EPILOGUE

And thus the grand cathedral doors were opened. The house of God granted its mercy to those who came armed, all for the sake of the helpless, orphaned children…

Once the tale was over, a strummed chord echoed throughout the atrium. A great number of guests had been enraptured by the minstrel’s tale.

But there were still plenty of people who looked on in doubt—had the cathedral not given in to evil ways, and was it not a den of evils forsaken by God? Oh, but oh!

Da-na-naaaaan.

This sort of program could be seen all over Rausbourne, and no matter where a traveler went, they would likely find the same. Col felt like he would lose his appetite again if he had to hear that story once more, but there was someone else there to eat his meal for him.

“It’s getting cold, Brother.”

“Go ahead.”

He passed the plate with the mountain of mutton to Myuri, who bit into it with glimmering eyes.

“This is my treat. I doubt you’ll be able to eat it all, even if you pace yourself.”

The one who smiled was Eve, and the one ordering some more meat was Hyland. Once Hyland was done ordering directly from the owner of the Golden Fern, she spoke with a bitter smile with regards to the minstrel’s melody, which they could hear from the window that faced the atrium.

“I have to say, artists are truly gifted, aren’t they?”

She was not talking about the minstrel’s voice but the miracle he was singing about.

“Even the silliest of tricks look like a miracle depending on perspective. Both the papal office and the Kingdom will have to stay silent after seeing something like that,” Eve said as she looked at Myuri, but Myuri continued to eat, pretending not to notice. Or perhaps she was not pretending—maybe she really did not.

“A whole flock of birds flew out carrying the Church’s banner from the cathedral, right? I can’t believe I didn’t get to see that…,” Hyland said, genuinely disappointed. “And all the stray dogs and pigs and chickens came from all over town to bless the event, didn’t they? You can find plenty of people making their animals do tricks on the street corners, but I’ve never seen anything so majestic before.”

“Lord Hyland, keep in mind how light my wallet got because of it.”

While that was an accurate account of what had happened, there were several layers to the truth.

To those who could see only the outermost layers, the tale went that the tax collectors had stood up for the orphans, and when the cathedral accepted them, a miracle occurred thanks to God’s blessing.

Those who peeled a layer back thought that Eve had paid a sum of money, scraping together some artists, and directed a miracle in order to calm the whole commotion down. That was the explanation they had given the royals, including Hyland. They did that because there was a need to hide the true identity of Myuri and the others like her and, more importantly, to inform them it was not truly a miracle. They would be needing the Church to fight and fix their evildoings in the near future. They would be getting their priorities backward if the Church hesitated to fight because they were reeling from a divine miracle.

And peeling back the last layer showed the innermost story.

Myuri had called on the stray dogs to gather the other animals, and when Sharon received a letter from one of the dogs, she agreed to take a chance on the silly display, gathered the birds, and directed the miracle.

After the banner flew out from the cathedral over the people gathered there with weapons and torches, Clark and Yagine emerged, permit in hand. Clark publicly received the permit from Yagine, and then he handed it over to Sharon.

While everyone stood there in bewilderment, aside from a few key players, they forcibly overwrote and imbued new meaning into the whole situation.

The cathedral had accepted the tax collectors’ petition, and God had granted them all his mercy.

There was a grand and sturdy front, one that had nothing to do with the politics of the Kingdom or anything like that, but it was all for the innocent children whom God would surely save as long as they followed his teachings.

And then, after the cathedral bells rang, a single white dove flew down and landed on Sharon’s shoulder.

The city council soldiers, still without a clue as to what was going on, fell to the ground to grovel because they interpreted it as God’s will.

Or perhaps it was a way for them to placate themselves as they were bewildered by the awesome happenings around them.

“I guess I’m saddened most by the fact the Twilight Cardinal’s name wasn’t loudly associated with this.” Hyland’s tone was joking.

All Col had done was think up the way to do it, and he had not been officially present.

But he needed to lend a hand so that the new monastery could get off the ground.

“And you’re really not taking on the job?” Hyland looked at him with sad eyes, and Col failed to find words. “I know Clark and Sharon and the rest want you to.”

“No, I’m still not suited for such a thing yet. I’m only receiving their support in the end.”

Clark would be the abbot of the new monastery, and Sharon, who would be headmaster of the new orphanage, had asked Col to take on the role of prior.

The foundation of the new monastery would be built with Eve’s money, Hyland’s land, and the cathedral’s permit, but it was obvious to all that it stood in a delicate position between the Kingdom and the Church.

They needed someone who could act as the keystone, so they would not be so easily exploited.

They decided that would be the name of the Twilight Cardinal, but he firmly turned down the offer to be appointed the monastery’s prior.

Instead, they settled on him receiving support from the monastery for his aspirations to walk the theological path.

He had made a promise that he would gift a copy of the common-language translation of the scripture in the place of a relic in order to attract worshippers and their donations.

With that in their possession, the monastery’s authority would grow, and many priests would come to consult it.

“And even with the scripture, I think I am being overestimated. The translation is not because of anything I’ve done alone but rather the result of the cooperation among many high-ranking clergymen here in the Kingdom.”

“You need people to read your writings. The passages you wrote are pretty popular here in Rausbourne.”

It was Clark who had spread them around…which meant that he had nowhere to run.

He would have to stay uncomfortable like this for a little while longer.

“More importantly, how are we for time? Were Clark and Miss Sharon not departing today?” Col asked.

“Oh right. I was having so much fun watching this girl eat that I forgot. Sheesh, I’m hoping they put this building on easy ground. Money’ll be flying out of my pockets.”

“The construction of the inn and the permits for the gate town will take care of you. That should be good income for you.”

“I certainly hope so, Lord Hyland.”

Eve and Hyland’s exchange was frank yet somewhat thorny, but they were taking on a partnership in order to support Sharon’s monastery.

“All right, I’ll call the carriage.”

Hyland stood, and Eve followed suit.

“Come on, Myuri.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. Let her eat.”

“We’ll have them wrap some for you to take home.”

Eve and Hyland seemed to be enjoying themselves, but Col was only ever embarrassed as her older brother.

Once the two left the room, he looked to Myuri with a sigh.

“Myuri, why have you been in such a bad mood?”

Right after the whole commotion ended, Myuri seemed to be in a great mood.

She was delighted they had come up with a way to save Sharon and the rest, allowing the whole incident to wrap up rather nicely.

But then suddenly, her mood had soured several days ago.

If his guess was correct, it was because he had turned down the work as prior at the monastery.

“Brother, you dummy.”

Col unconsciously rubbed his neck, feeling like the way she ripped into the meat was like her ripping into his throat. Myuri swallowed, reaching for a new piece as she spoke, all the while sprinkling plenty of the black pepper Eve had prepared for them.

“That chicken and that failure of yours are gonna live together, right?! So why can’t we do that?!”

So that really is the reason, Col thought as he turned away.

Myuri groaned and glared at him as she ate.

The answer was a given.

“Monasteries are places of prayer and contemplation. You cannot live in a place like that.”

“Why?!”

“What do you mean, why?”

He gave a tired sigh, took the soft linen cloth in his hands, and held it up to Myuri’s chin.

“You cannot eat meat like this there. Are you okay with that?”

She had stuffed her mouth so full of meat, it practically changed the shape of her face, and still she continued munching.

He knew she was doing it out of spite, but that also meant she was well.

“And even if we did live together,” he said, placing his elbow on the table, leaning into the girl who sat next to him, “we cannot get married. Are you okay with that?”

Myuri stared at him, chewed her meat, then swallowed it.

Her lips pouted in a triangular shape.

“No. But you didn’t turn down the chicken’s request because you want to marry me quickly.”

He smiled bitterly at her accurate remark, and he sat up straight.

“It’s still too early for me to enter a place of thought and prayer. And this entire incident has made me keenly aware of how big an impact I’ve made with everything I’ve done so far. I cannot leave that alone, and I need to seriously consider if what I am doing is truly correct.”

Even though he thought the Church had no room to make excuses, they had their own situation to consider, and even the selfish merchants had a point that he needed to think about.

The world was filled with so many things he needed to know and learn.

“Brother, you dummy. If you want to do the right thing, then you don’t need to think that hard about it.”

And of course, Myuri had her own excuses.

“Is there anything righter than taking me for your wife?”

Myuri, rambunctious as usual.

When Col offered her a weary smile, she immediately glared at him.

There were those who were trifled with by their fate and those who railed against theirs.

Despite how powerless he was, there should still be things he could do.

“Well, you still weren’t any match for Uncle Luward, but I guess you were pretty cool this time around,” Myuri said as she tossed away a sheep bone that had been licked clean. It landed on the plate with a satisfying sound. “I suppose I’ll accompany you on your travels if you keep showing me how cool you can be.”

You’re the one who came along without asking me first was something he would never say out loud.

He opened up the linen in his hand, refolded it, then lightly pressed it to the corners of Myuri’s mouth.

“I cannot promise that, but I’m hoping to be less pathetic going forward.”

Myuri let him wipe her mouth as she made a matter-of-fact look and then said, “I guess I’ll need to go along with you, then.”

Her sharp fangs glinted from beneath the raised corner of her mouth.

The only reason he had been able to stand tall before the great commotion in this city was, without a doubt, Myuri. As a result, the Kingdom and the Church did not go straight to war, and Sharon had gotten a chance to have a proper talk with Yagine.

And Col managed to get through it all without having to swallow only the bitter parts of reality.

“Indeed.”

“Indeed, indeed. Always and forever!”

Myuri spoke delightedly and chuckled.

They could hear the minstrel’s song coming in from the window of the private room.

When Col stood, he took Myuri’s hand and lightly pulled it.

“Now, we must get ready for our next journey.”

Myuri’s red eyes glinted and she squeezed his hand hard in return, standing up with great vigor.

“I wanna go someplace with lots of good food next!”

“We’re not on vacation.”

“I’m not vacationing; I’m enjoying life!”

“And who taught you to say that…?”

“Hmph!”

Myuri, always the mischievous girl she was, flashed a toothy grin.

Her smile was full of confidence that the next day would be fun, and Col could not help but smile back.

They opened the door and headed out into the hall.

They would surely face troubles in the future, and they would surely find pain.

But he had a feeling they could simply overcome these things one at a time.

“C’mon, Brother! Our next adventure!”

That was because he had such a reassuring companion beside him.

As he closed the door, Myuri clung to his arm, and then they walked off together.

All they left behind in the room was the cheerful melody of the minstrel and bare sheep bones.

Col thought that perhaps it was a hint of what was to come, and he was okay with that.