My master took the donations and volunteers Johanna had secured and went off to hunt the demon.
I wanted to go with him, but I had no choice but to agree when he asked who would guard the church in his absence.
"I'm leaving the church in your hands. You two, take care of things. I'll be back soon, so don't worry."
Contrary to expectations, my master did not return quickly. Three years passed.
My daily life slowly began to change.
"Listen to this. Something amazing happened today."
Just as when we first met, Johanna continued to walk the path of a cleric, hiding her gender.
Her appearance at the diocesan council had been so impressive that a group of followers formed around her. She was ordained quickly and solidified her position within the Papal States.
She had already become a bishop. In public, I had to address her as 'Your Excellency'.
"Your Excellency must have had a very difficult time."
"Ugh. It feels weird when you call me that. Just call me Johanna."
"Understood, Your Excellency."
"You brat!"
The pious Bishop Johan, who walked through the cathedral with her eyes demurely cast down, and the girl Johanna, who brandished her fist in front of me, were one and the same person.
And I became an Executor.
I filled the void left by my master's retirement.
It seemed my master's reputation was quite high, as no one found fault with me when I became an Executor.
I thought there would be intense hazing in a place that ran on strict meritocracy, but it was the opposite.
The underworld organization, suffering from a shortage of manpower, cherished each and every member.
"Sorry, but I think I'll be late today. They say a Fifth-Rank Apostle is living in the aqueduct."
"Oh? ...How late will you be?"
"Hmm. You'll probably have to eat dinner by yourself."
"What? I finally had some free time, and I was planning for us to have dinner together. Hmph."
I patted the shoulder of a pouting Johanna.
Johanna, who had been complaining about stiff shoulders lately, liked getting them massaged.
"This won't be enough to earn my forgiveness~. Johanna is not such an easy woman."
"I'm sorry. I'll try to come back quickly."
I found myself smiling more often.
Even as I spent my days drenched in blood as an official Executor, I could still smile.
It was all thanks to Johanna, I suppose.
"I-If you try, I'll forgive you. But if you come back hurt, I won't forgive you...."
"Got it. See you later."
"Yeah...."
I cherished this peaceful daily life.
So much so that I never even imagined it could be broken.
So much so that I didn't learn the fate of my master, who had been silent for three years, until it was far too late.
It was raining.
"By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground. For from dust you were taken, and to dust you will return...."
I recited the words, doing my best to control my expression.
The death of a saint is not a sad thing.
It can be called a joyous occasion, a return to the Lord's embrace.
That said, I am not so cruel a bishop as to tell people to smile at a funeral.
I am just a woman, worried about one person.
"I will now sprinkle the holy water."
I sprinkled holy water on the empty coffin. Could this holy water, made through nights of prayer, bring salvation even to a vanished body?
'No. I shouldn't think about it. For now, I must focus on finishing the mass.'
Soil was shoveled over the empty coffin.
"...."
He silently shoveled the dirt.
I couldn't bear to watch his face darken as the grave was filled.
"With this, the mass is concluded."
The few attendees dispersed.
'I have to go... and comfort him.'
I had already offered him countless words of comfort, but still. It still wasn't enough.
But I was a step too late.
An Executor dressed in black approached him first.
In my official position, I could not eavesdrop. No matter how curious I was, I mustn't.
'If I happen to overhear by chance... the Lord would forgive me, right?'
The rain grew heavier.
Their voices scattered into the downpour. I achieved nothing.
A priest called out to me.
"Your Excellency. You'll catch a cold."
"I will mourn a little longer. Please go on ahead."
The priest bowed his head and quickly departed.
Fortunately, the Executor also left soon after.
After their conversation, his expression was twisted.
"Are you okay?"
"...Yeah. I'm fine. An old man who was due to die passed away, what's there to be sad about?"
A lie. It's plain to see.
Can't you make it a little more convincing? Why aren't you even trying to hide it?
It's like a lie that assumes it will be seen through from the start.
"Let's go inside. You'll catch a cold."
"If I caught a cold from this much rain, I never could have dreamed of being an Executor. You go first."
"If you don't go, I'll stay here too."
"...Do as you please."
As if a hole had been torn in the sky, an even heavier downpour began.
My body shivered. And this was supposed to be a thick robe.
He may be a terrible liar, but his eyes are sharp. He noticed my shivering right away.
"I lose. Let's go in together."
"Okay."
The sound of the rain softened as we entered the church.
Creeak. The door closed, and the flickering candlelight faintly illuminated the church's interior.
There was no one in the chapel. It was just the two of us.
The water dripping from our clothes quickly formed small puddles.
It felt like I was wearing a lake, not just damp clothes.
'Do you feel the same way I do?'
I turned to look at him.
I couldn't tell where he was looking, or what he was thinking.
"Are you just going to keep staring at me?"
"No...."
"You go wash up first. I'll go rest in my room."
And he gave my back a gentle push.
His back, which seemed smaller than ever, was a heartbreaking sight.
After finishing my bath, I returned to the chapel.
Contrary to his words about going back to his room, he was in the chapel, praying.
His hand was resting on the scriptures he usually paid no mind to, his eyes closed.
I tiptoed quietly, but he had known I was there for a while.
"...You're back?"
"It's okay to pray more. I didn't mean to disturb you... I'm sorry."
"It's nothing to apologize for. More importantly... sit here."
He patted the seat next to him.
My heart pounded strangely.
"What is it?"
"It's something I've been thinking about for a long time. I wanted to say it now, while I have the chance."
What could it be?
Trying my best to act nonchalant, I sat down next to him.
But I couldn't stop my face from blushing.
My gaze kept drifting to his face.
Black hair, like that of a Saracen. But his features were clearly different from theirs.
The way his eyes always looked at me so warmly.
I loved it.
His lips slowly parted.
And he spoke in a low voice.
"Will you marry me?"
"...Huh?"
"No, that's not right. Let's get married."
Huh?
"Spend the rest of your life with me."
His eyes were more serious than I had ever seen them.
And desperate.
Instead of nodding my head like a simple country maiden,
"Why?"
I couldn't help but ask.
Seeing his composed expression, I felt that my choice was not wrong.
At the same time, my heart ached.