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“… And once you see the sunrise’s golden rays caress the towering spires and gleaming domes, you can’t help but feel that the high temple has truly been blessed by Euphridia’s divine radiance, shining as a beacon of hope to those who seek serenity and solace within its sanctified halls.” Relias finally stopped to draw a breath.

“I’m sure it’s quite the sight to behold,” I agreed, shifting in the saddle. Aurum’s ears flicked backward slightly, and I stopped, realizing my restlessness was becoming contagious.

I had tried asking His Holiness about the general layout of Chairo, but nothing had prepared me for his long-winded speech about its opulence. I'm sure we all have a particular fondness for our hometown, but flowery descriptions of its ambiance did little to tell me what to expect regarding logistics. Were the streets narrow or wide? How many gatehouses were there? How many sentries? Where are they stationed? What was the process of getting into the city? However, I still felt guilty about shoving him out of the lead earlier, so I would have to just endure a bit longer.

“There are two cities, right? An outer city and an inner one. The temple… it’s in the center of Chairo?”

“Yes. From its height, you can see for miles in any direction, provided the weather cooperates.”

“So, to get to the high temple, we need to go through the outer city… Is Chario relatively flat? Or do we have to go uphill?”

Relias stared at me for a moment before he smiled knowingly. “We have the means to bypass the outer city, Captain,” he assured me.

“Uh… care to tell me exactly how?”

“The local transportation system is still functional,” he said evasively as he grinned harder.

What are we going to do? Fly in?

“Relias,” I started as gently as I could. “I worry that Pravum isn’t stupid enough to engage us outside the city. He knows how powerful you are. He’ll probably lure us in before confronting—” I stopped, startled at how quickly his face fell.

“Forgive me,” he apologized. “I merely wished to pique your curiosity more before providing a complete answer. I was so eager to finally reveal the city's splendor to you that I momentarily distracted myself from the distasteful opposition we would soon face.”

Distasteful?

“You… don’t really want to fight with Pravum, do you?”

Relias bowed his head. “I... was the one who assigned his Purpose. He was such an intelligent, compassionate child...” He turned his gaze to the back of his horse’s neck. “The blame rests with me. It was my decision that led to the outcome we now face... and yet, I fear I would make the same mistake again if given another chance. I sincerely believed he would become a true leader of the people, using his skills for those who needed them most.”

“You couldn’t possibly be expected to predict how a child will act as an adult,” I objected, almost pulling Aurum to a halt.

Except, that’s really the crux of the task she assigned him, isn’t it? Guide humanity by assigning individuals their divine Purpose before they grow up.

I grimaced, realizing there was nothing he could say to my declaration. “Oh no… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to… But it’s not fair! You’ve been asked to do the impossible! Everyone has their own motivations and obligations. And those change all the time! When I’m hungry, I want to eat. When I’m full, I want to sleep.”

Maybe I should have come up with examples that didn’t seem so… simple. What am I, a sloth?

Actually… would that be all that bad?

I shook my head. “Ah, I want to do other things, too! Things… not related to my Purpose…” Or assigned job duties, depending on how I looked at it.

Relias sat up in his saddle. “Tell me… what stirs your heart?” he asked earnestly. “I wish to hear about your desires and dreams.”

He was the last person in Speranza I could tell that I wanted to go home. But as I considered that thought, I realized it hadn’t surfaced in a while. Was it because there were so many other things going on? Or was I feeling obligated to do something about some of the world’s problems?

Or were my motivations changing as well?

“I do want to make things better here, as well as I can,” I admitted nervously. My face flushed crimson as I noted with certainty that my heart was stirring. “But… I also kind of wish they’d take care of themselves. If they did, well… I think I’d like to travel with a willing companion, you know, just to look around, see the sights. Sample the local cuisine…”

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

Why does food always keep coming up in these discussions?!

Raedine spoke up inside my head. “If you are motivated to eat, it means you feel safe enough in the moment to do so.”

Her short but profound insight struck like a thunderbolt out of a clear blue sky, forcing me to admit that breaking bread with those I trusted was something I found genuine comfort and pleasure in.

“You wish to explore, simply for exploration’s sake,” he eventually clarified with a sage nod. “To know the world around you. It is a most worthy motivation… Raela was the same way. She always wanted to know what was beyond the next hill or across the river… even if the terrain appeared the same…”

I found myself holding my breath in silent shock as he spoke openly about Raela for the first time.

He chuckled to himself as his gaze fixed on a slow-moving, cottony cloud. “One time, she had found a flower whose name we just couldn't remember… She used her hands to dig it up, roots and all, and she carried it all the way back to Paradise to ask Euphridia its—” He froze with a sharp inhale, as if he hadn’t realized he had been reminiscing until just now. “This… I should not have shared this. Please forget what I’ve just said.”

“You didn’t say anything wrong…” I disagreed, hopeful he’d continue if he knew he was in a safe space.

He wrapped his arms tightly around himself. “The local transportation I referred to early is short-range translocation,” he said, briskly changing topics. “There is a local network of magic gates throughout Chairo controlled by the Black Order.”

While I desperately wanted him to return to the story about Raela, I knew no force on Earth—er, Speranza—would get him to cooperate. With a rather disappointed sigh, I asked the obvious: “What is the Black Order?”

“A small group of Dark Mages that have sworn to serve Chairo,” he answered quickly, relieved I had allowed him to change the subject.

“Wait… like… Volker?”

Relias flinched. “They are not normally allowed to operate without a… partner,” he confessed with a heavy heart. “All members of the Black Order are paired with a holy knight to prevent exactly what you fell victim to.”

“You trusted Volker to operate independently,” I concluded cautiously. “You must have held him in high regard.”

“I did not wish to draw attention to his skills while he remained within Captain Garvith’s ranks, so I sent him alone,” he admitted ruefully. “I knew he was ever the opportunist, but I did not think circumstances would put such a tempting prize in front of him.”

Me. Or rather, the reward for my return.

The more we talked, the more I felt like I was starting to be judgmental of his sincere but somewhat sloppy attempts to hold things together. Even though she was behind me and definitely out of earshot, I swore I could hear Nora replying, “Pathetic…” even before I had a chance to share the discussion with her.

“You’re… not responsible for another’s actions,” I struggled to declare, shaking off my shameful thoughts. “You gave him an opportunity; it’s his fault he decided to take advantage of it.”

Don’t just blame people like Relias. Look at the system’s issues first. Human error always has a preceding cause, even if it’s poor training, inadequately designed tools, or unclear procedures. And in the case of Volker, he had intentionally decided on risky behavior, namely, putting me at risk specifically! That’s different than just, uh… earnest but equivocal efforts for well-intentioned outcomes.

“Your forgiveness knows no bounds,” Relias mumbled in resignation.

Maybe I could find something else to talk about that didn’t force him to defend himself every other minute. “Erm… but what about you? What… uh…” I swallowed audibly, then rushed the question. “What are your desires?” I almost choked on the final word.

“I desire peace and prosperity for Speranza,” he replied automatically.

“No.” I shook my head, forcing my blush to dissipate through sheer will. “That is a formulaic answer if ever I heard one!” It was the kind of response you gave your boss when they asked how everything was going in front of the C-suite. “Let's say that’s been achieved. What do you want to do next? Shopping spree? Sleep for an entire day? Take up a new hobby?”

“Hobby…” he trailed off, looking again at the sky. “I am one to enjoy courtly dances, but it has been a very long time since I have found a suitable partner… Perhaps I could convince you to dance with me someday when circumstances allow?”

Dancing? In a dress and heels?!

Excuse number one, fire! “Uh… I don’t know how…”

“Then I will teach you,” he advised with a bright smile. “If you can dodge on the battlefield, I am sure you can hold your own on the dance floor.”

I held in a self-suffering sigh, knowing I only had myself to blame. “If it really is your desire to dance, then I’ll be happy to be your foot-stomping partner.”

At least he could heal himself during the process. And, I mean, what was the likelihood we’d have time for something like that any time soon?

“Wonderful! Then shall we practice in the early evenings?”

“You mean, starting now?” I asked in disbelief.

Relias cocked his head. “Do you not think all of Chairo will not wish to celebrate your return? I would think it nigh inevitable…”

“C-can’t I just give another speech…” I spluttered.

“Oh, I’m sure there will be time for that as well,” he agreed lightly, utterly oblivious to the fact that I absolutely hated the idea of both.

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