There weren’t just a few people who were worried about her at the moment. It was a relief to know that she was safe, but on the other hand, it was strange.
She was hiding her face by wearing a rag. She also just told the man she saved that he should not tell others that he saw her. Ian thought about the two questions, but they were complete mysteries no matter how he thought about it.
“You should be telling others that you are completely fine and alive like this, but instead… You are trying to hide your identity. Why? People of Solia are worried.”
Ian asked in worried tone. Priesia looked at the Right Solia in complete disarray, bit her lips, and mumbled an answer that had no relevance to the question.
“I won’t ask who you are anymore. You must have a reason why you are wearing a mask.”
Even her cringing face was so mesmerizing, so Ian was just standing there with a blank look on his face. Ian nodded his head late. Priesia said,
“In that case, it would be all right if I asked what you are trying to do here, right?”
Ian wiggled his eyebrows.
“You are here to save people, isn’t that right?”
“…”
“You were about to swing a sword at me, but you stopped. You saved the man who was crushed under a building. Actually, based on these two things, I think the answer is already out. Isn’t that right?”
As Priesia said, Ian was at the Right Solia to save people.
The Young Master that Ian came here with was now gone without a trace to find the source that was raising the corpses while Ian saved people. Ian was certain of this.
“I am similar to you. I am here to save the people. There still are many who are injured.”
“In that case, why are you hiding your identity?”
“I cannot tell you that.”
“…”
“I am sorry. I cannot tell you why. All I can say to you is asking you to help me save the people.”
She also added and told Ian to not tell others that she was here. As if she was ashamed, Priesia lowered her head.
“…”
Ian vacantly stared at Priesia for a moment. He kept silence for a moment, and then extended his hand toward her.
“I understand.”
After seeing Ian’s hand asking for a hand shake, Priesia lifted her head with a bright face.
“I am wearing a mask right now, but as you guessed, I am staying here instead of my master to save the people. It is obvious this will be much more efficient.”
Ian put the sword back in the sheath, tapped at the handle, and led the way. Priesia followed him.
* * *
While leaving the rest to Ian, Riley left the scene because he had a few things he had to find out on the side. At the moment, he was staring at the direction where angry voice was coming from. It was from behind a collapsed building.
“About the story about the Lower Solia that was a big issue recently, I won’t mention it, but I will presume everyone knows about it. About that incident… who do you think caused it?”
The voice was agitated.
There were dozens of priests and holy knights gathered in front of the collapsed Holy Temple. The old man who was standing in the front of them all was the Archbishop Rebethra, the one Riley had been looking for to follow around.
‘I knew he was alive, but what’s this?’
The situation definitely looked like it was heading in a strange direction.
It seemed the holy knights and priests barely escaped the collapsing building. They were covered in dust. They were in shambles. However, for some reason, the look on their faces and eyes were full of fury.
“Dead people are being forced to stand up, and as if they are puppets, they are charging toward people who are still alive.”
Standing in front of the holy knights and priests, Rebethra tightened his fist and spoke. The people gathered there started to grind their teeth.
“Who do you think is responsible for this?”
Having heard the Archbishop, Riley crumpled his face.
‘What?’
While Riley was crumpling his face, Rebethra continued with even more heart broken voice.
“Solia Castle, Solia’s Magic Tower… They have not shown any signs of atonement about the Astroa incident. We can’t just sit idly and watch like this forever.”
Rebethra spoke ill of the Solia’s Castle and the Magic Tower. He opened his arms wide and started to pour out tears.
“Instead of learning the lesson, they got greedy, and now the Magic Tower collapsed, and they have taken away from us our Holy Temple… and the daughter of the Goddess Irenetsa.”
Having heard the speech, Riley narrowed his eyes.
Rebethra was not just trying to stir up the priests and holy knights gathered there. He was trying to get everyone involved, even the other people gathered nearby who were watching him.
“We must not forget Goddess Irenetsa’s teachings… which says we should calm our anger and forgive the sinners. However!”
Rebethra tightened his fist while being in tears. Becoming sympathetic, there were people from the temple who were shedding tears just like him. Riley mumbled vacantly,
“… That runt… What is he trying to do here?”
Rebethra continued.
“They are trying to commit unspeakable sins, and they are committing unspeakable sins. They have abandoned the sense of humanity and moral. Do you think that just sitting idly and watching them be is… truly the wish of Goddess Irenetsa?”
As if people were responding in favor of Rebethra’s words, the holy knights raised their swords and shields, the Holy Temple’s priests raised their staffs, and believers of the Temple raised their hands.