IWBAACTWITOS Chapter 38

Lumos tapped his cane anxiously in front of the corridor behind the statue. His legs were starting to go numb, but he couldn't afford to sit down.

'She only went to receive a prophecy. It'll be fine.'

That's what he wanted to believe.

Looking at a thousand years of records, the Prophetess had never once given prophecy to only one person. Every prophecy the Prophetess gave was related to the fate of the world. Combining these two facts produced the result that Thaleia was connected to the fate of this world.

The sun would set soon. What kind of prophecy could be taking this long to deliver?

Lumos turned his head to look up at the statue.

'O God.'

Please have mercy on your child and grant salvation. While Lumos prayed desperately in his heart, Thaleia appeared.

With eyes that had clearly been crying hard, the child walking unsteadily looked like she might disappear at any moment.

"Lady Thaleia."

"..."

"Did you... receive the prophecy?"

"...Yes."

"Are you alright?"

"Grandfather, let me ask you something."

"Yes, please ask."

"If you had to give up just one person to save the world, what would you do?"

"Is that one person Lady Thaleia?"

"...No."

Thaleia's denial was dubious, but Lumos didn't press further. He took a deep breath in, then released it.

"Lady Thaleia, I just asked if that one person was you, didn't I?"

"It's not me."

"Yes, it's not Lady Thaleia. But if it had been you, I wouldn't have been able to choose."

"..."

"And if that one person were the Prophetess, I would choose that one person over the world. They took in someone with a bad leg like me and allowed me to live as a priest, so they're my benefactor.

I met them when I was five years old like Lady Thaleia is now, and I'm seventy-five now. I've served the Prophetess for seventy-one years. That one person would be more important than the world to someone."

"...But if the world really ends."

"If we all end together, it's not so bad, is it?"

"Not so bad?"

"I don't have much life left. But unlike me, the Prophetess must continue living as god's prophet from now on. Sometimes, I pity them. An ending is sad, but not so despairing. Because everyone faces it eventually."

"..."

"Of course, I'm merely a humble servant of god, so my answer cannot be considered correct. To fathom the will of the god who created this world, I've only lived for roughly seventy years."

At Lumos's words, Thaleia closed her eyes and fell silent as if lost in thought. When Lumos pulled out a handkerchief to wipe away her tear tracks, Thaleia blocked his hand and smiled faintly.

"I think there's no right answer to this problem. It's just a choice."

"...I suppose so."

"Thank you, Grandfather."

"Lady Thaleia, I cannot ask what prophecy you received. The Prophetess must have had a reason for calling only you. But I hope you won't be too troubled. Lady Thaleia is still just a child."

"...I know. Me too."

"Waaaaah!"

While walking to the ceremony hall holding Lumos's hand, I heard a familiar crying sound.

I'd been told that during the twenty days of purification, Royna hadn't skipped crying like this even once. Children apparently often cried or fussed during ceremonies, but Royna seemed especially remarkable among them.

"Did I cry like that too?"

"No. Lady Thaleia never cried even once. It was actually a problem that you didn't cry at all."

When I chuckled, Lumos looked down at me with a bitter expression. I let go of his hand.

"I can go by myself. Please do what I asked, Grandfather."

"Yes, understood."

"Waah! Don' wanna!"

Royna, wearing white ceremonial clothes, lay sprawled on the ground crying like the world was ending.

When Royna really started crying properly, she didn't stop for at least three hours, so Roxana and Julian looked troubled.

"Rona."

Strangely enough, when I called her name, Royna stopped crying abruptly. Royna, who'd been lying on the ground resisting, jumped up and ran toward me.

"Sissy!"

Of course, her legs tangled and she tripped while running. I helped Royna up and checked if she was hurt anywhere. Despite rolling on the ground, she wasn't hurt anywhere, and not even a speck of dust had gotten on her pure white clothes.

"Huu..."

"Don't cry, Rona."

"Don' wanna. Go home."

"Let's be patient a little longer, Rona. It'll be over soon."

"..."

Royna, who'd been looking up at me, pouted her lips but obediently took my hand and returned to her place.

"Mom, Dad."

"Tilly!"

Julian moved to scoop me up, then held back his hands, worried about messing up my clothes and hair ornaments.

"Were you lonely without Mom and Dad?"

"No, I wasn't lonely."

'The lonely person was someone else.'

"The ceremony will begin shortly. Lady Royna, please come this way."

Royna, who'd been fidgeting because her clothes were uncomfortable, took the priest's hand and climbed the altar. Before long, the Prophetess appeared. Though their face was hidden so their expression didn't show, I could feel they were anxious.

Because I'd asked them to add one word to the prophecy that had been scheduled.

I showed them a smile to reassure them. Having gained courage, they climbed the altar and knelt before Royna.

A clear bell rang out, and everyone knelt.

Compared to the lengthy preparation process, the ceremony itself wasn't very long. They recited a prayer blessing, then applied holy oil that had been prepared to both eyes, ears, and lips.

Though Royna had a blank expression, she surprisingly stayed still without whining. The Prophetess's voice wasn't very loud, but it felt like it resonated inside my head.

"What you see, what you hear, what you taste—all is conveyed to god, so as a Guardian, always see, hear, and do what is right to lead the world to salvation."

Though the setting included receiving baptism, I'd never written the ceremony itself in words, so this was my first time hearing the prayer.

'What complete nonsense.'

Even though it was a story I'd written, this world's structure was deformed. It upheld the three Guardian families and the Prophetess, forcing them to remain absolute good.

In the original work too, one reason Rayan despaired was this world's structure. Though I'd left hints that Aegis would change the world as emperor, I didn't want to make Asher like that.

'Asher should also have the chance to choose the life he wants.'

When the bell signaling the end of the baptism ceremony rang, Royna hurriedly descended the altar and was held by Julian. The Prophetess took one deep breath and opened their mouth.

"A second prophecy has been given."

At the words "second prophecy," everyone except me and the Prophetess momentarily stopped breathing. It had been over a hundred years since the Prophetess had prophesied. Everyone knew it would come someday, but unable to feel direct threat, they'd grown lax.

"The evil spirit will return. The children of this generation will become Guardians."

"...No."

Julian, who was beside me, muttered quietly. As strength entered the arms holding her, Royna called to him.

"Papa?"

"..."

Finding it painful to look at Julian's face, I lowered my head, and Roxana's hand beside me came into view. Her hand was clenched in a tight fist, trembling.

"Prophetess. You said a second prophecy..."

The priest recording the prophecy, sensing something strange, asked the Prophetess. Instead of answering, the Prophetess descended from the altar and approached us.

As we'd agreed in advance, I stood up, and they knelt.

In that mysterious voice that resonated in everyone's heads, the Prophetess spoke to me.

"Do not forget the first prophecy given to Lady Thaleia."

I smiled and hugged the Prophetess.

I could see how powerful the Prophetess's words were in this world, and I planned to use them to become a bit special. It was the first step to escape being a child who could only ask for things.

"Thank you. Just wait a little longer."

When I whispered in a small voice, the Prophetess hugged me back. Saving the Prophetess right now would be difficult.

The evil spirit would return, and if the Prophetess—the first Guardian and spiritual pillar—disappeared, chaos would clearly follow.

That's why I could only ask them to wait. The Prophetess said they didn't want chaos either, so they could wait as long as needed.

'I'll definitely save you.'

"Your Highness, are you sure you don't want to eat more?"

"...Yes."

Normally he would have eaten plenty of snacks, but today he seemed listless and kept drinking only cold water.

With the weather getting hotter, perhaps because he'd run around energetically with Aegis yesterday, he seemed to have gotten heat exhaustion.

Philius asked a maid for some sour fruit that might stimulate his appetite. Seeing the basket filled with plums, Rayan—perhaps finding them appetizing—picked up a still-unripe green plum and bit into it.

"Your Majesty! Urgent news!"

Just then, as Aegis was also selecting a bright red plum, a servant came running urgently.

"What is it?"

"Yes, a prophecy. A prophecy has been given that the evil spirit will return. And the Prophetess has sent Your Majesty a letter."

Philius stood dazed for a moment before accepting the letter. The letter contained a warning to immediately detain Matilda Erind because Rayan was in danger.

"What on earth..."

Cough. While Philius was organizing his thoughts, Rayan suddenly coughed and collapsed.

"Your Highness!"

The plum that had rolled from Rayan's hand tumbled across the ground. Aegis, who'd been about to bite into his plum, also dropped it. Blood was streaming from Rayan's mouth.