Chapter Sixteen: Reassurance

At the villagers’ earnest request, the holy maiden Alina came to the cemetery behind the town church to pray for the Eddie brothers, who had tragically fallen victim to the rotters. She beseeched the divine to relieve their suffering and grant their souls peaceful passage back to the kingdom of the gods.

“...Merciful Yella, on behalf of these two unfortunate souls, I implore you: please grant all the departed release from the shackles of death, and allow them to enter the eternal realm of light, where, through your boundless compassion, they may enjoy everlasting life.”

She raised her praying hands, and faint, mist-like rays of light radiated outward from her, enveloping the grieving relatives weeping by the graves. Tears slowly ceased, and sorrowful expressions softened into serenity—not by divine will, but by the gentle comfort of the nun, lest their grief consume them and they lose themselves to despair.

When the prayer ended, Alina bowed her head respectfully. The villagers scattered fresh flowers over the graves, covered them with soil, and only then did she turn to leave the cemetery.

“Please wait, Sister Alina!”

She paused, noticing the eldest sister of the Eddie brothers running after her. The woman kissed her hand, repeating her thanks, then lamented her brothers’ misfortune once more before offering a small pouch of coins mixed with a few tarnished pieces of jewelry.

“Please, you must accept this...”

Alina hesitated but could not refuse entirely. She selected a relatively newer ring from the offerings and returned the rest.

After a few soothing words, Alina turned away and stepped outside the church, where she found Sister Sophie looking for her.

“Sister Superior, they said you were here... When did you come out from the mines?”

“Some time ago,” Alina smiled at her. “Were you bored staying alone in camp?”

“Not really...”

A group of villagers emerged from behind the church. Sophie instinctively fell silent, resuming her words only after they passed. “It’s been alright. I wandered around the town during the day and heard quite a bit. Time flew by.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes! The villagers are very worried that the undead in the mines might swarm out, but knowing the lord’s manor has sent help, they seem much more at ease. It really is quite different here,” Sophie continued.

Alina nodded, about to say it was the effect of Lord Edgar’s example as the count, but the first face that came to mind was Eric’s.

She took a breath and let go of her distracting thoughts. “It won’t take long before the undead are completely cleared from the mines. Then the villagers can truly rest easy.”

“Did things go smoothly today?”

“Not entirely. There were some small issues, but they were quickly resolved and won’t affect the cleanup.”

Seeing Sophie’s hesitant glance, Alina guessed her thoughts.

“Do you want to go in with us?” she asked.

“Ah... if Sister Superior thinks it’s alright, I’d like to see for myself.”

Alina pondered briefly without answering immediately. “Let’s head back to camp first.”

“Alright...”

Back at the hilltop camp, they found the lord’s manor guards, including the captain, standing in formation. Before them stood the manor’s young master, lecturing them endlessly.

“...Can you be a bit more normal? Stop looking like you’re forcing the villagers to stay against their will. It’s simple, right? Just tell them the undead are under our control in the mines. They won’t get out, and in a few days, we’ll have them all cleared. The town is safe. No need to run away. Don’t make it seem like we’re forcing them to die here. Understand?”

“Yes, sir—”

The guards answered in unison.

Eric scanned them and was about to question one when he noticed two nuns observing nearby.

He paused.

Who better to do the morale work than these clergywomen? At least they were more suitable than these proud, impatient soldiers.

“Alright, that’s enough. Dismiss,” he said, waving them off with a new plan in mind.

Leslie came over to take his nearly dulled sword for sharpening and asked if they should continue comforting the villagers.

“No need. Rest, patrol, cook, repair gear—do whatever needs doing. And don’t forget to seal the mine’s underground exit. Seal it tight.”

“Yes, sir!”

The captain left, and Eric called over the nuns who had been watching, asking for their help.

“...Comfort the villagers?” Alina and Sophie exchanged glances. “No problem.”

This was their specialty, especially since Alina had just conducted funerals for two young villagers, boosting her reputation.

Eric placed a hand over his chest and bowed slightly. “Then I entrust this task to you two holy emissaries.”

“Aren’t you coming with us?” Sophie suddenly asked, then shyly glanced at Alina.

Alina showed no reaction, and Eric hesitated before nodding. “I’ll take a look around. We arrived in a hurry and haven’t stayed in the town yet.”

Sophie’s delight was evident as she turned to lead them. “I’ve already walked through the town several times today. Everyone knows me.”

“You’re impressive. Did the villagers say anything?” Eric asked.

“Yes!” Sophie eagerly repeated everything she had told Alina on the way, chirping nonstop and keeping her eyes on him.

Eric listened calmly, nodding occasionally, inwardly amused.

Thanks to his uncle, the lord’s manor’s favor with the villagers was nearly maxed out. Doing nothing would have worked better than actively trying to reassure them.

He was just glad Leslie and his men hadn’t scared too many villagers yet.

Eric relaxed slightly, then noticed Sophie staring at him. When their eyes met, she quickly looked away.

Though they were the same age, she was as naive as a high schooler in his previous life—too young and too easy to read.

Alina, the superior nun, seemed closer to his own maturity.

Eric’s mind wandered before he noticed Sophie peeking at him again. He asked casually, “By the way, Sophie, you’re not a lifelong nun, are you?”

“Huh? No...” Sophie was surprised but soon shook her head. “I only entered the convent three years ago. In two more years, when my five-year term ends, I’ll return home.”

“Return home? Where are you from?”

“Lutia,” she replied.

“From the capital?”

Eric looked at her more closely. Lutia was the imperial capital of the Deran Empire and the largest, most prosperous city on the continent, rivaled only by the holy city of Laysel.

Born in the capital and training in the holy city, the greatest hardship she’d likely faced was ending up in this remote backwater.

“Yes,” Sophie’s face shone with pride. “Our Horn family has lived in Lutia since the Hero King established the capital!”

Noticing the glance Alina gave her, Sophie exchanged a puzzled look with her before suddenly realizing who walked beside her.

“...Of course, it can’t compare to Eric’s Cimmino family...”

No matter how honorable or ancient her family was, it couldn’t rival one that followed the twelve knights who drove back the demons with the Hero King.

Sophie felt a pang of embarrassment over what she had been boasting about.

Eric, however, hadn’t noticed her slight mood shift. The name Horn struck a faint chord of familiarity, but not for anything good.

The Horn family... the imperial Horn family.

He remembered.

Eric took a breath and cautiously asked, “I think I’ve heard of the Horn family before. How far is your family estate from the Lutia Cathedral?”

Sophie’s face lit up. “Very close! I can see the cathedral’s spire from my room!”

“...”

“Are you familiar with that area, Eric?”

“Not really. In another timeline, my sister bombed that entire district with magic, leveling it completely.”

Eric sighed deeply.

That meant that even if Sophie didn’t meet her end here, when her five-year term ended in two years and she returned home, she would still face death.

The bloodline that bore the name of the witch Irene included the Horn family’s.

“It’s hard to say I’m familiar. I’ve never been to the capital, just heard of it,” Eric replied vaguely, sensing Sophie’s anticipation. “If I have the chance, I’d like to see it for myself.”

“Ah...”

Sophie’s cheeks flushed suddenly. Alina bumped her arm gently, somewhat helpless.

Eric’s answer was clearly evasive. What Sophie was thinking was a mystery to her.

“Where are you from, Sister Alina?” Eric shifted the topic, noticing Sophie’s change of color.

Alina remained silent for so long Eric thought she hadn’t heard.

“The north,” she finally said. “I left my homeland when I was very young. I don’t even remember its name.”

Born in the north, left home young, served in the military for a time...

Eric had already guessed much about the superior nun’s background but did not press further.

“Sophie,” a village woman greeted her by the roadside, and the three stopped naturally.

The woman greeted Sophie warmly but only cast respectful glances toward Eric and Alina, avoiding eye contact.

Eric said nothing, watching as the nuns gently reassured the woman, urging her and her family to stay calm and remain.

The woman replied that she and her family felt safe now and had no plans to leave, but she’d heard from others that the lord’s guards said they wouldn’t spare anyone and didn’t understand what that meant...

Eric groaned inwardly as both nuns looked toward him.

“Wait a moment... there’s probably some misunderstanding here.”