She stroked her long silver hair and looked at the map, which showed where the lights had gone out.
If it was a 9-star Witch’s Night, she would seriously consider a crusade.
However, the scales in her heart did not tip easily.
The number of innocent people who would die during the judgment, as well as the reason for their deaths.
Even a Saintess would have difficulty making this decision.
Time has passed.
As the night progressed and word of the 9-star Witch’s Night spread, the other cardinals entered the chamber one by one.
And when Primundi herself manifested and confronted Cain.
Pashat━! Pashat━!
The lights on the map turned off one by one.
The glass from the bulbs where the lights had vanished shattered and fell like sparkling tears.
The priest who was observing the situation spoke with trembling lips.
“9-star……transcended.”
“…….”
At that moment, the Saintess removed her crown and held it in both hands.
Thump━.
Like a human heart, the golden crown infused her with a pleasant ‘Autumn’ power.
It gave her a strange feeling of relief.
The relief from the Saintess’ Crown, which was filled with ‘Autumn’ power, gave her the strength to speak as she looked at the map of the shattered bulbs.
“In this era of stability under God’s order, we cannot stand idly by and watch witches run rampant.”
“Saintess!”
Cardinal Mauro, who had been advocating for war, exclaimed in delight.
“It’s unfortunate for the people living on the island, but now that we have a greater reason, we must act.”
“Then a crusade…….”
Pow━.
All of the lights inside the cavity went out.
And then lights appeared on the map.
The lights on Airian Island had all been shattered.
As they returned to their original locations, the remaining lights gradually began to sparkle.
The priest who had been reporting the situation looked back and forth between the documents and the map on the desk in disbelief, saying,
“The Witch’s Night…… gone.”
“Does this mean a witch has been born?!”
Cardinal Mauro exclaimed as the priest shook his head.
“No, that is not it. The miracle that happens right after a witch is born was not witnessed. The Witch’s Night literally vanished.”
“It vanished…..?”
The Saintess muttered and crossed her legs.
The Holy See had fought a long battle against Primundi, the second Witch who created witches.
They couldn’t understand because none of them had ever achieved such a result.
As everyone became silent.
Pashat━.
The sound of a bulb shattering was heard again from somewhere.
Pshhhhhhhhhhh━.
This time, it happened behind them rather than in front of them.
Everyone turned their heads.
Pipes spewing steam like mad. And out of the ninety-nine bulbs embedded in the back of the chamber, only a few dozen were lit.
Because they were lights depicting the lives of the witches who had appeared thus far.
And now.
The second Witch’s always-lit bulb shattered and went out.
“The Unattainable Witch of the Horizon, Primundi……is dead.”
Mauro repeated the situation blankly.
“The Witch’s Night disappeared, and the witch is dead?”
What this meant was obvious.
The long-sought wish of the Holy See, an end to the Nights and the death of Primundi, had been fulfilled.
“Oh God…….”
Caterina prayed without realizing it.
She was the Saintess, said to sit at God’s left hand, yet she had never encountered God.
However, she was convinced that everything happened for a reason.
And now, in this very moment.
Woooooooooooooooo━.
The Saint’s Crown, ‘Autumn,’ she was holding.
A tremendous golden aura began to radiate from it.
As the power surged in, Saintess Caterina gradually recalled her memories.
“Could that location be the Ethelred Territory?”
She lifted her head and opened her eyes.
Her blue eyes, which had been sparkling, shone with the golden light of ‘Autumn.’
The priests who understood what that appearance meant crossed themselves, and the nuns hurriedly searched the records to answer Caterina’s question.
“Yes! It’s Count Ethelred’s territory to the southeast of Airian Island.”
“……Abel Ethelred.”
The Saintess remembered a distant, different world line as if by revelation.
“Yes?”
“It is possible. The future hero lives in that land. He probably took care of it.”
Everyone stared blankly at the Saintess as she made incomprehensible remarks.
But only Cardinal Mauro, who had been advocating for a crusade, asked in surprise,
“Don’t tell me you just had a…… revelation?”
“And Cain Lord East.”
Caterina’s body trembled.
She couldn’t recall the other memories, as if they were obscured by a thick fog, but she could recall some images.
However, the black trajectory she had seen on the previous day was obvious.
A black-haired man flew in from afar, creating a black trajectory.
The Pure White Thunderbolt flashed.
Purple eyes appeared to have given up on everything.
The demon sword is held in both hands.
The figure that appeared in her eyes was……
“He is with the Demon King of Winter.”
It was the Demon King.
Woooooooooooooooo━.
The light of ‘Autumn’ was even brighter.
The Saint’s Crown ‘Autumn,’ one of the ‘Sacred Treasures of the Four Seasons,’ brought her memories that transcended worldlines.
Caterina turned her head to the northwest, where the Ethelred Territory was situated, and said,
“I shall go there. To the place where the hero and the Demon King are together.”
Thud━.
All of the people bowed their heads before the Saintess, who spoke of the revelation while bathed in a golden glow.
A new wind started to blow.
🔹🔹🔹
【There is no future.】
A cold voice.
Cain opened his eyes immediately.
He had been on the sandy beach of the Arzweber coast until now.
He must have fainted from using ‘Winter’ too much, and when he awoke, his party members should have been there.
【Do you believe your future is so abundant that you can waste it like that?】
However, the voice he heard was both familiar and unfamiliar.
Cain looked around.
It was a space with no top, bottom, or sides.
Old iron barrels floated through the space like fish.
In the center of them.
A tired-looking man stood, wearing an old coat and carrying a large greatsword on his back.
“Obviously.”
Cain responded easily.
He didn’t know where this place was, but he recognized the other person.
【As it should be, ‘my’ business.】
He smiled bitterly.
At that, the scars on his face twitched.
Cain stood up and stamped on the floor.
Although there was no floor in this spaceless space, when he thought of it as a floor, it became a solid floor.
“Are you me from before the regression?”
He looked the same.
The other person shook his head.
【Only in appearance; the inside is different.】
Cain narrowed his eyes.
Then he chuckled.
“But judging by the way you speak so brazenly, you seem to be similar to me.”
【If you think so, then I’m grateful.】
Two pairs of purple eyes scanned the other person.
No matter how hard he pushed himself, he never let his guard down.
The most untrustworthy opponent.
And the opponent who could be the most formidable foe was himself.
【It’s confusing if we are both called Cain, so call me ‘Spring’ when referring to me.】