<Chapter 86>

As I grit my teeth, the horse’s pace gradually slowed, eventually veering into a narrow alleyway.

It was broad daylight, yet the atmosphere felt strangely dim. A sudden unease crept in, and I instinctively grabbed the hem of Temenos’ coat.

“Is this a shortcut?”

“You don’t need to worry. There’s no one here.”

“And how exactly would you know that? Don’t tell me you rented out the entire street or something?”

At that, Temenos looked at me with an odd expression, as if questioning how I could come up with such an absurd idea.

“I spread my aura as we entered. Most likely, they all ran off in terror.”

“Aura?”

“Something only I can do… Well, it’s similar to bloodlust.”

He spread something akin to bloodlust?

‘I think I know what this is!’

“Could it be something like Dragon’s Fear?”

“Dragon’s… Fear? What’s that?”

“It’s what you just did! You spread your aura, and everyone faints with foam at their mouths.”

A classic trope from fantasy novels of the past!

When a dragon glares, people collapse, foaming at the mouth!

Only the strongest protagonist barely manages to withstand it, earning the dragon’s grudging admiration: ‘Ho, you managed to endure. Impressive.’

“It’s not just about making everyone faint; sometimes, they selectively target a few people to knock out…”

Ah, I can’t explain it well.

Anyway, it’s not just scales growing on their faces and bodies—dragons come with abilities too.

“Do you have any other tricks? Can you use breath attacks? You know, like open your mouth and go ‘Kraaah,’ shooting laser beams or something?”

As I finished speaking, I locked eyes with Temenos, who was looking at me with the strangest expression.

Only then did I realize I had gotten too excited.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Ah, um… I must’ve been rambling nonsense. Just pretend you didn’t hear that.”

Right, now that I think about it, this guy can use dragon’s breath when he transforms.

He used it to destroy the world in the final chapter… That description could only be referring to dragon’s breath.

‘Still… Something doesn’t add up.’

According to Temenos, his current form was the result of divine punishment.

And considering how the Great Temple blocked his entry, it seemed like others believed that too.

‘But if it really were divine punishment, there’s no way he’d be granted the power to destroy the world, right?’

Besides, he’s still in full control of his mind and can even use abilities like Dragon Fear. In the North, he once enhanced his left arm and effortlessly lifted boulders as big as houses…

‘Is this truly divine punishment?’

Could it be… that everyone, including Temenos, has misunderstood something?

At that moment, a memory flashed through my mind.

“God, you’ve already forgiven Temenos, haven’t you? If so, please send lots and lots of divine power like you did earlier!”

‘That’s right. Back then, I asked for divine power if Temenos had truly been forgiven.’

The moment I prayed, a brilliant light enveloped his body.

In the end, the number of scales on his body doubled, making me think he hadn’t been forgiven after all…

But if God truly despised Temenos, He wouldn’t have sent divine power in the first place.

He wouldn’t have blessed our marriage either.

‘If receiving divine power caused more scales to grow… then maybe this isn’t divine punishment at all but rather…’

“Inosensia.”

“Huh? Yes? What is it?”

A tap on my shoulder broke my concentration, scattering the thoughts swirling in my mind.

Temenos had already dismounted and helped me down from the horse.

Well, not exactly “helped.” Instead of placing me on the ground, he cradled me in his arms.

“Wait, what are you—? Whoa!”

My body suddenly felt weightless, and my vision flipped upside down as a strong wind whipped past my face.

Instinctively, I held onto my wig with one hand to keep it from flying off while gripping Temenos’ coat tightly with the other.

What is he doing now?

He leaped off the ground, kicking off walls to climb up the alley. First, he landed on the railing of a crumbling second-floor window, then a rooftop. Step by step, he scaled higher, eventually reaching the chimney of the tallest building nearby.

The moment I looked down at the ground far below, a wave of dizziness hit me.

“Y-you’re crazy! What if we fall? Why would you come up here?”

“Even if you tried to push me, I wouldn’t fall. Do you see that over there?”

“Where…?”

Temenos pointed to a massive structure that rivaled the imperial palace in grandeur.

What caught my eye first, however, was the towering white spire that seemed to pierce the heavens.

Its exterior was adorned with a spiraling golden vine wrapping around it, giving the impression of a colossal tree trunk. The spire was so tall that it could be seen from anywhere in the capital.

I’d seen it many times from a distance… but up close, it felt entirely different.

‘No wonder they say only God could construct a temple in this world…’

Even with modern technology, building something that high would be a monumental challenge. In this world, it would be downright impossible.

And it wasn’t just the spire that was enormous.

‘Is that the Great Chapel?’

In front of the spire stood an enormous building, supported by dozens of pristine white columns holding up a massive roof. It was so grand that the word “massive” barely did it justice.

It felt as though a giant, ten times the size of a human, had built it.

At the same time…

“Huu…”

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.

Focusing my mind, I could clearly sense the divine power radiating around the spire.

‘…It’s unmistakable.’

I could swear on Flurry’s name—this is undoubtedly the energy of our god.

So, the divine power in Bishop Roam’s pendant, which felt fundamentally similar to my own, wasn’t a figment of my imagination.

‘The top of the spire… and the area below it both radiate strong divine power.’

Two possibilities came to mind.

First: There are two holy relics housed within the spire.

Second: Regardless of the presence of relics, the spire itself serves as a generator of divine power, much like plants produce oxygen.

‘There’s no way… our god is imprisoned at the top of that spire, being drained of divine power, right?’

…That couldn’t be it. No matter how I think about it, it seemed absurd. A god, imprisoned?

“Inosensia, are you finished looking around?”

“Yes, I’ve seen enough…”

I’d made plenty of guesses, but none I could confirm.

Still, I hadn’t left empty-handed.

‘There’s definitely something inside that spire.’

Whether it is a holy relic or something else, there has to be a source of divine power endlessly fueling the Pope.

‘When the opportunity arises, I need to investigate that spire first.’

And one more thing.

I looked up at Temenos’ face as he gazed down at me.

The man who, if God disappears, would transform into a monster and drive this world to ruin.

A man everyone believes has been cursed by divine punishment… surely, a secret lies hidden.

If I uncover that secret, maybe it will open a shortcut to saving the world.

“I need to talk to you about something. It might be a long conversation. Are you free this evening?”

I decided I needed to tell him everything.

About the mission God had given me. About the future that awaited if I failed to save the world.

And, in truth, about myself…

“No, I am not.”

“Alright, then let’s start with this—wait, what?”

I blinked in disbelief.

What did this man just say?
 

<To be continued>

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