D’Élysée walked across the plains in full armor. More precisely, he was surveying what “had been” the plains.
This was the border between the Duchy of Teril and the Margraviate of Paimal, where war had broken out just the day before. The once vast, green meadow had vanished without a trace. Only soldiers’ corpses remained on the scorched and trampled weeds.
In the battlefield where time seemed frozen, only the fluttering banners and silver-armored knights moved with life.
As a holy knight protecting order in the Eastern Continent, D’Élysée was leading his subordinates on a reconnaissance mission.
“P-please… save me…”
A withered voice rose from the blood-soaked ground. D’Élysée’s gaze drifted diagonally downward.
“Please… some… someone…”
D’Élysée approached the dying soldier and asked:
“Which side?”
The soldier hesitated to answer the question about his nationality. If he were an enemy reinforcement, he’d either lose his life immediately or be taken prisoner. But when D’Élysée started to leave without hesitation, the soldier hurriedly spoke.
“Te-Teril Duchy! Teril Duchy!”
“So you’re from the side that started the war.”
“cough!”
D’Élysée thrust the tip of his holy sword down into the soldier’s neck. Then he casually turned it half a circle. The soldier, who would have died slowly anyway, had his breath cut off painlessly in an instant.
D’Élysée lazily withdrew his sword and looked around.
“We’re withdrawing now.”
“Yes, Commander!”
After the holy knights’ resounding response, a junior knight reactivated the transport portal.
Led by D’Élysée, the holy knight order stepped into the transport portal installed in the center of the battlefield.
After returning to the Papal Headquarters and dismissing his subordinate holy knights, a red moon had already risen in the night sky. Moonlight pouring through the glass windows evenly bathed the marble walls and floor.
D’Élysée removed his silver helmet as he climbed the reddened steps one by one. His fine platinum hair flowed down, brushing his forehead.
He was tired. Tired enough to want to skip the long-scheduled meeting with the Pope.
This overwhelming fatigue might have been a signal manufactured by his brain. To avoid time alone with the Pope. Dealing with someone who had lived for hundreds of years exhausted the mind rather than the body.
He said he had something important to tell me…
I hope it’s not a confession.
Thinking this, D’Élysée knocked on the door of the Pope’s private chamber.
“Your Holiness, I’ve returned from the reconnaissance mission.”
“Please come in, Commander. I’ve been waiting.”
The Pope welcomed D’Élysée with a joyful smile.
***
“Actually, I wish you wouldn’t grow any stronger, Commander. I’d like you to reduce your training sessions as well.”
The Pope’s words didn’t deviate at all from D’Élysée’s expectations.
Trivial, meaningless, and predictable. Perhaps it felt even more futile because the Pope’s existence had lost its value to him.
Someone who would try to give my brother’s body to another soul…
Far from helpful, he was an unpredictable obstacle. The hateful events of that day remained deeply etched in D’Élysée’s mind.
The sight of his brother’s body being controlled by another like a puppet. His teeth clenched just remembering it.
“While the unconscious habit of helping others can benefit the world, it can be unspeakably harmful to the person themselves. Unilateral sacrifice is a very bad habit, Commander. Before any action, sufficient dialogue with those around you must come first.”
“Yes…”
D’Élysée answered while letting the Pope’s words go in one ear and out the other.
I must secure brother’s body as soon as possible.
He recalled the information newly acquired from the Magic Tower recently. The Pope’s goodwill was no longer the only way to save his brother.
If he’s still messing with brother’s body…
He planned to take his brother and leave the Papal Headquarters immediately.
First, locate the World Tree starting from the Magic Tower. Even if it meant tearing apart the entire Central Continent, he would find a way to resurrect the dead.
“…Are you thinking about the little believer again?”
The Pope asked with a pitiful smile. D’Élysée responded without showing any emotion.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t know what you mean.”
“No, you just seemed focused on other thoughts. If not, that’s fine. I’m sorry if I offended you.”
The Pope dropped his delicate shoulders. His snow-white long hair cast shadows on his face like drooping willow leaves.
“I’d like to apologize again. Last time, I…”
“Are you referring to when you put another soul in my brother’s body?”
The Pope lowered his gaze desolately, as if he had nothing to say even with ten mouths. It was an affirmation.
D’Élysée, who had been staring at him intently, spoke:
“I’m simply waiting. Because you promised to return my brother’s body in its complete state. Besides, I heard you had something urgent to tell me.”
Emphasizing this, D’Élysée glanced at the grandfather clock. A silent urging to get to the point.
“Oh my.”
The Pope was terribly startled.
“I’ve kept someone who just returned from a mission for too long. I only wanted to see you today because I had something to ask.”
The Pope cleared his throat again in a calm, settled voice.
“Have you experienced any unfamiliar memories flowing in recently?”
“Memories?”
“Yes. Like vividly feeling experiences with unknown others, or specific scenes flickering before your eyes like hallucinations…”
“None whatsoever.”
“Are you really sure, even after thinking about it once more?”
The Pope fiddled with his white, delicate fingers as he drew out the final syllable. For some reason, it was a seemingly desperate question.
“Since it appears to be a serious matter, I’ll tell you without reservation.”
D’Élysée shook his head firmly.
“I have not experienced any memories of others surfacing.”
“I see. It’s taking longer than expected…”
The Pope muttered incomprehensible words. But soon he took a quiet deep breath and sneaked glances at D’Élysée. His white eyelashes fluttered like shy wings.
“Please listen carefully to what I’m about to say, Commander. These are words no one has heard in 400 years.”
The Pope’s somewhat anxious demeanor stabilized. He seemed to have gathered his worried thoughts.
Click, as the Pope straightened his back, the necklace nestled between his collarbones swayed.
D’Élysée only then noticed the Pope was wearing a new necklace. It was because he had never been interested in the other party before.
His lime-green eyes fixed on the peculiarly shaped necklace. It was strangely difficult to look away.
A straight rod.
Its straight extension looked light and elastic. Like wood that would make good arrow shafts…
Before the strange sense of déjà vu could surface, the Pope’s plump lips parted.
“I’ve been in love with you all along.”
“…Pardon?”
D’Élysée’s response was inevitably delayed at the sudden statement. The Pope continued his serious confession without a hint of hesitation.
“You may not believe it, but our reunion is historic, Commander.”
“…I had no idea Your Holiness harbored such feelings for me.”
“I know it must be difficult to accept right away. I’m sorry I can only speak abstractly. But I promise. When all your memories return later, then… you’ll be able to understand me.”
The Pope tightly closed his eyes as if embarrassed. A rosy blush spread across his fair cheeks. Others might have exclaimed at how utterly lovable he looked.
“The nickname you gave me proves that definite future.”
“A nickname…”
“Have you already forgotten?”
The Pope smiled playfully and slightly pushed out his lower lip. He cutely expressed a hint of sulking.
“‘Salvanel.'”
But then he smiled brightly like a young boy. The Pope couldn’t hide his welling affection as he leaned his waist forward. It was a posture revealing his desire to get even a little closer to the other person.
“Excuse me.”
Despite the naked affection, D’Élysée’s demeanor remained consistently cynical. Only his lime-green eyes, which seemed to have recognized the source of the persistent déjà vu, stared almost obsessively at the Pope’s necklace.
“Your words seem somewhat excessive. How can someone’s future be proven by a mere nickname?”
“It’s not mere! To me, it’s a name more precious than all the world’s treasures!”
“Ah.”
D’Élysée’s gaze slowly rose upward.
“I see.”
To the Pope’s smiling face.
That’s when bluish veins bulged on D’Élysée’s jaw.
“Come to think of it, I forgot to mention something.”
“Yes?”
“About that nickname, Salvanel…”
The moment D’Élysée’s words continued, the smile completely vanished from the Pope’s face.
“It was given by my one and only brother.”