Lara rode on Demian’s horse to the outskirts of the capital to go to the inn that she visited with him a while ago. The inn had a solitary impression, it was located in a remote location and had a shabby exterior. So the only guests were travelers or peddlers taking a break for a while because they did not have the energy to go to the capital at night.
“Is the magic lamp really there? In the basement of the inn?”
“Yeah.”
“What are you going to do if people find out it was there? I can’t believe there’s a magic lamp there… I thought relics like that were all gone a long time ago.”
“The Empire is not an empire for nothing. Being the Crown Prince, he would have no problem in using three or four relics for personal use.”
It was a great shock to Lara to be able to have a conversation with someone far away using a magic lamp. After the disappearance of sorcerers together with God's power, all magic that was left in Hautean was simple illumination magic─ones that could be made as long as there was the blueprint.
“We need to tell Acerus and the innkeeper that you’re the saintess. Are you going to be okay?”
“Yes, I am.”
Lara was about to tell Demian that it was okay because Crown Prince Acerus was the last human hero, but she quickly shut her mouth. She did not think that Demian needed to know about the terrible future that God had shown her. Instead, she came up with something more pleasant to hear.
“Because he’s someone that you trust.”
“That’s an honor.”
Demian stopped by the blacksmith on the way to buy a new hinge. It was a sturdy hinge that was even well oiled.
“Are you going to fix the door?”
“He threatened to leave once the door fell.”
“I think you’re quite sweet sometimes.”
“Do you mean it?”
“Sometimes, just sometimes.”
“That’s absurd.”
“If the Crown Prince finds out that I’m the saintess, is he going to get mad and order you to bring me to the Empire immediately?”
Demian promised not to take Lara anywhere if she did not want to. So until now, he had not even told Acerus that he had found the saintess.
“He’s going to swear a little bit.”
“What?”
“Just let it slide.”
A cursing Crown Prince. Lara looked like she was about to smile, but she just nodded.
As soon as they arrived at the inn, the innkeeper saw Demian and straight-up frowned. But when he found Lara, he approached her with a kind smile.
“Welcome.”
“Hello.”
“I told you not to pretend to be kind.”
Demian grinned and sat down at the bar. Then, he took out the new hinge and showed it to the innkeeper.
“Gift.”
“Is that a trap?”
“It’s up to you whatever you want to think it is.”
The innkeeper did not get rid of his doubts about the hinge Demian had bought. Demian took the hinge and threw it onto the counter.
“Fix it now.”
“No.”
“I did my best to buy this…”
“Did you lace it with poison?”
“I didn’t.”
Neither courtesy nor consideration could be found in their conversations. However, there was a friendly feeling to each other in their rough and coarse tones, so Lara just smiled listening to their conversations.
The innkeeper asked Lara.
“Are you hungry?”
“No, I already ate.”
“Then, what brings you here?”
This time, Demian answered his question. He gave a look at the basement and said.
“Turn on the lamp.”
The innkeeper did not say anything for a while. His movements of wiping the table with a dishcloth and tying the loose apron again were very natural.
Demian said again.
“She’s the one whom that playboy is frantically searching for.”
“Are you sure?”
“I swear.”
“On what?”
“My life.”
“Hmm… Follow me.”
The innkeeper led the way. Lara bowed politely to him and went down to the basement.
It was an ordinary basement with piles of potato bags. Demian, who followed Lara down, rolled up his sleeves and moved two potato bags at once to one side. Then he lifted an old lamp in the corner of the basement.
“Gosh, even this kind of thing is happening.”
“Oh well, you live and learn.”
“Shut up.”
The innkeeper clicked his tongue at Demian. Soon, he closed his eyes and chanted a very long spell. They were completely incomprehensible words. It was like a native language from a foreign and distant province. When the innkeeper had finished, the old lamp dimly lit up.
“It’s like magical lighting.”
“It has the same principle.”
Answered the innkeeper.
The innkeeper glanced at Demian before leaving the basement. When he closed the door and disappeared, Demian shrugged.
“He could just stay, but he always goes outside like that.”
“I think he’s a good man.”
“You’re probably the only one who thinks like that.”
While they were having a short conversation, the light from the lamp flickered slightly. Soon, there was a voice that only Demian was familiar with.
「You bastard. If you cut our conversation short like last time, I’ll really…」
“I have brought the saintess.”
「…Not mind. Saintess, how are you?」
Demian said he would curse. He really did.
The voice was manly and heavy, but his tone was like an adolescent boy. When Lara glanced at Demian as if asking him if the voice was really the Crown Prince of the Empire, he frowned and nodded.
Lara managed to hold back her laughter and spoke to the lamp.
“Hello, Crown Prince.”
「Hmm… He’s right? Thank you. But saintess, hmm… Are you really the saintess?」
“I’m also hoping it’s not me.”
「That’s… That’s right. I guess…」
Acerus sounded really flustered. The voice that was heard from beyond the lamp was getting longer and longer. It sounded like he had something to say but he was frustrated because he could not bear to do it. Demian, who was unable to remain a spectator, spoke out.
“She’s indeed the saintess.”
「How did you know that?」
“If you’re that suspicious, come and see for yourself.”
Acerus mumbled something in a very small voice. Lara thought that it was probably a harsh curse.
「Saintess.」
“Yes.”
「I’m the Crown Prince of Tarragon, Acerus.」
“Yes, and I’m saintess… Lara.”
Lara almost followed him and cursed in spite of herself. She got goosebumps all over her body when she said she was the saintess with her own mouth. It did not happen when she was the fake, but it was weird and embarrassing when she really became the saintess.
「Saintess, I will be straightforward. I want you to come to the Empire as soon as possible.」
“Yes.”
「Because we… Pardon?」
“I will go to the Empire. But not now.”
「What do you mean?」
“God asked me to find his name. But it is hard to get a proper clue here.
「God did not know his own name?」
“Yes.”
Another curse was heard over the lamp but Lara wisely pretended not to hear it.
“So, Your Imperial Highness, I would like you to examine the relics and records that are in the Empire.”
「That crazy- I mean… Yes.」
“There’s a statue of that God in front of the prayer room here. All the other God statues are holding either their symbolic weapons or books, but he is the only one with his arms slightly forward holding nothing.”
Lara further elaborated on the characteristics of the statue that she remembered. Acerus listened carefully. Then, he accepted her request without much hesitation.
「Okay, I got it.」
“Please find God’s name.”
「I will investigate that for now. If I find out who your God is, you must come to Tarragon.」
“Does that mean you believe that I’m the saintess?”
「I don’t believe in you, but that bastard, Demian.」
Lara looked at Demian with a surprised look. He just shrugged and smiled.
「Saintess, I’m sorry, but could you please leave for a moment?」
Acerus wanted to have a private conversation with Demian. Lara agreed and greeted the Crown Prince before going out of the basement. The innkeeper was fixing the hinge with gloves on.
“Are you done already?”
“We decided to go into details later on. It seems that the lamp will go out soon.”
The innkeeper nodded and returned to the kitchen after repairing the hinge. Soon, there was an appetizing dish in front of Lara. It was a steaming bowl of vegetable soup and well-cooked chicken.
“Help yourself.”
“Thank you.”
“Are you really the saintess?”
“Probably so.”
“God is so wicked. You’re at the age where you should be busy dating and having fun, but instead, he made you the saintess… Tsk tsk.”
“Tell me about it.”
While Lara was eating with a smile, Demian returned. He strode over and sat next to Lara. Then, he talked to her with a subtly displeased look.
“Lara.”
“I’m listening.”
“He gave two conditions.”
“What is it?”
“First, you won’t reveal to the public that you’re the saintess until he wants to.”
“I already expected that.”
“Second… allow him to talk to God when he needs it in the Empire someday.”
While chewing bread, Lara suddenly froze.
“I don’t think the two of them would make good conversation partners.”
A conversation between the foul-mouthed Crown Prince and God who had his heads in the clouds. Lara frowned. She was already tired when she thought of becoming a mediator in their conversations.
