The roots of the Church lay on the Central Continent.

At the very center of the Central Continent, within the Forest of {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} Rokse, stood the symbol of the god worshiped by the Church — the World Tree.

The World Tree had once been the sacred tree that ruled all the continents.

The wounded were healed merely by approaching it, and the chosen could hear its revelations.

However, less than twenty years after the appearance of magic crystals, the World Tree became corrupted.

“Isn’t that incident well known? When the Pope...... executed six High Guardians.”

When the World Tree was defiled, the Pope flew into a rage.

He sealed off the entire Forest of Rokse and placed the blame upon the six High Guardians who had tended the Tree at the time.

Since they had failed to properly watch over the World Tree, they were required to bear punishment before the name of god.

All six were beheaded.

Despite each of them being great servants holding the rank of archbishop — no, cardinal and above.

“That is true. The modern Church does not tolerate even the slightest irreverence.”

Edmund replied.

With an indifferent expression, he continued,

“The problem is that the criteria for this ‘irreverence’ are vague.”

Blasphemy was considered a grave crime, yet there were no clear standards of judgment.

For example, several years ago on the Central Continent, a young Holy Knight was publicly executed.

All he had done was accidentally step on a sacred mantle the Pope had dropped.

“Even so, within the Empire, the Church’s influence is weaker. Yes, the sacred laws are respected, but ultimately the Empire is ruled by the Emperor. However, if we speak of the Northern Continent, it is different.”

The Northern Continent today was the place where the Church’s influence was strongest.

There, with only a ‘justification,’ the Church could decide everything according to its will.

That meant a person could be escorted to the Central Continent under a ridiculous pretext or subjected to harsh interrogation.

And here another problem arose — the interrogation itself.

The Church often imposed restraints, tortured, or controlled consciousness, digging through others’ thoughts.

Under the pretext that since magic crystals had appeared and everyone was in danger, sanctity must be protected even more strictly.

“But Lady Tie is currently here, in Tallocium.”

However, even the Church could not arbitrarily seize a person outside the Holy State.

“Moreover, Lady Tie does not belong to the Church. She is merely a mercenary.”

Basto nodded.

As Edmund said, the Church presently had no ‘grounds’ to investigate Tie by its own methods.

Of course, Agavert had no intention of giving them such grounds.

Leonardo stepped forward as well.

“Even if the Church contacts us again, we will intercept it at our level.”

He looked at the squad members.

“So for now, remain in Tallocium. No, if possible, do not leave Tallocium. Then everything will be fine.”

After returning to the estate, Tie did not go inside but stopped in the garden.

Beyond the fence on the right,

the neighboring house still stood empty.

‘......So it’s Papa’s.’

Even now, the fact that she had learned Papa’s identity felt unreal.

And that Papa was the head of Trevaga felt even more impossible.

“Kid, not going in?”

Bale asked, but Tie shook her head as if everything were fine.

“Tie will play in the yard a little.”

“I’ll watch from the window. Don’t go anywhere, okay?”

“Mm!”

Only then did the squad members go inside.

When the door closed, Tie walked to the right fence and pressed herself against the railing.

Her longing gaze swept over the front yard overgrown with weeds.

The upper window still hung loose, and the stone steps and railing were tangled with cobwebs. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

“......Tie wanted to go to Papa first.”

Last night, Tie had decided:

‘For now, Papa being the number one mercenary is a secret.’

The reason was simple.

Even if she went to Papa, he would surely refuse her and push her away.

Honestly, Tie was already prepared for Papa not recognizing her.

She had experienced that in Pearlcity and had mentally prepared many times.

But that did not make it hurt less.

Tie was afraid that if she saw Papa not recognizing her, she would be hurt too deeply.

‘I prepared, but still.’

And what if Papa said to her, ‘Go away!’?

If he frowned and showed that she was a burden......?

Just imagining it made her heart tighten.

The problem was what the squad members would think if they saw Tie like that.

“......Uncle Basto, oppas, Grandpa. All of them would be terribly sad.”

Tie no longer wanted to hurt the people around her.

Even when she had been in Korea, Tie had only caused trouble for the adults who cared for her.

‘Everyone is trying to raise Tie. I cannot upset them again.’

If she told the truth about Papa, everyone would suffer.

Bale oppa would probably start banging his head against a tree every day in anger.

But if she told the truth to Papa—

‘There’s no guarantee Papa would believe.’

More likely, he would think Tie was strange and distance himself even more.

Putting herself in his place, Tie thought she would probably do the same.

So last night, Tie and Kkamani had carefully made a plan.

First.

‘Tie will go to the Northern Continent! Kkamani, help.’

First she needed to go to the Northern Continent to meet Papa.

When she saw his face, then she would decide what to do next.

She felt that if she did not see him soon, she would not endure it.

After that, everything seemed not so difficult.

As the grandmother from Apartment 107 had said, life was unpredictable, and it turned out that a huge stroke of luck awaited Tie, one that could make everything easier.

‘Papa lives next door, so I can just wait at home until Papa comes!’

After all, Papa was the owner of the neighboring house.

‘We already met on the Northern Continent, so we know each other. And since we are neighbors, we will slowly grow closer.’

Just like Tie and Papa had lived as a family with the grandmother from Apartment 107!

Tie imagined the day Papa would return from the Northern Continent.

Papa would surely be surprised to see her.

‘Oh! Aren’t you that Astie I met back then? You’re my neighbor?’ he would say happily.

Then Tie would pretend not to understand and say, ‘Wow, what a coincidence......!’

‘And we will become the ones who eat cookies together!’

Since they were both mercenaries, they would surely have things to talk about.

And from there, becoming a family would not be far away.

Tie had even planned that once they grew closer, she would quietly warn Papa.

Because of the law of returning fate, Papa might end up in Korea again, so he should be careful.

But—

the problem arose where she had not expected it at all.

Grandpa Nordix had absolutely forbidden the Northern Continent.

Even the Commander in Chief and the Luminel uncles had said the Northern Continent was too dangerous.

Because the Church had taken interest in Tie’s hidden power.

To remain safe, it was better not to approach those places.

“Ehuu.......”

The suppressed sigh still slipped out.

Tie looked with a drooping face at the neighboring house beyond the fence.

If she could not go to the Northern Continent, there was only one way left.

“Wait here until he comes......”

But she did not know how long to wait or how to wait, and that weighed heavily on her heart.

Completely discouraged, Tie pressed her lips together.

“Please come soon.......”

She murmured quietly, staring at the gloomy garden of the neighboring house.

And at that moment—

“He won’t come. The head maid said this house is just for show.”

A voice suddenly sounded beside her.

Tie startled and turned her head.

Selina was already standing there.

A leaf clung to her bangs, and she shook her head.

“They say the owner is a mercenary. The house was bought to show to nobles. Like, look how much money I have, don’t you dare underestimate me. He bought it and hasn’t come once in two years — can’t you see?”

While Tie’s mouth slowly fell open,

Selina narrowed her eyes.

“By the way, where were you all these days? You left the house empty for so long. I thought you went somewhere, I waited for a long time.......”

Tie tilted her head.

“Selina, you waited for Tie?”

And when she asked, Selina’s cheeks turned bright red.