The Extra Wants To Live

Both of them were busy with Catherine fiercely criticizing Billford, who was still inexperienced at conducting.

In the original, we never saw Billford as a commander or as a knight. He was mostly used as a strategic weapon, like a nuclear bomb.

Perhaps… it's because he lack a bit of talent for conducting.

Thanks to that, Carl and Harmon were able to go out together.

"I don't know how long it's been since I've served you, Lord Carl," Harmon said, grumbling a little.

Harmon is Carl's servant, so it would be natural for them to spend most of the day together.

However, since Carl usually did things on his own and preferred to spend time alone, Harmon was having a boring time.

'I could do something else, but I don't know when lord Carl might need my help, so that's a bit...'

"Shouldn't you be grateful that I'm giving you a good rest?"

"I'm so rested that I don't even know who I'm serving."

"Oh, like that."

"... ... ."

Knowing that Carl's dry 'that' was nominally a word of comfort and sympathy, Harmon decided not to dwell on the subject any further.

'The more I say, the more I'll get a response like, 'So what?''

"The rain should stop soon."

"Isn't it better for you if you can play more?"

"I'm not doing anything… No, that's not it."

Before they knew it, the topic had changed again.

Harmon tried hard to change the subject, but nothing came to mind.

The reason Harmon tried to avoid this topic was because it was very painful, not only for Carl but also for Harmon.

Normally, Harmon would be busy even during rainy times like this.

He had to go all over the place to deliver the letters exchanged between Carl and Lilly and to find gifts to send to Lilly.

If it were before, he would have been riding a horse in the pouring rain, galloping around in all directions, swearing inwardly because of Carl, who would say, 'I want to give this to you as a gift.'

As the Laurel Unit had nothing to do, it was natural for Harmon to be busy.

But now, Harmon was just sitting in his room, wasting time, even though the Laurel Unit was tied up.

Doing nothing could be so painful, Harmon realized too late.

Arriving at the temple in the rain, fortunately this time, Lyanna was staying quietly inside the temple.

"The letter was delivered safely, and this is the reply."

Carl only passed on correspondence between the religious orders to Lyanna.

Despite the presence of Carl and Harmon, Lyanna opened the letter and looked through it.

She also knew that Carl had already seen the letter.

"... ... ."

Lyanna's eyebrows twitched, and then her expression disappeared.

A face disfigured by scars appeared like a mask floating in the dim light of candlelight.

Harmon turned his head away with a pale face as terrible memories came back to him at the sight of her.

"I guess you have some not-so-good news."

Carl sat back in the hard, uncomfortable chair of the temple and spoke casually.

Tumaria is divided into a central area around the rich Arbana River and other territories.

However, it is said that the Hadad sect grew in power in almost all territories except the area near the Arbana River.

Now, it is not just the Hadad Church's problem, but the national fortunes of Tumaria itself are in an uncertain situation.

"Yes, I have some not-so-good news."

Lyanna couldn't help but be very wary of it.

Because if the Hadad sect is anything like the 'Universal Equality Church,' then this could truly expand into a threat to all of humanity.

Carl, on the other hand, didn't care much about it.

Anyway, all of Tumaria's power is concentrated around the Arbana River.

As long as this is maintained, even if the opponent is a 'heretic,' Tumaria can rise again at any time, and the Hadad sect can also recover its power.

Tumaria has closer ties to religion than the Morgan Empire.

High-ranking priests of the Hadad sect are even involved in state affairs.

So now that he has figured out the true nature of his enemy, Tumaria will gallop across the desert like a sandstorm that destroys everything, eradicating the existence of the heresy.

Of course, the desert is the land of Tumaria, but Tumaria's influence does not reach everywhere evenly.

There will definitely be remnants left somewhere, growing in power here and there like a cancer.

'That's good.'

Carl wanted those threatening entities to remain within Tumaria, where they could become enemies at any time.

So, in all this, Carl felt neither anxious nor afraid.

We are just guarding against their presence infiltrating the empire.

"If you have anything more to say, say it now."

"... ... No, it's okay."

At Carl's indifferent voice, Lyanna looked at him quietly for a moment and then shook her head.

She had told everything that needed to be told.

Now all that's left is to wait.

"Would you like to meet Vire?"

Lyanna asked Carl, who was waking up.

The fanatic's face, which had been frozen until just a moment ago, had now transformed into the face of a seemingly ordinary 'priest.'

"No, that's fine."

Carl refused firmly and left the room.

There is nothing to be gained from meeting with Vire often.

It's just a waste of time.

It's enough that they meet very occasionally so that Vire doesn't completely forget Carl.

Because it was merely a stepping stone for Carl to expand his influence within the Duren Church.

Just as Carl was a stepping stone for expanding the influence of the Duren sect in politics.

"... ... ."

After Carl left without a word, Lyanna slowly closed her eyes.

The only light in the small, shady room was a small candle, and even that flickered slowly along with Lyanna's worries.

Lyanna felt sad.

It wasn't Carl's grief over losing his mother.

It was sad that Carl, who seemed to have become a complete human being with both faith and love, lost his anchor and became a being who resembled God, existing alone.

Does this mean that humans cannot remain human the moment they exist alone, but are lonely beings who need to be together?

That was the sadness that Lyanna, who had fought for both gods and humans and had come to question the very existence of humanity, felt when she saw Carl.

***

On his way back to Naesong in the rain, Carl suddenly stopped dead in his tracks.

"Lord Carl?"

Harmon asked Carl, closing the hem of his cloak.

Is there anything uncomfortable?

"I'll walk for a bit and then go in. You go in first."

"... ... In this weather?"

"Yeah."

Harmon glanced up at the sky, which was pouring down rain as if through a hole, and was conflicted about whether to comfort Carl or give him time to stand in the rain alone.

"... Then, I will go in first and wait."

"Okay. Just rest."

"I've been resting for so long that it's starting to hurt. I should at least tidy up Carl's clothes."

"Okay, I understand. I'll be going now."

Harmon suppressed his sadness and greeted Carl before heading to the inner palace.

But contrary to Harmon's thoughts, Carl is not the kind of guy who misses his mother while getting rained on.

Because he always thinks about Mother Lilly, whether it rains or not.

Right now, it's just because he has someone to meet.

Carl stood in an alley, a quiet and dark place where the rain didn't pour down.

"You came quickly."

"... ... Because you told me to come as soon as possible... ."

The alley, where even rain didn't come in, was too narrow to fall down.

Carl blinked slowly as he was hit by Camilla's soft body temperature and her dizzying scent, who had suddenly appeared right next to him.

The rain continued to fall, a steady drumbeat against the cobblestones. Carl and Camilla stood in the narrow alley, their bodies pressed together. The darkness of the alleyway seemed to swallow them whole, leaving only the soft glow of their eyes and the faint sound of their breathing.

Unlike Carl, who covered his body with a cloak soaking wet from the rain, Camilla, who swam in the shadows and was not exposed to a single drop of rain, was wearing thin, black clothes covering her body.

Her warm body heat, filled with her scent, seeps into the narrow alley, pushing away the damp, cold air.

The wind blowing into the alleyway whips his black hair, caressing Carl's cloak and clinging to it as if it were soaked in rainwater.

"What about Adrian?"

That was the first thing Carl said.

Camilla stared at Carl with her jewel-like eyes that sparkled even in the darkness, then slowly opened her lips.

"I feel like he have become more intimate with Gwen Grilldy."

"… That's okay."

Carl spoke in a low voice, avoiding Camilla's eyes.

It has been reported that Adrian, who seemed shocked by Lilly's death and remained silent for a while, seems to have become more than just a collaborator with Gwen.