TWWSY 63

Chapter 63

“Stay here and wait.”

That was all the assurance Mia needed to give. Watching her suddenly turn and walk away, Etienne felt like a trained hound obeying its master as he gave a stiff nod. Still, he kept one hand firmly over the hilt of his hidden sword—just in case.

Leaving the legion commander behind, Mia slipped into the middle of the gamblers’ circle.

“Hey, mind if I grab a seat?”

Her voice was twice as cocky as usual, but without asking permission, she pulled out a chair and sat down.

Etienne nearly drew his blade on the spot, preparing for the violence that seemed inevitable, but to his surprise, nothing happened. Mia blended in with the gamblers more smoothly than expected. She even shot Etienne a quick grin over her shoulder, as if to say don’t worry—it’s fine.

Etienne strained his ears to catch the gamblers’ conversation over the noisy din of the tavern. His years in the military had sharpened his hearing, but the rowdy chatter made it hard to catch everything.

— “No way, you can’t go there.”
— “What do you mean I can’t? Everyone’s been making a fuss about going!”
— “Because you’re the one who can’t, that’s why!”
— “What, some law about Majinzat or something?”
— “Doesn’t matter. There’s a reason, that’s all.”
— “You been there yourself, huh?”
— “Don’t have to go to know. If you’ve got the itch, better give it up and stick to cards here instead—ah, damn it!”
— “Hah! Might as well. A few wins here will earn you more than trekking to that brewery or whatever!”

“Thanks for the tip, brother!”

Mia tossed her final line like a taunt, then laughed uproariously as she returned to Etienne’s table. He had never imagined such a radiant smile could brighten that usually cold, bloodless face.

Maybe it’s just that she looks different now, he thought.

A few drunks muttered threats but didn’t follow her. Perhaps the hulking man sitting at her table—Etienne himself—was enough to dampen their courage.

“Did you learn anything?”

At his question, Mia’s expression sobered, snapping her back to reality. Etienne found himself oddly disappointed.

“Honestly, it’s hard to believe half of what they said. What bothers me most is that no one seems to know where the city actually is. Not even a single witness who claims to have been there.”

“Oh….”

“And stranger still—no one’s even heard secondhand news from someone who went. Which begs the question: who started spreading these tales of quick riches?”

“It could have been nothing more than rumor from the start.”

“Exactly. People dreaming of sudden fortune exist everywhere.”

It was shortly after they returned from the tavern.

“Etienne? Could I have a word?”

There was a rustling inside the tent before the flap opened. The legion commander stepped out, hair tousled, brows furrowed in confusion.

“Mia? At this hour?”

Before answering, Mia made a show of glancing around in an exaggerated sweep of the area. Finally, Etienne asked, half-weary:

“Is this something I have to hear alone?”

She nodded. He sighed inwardly. Of course—if it were something safe to discuss outside, she would have said it back at the tavern.

“It’s about the army’s next destination.”

Etienne led her inside. The tent, spacious compared to the others, was reserved for him alone. A single oil lamp flickered, casting shadows across the room.

Mia’s eyes lingered on his desk. Maps and documents lay scattered there—proof he had been planning the route before she arrived. That made it all the more urgent for her to speak quickly.

“We need to change course. We have to head north.”

It was as blunt as ever. Etienne frowned.

“North? But the plan was to march toward the capital. What’s your reason?”

Mia inhaled deeply. Her fingers unconsciously curled around the hilt of her sword—a nervous habit.

“Do you remember the village we passed yesterday?”

Etienne nodded, still looking puzzled.

“You’ll recall I checked on the situation briefly before heading into the temple.”

“I do. What happened there?”

“Well… something happened, though what exactly is hard to name….”

She recalled that eerie encounter.

“I saw a priest inside. But his behavior was… wrong.”

“Mia, not you too….”

Etienne let out a short sigh. What was he supposed to do with such a vague report? One cannot form strategy around strangeness.

Fortunately, Mia was more precise than Alain and Marcel had been.

She described him in detail: the unnatural sheen of his skin, its waxy texture, his disturbingly regular breathing. None of it sounded remotely normal.

The more she spoke, the more agitated her tone and gestures became.

“And Etienne—his eyes. The darkness of the room couldn’t explain it. His pupils were blown wide, and deep inside them… there was a faint light glowing.”

When she finished, Etienne ran a hand through his hair and exhaled slowly.

“Yes… that is indeed strange.”

It was a rare concession. But was that really enough to tear up their established campaign and risk the Emperor’s wrath?

“And how does this tie to changing strategy?”

“Because I think it’s connected to something larger. The way he moved, his blind, irrational aggression—it wasn’t natural. Not just the reaction of a priest to intruders in a holy place.”

She leaned closer, dropping her voice.

Aggression? Etienne’s eyes narrowed as memories clicked together. He recalled what Alain and Marcel had reported.

“And then there was that time… when you were attacked,” Mia pressed.

He nodded grimly. The shame of being treated like a dying invalid during his days of unconsciousness stung even more than the memory of the attack itself.

“Those assailants spoke of priests as well, didn’t they?”

His eyes sharpened.

“Ah… so the temple….” he murmured.

“Exactly. The Great Temple of Veridian is also in the north, just like in the Empire. If similar incidents are happening across different dioceses, then the source may lie with the Great Temple itself. That’s where we must strike first.”

While he mulled this over, Mia pressed on.

“Yes, if we march straight for the capital, we could win the immediate battle. Contor’s people aren’t prepared for war. But if many are like that priest—irrationally aggressive, reckless—and worse, if they’re already serving in the military….”

Her hand clenched tight around her sword again.

“Then the campaign will fail. You can’t fight those who have no fear of death. They’re suicidally relentless.”

Etienne paced the tent in silence for some time, deep in thought, before finally turning back to her. The flickering lamplight revealed the worry etched in his face.

“This is a dangerous decision, Mia.”

“I never thought investigating the Great Temple would be safe.”

“No, I mean changing plans like this. The soldiers may not take it well.”

Her expression shifted strangely. Why bring that up now? In her previous life—even when she had commanded—the army had rarely supported her choices. Yet here he was, worrying about how her decisions would be received…

So he must have heard the rumors about my position.

Mia came to that conclusion silently, then shook her head.