Chapter 46
“High Priest, I have a question.”
“What is it?”
“Do the threads of causality you see include your own?”
A gaze, deep with the passage of time, fixed silently upon me. I met the High Priest’s eyes with earnest anticipation.
“No.” After a long silence, the High Priest finally answered. “If I could see my own threads, it would be as if the gods had dealt me a hand of foul play. My own threads remain unseen by me.”
“Then…”
“Adelina, the way you ask tells me there’s a thread of causality you know of that I do not.”
“…High Priest.”
The High Priest took my hand. “Knowing much is a good thing, Adelina. Knowledge is a lamp that illuminates the dark paths of life. However, if you bring your eyes too close to the lamp, you may lose sight of the proper path. There’s no need for such a worried look, as if you’re about to rush off alone.”
“But, High Priest!”
But I know the future where you die because of the high-ranking magic beasts. You will lead the charge, as always, and your aged body won’t withstand the strain, leading to your injury and eventual demise. How can I stand by knowing this?
“High Priest, I don’t intend to bear this burden alone. It’s not something I can shoulder by myself. I beseech you. I know it hasn’t been long since the last major subjugation, and you must be weary, but I need the strength of Seikan, Reynard, and Helion. Would you please convey a message to them in your name?”
“What message?”
“High-ranking magic beasts have appeared in the western part of the empire. They must be dealt with swiftly.” I pleaded with the High Priest, my heart heavy with urgency.
Whether it happens quickly or slowly, I cannot accept an ending where this kind, old soul who took me in as a street orphan is injured and dies.
“Is my name truly necessary?”
“What? Oh, of course, they are all imperial nobles, so the imperial family could intervene, but since it involves dealing with magic beasts, the temple…”
“No, no.” The High Priest patted the back of my hand, which he held firmly in his. “If you were to say a single word, they would all rush to your aid. Why would my involvement be necessary?”
Clovis reacted before I did to the High Priest’s words, which sounded like he was teasing a child who had dropped her sweet. “This is hardly the time for jest, when the safety of the empire is at stake.”
The High Priest, however, was not one to be fazed by Clovis’s stern expression. “If defining it as a jest eases Your Highness’s mind, this humble servant of the gods will gladly oblige.”
Clovis grimaced at the old man’s easygoing manner, a display of disrespect. Ignoring him, the High Priest turned to me.
“As you said, there’s no time to waste. I’ll send for them immediately. May I ask what your specific plan is?”
“I’ll go to the library and retrieve the bestiary. The imperial report contained information on the high-ranking magic beasts that appeared in the west, so…”
“So, you intend to familiarize yourself with these beasts and discuss the western terrain?” The High Priest summarized my intentions concisely and accurately.
“The map the pilgrims gave us last time, the one hanging in the central hallway, should be the most accurate for the western region.”
“Indeed. It was drawn by those who recently traveled there.”
“Then I’ll write a note asking them to meet there directly.”
As the High Priest finished speaking and left, Clovis opened his mouth, his face clearly troubled.
“For an apprentice priestess, you seem to hold quite a bit of sway.”
“It’s not that I have influence. The High Priest is open to everyone.”
Clovis didn’t need to know the circumstances that made my knowledge more extensive than others. In any case, thanks to the High Priest’s open-mindedness and willingness to listen to everyone, it took less than a few hours for everyone to gather in the central hallway.
“Adelina, you…” Reynard, the first to arrive, his hair a mess, stared at me wide-eyed. He looked like he had been dragged out of bed, likely having collapsed into sleep the moment he arrived home.
Seeing Clovis, who had stood steadfastly behind me while I visited the library and searched for materials, Reynard gritted his teeth. Then, just as quickly, he smoothed his expression and bowed politely.
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