Lucia Heads to the Temple

We managed to make enough money doing short jobs like dishwashing and guarding important people to send letters from Iosca. Although there was a festival in town while we were there, we left immediately, heading towards the temple town of Remora. The layout was slightly strange. In the center of it was the temple, devoted to the sacred trees, while shops and homes for the priests surrounded it.

We might find a way to send Miss Maria home somewhere in this town. I couldn’t stop my heart from pounding. Would we be able to find one? I really wanted to. Whether she chooses to go home or not, it would still be better to give her a choice.

“Let’s go. We’ll head to the temple first and ask,” Sir Celes said stiffly, while offering me his hand. He must have been thinking the same thing.

“Alright!”

And so, we headed to the temple gates.

“You’d like to learn about the past Sacred Maiden...?” the priest asked, giving us a suspicious lookover. Granted, the first thing we did upon meeting him was show Sir Celes’s crest and ask a bunch of questions.

“Yes. We’d like to know how the Sacred Maiden was able to return to her home in another world.”

“Is that so... Let me summon a higher level priest for you. Please wait here.”

Saying that, the priest headed deeper inside the temple, clearly troubled.

“Sir Celes, will they really tell us?” I looked up to him, worried, and he gave me a strong nod back and said, “We just have to believe. We’ll definitely find a way to send her back. If they know how, all we need to do is keep begging until they tell us.”

Next to approach us was an elderly priest in much more extravagant robes than the last. The stole denoting his rank was scarlet, so he must have been very high up.

“So you want to know more about the Sacred Maiden?”

“Ah, yes! We’d like to know how she returned to her own world.”

“I see... But I cannot tell you. Our temple worships the Cristallo Sacro, but also the ancient Sacred Maiden. I can tell you what She achieved, but details regarding Her summoning are top-secret. Even if you are a knight from Banfield, I cannot tell you.”

“But...!” The words slipped from my mouth unintentionally. We need to know! We needed to give Miss Maria a way to go home, after all she’s done for our world... We can’t even do that!?

“Is there really nothing you can tell us? She needs to know!”

“Miss, I cannot let the details be public. What would we do if someone tried to forcibly send Her home? It’s too dangerous.” The priest gave a tired sigh. “His Highness, the Crown Prince Edoardo came a short while ago as well... It almost seems as though your country has lost the means to send Her home.”

“Eh!?”

“His Highness was here!?”

Shocked at what the priest had said, we both raised our voices. If His Highness came here, then that the rest of the party had come as well.

“It’s outrageous that She would be summoned with no way back to Her world. How could they face Her...”

“When were they here!?” Sir Celes suddenly stepped toward the priest.

He was initially taken aback, but after clearing his throat, he told us, “I saw them yesterday afternoon. They left town early this morning.”

“May I please borrow a horse? I swear on this emblem that I will return it! We’re in a hurry. I am the Captain of the Third Regiment of the Knights of the Kingdom of Banfield, Celestino Clementi. If you suspect us, I don’t mind if we’re followed. But every second counts. Please!”

Seeing how desperate we were, the priest agreed to lend us a horse. Thank goodness! If she had left the town this morning, we could catch up if we hurried! I felt myself fill with determination. Miss Maria, I’ll be right there!