Chapter 19
She was far too late.
Shen paced back and forth near the window, peering outside before wandering back again.
“Why hasn’t she come back…?”
His restless movements were distracting, but Aquila did not bother stopping him.
He felt the same unease.
Instead, Aquila checked the time.
When Yujelia said she would go to the temple, it had still been before evening. Now it was already past midnight.
At first, he had not thought much of it.
She had said she would stop by the orphanage as well, so he assumed she had been delayed saying goodbye to the children there.
But Aquila had slept for a full three hours, woken up, and even finished a meal—and there was still no word from Yujelia.
If nothing had happened earlier, he might have simply worried while assuming something had come up.
But they had already run into Martio at the temple.
Aquila folded his arms and lightly tapped a finger against his sleeve.
“If she still hasn’t come back by now… it’s probably because that bishop bastard is keeping her there, don’t you think?”
Shen peeked outside once more, then turned around with a sigh.
“I think so too.”
There was no doubt that Martio was holding Yujelia back.
Whatever they were talking about, it certainly was not for a good reason.
‘If only they’re just talking…’
Aquila furrowed his brow.
“I’ll go to the temple and bring Yujelia back myself. No matter what that crazy bishop says—”
“I’m coming too.”
“…What?”
Shen, who had been brimming with determination, widened his eyes when Aquila stood up from the sofa.
He blinked several times, looking utterly confused.
“You’re going too, Young Master?”
“I’m the one who has something to say. What exactly are you planning to do if you go alone?”
Aquila adjusted his shirt sleeves and glanced sideways at Shen.
“Well, I was thinking I’d be careful, sneak in and—”
“Careful how? Are you saying you can sneak into the Grand Temple alone at this hour?”
At Aquila’s question, Shen’s voice trailed off.
He seemed to realize only then what he had been saying.
“It’s better if we go together than if you go alone. This is when status is meant to be used, Shen.”
“But it’s too late. It’s dangerous.”
“And you think it wouldn’t be dangerous for you?”
Shen opened his mouth again, then shut it tightly without another word.
He had probably been about to say that he was armed or something similar.
After all, Aquila clearly remembered that Shen carried a dagger.
‘Still, the fact that he doesn’t openly talk about his strength means he probably never told the original Aquila Reschenhardt either.’
As Aquila reached for a jacket himself, he was immediately stopped.
“…You’re going no matter what I say, aren’t you? I know you’re worried about Yujelia. That’s exactly why this makes it complicated.”
Muttering under his breath, Shen personally helped Aquila into his jacket.
He looked displeased, but the way he smoothed the fabric was meticulous.
Seeing him like this, it was hard to imagine Shen wielding a blade.
A kitchen knife, maybe—but not a weapon.
Aquila silently accepted his care.
“We’re not going alone anyway, so stop complaining.”
“…Huh? Then who—!”
“Vice-Captain Cahena is coming with us too. We’ll need an escort.”
Aquila gestured toward the direction where their guards were likely keeping watch outside the lodging.
The proud private soldiers of House Reschenhardt.
Those gathered under the current head of the family—hailed as the pinnacle of martial prowess—were all exceptional warriors.
They were said to rival, or even surpass, the Imperial Knights.
And Cahena Wegnin was one of those chosen to guard Aquila.
“If Vice-Captain Cahena is coming… alright! I’ll go get her right now!”
Shen brightened instantly, knowing full well how strong she was.
Aquila recalled the first time he had met Cahena.
【Opening information on keyword ‘Cahena Wegnin’!】
【Cahena Wegnin — Vice-Captain of the Reschenhardt Knights. ‘Boisterous Berserker,’ ‘One who has surpassed intermediate Sword Expert.’】
【Records prior to the 29th cycle: Update failed due to insufficient keywords.】
Aquila had been startled when he saw that information.
An intermediate Sword Expert ranked among the elite even on the Delvion Continent.
With Cahena alone, most people would not even dare approach.
‘An intermediate Sword Expert serving as merely a vice-captain. As expected of a house whose head is a Sword Master.’
While Shen went to summon Cahena, Aquila brought up his system window.
【Status: Normal】
The Blessing of the Sun God was still blinking slowly, but perhaps thanks to proper rest, his condition was not bad.
‘Let’s hope nothing has happened…’
After checking his status and skills, Aquila dismissed the window.
***
To avoid crossing paths, they left one guard behind at the lodging and headed for the Grand Temple of Portplum.
The temple stood on high ground, accessible only by stairs or a sloping path.
But at this late hour, the gates leading up were already firmly shut.
Aquila looked at the tall iron gate, far too high to vault.
The sight of the Grand Temple of Portplum, sunk in darkness, was something he had not seen in a long time.
“It’s closed, just as expected. I don’t see any lights on this side either.”
Shen peeked around near the fence.
“Do you think the orphanage might still be open?”
“At this hour, all the lights there would be out. It’s time for children to be asleep.”
Cahena answered calmly as she surveyed the area.
Her dark ash-gray hair was cut short, giving her a clean, sharp look, but the scar running from beneath her eye across her right cheek lent her a fierce air.
She was dressed lightly, as if out for a stroll, yet her solid frame—well over 180 centimeters tall—and the massive sword hanging at her waist gave her an overwhelming presence no one could easily approach.
“Looks like we can’t get in through the front gate. So what now, Little Young Master Aquila?”
Cahena spoke familiarly, apparently having been on good terms with the original Aquila.
She was polite and respectful to Shen as well, but there was a roguish edge to her manner, with a strong streak of mischief.
The way she deliberately tacked on “little” made it obvious she was doing it on purpose, especially when she laughed after Aquila sighed.
“We’ll send someone to check the orphanage side, and the rest of us will get inside—by calling the guards or whatever it takes.”
“Simple. I like it. Roger that.”
Cahena grinned at Aquila, then turned serious and gave orders to one of the guards who had followed them.
“You—go check the situation and come back here. If we’re gone, return to the lodging and report what you find. Understood?”
“Yes. Understood.”
The guard bowed and left without complaint.
That left only Aquila, Shen, and Vice-Captain Cahena.
Just as they were about to look for patrol guards around the temple, Shen suddenly spoke.
“Isn’t there a back entrance?”
“A door?”
“Like a hidden passage. Places like this always have one, right?”
Shen scanned the temple’s exterior and surroundings, then nodded as if it were obvious.
“Oh, a hidden passage? Nice idea. Want to look for it first?”
Cahena reacted immediately.
She spun around with a grin and went even further.
“How about we sneak in quietly and bring her out? Seems less troublesome than calling people.”
Rather than wanting to avoid causing a disturbance, it sounded more like that was just her excuse.
Aquila looked at them with a momentarily dumbfounded expression.
‘Why are they suggesting breaking the law so casually?’
Shen sounded far too cheerful to realize it, but Cahena clearly knew exactly what she was proposing.
And yet, she looked completely unbothered.
“If we don’t find one, we can just sneak back out and call people then. Easy.”
Find a hidden passage, slip into the temple, and bring Yujelia back.
That was the entirety of Cahena’s plan.
Normally, it would have been absurd—but she was someone who had surpassed intermediate Sword Expert and was aiming for advanced.
Something like this would be trivial for her.
‘Is everyone in Reschenhardt like this?’
Aquila looked at Shen nodding along and Cahena agreeing without hesitation.
This was the moment when Aquila should have put on the brakes—
“Alright. Then let’s check the back.”
—but coincidentally, Aquila himself hated unnecessary trouble just as much.
He had once come and gone through the Grand Temple as if it were his own home, after all.
He knew plenty of ways to move around without being noticed.
He had only come to the front gate for appearances’ sake.
There was no reason to refuse now that the others were suggesting sneaking in.
Aquila stepped forward first.
“Oh! Our little young master is especially bold tonight!”
Cahena laughed approvingly as she followed, and Shen naturally followed after them.
There was no one left to stop them.
***
Naturally, Aquila already knew where the hidden passage was.
Leaving Shen and Cahena to search carefully, he moved ahead.
Behind the temple, grass and flowers grew thickly, and a vine-covered tunnel lay along the path.
There, three pairs of statues stood facing one another—angels modeled after those who served beside the Sun God Lasfallara.
Aquila headed toward the angel statue holding scales in its right hand.
According to his memory, the hidden passage had been created long ago, so it should still be there.
He examined the ground near the statue.
Though covered by flowers and grass, he could see a slightly protruding handle and a faint seam.
“I think I found it. Both of you, come here.”
“Huh? Where?”
“Here. Pull it.”
Cahena crouched first, carefully grasping the handle so as not to damage the flowers, and pulled upward.
A hidden passage revealed itself.
Stairs leading underground.
Cahena blinked in surprise.
“Well, well. You’ve got a sharp eye. Never would’ve guessed there was something like this here.”
Cahena and Shen peered down the stairs.
The opening was narrow, just wide enough for one person, and the inside was dark.
This passage led into a corridor near the confessional inside the temple.
“You’re amazing, Young Master! How did you even find this?”
Shen exclaimed, looking at Aquila with pure admiration in his eyes.
Seeing that look, Aquila shamelessly replied as he crouched down.
“I read it in a book. It said that if you want to find something, check the walls and floors of places that look plausible.”
“Wow. I really should read more books too.”
Aquila did not bother correcting him.
It was not exactly wrong.
“I’ll go first. Follow carefully. Watch your step.”
Cahena raised one palm and muttered, “Light.”
A glowing orb formed, illuminating the surroundings.
It was bright enough to dazzle when viewed directly, but once Cahena descended, it became just enough light.
Aquila followed second, and Shen came in last.
Before fully descending, Shen pulled the handle again and closed the passage.
The breeze that had brushed their cheeks and hair stopped abruptly.
“One straight path. We’ll keep going.”
Cahena took the lead, Aquila stayed in the middle, and Shen brought up the rear.
They walked for quite a while through the narrow passage, heavy with dust and musty air.
In the dimly lit corridor, Cahena’s steps were light and confident—yet completely silent.
From Shen behind him, Aquila sensed almost no presence at all.
Only Aquila’s own footsteps echoed, making it feel as though a single person were walking alone.
‘As expected, neither of them is someone to take lightly.’
Aquila held his breath.
Once he started paying attention, it became impossible to ignore.
As he walked, watching his feet, Cahena suddenly stopped.
“Shh. Someone’s there.”
At her words, the Light illuminating the path winked out, and darkness fell.