As night fell, dim lights appeared in the alleyways.
Soara's alleys only light up when the sun sets.
However, nowadays, everyone stays awake all night, regardless of day or night.
"Here's another drink!"
"The sausage is spectacular."
The loud shouts of the men echoed through the back alleys.
The war wasn't over, but those who returned to Soara were victors, each with a few tinkling gold coins in their pockets.
"It seems like everyone made a lot of money, right?"
"Yeah, they did."
It was a bustling time, but Jemina was watching from the fourth floor with Vlad. Among the noisy crowd of drinkers, she could see the employees bustling about, but Gemina, who was already exhausted, needed at least a brief break.
"Did you make a lot of money too?"
"Knights receive their salary all at once at the end of the year. It's a performance-based bonus."
Downstairs in the lobby, several soldiers noticed Vlad leaning against the railing and began raising their glasses high.
Vlad's presence must have played a role in Rose's Smile being especially crowded among the many shops in the back alley.
"But why does your expression look so rotten? Has it been like that since you went to church?"
"Where's Marcella? I can't see her."
Vlad quickly changed the subject, avoiding Zemina, who was watching him closely.
Because he knew that lying would never work in front of the girl he had spent the most time of his life with.
"Marcella doesn't come to the shop often these days."
Fortunately, he managed to divert Zemina's attention, but what came out of her mouth was another concern.
"Why? Is she in pain?"
"It's not painful..."
Zemina approached Vlad as if to hear what he had to say, tiptoed, and placed both arms on the railing.
"She wants to retire now. She's old enough to do that."
"...Oh, yes."
After hearing Zemina's concerns, Vlad tilted the glass he had in his hand and made a bitter expression.
Indeed, you probably aren't old enough to retire yet.
Still, the reason Vlad nodded without saying anything was because he fully understood the hardships she had gone through.
I don't know about retirement, but it's definitely time for a break.
"So, what's going on here?"
"..."
Vlad asked seriously, but didn't receive the answer he expected.
Zemina, who was supposed to answer the question, simply rested her head on the railing and silently looked at Vlad.
"When people ask why, the answer is..."
"What about me?"
Crowded shops, noisy drunks.
However, it was only her softly spoken question that reached Vlad's ears.
"How do I look? Do you think I can do it?"
Zemina's eyes looking at Vlad were somehow serious.
Zemina was asking a question that omitted many things, but Vlad realized upon meeting those slightly trembling eyes.
Now is the time to tell her.
"...You can do it then."
There was always a red-haired girl next to the boy standing in the mud and staring at the sword incessantly.
It was a sword worth 5 gold coins that he could never collect in his life, but this was the girl who had said she would buy him that sword.
"Compared to Marcella, things are smaller, but it's enough for you."
"…Hey, are you crazy?"
Vlad began to laugh as he watched Zemina gearing up to make a fuss.
As expected, it was nice to see Zemina moving instead of worrying.
Since I received it, I have to return it.
Because I still haven't paid for the sword.
From now on, Vlad decided to return the courage and comfort he received from the girl that day.
***
Last night, Vlad and Harven arrived at the church with the children following the waves of the night, and soon they began to move to the bishop's office where Andreas was, following the guide of the priest who came to receive them.
"Hey. I cleaned it so much that the floor is reflecting my face."
"Please, don't look around so rudely. Shelter."
Although he was actually telling Harven to shut up, Vlad's steps as he walked through the church were equally tense.
It was worth it because he had no experience coming here except when he came for a bloody trial, so there was no way he had good memories.
"Sir Knight. I was waiting."
"Eh?"
As he followed the anonymous priest's guide inside, Vlad was greeted by the face of a familiar child.
"Ah, yes, Deacon."
"It's been a while since I saw you. Have you had any trouble until now?"
A child who seems to be about the same age as Charlotte.
The boy, who didn't seem to be more than 13 years old, was the young deacon who always followed Andreas.
"Pleased to meet you. I still recite the prayer you taught me every morning and every night."
"Wow. That prayer is not something to be memorized at those times."
It was the current deacon who helped Vlad pray for the first time in the church of Varna.
Vlad couldn't forget the first time he knelt before God, but it seemed he had to memorize several prayers.
"But it doesn't matter. If you're sincere, God will know."
"Thank you for your understanding, Deacon."
The deacon, who had become a little more mature than when Vlad first saw him, suddenly smiled quietly and brushed off Vlad's mistake.
Harven's laughter behind him was annoying, but Vlad decided to bear it, seeing that they had met for the first time in a long time.
"The bishop is waiting."
"Oh. The bishop."
As soon as he heard the word bishop, Harven quickly took off his captain's hat and began to adjust it.
A man from the alleys meets a bishop from a high-ranking city.
For Harven, it was probably as emotional a moment as when he got his first boat.
"How is it. There's nothing on it."
"...If there was anything on it, I would have just cleaned it."
Although they had said that, the two quickly checked each other's attire and began to head to the bishop's office following the deacon's instructions.
Click-
"Bishop. Lord Vlad has arrived."
Vlad and Harven looked around at the same time as they finally found the bishop's office.
Asking for directions in an unfamiliar building is like a habit for those who live in the alleys.
However, the young deacon just laughed, thinking they looked like nodding parrots.
"Come in! Knight Vlad!"
"Let's go in."
Vlad turned the handle as he heard Andreas welcome him with all his might.
In the place that opened with a creak, Andreas was waiting, pointing at Vlad as if he were at the gate of the castle.
"Welcome. Have you had dinner?"
"I already ate, but I can eat again."
"Haha! After all, it's mealtime."
Andreas's gaze towards Vlad was generous.
That would have to be the case.
Until now, Bishop Andreas had vouched for Vlad, but the young man who had grown up now had become proof supporting Andreas's honor.
"Is he here?"
"This is Refuge. I am conducting a small boat. Bishop."
It was a somewhat awkward greeting, perhaps because he had learned it from Vlad, but Andreas's eyes brightened as he looked at Harven.
What was visible next to the inert leg was clearly a cane, but the man called Harven referred to himself as captain.
"You didn't yield to the waves of difficulties. You're amazing."
"No. Bishop."
A smile appeared again on Andreas's face as he saw the alley youth enjoying the sea despite his disability.
As expected, his choice to support the alleys of Soara seemed to be correct.
"Well, well. Sit down, everyone."
Andreas, somewhat unusual for a bishop, personally led the guests to their seats and began to prepare tea with familiar hands.
The young deacon also seemed to have a knack for helping him.
"There's a lot of noise."
"Because the café isn't built yet. They're using the church building in a hurry."
As he released the tension with a sip of tea, he heard a sound.
The shrill and talkative voices seemed to be children from the alleys who had come to the church with them.
"I'm already interested in this cause, so I'd like to make a small donation..."
"Wow. Wow. That's fine. Many donations are coming in these days."
Andreas, who had guessed Vlad's financial situation, raised his hands and laughed it off.
The children said they even received a blanket from Vlad, so they must have already spent the money one way or another.
"It seems like everyone wanted to greet since a new bishop arrived. Honestly, I didn't want to be a bishop or anything like that because I hated this kind of thing."
For some, it was a valuable purpose, but for faithful priests, it was simply a bothersome burden.
Seeing Andreas say he was really annoyed by donations sent by influential people in the city, Harven quickly hid the bag of gold coins he had brought with him.
"Is there any reason you called me separately?"
"...Actually, I missed you too."
Andreas, who knew Vlad's temperament well, left the teacup with a subtle expression.
The Vlad he had seen was a man who preferred to speak directly rather than beat around the bush.
"The Northern Orthodox Church... actually began in San Logino. You also know that, right?"
"That's right."
The Northern Orthodox Church was a sect that originated in the northern diocese of San Logino.
Discrimination against the North did not limit itself to territory, not even between the Vatican and San Logino.
"Although we did little in the past, there was still support from the Vatican. But now."
"It's all cut off."
Vlad felt he could understand a little why Andreas had called him here.
As he said, the issue is not simply the lack of money.
What the current Northern Orthodox Church lacks most are human resources.
"I wanted to ask you a favor, but surprisingly, it was difficult to find a faithful person among the knights. Right now, there's no one like you here in Soara."
Andreas pointed to Vlad's chest as he said he was faithful.
There was an inscription engraved on it that said: "The knight who protected the breath of the children", recognized by San Logino.
"I also received permission from Lord Joseph. Do you mind if I ask for your help for a while?"
"Take everything you can and spend it. Vlad of Soara came from the bishop."
Andreas was a renowned priest, but due to the nature of his skills, he had no ties to people in special positions like Inquisitors or Holy Knights.
In other words, there was no choice but to seek cooperation from Bayezid in using force.
"I thought you would say that."
When Andreas laughed as if he liked Vlad's cold response, Harven, who knew nothing, also started laughing with him.
His desperate efforts to keep up with the atmosphere were tenacious.
"So what exactly ?"
"First of all, I also have to ask a favor from Soara."
Andreas looked directly at his young deacon, as if he had already decided where they would use Vlad.
"I wanted you to help that guy."
"Deacon?"
Upon hearing Andreas's completely unexpected words, Vlad looked at the young deacon who was slowly putting away the tea utensils.
"Now is the time for him to go from being a deacon to becoming an official priest. He has to take a test for that."
Andreas appreciated his young deacon because they had been together for a long time.
They were taken in and raised from a very young age, so they were practically like sons.
"Is this a test I can help you with?"
"I suppose so. This is not a test where you sit down and scribble on paper."
The term "test" in the church also meant trials.
Just as Andreas worked hard all his life to exterminate monsters, true priests would go out in search of their own trials to preach God's will.
"I plan to send this boy to Baron Utman. Although the Vatican has eliminated evil beings there, there may still be darkness."
"...Baron Utman."
Baron Utman and a strange being.
After hearing Andreas's story, Vlad silently set down his teacup and looked at the young deacon.
"Now that I think about it, he was a talented person."
"Yes. Didn't you hear it then?"
As Andreas said, Vlad definitely heard it.
The hymn of the young deacon that echoed in the fog that was not visible at all.
If it weren't for the song that said "Rest your throat," Joseph probably would have been killed by the woman shedding black tears.
If it weren't for the song asking for his voice to become hoarse, Joseph probably would have been killed by the woman shedding black tears.
"Haha. Relax your expression a bit. I'm not asking you to leave right away, and besides, this place is not as dangerous as it used to be."
"Yes?"
At Andreas's subtle suggestion, Vlad quickly turned to the mirror he had beside him.
With furrowed brows and a stern, rigid expression.
The expression he had directed towards the young deacon until a moment ago was clearly similar to the expression he had seen in the portrait of the priestess.
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