“Our God is both merciful and just, rewarding those who make sacrifices,” Sang-je proimed, his smile deepening as Pides remained silent, his gaze downcast.


    “Yet, the word of God can be ambiguous, confounding foolish men who struggle to interpret His will,” Sang-je continued, his voice steady. “That is where Ie in, Pides.”


    Pides nodded, “Yes, Your Holiness.”


    “When justice is established within this temple upon itspletion, you will find that you can attain all that you desire,” Sang-je assured him. “However, I am not omnipotent; I merely follow the will of God. You must articte your desires for me to assist you.”


    Pides hesitated, grappling with his thoughts. As Anika Jin’s face shed before his mind’s eye, he struggled to form his words. Sang-je waited patiently for his response.


    “Someone once used me of cowardice,” Pides finally confessed. “They said I turned away from treasures beyond my grasp.”


    “Was Anika Jin one such treasure?” Sang-je inquired gently.


    Pides’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment. He had deliberated on his desires before approaching Sang-je, suspecting the man of God had discerned his feelings for Anika Jin. Now, as he spoke, he realized his desire was not entirely fabricated, but rather buried beneathyers of self-doubt.


    Pides felt no inclination to achieve his desire through deception orchestrated by Sang-je. Yet, the embarrassment coursing through him, a result of his momentarily shaken resolve, flushed his cheeks crimson.Sang-je’s satisfaction with Pides’s reaction was palpable. Had Pides casually dismissed Sang-je’s words, he would have immediately discerned the facade.


    “Pides, my loyal knight,” Sang-je intoned, his voice carrying weight as he gestured towards the airborne seed. “You shall obtain all that your heart desires.”


    As the seed approached him, Pides knew that upon swallowing it, he would no longer evade Sang-je’s discerning gaze. Prepared for this inevitability, Pides consumed the seed without hesitation.


    ***


    Flora surveyed thendscape before her, perched atop a slight elevation that afforded her a glimpse of the quaint vige below. Log houses dotted the terrain, interspersed with modest vegetable plots andmunal fields where vigers toiled amidst the enveloping forest.


    For Flora, whose existence had been confined within castle walls, this tableau was profoundly unfamiliar. Thoughcking the foreboding atmosphere of the slums she once mistakenly wandered into, the vige bore the unmistakable signs of poverty. The notion that her erstwhile prison was the sole bastion of decency held true; the dpidated dwellings below cast doubt on the resilience of their inhabitants.


    The air hung heavy with heat and aridity, an ill-suited climate for agriculture evident in the sparse and ailing crops dotting the fields. It had been several days since Flora began her explorations, spurred by the absence of the young man who had once attended to her needs. Instead, a middle-aged woman had delivered her meals, granting Flora an unexpected reprieve to wander outside without objection, citing the stifling confines of her abode.


    Before Flora’s departure from the vige, Aldrit had cautioned her not to intervene should Flora attempt to venture outside, but rather to maintain a watchful eye. Initially wary of potential traps, Flora gradually eased her vignce as days passed without incident.


    Whenever Flora ventured beyond the confines of her dwelling, she noticed a discreet figure trailing her from a distance, a rotating cast of individuals—sometimes a middle-aged man, other times a young woman. The surveince appearedx, and Flora harbored doubts about their ability to apprehend her should she attempt to flee. The temptation to escape tugged at her, yet she relinquished the notion, resigning herself to her unfamiliar surroundings.


    “Um…” A voice interrupted her reverie. Flora turned to find a young girl extending a timid offering of wildflowers. “Are you giving these to me?” Flora inquired, taken aback by the gesture.


    The girl nodded eagerly, her eyes alight with hope. For days, children had observed Flora with curiosity, though she had refrained from engaging them, wary of potential repercussions from the adults.


    ncing towards the distant observer—today, a middle-aged man—Flora hesitated, expecting a rebuke. Yet, his passive demeanor suggested otherwise. “Is it permissible for children to approach me?” Flora mused aloud, studying the wilted blooms in her hand, a stark contrast to the meticulously tended garden flowers.


    Turning her attention back to the girl, Flora observed her anxious anticipation, her innocence radiating from wide eyes. Despite her worn attire, the child’s joyous countenance stirred something within Flora.


    “Thank you. They’re beautiful,” Flora murmured, offering a genuine smile. “You’re even lovelier, unnie!” the girl eximed before darting away, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Flora chuckled softly, her first genuine expression of joy since arriving in the vige.


    Feeling a glimmer of upliftment, Flora clutched the unassuming bouquet of wildflowers tightly as she made her way back to the log house. After wandering freely for a time, the abode no longer seemed as confining.


    “Hey, Anika,” a voice called out, jolting Flora from her thoughts. With a sharp turn of her head and a stern expression, she found herself face to face with a lizard. Reacting instinctively, Flora snatched an object within reach and hurled it at the red-eyed reptile. “Shoo!”


    Mara, disappointed once again, grumbled as he retreated. “Your temper is as foul as ever. Why do all Anikas have to be like this? How did that person manage to deal with such Anikas?”


    <i>All Anikas? I’ve only encountered two Anikas. Besides the Anika in the castle… Wait…</i>


    Mara’s unease grew as memories of silently cursing the Anika in the castle flooded his mind. Yet, now, when he thought of that same Anika, all he could recall was their ability tomunicate.