Ruuuumble—!0

Rain fell in a drizzle, and thunder growled through skies dark as ink, lightning tearing through the darkness. For a moment, the ghosts blazed in the electric glare, but they returned moments later, their faces even more grotesque and vicious, charging with a rage born of the storm.0

"This is getting annoying. Hey, we’ll handle the distraction—Sirio, take them to the room," Jaelon said.0

All at once, dozens of the Altar’s soldiers broke formation, scattering in all directions through the corridor.0

"Let’s go~" Sirio said, scooping up Epherene and Ria in his arms and shooting down the corridor like the wind itself.0

Bang—!0

"Whew~" Sirio murmured as the door clicked shut, setting Epherene and Ria onto the bed with a bright smile. "Great—you both seem okay."0

Epherene and Ria stared at Sirio in silence.0

Plinnnnnk...0

The sound of rain tapping against the old mansion seeped into the silence.0

“… Why,” Epherene muttered, her words slipping from her lips. “Why did you come? Was it because… of that self-proclaimed God?”0

“Hmm? Hahaha. A self-proclaimed God? That’s pretty funny,” Sirio said with a chuckle, dragging a chair over, flipping it around, and straddling it with his chest pressed to the backrest. “But yeah—it’s Him we’re here for”0

"How many temples were destroyed?" Ria asked.0

"All of them. Not a single one remained. It’s a shame—we never even had the chance for a prophecy," Sirio replied with a bitter smile. 0

“… So you’re here to assassinate Her Majesty’s again?” Epherene asked, her eyes narrowing.0

"Us? What are you talking about? We’ve never killed the Empress," Sirio said, his eyes going wide as he shook his head.0

“… Of course not now. But before the regression—”0

“Not before that, either.”0

"What are you talking about?...0