The ring I was wearing had paralyzing poison inside.

Like the fan, it was a self-defense item that I made to protect myself.

It was good at bringing down the priest, who was chasing us, but another problem arose.

The priests who realized that I was missing went looking for me. To make matters worse, the paralyzed priest was found in the meantime.

“She must not run away!”

“Find her!”

I hid with the child in the secret room the child told me about and listened to the situation outside.

I could hear the priests moving busily.

How long has it been? It’s quiet outside.

I peered through the crack in the door. Perhaps they were all gone, I saw no one outside.

I can run away now.

“Let’s go.”

When I held my hand out, the child gently took my hand, unlike before. His eyes, looking straight at me, didn’t shake at all.

He seems to trust me now. It’s a relief.

I took the child and left the secret room.

As I checked, the hallway was quiet. And a little further away was the Open Hall.

I need to meet Baron Delrond. After that, we must leave the temple immediately.

It wasn’t easy, but it had to be done.

It was when I took a few careful steps toward the Open Hall.

“…!”

Someone popped out from behind the corner.

Waving short red hair.

It was Priest Adrina.

I was surprised to see her, but she was also surprised to see me and stopped.

Priest Adrina stared blankly at me, then looked down at the child holding my hand tightly.

Her dark reddish-brown eyes shook.

I was ready to use the paralyzing ring at any time. Even if it didn’t kill her, I didn’t want to use it as much as possible as it was poison, but I had no choice.

Priest Adrina, who stared at the child for a while, closed her eyes tightly and shouted.

“There’s no one here!”

And quickly passed by us.

Is she pretending to not see us now?

Why? Could it be in return for the handkerchief I gave her earlier?

I was wondering, but lucky for me.

“Let’s go.”

I took the child and headed back to the Open Hall.

It went smoothly after that. There was no priest I encountered until I reached the Open Hall.

“There she is!”

As soon as I was relieved, priests appeared from behind. But where I was now was the Open Hall. They wouldn’t be able to approach me easily as there were so many people around.

As expected, they only hesitated and didn’t approach me. They stood from a distance, watching and murmuring. They’re probably discussing what to do.

“Baron Aster?”

When I turned around at the familiar voice, I saw Baron Delrond looking at me with a bewildered face. Next to him was Priest Millon.

Priest Millon was staring at the child holding my arms with glaring eyes.

The child flinched and dug into my arms. I wrapped my arms around the child and glared at Priest Millon.

“Why are you looking at the child like that?”

“I, too, really want to ask Baron Aster. Why are you with the child?”

“I got lost and met him by chance.”

“Lost?”

As if it was nonsense, Priest Millon frowned and asked back.

“Yes. I got lost.”

I answered brazenly without blinking an eye.

“Ha, so you lost your way and entered the Secret Hall?”

“Is that the Secret Hall? I had no idea.”

When I responded calmly again this time, Priest Millon closed his mouth and trembled. 

Seeing him like that, I then looked around. 

Before I knew it, people already gathered around, looking at us and whispering.

Priest Millon took a deep breath and said with a smile.

“I see. I know that child is lost too, so the two of you are lost and met? It’s strange.”

Unlike the corners of his lips, which were drawing a bright smile, his gaze on me was cold and fierce.

“Then we will take it back.”

Not take him back, but take it back?

A laugh came out at his words which seemed too proud to treat a child as an object.

“Sister…”

The child called me as he was terrified and grabbed my clothes tightly. His little shoulders trembled.

“Don’t worry.”

I said in a firm voice, holding the trembling child’s shoulder.

“I will never hand you over to them.”

Even if I had to show all my cards here and collide with them, I had no intention of letting this child go.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t let you take the child back.”

At my words, Priest Millon asked me again as if it were ridiculous.

“Did you forget that the child’s guardian is the temple?”

“According to the Imperial law, if a guardian abuses a child who he/she should protect, he/she will immediately be deprived of his/her guardianship and be charged with the crime.”

The severity of punishment varied depending on the severity of the abuse, but it was certain that the guardianship would be deprived.

“So from now on, the temple is no longer the guardian of this child.”

“I don’t know what the Baron is talking about.”

Priest Millon said with a frown.

“So, are you claiming that the temple abused this child?”

“You got it right.”

“Ha!” 

Priest Millon let out a sharp breath as if he was bewildered.

“On what evidence are you making such a statement?”

“The evidence is this child. Can’t Priest Millon see his condition?”

I pointed to the boy’s skinny body and countless scars on his arms and legs.

Seeing them, Priest Millon shook his head. 

“Oh my. There seems to be some misunderstanding.”

Misunderstanding?

“The child has anorexia and cannot eat well. That’s why he is skinny.”

It wasn’t even a funny excuse, but I kept silent with the thought of hearing more for now.

“And the scars on his body are the result of self-harm.”

“…self-harm?”

“Yes. He self-harmed because of the anorexia.”

Priest Millon put his hand on his head and shook his head. 

“We were also perplexed about it. Wounds on the body can be healed with divine power, but wounds on the heart are difficult to heal.”

It is all true.

As I nodded in agreement, Priest Millon smiled broadly.

“Now that you understand our position…”   

“Then why didn’t you treat him?” 

I shouted as I showed Priest Millon the countless scars on the child’s arm.

“If you say you can heal the wounds on the body with divine power, why didn’t you heal the wounds on this child’s arm?! How could you not pay any attention to the scars on his leg?”

My voice echoed through the Open Hall.

Priest Millon paused for a moment and then made excuses again.

“It’s a recent wound…”

“Does Priest Millon think I’m stupid enough to not be able to tell the difference between a new wound and an old one?”

If he said no, he would deny what he had said, and if he said yes, he would insult me, that’s why Priest Millon couldn’t say anything and kept his mouth shut. 

Baron Delrond, who was observing the situation, approached me.

At Baron Delrond’s action, the child dug into my arms.

“It’s okay.”

I patted the child’s back gently.

“That person is on our side. He will never hurt you.”

“Just as she said.”

Baron Delrond, who sat with one knee bent to the child’s eye level, smiled softly.

“I’m on your side. I’m here to save you.”

And stroked the child’s head. The child flinched but did not avoid Baron Delrond’s hand.

He was just staring at Baron Delrond’s face with his transparent, clear eyes.

Baron Delrond, who looked over the child’s condition, stood up.

“There are certainly new wounds, but there are also many old ones. Some of the wounds were even added before the others healed.”

Baron Delrond stared at Priest Millon.  

“What happened, Priest Millon?”

Priest Millon thought for a moment, then opened his mouth with a long sigh. 

“The truth is… that child was abused.”

What? Has he finally decided to tell the truth?

If so, what Priest Millon said from now on would be important evidence, so I listened to him. 

“It was done by a junior priest who was in charge of the child. The Archbishop, who belatedly found out about it, then excommunicated the priest.”

It’s what he said, but it’s a story I didn’t need.

Now, Priest Millon was trying to cut off the tail because the situation turned against them.

I won’t let him slide.

I already went this far, so I wouldn’t let him cut off his tail like a lizard and run away.

“I can’t believe what Priest Millon said, so I would like to see the other children the temple is guarding. If there is no sign of abuse on those children, then I will believe Priest Millon.”

“I agree with Baron Aster.”

Baron Delrond cast a vote for my opinion.

“Absolutely not. The Secret Hall is a controlled area where no one but the priest can enter.”

However, Priest Millon wasn’t the one who would step down that easily.

“Even if it is His Majesty the Emperor, it is a space that cannot be entered recklessly. And you want to go there? Such nonsense.”

“Who said I want to go there?”

“Then…?”

“You can get the children out of there.”

“…!”

Priest Millon’s eyes widened as if he had not expected it. The other priests also began to murmur in bewilderment.

Priest Millon said, visibly perplexed.

“To bring that many children here, that is too much…”

“I know that there are less than 50 children in this temple. I don’t think the Open Hall is small enough to accommodate all those children.”

If you have something to say, say it. Because whatever you say, I’ll rebut it.

I stared at Priest Millon with glaring eyes.

Priest Millon kept his mouth shut, not knowing what to say.

“Did they really abuse the children in the temple?”

“Look at that child. He is so pitiful…”

Onlookers murmured as they looked at Priest Millon. Public opinion poured out sympathy towards the child.

“Show us the kids right now!”

“If you’re that confident, there would be no reason not to show them!”

The people of all ages shouted and demanded the priests show them the children. Their shouts became huge echoes and resounded throughout the Open Hall.