The moment the carriage passed through the transparent barrier, the ear-piercing howl of the blizzard abruptly ceased.
"What… is this place?"
Gion muttered, completely mesmerized.
An unbelievable landscape unfolded outside the window.
The blizzard that had threatened to swallow their carriage just moments ago was nowhere to be seen. Instead, warm sunlight bathed the streets.
It was magic. Or, to be more precise, the magic of money.
A massive transparent dome enveloped the city, holding the blizzard at bay.
"L-look, they're dressed so lightly! And here I am in three layers of fur!"
Even before Gion started fussing, Ariel's gaze was glued to the window.
People in light clothing strolled through the streets, and a fountain sent up a cool, unfrozen spray. Flowers bloomed beautifully in the pots lining the storefronts.
As she swept her eyes over the dazzling street, her gaze suddenly stopped.
That thing embedded in the streetlamp… They're using a top-grade mana stone like a lightbulb. And there are jewels on that dog's collar…
An electrifying thrill ran down her spine.
The rumors floating around the capital that the North had gone to ruin were completely false. If anything, it looked wealthier than the capital itself.
If it's this nice, I'd happily spend the rest of my life at the northern temple.
Just as Ariel closed her eyes to indulge in sweet fantasies, the carriage swerved off the glittering high street and onto a dark, sunless road on the outskirts.
"Huh? Did we take a wrong turn?"
Flustered, Gion knocked on the window and called out to the coachman.
"We're going the right way. The northern temple you're heading to is just at the end of this path."
The coachman replied nonchalantly, making Gion jump in shock and yell.
"What? Why is the holy temple shoved into a corner like that?"
"The grand duke didn't include the temple grounds in his city planning. Apparently, he hated the loud bells."
"L-loud?! Are you treating the sacred sound of the bells like mere noise right now?!"
While Gion was throwing a fit, the carriage had already slipped out of the city and was rattling along a bumpy dirt road.
Ariel looked out the window to see the blizzard raging once again.
In the distance stood an old, solitary building, blanketed in snow.
"…No way."
She had a bad feeling.
"We've arrived. Please step out."
The coachman said curtly as he brought the carriage to a stop.
"Y-you call this a temple?!"
Gion shrieked in horror.
Set into a crumbling stone wall, the massive iron gate had lost all its paint long ago. It groaned unsettlingly with every gust of wind.
Aside from the entrance, nearly a meter of untouched snow blanketed everything.
Toward the back stood what might once have been dormitories—now collapsed, buried under snow and ice, barely recognizable.
"Well then, good luck to you both."
"H-hey!"
Completely ignoring him, the coachman turned his horses around without a second thought.
Ariel breathed warm air onto her frozen hands, then placed them on the iron gate to enter the ruins—or rather, the temple.
The rusted hinges groaned as the door creaked open.
It was pitch-dark inside.
"Who is it?"
She turned toward the voice. Out of the darkness stepped a short, white-haired old man, bundled in several layers of shabby priest robes.
"I'm Ariel, the saintess dispatched from the central temple. Here is my assignment letter."
"My name is Mathias."
Mathias nodded as he took the letter.
Just then, heavy footsteps echoed down the hall, and a hulking woman appeared—her face young, but her frame built like a grown man's.
"H-hello."
She greeted them awkwardly.
"I'm Hilda. You haven't eaten yet, right?"
Without even waiting for a reply, Hilda vanished down another hall.
"This way."
Mathias gestured for Ariel to follow.
Following behind him, she walked down the corridor and scanned her surroundings.
Though it was completely neglected, old, and dim, the sheer scale of the place was still quite impressive.
When they reached the reception room, the old man opened the door first.
As Ariel stepped inside, he went to the table and pulled out a worn wooden chair, offering her a seat.
With a slight bow of her head, she sat down, massaging her cold hands as she looked around.
Perhaps because it was slightly warmer inside, the numbness in her frozen fingertips slowly began to fade.
"Good grief, look at the state of this temple! Where did all the money go?"
Gion, bursting through the door belatedly, raised his voice to complain.
"Hoho, please have a seat first."
Unbothered by the rudeness, Mathias just laughed and offered him a chair.
Gion sat down with an irritated huff.
"I am Gion, a priest of the central temple. I'm in charge here until the handover is complete. Who is the person overseeing the northern temple?"
"Ah, you must be a head priest. Soon to be a bishop, then! My apologies for not recognizing you. Hoho."
Hearing himself called a 'head priest', Gion's nostrils flared with pride.
"Ahem, well, I'm not a head priest just yet. Though I'd say my chances of promotion are quite high, once this task is finished."
Right then, Hilda returned carrying two steaming bowls.
"Here's potato soup."
"Forget the soup, where's the person in charge?"
As Gion kept looking around, Mathias personally placed a spoon in his hand.
"Hoho, you must be starving, so please fill your belly first."
Ariel stared blankly at the soup in front of her.
It looked less like soup and more like hot, cloudy water with a single potato bobbing in it.
She carefully scooped up a spoonful and put it in her mouth.
Huh? It tastes better than I expected.
A rich, savory flavor spread across her tongue.
She poked the single, decently sized potato and split it in half—its fluffy white inside looked quite appetizing.
Watching her eat happily, Gion slammed his spoon onto the table with a loud clack and shouted.
"What is the meaning of this?"
Ariel, fearing he might order the table cleared, quickly grabbed her bowl.
"Seriously, where did all the money go? The North looks way more prosperous than I thought, so why is the temple the only one in this state?!"
He looked ready to grab the old man by the collar.
"Hoho, what do you mean…"
"I'm asking if you embezzled funds!"
Tsk tsk. He clearly lacks table manners.
Gion would probably deny it, but to her, he was just throwing a tantrum over his food.
She swallowed the potato in her mouth and stepped in to stop him.
"Excuse me," Ariel said.
Hilda glared fiercely. Her face was flushed, whether from anger or something else.
"Ariel, stay out of this."
Gion waved her off dismissively and shifted his glare back to Mathias.
"Does this make any sense? Serving a meal like this to a priest of the central temple?!"
"Calm yourself."
"I was dispatched through official procedures—"
At that moment, Hilda shoved Gion hard in the chest.
"Gah!"
Gion lost his balance and staggered back.
Flailing his arms, he instinctively grabbed onto Mathias's frayed robes.
Rip.
The buttons popped off the worn fabric. A necklace tumbled out from between the torn flaps of clothing.
A golden olive tree pendant with three crossed keys.
It was a symbol only archbishops and above were permitted to wear within the temple.
"Hoho."
Mathias casually tucked the necklace back into his shirt.
Gion's face went completely pale.
* * *
Thud.
Gion's knees slammed onto the hard stone floor.
"I have committed a grave offense, high priest! I am an unworthy trash!"
"Hoho, that's enough."
"Please, kill me!"
"Now, now. Why don't you finish your meal instead."
"Yes, sir!"
Gion sprang to his feet and began chugging the potato soup.
"It's absolutely delicious!"
What a clown.
Watching his pathetic display, Ariel discreetly pulled up their status windows.
[Name: Mathias | Title: Northern High Priest]
[Name: Hilda Stan | Ability: Physical Enhancement (B-rank)]
She had felt a strange wavelength from her the moment they met.
As expected, Hilda was an esper—or what people call an 'ability user' in this world.
Why is someone like her stuck making potato soup in a place like this?
Right then.
The sound of the iron gates opening echoed from afar. Then, the old wooden door of the reception room burst open, and a biting gust of wind swept in.
"Eek! W-what is that?! A bear?!"
Gion screamed and fell flat on his butt.
A massive, beast-like figure stood just outside the doorway.
No, it wasn't a beast.
It was a man, draped in a gigantic wolf pelt that was as large as his own body.
Every time he took a step, heavy thuds reverberated against the floor.
Soon, he stopped right in front of the table.
"It's noisy in here."
The man removed his snow-covered helmet, tucked it under his arm, and slowly lifted his head.
His face was nothing like she expected.
Dark brown hair fell softly over his forehead, and beneath long eyelashes, his brown eyes shone with a subtle glow.
With a high nose bridge and an elegant curve to his lips, he looked more like a refined, clean-cut noble than a rugged warrior of the North.
Ariel habitually pulled up the status window.
[Name: Ian]
[Title: Holy Knight Commander of the North]
[Ability: Lightning (S-rank)]
[Alias: Holy Knight of Lightning]
S-rank? A high priest, a B-rank ability user, and an S-rank holy knight? What kind of combo is this?
While Ariel stood there, confused by their status windows, Ian's gaze swept past Gion and locked onto her.
"Leave."
Ian's chilling eyes pierced right through her.
"Before you die."
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