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A silver flash sliced through the air.

The hand that he slowly withdrew from his coat was clutching a dagger that emitted a sharp gleam.

The silver blade glinted as it reflected the sunlight.

Trailing that light behind it, Calcedonia effortlessly dodged the slash that had been suddenly swung at her from point-blank range.

With a light, nimble step, she put distance between herself and him. At that very moment, one of the female worshippers in the courtyard let out a shrill scream.

A dagger had suddenly been drawn in the temple courtyard in broad daylight. It was no wonder the worshippers who witnessed it were startled and screamed.

“Everyone!! Hurry and get away from here!!”

Keeping her eyes fixed on him—his eyes glowing a menacing red as he held the dagger—Calcedonia urged the worshippers around her to take cover.

At first, the worshippers had stared blankly at Calcedonia and her companion, bewildered by the sudden turn of events. But as they realized the nature of the violent act unfolding before their eyes, they began to scream and flee.

With the believers making such a commotion, the temple’s soldier priests would surely be rushing over before long.

But Calcedonia intended to settle everything before they arrived.

The Specter possessing the man before her; If she could just tear it away, he would surely return to his former self—the gentle person Calcedonia had known since childhood.

He sharply swung his dagger at him, fully utilizing the enhanced physical abilities granted by the Specter’s possession, and Calcedonia deftly dodged it while her lips began to tremble as she chanted a spell.

.

Having poured all the water he had carried into the bathhouse’s tub, Tatsumi left the bathhouse to fetch more water.

As he set off toward the well in the backyard, Tatsumi noticed a man standing ahead of him.

“Oh, Morgan-san?”

That figure—Morganaik the Free Knight—stared intently at Tatsumi with a look of deep contemplation.

“Lord Tatsumi. I know this is rude, but I must ask. So, please answer honestly if you can. Who… who exactly are you?”
“Eh? Me…?”

Tatsumi pointed at himself, looking completely bewildered. Anyone suddenly asked who they were would likely react just like him.

“When I heard that His Eminence Chrysoprase deliberately tasked Calcie to welcome you, I had assumed you came from a distinguished family of a foreign country. But you… I’ve been observing you discreetly these past few days… and you’ve been handling menial tasks—the kind a person of standing would absolutely never do—without so much as a complaint. It’s true that, in theory, one’s background becomes irrelevant the moment one registers with the Temple, but the fact is, the Temple also has its own fetters that makes such an ideal hardly being upheld.”

Although the Temple is an organization isolated from secular matters such as national governance, it is true, as Morganaik said, that this is, in part, merely a pretense.

When members of the royal family or nobility join the Temple and become priests for whatever reason, they are usually granted a certain rank—such as an Acolyte or a Minister—from the very beginning. For this reason, priests of noble birth rarely perform the menial tasks carried out by lower-ranking clergy.

At first, Morganaik had assumed Tatsumi was of noble birth from another country, but seeing him perform menial tasks without complaint left him confused about who he really was.

“And if you were of commoner stock… I’m sorry to say this, but I don’t understand why His Eminence Chrysoprase would take an interest in you. It doesn’t seem like you’re an exceptionally gifted mage, after all.”

Morganaik was also a mage. To his eyes, he could see only a faint trace of mana emanating from Tatsumi’s body. With such a meager amount of magic, he could likely barely cast a basic spell.

“I’m not one for beating around the bush myself. So I’ll ask you straight out. Lord Tatsumi, who exactly are you? And… and what is your relationship with Calcie?”

His sincere, reddish-brown eyes pierced straight through Tatsumi.

In that earnest gaze lay the passionate feelings the Free Knight harbors for the Holy Maiden. Tatsumi sensed it clearly.

That is why.

That is why Tatsumi resolved to tell him the truth. That she was the one and only person who mattered to him.

But, in the end, he was unable to tell Morganaik that.

Just as Tatsumi was about to speak, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the temple corridor, and a priest in armor—a soldier priest—rushed over to Morganaik.

“L-Lord Morganaik!! It’s, it’s an emergency!!”
“What is it?”

Morganaik turned his gaze, one that held a severity different from the one he had directed at Tatsumi, toward the soldier priest.

“We’ve just received a report that someone possessed by a Specter was rampaging in the temple courtyard!”
“What!?”

A completely different light flashed in the eyes of the Free Knight. It was as if he had shifted from “daily life” to “wartime.” The change was so stark that even Tatsumi, who had no connection to battle whatsoever, could clearly see it.

“Who? Who has been possessed by the Specter? A worshipper who came to the temple to pray?”
“Th-the thing is…the one who’s possessed is… Lord Baldio, the assistant to His Eminence Chrysoprase!!”

.

Calcedonia calmly dodged the approaching blade.

Even as she did so, she continued chanting her spell. Those unaccustomed to casting magic often fail their incantations if their attention is even briefly diverted, but a skilled practitioner like her is capable of maintaining precise chanting while performing evasive maneuvers.

Calcedonia is a thoroughly experienced exorcist. Dodging a dagger wielded by an amateur is easy.

Although she is technically a rear guard, she has mastered at least the basic martial arts necessary for self-defense. Along with Morganaik, Calcedonia is one of the most skilled and accomplished exorcists in the Temple of Savaiv.

Calcedonia stepped back lightly once more and fixed her gaze on him—Baldio—whose eyes held an ominous red light.

Baldio and Calcedonia have known each other for a long time.

Calcedonia first met him when she was taken in by Giuseppe. At the time, Baldio—who was an apprentice assistant to Giuseppe—looked after the young Calcedonia with great care.

Promoted to apprentice assistant to the Supreme Pontiff in his mid-teens, Baldio is one of the clergymen with a promising future.

Born of commoner stock, he is also a diligent man who, through daily effort, has earned his current position as High Priest and the key role of assistant to the Supreme Pontiff.

For such a man as Baldio to be possessed by a Specter… Even as she looked directly into his crimson eyes, Calcedonia could not bring herself to believe it.

“…Please wait just a moment, Lord Baldio. I will exorcise the Specter possessing you at once.”

With a determined gleam in her ruby-like eyes, Calcedonia released the final line of the incantation she had been weaving.

The moment the spell was complete, the air around them shuddered with a rustling tremor.

No, it wasn’t the air.

Even though there was no wind, the trees and undergrowth planted throughout the temple grounds were stirring restlessly.

The undergrowth shot up rapidly, extending its green tendrils toward Baldio.

The trees rustled their leaves and branches, extending their limbs with a creaking sound.

The undergrowth and tree branches were attempting to entangle Baldio. The magic Calcedonia had just cast was the Bush Restraints of the Tree branch of magic. As the name implies, it is a spell that uses plant branches and grass to restrict the target’s movement.

Baldio slashed at the undergrowth and tree branches reaching toward him with the dagger in his hand.

But no matter how much Baldio slashed at them, the undergrowth and branches kept growing back one after another.

Although his physical abilities have increased due to being possessed by a Specter, he has not undergone combat training, so the extent of his improvement is limited.

The undergrowth and tree branches swarming at him from all sides gradually constrain his body, eventually restraining him completely.

Once Calcedonia confirms that Bardio is immobilized, she begins chanting another spell.

The next spell she chants is the Exorcism spell of the Light and Holy branches. It is a spell designed to tear the possessing Specter from the target’s body.

Exorcism is difficult to aim at a target that is moving around. Therefore, when using Exorcism, it is necessary to immobilize the opponent to some extent.

Normally. When she works as an exorcist alongside Morganaik, it’s the Free Knight who would contain the target’s movements and hold them in place.

But now that he wasn’t there, she first needed to restrain Baldio with a different spell.

Entangled in vines, Baldio twisted his body frantically, trying to break free. But the entangling vines were surprisingly resilient; no matter how forcefully he moved, he couldn’t tear them apart.

Keeping her eyes fixed on Bardio, Calcedonia wove her spell.

Within Calcedonia’s body, the power of the Holy magic gradually surged. Sensing this, Baldio—no, the Specter possessing Baldio—desperately tried to shake off the restraints, attempting to escape the Holy magic that was its natural enemy.

But it was already too late.

The moment Calcedonia completed the Exorcism spell, a pure silver light surged up from the ground at Baldio’s feet.

.

“So Calcie is there…?”

Upon hearing the soldier priest’s report, Morganaik’s previously stern expression softened slightly.

In stark contrast to the Free Knight, Tatsumi’s face turned pale in an instant.

“W-Wait, you mean Chiko is facing off against a man with a knife!?”

For a split second, the image of Calcedonia lying bloodied on the ground flashed through Tatsumi’s mind.

With a clatter, the water bucket and pole Tatsumi was holding fell to the temple floor.

He was about to dash off. Naturally, his destination was the temple courtyard where Calcedonia was.

But Morganaik’s calm voice called out from behind him, urging him to stop.

“There’s no need to panic, Lord Tatsumi. Even if he’s possessed by a Specter, there’s no way Calcie could be outmatched by Lord Baldio, who has only basic combat training.”
“B-but…!! What if something happens!?”

Morganaik continued speaking, wearing a look of surprise at Tatsumi’s sudden outburst.

“Of course, I’m not saying you shouldn’t go to her aid. But even if you do go to help her, what do you intend to do, Lord Tatsumi, if you go unarmed?”

Hearing this, Tatsumi snapped to attention.

True to his role as a soldier priest, Morganaik was clad in plate armor and wore a longsword at his waist. In contrast, Tatsumi was wearing nothing but a standard priest’s robe. Naturally, Tatsumi had absolutely no experience in martial arts.

“At the very least, you should carry a weapon to defend yourself.”

Morganaik borrowed the short spear carried by the soldier priest who had brought the news, then tossed it toward Tatsumi.

“I am aware that you will follow suit even if I told you not to. Then you must at least defend yourself.”

Though slightly intimidated by the menacing glint on the spearhead, Tatsumi nodded firmly at Morganaik’s words.

.

The divine, evil-banishing silver light gradually faded.

When the silver light finally vanished completely, Baldio stood frozen in place, a dazed expression on his face.

Calcedonia carefully observed Baldio’s condition.

Her Exorcism spell was extremely powerful, but even so, it did not always succeed in banishing the Specter. It was entirely possible for a particularly strong Specter to resist the power of her spell.

Since the duration of Bush Restraints had also expired, Baldio was no longer restrained. While preparing to cast the spell again at any moment, Calcedonia carefully observed Baldio and his surroundings.

After watching for about five minutes—according to Tatsumi’s perception—Calcedonia confirmed that there was no red light in Baldio’s eyes and let out a sigh of relief, relaxing her shoulders.

“Lord Baldio? Are you all right?”
“Ca… Calcie…”

Baldio’s gaze, which had been wandering aimlessly, turned toward Calcedonia.

Just as Calcedonia exhaled in relief, thinking he seemed to be all right…

Suddenly, Baldio let out a sharp cry.

“R-run, Calcedonia!! That thing… the Specter… is still inside me…!!”