At the sudden confession, Lilia wore an expression of great surprise. Then, with a gloomy face, she sighed.
"But my lady, how could I possibly go up alone, leaving His Highness behind?"
Isn't a man who brings his fiancée to such a dangerous place the strange one instead?
Count Ruejak's young lady could not bring herself to say that. Regardless of her personal sentiments, the other party was the Crown Prince, so she always had to be careful with her words and actions.
Lilia, who had been quietly watching the countess stamp her feet in frustration, slowly averted her gaze.
Lilia's expression as she looked into empty air was very peculiar.
"So the Dullahan is targeting His Highness the Crown Prince..."
Lilia, mulling over the countess's words, narrowed her eyes. She pulled in her chin, lowering her head, and murmured quietly.
"Then the Resurrected One will appear nearby as well?"
"Pardon?"
Count Ruejak's young lady asked reflexively. Just moments ago, she thought she saw a smile cross Lilia's lips, but when Lilia raised her head, her face was nothing but serious.
Far from smiling, she looked thoroughly tense. Perhaps she had misseen the smile.
"I just thought we should take every precaution for His Highness's protection. We need to bring more skilled knights. And hire mercenaries too."
Lilia took the countess's hand in hers. As warmth transmitted through her firmly held hand, the countess felt inexplicably relieved.
"Thank you for telling me, my lady. I will never forget your help."
Ah, she had been of help to Lilia.
Count Ruejak's young lady was seized by an incomprehensible joy.
It felt as if this were her proper role, as if she had done her part, and she felt nothing but fulfillment.
* * *
"You say the number of monster hunters has increased."
At Samuel's indifferent murmur, the priest across from him nodded.
"Yes, it seems they are targeting the Dullahan that supposedly appeared here."
What they were really targeting was not the Dullahan but Anneli.
Samuel had heard the information obtained from interrogating one of the assassins who attacked them previously. According to that intelligence, 'monster hunters' was merely an honorable pretext.
They were backed by Lilia Roam in the first place. Who the target was didn't even need to be seen.
"As Sir Samuel reported, they really were cultists. The temple is regulating them, worried that their actions might bring shame to the Resurrected One's conduct, but their movements are unusual."
The priest's deeply furrowed face revealed a faint disgust toward the cultists. Samuel pressed his lips together firmly, lost in thought.
The place Samuel was currently at was a small temple located a short distance from the village.
Temples in small villages were rare to begin with, but it seemed one was built here as an exception since the lord's villa was nearby.
'It was good that I visited.'
Samuel had come to observe the local atmosphere and the state of temples within the Montel territory.
And through his conversation with the priest, he learned how much animosity the monster hunters had attracted, so it wasn't a bad result.
'At least in this region, their activities are clearly being rejected.'
The priest was a native born and raised in the village who had lived there his entire life. Perhaps because of that, an untainted simplicity and innocence showed through.
"Don't worry. Not just me, but all the priests in the Montel territory will actively work to prevent the cultists' activities. We're also frequently urging the local residents."
Would priests alone step forward? The paladins who voluntarily came to the Montel territory saying they would confront monsters would now be targeting not the Dullahan but the cultists.
The Dullahan would be handled by the Resurrected One, so dealing with the cultists who attacked the Resurrected One would be more fitting to their 'beliefs.'
"Of course I trust you."
When Samuel answered stiffly, the priest's expression became strangely excited.
"B-but, if I may ask... does the Resurrected One have any plans to visit the temple...?"
The priest's face was filled with anticipation. Naturally, the priest would have no other chance to receive the Resurrected One if not now, so it was understandable that he would reveal his true feelings despite his embarrassment.
Samuel understood his position, but unfortunately, he couldn't give a positive answer.
First of all, Anneli distrusted temples. Just as she did with other places.
No matter how faithful Samuel was, he couldn't pretend forever not to know about Anneli's resentment toward temples and clergy.
'She won't come.'
Anneli was probably at the lord's villa by now. Waiting for news of the Crown Prince and gauging when to move.
"Unfortunately..."
Just as Samuel was about to say that Anneli wouldn't come—
"Father, Father! She's here!"
One of the temple volunteers who had been sweeping the front yard came running into the chapel, broom still clutched in hand. The volunteer's face was thoroughly flushed.
"The Resurrected One has visited!"
The priest's eyes went wide. Whether he forgot he was in the middle of conversation with Samuel or not, he rushed toward the entrance, his priestly robes fluttering.
Samuel blankly watched the retreating figures of the volunteer and priest hurrying out of the chapel.
'Who...'
Who came to the temple?
Samuel, left alone before the statue, felt his mind stuttering more than ever before. The volunteer had clearly said 'Resurrected One' just moments ago.
There was only one person who would be called by that title.
Samuel gazed at the chapel entrance with a bewildered expression. Judging by the noise outside, it seemed a significant guest had indeed visited.
A moment later, the chapel door swung wide open, and the priest appeared with a shy smile.
He was guiding someone.
"So this is where you were, Sir Samuel."
The person walking in behind the priest was Anneli. She surveyed the chapel with listless eyes, putting on a gentle expression only when the priest looked at her.
"The temple is small, so there isn't a suitable place for conversation."
"What other place would be needed besides the chapel for those who serve the gods?"
Anneli replied warmly to the priest, who was blushing as if apologetic, then strode toward Samuel.
Samuel was still standing there blankly. It wasn't until Anneli asked the priest to 'leave them alone for a moment so they could talk' that he finally came to his senses.
"Sir Samuel, why are you so dazed?"
"...If I had known you would come, I would have moved with you from the start. Was the journey not troublesome?"
"I decided after you departed. And as for the journey... though the road was rough, Nadab's ride is always excellent."
Anneli answered casually and turned her gaze to a window on the side wall of the chapel.
The chapel interior itself was narrow, so the distance to the window wasn't far, and given the situation, there was no need to make an effort to look outside.
Outside, a black horse named Nadav stood quietly tied to a line.
She could even see Nadav pretending to drink water, surrounded by the kindness of temple volunteers.
"There are monsters in the world that respect temples, you know. No one would ever guess."
Anneli smiled faintly, as if finding it amusing that a Dullahan transformed into a horse was standing brazenly in the temple's front yard.
"But why so serious? Did you hear some bad news?"
"What made you decide to come?"
Instead of answering Anneli's question, Samuel changed the subject.
She didn't seem inclined to press for an answer, so she readily answered his question.
"They said it was a small temple with only one priest. I thought there wouldn't be many people to bother me, so I came."
"Didn't you dislike places like this to begin with?"
"Oh, so you do know I dislike temples?"
Anneli looked at Samuel with eyes raised as if genuinely surprised.
Samuel, who was watching Anneli purely admiring this fact, swallowed dryly and composed his expression.
"How could I not know? You always tell me you won't go to temples."
"That's true."
Anneli, with her hands behind her back, walked leisurely as if touring the chapel.
She briefly stopped before the roughly made statue and looked at it intently. It seemed less out of holiness and more out of simple curiosity.
"I thought visiting a local temple would be good for showing off the Resurrected One's influence. That way, Maxel will rush to try something. When he moves, Lilia will move too."
She seemed to be in a good mood, answering more kindly than usual. So he should rightfully enjoy this unexpected fortune.
But Samuel couldn't.
"...Did you come alone?"
"I don't move alone, do I?"
"It's strange that the mage didn't follow. Or instead of him following, did he cast some kind of... concealment magic?"
Samuel prayed his question wouldn't sound strange.
"As much as you dislike the Magic Tower, Xenon dislikes temples. Knowing that, I didn't want to force him to come."
Fortunately, Anneli seemed to take it as him simply expressing his dissatisfaction with Xenon.
"Even if he dislikes it, isn't he the type to follow anyway?"
"Well, he is in the vicinity, at least."
If Xenon had followed to the vicinity, he probably wouldn't have cast concealment magic on Anneli.
So that meant Anneli was moving as usual now. Without any special concealment.
'But why...'
Samuel stared at Anneli for a moment, then turned his body.
From behind, he could sense Anneli's presence. It wasn't simply a presence felt from proximity, but her existence that he could feel because he was Samuel.
'My senses haven't completely disappeared.'
Yet his instinct-like senses that could know her location anytime, anywhere had not worked just moments ago. Why?
Actually, he had experienced something similar before.
Right when he had handed over the assassins to the temple and was trying to return to Anneli. For a very brief moment, he couldn't detect Anneli's location, so it took time to rejoin her.
'...So that wasn't a misconception.'
Samuel felt a chill run down his spine.
His clenched fists to hide his agitation became damp with cold sweat.