Silent.

The shadows of the trees cast into the window moved with the sunlight, and in this small corner of the Branti Library, silence was the only response Kormit received.

Even he himself stared blankly at his knotted hands in silence, unable to break free from his memory for a long time.

He remembered angrily asking the people of Keith, who had taught them to do this, and did they really think that God would bless them with such a barbaric and cruel sacrifice?

The man who answered him looked right.

"God has given us everything, He has kept us away from war and disease, and He has given us abundant prey...... What's wrong with giving Him the most precious thing we have?"

"In that case, why don't you just give your life?!" Kurmit yelled at him.

"My life is no more precious than my daughter. The man's calm answer left him dumbfounded, "Isn't it better for her that she will return to God sooner than we all do, and that there will be no more pain or sorrow?"

Kormit was speechless.

It was at that moment that he realized that he could not convince, and was powerless to change, these people. He found someone he thought could do it...... But that may also be a mistake.

He looked up at the others. Kellian looked out the window, in a thoughtful daze, Duru stared at him in a daze, the look on his face hovering between fear and doubt, Travis lowered his head, his fingers scratching unconsciously on the table, his lips slightly open and closed, but he couldn't hear what he was saying.

“...... You know who sounds the most suspicious, right?"

Ultimately. It was Kellian who broke the silence.

Kurmit didn't answer.

Of course he knew...... But he didn't want to believe it.

If it all started with the sacrifice he destroyed in the village of Keith, everyone who knew about it was except the person concerned. Only Copas Fenton...... And he definitely has enough prestige and power to make other people who know or don't know the truth work for him, and he can even attack another priest without hesitation.

But...... That's Copas Fenton.

He still remembers the first time he met Copass. He was still young, and on a short, hot summer day he was escorting a convoy of merchants from Kam back to Balach, passing through a village that had just been ravaged by the floodwaters of the Vinz River, and the people who had to start from scratch did not have the exhaustion and despair on their faces as he had expected.

"There's a pastor here. He will help us. Someone told Kormit.

In Kormit's eyes at the time, it wasn't a great "help". There is nothing magical that instantly restores collapsed houses to their original state, and returns the accumulated silt to the riverbed. There wasn't even any chatter on the mission, the priest just taught them how to rebuild their homes faster, how to use the gifts left by the river, how to prevent the next disaster...... Frankly. It's not that people who live by the Vinz don't know what to do. They have long been accustomed to this kind of life.

But his presence was a miracle in itself – the village, which was often hit by floods, was visited by a priest, at least for the first time in the memory of those still alive.

Realizing that they were still under the watchful eye of the gods seemed to be enough to give them strength.

The rumors were nothing but the wind in his ears, and Kormit didn't take it to heart. But as he was about to leave, he met the legendary priest.

The young man with short black hair was dressed in a simple robe, which was gray at the moment, even if it was originally white. At first glance, he looks more like a soldier in his straight stance. With an angular, slightly serious face. In the humble tavern that had just been erected, almost everyone stood up to greet him. But respectfully kept his distance.

Merchants who go out and about always worship all the gods with great devotion. The caravan was so enthusiastic about the young priest that they generously offered gold coins and some goods of great value—jewels made by the dwarves, spices, wine, and cloth from the south......

Nominally, it was something to be offered to God, and Kormit had never heard of a priest who would refuse, but the young man shook his head with a smile.

If you are willing to exchange these for some seeds and tools to ship here, God will bless you in the same way. ”

He said.

At that time, Kurmit's heart swelled up not with admiration but with contempt—he hated such a gesture more than accepting it.

As he strode out of the tavern, he suddenly realized that the young man had not once mentioned the name of the god he believed in...... That's kind of weird.

Even after accidentally becoming a follower of Nessus a few years later and having more contact with Copas, the initial impressions remain ingrained in the memory. He cannot deny that Copas is an extremely reliable and respectable priest who does everything impeccably...... But it's so perfect that it's almost hypocritical.

He sternly admonished himself that it was a kind of prejudice, that the initial trace of contempt, but it was always there.

This only made him even more reluctant to doubt Copas—he feared that his judgment would be swayed by prejudices that he had no reason for.

He looked at Travis again. If anyone can change it...... Or to confirm his judgment, Travis is definitely one of them. As a recorder, this craftsman who does not know any spells can memorize the genealogy of almost every priest backwards.

As if sensing his gaze, Travis glanced up at him and quickly looked away.

He's scared—Comit realized. Copas is certainly something to be feared, and there is nothing to condemn if he is afraid of death...... But Kormit subconsciously felt that it wasn't that that really scared Travis.

“...... Are we going to sit here until we die?" asked Kellian impatiently.

“...... Maybe you can go and read the book. Kormit replied reluctantly.

Travis obviously knows something, but squeezing it out of him won't be easy. He needs more time...... and patience.

"At least half or more of the books here are nothing more than human self-righteousness. Kellian sneered at him, "I'm not bored to that point. ”

This sentence unexpectedly angered Travis.

"Even seemingly absurd rumors and fantasies contain truth, truth, and wisdom, and if you fail to judge and understand them, you will only prove your own foolishness!"

The bookmaker, who had spent most of his time in Blandy's library, glared, "And don't say like you're not human!"

-- Maybe not.

Kormit thought silently, but the vague speculation was more unreliable than the suspicion of Kopass.

"And what does your wisdom get out of that gibberish?" Kerion scoffed, "got the chance to sit here at a loss?"

Travis glared at him, his face pale.

Kormit was about to stop him, but he shut up when he thought about it.

"Nothing is new. Travis suddenly came out of nowhere.

Kurmit frowned slightly.

"What is happening has happened, and everything will come back to the beginning. ”

Travis's voice lowered and became more and more like some incomprehensible incantation, but Kellian only raised an eyebrow disapprovingly.

"Don't tell me you can travel through the flow of time. ”

He said, and then he was stunned, as if he had suddenly thought of something, his eyes were empty, and his thoughts obviously drifted away in an instant.

Travis didn't notice this. He looked in the direction of Kellian, but he didn't look at the man in his eyes, as if he was really looking at a phantom left over from some time.

Kormit and Duru looked at each other, silent only in the increasingly inexplicable conversation and in the increasingly eerie atmosphere.

As the priest's patience wore off, Kellian jerked his head to look out the window as if awakened from a dream.

Kurmit suddenly tensed, but before he could ask anything, Kellian had already opened the nearest window without a sound, rolled over and jumped out.

As he had to keep up, Kormit heard another exclamation - maybe the Blandi Library wasn't so safe.

But...... They're here in good shape, and if they're enemies who come to find them trouble, they'll be exposed too soon, right?.

When Kormit caught up with Kyrian, the young man was already standing under a spruce tree, and there were many people watching the excitement around like him, but no one dared to get too close, after all, if they accidentally got involved in the battle of the mage, they could only consider themselves unlucky.

Not far from them, one of the two men facing each other was apparently none other than the famous guardian of the Library, the blue and white stripes on the mage's robes that made it look more like a priest's robe, and the striking golden star mark on the chest indicated that they were from the Mage Guild.

It may not be appropriate to say "confrontation...... Because the other side was just apologizing constantly - Kormit didn't think he was here to hunt them down.

It was a young man about the same age as Kellian, of medium height, with black hair just hanging down to his shoulders, a little rough skin, and a slightly high forehead, and he didn't look nasty...... But it's not very smart, the dark blue eyes that opened in panic are already big enough, and at the moment it looks like a frightened puppy innocent, and the smile is slightly nervous but still quite flattering.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I really didn't know that place was inaccessible!" he raised his hands and apologized repeatedly, his eyes were extremely sincere, "I thought it was a shortcut! I was separated from my friend, I just want to find him as soon as possible!"

The mage was not very old, and he had been staring at him with a gloomy face, as if he did not intend to let him go.

"Who the hell are you?" he asked suddenly, "that door is not open for anyone!"

As he gripped his staff, Karian drew his bow with a dark face—and Kormit was horrified to find that the tip of his arrow was pointing in the mage's direction.

(To be continued......)