TFSAWE - Epilogue: 1

"Bring it here!"

"Burn him alive!"

Since dawn, people had flocked to the square, exhausted and fatigued, their faces bearing the marks of weariness. The gathering took place at the remnants of what was once called the Great Temple. Now, it stood as nothing but a ruin, devoid of any trace of its former glory.

Centuries of accumulated treasures and exquisite works of art had been buried beneath the rubble when the Great Temple crumbled. Those fortunate enough to have escaped such a fate had been passed from hand to hand, losing their original worth, becoming mere plunder.

No one dared to consider restoring the Great Temple. It wasn't just a matter of cost; there was a more significant problem at hand. No one could find a reason compelling enough to warrant its restoration.

On the day the Great Temple collapsed, many priests who had been present lost their lives. However, not everyone perished. But, in truth, the Great Temple had never been intended for the priests. It had been a place reserved for one person, the chosen one, the saint.

Yet now, the saint was no more.

"Bring him forth!"

"Let him burn!"

The central square was adorned with a towering stack of firewood. The pyre, constructed by generously collecting every piece of wood found amidst the surrounding debris, eagerly awaited today's protagonist.

Soon, a figure was dragged forward from behind the crowd, bound by ropes. Witnessing it, the people's bloodshot eyes flickered, and they grabbed stones rolling at their feet. The person pulling the ropes shouted,

"Here comes the fallen priest! The one who betrayed the saint!"

Was it some sort of proof? Adorning the tunic tied around the body hanging from the ropes was an emblem, unmistakably indicating the individual's former role as a priest. As it drew nearer, the onlookers hurled the objects in their hands and shouted,

"Kill him!"

"Kill the priest!"

"Return our saint!"

"You brought the calamity upon us!"

[Thud! Thud!] Alongside the crowd's uproar, the stones mercilessly flew toward the wretched figure. A child, holding onto their parents' hands and standing at the front of the crowd, burst into tears at the sight of "it," overwhelmed by revulsion.

The creature being dragged by the ropes was an indescribable being that could hardly be called human. At first glance, it resembled a roasted beast, seen at festivals throughout the village. Yet, its head and limbs were unmistakably human. However, one leg was missing, concealed from view, and the remaining leg was small and twisted.

Those standing in the less visible parts craned their necks, trying to catch a glimpse of the creature, but soon gave up and began conversing amongst themselves.

"Is that truly the fallen priest?"

"Indeed. Look at the leg that remains. Its deformation unmistakably marks it as Carl, the former priest. I witnessed him before the Great Temple collapsed."

"But did the fallen priest truly summon the calamity?"

"That's what they say. They claim he not only summoned the calamity but also sold the last saint to the monsters."

"I've heard that too. They say he forcibly took the saint, who appeared in the sanctuary, back to the Great Temple. It wasn't just one or two witnesses. The saint didn't want to go willingly; she resisted, weeping for the people. Despite all that, the fallen priest handed her over to the monsters. They say he is now cursed, unable to die, due to the wrath of the gods."

Since the day the Great Temple fell, such rumors had circulated among the people. The rumors, beginning with "The reverend priest, known for his virtuous deeds, was, in reality..." rapidly spread, even reaching the Imperial Army's distribution centers for relief supplies.

With the collapse of all temples, monsters began to appear more frequently across the continent. Formerly safeguarded territories were no longer safe from their ravages, and the people's anxiety quickly escalated.

In such circumstances, one day, out of the blue, this creature emerged from the ruins of the Great Temple. It couldn't speak, lacked a tongue, and its only movement was crawling. Despite the visible wounds covering its body, any new injuries miraculously healed within moments.

In the past, such an occurrence would have been deemed a divine miracle. However, due to the dreadful circumstances, it was labelled as a cursed being, and people soon discovered traces of the former priest, Carl, within it.

Simultaneously, rumors spread that the fallen priest was responsible for all these calamities. The people's anxiety had found its outlet.

[Gasp! Groan!]

As if aware of the impending fate that awaited him, Carl twisted his body in an attempt to escape, but it was in vain. He couldn't bear to hear the monstrous noises, the grunts that people despised, as they approached with their makeshift weapons. Only groans escaped his lips.

As Carl was bound, people carrying torches emerged from all directions.

"Kill him!"

"Finish him off!"

"The moment this monster burns to death is the moment God forgives us!"

At those words, Carl's eyes widened. He couldn't die, but the agony would persist.

He would continue to suffer within the flames.

"Ugh! Ugh!"

Cursing someone, Carl uttered words that no one could comprehend. The pile of firewood ignited.

From the central square of the palace, once the pinnacle of everyone's power, the Crown Prince, Carl, screamed amidst the burning flames.

I watched his form from atop the partially collapsed palace walls.

"Are you all right?"

Seeing me tremble, Latvan approached and draped his cloak around me.

“Thank you."

Without refusing, I donned it and once again gazed up at the towering flames. Beside me, Leon, who had been standing there, turned his gaze away from the fire and spoke to me.

"No one has come to your aid since your cunning tongue was silenced."

As if it were obvious, Leon remarked. Of course, that would be the case. Most of Carl's indoctrination began with his words. Moreover, Leon confidently asserted that those who still harbored his indoctrination would be completely liberated from it in the face of this spectacle.

"Are you leaving now?"

In response to his question, I nodded my head. Leon seemed to have expected it, so he didn't inquire further. Eventually, I was the one who spoke first.

"I'm sorry. Leaving behind all the troublesome matters."

In response to my words, Leon smiled and replied.

"The matters you consider troublesome are my source of pleasure."

"Still..."

I hesitated and cautiously spoke.

"There may be a lot of commotion regarding the Crown Princess issue."

Many things had happened, but the fact that I married Leon remained unchanged. No, rather, after the collapse of the palace, Leon went to the Empire and publicly announced and documented the fact of our marriage. I have never seen it, but it is said that my portrait hangs in the gallery, along with the introduction of "Crown Princess" and the title bestowed upon me.

"It's all right. They won't think too strangely about the absence of a Crown Princess. After all, it will be rumored that the Crown Princess married out of necessity to accept the palace refugees and exercise authority over the remaining forces in the future. It was actually me who begged and pleaded for it."

"Please, refrain from making such an expression. Have you completely forgotten the favor I asked of you on that day? This is what I must do, and it happens to be something I excel at. Rest assured, I won't suffer any losses by speaking honestly."

After the collapse of the Great Temple, Leon mobilized the imperial army to restore order in the surrounding areas, provide care to the injured, and offer shelter to refugees. Thanks to his efforts, the empire's reputation soared, and not only were the remaining high priests and those who resided in the Great Temple naturally assimilated into the empire, but the Order of the Divine Knights also experienced a significant increase in their influence.