“Kam… Kum…”

Egru called the children’s names tenderly. He continuously stroked their foreheads with his soft palm. Planning to slowly wake the children who seemed to be having nightmares.

They must be tired.

For some reason, the twins kept looking outside the bars every night. They would gaze into the distance as if surveying the terrain. The Demon Alliance must be quite fascinating to them.

Despite comforting them for a while, the twins only tossed and turned without showing signs of waking.

“Hmm.”

Egru finally decided to use the method that always worked with the twins.

Should I wake them like this?

They shouldn’t develop bad habits.

Egru sighed and picked up a spoon. Clang—the moment he lightly tapped the food tray, the children shot up. It reminded him of cats perking up at the sound of a tuna can.

“Let’s eat breakfast, children.”

“Food.”

“It’s food.”

The twins’ eyes were already wide awake.

Egru sat them one by one at the table and made sure to place spoons in their hands. Then he took his portion and sat on the cot.

Wow…

The breakfast menu was luxurious.

Fluffy yellow rice that could float away with a breath and meticulously seasoned turkey drumsticks.

Every meal was a succession of surprises. Egru’s mouth watered.

Oh my goodness!

Egru’s eyes widened at the bread served for dessert. Yellow cream was stuffed so full it bulged outside the bread.

All the food items seemed properly seasoned, giving off appetizing aromas.

Gulp.

Egru picked up the cream bread first. When he split it in half, steam rose from the soft inner surface. It seemed freshly baked. Just as he was about to bring the cream bread to his mouth, his hand stopped.

“…”

He saw the twins at the table, sucking their fingers. Their food trays had long been empty.

Egru lowered the bread in his hand and smiled.

“Children, would you like some more?”

“Really?”

Kam and Kum asked in unison. Egru happily answered.

“Really.”

“Yay!”

“But you have to chew slowly and thoroughly.”

Egru handed over his tray without hesitation. He divided the already halved bread equally between them.

Egru watched contentedly as the children buried their faces in the food, eating hurriedly.

Thank goodness…

That he could feed the children until they were full.

I couldn’t give D’Élysée this much…

Somewhat gloomy from the sad memory, Egru tidied up the blankets the twins had scattered.

Perhaps because of this, he failed to notice what was behind him. The fists that the twins had each secretly extended.

In Kam’s small fist like a bracken leaf was moist turkey meat, while in Kum’s maple leaf-like fist was crushed bread.

***

The day of D’Élysée and Tarn’s meeting.

Salvanel had completed all preparations even before the noon bells rang.

They had stocked various types of fine cheese and personally baked spicy, salty potato snacks.

All for their beloved Holy One.

Finally, the monumental time was approaching.

400 years ago, the Holy One used to prepare refreshments for me…

The reversed positions now were deeply moving.

“You must behave this evening, Tarn, okay?”

Salvanel handed Tarn a large cookie box too. Though it was immediately thrown and overturned, they didn’t react at all. They had already predicted every situation.

They took out another identical cookie box from the cabinet and this time cast an immobilization spell. Tarn, unable to move a finger, screamed while holding the cookie box.

“You’re especially cute today.”

Salvanel chuckled while adding a muting spell. Though Tarn’s lips moved violently, no sound came out.

“It will be a perfect evening. I guarantee it.”

This was Salvanel’s plan. To advance their relationship with the Holy One to the next level, they first needed to settle past relationships.

Just one person shouldn’t be too difficult.

Enough time had passed to process emotions after that refuse died.

If the Holy One faced Tarn, he wouldn’t be able to ask for another death, if only out of sympathy.

A pitiful soul who happened to enter his brother’s body. Despite that, a young lamb with a strong will to live—they planned to ask him to bless Tarn’s new beginning.

There could be no more meaningful pretext for guiding him to give up his brother’s corpse.

I wonder when his memories will return…

Just imagining the Holy One with his past memories fully returned made their lower abdomen tighten. Now that the heart fragment repositioning was complete recently, all that remained was waiting.

Salvanel smiled while looking at the grandfather clock. Finally, time to welcome the Holy One was approaching.

***

“Grrrr!”

However, the meeting between D’Élysée and Tarn flowed in a completely different direction from Salvanel’s expectations.

“You ask me to simply watch a soul that dared to steal my brother’s body? I understand Your Holiness’s tender and merciful nature. If it’s difficult for you to handle directly, I shall take care of it.”

D’Élysée drew his sword without hesitation. Threatened by the sharp sword tip, Tarn growled and engaged.

“Get out now. That’s not your body.”

I know that! You think I wanted to enter it?

Tarn answered D’Élysée’s warning. However, due to the muting spell, Tarn’s voice was only audible to Salvanel.

This is all because of that white bad magician! This happened because they killed my friend!

With the immobilization spell long dispelled, Tarn wildly waved their light green arms. They pointed at Salvanel and then clutched their own throat.

They busily performed their solo act of ‘Salvanel killed Egru.’ Unfortunately, to D’Élysée’s eyes, it only looked like they were flailing and playing around.

I should have learned writing when the magician offered to teach me…!

Tarn felt unbearably frustrated. Due to Salvanel’s interference, no communication was possible.

“Please don’t do this, Commander.”

Salvanel blocked the excited Tarn while also stopping the equally excited D’Élysée.

Their violet eyes tried to meet the Commander’s gaze. However, his pale green eyes, consumed by passion, were fixed beyond Salvanel.

“I absolutely cannot stand by and watch. A presumptuous dead soul using my brother’s body like a puppet.”

D’Élysée desired only one thing.

Brother’s resurrection.

For this, he needed to drive out Tarn who now occupied the corpse. The Commander’s actions in deciding to take life showed admirably no hesitation.

Such intensely inflamed emotions…

Salvanel slightly moistened their red lips with their tongue.

If only I could turn them toward me, I would offer even my soul.

Except their own, of course. The world was overflowing with souls unworthy of breathing. Salvanel had to carefully manage their lips that tried to curl up unconsciously.

“Please don’t bind yourself, Commander.”

Salvanel approached the Commander while wearing a grieved expression. Each step closing the distance was truly noble.

“A life dwelling in the past rather than the present is like an endless cycle of pain. Only those together in the present can save you from this. Surely you must stand on the past to live in the present.”

“…”

“The Young Devotee was an immeasurably precious family member to you, Commander, so shouldn’t we let him rest more peacefully?”

“I apologize, Your Holiness…”

The Holy Knight Commander rarely had negative expressions—practically none at all. Especially before the Pope.

The face of the Commander, usually so meticulous in self-control, was severely distorted. The blood vessels on his overheated forehead bulged as if about to burst.

“Please mind your words. I beg you.”

“You look so precarious these days, Commander.”

Salvanel maintained their firm attitude. Their straight back displayed pure innocence.

“Please. Listen to my words here beside you now. The Young Devotee surely wouldn’t want to see you suffering like this.”

The cold blue sword blade continued pointing at Tarn. Despite the sincere persuasion, the Commander ultimately did not lower his sword.

“I didn’t want to say this, but…”

Salvanel finally began while touching their forehead.

“The reason we’re having difficulty returning the Young Devotee’s soul is due to his expression of refusal.”

“Refusal, you say?”

“It seems he has no will to live again…”

Salvanel sighed after gauging D’Élysée’s reaction.

“He appears to have no intention of resurrection. If I may ask, was the Young Devotee’s life fulfilling?”

“What do you…”

“Did the Young Devotee experience a happy life? A life so full and warm that he would want to live it again?”

D’Élysée opened his mouth immediately. But in the end his lips only trembled, unable to contain any plausible reason.

“…Brother.”

The pale green eyes began to grow transparently wet. Salvanel, feigning a sad face, slowly embraced the crumbling Commander.

This should have been enough to make him give up. They had provided more than sufficient reasons to put the refuse’s corpse behind him.

But from his next action, Salvanel completely solidified their thoughts.

To completely incinerate the refuse’s corpse.

D’Élysée grabbed Salvanel’s shoulders and slowly created distance.

It was the first time he coldly refused after allowing limitless approach since his brother’s death.

“Even if he himself doesn’t want it, brother must return.”

“…Why?”

“So he can beg.”

D’Élysée’s pain-filled gaze slowly closed. But when his eyes opened again, they held an inexplicable certainty.

“For one more chance.”

At this resolute determination, Salvanel had to carefully maintain their well-crafted expression from crumbling.

I’ll make a new homunculus for Tarn…

They had let them stay long enough in the same flesh inscribed with high-concentration tracking spells. Tarn should already be sensing the refuse’s soul coordinates.

The plan was essentially simple. If by chance the refuse had reincarnated, Tarn would be the tracking hound to detect their location. No matter when or where they reincarnated, they would track them down and eliminate them to prevent interference with the Holy One’s time.

Then the refuse’s corpse, which reminded of a past to be discarded, was no longer useful.

It must be eliminated now. So they couldn’t even harbor lingering attachments anymore.