Everything seems to be back on track.

Lanmuir began to live as usual. He would sit in the shade of the flowers in the back garden and play the harp, walk barefoot down the white steps of the temple, and care for and enlighten every bewildered person who prayed to him.

It's just that sometimes I suddenly get foggy, standing in the bright sunshine in a daze, and I can't wake up after being screamed several times.

In his spare time, Miko hid in the study and carefully flipped through some ancient books that no one had turned over.

One day, the prophet and elder passed by the door and looked him from head to foot. Lanmuir looked up and chuckled, and politely called out "Elder," as cute as a little squirrel.

The Prophet Elder walked in with his scepter and gently asked him what he was reading. Ranmuir obediently showed him the sketch of the flowers in his hand. The old man smiled and stared at the book like a falcon. After turning it over twice, there was no flaw, so he had to return the book to Ranmuir.

Before leaving, the Prophet paused.

He suddenly leaned into the blonde boy's ear and spat out like a curse: "Miko, do you know that you are wrong now?"

Suddenly, Lanmuir's pupils constricted, and he clutched the corner of the table and breathed rapidly! The power of the spiritual spell was far more than a day or two of pain, and the same words instantly dragged him back to the torture of that day.

The old man cruelly repeated the same tone: "Miko, are you wrong?"

Lanmuir's eyes uncontrollably drifted, and he collapsed in a cold sweat as he muttered, "I...... Wrong...... Wrong......

"Demons, uh...... Evil...... Beelzebub...... Mistakes were made...... Repentance ......"

The blonde boy's consciousness gradually blurred, shaking his head and muttering hoarsely. Finally, his eyes were hollowly tilted on the mahogany chair, unable to spit out any meaningful words.

The Prophet finally nodded in relief and pinched the back of Ranmuir's neck with his mana, and Miko passed out silently.

He picked up his scepter, walked out of the study gracefully, and said to the knights who were not far away, "Miko-sama is asleep in the study, carry him back to the bedroom to rest."

But the next day, Lanmuir sat in his study and read as if nothing had happened. This time, he took a book of wild history and smiled when he saw something interesting.

The elders had been observing for many days, and it was difficult to discern how much effect the spirit spell had in the end. But they don't care.

Regardless of whether Lanmuir really hurt his brain or pretended to have amnesia, as long as the Son of God was in the temple, he was destined to not be able to turn over any storms, and it was impossible to find the "truth" he longed for.

Maintaining a semblance of peace in this way is not a bad thing.

Not long after, the temple released the news that the god son Lan Muir had succeeded in killing the demon king in the abyss.

On that day, the whole country celebrated, and the blonde boy appeared in front of everyone in a white robe.

He stood silently on the highest point, holding the Cross of Light in his hand, carrying the sacred golden bow on his back, and wearing a wreath of woven flowers on his head, silently accepting the cheers of all the people.

The elders stood in the back, pleased with the scene. See, if they want to mentally torture this child, there are many ways.

What if Lanmuir still retains his will? Such repeated devastation is unbearable for individuals. Time will wear away the boy's persistence until it is back under their control.

As the days go by, the autumn leaves fall, and gradually it is time to look forward to the snowfall. One seemingly ordinary morning, after Ranmuir had finished his customary prayer, Gilbert the knight entered.

"Miko-sama, have you been feeling better lately? A new 'demon-possessed' prisoner is being held in the prison of Intramuros and needs you to purify it. ”

"I see," said Ranmuir gently, "I'll pack up a bit, and I'll go."

Escorted by a group of knights, the carriage drove out of the temple and into the palace.

It is a different kind of opulence from the temple, with an elegant sleeping palace connected to a tower and a beautiful garden connected to a gazebo. There is a line of gray sparrows standing by the fountain, which decorates the winter day very refreshingly.

"Brother!"

As soon as Lanmuir was helped out of the carriage, he saw his brother Aiden running down the path. He shouted, "Aiden, slow down, watch your step." ”

The little prince of Aiden rushed to the carriage in three steps and two steps, and hugged Lanmuir in distress and did not let go: "How has my brother lost so much weight!" He pouted angrily, "Is it the temple elder bullying you?"

Lanmuir was stunned.

During this time, whoever saw him pale and emaciated and in a trance was talking about him being mutilated by demons. He slowly lowered his eyes and stroked his brother's hair: "...... Aiden, don't worry about me. ”

Aiden was taken aback: "Brother, why are your hands so cold!"

Lanmuir: "It's fine, just clean your hands with cold water before you go out."

Aiden was skeptical, but Lanmuir quickly diverted the topic. As the two brothers walked around the gardens of the palace, Ranmuir asked about his brother's homework.

"You have to work hard." "I have been killed by demons, and it is unknown whether I will be able to ascend the throne as a saint in the future. Aiden, you too

He is a child of the royal family, and he cannot be lax in his schoolwork. ”

Aiden was already disturbed by Ranmuir's much less than, and when he heard this, he was so sad that he almost cried.

He also heard Gilbert explain that Miko returned to the palace this time to purify, so he hurriedly hugged his brother and said, "If my brother is unwell, don't go today."

Lanmuir shook his head and smiled, "I'm going." It is my duty to liberate demon-possessed sinners only by the Son of God. ”

Soon after, Ranmuir said goodbye to his brother and asked him to greet his parents on his behalf. Accompanied by the knights, he walked to the prison of the royal capital.

In fact, at that time, the so-called "possessed by demons" did not really mean that the prisoner had any substantive relationship with the demons - the demons were sealed underground, how could ordinary people touch them?

In the Kingdom, this crime often refers to some insane madman, a man of wild speech, or a murderer who is extremely evil. Under the light of the Mother of Light, there should be no madness and sin in the world. If there are any wicked people, they must have been bewitched by the devil—this is the logic that the temple proclaims to the world.

According to the rules, such prisoners are to be purified by the Son of God before being sent to the guillotine.

"Miko-sama.

The warden opened the chains of the cell door for him and walked respectfully

Celebrant: "Purify the filth."

Lanmuir politely thanked him, and then walked inside. It was very dark in the prison, and the light of the wall lamps did not help. Gilbert carried a lantern for him and sent Miko down the long underground steps.

In the deepest part of the earth, through the chained iron fence, Ranmuir saw the "demon-possessed man".

The prisoner was wrapped in a dirty cloak, shackled hands and feet, and sat cross-legged on a straw pile, looking very thin with his back bent.

Hearing the footsteps, the prisoner turned his head and shouted in a hoarse voice, "Miko-sama."

Ranmuir's eyes, which had been silent for many days, suddenly glowed with a strange light.

It was an old woman with gray hair, her eyes were deep-set, and although her posture was calm, there was a strange fire under her eyes, like an angry bullfight.

Lanmuel took the lantern from the knight's hand: "Gil, go down first. Stay outside and don't let anyone else in. ”

"Yes, Miko-sama." Gilbert stroked his chest and stepped back, "Please be careful."

Ordinary people have nothing to say to such prisoners who have been sentenced to death. But it is common for the Son of God to be kind-hearted and want to talk to the condemned prisoner alone or something. So Gilbert and

Didn't think much about it.

Ranmuir watched the knight leave, and raised his hand to push open the door of the cell.

A few months passed, and it seemed that even Jill had forgotten, but Miko himself had not. On his return trip to the "Ritual of Purifying Evil" in the fall, he met an eccentric old woman.

Ranmuir stepped into the cell.

Just when he was still a dozen steps away from the old woman, the latter spoke: "Miko-sama, have you been to the abyss?"

The lantern in Ranmuir's hand flickered.

Before he could stabilize his mind, the rough voice asked again: Have you seen our compatriots?

Suddenly, like a hammer smashing on fragile thin ice, Lanmuir's face turned pale in an instant!

Not......

The lantern fell to the ground, and the candle flickered and went out. Miko snorted and staggered to the wall in the dark.

The old woman frowned: "Son of God?"

Ranmuir gasped in pain and struggled to say word by word: "...... I do...... Into the abyss. But I don't know what you're talking about.

As he spoke, he calmly raised his hand, gathered mana with trembling fingertips, and slowly cast a healing spell on himself that stabilized his spirit.

The old woman looked straight at him, as if vaguely guessing what might happen to the child, and her face showed a hint of shock.

"In that case," but she still refrained from probing, "what did the Son of God see in the abyss?"

Lanmuir closed his eyes and slowly calmed himself down.

He whispered, "I saw the endless darkness, the boiling flames, the creatures struggling in hell, and the layers of fog that made it impossible for me to see the way forward.

"The devil there bewitches me and deceives me. Claim that they are not inherently evil, and that the sun on earth should have their share. ”

The old woman asked, "What if that is not demagogy and deception?"

Lanmuir opened his eyes, and by this time he had completely calmed down, so that the clarity and tenacity under his eyes were finally unobstructed. "If not." He said quietly, "I should also walk on the path of the hadith."

The old woman's eyes widened, her wrinkled face twitching, her lips squirming.

The memory seems to go back to the day of the Cleansing Ceremony, the streets with cheering people, and the young Miko riding in the carriage. The gentle voice echoed through the cell again:

It is said in the Hadith: Whoever lives in the world does not carry it

Guilty. Those who are awake, those who know their mistakes, those who repent and make amends, will be guided by the light.

The old woman's bullfight-like angry eyes finally softened, and she looked at the young man in front of her in disbelief and heartache.

"Oh my God...... My child, you're ......," she held out her shackled hands, "what did those inhuman old things do to you? You look so weak......

Lanmuir shook his head and whispered, "It's nothing.

…… The spiritual spell that day did leave him with serious wounds.

He was not a good performer in the first place, and during this time, he suffered every torture from the elders. Those pains and emaciations are at least eighty percent of the most real physical reactions.

He just survived every time. I didn't lose myself, and I didn't let go of memories that shouldn't be forgotten. How dare you let go.

Every time he was on the verge of collapse, he would see the scarred young demon king, and see those eyes full of wildness and unyielding.

So Lanmuir laughed a little and repeated, "Far from it."

He knelt down opposite the old woman and straightened the fallen lantern, even though the flame had been extinguished.

"Please help me." Miko said.

No, I can't answer your questions, Miko-sama.

The old woman gathered her cloak and said hoarsely, "All I can do is tell you a bizarre story that has been drowned in history...... In fact, over the years, my companions and I have been looking for people who would listen to our stories, and that's why I'm here.

"I'd like to listen."

The old woman laughed: "Then Miko-sama, you must first know that I am a demon-possessed fellow, a madman."

"What I'm going to say next, if you don't want to believe it, can be considered the gibberish of a madman."

"This story happened a long, long time ago, about 200 years ago...... In the far north of the kingdom, there is a land called Gasso.

"At that time, although Gasuo could not be called a fertile field, it was not barren; Although the people cannot be called rich, they also live a life of sufficient food and clothing.

Afterward......

"Later?" Lanmuir leaned forward.

The old woman was silent in the darkness for a while and said: "Later, a war broke out there.