Atticus guided me as soon as I returned to the mansion.
“I’ve contacted the Marquis, so he’ll be back soon.”
Atticus’s footsteps toward the drawing room were hurried. I followed him in a rush, not even having had time to change my clothes.
Atticus continued speaking, unable to hide his confusion.
“Since it was such a sudden visit, I’m not sure of the intent either.”
It was none other than a visit from the temple.
I’d felt uneasy from the moment Emily first mentioned it.
After all, I’d done quite a few things until now.
So many that it was hard to guess the reason.
Was the problem that I’d asked Peril yesterday how to sneak into Drimokan?
Or was it that I’d secretly stolen the World Tree’s root and brought it out?
……Had they already found out that Peril had woken up?
Well, there was at least one reason that could narrow it down.
A new sprout that had grown from the decaying World Tree.
That was probably the reason. It wouldn’t be easy for them to know I’d stolen the root.
Maybe that was why my grip on the hem of my dress tightened.
“Is Grandpa alright?”
“He’s just the same as usual.”
“Don’t tell him someone from the temple came.”
He would definitely try to get up forcibly.
Atticus nodded at my words.
“Thank you.”
Cedric would be here soon anyway, so I just had to deal with this until then.
……It’s not hard at all.
Creak.
As I opened the door with a deep breath, a man stood up awkwardly, as if he had been waiting.
“I-It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Brandon.”
He was a man who gave off a strange impression.
His pupils were vertically slit, but they didn’t give off a sharp feeling at all. With his blurry features and unremarkable face, he didn’t seem like someone who would leave a deep impression.
I greeted him as I closed the door.
“I’m Bianca Roygin. The Marquis is currently away, so it might take some time. Will that be alright with you?”
“I-It’s alright. I’m just grateful for the warm reception despite the sudden visit.”
If he had been a guest from high society, I would have left him alone until Cedric returned…….
But if the visitor was a priest, then it was a different story.
Weren’t these people second in power only to the Imperial Family?
Maybe even more than the Imperial Family.
I didn’t know when Cedric would return, and I couldn’t just leave him alone for hours.
“Please have a seat. I’m very honored to have the chance to speak with you privately before my brother returns.”
Telling a lie that wasn’t in my heart pricked at my conscience. Brandon sat down limping.
Soon, with trembling hands, he took a sip of tea and opened his mouth.
“Actually, I didn’t come to see the Marquis.”
A chill ran down my spine.
“I-I came to ask you something, Lady.”
Here it comes.
“Please feel free to ask.”
“Was there anything unusual when you visited Drimokan last time?”
Objectively speaking, it was something I did that caused the World Tree’s form to change, so being honest would have been the right thing.
But Grandpa had been forced to take charge of Drimokan by the Imperial Family’s order. As a result, he was now hovering between life and death.
Wasn’t there even a strange tragedy that followed, possibly a curse from Drimokan?
It seemed Grandpa knew everything about that, so how could I trust the temple or the Imperial Family?
Besides…….
‘Was what I saw really a statue of Eileens?’
No matter how I looked at it, that wasn’t just a statue.
I leaned slowly back against the chair.
“That was my first time seeing Drimokan, so I wouldn’t say there was anything that felt unusual.”
“I-I’m sure there was.”
His voice was full of conviction. But it seemed he had no evidence, only suspicion.
“Is there a reason you think that?”
The ticking of the clock echoed through the drawing room.
I didn’t think it was a difficult question, but maybe that was my mistake. Brandon stayed silent for quite a while, deep in thought.
……Should I be keeping the World Tree’s change a secret?
Or was that not even the reason?
Click.
At that moment, Brandon picked up a cigar with trembling hands. Even while cutting the base with a cutter, his hand was shaking so much that it made me nervous just watching.
After finally lighting it and bringing it to his lips, Brandon inhaled deeply with a look of relief, as if he could finally breathe.
A hazy cloud of smoke spread out as his voice followed.
“D-Do you know what the ancient empire was like, my lady?”
“……I’m not sure.”
“It was hell itself. The citizens of the empire, full of greed, killed each other.”
His voice was more composed than before, when he had been stammering.
“B-But due to magic, crop yields increased, and many people survived.”
“…….”
“Not only that. Healing magic also advanced, and the number of people writhing in pain decreased.”
Why was he telling me all this?
I listened silently, but eventually couldn't hold back my curiosity and asked.
“What is it you’re trying to say to me?”
“Do you believe in the gods, my lady?”
……Believe?
Was that ever something I had a choice in?
Weren’t we supposed to believe out of obligation?
Perhaps he sensed how I felt. Brandon gave a faint smile.
“Y-You can be honest. I didn’t come to r-reprimand you.”
“If you deny the gods, then you can’t explain the blessings they’ve bestowed upon humanity so far.”
I didn’t believe in the gods of this world. But more than that, I didn’t believe in Brandon.
“H-History is always recorded. But if that record starts to go wrong at some point, we end up learning a d-distorted history.”
Brandon tapped the burning cigar, letting the ash fall.
“I think of that as brainwashing.”
“…….”
“B-But I also believe a certain amount of brainwashing is necessary. Humans need something to rely on.”
So, what humans have believed as the Divine Era until now is all fiction?
Is he trying to say that the current history is falsely recorded?
But if that’s the case, then Peril’s theory about the Drimokan disease wouldn’t hold up at all.
I tapped my fingers on the armrest of the sofa and opened my mouth.
“The god you're talking about doesn’t seem like something humans today can rely on.”
“The god I’m referring to is m-magic.”
They said the god of Drimokan gifted magic to humans.
But if the history was distorted, then that would mean magic arose naturally and didn’t belong to anyone.
Just as I was feeling doubtful, Brandon continued speaking.
“And the one person who g-gave birth to magic.”
“……Excuse me?”
“The true identity of the god said to have lived in Drimokan was in fact a h-human.”
Wait, is he really allowed to reveal something like that to me?
“Magic b-benefits humans. They needed a narrative, that this mystical power had chosen Carpea.”
“……Then why was Drimokan labeled heretical?”
I really couldn’t help asking that question.
“Let’s just say it was a way to deal with Drimokan w-wisely.”
Now that I think about it, Leon said something like that.
That the World Tree at the temple existed to seal Drimokan.
I had more questions, but Brandon looked as though he had said all he wanted to say.
“……Why are you telling me all this, Priest?”
To be honest, it wasn’t something a priest should say. The temple people I knew considered even mentioning Drimokan to be blasphemy.
Brandon stubbed out the end of his cigar in the ashtray and stood up.
“Magic is the o-only medium that has enriched human life. If that’s not something worthy of being called a god, then what is?”
He leaned on his cane as he stood, taller than I expected.
“My lady. Humans f-fear change. They don’t want to repeat the painful history of the past.”
“…….”
“No matter what you learn going forward, do not do anything.”
This was a warning.
He said he didn’t come to scold me, but he was hiding something even heavier.
I still didn’t know much about this world. I didn’t even know how I’d managed to make the World Tree bloom, but I was already being warned.
I stood up to see him off.
“If I get curious, may I come find you, Priest?”
“Of course. I’ll be waiting.”
Brandon smiled.
It was a smile that left a lingering discomfort.