* * *

“A temple?”

I had expected him to suggest moving to another village at most, but a temple?

The unexpected suggestion left me momentarily stunned.

Though I had heard about temples from various people, I had never visited one myself, making the idea even more surprising.

Unlike the royal palace, temples were said to be open to commoners.

However, I had been too preoccupied with my life to ever find the time to visit.

Besides, traveling from Luther Village to the temple required a week-long carriage ride, and in the capital, I had avoided it entirely because of Kaindel’s distaste for temples.

As I remained silent, Sehir, who had been quietly gesturing with his chin, elaborated.

“Or, Winita Village works too. Either way, I think it’s best for you to leave, Isa.”

“Winita Village…”

The name tugged at my memory.

Tracing back its familiarity, I realized why I knew it.

“It’s Ruen’s hometown,” I said.

“Yeah. And it’s by the sea, making it easier to leave for another country.”

It didn’t seem like Sehir mentioned Winita simply because it was Ruen’s hometown and far from Aiden Village.

Considering he even brought up leaving the kingdom, it was clear he had calculated everything, including what might happen after I left Aiden Village.

The same probably applied to the temple.

Leaving the kingdom…

I muttered the thought under my breath, clicking my tongue.

To be honest, leaving the kingdom wasn’t appealing.

Of course, I wanted to avoid running into Kaindel within the kingdom, but the idea of fleeing to a foreign land, where even communication would be a struggle, didn’t sit well with me.

Escaping in such a manner felt wrong.

If I had to leave, I wanted to settle everything here first and leave on my own terms.

But that was just my wishful thinking.

Leaving the kingdom might indeed be the best course of action moving forward.

Just as I was coming to that conclusion, Sehir, who had been silently watching me, refilled my empty teacup and shook his head slowly.

“Ah, but not now. Leaving for another country might be the safest option for you, but Kaindel has probably already stationed people at the ports.”

Had he seen through my thoughts?

Sehir had pinpointed my exact concerns.

His ability to grasp my intentions was getting unnervingly accurate.

I let out a faint chuckle, relieved that leaving the kingdom was no longer on the table.

The unease that had been prickling at me like a hangnail began to dissipate.

While I was quietly sighing in relief, Sehir asked, “What do you think?”

“Hmm…”

I couldn’t readily answer his question.

Instead, I let out a frustrated hum.

It wasn’t that I didn’t want to leave Aiden Village, where I had grown attached, but that I wasn’t sure of my own feelings.

Rubbing my jaw, I lowered my gaze.

My eyes brushed past a gossip magazine lying on the table.

‘Where is our hero now?’

The headline questioning the hero’s whereabouts etched itself into my mind.

Sehir’s earlier remark about Kaindel having been in Ruicen Village just a week ago echoed in my ears.

My swirling thoughts eventually narrowed to two choices.

The temple or Winita Village.

“Why the temple, though?”

“Just curious. What do you think?”

“Hmm, hypocritical, disgusting… a cesspool of charlatans, maybe.”

“Harsh words.”

“It’s deserved, Isa. The temple’s the kind of place where they paint a rotten apple gold and call it the love of the gods, forcing you to eat it.”

Kaindel’s words came rushing back to me.

He had once described the temple as a cesspool that glamorized even rotten apples as divine gifts.

It was a telling indication of how much he despised temples.

I didn’t know why the hero, supposedly beloved by the gods, hated the temple so much, but unless Kaindel had lost his mind, he’d never step foot in one willingly.

On top of that, while Winita was relatively easy to locate due to its connections with me, the temple seemed entirely off his radar.

That made it the perfect place to stay out of Kaindel’s reach.

“The temple does seem like the better option, but I’m not sure if it’s feasible.”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t have divine power.”

The main obstacle to choosing the temple was my lack of divine power.

The only way for a grown man to stay at a temple long-term was to become a cleric.

And becoming a cleric required divine power.

From what I understood, the amount of divine power one possessed determined their cleric rank.

But I had no divine power.

After some hesitation, I extended an empty hand to prove my point.

Unlike the light Owen used when healing others, nothing appeared in my hand.

Understanding my concern, Sehir brushed his hair back and sipped his tea, his calm expression betraying no sign of unease.

“Divine power… It’s important, sure. But it’s not a requirement for entry-level clerics.”

“What do you mean?”

“Clerics can rise from apprentice to high priest, right?”

“Right.”

“Well, I found out that entry-level clerics don’t necessarily need divine power. The amount of divine power you have only determines your rank after the apprenticIsap—whether you become an assistant cleric, a trainee cleric, or eventually a high priest.”

After his lengthy explanation, Sehir paused briefly, then softened the tense atmosphere with a gentle smile.

His narrowed eyes curved into a kind arc.

“You know the saying: to hide a tree, you hide it in a forest.”

“So, you’re suggesting we go to a temple because it’s crowded?”

“Exactly. Plus, clerics are required to wear masks. It’ll be much harder for Kaindel to find you among so many people when your face is covered.”

He was right.

Clerics in the temple wore half-masks to avoid improper interactions with outsiders.

The masks concealed their identities, allowing them to fully act as representatives of the gods.

As I blinked at Sehir, who gestured to his face, I couldn’t help but think of Owen.

After defeating the Great Calamity, Owen had returned to the temple, saying his mentor would give him a good position.

I’d heard he became one of the only eight high priests in the temple.

Because of the temple’s rules, we hadn’t been in contact, but knowing Owen’s audacious nature, I was sure he was doing just fine.

“Have you contacted Owen?”

“I have. In fact, he’s the one who suggested bringing you to the temple.”

“Then…”

My words trailed off.

At Sehir’s confirmation, I swallowed dryly.

The path ahead, previously obscured, seemed to clear slightly.

That didn’t mean the weight pressing on my shoulders had lifted, but it felt a little easier to bear.

“I’ll think about it a bit more. Leaving this village I’ve grown attached to feels… abrupt.”

“Fair enough.”

Sehir nodded knowingly and reached for his bag, which had been lying on the floor.

After rummaging through it, he pulled out a small bottle.

Inside the bottle, black liquid swirled.

“Oh, and here’s the dye you asked for. It’s strong, so it might hurt while you’re using it, but it’ll last a long time. Give it a try later.”

Looking at the black liquid in confusion, I let out a sigh.

Now that he mentioned it, I remembered asking Sehir for dye three or four months ago.

Because I had ash-gray hair, a rare trait in the kingdom, people in Aiden Village often took an interest in me.

While not as vulgar as in the capital, the attention was still enough to make me feel the need to dye my hair another color.

My eyes, of the same hue, stood out just as much, but since there wasn’t any dye for eyes, I had resigned myself to endure their conspicuousness.

“Thanks. I’ll make good use of it.”

As I shook the bottle of dye, curiosity bubbling up inside me, Sehir drained his teacup and spoke.

“We’ll be staying at the village chief’s house for the next four days. If you make up your mind, you can come find me anytime.”

“Ah…”

The weight of the subject returned, pulling me down just as my heart had begun to feel a little lighter.

Four days.

I repeated the time given to me under my breath, forcing the corners of my lips into a strained smile.

The temple, or Winita Village.

Kaindel, whose whereabouts had been unclear for six months.

The villagers of Louisen, who knew nothing despite a hero passing through.

All these threads intertwined, feeding an ember that refused to be extinguished.

“Got it.”

My voice, hoarse and faltering, broke the silence a beat too late.

It felt like standing on the edge of a cliff, the abyss below threatening to swallow me whole with just one misstep.

---

I spent the next two days agonizing.

I imagined the scenarios that would unfold if I left Aiden Village versus if I stayed.

I delved deeper into my research on the temple and Winita Village.

Yet, no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t come to a decision.

“My head hurts.”

I muttered, clutching a flowerpot close.

On market day, I’d gone out for a walk to clear my cluttered mind, only to impulsively buy the pot.

The vivid red summer roses had caught my eye and wouldn’t let go.

Should I have bothered buying it, knowing I’d leave soon anyway?

I sighed at my own folly and kept walking.

The house was just past this winding alley.

I wanted nothing more than to collapse onto my bed.

Fatigue had piled up to the point of exhaustion.

“Is it going to rain?”

I glanced up at the darkening midday sky.

Heavy, ominous clouds gathered thickly, as if ready to unleash a downpour at any moment.

The chill in the air made it seem even more likely.

Quickening my pace, I resolved to reach home before the rain began.

Or at least, I tried to.

A sudden gust carried a cold, sweet scent—ripe and cloying. It stirred something in my memory, making me pause.

“…Flower scent?”

I hunched my shoulders, wondering if it came from the flowerpot, but then—

“Shh, easy now.”

“…!”

A low voice echoed from somewhere nearby.

* * *