Rin slowly opened his eyes.
He was in a forest… not far from his palace.
A human was tied up nearby.
Rin immediately remembered—Calt must have saved him.
"Calt… Calt!" he called out.
Within seconds, Calt appeared.
"My lord."
Rin frowned. "Where did you go?"
Calt replied, "My lord, I went to check if anyone was following us. But we are clear. It seems the humans didn't track us here."
Rin nodded slightly, then looked at the tied man.
"That's fine… but where did you find this guy? I was disguised as a human to capture him… how did you get him?"
Calt bowed his head slightly.
"My lord… I have been following you from the beginning. I did not reveal myself, as it might have exposed your cover."
"After you infiltrated the merchants, I started returning to the castle. On the way, I saw two men—one was struggling against magical beasts, and the other was trying to hide."
"I killed the first one."
"Then I went after the second."
"When I tried to strike him… he raised his hand."
Calt paused.
"The sea tattoo."
"I captured him immediately."
"I came to inform you… but before I arrived, you had already gotten into trouble."
Calt lowered his head.
"I apologize… for not protecting you, my lord."
Rin looked at him for a moment.
"…Whatever."
He turned toward the captive.
"At least we got him."
"Let's go back to the castle."
Back in the village—
Dargah was furious.
He stood before Sam, his voice cold.
"You couldn't even catch a single demon… and you let a traitor escape with their family."
His eyes narrowed.
"I'm starting to lose hope in all of you."
Sam lowered his head.
"I'm sorry, Master. Next time… I will definitely catch him."
He hesitated for a moment, then asked,
"And what about the merchants, Master?"
Dargah looked at him.
"Your words are strong… but your actions are not."
He stepped closer.
"Next time, I will not tolerate failure."
Sam stayed silent.
"And as for the merchants…" Dargah continued,
"Let them go."
Sam looked up, surprised.
"Let them go? Master… are we really going to release all of them?"
Dargah turned slightly.
"Yes… let them go."
Then he stepped closer to Sam and leaned in.
He whispered something into his ear.
"Send someone to follow them."
Sam nodded.
"…Understood, Master."
The merchants walked together after being released.
One of them asked, "Elder Shah… do you think Uruka is alright?"
Elder Shah replied calmly,
"Yes… I believe she is in safe hands now."
He paused for a moment.
"She was an orphan… I raised her myself."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"But now… I think she is in hands more trustworthy than mine."
He looked ahead.
"Come… let's keep moving."
Behind them—
A figure followed quietly.
A man from the cathedral.
Watching them from the shadows.
Rin and Calt arrived at the castle.
Daris stepped forward to welcome them.
He looked at Calt and frowned.
"Where did you go? And how did you end up with our king? Didn't you say you were going to meet a friend?"
Calt sighed lightly.
"Oh my… so many questions."
He smirked.
"And in case you forgot… the real king has arrived. So stop pretending."
Rin frowned.
"Shut up… both of you."
He turned to Daris.
"Take this human to the elders' place. Tell them I'll come later… for training."
Daris bowed.
"As you wish, my lord."
He carried the human away and left.
Rin and Calt turned—
and walked back toward their rooms.
Back in the central region—
Rudo and the others were still in prison.
Maria spent her days praying.
Pears trained his body relentlessly, building his strength. Tank stayed beside him, helping him train.
Selena focused on improving her magic.
And Rudo…
He sat quietly, thinking.
How did this entire week pass like this…?
Then—
The door opened.
Holy Lady Marona entered the room.
She walked toward the hero party.
Maria immediately stood up, stepped forward, and bowed.
"I'm sorry, Mother… for the trouble I have caused."
Marona replied calmly,
"That's alright, Maria."
She looked at everyone.
"Listen carefully… after requesting the Wise Master for a long time, I have finally received permission to take all of you to my southern village."
Maria's face lit up.
"Really, Mother? I can go back home…?"
Marona nodded.
"Yes… but you will not be going there to rest."
She paused.
"I brought you because I need your help. There is still work left unfinished."
Maria lowered her head.
"That work… is still not completed?"
Marona replied,
"Not yet."
Then she looked at all of them.
"That's why… you will help me. Won't you?"
Everyone answered together—
"Yes, Master."
Marona looked at them.
"But before we leave… you must all apologize to the Wise Master."
Everyone nodded.
"Yes, Master."
Soon after, they were released.
Marona gestured ahead.
"Go. He will be inside the cathedral."
They made their way there.
Rudo stepped toward the cathedral door—
"Don't come in."
A voice stopped them.
"Wait. I will come out."
They stood still.
After a moment, the Wise Master stepped out.
George.
Rudo and the others immediately knelt down.
"We're sorry—"
They began to apologize.
But George raised his hand.
"What you did… does not deserve an apology."
His voice was cold.
"That is why I am sending all of you to the southern village."
"You will work there… day and night… for your sins."
He turned away.
"Now go. I am busy."
They remained silent.
Then slowly, they got up and left.
On the way—
Maria spoke softly,
"Do you think… he's still angry with us?"
Pears sighed.
"I don't know… but yeah… he's definitely still mad."
Rudo looked ahead.
"…Let's just move."
After apologizing to the Wise Master and the king, they prepared to leave.
They would now follow Holy Lady Marona.
They traveled in a wagon, while Marona rode ahead in a chariot. Her apostle rode beside her on horseback, and her saints moved along the front and middle.
Rudo looked at Maria.
"How many days will it take to reach your hometown?"
Maria replied, "Maybe three… or four days."
Rudo sighed.
"That long…?"
He leaned back slightly.
"Anyway… what is this work she was talking about? And what is your relationship with Holy Lady Marona?"
Maria hesitated for a moment.
"I never told you before… but since we're going there anyway, I will."
She looked ahead.
"I grew up as an orphan in the southern cathedral."
"Mother Marona… was the one who raised us all."
"We all look up to her."
She smiled faintly.
"And I admired her so much… that I became a priest."
Rudo listened quietly.
"Mother Marona is very kind."
She paused.
"As for the work…"
Her expression changed slightly.
"You'll understand… when you see it with your own eyes."
On their way, they stopped to eat.
Marona ordered her saints to serve the hero party properly.
She watched over them… like a protective mother.
The hero party enjoyed the food.
"This is the best meal I've had in a week," Pears said.
"That prison food really ruined my taste buds… this feels like heaven."
After eating, they continued their journey.
Rudo sat quietly, lost in thought.
Varner…
He had tried asking the king, but he couldn't get any information about him.
Suddenly—
A magic beast appeared on the path.
A giant lizard.
The apostle immediately stopped the chariot and stepped forward.
"Mother Marona… please allow me to fight that beast."
Marona replied calmly,
"Permission granted."
The apostle moved ahead.
He knelt down and began to pray.
A red orb of magic formed in his hand.
He threw it toward the beast.
In the next moment—
The beast lost its vision.
It thrashed around, unable to see.
The apostle leaped forward—
and struck it down with his sword.
Rudo and the others watched the fight in silence.
Rudo turned to Maria.
"Who is that?"
Maria replied,
"That's Tark… one of the apostles."
"He has the ability to blind his opponents… and he is highly skilled in swordsmanship."
They continued their journey.
Far away—
In the Demon Kingdom—
Daris arrived at the gates of a grand palace.
The place where the elders resided.
He carried the tattooed human over his shoulder.
He stepped forward—
and stopped before the gates.
About to enter.
- to be continued -