Chapter 15

“Ran, are you going to eat it?”

“Kyeng!”

“Here.”

Silia took out the roasted pheasant and held it out.

Ran devoured the meat in the blink of an eye.

Then he started smacking Silia’s calf repeatedly with his front paws, demanding that she hand over the entire glass jar.

“You’re impossible.”

Silia set the jar down on the floor.

Ran shoved his small, elongated snout into the narrow opening and licked greedily, pulling out pieces of meat and vegetables. Before long, he simply flopped onto the floor.

Holding the jar with all four paws, he even rolled around with it.

“Ran. Does this mean you forgive me?”

“Kyu.”

Having feasted on pheasant, the fox had become merciful and graciously forgave Silia.

Thinking it was the perfect opportunity, she crouched down in front of him and carefully asked,

“By the way, Ran. There’s something I’m curious about. Can’t you transform into a human?”

After licking even the sauce off the rim of the jar clean, Ran suddenly froze and looked at her.

It was clearly the reaction of someone who understood exactly what “human transformation” meant.

“The books say Gumiho can transform once they’re over ten years old. You’re nineteen, aren’t you?”

Ran showed no reaction.

His body remained perfectly still, but Silia could tell he was extremely tense.

What is he so afraid of?

It was the same look she had seen countless times when they first met.

The eyes of someone terrified.

The wariness lingering within them felt as though it were pushing her away.

Silia backed off immediately and softened her expression.

“I only asked because I was worried there might be something wrong with your health.”

“……”

“If you’re unable to do it because you’re sick or injured somewhere, you have to tell me. Understand?”

She ended the conversation there and stood up.

Silia was not a talkative person, and strangely enough, that had a positive effect on her relationship with Ran.

She walked into the bedroom and lay down.

Whenever Silia went to bed, the rocking chair beside it belonged to Ran.

Just as she was settling in to sleep, an unfamiliar groan reached his ears.

Ran turned his head.

Silia was gritting her teeth, quietly suffering.

Ran’s ears stiffened as his senses sharpened.

Watching her carefully, he suddenly tilted his head and lifted his nose.

Sniff.

Sniff sniff.

As he approached, his breath tickled her skin, causing Silia to curl up slightly.

Ignoring that, Ran circled around her body and moved toward her back.

Sniff.

Sniff sniff.

As he inhaled deeply, his yellow eyes suddenly narrowed unpleasantly.

Silia thought those eyes were cute, but at moments like this, the mysterious and dangerous aura unique to a Gumiho came alive within them.

The moment his black nose nudged near the scar on her left shoulder blade, Silia’s eyes flew open in shock.

“Hah…”

Ran jumped as well.

Feeling his presence, she turned around.

“Oh, Ran. Haah… you startled me.”

Looking exhausted, she pulled him into her arms.

“Go to sleep…”

She soothed him while stroking the soft skin of his belly.

The familiar scent of sunlight surrounded him as she lazily rubbed his stomach.

As a young fox, Ran was completely helpless against that.

The strength gradually left his tilted head, and eventually his face dropped heavily onto the blanket.

At the same time, the pain had mysteriously disappeared, allowing Silia to fall into a deep sleep.

The Next Morning

“Commandeeeeeer!”

From far away, Eric came running while shouting as though someone were strangling him.

From experience, whenever the vice commander came sprinting toward her like that, it was never good news.

Silia ordered the knights in the training grounds to continue their drills and turned around.

Eric was drenched in sweat from head to toe.

Breathing heavily, he bent over with his hands on his knees.

It was obvious he wanted to say something urgently but was too out of breath to manage it.

Silia sighed and handed him her water flask.

“Calm down and speak.”

“Huff… something incredible… huff… came… huff… Commander… huff… Commander…”

Eventually, Silia gave up waiting and shoved the mouth of the flask directly into Eric’s mouth.

After coughing and drinking water, he finally straightened up.

His face had turned completely pale.

Frowning, Silia asked,

“Are you ill?”

“Commander! A Guardian has arrived!”

“You’re definitely sick.”

Silia immediately started walking toward the infirmary, intending to have him treated.

Eric stamped his feet desperately.

“I’m serious! A real Guardian has come! He’s waiting in your office right now! You have to go see him immediately!”

Every second the Guardian waited seemed to tighten a noose around Eric’s neck.

Only then did Silia look at him suspiciously.

“Is this true?”

“I told you it is!”

“Why would a Guardian come here?”

“How would I know?! Just hurry! Please, hurry!”

Eric’s panic was understandable.

The Guardians were the highest-ranking attendants of the Holy Kingdom, individuals who personally served the Saint, the Child of God.

Five sacred companions personally chosen by Sola and entrusted with the mission of following the Saint.

And one of those Guardians had come all the way to the Silver Lion Holy Knights stationed in Grinia.

Why? Grinia is far away. Guardians never come here personally. The Saint is in Gaiyana.

Though puzzled, Silia moved at once.

If it truly was a Guardian, she needed to receive him with proper respect.

The moment she showed signs of moving, Eric finally looked relieved.

“Did he leave any message for me?”

“No. He said he would speak to you personally.”

“Keep the knights waiting at the training grounds.”

“Yes, Commander!”

Eric bowed and stepped back.

Without hesitation, Silia opened the door to the commander’s office.

The Guardian was already seated on a sofa, drinking tea.

She immediately dropped to one knee.

“I greet Moldis, the Fourth Star, Guardian entrusted with Sola’s sacred mission.”

Although she had never seen a Guardian in person before, she recognized him instantly.

Every knight was forced to memorize the portraits of the Pope, the Saint, and the Guardians so thoroughly that they could never forget them.

Their portraits could be found anywhere in the Holy Kingdom.

Whenever a new generation succeeded the old, the portraits were replaced immediately.

She carefully examined Guardian Moldis.

He looked far sharper than he did in the portrait.

More specifically, he seemed thinner.

Not slightly thinner.

Dramatically thinner.

He had the appearance of a sensitive scholar.

Even his thin lips looked irritable.

Dark blue hair cut neatly at jaw length.

A monocle.

Thin fingers with protruding joints.

Cold gray eyes.

Those eyes were bloodshot.

This was not the face of someone under ordinary stress.

To exaggerate only slightly, he looked as though he would collapse if someone tapped him.

Is serving the Saint that difficult?

While Silia wondered that, Moldis carefully examined her.

Then suddenly his eyes widened.

Without a word, Silia lit a scented candle meant to ease headaches.

Not stopping there, she placed it near the window and opened the window slightly so the fragrance would not become overwhelming.

Caught off guard by such thoughtfulness, Moldis could only stare.

“Do you dislike scented candles?”

Silia asked politely.

Moldis stared into her jade-colored eyes for a long moment before blinking himself back to reality.

“No. It’s fine.”

“Then I’ll leave it burning.”

Silia sat across from him and asked directly,

“What is the reason for your visit?”

“……”

Moldis did not answer immediately.

Instead, he simply stared at her.

After a long moment, he asked as if observing something fascinating,

“Your name is Silia, correct?”

Suddenly, she remembered the priestess who had once asked her name with a similarly interested expression.

For some reason, that face overlapped with Moldis’s in her mind.

Pushing away the distraction, she answered,

“Yes.”

“I see, Sir Silia. First, let me apologize for arriving so suddenly. Our circumstances have not been ideal.”

Our circumstances?

Silia concealed her confusion behind a blank expression.

“That is fine.”

“I came here today because of a secret mission.”

Even the words secret mission failed to surprise her.

She merely wondered what kind of confidential order the Pope might be giving her.

She’s remarkably calm.

Moldis watched her and, without realizing it, smiled.

It was a slightly awkward smile from someone who had not smiled in a very long time.

“First, take this.”

He pulled a small silver box from his pocket.

It appeared ordinary, but anyone could immediately tell it was a blessed object.

Holy power radiated from it, and a faint blue aura shimmered from the silver-plated surface.

Moldis placed it on the table and opened the lid.

“Do you recognize this?”

“……”

Silia was speechless.

Inside lay a phoenix feather.

“Judging by your expression, you know what it is.”

“A phoenix feather.”

“Correct. It is used to find the Saint.”

“……”

“You will need this for the mission.”

Leaving the frozen Silia behind, Moldis continued speaking.

“From now on, you may travel outside the garrison freely. Arrangements have already been made with the Empire under another pretext.”

“Guardian.”

“I know you’re overwhelmed with monster extermination duties. I only ask that you search whenever you have spare time.”

“Guardian.”

“What is it?”

“Are you asking me to find the Saint?”

“Yes.”

Yes?

Silia’s brows narrowed.

“But the Saint is in Gaiyana, is he not?”

Moldis slowly opened and closed his tired eyes.

“This is the will of the Pope and the Guardians.”

Silia fell silent.

“You must be careful with your words. A special blessing prayer has been placed upon the box.”

“……”

“The scar on your shoulder.”

Silia, who had been staring blankly at the feather, suddenly jerked in surprise.