“I finished the book!”

The child came running over in a rush and threw himself into the Duke of Sepra’s arms, announcing it proudly.

The Duke of Sepra showed little change in expression as he carefully stroked the boy’s hair.

But the old butler standing quietly nearby, and Arsian as well, could tell.

He was extremely pleased.

“Sena, let’s go now!”

“Huh?”

“To see Camilla!”

“Oh.”

Was it already that time?

Just as Sena had told the Duke of Sepra earlier, they had plans to meet Camilla today.

“Where are you meeting her?”

“At the bookstore!”

“The bookstore?”

“Yes! We’re going to buy sheet music there!”

“Sheet music?”

At the puzzled look on the Duke of Sepra’s face, Rio beamed and continued.

“It’s for the song I’m going to sing with Luna.”

Luna, who had been lying lazily off to one side, twitched and lifted her head slightly at those words.

When she saw Rio grinning at her with bright, expectant eyes, another soundless sigh slipped from her mouth. Then, as if resigned, she lay back down and closed her eyes again.

“I think I’ll be late. Tell Camilla I’m sorry.”

A voice full of irritation came from Arsian, who had been watching them.

He had originally planned to go with them, but he had no choice now. He had to help seal that holy relic.

Breaking a promise with Camilla irritated him, but he couldn’t neglect his duty either.

“Tell her I’ll come, even if I’m a little late.”

“Okay! Come quick too, big brother.”

Rio nodded vigorously, as if telling him not to worry, then immediately got to his feet.

“Let’s go, Sena!”

“Yes.”

Prompted by Rio, Sena also stood and bowed her head to the Duke of Sepra and Arsian.

Even then, Lu remained silent. Not a single word came from it.

*****

“You bought three sets of sheet music?”

“Yes!”

Camilla let out a small laugh as she looked at Rio, who had picked out three easy children’s songbooks.

She couldn’t help thinking of Luna, the divine beast who would keep sighing and yet go along with anything the child wanted.

“And you, Sena? Do you like that book?”

“Yes.”

What Sena had chosen was a math book.

Camilla had thought it might be a little too difficult for a child, but when she heard that Sena had already worked through all the other books at House Sepra, she had no choice but to be surprised.

I should look into finding her a teacher.

A clever little thing with that much love for learning—Camilla had high hopes.

She had heard Rio would soon be assigned a private tutor. She would have to casually suggest that Sena be allowed to study alongside him.

“Wow! Big sis, look over there!”

What caught Rio’s eye as they walked out of the bookstore was a great river. It was broad and deep, with ice floating here and there across the surface.

“It’s amazing.”

Clinging to the safety railing, Rio kept exclaiming in wonder. To him, the river must have looked as vast as the sea.

“Rio, it’s dangerous if you lean like that.”

“Okay.”

Camilla hurried over and stopped him when she saw him repeatedly trying to hoist himself higher over the railing, clearly wanting a better look.

“Big sis, there’s ice floating over—!”

Rio turned as he spoke, and his eyes suddenly went wide.

His body had abruptly lifted off the ground.

“Rio!”

Camilla cried out at once.

Someone had grabbed the child and hoisted him up.

[No! That was my mistake!]

Xeno, who had come along as an escort, shouted urgently.

[That robe must have some kind of spell on it that hides its presence.]

So that was why no one had noticed him getting this close.

Biting her lip in frustration, Camilla looked ahead.

“Don’t come any closer!”

The one holding a sharp dagger to Rio’s neck was a man in his early thirties. Standing atop the railing, he blocked Camilla and the others from approaching.

[Camilla, that bastard is from the Eva Church.]

Camilla agreed with Xeno at once. Parts of the man’s face and hands, revealed where the wind had blown back his robe, were rotting away.

She could also see a ghost trailing behind him, one that had completely lost its mind.

[That bastard, his eyes...]

He’s gone insane.

His eyes were wavering, utterly unmoored. He was clearly half out of his mind.

Probably because his body was rotting away so quickly. Camilla cursed inwardly.

People in that condition were the most dangerous. Someone who was going to die no matter what had nothing left they wouldn’t do. Reasoning with him would be impossible.

“Xeno, can you do it?”

Camilla asked without taking her eyes off Rio for even a moment as the child hung in the man’s grip.

Could he take him out?

[I can kill him, but the child’s safety...]

Which meant killing the man was possible, but Rio’s safety could not be guaranteed. The blade at the child’s throat looked ready to bite into his skin at any moment.

Of all times!

Aisla was out busily tending to the end of winter.

If only she were here, she could have frozen the bastard solid and saved Rio immediately.

It was Camilla’s mistake. She had trusted Xeno alone and gone out without bringing even one escort knight.

“What do you want? There has to be a reason you’re doing this.”

Camilla stepped toward the man as she spoke, but when he pressed the dagger closer to Rio, she had no choice but to step back again.

“The holy relic.”

“What?”

“Bring me the holy relic right now.”

“The holy relic?”

“The dukes have them!”

...No. Had word spread already?

The decision had only been finalized a few days ago, and the relics had only been distributed today.

Don’t tell me...

Was there a spy inside the imperial palace?

Otherwise how could information leak out this fast?

Camilla ground her teeth.

“Put the child down first. I’ll be the hostage instead.”

“Shut up! Bring me the holy relic first!”

“I’ll give you the relic. I’ll give you as many of the damn things as you want. Put the child down first.”

A stupid relic like that could be handed over without hesitation.

Now that the head of the church was dead, it was useless anyway... no, even if he were still alive, Camilla would have found a way to bring it.

Nothing mattered more than Rio.

“Bring me the holy relic now!”

Hearing the man repeat the same words over and over, Camilla gave up on talking any further. None of it was getting through to him.

One of the attendants who had accompanied the children turned and ran to report the situation. Even by carriage, it would still take time...

Looking at Rio in the man’s grasp, Camilla bit down hard on her lip.

The child’s face had gone white with fear, but he was still swallowing back his tears.

As if he thought crying here and saying he was scared would only make things harder for everyone else, he stayed as still as he could in the man’s grip. That only made Camilla’s chest ache more.

“Bring it right now!”

“...! Rio!”

At last, the blade angled toward the child drew blood at Rio’s neck.

Camilla stepped forward on instinct—

and in the very next moment, her whole body froze.

“Ghk!”

Something like black smoke appeared out of nowhere and pierced straight through the man’s heart.

Rio, who had been hanging from the man’s grasp, dropped.

Down into the deep river filled with drifting ice.

“Rio!”

The moment she saw the child hit the water, Camilla jumped in after him.

There was no hesitation.

She couldn’t think of anything else.

She could not lose him like this.

Damn it!

The water was so cold it felt like it could stop her heart. Her mind went white for a second.

She shook her head hard and looked around.

Not far away, she saw him—unconscious, sinking lower and lower.

Camilla swam toward Rio with all her strength. He looked close enough to reach if she just stretched out her hand, and yet somehow she couldn’t gain speed. It was maddening.

Rio!

She had no idea how much time had passed.

In that moment, when one second felt like an hour, she finally managed to catch hold of him.

The freezing water had left her hands numb, but she couldn’t let him go.

This is insane.

Should she just tear this useless, billowing skirt off?

With what little strength she had left, trying to swim while carrying the child was anything but easy.

No matter how hard she kicked with Rio in one arm, there was no sign of them moving forward.

Camilla’s consciousness began to blur.

If she lost consciousness now, both Rio and she were finished.

She had to get to the surface somehow...

“...!”

Then, at that moment, she saw someone in the distance cutting swiftly toward them.

Was it Dorman, appearing again like that time at the spirit lake?

But once Camilla made out the face of the person drawing closer, she nearly burst into tears.