After a long while, Fenrico, having recovered from the state of overwhelming joy and sorrow, stood once more before Noah and Cartethyia.
"I was impolite just now. My apologies."
Fenrico solemnly bowed to Noah:
"Thank you, Righteous One. Thank you for saving back the deity of Rinascita. The Order's debt of gratitude to you cannot be repaid."
"It was a simple effort, not worth mentioning."
As the humble words fell, Fenrico slightly nodded. Cartethyia on the other side, however, had stars shining in her eyes.
The Laurel Bearer is so humble. Cartethyia thought this to herself.
"You have fulfilled your promise, and I shall also honor the agreement with you."
Not knowing which mechanism he activated, Fenrico retrieved several thin volumes from a hidden compartment:
"These are the earliest records of the Order, containing the original appearance of the Sentinel, as well as a musical score called the Golden Song."
"If you wish to expose the truth of the Order, these will be your sharpest weapons."
"I will at any time restrain the clerics under me, ordering them not to hinder your actions."
"This..."
Noah had not expected Fenrico to openly hand these things over to him like this, which instead made him hesitate:
"Lord Fenrico... you should know the impact this could have on the Order."
"Mm. Now that the Sentinel has returned, the lies concealing the truth are no longer needed."
Fenrico stood with hands behind his back, looking up in relief, gazing through the window at the sky now free of gloom, and let out a long breath:
"Strict doctrines, restricted freedoms, and the sculptures of the false god with horse head and fish tail... these things that were once necessary, it is now time for Ragunna's history to turn the page on them."
And the price of this change—the life of a Lord with immense power and influence—would be enough to bear all the blame and slander.
Just like the Echo rampage case, which could be suppressed with just one deacon.
Noah accepted the volumes with complicated emotions.
Asking himself honestly, if he were Fenrico, he might not be able to face the outcome awaiting him with such composure as Fenrico.
Thinking this, Noah spoke solemnly:
"Fenrico, you are a true man."
"To receive such praise from the Righteous One truly delights me."
Fenrico opened the doors of the side hall and made a gesture of invitation:
"Time is short, and the tasks are heavy. Righteous One, forgive me for not seeing you off."
"Mm." Noah walked out the doors with Cartethyia, then suddenly turned back and said goodbye to Fenrico. The latter shook his head without replying.
Watching Noah and Cartethyia depart into the distance, a Lord of the Order encountered Fenrico and exclaimed in surprise:
"Lord, your mask..."
"From now on, I no longer need to wear a mask."
...
"It's already noon. Go take out those parasols from the warehouse and set them up to provide shade for the believers still in line."
"Yes, Lady Phoebe."
Several clerics respectfully bowed to Phoebe before obediently heading toward the warehouse.
The corners of Phoebe's mouth curved slightly upward, her mood incomparably light.
On the night of the flower-viewing gathering, she had been promoted one level, rising from an ordinary full-fledged cleric to a deacon.
At just fifteen years old, she had become a deacon with real authority in the Order. The experienced elders in the Order all praised her boundless future prospects.
The previously harsh Lord Roya, who had always deducted her points, now greeted her with smiles. Such a thing was simply unimaginable in the strictly hierarchical Order.
Thinking of this, Phoebe couldn't help but hum lightly.
"Phoebe, Phoebe chuu bi."
A familiar greeting sounded. Phoebe followed the voice and, upon seeing that figure, her eyes immediately brightened slightly. Her mood involuntarily became relaxed and excited.
She proactively went around the corner, moving to an angle unseen by believers and clerics, tilting her head up. Her small round face full of collagen was indeed skillfully pinched by that person.
"Yo, in just two days apart, the cleric miss has become Lady Phoebe."
"Mm... Mr. Noah, when will you stop pinching my face?"
"When you want me to pinch it, that's when I'll stop."
How could anyone possibly want their face pinched? Phoebe thought this in her heart, yet her body showed no resistance.
Noah released his hand, his expression light:
"I'm leaving Rinascita tomorrow. Come on, I'll treat you to a good meal outside. My treat."
"Ah?"
Hearing this, Phoebe's eyes suddenly widened. An indescribable sadness and reluctance rose from the bottom of her heart.
He's leaving? Tomorrow? So suddenly!
...
Trattoria Margherita.
Noah: "Boss, I'll have one Margherita steak, plus one serving of cloud-condensed meat sauce pasta."
Cartethyia: "I'll have two Green Branch Laurel Salads."
Phoebe: "One Pizza Tropicale..."
Suddenly sensing a gaze of inexplicable ill intent, Phoebe immediately changed her words:
"I said it wrong. I want... one Green Branch Laurel Salad."
"Okay chuu, it'll be served right away chuu."
The trio sat at the table, chatting idly while waiting for the food:
"Um..." Phoebe's gaze was somewhat hesitant: "Are you really leaving tomorrow? Won't you stay in Rinascita a few more days?"
"No, but I should return to Rinascita in the future."
Noah introduced the person beside him:
"Let me introduce you. This is Cartethyia, the Sentinel resonator."
"Ah? Sentinel resonator."
Phoebe looked in surprise at the girl beside Noah, beautiful as if crafted by a deity. After carefully thinking in her mind, she suddenly realized and her expression became as if seeing a ghost:
"You... sorry, weren't you ten years ago already..."
"This..." Cartethyia pinched her chin, seeming to ponder:
"It's a long story. In short, the Laurel Bearer saved me, and also saved the Sentinel."
Wait? Saved who? You and the Sentinel?
How come when these words were put together, she couldn't understand them at all?
Phoebe's brain overloaded, falling into confusion.
"Ah ha ha ha ha, the food is here!"
Margherita brought five portions of food to the table. Noah picked up his knife and fork and started eating enthusiastically.
"All the dishes are here. Everyone, dig in. By the way, Phoebe, why did you proactively order Green Branch Laurel today?"
"This..."
Phoebe raised her knife and fork, hesitating to start on the Green Branch Laurel, forcing a smile on her face:
"The Sentinel once said that the body is the palace of the spirit, and we should consume more things beneficial to it, especially sacred fruits like the Green Branch fruit."
"Eh, that line seems like something I said."
Cartethyia swallowed a bite of salad, holding her small face with a blissful expression from tasting delicious food, and continued:
"From a long time ago, when I became the Sentinel resonator, every Laureate who heard the heavenly voice heard words I said."
"The Laureate from ten years ago asked me what I liked to eat? That's how I answered back then. I didn't expect you all to overhear it."
"I also said back then that the virtue of sharing doubles the sweetness."
Saying this, Cartethyia pushed the second plate of Green Branch Laurel Salad she ordered toward Phoebe, her face raising a tolerant smile:
"This extra plate was actually meant for the Laurel Bearer. Since you like it too, I'll give it to you!"
Looking at yet another plate of Green Branch Laurel Salad pushed toward her, Phoebe's face nearly turned green.
"So you're saying... the Green Branch fruit I've eaten for ten years, which I could barely tolerate, wasn't actually promoted by the Sentinel?"
"Correct!" Noah answered quickly:
"Not only that, the Sentinel you've believed in for ten years was also the wrong one. The true Sentinel is a white horse. The horse-headed fish-bodied monster you've been worshiping all along was the Threnodian."
"Ah!"
Phoebe's eyes widened, then she immediately shook her head like a rattle drum:
"Impossible, absolutely impossible. Stop teasing me. There's no way I could have worshiped a Threnodian as the Sentinel."
As soon as the words fell, a heavenly voice immediately resounded in the minds of the three, accompanied by an image of Imperator's body emerging simultaneously—a majestic and pure winged horse as grand as a mountain:
"What the Righteous One said is correct."
Thud.
Phoebe knelt on the spot.
The heavenly voice had descended; she had to believe it even if she didn't want to.
So, the super sour Green Branch fruit she had endured for ten years was truly just Cartethyia's personal favorite food, and the Sentinel she had believed in for ten years was indeed the Threnodian.
At this moment, Phoebe's heart was collapsing.
Why is my life so hard?
If Fenrico knew that the heavenly voice he had bitterly pleaded for had been so easily obtained by Phoebe, he would surely be envious, jealous, and hateful.
"Imperator above, how is Phoebe worthy of receiving your heavenly voice?"
"Rise, Phoebe. No need for excessive courtesy."
Imperator's voice carried a hint of amusement, then turned to speak to Noah:
"Righteous One, thank you for your Time ability. Now, I return it to you."