Free Web NovelEarly morning.
As the fog slowly began to lift, the two expedition ships entered Tevil Port.
After the long voyage, the Central Continent had finally revealed itself — immense and ominous.
“Drop anchor!”
“Pull the ropes! Prepare to disembark!”
In the damp air, Tie carefully crossed the gangplank while holding Bale’s hand.
Beneath the wooden boards, seawater swayed below them.
At that moment, someone approached from beside her.
“The air here really is heavy. It almost feels hard to breathe.”
It was Marbas.
Tie nodded.
“Yeah.”
Come to think of it, during scorching summer days near the market alleys, she would sometimes stand in front of a giant fan with her mouth open, and this felt strangely similar.
The air did not refresh her. It felt oppressive and stale instead.
Just in case, Tie cautiously began circulating magic through her fingertips.
Right then—
“So you’re the leader of Agavert?”
A dark shadow fell over Tie.
She lifted her head and blinked in surprise.
Standing before her was a man dressed in spotless white priestly robes.
“I am Cardinal Mel of the Great Temple of Sercanos. I was sent to receive you.”
The moment he raised his hand, the priests standing behind him stepped forward in unison.
“His Holiness wishes to see you.”
Deserted streets.
The expedition procession moved down the paved road.
“What kind of city even is this?”
Bale leaned out from the carriage window and muttered quietly.
Pressed nervously against Tesetan’s side, Tie swallowed hard.
Just as Bale had said — the streets were empty.
There was not a single person visible either on the road or inside the buildings lining both sides.
Her gaze drifted toward the front of the procession.
Valentis rode directly behind Cardinal Mel.
Behind him came Edmund, Leonardo, and Alexander.
“Remember how you’re supposed to behave inside the temple?” freēwēbηovel.c૦m
Tesetan spoke softly beside her.
Tie nodded energetically.
“Yeah! Tie and the mercenaries don’t know anything. We came here to besiege the Magic Crystal.”
Of course, Tie actually knew everything — Luciano’s true intentions, and the truth about the World Tree.
But Luciano absolutely could not find that out.
After all, that was the very reason he had lured Tie to the Central Continent.
“And who is Tie?”
“A super strong wizard! One day Tie suddenly wanted to make a mercenary squad, so she made one!”
“And Kkamani?”
“Tie’s summoned beast! Tie’s a super strong wizard, so she can even make ten eternal summoned beasts!”
“Good. Last question. Why did you join forces with Tregava?”
“Papa’s personality is super awful, so they fought and fought and then became friends!”
“...Good job.”
Tesetan stroked Tie’s head with painful tenderness.
“If the people from the church ask you anything, answer exactly like that. Papa will handle everything else himself. Understood?”
“Yeah...”
After answering, Tie took a deep breath.
The plan they had spent the entire voyage preparing with the squad formed once more inside her head.
‘I can do this.’
The most important thing about this journey was making Luciano lower his guard.
Until now, Luciano had suspected Tie.
That was probably why he had even planted a spy near her in Nordix, yet still learned nothing.
‘And if Luciano really lets his guard down...’
‘I’ll be able to seal him.’
‘I have a really good tactical plan, Mother.’
Lucarion and Pupu’s plan surfaced in her mind again.
Tie hugged her little backpack tightly against her chest.
Inside sat Pupu and Marbas, who had once again transformed into a wooden doll.
“We have arrived at the Great Temple of Sercanos.”
Right then, the carriage slowly came to a stop, and the door opened.
Outside, rows of people in white priestly robes stood waiting.
“This way, please.”
Tie rose to her feet.
As she stepped outside, she saw Holy Knights in the distance being escorted by priests.
Tie’s gaze met Valentis’s eyes.
It felt as though they were saying:
‘Be careful.’
Only after confirming once more that Tesetan was walking behind her did Tie finally move forward.
“Valentis. My old friend.”
Beneath the high ceiling of the Great Temple, a familiar voice echoed out.
Valentis silently watched Luciano approach through the spotless white corridor.
“Has it already been twenty years?”
Despite such a long separation, Luciano had not changed at all. freewebnoveℓ.com
His tall frame.
His pale skin and perfectly defined features.
The church had always explained it as the result of his extraordinary holy power.
Once, Valentis had believed that too.
When he received his knighthood.
When he saw Luciano several times after becoming commander.
He had sincerely believed Luciano was a faithful servant of god.
But...
“I heard you recovered your fourth son. That must be why you look better these days.”
Valentis fell silent for a moment before lowering his sword.
Then he bent one knee.
“...I greet the Holy Father, representative of the light.”
Luciano narrowed his eyes slightly.
“You still know how to make me uncomfortable. Sercanos abandoned such cumbersome formalities long ago.”
Valentis rose to his feet.
When their gazes met, he was able to see Luciano’s face even more clearly.
‘Not a single wrinkle.’
No one knew Luciano’s exact age.
But it was obvious that he had occupied the papal throne for more than seventy years.
“Walk with me.”
With a gentle smile, Luciano turned around.
Valentis gave a brief nod to the subordinates behind him and followed.
Before meeting the expedition, Luciano had summoned Valentis separately.
The outer walls of the temple were built entirely from immaculate white marble without the slightest stain.
“Because the damage caused by the monsters became too severe, we were forced to request military assistance from Tallocium.”
The moment they had moved some distance away from the others, Luciano spoke.
Despite the content of his words, his voice remained perfectly calm.
“The °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° Holy Knights stationed around the temple are no longer enough.”
Valentis did not answer.
He felt that if he opened his mouth, his voice would tremble with rage.
‘Luciano has targeted Tie.’
If he had never learned Luciano’s true nature, what would have happened then?
Perhaps even now, Valentis would still believe dying for the church was righteous.
He would still think Luciano was a saint desperately trying to cleanse the corrupted World Tree.
But that was not the truth.
Everything he had believed in had turned out to be an illusion.
‘The longer I stay near Tie, the more strange things I remember, Father.’
He had not told Astie.
But he and his three sons had recently begun having strange dreams.
‘It feels like the future. But at the same time, it feels like the past. And the more time we spend with Tie, the clearer those memories become...’
At first, Valentis had not understood what Edmund, Leonardo, and Alexander meant.
But before long, he understood as well.
Strange dreams. Strange scenes.
‘...Commander. The Fourth Young Master...’
The voice of an adjutant entering with a devastated expression.
‘...Did you really confirm it? I’m asking if this is truly reliable information?!’
‘Theseos... in the end, you...’
‘No. That can’t be. Something like that couldn’t possibly have happened.’
Those memories matched Astie’s stories perfectly.
Tesetan had briefly crossed into another world.
And there, tragedy had ultimately befallen him...
Which caused time itself to reverse.
‘It wasn’t an illusion.’
Now he understood it not only with his mind, but with his heart.
“Valentis... you truly do look exhausted. It seems the journey here from Tallocium was difficult.”
How could a parent ever forget the pain of losing their own child?
Even if it happened in another timeline.
“...Yes.”
Valentis finally lifted his head.
And answered calmly:
“The journey was long. Perhaps I truly am growing old, Your Holiness. I no longer have the strength I once did.”
Luciano’s eyes widened slightly in surprise.
But soon, he smiled warmly once more.
“All people grow old, Valentis. But you must feel reassured now, no? Your sons have grown enough to take your place at any time.”
Luciano patted Valentis on the shoulder.
“However...”
But in the next moment, a sharp glint flashed through Luciano’s eyes.
“May I ask since when you became so close to the King of the Dead of Agavert?”
