Chapter 44
“That Day, Today”
‘Why is he smiling…?’
But Roitz still refused to fully admit it.
To admit how deep his feelings truly went.
To understand what he’d be willing to do for just one smile from her.
* * *
I had faced Roitz many times, but never looked into his eyes for that long.
‘His eyes… they sparkle.’
Of course, I’d always known he was handsome.
But I’d never looked close enough to see what color his irises really were—
Or tried to understand what kind of light shimmered in his gaze.
‘Like the water of a deep lake… or the sky just before dawn.’
I only held his gaze because I didn’t want to be the first to look away—felt like losing a duel.
But I ended up learning something new.
And Roitz didn’t look away either.
Was he trying to see what was inside my eyes, too?
‘…They’re kind of dry, though.’
Maybe we both stared too long—our eyes were drying out.
At first, his eyes had felt emotionally distant. But now, they just looked physically dry.
“……”
Then Roitz’s tear ducts kicked in—moisture welled up and made the corners of his eyes redden.
‘So pretty.’
That little bit of shine made his eyes really resemble rippling lakes and the Milky Way at dawn.
And then the galaxy closed—he turned his head away.
I blinked hard too, trying to moisten my own eyes again.
They were dry, sure—but it felt like I had just glimpsed a new side of Roitz.
I was about to tell him—
“Alright, everyone, back to your posts!”
The commander, returning from lunch with the High Priest, barked out the order.
Break time was over.
True to form, Roitz was the first on his feet, heading out.
The rest of Elche’s knights began moving to their assigned spots as well.
‘I’ll tell him later.’
Watching his back as he walked away, I turned toward my own station.
‘This is a ceremony to commemorate the discovery of a new relic.’
Relic discoveries were rare, precious events.
This was one of the more major temple rituals—even the High Priest and many clergy were present. A large crowd had gathered.
I was standing outside the temple walls, keeping guard.
I could see the spires of the temple peeking over the ivory-colored walls.
‘The temple appeared a lot in the original story too…’
That made sense—Lucike, the female lead, was a priestess.
‘I remember there being a flashback scene involving the temple too, but when was it?’
I was still mulling that over when people began filing inside with excited expressions.
Everyone was here to see the new relic unveiled.
‘I want to see inside too…’
Of course, guard duty was important.
But I couldn’t help wondering what was happening inside.
‘A sacred temple filled with Elche knights in their blue uniforms… I wish I could see it.’
While I was lost in my imagination—
“Serdin Bibi, you busy?”
It was Deputy Leader Yurien calling from the distance.
“…No!”
“Oh? Not busy on duty?”
“I am busy!”
“Then never mind.”
“I’m not busy!”
She waved me over, clearly summoning me. I ran over quickly.
“Take this to the commander.”
She handed me a sealed item.
“He should be inside the central sanctuary.”
Yurien had teased me a bit, but I was thrilled.
I’d get to go inside the temple! To see the knights and the ceremony!
“Thank you!”
Instead of saying “okay,” I just blurted out my thanks.
She laughed and lightly patted my back.
I grinned so hard it felt like I forgot how to stop and dashed into the temple.
The gardens were already full of visitors.
‘Let’s see… this way?’
I passed through lush greenery and approached the central building where the ceremony was taking place.
A blue-green carpet with a mystical air spread from the stairs up into the building.
Once inside, I turned right and found a corridor—one not open to the public.
“Proceed, Dame Bibi.”
I showed my badge and entered through the hall that ran beside the courtyard.
‘Just past here is the sanctuary.’
But just as I was about to enter—
“……!”
The door opened. I nearly collided with someone exiting.
Luckily, I felt their presence and stopped in time.
“Ah—!”
I almost fell backward but caught myself.
“I’m sorry,” I said, bowing quickly to the person exiting the sanctuary.
I must’ve looked flustered from all the excitement.
“No, it’s quite alright, knight.”
The gentle male voice made me look up.
The man I’d almost bumped into smiled warmly, speaking with a refined, gentle tone.
‘Who… is this?’
White robes, a long veil draping from the back of his head.
Glorious silver hair flowed from his shoulders.
He wore a pendant with a silver crest and had a blue Adenne flower pinned to his chest—the symbol of today’s event.
‘Wait… that necklace… that means—’
He was High Priest Sterwinne, one of the five Saints, and the one leading the relic presentation today.
“Are you alright?”
“…Yes!”
With another graceful smile, he walked away with his attendants.
‘I just met the High Priest…’
It was strange to see someone so revered in person.
The temple held major influence across the Empire, and the High Priest stood at its center.
‘Though… I feel like he had blonde hair in the original story? Or am I wrong…?’
There was something else about him I felt I was forgetting.
Suddenly, organ music filled the air—probably a rehearsal.
That snapped me out of my thoughts.
‘Wow…’
Inside the sanctuary, I was stunned.
A towering dome ceiling.
White, semi-transparent curtains cascading down in elegant waves.
Sunlight poured through the stained-glass ceiling, making the entire place glow.
‘Gorgeous.’
Clusters of Adenne flowers decorated every corner.
But then—
‘…Wait.’
Something felt… familiar.
“Why does this all look so familiar…?”
Like I’d seen this exact scene before.
I shook it off and remembered my task.
‘Where’s the commander?’
I walked quietly, searching through the hall.
The event hadn’t started yet. People were still prepping.
Some of the senior knights were chatting casually during the downtime.
“Hey, you know that new restaurant by headquarters?”
“Yeah! Their omelets are amazing.”
Among them, I spotted Roitz. He was smiling, too.
Then it hit me again—
‘This… this exact conversation…’
I felt like I’d seen or heard it somewhere before.
‘Was this in the original story?’
Suddenly—
BANG!
A bible fell loudly from atop the organ.
“Andie! What happened?!”
“S-sorry! I didn’t mean to!”
A loud discordant chord echoed through the temple.
“That sound—wait…”
As the sound faded—
“…Ah.”
That’s when I realized what day it was.
“Yes… this was that day the High Priest appeared…”
It had all been in a flashback from Roitz in the original novel.
I froze mid-step, facing the sanctuary.
My fists trembled slightly.
“If this really is the same day I’m thinking of…”
Then today—three people would die.
High Priest Sterwinne, killed by a monster.
A worshipper, who commits suicide from the shock.
And…
“Me.”
Because on this day, in Roitz’s memory—
“This was the day I died.”
The exact same dialogue the knights had.
The exact same Adenne flower decorations.
The exact same organ miscue from the falling book.
“Everything matches.”
This was the day I died in the original story.
The trauma that haunted Roitz ever since.
