CHAPTER ONE

A day had passed since Desarev’s lively festival.

Even before dawn broke, Col followed Myuri’s lead as they quietly exited the Debau Company room they were staying in.

Dressed in their traveling clothes and with their rucksacks on their backs, they tiptoed down the hall. Myuri kept an eye on their surroundings, using her toe to poke at floorboards that might make noise before striding over them as they weaved through the complicated interior without getting lost in the dark. Their last obstacle was the loading area, where the apprentice boys slept. After passing through there, they finally managed to make it outside without anyone noticing.

They peered back through the darkness at where the Debau Company trading house stood, looking at the place that had been their home during their time in Desarev.

There was no master of the house for them to say their good-byes and thank-yous to anymore. Since the head of this branch office had turned out to be the criminal responsible for selling the cathedral’s treasures in secret, the president of the Debau Company, Hilde, dealt with the aftermath of the incident by taking him to the company’s main office.

And so, while Col felt a bit coldhearted leaving like this, he had still left behind a letter thanking the company workers for their hospitality and explaining that they were leaving to continue their journey.

“The escape was a huge success.”

Despite how this was normally the time of morning when Myuri would be in a deep slumber that no amount of shaking or smacking would be able to end, her eyes were brightly twinkling. Whenever she spoke, it was not only her fangs that stood out from her mouth but white puffs of smoke—and that was because as winter came to an end here in Desarev, in came the humid, warm air from the mainland.

This situation was irresistibly dramatic for the girl who adored tales of adventure.

“It feels somewhat wrong to leave without saying anything.”

“Yeah, when people say leaving on a journey, I always think of a whole send-off with gifts and stuff. Oh well.”

“I’d rather not have that,” Col said with a sigh, and Myuri responded only with confused grumbles.

The people in this town called him the Twilight Cardinal.

Tensions between the Kingdom and the Church had been escalating for the past few years, the conflict causing the flame of the Church to vanish from the Kingdom. And it was in this state of deadlock that Col had gallantly appeared—a wandering priest who bathed the people in the light of faith, like the coming of dawn.

That was how the people saw him, but he thought it was far too much of an exaggeration.

He was just a humble servant of God—and not even a full-fledged priest yet.

“I think you can be more confident about it, Brother.”

“Either way, they are no doubt overestimating me. This is in my nature anyway.”

While the scripture spoke of the virtue of humility, and he did believe that was what he should strive for, the truth was he simply did not enjoy being the center of attention. He always felt like he was doing something bad when people looked to him with respect, calling him things like the “Twilight Cardinal.” He did not think he was that wonderful a person.

“Well, I guess I wouldn’t wanna see the pretty girls from town give you bouquets and kisses at the send-off anyway,” Myuri said, as though doing her best to sound more grown-up.

Despite how she constantly called him names and harshly criticized him, Myuri was prone to get jealous over the smallest things that might take her brother away from her—a habit Col found cute in its own way.

“I bet your face would get all red and you’d totally panic. I feel like I’d be embarrassed just watching you.”

On second thought, Col hated that he could never say anything in return.

“I swear…”

“Heh-heh. But you know I love that part of you, right, Brother?”

“…Yes, yes, thank you very much.”

“C’mon! I mean it!”

As they chatted, the pair walked together through the foggy nighttime town toward the port.

Then something occurred when the scent of the sea began to tickle their noses.

The fishing boats had just left for their morning run, so while a few lanterns were lit here and there, the port was mostly quiet and still.

There stood a figure.

“Oh, Ilenia!”

Myuri dashed off and leaped toward the figure. Ilenia, who had appeared from the murk, was just a bit taller Myuri and distinguishable by her fluffy jet-black hair.

Ilenia was also dressed in traveling clothes with a large trunk at her side.

“You’re coming with us, right?” Myuri asked, and Ilenia could only offer a troubled smile in response.

“Erm…”

“Come now, Myuri. Don’t ask Miss Ilenia awkward questions.”

“Awww…”

Ilenia was the embodiment of a sheep, using her unique traits to broker wool. She was dressed for travel because she was heading farther inland to purchase wool. Apparently, there were impetuous places that had already started shearing their sheep for spring.

“We’ll see each other again soon, Myuri.”

“Really?”

“Of course.”

In contrast to Myuri, who was slender and resembled a young boy more than anything else, Ilenia had a softness about her that gave off the impression of a grown woman. It was truly heartwarming to see her embracing Myuri as the girl clung to her.

But during the commotion just a few days ago, they’d learned Ilenia was not the harmless sheep she appeared to be at first glance.

This girl was a sheep in sheep’s clothing.

“We’re gonna help you out when you go to the edge of the western sea.”

“Heh-heh, of course. That’s exactly what I’m hoping for.”

Ilenia was chasing a dream in earnest that even the grandest visionary would shy away from.

She wanted to create a country for other nonhumans in the new land that supposedly existed at the edge of the western sea.

The reason a wolf like Myuri could so openly allow a sheep like Ilenia to dote on her was undoubtedly because she understood the older woman’s strength. It was even more likely that Myuri thought of Ilenia as someone stronger than herself.

After all, Ilenia was Myuri’s very first nonhuman friend.

“And you were on your way to Rausbourne, isn’t that right?” she asked.

“Yes. We have someone we must meet there,” Col replied.

There, Hyland, his employer and a noble of royal blood, was waiting for him.

Col’s ultimate goal was to devote himself to reforming the Church, and since the Kingdom of Winfiel stood under the same banner of reformation, he was currently working under Hyland in service of the Kingdom.

According to Hyland’s letter, she planned to introduce Col to one of the people near the top of the Kingdom’s power hierarchy, the first in line for the throne—once he and Myuri reached Rausbourne.

It was not often that someone received a chance to detail their path of faith to the heir of a nation. This opportunity might even bring greater momentum to the Kingdom’s fight to reform the Church. Unable to conceal his rising expectations, Col’s response to Ilenia’s question ended up sounding more excited than he intended.

Ilenia maintained her soft composure as she smiled at him like an older sister.

“I would personally prefer if you helped me with my plans instead, though…”

At the same time, Ilenia was trying to curry favor with the prince who stood second in the line of succession. Hyland had once claimed this noble was not only a dishonest person but also one of her enemies, who was willing to claim the throne by force.

But perhaps it was his very character that was responsible for the curiosity that sparked a unique interest in entertaining talks of a land beyond the western sea—talks that anyone else would have treated as a fairy tale. Ilenia was trying to rouse this prince to organize a fleet for a preposterous adventure.

“We will of course give that matter serious consideration.”

Ilenia nodded after hearing Col’s remark, then loosened the arm she had wrapped around Myuri and showed them a delicate smile.

But with a serious glint deep within her eyes, she said, “The southern part of the Kingdom is geographically very close to the mainland. Rausbourne, especially, is the second-biggest city in the country. Its long, rich history and wealth are leagues beyond what you see here. The fight with the Church will likely be relentless there.”

The region they were currently in was roughly referred to as a part of the northlands. It was not too long ago that heathens lived their lives out in the open there, and there remained a strong pagan influence in the area. The festival from the day before was just one of many examples.

The farther south a traveler went, the more the Church’s influence grew, as did the number of people and the size of the cities.

The more things hanging in the balance, the greater the scale of the conflict.

“Yes, I am aware.”

While Col sounded confident in his response, it was partially a lie. He had heard only smatterings of rumors on the topic here and there, meaning that his understanding was based on little more than logic.

Still, he had no choice but to go for the sake of his ideals, and Ilenia knew that.

The sheep girl nodded with a smile.

“You have Myuri with you, so you’ll be all right.”

“Yeah. Brother can only ever see a tiny part of what’s right in front of him. If he was alone, I’m sure he’d fall straight into a hole. But I’m here, so no worries!”

Myuri said that all the time. The world was full of men and women, but he knew nothing about women, so at best, Col was only half-worldly. And since he only ever saw the good in people, that left half of a half.

“That’s only true when your attention hasn’t been stolen by a tasty-looking snack.”

With Col’s retort, Myuri pursed her lips and puffed out her cheeks. Ilenia chuckled and wrapped her right arm around Myuri’s shoulder, then did the same to Col with her left.

She pulled them in, and all three of their foreheads touched.

“Please have a safe journey. I am truly grateful to have met you both.”

“I-Ilenia…”

Rather than an emotional response to Ilenia’s remark, Myuri’s murmur of protest had been drawn out by how close Ilenia’s face was to Col and how flustered he had become. She was worried her prey might be taken from her.

“Heh-heh. I think I might even travel alone with Col if you’re ever not around, Myuri.”

“Y-you know you can’t do that. Not even you, Ilenia!”

“Of course.”

Ilenia looked at Col with a cheeky smile, then let go.

“Well, prolonging my departure any further would disqualify me as a traveler.”

Ilenia lifted the heavy-looking trunk over her shoulder as if it was nothing.

“Ah,” she paused and said. “I almost forgot something important. An acquaintance of mine is a tax collector in Rausbourne. She was the one who taught me about the structure of taxes. Her name is Sharon.”

“Miss Sharon?”

Ilenia, with the trunk on her back, smiled in delight.

“Yes. I believe she could be of help in your reformation of the Church, so please reach out to her.”

“We will.”

This Sharon surely wasn’t human, but it would still be a great help if they could forge a connection with a tax collector regardless.

“Well then. The sun will be rising soon. I’ll see you again.”

On that note, she walked off briskly. The fog around her was thick, and after just ten steps, Ilenia’s soft black hair was nothing more than a silhouette. Myuri watched the entire time as Ilenia’s form vanished, looking as though she might run after her at any moment, but she stood still, her hands clenched.

Parting with friends made along the way was an inevitable part of life on the road. This was a first for Myuri, but she was doing her best to accept it in her own way.

She patiently waited to digest the reality of the separation.

And the daughter of Holo the wisewolf had most certainly inherited her blood.

“We need to go, too, Brother.”

Despite looking like she might cry if he prodded, Myuri spoke with a smile.

“Yes. Let’s go.”

It was usually Myuri who reached out to take his hand, but this time he took hers.

She looked up in slight surprise, then immediately squeezed back with all her might.

But she did not cry.

The young maiden had taken another step toward growing up.

“I wonder what sort of town Rausbourne is.”

They once again stepped on board the ship that had taken them from the northern islands and greeted the captain, Yosef, along with the rest of the crew. There were no other passengers on the ship, and they were the only ones in the hold.

That being said, the crew must have seized a business opportunity in town, since the hold was full of cargo.

“Is it a big city?”

Only the faintest traces of light filtered through the window cut into the hold. Dawn was close.

It faintly outlined Myuri, and that was how Col noticed her wolf ears and tail were out.

There were no other guests, and the crew rarely came down, so it wasn’t a problem.

“Yes. It is the second biggest in the Kingdom, and I hear it’s a bustling place.”

“I hope they have good food.”

When Col sat down, Myuri eagerly nestled between his knees. He thought she might want some attention after parting with Ilenia, but her body temperature was rather high—she was probably just sleepy.

“I’m sure they do. We can’t afford to waste any money, though.”

He patted her head, causing her tail—which she was using as a blanket—to rustle.

“You’re always so mean, Brother,” Myuri muttered spitefully, but once she leaned slightly to the side, Col immediately heard her soft snores.

The ship set sail without waiting for the sun to rise.

May God protect us.

Col murmured quietly to himself, and he, too, closed his eyes.

The waters south of Desarev were truly calm.

As her hair fluttered in the warm southerly winds, Myuri watched with glittering eyes as the ship forged onward even as it sailed against the wind, then later admired how gallantly the sailors rowed the oars when the air currents grew too still.

Since the ship never strayed far from the coastline, they could see the landscape of the Kingdom well. It was the exact opposite of the mountain range where Myuri was born and raised; the gently sloping fields extending ever toward the horizon were an unusual sight as always to her.

But despite how awed she seemed by everything at first, she eventually stopped looking. When Col asked about it, she said it was too flat and that the sight made her uneasy. Perhaps since she was a wolf, the lack of trees and other cover to hide in was the source of her restlessness.

“Brother…are we there yet?”

Myuri rested her chin on the frame of the ship, bored.

She had been told the day before they were finally pulling into Rausbourne, so she had woken up before dawn, quickly finished her daily hair care, then stayed waiting on the deck for the moment to come.

Since they still had not arrived, she was completely bored out of her mind.

“Look, Myuri, there’s some life over there.”

Col patted the sulking girl’s shoulder and pointed in the direction the ship was headed.

While not remarkably tall, there was a cape protruding out onto the water. A wooden lighthouse sat atop the summit and a dense cluster of buildings could be seen on the land the cape jutted out from. It was a little post town with open-air stalls standing in rows along the street, cooking steam rising from a few of them.

“Awww…The other town was way more active…What’s that? It’s a small castle…It looks like a shack compared to the cathedral in the last town,” Myuri said, her shoulders sagging. It was almost as though she had already seen the whole wide world, and such child’s play would no longer impress her.

But in contrast, Col, unbecoming of his age, found that his excitement was actually rising.

“That’s not a castle.”

“What? Then, what is it? It looks really thin and has a weird shape.”

In the middle of the town at the base of the cape was a stone building about twice the height of all the other buildings around it. It was thin, just like Myuri had said, as if someone had squished the structure on both sides.

But that was a given, since that was not a place where people lived.

“That is a checkpoint.”

“A checkpoint?”

Myuri lifted her eyebrows, as though she was lifting up her wolf ears, and looked to Col.

“You saw one in Atiph. There was a city wall surrounding the town and a gate set into the wall.”

“Hmm? Yeah. But it doesn’t look like there’s any more town past that building…,” she said, squinting.

“That is an entrance leading to the actual gate in the city wall. You often see them in big, old cities.”

“…Huh?”

Right as Myuri lifted her head to look at Col, the ship began to bank a turn around the cape protruding into the water. The travelers at the foot of the lighthouse were enjoying the view, waving at the passing ships. There was now a remarkable number of seabirds overhead, and several ships were leaving the shore to begin their journey for the mainland.

Myuri seemed to finally notice the buzz in the air.

“Wh-wh…?”

The sails shifted, and the ship made a drastic change in course.

And then they rounded the cape.

“Whoooaaa!”

Her voice rang out, causing the seabirds above them to squawk in surprise and fly away.

Myuri’s eyes followed the ship’s heading and spotted a stunning array of buildings, pressed up against one another as if a giant had scooped them all into one spot. A magnificently tall city wall was doing its best to contain the mass of buildings, but they had proliferated, spilling out unchecked beyond the wall. They were unified by their red roof tiles, making it seem like a red spring had bubbled up from the green earth.

“Whoooaaa…! I saw mites clumped up like that in the mountains once…!”

With a sigh of admiration, Myuri accurately likened them to an odd choice of imagery, giving Col goose bumps.

However, as the ship approached, the buildings grew clearer, and the magnificent scenery stole their hearts away. Steeples were visible here and there, likely the bell towers of different churches. Only when visiting the largest cities could anyone see the rising spires of so many places of worship.

Every building was so close together that it seemed cramped, but tall, square buildings occasionally stood high above the others. They were either large manors or trading houses of larger companies. Great cities were also home to great wealth.

Either way, this place was different from the towns they’d seen in the north, not only in scale but in atmosphere. Even in the human settlements, the authority of the dark forests still influenced everyday life through the harsh conditions found in the northern lands.

But this far south, the world belonged solely to people.

This vista spreading before them was proof that when humans were allowed to run free, their potential truly blossomed.

“This is amazing! It’s incredible, Brother!”

Myuri grabbed onto Col’s clothes and began to shake him in her excitement.

For a moment, he was nervous that her ears and tail might pop out, but then she took a deep breath to steady herself and fell silent, donning the odd expression of a smile while tears lined her eyes. She stared at the approaching skyline, as though she could not bear to waste even a second on blinking.

As Col watched Myuri like this, he came to agree that children should be allowed to roam from the nest.

He patted her head lightly and turned his own gaze to the approaching skyline.

The checkpoint sat at the foot of the cape because the city wall could no longer serve as a proper defensive fortification, seeing as how the overflow of buildings that had spread beyond the confines of the wall could have created the city proper of Desarev several times over.

Enormous ships, like the ones they had spotted in the northern islands, were docked off the city coast. These vessels seemed big enough to carry an entire small town, but there was no doubt that even if their holds were filled to bursting, this city would have no trouble emptying them out.

This was Rausbourne, the second-largest city in the Kingdom of Winfiel, and it had an undeniable dignity that came with being a huge metropolis.

The water off the coast of Rausbourne was less like the ocean and more like floating villages of ships.

The drafts on the largest ships were so deep that they moored far offshore, and boats of all shapes and sizes gathered around them—there were several of these clusters here and there. Small boats continuously came and went through the gaps—the spitting image of a lively town.

“I don’t think Father would believe me if I told him a world on the water like this existed,” Myuri said, her cheeks red with excitement. It was certainly a sight she would have never seen in the mountains of Nyohhira.

However, Myuri’s father, Lawrence, was once a traveling merchant who journeyed from one extreme region to another. But right as Col was about to mention that, he stopped himself. It would have been quite thoughtless to point that out at a time like this.

“True. I believe he would be surprised if you told him about this.”

He imagined Lawrence happily taking Myuri on his knee as she excitedly told him all about the port. That was exactly how a father and his young daughter should be.

“Awww, I wanna get into town quickly. I bet there’s a bunch of crazy stuff happening!”

Col felt his expression softening as he watched Myuri bounce around as she talked, but he could not let his concentration relax.

“We are not here to play.”

“But Mother said, ‘Failing to enjoy everything you can is a shame,’ didn’t she? You know she’s the wisewolf, right?”

“…You cannot always use Ms. Holo’s words at times when they only benefit you.”

“Heh-heh. And I bet we’ll have a great big adventure this time because the city’s so big.”

“We are not adventuring anymore.”

“Whaaat?”

It was almost as though she was saying, What’s the point of a journey without adventure? Perhaps the reason she had not yet learned her lesson after enduring so many trials and tribulations was because she was still young.

“Then, what are you gonna do here, Brother?”

“I will meet up with Heir Hyland, meet with the prince, and share my thoughts with him. And then…I want to ask for Heir Hyland’s help to hold an assembly of the theologists within the Kingdom. I want to check in on the progress of the common-language translation of the scripture, and this is also a good opportunity to meet with the learned scholars of the Kingdom.”

Doing any one of those things he listed would be incredibly exciting, as well as an honor he hardly deserved.

Myuri, however, was clearly scowling.

“You’re gonna be off talking about complicated things and doing work with that book of lies again?”

“It isn’t that complicated. They will be very important talks about theology—and the scripture does not lie!”

Myuri made a big show of pressing both her hands against her ears, pretending not to listen.

It was not that unusual for a child her age to be unwilling to earnestly listen to the teachings of the Church, but she made her claims after already having read the scripture, which Col thought was rather vicious of her. And of course, the reason she had read through the scripture was to search for an excuse to start a romantic relationship with someone who was hoping to become a priest.

There was no opponent more formidable than a smart, rambunctious girl.

“Siiigh. If only you were as fierce as Uncle Luward, Brother,” Myuri said, disappointed, as she came closer to cling to his arm.

Luward was the name of the captain of a mercenary company who had inherited the name of Holo’s old wolf friend Myuri, but he was also a keepsake this friend left behind. Luward was openhearted and dauntless. He had a strong sense of duty as well as a sentimental side to him, which made him very popular among the dancers at the bathhouse.

When compared to a walking, real-life hero like Luward, Col could not even produce a bitter smile.

“I am but a humble man hoping to one day become a priest. That may sound plain and boring, but I believe I can do good for the world in my own way,” he said as he gazed at the buildings spreading out across the land. Myuri began to rub her face in his arm, as though she was going to bite him.

“Sheesh, all I want is for you to be a cool big brother!”

It was only times like this that she sounded as young as she seemed, but it was also only when it came to this that Col was more inclined to say their positions were reversed.

“You have shown me how cool you are on many occasions, Myuri. Is that not good enough?”

There were so many times when this silver-haired girl had helped him, supported him, and berated him.

If their genders and ages were reversed, he could imagine what an impressive older brother she would be.

Myuri had already played a part in so many different things, and there was no doubt in his mind that she would go on to be spoken of in heroic tales for generations to come.

“C’mooon, Brotherrr…”

She pulled on his arm and swayed him from side to side.

Every person had their own natural dispositions and their own paths to take.

As he deftly sidestepped Myuri, Col watched with delight as Yosef wove the ship through the crowded port, and that was when it happened.

“That ship there! You! Halt!”

Hearing the bellow of a deep voice, Col froze. The pier was right under their noses, so for a moment he thought the voice might have belonged to a pilot guiding boats deeper into the harbor, but it turned out he was off the mark. The boat that ran alongside them was small, but it bore both the flag of the Kingdom as well as a standard bearing what must have been the city emblem, and there was a certain authority to the people riding inside. Col gathered they were port security officers.

Just as he was wondering what they wanted, Captain Yosef rushed forward, and when he saw the flag flying above the little boat, he sighed.

“Bad luck. An inspection, I believe.”

“Inspection for what?”

“For taxes. Tax collection officers in the ships that bear the city emblem decide market prices.”

“What officers?” Myuri cocked her head.

“Tax collection officers are people whose jobs involve collecting taxes from people. That’s the job Miss Ilenia was doing.”

“Taxes…You mean like divvying things up, right?”

Perhaps that was the sort of impression Myuri had of taxes, being born and raised in such a small village.

“If only it was that painless. In large cities like this, they can’t inspect every ship that passes through, so instead, they often inflict penalties as a warning to the rest,” Yosef spat out. “Regardless, they are the natural enemies of us merchants. They’ll falsely accuse you and take a chunk of your load, like a shark pilfering its prey.”

Yosef, who had plied his trade in the severe waters of the north, was not afraid to openly display his hostility. Myuri, who looked up to the man as an adventurer, was completely on his side.

“Don’t let ’em beat you, Mister Yosef.”

“You can be damn sure I won’t. How could I face Lord Autumn or the Black-Mother if I let these spineless crabs from the south take advantage of me?”

Myuri grinned, her fangs showing as she clapped Yosef on the shoulder.

The ship came to a stop as they chatted, and the boat blocked their way to their destination.

“We are the Rausbourne Tax Collector Association! We will be inspecting your cargo!”

The people in the other boat called out again, introducing themselves, but Yosef muttered to himself in confusion.

“The tax collector association…? They’re not officers?”

When Myuri saw Yosef’s head tilted in confusion, she did the same and looked to Col.

“Hey, Brother? What’s the difference between an association and an office?”

“Ummm…”

He had to dig deep into his memory to pull out knowledge he had learned long ago on his travels.

“Their job is practically identical, but their positions are different.”

Tax collection officers were public servants and performed various duties like collecting taxes from travelers who passed through the city walls. Since they also served as monitors who were supposed to prevent suspicious individuals from entering town, it counted as official work administered by the city council rather than a guild organized by upstanding citizens. Drifters bid on the rights for collecting other types of taxes, and they made their collections by relying on their own individual wit and skill, much like Ilenia had been doing.

And so an association for tax collecting itself was an oddity. That was because in order to create an association or guild, it required the participation for an extended period of time of those who all worked in the same field and also lived in the same town.

It was possible there were thousands of collection letters in circulation due to the sheer size of the city, which would mean the collectors were not drifters but proper residents all in the same tax collecting profession who had come together to create the association.

“Well, they’re bearing the city standard, so I doubt they’re fake…Hey! Lower the ladder!”

The crew obeyed Yosef’s command and unfurled the rope ladder.

It was not long before people dressed like warriors climbed aboard, one after the other.

Of course, since they were on the water, none wore heavy metal armor. Instead, they came battle-ready with leather breast pieces. Looking at their gear, Col thought it was a bit much for self-defense even if it was true there were plenty of rowdy sailors out there. These people looked less like tax collectors and more like soldiers—in essence, this was what collections officers working at the city wall would look like.

“Where’s your captain?” asked a man with a red cloth wrapped around his right arm. His great big beard seemed to project an air of importance, which made it likely he was in charge.

“That’s me. Hey! Bring out the cargo manifest!”

“We are the Rausbourne Tax Collector Association. We have been granted the right to conduct business under arms by the city council, and we act under privileges granted by the Kingdom. Know that our words are the words of the king, and our commands are the king’s commands.”

“We are but a humble trade vessel. I doubt His Majesty would find fault with us.”

“That is for us to decide.”

That last remark sounded so threatening, it made Col nervous, but things proceeded smoothly, as though everyone was used to it. Yosef presented the documents that proved the origin of all the cargo, and the bearded tax collector looked them over. Then he began doling them out to his subordinates, who each took a piece of parchment and went down into the hold.

The rest of the crew watched from a distance in discontent.

“Well, it sounds like the tax collectors in this town are acting as an association, is that right? You don’t often see that in the north.”

With nothing else to do, Yosef broached the subject as though it was small talk.

“It’s been like this for a few years. More and more people were turning their backs on the king’s orders and refusing to pay their taxes. This was especially a problem because we are a city open to the sea. Plenty of odd sorts drift in with the seawater. We tax collectors needed to band together to deal with matters.”

The bearded collector spoke like a proud specialist. The jobs people had taken on in their spare time in Desarev, like Ilenia had done, were conducted on a much grander scale and capacity in a city as busy as this.

Once he handed out the last piece of parchment to one of his underlings, the bearded merchant turned to Yosef with overt hostility.

“So you came in from Desarev. You sure have a lot of cargo from the Debau Company. Judging by the ship’s form, I’m guessing it originally came from the north?”

“Yes. We were caught in a storm along the way and got blown off course to Desarev. We don’t typically come this far south, but we are here to drop off some people.”

“People,” the collector said and whirled around.

His gaze landed right on Col.

“Him?”

“Yes. He is well-known in the north, a great—”

Then something happened right as Yosef was about to make exaggerations again. Col had barely registered in his mind that Myuri had stepped in front of him when he saw the tip of a spear thrust before Yosef’s chest.

That was when Col finally realized that people bearing short spears had appeared on either side of him.

“Um, what…?”

He tried to ask what was happening, but of course no one answered. Instead, they stared at him with fierce glares.

“What are you doing?! Do the tax collectors in this city have no manners?!” bellowed Yosef, barely paying any mind to the spear thrust before him. The bearded tax collector only glanced at him, jerking up his chin.

“Take them away.”

“Walk.”

Someone pushed Col from behind, and he stumbled forward. Myuri immediately howled with a look of rage.

“Don’t touch my brother!”

“Wha—!”

The tax collectors recoiled when they were confronted with the force of a wolf. However, Myuri looked just like a regular little girl.

Seeing that the men had quickly recomposed themselves and raised their hands, Col unconsciously brought Myuri into his arms to cover her.

“Be gentle. She’s just a child.”

Myuri writhed and raged in his arms as though she was ready to bite off the heads the enemies surrounding them, but they had to avoid making matters worse.

Besides, since they were association members and not government officials, that meant Col and Myuri had a connection they could call on.

“Could you contact Lady Sharon of your tax collection association for us, please?”

When he brought up the name Ilenia mentioned, the tax collectors stopped in their tracks.

Col knew that if it turned out they had an acquaintance among the collectors’ ranks, they would not treat him and Myuri too roughly, and they would get a chance to resolve any misunderstandings if there were any. Also, since Ilenia was the one who’d brought her up, this Sharon was likely not human, which was another opportunity to convince her to take their side.

Wanting to probe deeper, the bearded collector asked, “…You know the association vice president?”

Col was surprised to learn the name they had been given belonged to such an important person, but he responded without getting flustered.

“We learned of her from a wool broker named Miss Ilenia in Desarev. I believe if you mention her name, she will let us through.”

There was also the option of relying on Hyland, but they needed to be careful. That was because the great number of tax collection permits being issued within the Kingdom was being done so in opposition to the Church and on the authority of Heir Klevend, second in line for the throne. Given the circumstances, it was best to think of Rausbourne’s tax collection association as a faction aligned with Heir Klevend. In contrast, Hyland was supporting the heir who was first in line for the throne.

If he brought up her name, things might become even more complicated.

“…Fine. Either way, you’re coming along with us. The vice president is at the port as well.”

On the bearded tax collector’s signal, the others withdrew their short spears.

“Very well,” Col responded and released Myuri so she could follow along, but the other collectors stopped him.

“You’ll be coming alone.”

Separating the party was a standard tactic to control people.

“Why—?”

Col held back Myuri right as she was about to scream and whispered in her ear.

“Heir Hyland.”

And so he had to prepare the next best plan.

If things started to go south, then they would rely on Hyland’s intervention.

Myuri understood his intentions right away; she turned around and frowned. He was not sure if that was because they could not go together or simply because she wasn’t fond of Hyland. It might have been both, but when he signaled she should stay with Yosef, she reluctantly complied.

She looked at Col spitefully—she would probably give him an earful later.

“Now, this way to our ship.”

The bearded tax collector gestured the way, and Col obeyed with a nod.

He climbed down the ladder and stood on deck; only the bearded collector came down, who then gave orders to the rest of his subordinates.

“Take the ship to port and inspect the cargo.”

“Sir!”

And without even pausing to let anyone sit down, the small boat set off. The closer they got to the docks, the shakier it became on board, since that was inevitably where all the waves made by the other ships ended up.

There were plenty of people out and about around the docks, and more than a handful of people looked on with curiosity.

“Come up.”

The boat soon arrived at a pier designated for smaller vessels. Col stumbled as he stepped off. As he climbed the stairs leading to the docks, his stomach panged with nerves. Waiting for them there were about ten people, all wearing the same outfit as those who had boarded Yosef’s ship. Of course, this whole group was also armed. Behind them was a massive wall of people.

Perhaps Col had gotten caught up in something bigger than he imagined.

As he gulped, the bearded tax collector walked ahead, slipping past him, and approached one specific person.

This figure had long, rust-colored hair tied back and a slim physique. They wore a green jacket with a leather belt that suspended a thin short sword. Col could tell right away from the appearance alone that this person was of considerable standing within the city. But on the other hand, the boots were rough and went up to the knee, which suggested they were someone in a position that spent a lot of time walking outside and giving orders.

And this person’s piercing gaze had a unique quality to it.

In short, this was very likely the Sharon Ilenia had mentioned.

“What? Ilenia’s?”

After the bearded tax collector whispered into her ear, the person who was very likely Sharon raised her voice. When Col imagined the vice president of an association, he had assumed it would be a man, but this was a woman. He was surprised that a woman as young as her held a position so important within the association. That meant she must possess quite the talent.

“Understood. At any rate, it doesn’t seem like he’s our enemy.”

Hearing that, the armed tax collectors immediately stood at ease. Col was relieved that things did not seem like they were going to get messy, but it bothered him how cautious they were acting.

Had he not mentioned Sharon’s name, he would have been treated as a criminal.

The young woman, probably Sharon, stepped forward to stand before Col.

“Elise Sharon.”

She stuck out her hand, so he gripped it back, noticing it had an odd feel to it. It was not as soft as a regular girl’s hand would be, but it was not as rough as those of an artisan. And her eyes.

They were not simply piercing—there was a strong, peculiar glint to them that only unblinking eyes could produce.

Then it struck him—she was a bird.

Sharon was the embodiment of a bird.

“My name is Tote Col.”

“I know,” Sharon said, then tugged on his hand to pull him in closer and leaned into his ear. “You’re the Twilight Cardinal.”

As he hesitated in his response for a few moments, Sharon continued.

“I got Ilenia’s letter. A friend of mine should have followed the great whale to deliver my own letter as well.”

He understood now.

“I have been called that, yes. I believe it is far beyond what I am worthy of, however…”

“Hmm?”

Sharon narrowed her eyes at him, but she then stepped back and let him go.

“Well, enough of that. You should have a friend with you.”

“Yes. She’s on the ship right now.”

“I see.” Sharon spoke and for a brief moment looked away, as though thinking about something, before looking back at him. “I heard you were working under Lord Hyland.”

Her gaze seemed unfriendly not simply because of her piercing eyes.

Anyone who reached the position of vice president of an association had to be aware of political undercurrents.

“You are in an odd position.”

“I am aware.”

As someone who was hoping for a reformation of the Church, Col was emotionally on the same side as the tax collectors, who were trying to get back all the assets the Church had unjustly hoarded. However, the one in charge of issuing the collection permits was Heir Klevend, second in line to the throne. He stood in direct opposition to the heir who stood first in line to the throne, whom Hyland sided with. On top of everything else, Heir Klevend was apparently not issuing permits simply to penalize the Church. According to Hyland, he was actually amassing capital in a bid to usurp the line of succession.

It was hard to separate people into the black-and-white categories of friend and foe, yet their goals oddly overlapped. That was why Sharon did not look at him as a compatriot yet still said the following: “We want to use your reputation.”

This was not a request for cooperation but the proposal of a merchant who was familiar with dealing in rough trades.

At that moment, the bearded tax collector approached them.

“Vice President, I advise you to not stay here for too long.”

“…You’re right,” Sharon responded, then turned to her fellow tax collectors. “We’re heading back to the association hall. People from the Church will come if we stay here. You come, too. We need to talk.”

As Sharon was about to walk off with the rest of them, Col spoke to her in a fluster.

“Are you avoiding people from the Church?”

In Desarev, various problems had arisen from people of the Church staying holed up in the cathedral.

Col briefly thought that having a chat with them if they were going to come all this way would be a good idea, but Sharon turned to look at him, her brows knitted scornfully.

“You came to the city without knowing what’s happening?”

After a brief display of irritation, she walked off.

“Just come.”

Col could not even guess what was going on, but at the very least, it did not seem like Sharon was an enemy. He decided that it would be best to comply for the moment and followed her farther into the port as they pushed their way through a crowd of nosy onlookers.

In addition to the large number of people already out and about in the harbor on various errands, a crowd that had noticed Sharon and the other tax collectors had gathered around them. Col occasionally heard jeers, likely because tax collectors frustrated trade, as he had seen happen with Yosef, and many saw them as workers of the devil who brought nothing but trouble into their peaceful lives. In turn, the tax collectors leading the way through the crowd were incredibly belligerent.

On the other hand, there were more than a handful cheering for them to scrutinize the corruption in the Church, to take back from the rich, and the loud hecklers from opposing sides were getting into fights among themselves here and there.

It did not seem as though the inhabitants of the city were all on the same page.

As their party pushed their way through the noise and clamor, a large building facing the street finally came into view.

The flag of the Kingdom, as well as a flag adorned with the city emblem, flew above it, meaning that was probably the tax collector association hall.

The tax collectors briskly strode toward the building, and right as they were about to cross the street before entering the final stretch—

“Wait there, waaait!”

An indignant voice overwhelmed the rest of the harbor’s hustle and bustle. Col visibly saw the tax collectors around him sucking their teeth and frowning. Yet, the response from the noisy crowd was different. Some whistled, some stamped their feet, and some even yelled, “Here he comes!”

Col had seen this sort of atmosphere in town before. It was just like a fighting match between chickens or dogs that townsfolk would sometimes hold on street corners.

“Don’t stop. Keep walking.”

The other tax collectors tried to pick up the pace when Sharon spoke, but the crowd blocked their way, clustering around in even greater density to close off the street.

Then the crowd to their right parted.

What appeared was another armed group, but these newcomers possessed equipment of an obviously different quality compared to what the tax collectors wore. They were not dressed as people who safeguarded the peace in the city but as those who risked their lives on the battlefield.

This was a band of mercenaries.

“What don’tcha understand about the word wait?!”

The tax collectors halted at the yell, which seemed loud enough to ruffle the hem of a bystander’s clothes.

In addition, members of the crowd who were probably hostile to the tax collectors—a group of people who were never popular with townsfolk to begin with—clogged the path to prevent them from reaching their destination.

“Looks like your tax collector association ain’t satisfied with just taking money from people’s pockets! Now you’ve started dabbling in kidnapping, too!”

The man who yelled was a short, portly fellow with close-cropped hair and a mustache.

That said, he was small only in stature; his shoulders and arms and legs looked like they were about to burst with toned muscle.

The battle-ax in his hand reminded Col of the mountain-dwelling earth spirits he’d heard of in legend.

It was Sharon—whose physique was the exact opposite of the mercenary’s—who stepped forward to deal with him.

“We merely came to the conclusion that we must carry out an inquiry.”

She confronted the round mercenary, looking down at him without flinching.

“Sounds exactly like something a kidnapper would say.”

“I see. You do seem like the type who’d be knowledgeable about that sort of trade.”

“Feh!”

The mercenary spat on the ground, then whirled around.

“What a nasty bunch you all are. One of our men watched you waltz onto some guy’s trade ship and walk off with one of our guests.”

“Guests? Guests, hmm?” Sharon said, disgusted, as though her suspicions were confirmed.

The round mercenary scrunched up his face in annoyance and rebounded with, “What I mean is all those aboard trading ships are our guests, guests of the traders’ association. Dealing with them falls into our territory. We can’t keep order in this city if you tax collectors just walk off with ’em!”

This mercenary is a part of the traders’ association?

It was not as though Col was especially knowledgeable about worldly affairs, but no matter what angle he examined this man from, it was impossible to believe he was a merchant. Larger companies might hire guards to protect themselves against theft and such, but the group confronting them now easily numbered ten or fifteen people. They were more like a small squadron of troops.

Putting what he saw with the tidbits Sharon had mentioned earlier, Col concluded these people were affiliated with the Church.

They were a fully armed mercenary troop calling themselves the traders’ association.

Col had already met a considerable number of players acting on the city stage; it seemed like things were going to get very complicated.

“What we do is under the king’s orders.”

“You might be in the Kingdom now, but it’s not like we folks in the traders’ association only recognize the Kingdom’s authority. Or what? You tellin’ me you wanna be responsible for making enemies out of every merchant across the sea?”

“…”

This was the first time Sharon faltered.

At that moment, a commotion erupted on the other side of the street as supporters of the tax collectors leaped out from the nearby association hall with a roar. Since the crowd wasn’t entirely composed of people who sided with the traders, fights broke out all over like wildfire. At this point, the uproar had grown large enough that it was possible the city council might dispatch the city guard.

The mercenary grimaced, and Sharon saw this as her opportunity to speak.

“I won’t let you do as you please.”

The mercenary clenched his teeth so hard, a blue vein bulged from his temple, and just when it seemed the situation would explode—

“Excuse me, do you mind?”

An out-of-place voice interrupted them.

“What! You need a—”

Just as one of the other mercenaries was about to yell, he swallowed his words.

Finally, the two group leaders who had been staring each other down in the street looked in the direction of the voice before making sounds of surprise.

“This is a royal charter granting the right of arbitration. In the name of the king, I hereby exercise the right to adjudicate this dispute. On the authority of my master, Lord Hyland, I shall oversee the proceedings.”

The speaker was a truly tiny old man, but the make of his clothes was a cut above. They were tailored well but instead of being ornate, they were designed to clearly communicate the wearer’s position. His white mustache was also clearly different from what the crude mercenaries sported: firmly and neatly curved, perhaps set in place with egg whites.

He held up a piece of parchment in his hand, which had the stamp of the royal seal next to a flowing signature.

It was the seal of the Kingdom; nothing in this country held greater authority.

Both groups regarded the old man with a frown, but the first ones to reluctantly kneel were Sharon and the tax collectors.

“As you please.”

“Indeed.”

The old man nodded and turned toward the mercenaries.

“And yourselves?”

“Ugh.”

The mercenary groaned and glanced over his shoulder. There was a group of middle-aged men, well-groomed but with alert gazes, perhaps personnel from the traders’ association, who had blended in with the unruly crowd. They faced one another, discussed among themselves for a few moments, then gave their assent with a distasteful nod.

“Fine. We respect the king.”

“A wise decision. Of course, I am a neutral observer. I find no fault with either of your parties. However, this man here is a special guest of my master’s.”

Sharon stayed kneeling and did not lift her gaze, but the questioning looks of the mercenaries quickly focused on Col. As he thought about how he should respond, the old man strode over as he placed the permit carrying Hyland’s name into his pocket, his expression still composed.

“I have come to collect you on the orders of my master. My name is Hans.”

“Oh, um…okay.”

Still bewildered, Col ended up giving an airheaded response.

“Let us be on our way.”

Then Hans walked off as if it was no big deal.

Still worried about Sharon, Col turned back to look at her, but her gaze was still cast downward. That meant their talk would have to come later.

Due to seeing the royal charter, the crowd feared the consequences of getting involved any further and voluntarily made way for Hans.

Beyond the sea of bodies, there were several people clad in armor who were easily recognizable as knights at a glance, as well as two noble-looking men on horseback.

They stood in a manner that was clearly to protect what lay behind them. Riding on a horse with a finer coat than the others was a clearly unhappy Myuri and a very relieved Hyland.

When travelers visited large cities, most of the time their lodgings ended up falling into one of three categories.

There were inns that anyone could stay at by paying a fee.

Then came association and trade houses, where only those with privileged connections could stay.

Lastly were the manors within the city walls that only those of special standing could rent.

“…So many of these houses are bigger than our bathhouse…,” muttered Myuri resentfully as they rode in the carriage Hyland had prepared for them.

After the commotion in the square, Hyland had taken them to a district that was filled with rows of large mansions. The road was paved with neat flagstones, and even the stray dogs that wandered about seemed to have a finer pedigree than normal. Col spotted them sleeping daintily at the gates of most of the mansions, so he first thought they were being kept for hunting, but he occasionally saw people working at the manors fawning over and petting them, so it was more likely the creatures simply lived there.

They could also serve as guard dogs, so this was a beneficial relationship for both the manor residents and for the dogs.

Every time the carriage passed by these seemingly high-class strays, Myuri regarded them with hostility due to her wolf blood. All the manors were additionally made with a central courtyard, and apparently, it was in fashion to have a little fruit garden there. Going by the front of a house granted them a peek of sunbathed green, a slice of paradise in the center of a city brimming with noise and chaos.

Hyland’s temporary residence was one of these manors as well.

“It’s a relative’s house, so this is the only place I could borrow. If my attendants weren’t here, I might have rented an inn, but I can’t act as freely as I’d like here in the Kingdom.”

Hyland’s voice sounded tired as she alighted from the carriage, and Hans, who had appeared earlier with parchment in hand to save Col, stared hard at her. Perhaps he was the sort of steward who fought to preserve the authority of his master, who tended to prioritize substance over titles and reputation.

“Well, let’s keep talking inside. I’ve got sweets for you, little miss.”

“What, really?!”

Myuri, who had been in a glaring contest with the dog in front of the manor that Hyland was borrowing, immediately lit up and turned with intense interest.

She was always shockingly disrespectful toward Hyland, but she was easily won over by food. While Hyland enjoyed how straightforward the girl was, it was beyond embarrassing for her big brother.

They passed through the colonnade at the front of the manor, then made their way through the building, which did not have any corridors. Instead, the rooms were directly connected to each other.

“This room is always bright and warm.”

Hyland brought them to a south-facing room that looked out over the courtyard.

“First, let us thank God for our long-overdue reunion.”

When they sat in chairs with high backs at a long and narrow dining table, the house attendants poured wine into their silver goblets.

Myuri alone was served the product of the grapes before it became wine: grape juice. She was not entirely satisfied with it, but she raised her glass for the toast anyway.

“Your work in Caeson and Desarev was spectacular. You truly are the Twilight Cardinal.”

Col had never written that nickname of his in any of his letters to Hyland. It sounded like the title was spreading through avenues he himself was not aware of.

“Please stop…I am not worthy of such a grand title.”

“Ha-ha. I’m glad to see that you are the same as always. By the way…” Hyland changed positions in her seat. “…I sent a letter detailing the situation here in Rausbourne to Desarev, but I received your letter saying you were on your way here not long after. Though I stationed people at the harbor to wait for your arrival, there were so many ships that the tax collector association beat us to it. I’m sorry.”

Because she was a member of royalty, Hyland did not bow, but she still apologized by casting her eyes downward. Hans, who was standing by in a corner of the room, seemed rather angry, and Col panicked a little.

“Oh, it was not a problem. Nothing happened in the end anyway. It’s all thanks to your help, Heir Hyland.”

“My help…? Ha, my lineage’s help perhaps.”

Hyland rarely ever flaunted her noble bloodline, but normally she wasn’t that self-deprecating, either.

As Col sat perplexed, wondering what could’ve brought this on, Hyland continued.

“After hearing about your work, I thought that I, too, should rouse myself to action. Shameful as it is, I have barely managed to produce any results in this city. The most my name can do is rout a rowdy crowd—”

“Young lady!” A scolding voice interrupted them. “How dare you say such a thing before commoners. You will ruin your family name!”

Hyland turned to Hans, her gaze weary but filled with love and respect.

“Gramps, I thought I asked you to stop calling me ‘young lady.’”

“But—”

“Oh right. Do you think you could go explain to the city council why we exercised the right of arbitration in town? They must’ve received a report and are probably making grumpy faces in our direction right about now. We must take care to preserve our ties with them. Quickly now.”

“…Very well.”

Hans deliberately breathed a caustic sigh, bowed his head, then exited the room.

The moment the door shut, Hyland smiled weakly.

“He is a very stronghearted man who works hard to preserve my family’s good name, but no matter how much time passes, he always thinks of me as a little girl. I don’t know what to do.”

“I know how you feel.”

Myuri loudly sympathized with her and turned to give Col a reproachful look.

Hyland’s smile brightened as she raised her goblet to Myuri.

“Well, either way, I was in high spirits when I first waded into this city, but I’ve been unable to accomplish anything; I was on the verge of declaring it all hopeless right before you arrived. The situation has been evolving too quickly for me over this past week in particular. It feels like I’ve been waiting an eternity for you.”

“I see…But I must admit I am at a bit of a loss. What was that whole scene at the port about?”

Col had done a measure of traveling in his life and he knew quarrels of that sort could be found in every town anywhere in the world.

The antagonism between the bakers’ and butchers’ guilds was a tale as old as time; it had even become a typical setting for poets to write about. The tavern and inn associations also often had overlapping functions that soured their relationship, and fights between the sword smithies and knife crafters over what fell in whose jurisdiction would probably never be settled.

In that sense, conflict between tax collectors and merchants was not that unusual.

The abnormality started with the fact that both parties armed themselves and confronted each other in the harbor.

Moreover, one side was charged with the task of collecting taxes, a business that had support from some of the highest powers within the Kingdom. Openly challenging them to a fight—regardless of what the reasons may have been—could be interpreted as a challenge to royal authority.

Such a daring deed required backing.

“Those mercenaries said they were hired by the traders’ association, and the traders’ association is siding with the Church. And it seemed like the tax collectors were after me from the very beginning…”

“Yes, exactly—that problem has been giving me a huge headache the whole time. The traders’ association officially volunteered themselves as friends of the Church and stand opposed to the tax collectors. The reason the tax collectors went for you was likely because you look like a priest. They must have thought you had come to support the city’s cathedral or were an envoy of some sort.”

Ilenia had mentioned that the farther south one went, the stronger the Church’s influence.

Things here couldn’t be compared to Desarev’s cathedral, which felt isolated and unaided.

“That’s why they both were trying to keep me away from the other group…Also, this is something that’s been on my mind, but…the merchants should need the approval of local authorities in order to conduct trade. Is it okay for them to simply ally themselves with the Church and oppose the tax collectors so openly?”

During the journey he once took with Lawrence in his merchant days, Col had seen trade and markets moved by the whim of the local authorities many times. Perhaps there was no need for Hyland to overthink the situation; why not just brandish royal authority and go over their heads? Merchants who couldn’t trade were like fish out of water.

As those thoughts ran through Col’s mind, Hyland’s expression twisted in annoyance.

“You are exactly right, but while the traders’ association might call themselves as such, the core of their group is not made up of inhabitants of Rausbourne. Theirs is a collection of companies whose headquarters are overseas, often farther to the south. And the south is firmly under the Church’s influence, you see. So yes, while they cannot risk displeasing our king, they must also stay on friendly terms with the Church; otherwise they will lose their standing at home. On top of that, the Church wants to shoulder in here to launch an aggressive counterattack. In that sense, the traders are acting aggressively thanks to the Church’s backing.”

“The Church’s backing? But the Church has avoided making any overt moves up until now. Have they gained important new allies on the mainland who are allowing them to be this forward?”

There was a certain number of those who did not want the Church to reform, such as conservative authorities and nobles with monasteries and churches in their territories that housed immense amounts of wealth, and it would not be surprising to hear that those various individual forces had colluded to join the Church’s side by forming a union to oppose the Kingdom.

Col steeled himself for the countless terrible scenarios he could imagine, but for some reason, Hyland offered only a troubled smile.

“Must I spell out the reason? I mean—don’t tell me you really still haven’t noticed yet.”

He stared blankly at the woman, who sipped her wine and looked at him apologetically.

“You’re the reason.”

“Huh?”

“The Twilight Cardinal.” Hyland murmured his alias and sighed deeply. “I should be proud that my eyes were keen enough to pick out talent as fine as you, but I’m rather uneasy, as things have turned out in ways far beyond anything I imagined. You sit across from me now, yet you hold more influence than an illegitimate royal could ever hope to wield.”

It did not seem like she was joking.

“Could I…ask you to elaborate?”

Hyland’s vague smile made it seem like she was apologizing for getting him wrapped up in such serious matters.

That was why his heart beat as intensely as it did.

How did the world see him? How were stories about him spreading?

“Everything started there, in Atiph. Thanks to you and your God-given wolf, I managed to light the signal of revolution. It was then that many of the Church officials learned how deeply the people’s anger ran, driving them into a panic.”

Hyland grinned when she said “God-given wolf.” Myuri, of course, pretended not to know what she was talking about, and it was unclear as to how certain Hyland was about who Myuri truly was, but it did not seem like she was ready to ruin the relationship.

Hyland sipped her wine and continued.

“And then the two of you pulled Caeson, core of the northern islands, completely onto the side of the Kingdom. The Kingdom’s position has gotten even stronger with them as our ally because of their control of large fishing grounds for herring and cod. After all, any who dare to challenge the Kingdom now will automatically end up in conflict with the pirates of Caeson. And then ample shipments of fish would no longer grace their market stalls. Cheap fish is one of the keys to staying in the good graces of the common people, you know. People who can no longer buy fish will direct their anger toward the Church and their local authorities for endangering their livelihoods in order to support their indulgences.”

There were, of course, fish in the southern seas, but their numbers were no match for the herring and cod fisheries of the north. That influence was powerful.

“Also, what you did in Desarev,” Hyland said and sighed again. It was a sigh of admiration, as though she was surrendering to something. “The Kingdom and the Church have stood in stalemate for years, and you suddenly drove a huge wedge between them. It’s like scales that had been maintaining some semblance of a hazy balance, but then one side suddenly starts plummeting down. The Desarev cathedral, which had kept its doors firmly shut, made amends with a Kingdom city practically overnight due to the actions of one person, finally opening its doors again. Can you even begin to imagine what sort of shock that caused when news of it hurtled across the land?”

When she explained it like that, Col was shocked into silence.

As someone who had been at the center of those events, he knew that the reality had been far more complicated and much messier; there was a good reason and a sense of inevitability that led to the reconciliation between the cathedral and the town. It was absolutely not something that came about because of his actions alone.

But he also realized that was not how it would be perceived.

There was only so much space in a letter, and people had no choice but to describe the most intricate of storms in a general, easy-to-understand way.

People had to find ways to encapsulate and explain the most complicated of affairs with a limited number of words.

His being called the Twilight Cardinal was just one example.

And it was with the birth of these easily understood symbols that the tide of society changed.

Col, despite how dull he was, finally managed to swallow the situation.

“With those three incidents side by side, most people have simply guessed what happened, haven’t they?”

Hyland nodded.

“Yes. People are buzzing—now that the Twilight Cardinal has appeared, it won’t be long before a fourth revolution occurs, and then a fifth, before a final, surging avalanche will come roaring down and bring the whole state of affairs to a decisive end. That’s why I believe the Church has finally made up their mind. They must think that waiting for the troubled people of the Kingdom to admit defeat while they continue to withhold religious services like weddings, baptisms, and funerals is a stupid plan now that our side obviously holds the advantage.”

The proverb one ant hole came to mind. It referred to how the destruction of even the greatest of flood levees began with the tiniest of leaks no larger than one ant hole. Similar lessons were taught in the scripture as well.

Perhaps Col was close to powerless.

Yet, it seemed that even without much power, he had managed to open a hole wide enough for a tiny leak.

And before he realized it, events had become a mess far beyond his control.

“Now that the Church wants to take a more aggressive approach, they’ve begun holding talks with the merchants in the south.”

Col returned from his introspective thoughts when Hyland spoke again.

“Right now, since the right of taxation against the Church is being handed out left and right within the Kingdom, the power of tax collectors is growing. To long-distance traders and merchants, tax collectors and tax officials are essentially their mortal enemies. They’ve become increasingly worried that if they simply stay on the sidelines, they might get the short end of the stick when this is all over. The Church has always been influential as a major patron of business and trade, so when they approached the merchants, I’m sure there were plenty of reasons to take their side.”

Col started to piece the situation together in his head and recalled the recent events at the port like a fog had lifted.

He realized there was still one question lingering in his mind.

“I understand how things have reached this point. It was all caused by my—no…” He looked to Myuri, sitting beside him, and corrected himself. “…Our journey. I see that now.”

Myuri’s eyes widened, and as she happily rubbed her face against his shoulder, he continued.

“But I still do not understand why the people from the traders’ association were willing to oppose royal authority with weapons in their hands. I doubt they would be able to continue trading within the Kingdom after that.”

He could even go as far as to phrase it as picking up change in the path of an oncoming carriage.

Even if a passerby managed to collect a whole pouch full of copper coins, being struck by the carriage would far outweigh any potential gain. From Col’s perspective, the merchants were trying to do something exactly like that.

If they challenged royal authority, then they would surely be banned from conducting trade within the country.

There was no point in cooperating with the Church to chase away tax collectors if they lost the right to trade altogether. What did taxes matter if they could not earn any money at all?

Yet, there was a helplessness in Hyland’s expression.

“I suppose you could say we underestimated how cunning and shameless the merchants could be.” Her loud sigh echoed throughout the room. “In response to the threat of losing the right to trade here, the merchants became hostile and shot back with, ‘Would you be able to survive even a single winter if we withdrew all our ships from the Kingdom?’”

Col gulped. That was why Sharon had faltered when the mercenary threatened her.

“Our Kingdom is an island, and the era in which we could till the land to sustain ourselves on our own is long past. Without foreign trade ships, it’s uncertain if we could even put bread on our tables. If trade was to stagnate, then everything would immediately grind to a halt. We tasted that pain over a decade ago.”

Col knew that story. He had come to the Kingdom before with Lawrence on his merchant journey. Back then, the wool trade had halted due to misgovernment, and he saw firsthand how great a depression the country fell into.

Even the monasteries, which once wielded great power within the Kingdom, fell onto hard times in those days because economic activity had shrunk so much.

If that was the result of a mere halt in the wool trade, what would happen if the steady flow of all daily necessities came to a standstill?

Without a doubt, that would result in a great chaos that Col didn’t want to even begin imagining.

“Of course, we knew plenty well the merchants would threaten us like that. They created their association in what is, to them, foreign land just to have this sort of united bargaining power in the first place.”

It was a hard-and-fast rule that people would gather and associate with those who shared similar interests in lands far from home, where they had nothing else to rely on.

“I understand…But judging from the way you’re speaking about it, I imagine you anticipated their threats and thought of a way to challenge them already, yes?”

“That’s right. There are plenty of ways we can frustrate their trade. But there is just one situation in which getting in their way won’t show any results. And that is how perfectly united they are.”

Hyland held her breath for a moment and quickly whirled to look around the room.

Col realized she was checking to see if Hans had come back when she leaned over the table, much like Myuri would.

“I just don’t get it. How have those greedy merchants conspired so perfectly?”

Her anguished expression was the result of having thought so long and hard about it.

“Conspired?”

“Yes. There is no point in using our authority to interrupt the businesses of merchants. But on the other hand, if the merchants were to all stop on their own, that would leave the Kingdom in dire straits. That’s why as long as they stand together in unity, we are instantly at a disadvantage.”

Those weak when scattered and alone grew stronger when they gathered and cooperated. That was exactly the sort of situation in which an association could prove its worth, and utilitarian merchants would immediately band together in solidarity for profit.

In that case, it was perhaps an underestimation on Hyland’s part that the merchants should fall in line after being threatened by the power of royal authority.

As Col mulled that over, wondering whether he should mention that, Hyland spoke.

“I still can’t believe it. Why don’t they quarrel with one another? Those merchants are creatures of self-interest. Aren’t they supposed to be willing to do anything to maximize their profits?”

When she said that, Col’s thoughts began to race. Maximize profits? Was that not exactly why these merchants cooperated like they were doing now, to challenge the authorities who were trying to get in the way of their trade?

His bewilderment must have been evident on his face.

Hyland looked at him and immediately shook her head, furrowing her brow resentfully.

“They might be united because they’re all merchants from the south, but that does not mean they’re all on good terms. They shouldn’t be so willing to pass up a chance to kick down their competitors. That is exactly why I thought the more we complicated the situation, the bigger an invitation we would create for them to betray one another and the less likely they would continue to stand together in solidarity.”

Betray? Col tilted his head, and he suddenly heard a bright voice that sounded out of place. “Aha!” came a small laugh from Myuri beside him. “I always got sooo annoyed when that happened in play fights, too. But getting a head start on your opponent is definitely the most exciting thing to do.”

Myuri’s eyes lit up, and she was completely ignoring her grape juice and sweets.

Hyland was hardly offended by Myuri’s lack of manners but instead took her hand, as though backing up what she said.

“Yes, that’s exactly right! The first one to get ahead gains the biggest profits.”

As Col found himself at a loss, Myuri grinned mischievously.

“Brother only ever sees the good in people, so he doesn’t get it.”

He raised his head, wanting to say something back, but she was right in that he could hardly imagine what she meant.

“Col. Think with me for a moment. We’re in a situation where competitors in trade, fighting desperately over shelf space in the markets, have said of their own accord that they are willing to pull out from markets in the Kingdom. What do you think would happen, then, if some of them wanted to get ahead? There’s no way they haven’t imagined the profits of secretly agreeing to work with the Kingdom after that!”

It was entirely possible.

Merchants were truly utilitarian, and that was certainly one way to maximize their profits.

“And those merchants are all annoyingly clever rascals. All of them suddenly came up with the same thing at the same time. There’s no way we could take command over them. There would be a sudden battle of treachery, and their union would fall apart little by little. No way that wouldn’t happen.”

“But that didn’t happen, you mean?”

Hyland nodded when Myuri asked. She gravely lowered her head.

“Does that mean the Church is offering huge collateral to prevent them from trying to get ahead?”

Faith and loyalty were unreliable to merchants.

“Or maybe some sort of disciplinary action was taken against them in their country…But I can’t imagine a punishment big enough to put them all on the same page. Then, even supposing they proposed a profit for them, it still doesn’t make sense. How absurdly expensive of a medal did they have to prepare for this?”

The Church had earned the hatred of the people because of the astronomical amount of wealth they had accumulated.

But still, there was a limit to all things.

Could the Church promise enough riches, or threaten a punishment big enough to control all the foreign merchants, for them to not mind giving up all the trade with the Kingdom? To control all the transactions for the massive amount of boats in the harbor they saw from Yosef’s ship?

Such a thing seemed impossible, even for God.

“On the other hand, it would be a serious emergency if every foreign merchant truly left the country. All the wheat and meat would be immediately bought up from the markets, various products would jump up in price, and there would be looting everywhere. The Kingdom would descend into chaos. If that happened, then the Church would surely launch an attack.”

Impossible. The word stuck in Col’s throat like a lump of stone.

Hyland had carefully considered war with the Church and sent them to the northern islands for that very reason. That area was this region’s food store; the firepower of the fishermen-pirates would be crucial if war was to break out in the strait between the island and the mainland. However, fish were fish—they were not a replacement for wheat and oil and all the other daily necessities of life.

If all the merchants were to leave, then it would be the same as cutting off the Kingdom’s food supply.

If the Church was to recover from this setback, then this was their golden opportunity.

“And that’s not all,” Hyland said, her hand pressed to her forehead as though bearing a headache. “If the cost of things skyrocketed, riots occurred, and the Church took the opportunity to start a war and throw worldly affairs into chaos, then it’s also possible that Heir Klevend would play on the confusion to cause a civil war over the order of succession. That is truly what we’re most afraid of. We have the option of arbitration in the case of war with the Church, but internal conflict will only be resolved at the gallows.”

Chaos was always a ripe opportunity for those in low standing to claw their way up.

Hyland and company not only had to be wary of the Church on the outside but also of revolt on the inside.

They were truly beset with troubles both at home and abroad.

“That is why I wonder if the tax collector organization’s offensive posture toward the Church might be Heir Klevend’s orders as well. Perhaps he is deliberately trying to rile up the Church to create a reason for them to start a war.”

There were plenty of people who believed that belligerent lords who thought of talking as a waste of time had it all and that their valor was exactly what gave nobles honor.

“I may be doubting him too much, but…the tax collectors here in this city are unusual. These supposed drifters have come together to pledge loyalty beneath a banner, like mercenaries. You saw it, right?”

Col recalled what he had seen in the harbor. Even Yosef, who was used to seeing tax collectors on the seas, had been surprised at how coherent they were.

“But the more I think about it, the more I feel this is an opportunity for Heir Klevend to kill countless birds with one stone. Even if he managed to raise enough money by selling collection permits to cause internal strife and ultimately caused a war by backing the Church into a corner, just stirring up confusion within the country could still create the groundwork for his civil war. Of course, if the Church just ran off with their tail between their legs, then he could assert himself as a key figure in the conflict between the Church and us. He’s more of a tactician than I thought.”

He was watching closely for a chance to take the throne and making elegant waves to do so.

“Of course, the king and I don’t plan on bending to the Church. But we also must be concerned with peace within the Kingdom.”

At this rate, the foreign merchants would all pull out from the Kingdom and political instability would stem from a serious supply shortage. The only one who would aim for the Kingdom as it reeled like that would be the Church.

There were countless countries throughout history that fell to ruin in wars over the throne.

The kinder Hyland was as a ruler, the more unbearable her country’s ruin would be.

And Col himself could not idly stand by as others suffered.

He could not, but the situation before him was much too complicated and chaotic.

“I could say it’s all nothing but guesses, of course, but…the drive of the tax collectors and the way the traders were acting just make me imagine terrible things…”

Hyland sank into her chair, exhausted.

As a member of the royal family, she had a responsibility to the fates of her countrymen.

The kinder she was, the more heavily that duty hung over her.

“Or maybe it’s his way of testing their courage, gambling on everyone’s expectations,” Myuri said, taking a piece of sugared fruit from the copper platter. “It’s totally possible, but I’m bad at gambling.”

Myuri had seen plenty of nobles in Nyohhira, but Col did not know anyone else as grounded as Hyland.

And whatever the truth may be, the reality was that the Church had planned something, made the merchants their allies, and those merchants had come together to stand up against the Kingdom.

While he did not know what the trick might be, there was one thing he was certain of.

“If we consider everything individually, then it seems like a situation so far beyond little people like us. However…”

Both Hyland and Myuri looked at him.

“However, I believe our biggest job is to avoid a war.”

Hyland nodded gravely.

“Also, we cannot allow them to dishearten us in our chance for reformation. We have come all this way. If we do end up losing our spirit, then our next chance to right the wrongs of the Church would be decades away.”

There had been plenty of times when he almost gave in to the trouble before him, fell to his knees, tucked in his tail, and ran away.

Yet, he believed this was the right path and had walked all this way.

“It is exactly as you say, but do you have any leads at all? Obviously, if we can effectively use your name of the Twilight Cardinal, then the people might come together to resist like they did in Atiph…”

The reason Hyland was not as articulate as she had been before was because the situation was so vastly different from how it had been in Atiph.

This was not a situation in which she could easily disperse her enemies. If they cornered the merchants, the allies of the Church, then they would just run away, and that would only spell trouble for the Kingdom. And so the merchants needed to stay in the city, yet if they gave in to the pressure and compromised with the Church, then reform would only get further and further away.

And what was even more trouble was keeping an eye on the movements of the tax collectors, who were supposedly the Kingdom’s allies. That was because they might be trying to corner the Church to deliberately start a war, according to Heir Klevend’s scheming.

It was almost like a theological question.

Three bulls are headbutting, pushing against one another. Removing one bull would leave the other two with leftover force and they’d end up attacking you.

They had to find a way to stop two of the bulls without putting all three of them in the ground.

“The first thing that comes to mind is separating the Church from the traders’ association.”

“Right. If we could only get a grasp on their interests, then we could drive a wedge between them…”

The conversation trailed off here because the ones talking were a noble and a priest-in-training. They did not know how merchants thought.

“Have you talked to anyone from the Debau Company?” Col asked.

The company that controlled the entirety of the northlands was on Hyland’s side.

“I did, but they are practically outsiders this far south. They are not a member of the traders’ association, and their interests stand opposed to those of the megacorporations in the south anyway. The people on the inside know nothing.”

“I see…”

In that case, there was only so much Col could do.

Maybe it was time for him to send a letter to Lawrence, the sharp ex-merchant.

Just as that thought crossed his mind—

“Anyway, you know what to do now.”

“Huh?”

Both he and Hyland voiced confusion at the same time.

With both sets of eyes on her, Myuri simply shrugged.

“First you need to get a read on what the enemy’s up to, Brother. You might come up with some bright idea if you just take a look around the city.”

It can’t be that easy…, he thought at first, but then it struck him.

“Are you sure you don’t just want to get into mischief?”

“Oh, come on!”

Myuri puffed up her cheeks, and Hyland’s absentminded laugh joined them.

“Ha-ha-ha. But it’s not necessarily the worst option we have.”

“Heir Hyland, please don’t encourage her…”

“It’s all right. The Church had the rug pulled out from under them because they did not understand what the people wanted in Atiph. A lord who knows nothing of their land should change their attitude, shouldn’t they?”

She was right, but when he turned his attention back to Myuri and saw the mischievous look on her face, something didn’t sit right with him. He could only imagine she said that because she had grown bored of the conversation and wanted to go out and about in town.

“And it’s now an undeniable truth that you are an important player here. Once your face and name are widely known, you will then lose freedom in your movements, and the people may not tell you the truth anymore.”

There was a hint of sadness in the smile on Hyland’s face. Being a powerful member of a royal family was not without its drawbacks.

And perhaps the name of the Twilight Cardinal held more authority than even Hyland did.

“And I also wouldn’t mind if you remained in the manor with me, occupying yourselves by debating the ominous clouds surrounding the Kingdom, looking dark and serious and wearing big frowns.”

“Not a chance.”

When Myuri turned her down, Hyland shrugged comically.

“I just want to build a good relationship with you two.”

Col was not sure if Hyland really liked Myuri all that much, but he could easily imagine Myuri getting bored and falling into a bad mood.

And since it was true this was not a problem that could be solved simply by thinking, it seemed like their only choice was to get out on the ground to investigate just who was plotting what.

When he came to that conclusion, he reluctantly had to agree that what Myuri said was right.

“Sure. So then, tomorrow—”

“It’s barely noon!!”

When Col leaned back at Myuri’s threatening attitude, Hyland’s shoulders shook with laughter.

“Heh-heh-heh. Exactly. And if you don’t play your cards right, you’ll have an endless wave of lobbying envoys paying you a visit tomorrow.”

Myuri glared at him with an I told you so look, so without any other choice, he gave in.

“I might be at the bottom of the ladder of all the royals in the Kingdom, but I still want you to see the biggest city in our country. Now that you’re here, there’s a shop you absolutely must visit at least once.”

“A shop? What do they sell?” Myuri asked innocently, and Hyland responded as though telling her a secret password.

“They specialize in mutton, and it’s called the Golden Fern.”

Myuri’s eyes immediately began to sparkle.

“Brother!!”

As she gripped his shoulder to shake him, he wondered how people could believe that he was the Twilight Cardinal.

“Yes, yes, I know. I know.”

“Oh, but…”

Myuri suddenly stopped.

Col wondered what was on her mind when the silver wolf girl turned to Hyland.

“Hey, do you have any clothes?”

“Clothes?”

“Yeah. See, Brother wants to be a priest or whatever so he only has clothes that make him feel like one.”

Hyland was about to burst into laughter, but she managed to hold back.

He glared at Myuri, who had bad-mouthed him like a little kid running around with a stick pretending to be a soldier, but she just calmly smiled back at him.

“You are right. I doubt anything good would come from walking around looking like a priest,” Hyland said and stood from her chair. “I’ll put something together, so just wait there.”

“But, Heir Hyland—”

“Make it good!”

It was Myuri who Hyland looked to in response.

“I’m on it!”

The two were weirdly on the same page, and Col could do nothing but sigh.

The clothes that Hyland prepared for them suited them in a way.

“That looks really good on you, Brother.”

Myuri sounded like she was teasing, but her eyes glittered, so perhaps he really did look okay. He had mixed feelings—happy, and also like he had done something wrong, but he obediently accepted it for the time being.

“The red on the vest isn’t too bright but not too pale; it’s arranged really nicely. And this cape with the gold edging is such a dark brown, it’s almost black, but it looks good. And what’s this fur? It’s not rabbit, is it?”

“It’s the fur of a sea creature. It’s thin and repels water but is surprisingly warm. You don’t often find fur of this texture on land animals.”

“Yeah. It’s really smooth…It’s so weird how slimy it is, like someone put oil all over it! The embroidery on the sash is so nice, too. The pants come with a wrap, like the hunters in the snowy mountains have. The shoes even go up to his knees.”

“These shoes are a holdover from when people who engaged in war dressed like this. Aren’t they dashing?”

“Yeah. But it doesn’t look like he’s showing off his physical prowess; it makes him look intellectual, and I like that.”

“Wow, I’m glad you noticed. I suppose that’s because plenty of nobles come to visit Nyohhira. You have a good eye.”

After Col had put on his outfit, Myuri and Hyland engrossed themselves with talk of clothes at his expense.

“This hat is amazing!”

“Isn’t it?! This hat indicates a very high level of education and has an air of authority to it.”

It was a fur hat made of the same fur as the cape; it was flat, roundish, and without a brim. It was a masterpiece, whose brass decorations and gold hemming gave it elegance.

“I’ve never seen it in Nyohhira before, but I guess there are people who wear this stuff to work.”

“Yes. Nyohhira is neutral to many countries, after all, so I suppose you can’t hold any over-the-top ceremonies. I imagine you don’t often get to see many guards of honor.”

Col was essentially wearing the type of clothes a royal attendant would wear for a ceremony.

Myuri, on the other hand, had an eye-catching white cloak resting on her shoulders, held shut by a rough belt made of black leather. All the clasps were gold, so despite how simple the outfit was, she could easily be mistaken for someone of high standing.

Together, they looked like a noble daughter of a good family who had come from some faraway territory with her retainer.

“It’s almost vexing how good it looks on you,” Hyland said, and Myuri giggled.

“Don’t worry—you look important, too.”

“Myuri!”

Col cautioned her despite himself, but Hyland seemed to be enjoying herself.

“Ha-ha-ha! Either way, there are plenty of nobles and rich people pretending to be nobles here in the city, so you won’t stand out too much.”

“I’m sorry we’re using such nice clothes of yours…”

He felt apologetic for the trouble, and Hyland shrugged slightly.

“Why, I’d honestly be willing to offer you more. But you don’t accept any compensation I offer.”

She sounded slightly aggressive when she said that, likely because she truly felt that way. Royals had to provide rewards suitable for the jobs their attendants had accomplished. And so she had mentioned giving them a reward for all the work they had done so far.

He did not ask what that might entail specifically, but Hyland was a noble, and a royal noble at that, so he surmised that it was an unimaginable amount of money, so he firmly turned it down.

“Well, do enjoy yourself,” Hyland said, and Col respectfully bowed his head.

When he turned to face Myuri, he fully expected her to be buoyant with the thought of walking around the city and eating mutton, but her expression was hardened and her eyes downcast.

He felt irritated, wondering if she still did not like it when he bowed to Hyland, but she instead kept her head down and only lifted her gaze, giving Hyland wide puppydog eyes as she asked, “Aren’t you coming with us?”

She called Hyland “Blondie” and assumed a rude attitude toward her at every turn. There were even times she bore her fangs at her, so while Col’s reaction was a given, Hyland was the most surprised of either of them.

Myuri did not seem to like the idea that her big brother was serving Hyland, a woman, but they shared an interest in clothes, and her closed heart seemed to finally open up.

For a brief moment, Hyland looked as if she was going to cry. Col had heard once that nobility could be quite lonely.

But at the same time, she was one who had spent a long time hiding how she truly felt.

She immediately smiled and spoke.

“I’m very happy to hear that, but if I came along with you to eat, you would stand out. And when people start realizing that he’s the Twilight Cardinal, that would only bring in unwanted scrutiny. You two should enjoy your time together on your own.”

“…But you wore a villager disguise in Atiph.”

“That’s because I was in a foreign country. But here, I have no shortage of acquaintances. And the Golden Fern is a very popular place where a lot of those people get together.”

Hans would not allow her to disguise herself as a handmaiden. When Myuri made a disappointed face, Hyland knelt down before her and took her hand.

“It hurts me, too. You know, it is usually incredibly rude of me to turn down an invitation to a meal from such an esteemed lady.”

For a moment, Col thought Hyland was a man.

That sort of act suited her much too well.

“…If you act so princely like that, Brother might get the wrong idea and get jealous.”

“We can’t have that.”

The two were a perfect pair.

They both giggled, and Col could do nothing but look away with a wry expression.

“Please enjoy my country.”

“Yeah. Okay, let’s go, Brother.”

“U-uh—”

Myuri pulled him by the hand. Hyland mimed pushing him away, as though telling him to take the lead with her.

He felt strange, usually being the one minding others, and the moment they left the room, Myuri waved to Hyland, and Hyland gleefully waved back.

There was nothing greater than a friendship that transcended social standings.

“Now then, Brother,” Myuri said as they exited the manor. “I trust you’ll be keeping this cute little princess nice and safe?”

Minus the audacity to so blatantly flatter herself, she surely was as adorable as a young noble lady.

“Of course, of course,” he replied and grasped her hand again, and together they strolled down the flagstone street.

The moment they left the district of rows of elegant manors, the atmosphere around them immediately became noisy.

Back at Hyland’s manor, Col wondered slightly if they would stand out in a bad way wearing these clothes, but they did not at all. Rather, there were so many people and the place was so lively that no one had time to think about others.

And the little princess was overwhelmed by the city as a whole.

“Brother, what is up with this city…? No matter where we go, it just keeps on going…”

It sounded like she was telling him a riddle, but he understood what she wanted to say. The structure of a city this big would be completely different from a normal town.

Cities as big as Rausbourne did not have artisan districts or trade districts, as one often saw, but instead had countless smaller towns within it. These towns were often divided by parish, with churches and chapels serving as the nucleus and gathering places only for those who lived within those districts, as well as all the necessary shops such as bakers, butchers, taverns, and workshops for artisans who were specifically for that neighborhood. The parish on the other side of the street would be made up in the same way; there was no need for people of one parish to go out of their way to another.

The main avenues connected these countless parishes together, and that created another unique world of its own.

For example, rows of outdoor stalls and artisans set up shop specifically for visitors coming from out of town; no locals did their shopping there. The residents did not stop to watch the performers put on a show on the street corners, either because they were too busy with normal life or had seen it all already. But then, the local children ran by in droves, and the roaming chickens and pigs skulked around, waiting for a chance to get some of the waste that escaped from the stalls. And then, in the midst of all the congestion, a rich carriage drawn by four horses tried to push its way through as though it owned the place and got into a yelling match over who gives way to whom with laborers pulling carts filled to the brim with salted fish. A closer look showed a group of stray dogs that gathered near the back of the cart in order to have a lick at the salt that had spilled out.

It was chaos.

Col was worried that Myuri, who had been so enraptured by the sights of the city that she forgot to breathe, might get lost in the throng of people, so he pulled on the girl’s hand and they took shelter on the side of the road.

And there just happened to be a small chapel.

“Hey, Brother? Is this a church?”

Myuri’s hair and clothes were mussed and her cheeks were flushed, either because she was excited by the city or because she had been jostled around by the crowd, and she spoke like she had just woken up from a dream.

She did not move to fix her loosened robe, so Col dropped to his knees to readjust her leather belt, but she still stared intently at the run-down chapel.

“Yes, it must be the chapel for this district. Oh, stop, can you face forward, please?”

Not only would she not stay still, her waist was so thin, there was no place for the stiff leather belt to rest on. There was a stray sleeping at the front of the chapel; when she realized it was a dog, she started growling deep in her throat.

It was a big dog with long ears, but it seemed it could only shrink back when glared at by a wolf, looking up at her with servile puppy dog eyes and a pitiful, high-pitched whine.

“Stop that. It’s just a poor dog.”

He struggled to finally close the leather belt, and after he stood up, he jabbed her in the head.

“Ow! Hey, why’d you hit me?”

Myuri also looked up to Col with wide puppy dog eyes, but she did not look to him in obedience but in protest.

“Because you are acting like you’re going to bite anyone and everyone,” he said with a sigh and adjusted her hood. “Calm down a little bit. You finally have an outfit you look cute in, and you’re putting it to waste.”

“What?”

Myuri straightened herself in surprise and immediately beamed with joy. Had her tail been out, it would have been wagging so vigorously, it would have surprised the stray dog even more.

“Really? Wait, are you being serious, Brother? I look cute? Say it again!”

“I will once you stop acting so mischievous and tomboyish.”

“Awww, I haven’t pulled any mischief and I’m not a tomboy…”

He wondered for a moment who she thought she was, but Myuri made a sound of realization and looked back at the long-eared dog. The dog she bullied immediately sat up and adjusted its posture, its front paws together, like a retainer being glared at by a king.

“Ilenia told us about this, didn’t she?”

He thought she might be quibbling or trying to trick him again, but he was surprised to hear a name he was not expecting.

“Miss Ilenia?”

“Yeah. She said that you don’t usually see a lot because they’d stand out in a small village, but bigger towns have a lot of roaming animals and that we should befriend them if we can.”

Myuri waved her hand as she spoke. The long-eared dog then stood up, came over to her, and she patted it on the head.

“She said when she’s doing trade alone in town, people end up going after her. Thieves have tried to break into her room at inns lots of times, but the chickens and pigs alerted her and helped her out and stuff.”

Now that he thought about it, Col remembered Ilenia even had stacks of inventory outside the room at the inn where she was staying.

Considering how every company hired bodyguards for that, it seemed careless, but she did have countermeasures in a way that only a nonhuman could.

“She said it’s better to have friends and that we should use our strengths when we can. That’s what she told me.”

The long-eared dog completely accepted Myuri as its master, its tail wagging as she patted its head, and it even hopped up onto its hind legs after being given some sort of command. The reason Col stood there, speechless, was not because he was impressed by how easily she handled the dog.

It was because he was intensely shaken that someone besides himself had given her such important advice.

Ever since they’d left on their journey, Myuri had demonstrated that she was not a girl who needed protecting, as she had saved Col countless times. Yet, she clung to him, calling out to him like always, and for this reason he believed that everything she was would always fit inside his arms.

In short, he should have known everything about her, and he should have been the one to show her the way.

Or perhaps that was possessiveness.

“Well, Mother can easily chat with the bears in the woods and they tell her where all the beehives are, but I can’t do that, so this is also practice for me…Wait, Brother? A-are you okay?”

Myuri looked back at him, her expression dubious.

He wanted to say, It is nothing, but they were right in front of a house of God. He could not lie here.

“Yes…I was just thinking about how you’ve met such a good friend.”

Instead of lying, he hid all his feelings behind his words.

He should have been happy that Myuri would meet many people and grow and mature.

He would set aside the pain and sadness of letting go of a little sister he so doted on for when he reunited with Lawrence.

“Um, okay? I guess we’re friends. I wanted to talk more with her, though,” Myuri said as she regretfully tilted her head, and behind her, other strays besides the long-eared one gathered, sitting with their front paws neatly together like her henchmen.

When he saw that, he remembered when she was the leader of all the scoundrel children in Nyohhira, and a small smile appeared on his face.

“We’ll go to see her next time we have the chance.”

“Okay!”

And then he found himself relieved at how she happily clung to his arm as she always did. Yet, as they continued on their journey, she would learn plenty of things he could never know from plenty of people he could never even imagine. And whenever that happened, Myuri as she was now would slowly become a memory.

While he knew that was natural, he still wanted to hold on to this moment now as he cradled her. But then, it felt as though the patient dogs were giving him an odd look.

He thought they were looking at him as though to say, What is a fool like you doing to our master? But perhaps he was imagining it.

He looked at the chapel—to escape from the dogs’ gazes—and said to Myuri, “That aside, would you mind if we stopped in here briefly?”

Now that they had come all this way to a faraway city, he wanted to see what the local chapels were like.

“Huh? I don’t mind…Can we just go in? It doesn’t seem like there’s anyone around.”

Myuri could apparently tell what sort of position the chapel was in from her experiences traveling so far.

“The strays have likely taken their place here because people must feed them when they come and go. And it’s not like the doors have been nailed shut like they were in Desarev.”

Myuri peeked through the gap between the rather warped wooden doors, then looked back at Col.

“I guess we have to go in, if you want to so badly. But just for a sec, okay?”

It was always Myuri who wanted to take detours, so now that their positions were flipped, she seemed rather happy.

Col placed his hand on Myuri’s head with a compliant, wry smile, and she shrugged as though it tickled her.

While the dogs’ gazes still bothered him, he pretended not to notice in the end and opened the door, entering the chapel.

It was a small chapel, and the pews inside had enough room to seat about twenty. Since the only ones gathering here were likely those who lived in the parish, it was more than suitable.

The platform, which was more like the kind that an outdoor vendor would use to put clearance items up for sale in the market and less like an altar, and the long, backless pews made for a comfortable atmosphere. The high ceiling reached to about the third floor of a regular building, which gave the space an open, welcoming feeling when coupled with the many high windows for letting in light.

Of course, it wasn’t perfect—Col immediately found scars from the conflict between the Kingdom and Church. There was a mark on the wall from where the emblem of the Church once hung and had now been taken away. Much like Desarev, it was likely it had been a long time since a priest was last here.

However, the floors had been neatly swept, and the pews were nicely polished. He could visibly see the faith of those who gathered here, and as he gazed happily at it, he approached the platform, and his eyes widened at what sat there.

“This…”

“Whoa, what’s with the book?”

Myuri loved reading, including adventure stories, so she reached out from beside him to flip through the pages.

And she realized what it was right away.

“Wait, this—”

“…is part of the common-language translation of the scripture.”

It was a selection of the most well-known parts often used in sermons, and there were even parts in there that he had translated. It was roughly bound together with a fraying twine, but the pages were dirtied with finger marks—he could tell that many people had read through it.

Even with the emblem of the Church gone, the people’s faith was still present here. This little book on its own was supporting the hearts of the people while the priest himself was gone.

And those were parts that Col had foregone sleep to translate.

Something he had done was nourishing the faith of these people.

While he felt a lump forming in his throat, Myuri spoke, still peering into the book.

“That’s a part you did.”

Col’s breath caught at her sudden comment.

When Myuri looked back, however, her expression was surprisingly puzzled.

“Wait, you know that the way you write is exactly the same way you talk, right? I could tell right away.”

“Is…is that so?”

Col responded, still reeling, and Myuri pouted a little.

“Why wouldn’t I be able to tell? I know you best out of anyone in the whole world!” proclaimed Myuri boldly. Col felt like he had been thinking the very same thing just a little while ago…but he dared not say that out loud.

There was an epigram that went, Stare into the abyss, and the abyss stares back, and that was exactly right.

“And when I think about how all these people are reading stuff you wrote, it makes me want to brag,” Myuri said with a tickled smile, her mood now totally refreshed. He saw her impish, pointed canine peeking out from beneath her lips, and as he thought about how innocent she looked, she suddenly grasped his hand gently.

She was ever changing, more prone to sudden shifts than the mountain weather, and without a hint of teasing she said, “I really think you should be more confident in yourself.”

He could not say the thought that she simply said that because she was his sister and she saw him in a favorable light by default did not cross his mind. Col could tell she was being earnest.

A sincere comment warranted a sincere response.

“…I should. Thank you.”

Myuri was supporting him, and so he needed to work even harder for her.

As he collected himself again, he looked to her, who had turned her gaze back toward the book, and figured this was a good opportunity.

“By the way, the part I translated—”

“Oh, I like you, Brother. I’m not really interested in what you write in the scripture.”

“…”

The hope that she would at least accept the parts of the scripture he had written in his own words was squashed in an instant.

Myuri hummed with satisfaction at cornering her brother, then turned around to poke him in the chest.

“That’s because you are a greater man than you think you are. That’s why I believe that while Blondie’s getting stomachaches over what’ll happen to her country, you’ll be out there as the great Twilight Cardinal pulling your awesome moves to solve it.”

Even though she was much more heroic than he was, she wanted her brother to act like that. Deep in his heart, he knew she was expecting way too much of him, but she was his little sister, and as her older brother, he had an obligation to step up to her expectations.

He patted her head as she clung to his arm and cackled, and he gave the best response he could.

“I cannot say it will be very awesome, but I hope to help in any way I can.”

He believed that even doing what he was doing now was much too audacious for someone who had been working as a helper in a remote mountain bathhouse just one month prior.

But Myuri was not satisfied.

“Come ooon, Brother, again? You turned down Blondie’s reward! I bet she was going to give us amazing treasure!”

“That is not the reason I am traveling. Receiving clothes, food, and shelter is enough for me. And please let go. You’re going to damage the book.”

She reluctantly let go and placed the book back onto the altar.

Inside were the blessed teachings of God and the seeds of his wishes to be of help to the world. Col would be lying if he said he felt no pride in seeing these buds starting to sprout.

It seemed the dreaming boy who shivered at the thought of having the power to change the world was still somewhere inside him.

“I am of little influence, so I do not know how much I can accomplish, but I do pray that I can settle the dispute between the Kingdom and the Church.”

That being said, he still could not frolic about before Myuri, so he had to be cautious with his pride.

Myuri seemed like she was going to say something else, but a sudden, third voice echoing around them cut her short.

“I agree, but you must double-check what that solution might mean.”

There were no other figures in the chapel, and there did not seem to be any places to hide. Yet, he still did not know where the voice was coming from as he looked left and right.

It was the wolf-blooded Myuri who noticed first.

“Brother, above us.”

Col looked up, and there, sitting on the edge of the opened skylight, was a bird.

If Col thought himself a servant of God, this would be where he would think that he appeared through a messenger, but unfortunately, he knew of beings like this besides God.

“Are you…Miss Sharon?”

When he said the name of the tax collector they’d met at the harbor, the bird above them puffed her feathers out, spread her wings, and flew down.

But she did not land at their eye level. She stopped on top of a candleholder fixed to the wall at about where the second floor would be in a normal building and looked down at them.

“…I hate her,” Myuri muttered with a growl, but she was being not entirely unreasonable.

Sharon was so clearly peering down at them from the candleholder, both figuratively and literally, that it bewildered him.

Ilenia was friendly, and Autumn was practically apathetic. He found himself upset to see a nonhuman this overtly hostile toward them.

“Let me ask you something,” said Sharon, the majestic eagle. “Are you dogs of the Church?”

“Huhhh?”

Myuri’s voice, every bit as angry as Sharon was hostile, echoed through the quiet chapel.