a mysterious aroma. A candle was lit in one corner of the shop, the scent seemingly originating from there.

“Wow…”

Just looking at the shop, it vaguely reminded her of one from the original story. Potions, elixirs, throwing tools, a music box to ward off curses, a card game that required betting souls, a crystal ball for lie detection. There were also suspicious accessories like cat ears and rabbit ears. She recognized some of the items immediately.

In one corner, there were even stick of incense that made you feel good.

‘Incense!’

When she tried to get closer, the shopkeeper appeared out of nowhere and stopped her, casually saying, “Kids can’t have these.”, steering Sugar back to the group.

She wasn’t planning to buy them, just looking…

Disappointed, she glanced to the side and saw Riley. He was standing in the ‘Saint’s Corner,’ where there were replicas of the magic book the Saint wrote for his disciples and a 1/5 scale model of the Saint’s staff.

‘…It reminds me of the past.’

Not even the past—it was just last year. The time they went to the ‘Under the White Tree’ general store. They secretly bought things for each other and surprised each other with gifts.

The thing Sugar was wearing on her head now was the gift she received back then. When she touched it lightly, it felt soft.

“…”

Remembering that time and comparing it to now, her chest felt tight. It was as if something sharp and heavy had lodged itself inside, churning her insides.

They were so close back then, she wanted to stay close forever.

If things continued like this, and they couldn’t reconcile before he left…

‘I…’

“This.”

Sugar startled as the voice came out of nowhere, twirling around quickly she saw Ione holding out two items in front of Sugar.

One was a model that looked like a slice of the ocean. In her other hand was a model that looked like a slice of the sky. The latter had a small model of what seemed to be a floating island at the bottom.

Holding the square models that fit in one hand, Ione tilted her head.

Sugar’s thoughts were interrupted.

‘Right, I need to focus on the task at hand.’

“You want me to choose between the two? Let me look at the ocean one first.”

Ione handed her one of the models.

The moment the model touched her hand.

—Whoosh!

The real world’s background flashed by in an instant, and all she could see was the ocean.

The undulating blue water, colorful coral reefs, tropical fish swimming under the sunlight filtering through.

It was beautiful.

The sound of water everywhere. Bubbling. It felt like if she reached out, she would be able to feel the coolness, it produced an almost eerie feeling inside her.

‘They do say the ocean is scary.’

Opening her mouth, she let herself be carried by the flow.

Ah.

Snap—the illusion ended.

Ione had taken the model back from Sugar’s hand.

Next was the sky model. When she touched it, she was suddenly in the vast sky. The deep blue sky with clouds drifting by; Looking down at the distant ground, she could see the floating islands far away.

“Oh…”

As she marveled, the illusion ended again.

“Both are nice, but…”

A device that lets you see an illusion of the outside world, prepared for a child who can’t go outside.

‘Is this really okay?’ She worried it might just be giving false hope.

As Sugar trailed off, Ione tilted her head again. Whatever. Sugar opened her mouth.

“I’m not sure if… your sibling will like it. I’m worried it might just make them want to go outside even more.”

“For now. This is enough.”

An unexpectedly firm answer, Sugar had nothing more to say so she just closed her mouth.

Then Ione went over to Riley and handed him the models.

After a moment of daze, Riley’s gaze returned to reality.

“Both seem good.”

“Choose one.”

“Then the ocean.”

“I’ll take the sky!”

Sugar shouted from the side and stuck her tongue out at Riley. The boy, feeling provoked, turned his head away not wanting to engage.

With their opinions divided, Ione weighed the models in her hands moving them up and down.

Then she said one thing.

“I’ll buy both.”

‘Ah. Wise choice.’

.

.

.

They left the shop with the packaged models.

Then, a growling sound came from Sugar’s stomach. The shock of Riley’s ‘I’m leaving’ confession had made her skip breakfast.

The effects were starting to show. Dizziness. Cold sweat. It felt like her blood sugar was dropping.

“Ahem…”

Sugar, embarrassed, cleared her throat and gestured toward the Eight-Pointed Star Bread shop.

Please, extend a warm hand to this hungry, pitiful child. With that thought, she kept giving Ione meaningful looks.

“?”

However Ione just tilted her head in confusion.

Well, there was no other choice.

“Um… if it’s not too much trouble, could I have just one bread…”

She steeled herself, putting on a brave face.

Then, surprisingly, Ione readily headed toward the street vendor. Communication might be difficult, but she properly granted what was asked.

Ah…! Look at that benevolent figure. Truly, a saint.

‘From today onward, I’ll devote my life to the Saint’s faith…’

Sugar thought that if Louveci heard this, she’d faint, shouting, ‘No, my Saintess–!!’

Riley, standing beside her, clicked his tongue clearly seeing what Sugar was thinking just because she got some food.

.

.

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On the way back to the cathedral each of them held a warm, soft bread in their hands.

“Thank you so much for buying this for us!”

“…Thank you.”

When the two children expressed their gratitude, Ione simply ignored them.

She seemed like that kind of person. Not a bad person by nature, just extremely reserved, like a statue when it came to expressing her emotions or anything else.

In contrast, Ian was quite emotionally expressive so no wonder they didn’t get along.

While Sugar was eating her chocolate-flavored bread, she suddenly turned her head at the savory smell coming from beside her. It was the aroma of Riley’s cheese-flavored bread.

“…”

Sugar drooled while eating. She stared intently at the cheese bread, then slightly raised her head to see Riley looking down at her.

She quickly turned her head away.

‘Whatever. What I have is way tastier. I don’t want to eat that at all.’

“Hey.”

But suddenly, a piece of bread appeared right in front of her. Half of the cheese-flavored bread.

Riley was offering it to her.

It was practically shoved in her face, so she had no choice but to take it.

“…Here, half of mine.”

“No thanks.”

When Sugar tried to share hers, Riley quickly walked past her.

“What the…”

What’s with him?

As Sugar looked at him, an insolent expression growing on her face Ione suddenly appeared again.

‘Again!?’

This time, she held out a beautifully wrapped package. It was the illusion models they had bought earlier.

Sugar looked up at Ione, her eyes full of questions.

“Deliver it for me.”

“Huh? You should give it to them yourself.”

“I bought it. It’s my gift.”

“What’s this…”

Her words didn’t make sense.

Sugar’s eyebrows raised. This veiled woman, her voice was always emotionless and flat making it impossible to tell what she was thinking.

It was a personality that could easily be misunderstood by others.

Still, Sugar decided to ask subtly.

After all, this person wasn’t just some ordinary criminal but a noble of a lineage too lofty to comprehend, the ruler of the holy city of Gabriel.

She decided to think of her as just a slightly odd older sister who cared deeply for her sibling.

“You care enough about your sibling to want to comfort them when they cry… to personally pick out a gift for them. Is there a reason you won’t deliver it yourself?”

Her tone was kind, gaze gentle.

Sugar was a kind girl to everyone, especially to children. Ione was still in her mid-teens. Yet, as the leader of a religion that spanned the continent, she had to guide everyone.

How many people in such a position could truly relax and be themselves?

Sugar, with a warmth that didn’t match her age, asked as if urging her to speak her heart.

“…”

‘The Saintess’s will is the will of the heavens…’

‘I don’t understand! Sister! It’s strange!’

No one had ever asked about her inner thoughts. No one had ever tried to understand her heart.

From a young age, Ione had never shed a tear or shown a smile. Even before inheriting the title of Saintess from her mother she had already become ‘that kind of existence.’

The only person she could talk to as an equal, her sibling, had pushed her away, unable to understand her.

Ione had become an object of reverence for all, yet she was utterly isolated.

She didn’t particularly feel lonely, she never felt things as heavily as others had. She was just born that way, and she lived that way because she had to.

And then, a little child asked her.

‘Is there a reason? A reason to hide your feelings?’

It felt like she was being asked that.

Then, drawn in by the sunny smile, reminding her of the smile her sibling had once shown her, Ione revealed a tiny piece of her heart.

“…Because I’m scared.”