Ever since the sun rose that morning, the entire town was bathed in light.
The grand plaza boasted a particularly dazzling display. With every glance, Teoritta discovered something new. The grand tavern of Mureed Fortress and the bustling streets of Ioff City just couldn’t compare. The buildings around the plaza—general stores, brand-new restaurants, a red-brick reception hall, and a steaming public bath—all seemed to shine brighter than usual. The plaza was always lively, but that day it was positively vibrant.
So this is Luffe Aros…!
The city was adorned with blue and white lanterns, and decorative keys hung from every door. Food stalls lined every street—the main thoroughfare and back alleys alike—helping to create a festive atmosphere. Later, there would be a procession of the Holy Knights stationed in the royal capital along with their goddesses, and crowds had already begun to gather along the planned route.
The goddesses scheduled to participate were Goddess of Poisons Pelmerry, Goddess of Shadows Kelflora, Goddess of Prophecy Seedia, and Goddess of Blood Andavila. Teoritta, however, was noticeably absent from the list.
But that is hardly an issue.
That was what Teoritta told herself, at least. She was an unofficial goddess and well aware of her precarious position in the divine hierarchy. So while she naturally wanted to join the other goddesses on their march, she understood why it wasn’t possible. Her situation was simply too complex.
Right now, she had only one problem.
“My knight still hasn’t come back!” she complained to Patausche.
“Yes, he is running quite behind schedule… I cannot imagine what has held up him and Tsav for so long.”
Patausche looked especially troubled. Obviously, Teoritta didn’t want to upset her further, but she simply couldn’t help herself.
“My knight and I were supposed to enjoy the festival together! I had meticulously planned every detail of our day, right down to which attractions we would visit when.” Teoritta thrust out a notebook she’d been busily writing in over the past few days. “First, we were going to listen to the sacred choir’s performance, then we were supposed to view a puppet show based on the First War of Subjugation’s Nine Stars of Destiny, followed by a visit to the Miwoolies Creams stand! But now my perfectly crafted schedule will be ruined! This is a crisis of the highest order!”
She purposely didn’t consider the possibility that something might have happened to Xylo. She knew he’d find his way back no matter the odds. Besides, Tsav was with him, and no matter how questionable that man’s morals might be, he was a strong ally. There was no doubt the two of them would eventually return.
The truth was, she was afraid that if she voiced her concerns, they might just come true. If Xylo lost any more memories, she didn’t know what she would do. For that reason, Teoritta spoke with ever more exaggerated confidence.
“Maybe it was a mistake to let Xylo and Tsav go alone together. Those two clearly lack discipline! I should have gone along to keep an eye on them!”
“While you are perfectly correct, you must remember how dangerous that would have been. The underground fortress is under Gwen Mohsa’s control, and they pose a great threat to you, Goddess Teoritta.”
“Hmph! You seem quite calm, Patausche. I know how much you were looking forward to enjoying the festival with Xylo, too.”
“Wh-what?!”
“Don’t try to deny it! I can see right through you!”
Patausche was currently serving as Teoritta’s bodyguard and was dressed in full cavalry armor, with little of her body exposed. But Teoritta knew that underneath, she was wearing not a military uniform but street clothes meant for a day on the town. She’d seen her carefully choosing them the night before.
“I know all about your plan to take him to the night market under the guise of ‘relaxing after a hard day’s work,’ and then lead him to a hilltop with a beautiful view of the city! I even saw you trying to simulate the date with figurines and a map on your desk!”
“Th-th-that wasn’t what I was doing! This is all some huge misunderstanding!”
“Lying is a sin. Tell me the truth.”
“I— Oh, Goddess Teoritta! Everyone is looking this way! How about waving back?”
“Mnn!”
Patausche was obviously trying to change the subject, but she wasn’t lying when she said everyone was looking at Teoritta, so the goddess had no choice but to smile and wave to the crowd.
They were standing in a corner of the grand plaza in front of the royal castle. The whole area had been dressed up for the festival with white and blue lanterns meant to welcome the new sun and an ornate curtain draped and arranged to resemble a sacred altar.
This was the hallowed space where the divine election to decide the next archpriest was to take place later that day.
Xylo had tasked Patausche with watching over the election and making sure it went smoothly, and Teoritta had decided it was her duty to assist. She was now occupying a discreet corner of the platform.
Teoritta could have stayed behind at the barracks, of course, but nearly all the penal heroes were currently out attending to some business or other.
Jayce was away visiting his family, and Xylo and Tsav had yet to return from exploring the underground fortress. Meanwhile, Venetim, Tatsuya, and Norgalle were leading High Priest Ibuton’s guards, and Dotta, for his part, was still in the hospital. As for Rhyno… Come to think of it, Teoritta hadn’t seen him that morning.
At any rate, with everyone occupied, she couldn’t justify staying behind by herself, so she’d persuaded Patausche to let her come along to the plaza. She was determined to protect this divine election from any potential violent interference. She couldn’t forget Xylo’s warnings—that the coexisters might attempt to assassinate High Priest Ibuton or, at the very least, sabotage the election.
Xylo will come back, so I have to work hard in his place until then!
Protecting a sacred election was exactly the sort of mission for a goddess! And now that she was here, the Temple’s election committee couldn’t simply ignore her presence. She was, after all, an object of their faith. And so they’d quickly arranged for a special seat for her up on the platform.
The high priests, who were the stars of the day’s event, remained secluded behind the curtain, and the front-runners—High Priest Mirose and High Priest Ibuton—had yet to even arrive.
“It seems the other candidates have indeed pulled out of the election,” Teoritta whispered. High Priests Duffrey and Carne were supposed to be running as well, but had formally withdrawn the previous night. “I have a bad feeling about this.”
“Me too,” agreed Patausche. “Someone or something must have forced them to give up at the last minute. It has to be intentional. Perhaps both of their factions have already been absorbed into High Priest Mirose’s.”
“What?! But if that’s the case…does High Priest Ibuton even stand a chance?”
“I’m not sure, but I saw Venetim rushing around this morning in a panic. I want to believe he has some sort of plan, but…”
Before Patausche could finish her thought, however, a stir ran through the plaza. It seemed to have originated near the gate facing the main thoroughfare, and the crowds began to part as if on cue.
A figure, back conspicuously straight, strode majestically down the newly formed path. Trailing behind this commanding presence was a towering woman, clearly a bodyguard. A lightning staff hung at her waist, along with a gleaming sword.
Patausche and Teoritta both gaped at the sight.
“Is that…Saint Yurisa?!” Teoritta shouted despite herself.
A girl with scarlet hair approached them, young enough that some might still call her a child. Her right hand was wrapped in bandages, and her right eye gleamed a brilliant blue. There could be no doubt about it: This was Yurisa Kidafreny. And she seemed just as surprised to see Teoritta.
“Ah.”
Yurisa opened her mouth as if to say something, but her bodyguard quickly placed a hand on her shoulder, calming her down and prompting her to take a deep breath. Was this some sort of unspoken protocol between the two of them?
“…Goddess Teoritta,” Yurisa said, starting over. “I haven’t seen you since…the battle at the Second Capital.”
“Yes… I would like to thank you for your help in defeating Demon Lord Abaddon.”
Teoritta could hear a slight edge in her own voice. Unease stirred in her chest whenever she looked at Yurisa—particularly at that right eye of hers. When she fought or used the power of the goddess, it would ignite with an incandescent, burning light, unsettling Teoritta.
Yurisa seemed rather cold toward the goddess as well, though Teoritta wasn’t exactly sure why. It was just that, now and then, she sensed a flash of envy, or perhaps competitiveness, in the girl’s expression.