Chapter 10 Part 3

Parmo’s wrinkled hand brushed over the crystal ball. The dark night sky appeared within it, reflecting the movement of the stars. He could read the stars’ motions, and there, among them, was a star symbolizing Elia, shining brightly and dispelling the darkness.

“Something is wrong,” he murmured.

Originally, the star was not this bright. It was almost faint, perfect as a sacrificial offering. To achieve his goal, Parmo needed a star born with a noble destiny. By consuming that destiny, Parmo could finally obtain what he had long dreamed of. Thus, he targeted Elia, even before she was born.

Changing a star’s destiny required a long period of patience. Sometimes he was a merchant controlling the nation; other times, he was a noble dominating high society. Parmo altered his appearance and disrupted history, advocating for the oppression of minor tribes. With each move, a tribe that claimed difference vanished, all to twist Elia’s fate.

‘How much effort have I put into this?’ Parmo mused.

When Elia was born, her star’s destiny was also born. After long work, the star appeared, but its light was dim. Parmo believed his plan would succeed upon seeing the faint star. However, the star that seemed about to fade suddenly grew brighter and shone brilliantly, just like now.

‘I, who can see the future, missed something?’ Parmo pondered deeply, but he couldn’t find what he had overlooked. Moreover, the brighter the star became, the foggier the future, once clear, now seemed.

An incomplete future? That couldn’t be. Due to Elia’s star’s brilliance, Parmo had to advance all his plans. Even that was insufficient, so he had to draw in new stars.

‘Consuming a star destined to be a saint isn’t bad either.’

Inside the crystal ball, another star, Sharon’s, appeared. Sharon’s fate was to become a saint of light. But now, she was a fake, all because Sharon took Parmo’s hand.

“Foolish girl,” Parmo laughed, scratching his neck. There was nothing more foolish than believing oneself to be a fake. Once the true opened their eyes to dark desires, they could no longer be true.

The star of a fallen saint—this too was a consumed destiny, but it fell far short of Parmo’s goal.

‘The destiny of a saint isn’t enough.’

Even without him, the saint was destined to fall in the future. Offering Elia as a sacrifice was the prelude. The saint, believed to save the world, would meet a miserable end, and the hero would also walk the path of death. The real desire came after. Parmo wanted the world’s destruction. Only the most noble destiny could give Parmo the future he dreamed of.

Parmo’s shadow flickered. The darkness seemed to sneer, awaiting the impending ruin.

* * *

In front of the Temple of Light, people crowded for a special festival, not just the usual anniversary celebrations. Commoners enjoying the festival, nobles visiting the temple, and soldiers and knights from the capital all mingled, causing chaos. The capital was on edge due to recent monster attacks, and the festival seemed to be a way for people to shake off their anxiety.

Amid the many carriages heading to the temple, only those granted permission could enter. A carriage bearing the Mahart family’s crest entered the temple grounds. Inside were the Duke, Elia, and Aksion.

Before stepping into the temple, Duke Tartan clarified his destination. “I am going to meet the saint.”

“Yes. We’ll look around the temple,” Elia replied.

As planned, the Duke would adopt a posture of submission to the saint. Despite sharing a carriage, it would be hard to suspect the Duke as being on their side.

‘The Duke and Aksion are supposed to be enemies,‘ Elia thought. Their enmity was long-standing and irreparable.

When the Duke first offered his assistance, Elia was honestly surprised. She hadn’t expected him to reveal his intentions and act for her so easily.

‘Is this really okay?’ she wondered.

She knew why he was moving, but she didn’t tell Aksion. The entire way to the temple, the two did not exchange a word or glance. Elia gazed out the window with a troubled look. The Duke had already left the carriage. A moment later, Aksion took Elia’s hand.

“It’s time to get off,” he said.

“Yes, let’s take a look around,” Elia replied.

The two also got out of the carriage. Up close, the Temple of Light was grand, embodying divine majesty. The gardens were pure white, making the temple, bathed in sunlight, almost blindingly beautiful.

‘It is beautiful,’ Elia admitted.

Inside the temple, in contrast to the chaotic festival, the atmosphere was serene. Only formally invited nobles and wealthy merchants were inside, and even the guides exuded a certain dignity.

‘It’s luxurious, but not much different from other temples,’ Elia thought. One must see the structure, not just the surface. To do that, one must feel the energy, not just look with eyes.

The surroundings were filled with a sacred aura. Amidst the abundance, Elia found a strand of alien sensation.

‘Why is the energy I felt in the territory here?’ she wondered.

Faint misfortune was permeating the place. Hidden behind the temple’s structure, she sensed a bizarre energy writhing.

Elia pointed beyond the garden. “I need to go over there.”

“There are no paths that way,” Aksion noted.

Indeed, beyond the bushes were only trees and landscaping. At that moment, priests passed by them. It would be suspicious for distinguished guests to go off-path. Therefore, ‘We’ll have to go secretly,’ Elia thought.

She pulled Aksion’s arm. Behind a large tree, they stepped into the bushes. The trees, seemingly decorative, grew denser, making it hard to see ahead.

“The temple garden is wider than I thought. It feels like a forest was moved here,” Elia observed.

“This area wasn’t on the map we received,” Aksion noted.

Something was off. As they walked deeper into the forest, they saw a white cloth through the branches. Sensing Elia’s gaze, the white figure turned and walked directly toward them.

“Excuse me, distinguished guests. You seem to be lost,” he said.

His short red hair and blue eyes gave him a kind appearance, fitting the white priest’s robe. But his unusually thick arms and calloused hands indicated a sword-wielding man.

‘Those are hands that hold a sword,’ Elia thought. His kind face and stern appearance reminded her of someone.

‘Lake Tarban,’ she recalled.

He was a squire of the holy knight, a male protagonist before receiving a revelation.

“You mustn’t go this way,” he blocked their path.

Though he was a common priest now, with Sharon as the saint, he would soon be called by the gods and become a hero.

‘If things go as they originally would,’ she mused.

Elia glared at Lakes, feigning hostility. “Who dares block the path of the princess?”

“Princess… are you Princess Elia?” he asked, seemingly startled as he scanned Elia. Realizing his rudeness, he quickly lowered his gaze.

“My apologies. I am Lakes Tarban, a common priest at this temple,” he introduced himself.

Elia’s guess was right. It was intriguing to see the male protagonist in person, but there was no time for that. The energy beyond Lakes was growing.

“I lost something very important to me here,” Elia said.

“Inside here?” Lakes squinted.

Elia smiled sweetly at his suspicious question. “Yes. I had a tryst here last night. With my husband.”

Elia clung to Aksion’s arm, resting her cheek on his shoulder. Tilting his head slightly, Aksion and Elia appeared to be a sweet couple.

“I see,” Lakes stammered.

In the night forest, there were few activities for an affectionate couple. The priest, unaccustomed to such matters, quickly averted his eyes. Lakes’ cheeks and ears were already turning red.