Ch.9090. The Defeated Sun

As I pushed past the nuns and walked forward, they hurriedly ran past me and blocked the entrance.

With their arms linked together, their resolute stance to prevent my entry seemed closer to hatred than conviction.

“Move aside.”

Despite my heavy warning not to force me to use strength, they did not back down.

“We cannot do that.”

Perhaps it was because they were nuns serving God.

Their firm determination to never yield was clearly felt, but unfortunately…

Those who don’t bend usually end up breaking.

“Findenai.”

As if she had been waiting for my call, Findenai immediately approached with her axe.

“I think our nuns are fortunate in a way.”

Her murderous intent was clearly genuine as she swung her axe in the air with a grin.

“If they die, God will take them, right? It’s comforting that I can kill them without any hesitation.”

It was truly Findenai’s way of thinking, but at least it was steering the situation in a convenient direction.

“Anyway, one of you is supposedly a demon in disguise. If we kill you all nicely, we’ll find out which one is the demon.”

As Findenai strode forward with genuine intent to slaughter them, the nuns trembled but closed their eyes and began to pray.

I had to acknowledge their resolve.

Despite their fear, their faith gave them the strength to resist.

I had no intention of killing them, and since Findenai’s actions were having the desired effect, I was about to let it play out, but…

“Wait!”

The Mother Superior, who had been standing at the center of the nuns blocking the way, stepped forward with clenched fists and a frustrated expression.

“Alright. I’ll guide you. Just don’t harm the children.”

“M-Mother Superior!”

“But that’s…!”

“Everyone be quiet. No god would want to lose you here.”

“…”

Surprised by this unexpected response, Findenai glanced back at me. She shrugged with disappointment but withdrew her killing intent.

I didn’t bother responding to the Mother Superior and simply entered the convent through the path she opened.

The interior was quite clean.

It had the feel of a modest brick house that was clearly well-maintained.

From the entrance, there were prayer texts dedicated to the gods, along with a firm declaration that this was sacred ground.

“So demons have entered sacred ground.”

I made an ironic comment, but it seemed to offend her as the Mother Superior guided me with heavy footsteps.

“Please don’t enter any other areas and just follow me.”

The Mother Superior climbed the stairs. When the nuns tried to follow us, Findenai blocked the door and kept them at bay.

“One of you is supposedly a demon, right? Everyone stay still. If anyone moves, I’ll start by chopping off their head first.”

With that ominous declaration and her axe pointed at them, the nuns could only swallow hard without daring to react.

“Everyone, it’s okay. You won’t die if you just stay still.”

Illuania tried to offer some inadequate comfort with a smile, but it didn’t seem particularly effective.

“How barbaric!”

The Mother Superior gnashed her teeth at the sight, but I simply gestured with my chin for her to continue forward.

[Can you feel it? There’s no demonic energy inside at all.]

I nodded slightly at the Dark Spiritmaster’s words. Indeed, the eerie demonic presence that had been resonating outside was completely absent inside the convent.

[If it can play tricks like this, it must be a high-ranking demon.]

The Dark Spiritmaster placed her hand on my shoulder, seemingly tense. I couldn’t feel her touch, but her trembling seemed to transfer to me.

At the very top of the Ellia Convent.

Where the stairs ended, there were two doors.

One led to the attic room that I had seen from outside.

The other was a small door that opened to a sunroof leading to the rooftop.

Both had one thing in common.

They were locked with padlocks.

Especially the attic door, which was secured with an exceptionally large and sturdy-looking padlock.

It looked like the kind you’d put on a precious treasure chest. But the Mother Superior’s expression as she looked at it was incredibly grim.

The Mother Superior brought her hand to a candle placed next to the attic door.

A tiny flame, no bigger than a fingernail, rose from the tip of her thin, wrinkled finger, lighting the candle and illuminating the previously dark stairway.

“Open it quickly.”

“…Before that, there’s something you must promise.”

I was about to dismiss her, but this time even the Mother Superior’s request was filled with such desperation that I couldn’t ignore it.

“Please, you must never mention the person inside to anyone outside. This is… not just for my selfish reasons, but for the sake of the entire Griffin Kingdom.”

“How grandiose.”

But her plea was filled with that level of desperation. Tears welled up in the Mother Superior’s eyes as she knelt down and grabbed my trouser leg.

“Please! I beg you. The person inside must remain a secret until the moment of your death. If you were chosen by His Majesty, and if you are someone the Saintess Lucia trusts! You will understand the meaning of my words immediately!”

“Fine, I understand.”

“Also! Please don’t get too absorbed in conversation with her. This is… advice for your own good.”

[I’m curious.]

The Dark Spiritmaster was about to pass through the door to check inside first, but…

[Kyaah!]

She was pushed back with a rather girlish cry. It wasn’t just being pushed back; she seemed to have been injured as thin smoke rose from her body.

‘This is…’

I couldn’t help but swallow hard as I looked at the Dark Spiritmaster trying to compose herself.

It meant that whoever was inside was no ordinary person.

The Mother Superior slowly stood up and took out a key she had been hiding in her bosom.

The old key creaked as it entered the padlock, and soon after, with a click, the padlock came off smoothly.

“I’ll… wait outside.”

The Mother Superior began to pray with her eyes tightly closed and hands clasped together.

I slowly grabbed the doorknob and entered.

The interior had such a fresh scent that it was hard to consider it an attic.

Because it was dark outside, the lamp-lit room was much brighter than the stairway, and there was no sign of the dark, gloomy atmosphere I had expected.

A small bed.

And sitting on that bed, a woman in a nun’s habit.

Her dull blonde hair flowed freely over her shoulders down to her chest.

She must have been a woman of striking beauty.

But there was no way to confirm this.

White bandages covering both eyes.

Her left arm and both legs appeared to have been amputated.

With her remaining right hand, she was preciously holding a rosary of the goddess Hertia.

She turned her gaze toward me at the sound of the door opening and smiled gently.

“We have a visitor.”

A voice that warmed the heart.

It was a rare experience to feel that someone could provide comfort with just their voice.

It was truly sacred.

It was truly beautiful.

And therefore, precarious.

This fragile woman, who seemed like she would break at the slightest touch, greeted me.

“Hello, my name is Stella.”

A woman with just the name Stella, without any surname.

I had never seen her in person, but of course I had heard her name.

I didn’t need to forcibly search through my memories. She was too famous on this continent.

There cannot be two suns on the continent.

When one sun rises, the other sun must unfortunately set.

She was the setting sun of the continent.

A woman who had received the love of the gods.

A Saintess.

To be precise.

Someone who could be called the predecessor of the current Saintess, Lucia Saint.

A retired former Saintess.

I couldn’t help but freeze.

I immediately understood why the Mother Superior had trembled and begged so desperately.

If the end of the Saintess who had comforted the continent was in such a terrible state, it should never be revealed.

If rumors started that the gods had abandoned the woman they loved most, their faith would turn to disbelief.

“It’s been a while since I’ve had a male visitor, hasn’t it?”

“Yes.”

As I answered calmly and was about to close the door, Stella smiled faintly and made a request.

“I’m sorry, but could we talk alone?”

“…”

Her head turned toward the Dark Spiritmaster. Even though she couldn’t see, she had accurately located the Dark Spiritmaster.

[I-I’ll wait outside.]

“Alright.”

The startled Dark Spiritmaster was driven out by the kind expulsion, and only then did I close the door.

Thud.

“What a kind ghost.”

There was no falsehood in her smile. That she could maintain such a bright smile in her condition seemed remarkable even to me.

But because of that, I had no intention of asking about it.

“Three nuns were sacrificed in this convent to summon a demon.”

“…”

“Have you heard anything about this?”

“Hehe.”

Stella covered her mouth with her one remaining right hand and laughed.

“How kind of you. Most people would first ask why I ended up like this.”

“I don’t have a hobby of probing into others’ painful wounds. So, do you know anything?”

“Oh, yes.”

Stella answered with a playful smile.

“I know there’s a demon hiding in this convent, and I know why it came.”

My brow furrowed slightly.

She was offering answers to my questions far too easily.

“It’s because I’m here.”

“Because you’re here?”

When I asked again, Stella pulled at the collar of her habit to show her left arm. The amputation wound, not even leaving the elbow, was wrapped in bandages.

“This, and…”

This time she pulled up her skirt to show her legs. I had thought they would be amputated too, but they weren’t.

Her legs were withered like dried tree roots, turned black and shriveled.

No, they could hardly be called legs. It was a pitiful sight that reminded me of a towel wrung completely dry.

“This too.”

Finally, Stella pointed to her eyes covered with bandages.

“And these eyes as well.”

Then, placing her hand on her head, Stella gave a mischievous smile.

“There’s one more, but that’s a secret.”

“A secret?”

“Well, you don’t need to worry about it. More importantly, do you understand what these mean?”

She spoke as if it was nothing, but what followed was quite shocking.

“These are all wounds inflicted by demons after my divine power disappeared.”

“…”

“Do you know? Only one person on this continent can possess divine power. If the gods took away my divine power, it means the next person has ascended to the position of Saintess.”

But what happens after is not their responsibility.

During her time as Saintess, she had eliminated numerous demons and destroyed evil spirits thanks to her divine power alone.

But when that disappeared…

Demons who had harbored grudges against her rushed in and reduced the Saintess to this state.

“This demon might have come for my right hand.”

Her right hand, the last remaining part. I couldn’t help but exhale a bitter sigh.

But it made sense.

The reason the demon responded to the summoning without sacrifices was to take revenge on her.

That it’s still hiding here also makes sense when you think about it.

“What do you think?”

“…About what?”

She shrugged as if she knew everything.

“Can you protect me from the demon?”

For the first time, a hint of desperation tinged her otherwise calm voice.

Though she couldn’t see, I hardened my expression as I answered.

“I have no intention of protecting you.”

“Hehe.”

“However, I do intend to stop the demon from acting further.”

“How reassuring.”

Stella’s shoulders relaxed calmly. Though she seemed relieved, she answered with a hint of regret.

“I suppose you can’t find it right away?”

“That’s right. The demon is hiding quite cleverly.”

“Hmm, then I’ll see you tomorrow.”

I felt a strange uneasiness in her pitiful tone. As if the misfortunes that had befallen her weren’t over yet.

“But sadly, this is the end.”

Stella asked me to leave, saying she didn’t even need to know my name.

I held the doorknob with my lips tightly pressed, then released it and asked.

“Does His Majesty know about this?”

“King Opert? Of course not. I asked the church to tell him that I’m living well, just farming.”

I frowned at her answer and replied.

“King Opert has passed away. His son, Orpheus, now rules Griffin.”

At that, Stella covered her mouth with her right hand and laughed, “Oh my.”

“I didn’t know that.”

I grabbed the doorknob again and bitterly went outside.

She stood there blankly, her head turned toward me despite not being able to see.

Thud.

The door closed, and the Mother Superior was still praying, while the Dark Spiritmaster looked at me with a concerned expression.

I sighed and said.

“I’ll keep quiet about her. However, I need to meet her again tomorrow.”

She seemed to have an abundance of information. She might even know the demon’s identity.

But the Mother Superior answered bitterly.

“It probably… won’t be much different from today.”

At that moment, I didn’t understand what she meant.

* * *

The next day.

When I went back to the attic to see Stella.

“We have a visitor.”

She greeted me with exactly the same line as yesterday.

“Hello, my name is Stella.”

With the exact same response as yesterday, not a single word different.

“It’s been a while since I’ve had a male visitor, hasn’t it?”

Only then could I understand what the Mother Superior had meant.

Why she said it wouldn’t be different from yesterday.

Why she told me not to get absorbed in conversation with Stella.

Why Stella didn’t say she’d see me tomorrow but instead said it was the end.

And what the last demonic curse was that Stella had called a secret.

“Now.”

It was a first.

Truly for the first time, my voice trembled violently.

“Who is the king ruling the Griffin Kingdom?”

I needed to confirm.

I needed to be certain that what I was thinking was correct.

And Stella smiled as if my question was out of the blue and answered.

“King Opert, of course.”

Former Saintess Stella.

Her time was trapped like in a broken clock, continuously walking the same path over and over again.