Evian (1)

“It’s taking longer than I expected.”

“Indeed. I apologize for letting Elder Ceres leave ahead of us.”

In the carriage heading from Foret to Evian, Bigrind couldn’t hide her anxious expression.

And Ludvic, who was watching her with a somewhat awkward smile, agreed with her words.

The attack by the Dark Covenant that occurred immediately after they landed in Foret after leaving Capatia with Ceres.

As soon as the ship carrying the hero, saint, and elder of the Celestine Church docked, mysterious magic shells flew towards the ship.

The ship, directly hit by those magic shells, couldn’t withstand the impact and swayed several times before finally sinking. Ludvic barely escaped the aftermath by embracing Bigrind and leaping away.

The ensuing battle with the Dark Covenant lasted longer than expected, so they sent Ceres ahead, and now Ludvic and Bigrind were also on their way to Evian.

“What if Yona has come and gone in the meantime?”

“The apostates are moving on foot anyway. They probably haven’t arrived yet, so don’t worry. When we arrive, we’ll surely be waiting for them first.”

Bigrind, who had been staring blankly at Ludvic as he spoke confidently, soon lowered her head with a small sigh.

There’s a heaviness in a corner of her heart.

How did it come to this? It would be a lie to say she didn’t know, as Bigrind understood the current situation all too well.

That’s why it becomes even more painful.

That they’ve become so misaligned, that they can never walk the same path with Yona again.

It comes across as so heartbreaking.

“…Is that so.”

The term Bigrind uses is Yona.

The term Ludvic uses is apostate.

The difference starts from this simple terminology.

“It’s the natural course of justice, Saint. The Celestial God is always right, and now we humans are walking the wrong path, so it’s certain that the Celestial God is not looking after us.”

“But I don’t think that’s right.”

“Didn’t they say that if confirmed to be innocent, all would be processed for return?”

There were numerous carriages.

Carriages that could carry more than ten people were gathering in Foret, and each carriage was packed with girls with white hair like Yona.

Bigrind was shocked to hear that they had captured all girls whose appearance matched the apostate.

Bigrind was angry, asking what kind of act it was to capture people indiscriminately just because they looked similar, but she couldn’t refute when told it was part of the search for the apostate. She knew that wanted posters with Yona’s appearance had been distributed extensively, but the facial features in each portrait were slightly different, resulting in capturing anyone who matched the main characteristics first.

And sending those girls to the church territories for confirmation — Bigrind had to acquiesce to the inquisitor’s explanation. Bigrind could have confirmed that Yona wasn’t among the girls here, but she also knew well that if she did so, her actual mission of tracking the apostate would be pushed aside, so she couldn’t do that either.

“His Holiness the Pope is not such an indiscriminate person. He’s not so harsh as to harm everyone who resembles the apostate in appearance, and the Celestial God watching over this is even less so. So don’t worry too much, Saint.”

“Yes, perhaps my concern was excessive…”

Nevertheless, she couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was strange.

It must be just a feeling.

It must be just a feeling, even though it’s nothing serious.

Though nothing will actually happen, it must be just a feeling.

Thinking so, Bigrind looked out the carriage window.

“I wonder what kind of place the Katus Empire is.”

“It’s an empire of beastkin.”

As soon as Yona, who was looking out the window, muttered, James answered.

James, who was smoothly filing his protruding molar with a rough string, grinned.

“Come to think of it, do you know nothing about the Katus Empire, Miss Yona?”

“How could I know? That was my first time leaving Evian.”

“Oh my, then you’ll be quite surprised when we get to Katus.”

“Why?”

The Katus Empire can be roughly explained as a military empire.

It’s a beastkin nation where 90% of the citizens are beastkin, and like the Capatia Empire, it’s a system where several beastkin countries come together to form one empire.

Although it’s called an empire, the emperor doesn’t hold the position for life, but rather a somewhat unique system where each beastkin country takes turns being emperor and leading the state affairs for set terms of a few years each.

‘…Is it democracy?’

This was Yona’s first thought upon hearing the explanation.

That structure very similar to the political system of her original world.

But something is different.

However, as it’s an emperor, definite power is guaranteed during that term.

Instead, it’s not a structure where one can rule forever, and since they have to hand over to another country after the emperor’s term of several years ends, it seems the country runs properly without much corruption.

As the vast majority of citizens are beastkin, worshiping strength is very natural, and it’s a country where the strong are favored, so it’s also a country with strong military power. However, because of this, unity is relatively weak, so it forms an opposite relationship with the Capatia Empire, balancing each other out.

“It’s an interesting country.”

“It is indeed. But well, there are even more interesting countries as you go further up, so there’s no need to be surprised. Even my home country chooses the head of state by rock-paper-scissors, you know.”

“…It’s amazing how countries function.”

“Well, that’s true. But as long as it works well, isn’t that what matters?”

With a chuckling laugh, James leaned back comfortably on the sofa.

Rubina, who was sitting next to him, leaned her shoulder against James as if she had been waiting, and seeing her close her eyes, it seemed she intended to take a short nap.

‘When will Rubina start speaking again…’

Rubina, who had closed her mouth since that day, was still not saying anything.

Moreover, until now she had been relying on Yona, but since meeting James, she’s been sticking to him and not wanting to be apart for even a moment.

While feeling a bit hurt, it’s also fortunate that James really likes children.

Yona had complicated feelings in many ways.

“How do we get from Lukasia to Katus?”

Only then did Alebbian, sitting opposite, look at Yona.

Alebbian seemed to have lost her senses from all of Yona’s errands, spending more time blankly staring out the window when sitting in the carriage.

“…A ship, has already been prepared. More precisely, not by me but by Ceres.”

“What does that woman prepare so much of while just sitting there? Does she have dozens of bodies?”

“…She does, actually.”

“What?”

At Yona’s question, Alebbian shook her head slightly.

“No, it’s nothing. Nothing at all. Anyway, the ship is already prepared, and there’s a collaborator in Katus too. So entering the country itself will be smooth. And Katus is…”

She seemed thirsty.

Alebbian drew a cup of water from the water pot prepared in the carriage, and Yona took that cup.

“I’m thirsty from talking. I’ll drink first. Is that okay? And you don’t even ask how to serve water to the Saint? Is that okay for a priest? Has it been so long without a Saint that you can’t adapt? You still can’t adapt? Should I help you adapt more?”

“…I’m sorry, pretty one.”

“You always need to be told explicitly. Why don’t you do things on your own before being told? Do you think you’ll receive treatment as a priest like this? Did you think serving superiors was easy? You can’t do it like when you were bossing around disciples as you pleased. Right?”

Sweat seemed to be trickling down Alebbian’s face.

Pretending not to see that, Yona finished drinking a cup of water and held out the empty cup to Alebbian.

“…Thank you, pretty one.”

“Anyway, so what about Katus? What were you going to say?”

“…In Katus, the agreement to escort your group… has fallen through.”

“Why? Isn’t that place also allowed for Celestine Church missionary work?”

The Katus, a beastkin country that had strongly refused the introduction of the Celestine Church. And the neighboring countries of different races adjacent to Capatia all allowed Celestine Church missionary work at once. Not only that, they also sent priest trainees to Infula, the headquarters of the Celestine Church, to learn the doctrine on a large scale.

So Yona was hesitant about going to Katus. If they allowed Celestine Church missionary work to that extent, surely they would have concluded an agreement to hand over apostates too. She didn’t want to go through all the trouble only to be caught and sent back.

“They canceled the permission. Not only did they cancel it, but they also recalled all the priest trainees who had been dispatched to the Celestine Church back to their home country.”

“…Why?”

It was an action that could easily lead to discord between countries.

Considering the position the Celestine Church holds within the Capatia Empire, such actions by Katus could likely be taken as an insult implying they were willing to go to war with all of Capatia.

“Do you know what race currently holds the position of head of state in Katus… that is, who occupies the emperor’s seat?”

“I don’t know.”

Alebbian smiled faintly.

“…It’s the snake beastkin.”

Snake.

Even Yona never dreamed that name would come up here.