The Visitor
When Lodi and Hadonan were guided into the temple by Ogi, the person they saw was an elderly man. He was gazing at the withered, snow-dusted branches in the temple’s front yard—a space too modest to be called a garden.
At the sound of their approach, the old man exhaled a puff of white mist and turned to face them. A smile spread across his aged lips.
"Oh, you’ve finally arrived."
Hadonan pressed his palms together reverently and bowed.
"Thank you for visiting this humble temple. I am Hadonan, the Branch Head here."
"Yes, it is a pleasure to meet you, Branch Head. This old man is Doldan Raison."
That was the end of the introduction. A flustered Hadonan stammered, "Ah, well, sir..."
"Might we go inside first? Being an old man, it’s difficult to stand out in the cold for long."
"Ah, yes! Please, come in."
Only then did Hadonan realize he had forgotten even the most basic courtesies of hosting a guest. He hurried to usher the old man inside and was only able to speak after brewing and serving tea.
Lodi, sensing the mood, dragged Ogi out under the pretense of discussing the fruit to be brought in.
"Um, I heard a bit about it earlier. You are the Chief Justice of Cephlam, are you not?"
"That is correct. To be precise, I am the *former* Chief Justice."
"Pardon? By 'former'..."
"It means that I am the one who endorsed the current Chief Justice."
Hadonan felt a wave of dizziness. He had thought the ordeal was finally over, so why had such a titan appeared at his temple?
"I cannot fathom why you would visit such a shabby temple, sir."
"I was curious about why my disciple was stranded here, and since the trial schedule was lenient, I was also curious about what judgment would be passed. I thought I would stop by this temple at least once before that."
Doldan said this with a sly smile and added:
"I am truly sorry regarding the excommunication and the warrant issued for your previous Branch Head."
"...Thank you for your words of comfort."
Hadonan offered a bitter smile at the sudden remark. It was unavoidable. Once the incident had occurred, someone had to take responsibility. However, it wasn't entirely a bad thing.
The previous Lord’s administrative handling had been riddled with problems.
According to this old man, the current Chief Justice had reached his verdict by accurately weighing the causal relationships. Once it was acknowledged that the act was solely Hisoral’s personal deviation, the ruling—which could have led to the temple’s closure—instead recognized its continued existence.
Furthermore, he had been advised that if Hisoral were to voluntarily appear before the law, it would be taken into the utmost consideration.
Although this was Hadonan’s first experience standing in a courtroom, listening to the judges talk among themselves had made it clear that this was an unprecedentedly merciful ruling.
And Hadonan felt in his bones that Doldan’s way of speaking was incredibly masterful. His method of giving the answers one wanted while momentarily swaying the opponent’s emotions had a cunning power that burrowed into the heart.
How effective would a defensive conversational style be against someone who could extract what they wanted through rhetoric? After all, the man before him was a monster who had raised a monster.
Hadonan decided to change his approach entirely.
"But surely, you didn't come here simply to see the temple, did you?"
A direct breakthrough. Doldan laughed heartily, as if he liked that.
"Though I have stepped down from office, I am a man who has devoted his entire life to Cephlam. If I may exercise a little deduction, it seems the temple’s survival is confirmed."
"How did you...?"
"If the temple had truly been closed, there would have been shadows on your face."
"You can tell by such a trivial difference?"
Hadonan realized his own stupidity as he asked. The old man had been smiling faintly all along.
"Could it be, sir..."
"It would be good to know that such simple deduction is a basic method for a judge. I don't know when you might stand in a courtroom again, but it is a small piece of advice from an old man. Ah, my prediction about the temple’s survival is genuine. You are quite expressive, Branch Head."
"...I will take that to heart."
Hadonan let go of the tension he had been holding. It was an opponent against whom his own nervousness was meaningless. Hadonan surreptitiously wiped his damp hands on his trousers.
Then, Doldan spoke in a leisurely tone.
"I assume contact has already been made with you some time ago, but has the Hesno family not sent someone?"
"Is there a reason you assume so?"
"So it is true."
Even when answering, he spoke in certainties, not questions. Doldan laughed as if he were amused, but Hadonan felt anything but.
"My apologies. I do not mean to tease the Branch Head, but your reactions are remarkably honest."
Hadonan reflected on whether he was truly such an transparent person. Even looking back to his days as a temple servant, he had never heard such an assessment. Just a diligent man. That was the extent of how others viewed him.
"In that case, I would like to ask if you have heard a message from the Highsider from them."
"A Highsider?"
Hadonan thought for a moment and shook his head.
"No, I have not."
At that, Doldan wore a look of profound disappointment. The wrinkles of age made the emotion feel all the more vivid. Perhaps even that was intentional.
Just then, a memory flashed through Hadonan’s mind like lightning.
'It is engraved with the crest of the Gravekeeper family. If you have this, it will help alleviate the pressure placed on the temple.'
The seal he had kept out only briefly in the beginning, but had retrieved before the judges arrived because it seemed to make people’s perceptions more hostile. And the member of the Gravekeepers who had given it to him.
Hadonan intuited that what Doldan was saying was connected to Arnat.
"Is that so. A pity."
"If you don't mind, may I ask what this is about?"
"Hmm. No. If you do not know, then this matter is no longer related to your temple."
The former Chief Justice’s tone, while seemingly smiling, carried a deep, cold indifference beneath it. His hand, resting on the armrest, tightened, and he leaned forward slightly. Hadonan felt a chill, wondering if the cold from outside had seeped into the inner room.
'It is certain. The man before me is someone who could drive this temple into a corner in any number of ways!'
"Has this temple not received the grace of the Chief Justice? I would be grateful if you would give me an opportunity to practice the teaching of never forgetting a kindness."
"...Kindness is not something you merely 'not forget'; it is something you must repay."
If his tone a moment ago was a midwinter valley, now it felt as if flower buds were blooming. Doldan, who had been about to rise, leaned back into his chair. Hadonan felt cold sweat running down his spine, yet he maintained a pleasant smile on the surface.
"If the Branch Head says so, there may be a way for us to foster a better relationship."
"I will listen to your words, sir."
"Hmm."
Doldan paused, rolling his eyes. Hadonan, guessing the meaning, spoke quickly.
"Do not worry. Those two have certainly vacated the area. And even if they heard, they are not people who would cause a problem. They are the ones who assist me."
"I see. Understood."
And Doldan began his story.
"Mid-year. It was when summer was retreating, but a letter arrived at each temple."
"A letter?"
"It was a letter stamped with the Gravekeeper’s seal."
Hadonan’s eyes widened in surprise.
Doldan revealed that the content of the letter was to capture a boy who had escaped from the National Soul Festival. Here, Hadonan wore a puzzled expression.
"But was that not content delivered to the temples? Are you not a Chief Justice, sir? Judges should not have a direct connection to temple affairs, should they?"
Doldan laughed softly and shook his head.
"Hmm. Contrary to the Branch Head’s expectations, there is a connection."
"Pardon?"
"There was an oracle from the Originator."
"An oracle...?"
"Are you curious?"
There was no way he wouldn't be. Since he had heard this much, it was impossible to back out. Hadonan apologized to Lodi in his heart. He was grateful for Lodi’s efforts, and he had no intention of betraying him, but as the Branch Head, Hadonan was in a position where he could not retreat.
"What is it that I should know?"
The former Chief Justice laughed happily at the defensive words that still showed a willingness to do as he was told. Even in the midst of this, wasn't his choice of words quite sharp?
It was an old man’s joy to meet a young man who knew how to engage in conversation.
"The Water Temple seems to regard that child as a noble person."
Doldan did not notice, but with that one sentence, Hadonan understood everything.
* * *
What is the difference between the sun and the moon?
Even ignoring the simple fact that they occupy the sky at different times of day and night, the difference between the two is stark.
The sun does not illuminate those who have stepped into the shade. But the moon gently sprinkles its light upon all subjects.
That point was particularly prominent in the desert.
The bright full moon always tries to shine on the desert without discrimination. The same was true for Mirvis Sector 3, where Huran was on duty.
"Half a year already."
Huran muttered as he stood guard under that moon.
Half a year had passed since he lost the prince who had fled the National Soul Festival. That meant the duration of his time as a double agent was exactly the same.
However, despite being given such a suffocating position, Huran’s daily life flowed on unchanged. There had been no calls from the Sun Priests, nor from the Peanus family. In fact, the lack of any particular events made him feel anxious.
"Haa, it’s cold."
Huran moved near a torch to warm his hands for a moment. Then, while warming his hands, he looked down at the desert, which shone with the colors of a blue night.
It was the most remote area within Mirvis Sector 3, where he was stationed. Except for the fact that there were no people and it took a little longer to walk back, the night scenery visible from the boundary zone was truly beautiful.
"Arotte must be sleeping now."
Huran said, smiling faintly. The girl who had been his childhood friend when he was a boy was now his bride.
Being able to protect her from nearby meant, in other words, that he could give her even greater love.
It wasn't an easy life as a captain of the guard, but Huran didn't mind. His newlywed life with Arotte was that enjoyable.
Although there was no news of a second generation yet, Huran thought that was enough for now, as he and Arotte were perfectly happy.
After all, there weren't many choices available to a man bound by the shackles of power.
"Hmm?"
Huran’s head snapped around. At first, he thought he had misseen it due to the torchlight. But Huran soon retracted that thought. Using the desert night as a curtain, someone was approaching from the shadows of the city with a light like a shadow.
Huran drew his shotel. Regardless, he was a guard, and there was no harm in being cautious about such suspicious movements.
When the shadow finally entered a distance where it could be identified, Huran sighed and sheathed his shotel.
"You nearly scared the life out of me, High Priest."
"It won't do for a captain of the guard to be startled by something like this."
Hamses, tanned to an orange hue, said with a grin.