People's surprised gazes were focused on me.
I was surprised when I brought it up, so I wonder what the people who heard it were like.
I slowly but steadily walked towards the altar, not understanding why I had even brought it up.
“Chloe.”
Callius looked at me with complicated eyes.
I made an expression that I couldn't tell if it was tears or a smile.
The person with the most complicated feelings here right now was me.
“I’ll try.”
As if someone had told me to do so, I said that and took the knife that Callius had put down.
“Chloe, this is...”
Callius tried to stop me.
When I thought about it rationally, it was a wise thing to do.
When I thought about the significance of the Holy Grail in Ronheim, I was worried that if I, a non-resident and unrelated person, were to suddenly pretend to be a Saint and attempt to handle the Holy Grail, and fail, I might incur unnecessary resentment.
Even though I knew that, I couldn't stop.
I don't know why, but I felt like I knew how to awaken the Holy Grail.
I stopped Callius with my gaze and made shallow cuts on my hands.
There was no feeling of pain.
The wound I made soon disappeared after I sprinkled the blood into a bowl of water.
I picked up a bowl of water mixed with a few drops of my blood and brought it close to the Holy Grail.
At that moment, the letters engraved on the inside of the Holy Grail caught my eye.
It was a letter I had never seen before.
The letters were the same as those carved all over Ronheim Castle.
The ancient language that Callius had learned from the Saintess appeared before my eyes, writhing as if dancing.
A language I didn't know leaked out of my mouth in small whispers.
The language I heard sounded like a very beautiful song.
I didn't understand the language exactly, but strangely enough, I could tell what I was saying in general terms.
'This is a prayer.'
It was a prayer asking God to generously allow me to share some of the life force He gave me with those who are sick and suffering.
After a short prayer, I tilted the bowl and poured water into the chalice.
Everyone was watching with bated breath to see what I was doing.
Soon, the bottomless chalice was filled to overflowing with water.
The water in the chalice changed into holy water with a soft glow.
I fed it to Edzel and Basto.
The holy water that touched their lips seeped into their bodies like smoke before they could even swallow it.
Basto finally turned his head to refuse the holy water, but it was no use.
I passed the holy water to Edzel, Basto, and the other children.
Until then, Callius was staring at me, lost in thought.
In fact, it wasn't just Callius; it was everyone here.
The first to come to their senses were Edzel's parents.
“Edzel!”
It was because Edzel suddenly woke up with a clean look without a single scratch.
“Mother? Father!”
Edzel woke up and hugged his parents tightly.
Then someone among the gathered crowd muttered.
“A new... Saintess has appeared.”
That small murmur spread throughout Ronheim in an instant.
Andrew admitted all his guilt.
It wasn't because he admitted his mistake and repented.
Hillen confessed all her truth to Andrew, and Andrew, devastated and filled with hatred for Hillen, revealed his own sins.
"You know what, Hillen? I wanted to get away from you! I was sick of you, of my family! Do you know what you did to me? You don't!"
“I’m sorry, brother! I’m sorry! I’m sorry... I just hoped we wouldn’t be separated...!”
“I’m afraid you’ll die...! What the heck... Aaak!”
Andrew screamed, and Hillen was in agony.
Meanwhile, Basto remained silent when asked why he was there, how he got to Andrew, and what he knew.
Even after Andrew confessed his sins, Basto remained tight-lipped.
Basto's old secret was accidentally revealed by Sernia.
“Empress Kavala instructed me to approach Andrew. She told me how she had managed to subjugate his father, and that her son would be no different... Basto, he was the one who led Empress Kavala’s assassins to Saintess Ilya!”
When Sernia's mouth revealed his sins one by one, Basto opened his mouth, which he had kept so tightly shut, and cried.
“Ahh! Hwaah! Aaaah!”
Only then did fear appear in his eyes, which had not even blinked in front of torture devices.
The people of Ronheim, having learned the identity of the traitor who sold their country and killed the Saintess they loved so dearly, flocked to the gates like a cloud.
“Kill Basto!”
“Punish him to death!”
The people's cries echoed through the stone walls and into every corner of the castle.
Basto clutched his head as he heard the sound.
He knelt at the feet of Callius, who was glaring at him coldly, and begged.
“Please kill me! Please kill me!”
Callius was so angry that he wanted to kill him right away.
But the punishment he gave to Basto, Andrew, and Hillen was not death.
“For those who ask for death, life is hell, so live in hell and atone.”
He was extremely cool-headed and rational in his thinking, and sentenced him to a punishment more appropriate than death.
"Andrew, Hillen, and Basto will wander the nomadic plains until the day they die. They will not be allowed to stay in one place for more than three days, will not be able to converse with anyone, and will not be allowed to own anything other than what they wear."
Andrew, who had planned all this to escape from his family, now had to rely on Hillen and Basto to survive due to his limited mobility.
Family is the chain that keeps you from ever being freed.
Hillen had to live with the guilt of Andrew being crippled because of her and of being by Andrew's side, who hated her just as much as he cared for her.
Having neglected his children and relied on alcohol for a long time, Basto will never be able to escape the land of Ronheim, which is hostile to him, and will once again have to raise his children as the head of the household.
Without him, his crippled son and helpless daughter would not have been able to continue living, so he would not have been able to choose suicide so carelessly.
Basto will have to live his entire life grieving over his children, who wander the fields like wild animals and cannot support themselves, and face the consequences of his sins.
“If sinners are discovered leaving Ronheim or with others, they will be severely beaten to turn back. If anyone does good to these sinners or approaches them, they will also be punished.”
Callius solemnly finished his sentence and looked down coldly at the kneeling criminals.
"You are the ones who ruined your lives. Don't forgive yourself. Live every breath you have, suffering in agony, a life that feels like punishment."
For over a decade after that day, the three of them became ghosts wandering the fields of Ronheim, living for a long time in the form of wild beasts, avoiding people.
Occasionally, nomads moving their livestock to new lands would see the three from afar, and each time, the three would feel ashamed of their appearance and run away to avoid human gaze.
The feast that had been postponed when the Holy Grail was found was held in great splendor after the Kavala spies were captured.
The Holy Grail wasn't the only thing that returned to Ronheim.
The Saintess, the heart of Ronheim, also appeared.
All the people, even nomads, came to Ronheim Castle and gave Chloe all sorts of gifts before returning, expressing their gratitude and appreciation for her visit.
“It feels just like my birthday.”
Chloe looked at Callius and smiled with utter bliss.
“Everyone is happy about my existence.”
As Callius gently hugged her, she leaned her forehead against his chest and whispered.
“I am overwhelmed by the fact that I have become such a valuable person.”
Chloe raised her head and placed her hand on his chest.
His heart, which had been empty and hollow like a bottomless chalice, was now filled with fullness.
Callius whispered to Chloe, who was smiling.
“It’s not that it’s just become like this now, you were always a valuable person, Chloe.”
“Thank you for saying that.”
Callius emphasized to Chloe, who smiled quietly.
“From the moment I first saw you, you sparkled like a jewel in my eyes. So beautiful that I couldn't possibly covet you.”
Chloe gave Callius a cute pat on the chest.
"At the Valentine's Day banquet held at the palace? Hey, you stared at me so fiercely. You're lying."
“Not that day.”
“Isn’t that the first time you saw me?”
Chloe's eyes widened.
Callius spoke meaningfully to her.
“The first day we met, we had a very passionate relationship. If you don’t remember, I can’t help it.”
“Huh? Winter, passion? What do you mean?”
Callius answered with a laugh and pointed out the window.
Luca was riding his horse into the city gate.
"It seems Luca has discovered something from the remains of the magic circle left behind by the enemies. I should go and check it out."
Then, Chloe followed behind Callius, who went down to the first floor.
“Wait a minute, Callius! You’re lying! You’re kidding me!”
I was surprised when I brought it up, so I wonder what the people who heard it were like.
I slowly but steadily walked towards the altar, not understanding why I had even brought it up.
“Chloe.”
Callius looked at me with complicated eyes.
I made an expression that I couldn't tell if it was tears or a smile.
The person with the most complicated feelings here right now was me.
“I’ll try.”
As if someone had told me to do so, I said that and took the knife that Callius had put down.
“Chloe, this is...”
Callius tried to stop me.
When I thought about it rationally, it was a wise thing to do.
When I thought about the significance of the Holy Grail in Ronheim, I was worried that if I, a non-resident and unrelated person, were to suddenly pretend to be a Saint and attempt to handle the Holy Grail, and fail, I might incur unnecessary resentment.
Even though I knew that, I couldn't stop.
I don't know why, but I felt like I knew how to awaken the Holy Grail.
I stopped Callius with my gaze and made shallow cuts on my hands.
There was no feeling of pain.
The wound I made soon disappeared after I sprinkled the blood into a bowl of water.
I picked up a bowl of water mixed with a few drops of my blood and brought it close to the Holy Grail.
At that moment, the letters engraved on the inside of the Holy Grail caught my eye.
It was a letter I had never seen before.
The letters were the same as those carved all over Ronheim Castle.
The ancient language that Callius had learned from the Saintess appeared before my eyes, writhing as if dancing.
A language I didn't know leaked out of my mouth in small whispers.
The language I heard sounded like a very beautiful song.
I didn't understand the language exactly, but strangely enough, I could tell what I was saying in general terms.
'This is a prayer.'
It was a prayer asking God to generously allow me to share some of the life force He gave me with those who are sick and suffering.
After a short prayer, I tilted the bowl and poured water into the chalice.
Everyone was watching with bated breath to see what I was doing.
Soon, the bottomless chalice was filled to overflowing with water.
The water in the chalice changed into holy water with a soft glow.
I fed it to Edzel and Basto.
The holy water that touched their lips seeped into their bodies like smoke before they could even swallow it.
Basto finally turned his head to refuse the holy water, but it was no use.
I passed the holy water to Edzel, Basto, and the other children.
Until then, Callius was staring at me, lost in thought.
In fact, it wasn't just Callius; it was everyone here.
The first to come to their senses were Edzel's parents.
“Edzel!”
It was because Edzel suddenly woke up with a clean look without a single scratch.
“Mother? Father!”
Edzel woke up and hugged his parents tightly.
Then someone among the gathered crowd muttered.
“A new... Saintess has appeared.”
That small murmur spread throughout Ronheim in an instant.
***
Andrew admitted all his guilt.
It wasn't because he admitted his mistake and repented.
Hillen confessed all her truth to Andrew, and Andrew, devastated and filled with hatred for Hillen, revealed his own sins.
"You know what, Hillen? I wanted to get away from you! I was sick of you, of my family! Do you know what you did to me? You don't!"
“I’m sorry, brother! I’m sorry! I’m sorry... I just hoped we wouldn’t be separated...!”
“I’m afraid you’ll die...! What the heck... Aaak!”
Andrew screamed, and Hillen was in agony.
Meanwhile, Basto remained silent when asked why he was there, how he got to Andrew, and what he knew.
Even after Andrew confessed his sins, Basto remained tight-lipped.
Basto's old secret was accidentally revealed by Sernia.
“Empress Kavala instructed me to approach Andrew. She told me how she had managed to subjugate his father, and that her son would be no different... Basto, he was the one who led Empress Kavala’s assassins to Saintess Ilya!”
When Sernia's mouth revealed his sins one by one, Basto opened his mouth, which he had kept so tightly shut, and cried.
“Ahh! Hwaah! Aaaah!”
Only then did fear appear in his eyes, which had not even blinked in front of torture devices.
The people of Ronheim, having learned the identity of the traitor who sold their country and killed the Saintess they loved so dearly, flocked to the gates like a cloud.
“Kill Basto!”
“Punish him to death!”
The people's cries echoed through the stone walls and into every corner of the castle.
Basto clutched his head as he heard the sound.
He knelt at the feet of Callius, who was glaring at him coldly, and begged.
“Please kill me! Please kill me!”
Callius was so angry that he wanted to kill him right away.
But the punishment he gave to Basto, Andrew, and Hillen was not death.
“For those who ask for death, life is hell, so live in hell and atone.”
He was extremely cool-headed and rational in his thinking, and sentenced him to a punishment more appropriate than death.
"Andrew, Hillen, and Basto will wander the nomadic plains until the day they die. They will not be allowed to stay in one place for more than three days, will not be able to converse with anyone, and will not be allowed to own anything other than what they wear."
Andrew, who had planned all this to escape from his family, now had to rely on Hillen and Basto to survive due to his limited mobility.
Family is the chain that keeps you from ever being freed.
Hillen had to live with the guilt of Andrew being crippled because of her and of being by Andrew's side, who hated her just as much as he cared for her.
Having neglected his children and relied on alcohol for a long time, Basto will never be able to escape the land of Ronheim, which is hostile to him, and will once again have to raise his children as the head of the household.
Without him, his crippled son and helpless daughter would not have been able to continue living, so he would not have been able to choose suicide so carelessly.
Basto will have to live his entire life grieving over his children, who wander the fields like wild animals and cannot support themselves, and face the consequences of his sins.
“If sinners are discovered leaving Ronheim or with others, they will be severely beaten to turn back. If anyone does good to these sinners or approaches them, they will also be punished.”
Callius solemnly finished his sentence and looked down coldly at the kneeling criminals.
"You are the ones who ruined your lives. Don't forgive yourself. Live every breath you have, suffering in agony, a life that feels like punishment."
For over a decade after that day, the three of them became ghosts wandering the fields of Ronheim, living for a long time in the form of wild beasts, avoiding people.
Occasionally, nomads moving their livestock to new lands would see the three from afar, and each time, the three would feel ashamed of their appearance and run away to avoid human gaze.
***
The feast that had been postponed when the Holy Grail was found was held in great splendor after the Kavala spies were captured.
The Holy Grail wasn't the only thing that returned to Ronheim.
The Saintess, the heart of Ronheim, also appeared.
All the people, even nomads, came to Ronheim Castle and gave Chloe all sorts of gifts before returning, expressing their gratitude and appreciation for her visit.
“It feels just like my birthday.”
Chloe looked at Callius and smiled with utter bliss.
“Everyone is happy about my existence.”
As Callius gently hugged her, she leaned her forehead against his chest and whispered.
“I am overwhelmed by the fact that I have become such a valuable person.”
Chloe raised her head and placed her hand on his chest.
His heart, which had been empty and hollow like a bottomless chalice, was now filled with fullness.
Callius whispered to Chloe, who was smiling.
“It’s not that it’s just become like this now, you were always a valuable person, Chloe.”
“Thank you for saying that.”
Callius emphasized to Chloe, who smiled quietly.
“From the moment I first saw you, you sparkled like a jewel in my eyes. So beautiful that I couldn't possibly covet you.”
Chloe gave Callius a cute pat on the chest.
"At the Valentine's Day banquet held at the palace? Hey, you stared at me so fiercely. You're lying."
“Not that day.”
“Isn’t that the first time you saw me?”
Chloe's eyes widened.
Callius spoke meaningfully to her.
“The first day we met, we had a very passionate relationship. If you don’t remember, I can’t help it.”
“Huh? Winter, passion? What do you mean?”
Callius answered with a laugh and pointed out the window.
Luca was riding his horse into the city gate.
"It seems Luca has discovered something from the remains of the magic circle left behind by the enemies. I should go and check it out."
Then, Chloe followed behind Callius, who went down to the first floor.
“Wait a minute, Callius! You’re lying! You’re kidding me!”
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