So I thought.

Ian set his glass down as if nothing was amiss. "I don’t think I said anything that shocking."

"M-My apologies, Agent of the Saint." Luce blinked rapidly, still flustered as he bowed his head. "It was simply far beyond what I expected."

"That’s not all, is it? This has something to do with the newly appointed duke, doesn’t it?" Ian asked at once.

Luce froze again, then swallowed dryly and nodded. "Yes. It seems you were already aware."

"I wasn’t. Just a guess." Ian shrugged lightly, then glanced at Nasser, who was shooting him a subtle look. Nasser was the one who had investigated the matter.

With a faint smile, Nasser turned to Luce and said, "I’ve heard that after leaving the seat vacant for quite some time, it was finally given to Vinyard Beshur, a central noble."

That was all he had found. Neither the priests of Travelga, the nobles, nor even Princess Seras had paid much attention to the West.

After all, the root of the problem had already been eliminated, and not long after, the Black Wall’s corruption had erupted. On top of that, Ian had disappeared beyond the Wall, leaving behind countless issues to be dealt with in the aftermath. It was only natural that their focus lay elsewhere.

By the time Seras had taken notice, the appointment had already been finalized. All she remembered was thinking it was an odd decision.

"Given that the previous lord turned out to be corrupted, it’s only natural to assume the Great Church thoroughly vetted the new one," Nasser added.

By now, Luce seemed to have regained some composure.

He steadied his breath and continued, "I once spoke with him when he visited here. Apparently, the person originally recommended by His Majesty was someone else."

"Is that so?"

"But His Holiness the Pope, along with the archbishops and diocesan leaders... and the guidance of the Radiant Goddess—he was ultimately chosen for the position." Luce lifted his glass carefully and took a sip.

Nasser chuckled softly. "Sounds like someone who has no choice but to be loyal to the Great Church..."

He glanced at Ian and added, "And there must’ve been some unseen friction during the appointment. I guess it wasn’t just the corruption that kept Racliffe under temporary administrators for so long."

Ian nodded, taking a quiet sip.

The Great Church had the justification, and the Empire had no room to intervene.

Dealing with the aftermath of the corruption would have taken priority above all else. The princes and princesses were probably too busy securing their own positions through merit.

"I can’t say for certain whether he’s a pure devotee, but he keeps a paladin from the Great Church at his side. An exceptional one. Almost..." Luce trailed off, glancing at Nasser.

A strange smile spread across Nasser’s lips. "Like the Purifiers who once visited this church?"

Clearing his throat awkwardly, Luce avoided Nasser’s gaze and looked back at Ian.

"And the Bishop of Racliffe is also someone sent from the Great Church. I hear the capital is in turmoil. But to those with irreverent intentions, that may only serve as an opportunity to scheme."

"If that’s the case, then it’s bound to happen sooner or later," said Ian.

Meeting Luce’s uneasy gaze, he smiled faintly. "Still, thanks for the warning, Bishop. It gives me time to prepare."

"Indeed." Luce blinked once, then let out a quiet breath. "You truly are a bold man, Agent of the Saint. And once again, I’m reminded of how utterly shameless you stand before the heavens."

"I think I’ve said this before, but don’t place blind faith in me," said Ian.

In truth, he was hardly any different from the corrupted.

But instead of offense, a smile spread across Luce’s lips. "You even grant me guidance to be aware."

That’s not what I meant...

Clicking his tongue inwardly, Ian raised his glass again, ignoring the sly look Nasser was giving him from the side.

"In any case, what an amusing and ironic turn of events," said Nasser, tinged with laughter. "By eliminating one of their own, you’ve only given them another chance to choose."

"One of their own?" Luce echoed blankly.

Then, catching the meaning behind Nasser’s smile, his eyes widened. "Don’t tell me... the ones behind those corrupted—"

"That’s enough." Ian cut him off sharply.

Luce froze mid-sentence.

Turning to Nasser, Ian added, "We don’t have confirmation yet. Don’t put too much faith in your own assumptions."

"Yes. That was careless of me." Nasser bowed his head without resistance.

Honestly, you really can’t keep your mouth shut.

Clicking his tongue inwardly, Ian looked back at Luce.

Truth be told, his own suspicions weren’t much different from Nasser’s. However, he had no intention of letting Luce get any closer to that dangerous truth.

It was safer for him to remain as he was now—nothing more than a wary, fearful conspiracy theorist.

"Pay no mind to that, Bishop. It’s not something we can be certain of."

That was why he said it so casually, without showing anything on his face.

Luce bowed in acknowledgment. "Yes, Agent of the Saint."

"Then let’s move on. This has been a fruitful conversation, but there’s another reason I asked to meet."

"Of course. Please, go on."

"Does the church archive contain records of total solar eclipses?"

"Total solar eclipses?" Luce blinked again, clearly caught off guard.

Ian nodded, and Nasser added, "They occur at fairly regular intervals across the continent, and I believe the Order has consistently observed and recorded them."

"That’s correct. I recall seeing compiled documents on the subject."

Luce narrowed his eyes as he searched his memory, then looked back at Ian.

"During the reconstruction of the church, the Great Church also sent additional volumes. I’d need to look to be certain where they are, but..."

"That’s good. Just find the records for the Southern region. I only need to know the interval," Ian said, picking up his glass.

Luce nodded quickly. "Yes. Give me two days. I’ll find them and organize everything as soon as possible."

"Take your time. I’ll be away for a few days anyway."

"Ah, I see. Understood..." Though a flicker of unease passed through his eyes, Luce straightened and asked, "Is there anything else I can assist you with?"

"That’s all. You’ve already answered everything I was curious about."

Shrugging, Ian drained the rest of his glass in one go and rose to his feet. "I’ll be going now. If you’re gone too long, you might attract suspicion from any pure devotees who may be watching,"

Nasser stood after him.

"Th-Then, please wait just a moment. I should go out first and check—" Luce hurriedly stood, only to drop back into his chair.

His expression turned bewildered as something unseen pressed down on him.

"It’s fine. Anna’s the only one outside." Ian withdrew his Willful Grasp, meeting Luce’s dazed gaze.

Then, he pulled his hood back up and smiled. "I’ll thank you properly next time. Until then."

"I’ll... see you again, Agent of the Saint..." Leaving Luce’s stunned reply behind, Ian turned and walked out.

Nasser had already reached the door and opened it. The old wooden door, just like before, made no sound at all.

Beyond the dim corridor, Anna, who had been hiding near the corner and peeking out, turned at the faint sound of footsteps.

"Agent of the Saint!"

Noticing her, Nasser slowed his pace.

Ian stepped up to her and smiled. "You’ve gone through quite a bit because of me."

"I’m only glad I could be of help." Anna bowed politely, her voice barely above a whisper.

Standing before her, Ian gently adjusted the hood she had pulled low.

"It was good to see you again, Anna. The Bishop is inside. Go on in. We’ll find our own way out."

Looking up at him in surprise, Anna soon broke into a bright smile and bowed once more. "I will obey, Agent of the Saint."

At that exact moment, Ian’s eyes flickered.

Something stirred deep within him. It was a faint ripple, clear and resonant, like the distant chime of wind bells, nothing like the essence bead of chaos.

It lasted no more than an instant.

Without showing a trace of it, Ian stepped past her. "Until next time."

Following him around the corner, Nasser said, "May the blessing of the demigod be with you, madam."

Does he actually know something?

However, Ian didn’t look back. Instead, he continued slipping into the stairway without making a sound.

Nasser followed, moving just as silently.

Like a pair of stray cats, the two passed through the antechamber and out the church’s main gates in a matter of minutes.

"Shall I take you straight to the caravan lodging?" Nasser asked casually once they stepped onto the street, his hands laced behind his neck.

Ian nodded. "Yeah. You know the way?"

"I memorized it earlier. Let’s go." Nasser immediately took the lead, heading down the main road to the west.

After a few minutes, he glanced back. "Are you really going to send Lord Mev and me back to the frontier from here? There’s a good chance something might happen on your way back after stopping by Racliffe. If she finds out, she’ll insist on staying with you."

"Then just keep your mouth shut," Ian answered without hesitation.

As Nasser blinked, Ian added, "You didn’t forget why I’m going there, did you? I’ll be coming back with a whole pack of beastfolk and fairies. Even if something happens, it won’t escalate into open conflict so easily."

"Fair enough. Maybe not the fairies, but the beastfolk would protect you even against the Great Church. Charlotte especially." Nasser let out a chuckle.

However, that wasn’t the only reason he was sending them away.

Without taking his eyes off Nasser, Ian said, "And besides, it’s not just me who needs to be wary of the Great Church."

Nasser finally faltered slightly as Ian added, "I hear the duke’s knight might be a Purifier."

"Now that’s surprising. And touching," Nasser murmured, turning to look at him. "I didn’t expect you to be worried about me."

"If it gets out that you’re still alive, I doubt the Purification Squad will just let it slide," Ian replied without even blinking.

Nasser smiled faintly. "Not all Purifiers know one another, and most of us don’t show our faces, so it’s rare for priests or paladins to recognize us. That’s been the case so far, hasn’t it?"

He shrugged, looking ahead again.

"Though, if I am discovered, they won’t let it go. I was one of them, after all—even if only briefly. They’ll arrest me for desertion and quietly execute me afterward."

A calm smile lingered on his lips.

"As a sinner abandoned by the Radiant Goddess, they won’t even need another excuse."

"The fact you’re so calm about it tells me you’re confident you won’t let that happen." Ian nodded slightly.

After all, even in the ominous futures he had seen, this man had survived.

Nasser blinked at him. "I am strong, yes. But not strong enough to defeat a Purifier."

"Then what? Don’t tell me you’ve got no plan."

"I don’t."

Ian’s brow lifted at that.

Nasser let out a quiet laugh. "If that is the fate the Goddess has arranged for me, then I must accept it. How could a sinner like me dare to resist such a grand current?"

"You really do keep surprising me, Nasser." Ian scoffed.

To think he’d reveal that kind of blind devotion now.

Nasser shrugged. "Well, if it comes to that, won’t our lord avenge me?"

"That’s enough of that nonsense." Ian’s smile vanished instantly.

Looking straight at Nasser, he said in a low voice, "Even if there is some grand current in this world, that doesn’t mean it decides your fate. You’re just a single drop of water in the river."

For the first time, Nasser’s expression shifted.

Ian held his gaze and continued, "You might not be able to change the river’s course, but it doesn’t take much to make a single drop splash out of it."

"My lord... I think I finally understand how you became a demigod."

A quiet breath escaped Nasser’s lips. For once, his eyes held genuine admiration.

"You’ve been resisting that current all this time, and now, you’re carving out a new one of your own."

"I didn’t say that just to hear you spout nonsense. Mev has already lost almost all of her family. Don’t make her lose you too." Ian clicked his tongue.

That was the real reason.

Nasser let out a soft laugh, then nodded. "It wasn’t nonsense, but I understand. If that moment comes, I’ll fight with everything I have. I’ll make sure I’m the drop that breaks away from the current."

"That’s good." Ian nodded back, then added meaningfully, "I’ll make sure you have the strength to win."

"How? Don’t tell me... you can grant blessings now as well?" Nasser asked, blinking, a hint of anticipation in his eyes.

Blessings, my ass.

Ian scoffed and jerked his head forward. "Just focus on guiding the way. You’ll see soon enough."