“I’ll come for you around 2.”

Phileal said this before taking Anais to his bedroom. Following his instructions to wash away the rain, Anais leaned against the warm-water filled bathtub. She closed her eyes for a moment.

During this time, Phileal went to Leviathan.

“Why are you here?”

“I’m leaving with Anais.”

“Are you mad? A priest and a woman planning to escape?”

“Yes.”

“You’ll be excommunicated.”

“Let it be.”

“What did you say?”

Phileal remained calm. The temple of death no longer felt like his entire world. He felt like a bird that had lived in a cage and was now flying freely outside.

He learned that the sky was high, the world was wide, and he realized the place he had lived in was a prison. Without Anais, he might as well have been a bird living in a cage again.

“God Decarve will be furious. You’re supposed to succeed the High Priest, don’t you know?”

“Why should I? You’re the chief priest, not me.”

“I don’t want to be the High Priest.”

“You used to say you wanted to be one someday.”

Phileal reached out his hand. Leviathan hesitated to hand over what he held. If he gave it to Phileal, it felt like he would leave as if he had completed his business.

“That was when you were opposing me, just teasing.”

“And now?”

“Not now. I wish you’d reconsider your foolish decision.”

“There’s nothing to reconsider. I like Anais. I want to continue to be with her.”

Phileal said this with an innocent smile, seemingly lost in thoughts of Anais. Leviathan, perplexed by this unforeseen bewilderment, stiffened his expression as he gazed at Phileal.

“The moment you have a physical relationship, you will get excommunicated.”

“What is a physical relationship?”

“Are you asking because you don’t know? It refers to sexual activity.”

“Oh, that.”

Phileal seemed momentarily embarrassed, his eyes widening before he scratched his head.

“I don’t need to do that.”

“…”

“I just… like Anais. Just… sometimes, her smile is enough. No, now, just being by her side makes me happy.”

Leviathan concluded that Phileal was beyond redemption. He was intent on leaving the temple without any such purpose.

“Just because you want to be by her side.”

“You’re becoming more pitiful.”

“Anais doesn’t have much time left.”

Phileal knew that Anais’s soul couldn’t last long in Lilith’s body. Being a priest loved by the god of death, he had many granted powers, despite being the second priest.

“…I want to let her do everything she wishes until she dies.”

“What if she doesn’t die?”

“That would be wonderful.”

“Haa.”

Leviathan asked, but was frustrated by Phileal’s genuine wish.

“That power was given to you in exchange for your father. And you’re willing to throw it away like this?”

“I’m not throwing it away. I’m leaving for something more important.”

“Why? Did she ask to leave with you?”

“I asked her to leave with me, but Anais answered late.”

“…..”

Leviathan was irritated by everything. Phileal had always stepped up in the High Priest’s absence, and the workload of the High Priest and the second priest was significant.

With the High Priest incapacitated and unable to open his eyes, if Phileal left, Leviathan would be stuck doing all the work. He couldn’t entrust it to the intermediate priests of the Temple of Death. They were foolish, and had limited powers.

“If you disappear, we’ll have to select a new second priest.”

“Yes, do that.”

“I’ll kill the High Priest and become the new High Priest myself.”

“Then you’ll die by the Emperor’s hand.”

Phileal gestured again for Leviathan to give him what he was holding.

“Why are you doing this to me?”

“Consider it payback for all the times you slacked off. I did all your work, remember?”

Phileal was starting to get annoyed. If Leviathan continued to withhold, they might have to fight, and although Phileal was confident he wouldn’t lose, it wouldn’t be a quiet departure anymore.

“Ha.”

Leviathan sighed deeply, running his hands on his face.

“Leviathan, you say that but you look relieved.”

Leviathan was horrified by Phileal’s gaze that felt eerily similar to Anais Percival’s.

“Right.”

He began to change his perspective on life, as Anais had said. He noticed changes in his life. He even started to worry about Phileal, whom he had previously disregarded, and realized that he needed to amend the aspects of his life he had long neglected.

“Swear you’ll return if Anais Percival dies.”

“I can’t promise that.”

“Why not?”

“I might want to die too.”

“Ha.”

Phileal had never deeply thought about Anais’s death. However, now that he did, he was seized by a sudden fear that he might want to die too.

“Give it to me quickly. I really don’t have much time left.”

Leviathan glared at Phileal with fierce red eyes.

“What a pathetic fool.”

“Thanks for worrying.”

Phileal responded with a smile as he received the relic imbued with the power of the god of death.

This relic was exclusively granted to the priests of death, allowing free access throughout the palace. Since he already had one, Anais had to have one as well.

“Phileal.”

“Huh?”

Leviathan called out just as Phileal was about to turn away.

“If Anais Percival dies, come back. Even if you wish to die, come to see me once before you do.”

“…Huh.”

Phileal smiled gratefully at Leviathan’s peculiar words.

* * *

“Anais?”

Phileal called out to Anais, who had fallen asleep in the bathtub. He was relieved she had used a towel in the bath. He gently lifted her out, thankful for the enchanted water that didn’t cool down.

“Anais?”

He cautiously called Anais who slowly opened her eyes.

“Did you fall asleep?”

“Yes.”

He smiled, carrying her to the bedroom and placed her on the bed.

“Please wear these clothes.”

“Yes.”

Phileal laid out clothes for her, and found a dry towel and handed it to her.

“I’ll be in the bathroom. Let me know when you’re done dressing.”

“Yes.”

Anais’s voice had become lower, and he was upset. But Phileal was happy she responded to him and headed to the bathroom.

After Phileal headed to the bathroom, he heard rustling sounds. The sound of Anais changing clothes nearby made him inexplicably blush.

Why was he like this? He wondered why he felt so strange and unfamiliar.

“Are you done changing?”

“Not yet.”

Phileal guessed Anais was taking her time with her clothes out of frustration. Soon, she approached the bathroom, fully dressed.

“Let’s go.”

The warmth from the bathroom made Phileal’s cheeks burn even more.

“Let’s go, Anais.”

He echoed her words with a smile.

He was delighted when Anais slowly took the hand he extended towards her.

“Okay.”

Together, they made their way out of the palace.

Phileal headed for a passage exclusively used by the priests of death. Servants were only allowed to clean this area between noon and 3 PM in the middle of the day when the sun was the warmest. At other times it was deserted.

However, it was quite populated now due to the nocturnal nature of the priests of death.

Both Anais and Phileal were wearing the priests of death’s robes. Anais wore Leviathan’s, and Phileal in his usual attire. He wasn’t even wearing his hood.

Yet, the priests of death did not attempt to stop Phileal. To them, the figure behind him, dressed in Leviathan’s robes and hooded, must have been Leviathan himself.

With Mephist, the High Priest of Death, incapacitated and having failed to sacrifice Phileal, Phileal’s presence indicated a turning tide.

The priests of death who were keen on survival, ignored Phileal. Phileal knew the atmosphere well. They can’t confront him and argue with him. If they did annoy him, their fate will simply be death.

Unless Leviathan intervened. Within the imperial palace, only Lewarren, the High Priest of Destruction, and possibly the Emperor could be considered Phileal’s opponent.

If the Emperor personally intervened, Phileal knew he would lose. No matter how favored he was by the god of death, he couldn’t overcome a Sword Master. Yet, Phileal was confident the Emperor wouldn’t step in. Had he intended to, he wouldn’t have neglected Anais this long.

“Give me your hand.”

Noticing Anais seemed to be having a hard time walking, Phileal offered his hand. She took it and began to walk more steadily. She felt tense due to the crowd but reassured by Phileal’s presence.

She still doesn’t know how the situation regarding her nearly being sacrificed had concluded. But Anais’s mind involuntarily pieced together possibilities.

Phileal had saved her from becoming a sacrifice, indicating he had no intention of killing her. The priests of death freely roaming the palace suggested someone else was blamed for the situation with Lilith.

With this in mind, Anais gripped Phileal’s hand tightly.

“Uht…Let’s, let’s hurry.”

“Okay.”

Phileal momentarily paused before gripping her hand firmly. He was startled by the warmth from her strong grip. It was the first time he was conscious of sweating palms, making him wonder if he was losing his mind.

They walked in silence after that. Phileal adjusted his grip, fearing his palms might sweat, but tightened it again, fearing Anais might slip away. He felt tense only when Anais seemed about to collapse.

They had just reached the gate that was accessible only to the priests of death and opened solely by death’s relic.

“Phileal, Second Priest, where are you going?”

Kylian asked, as if he had been waiting for them. Kylian wasn’t alone. He was surrounded by his knights, looking ready for a fight with a sword in hand.

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