“Sœur,” Kristina called out Anise’s name silently, still walking with Eugene.

However, there was no need for such a call. Anise already read Kristina’s inner thoughts.

[I don’t want to,] Anise replied without hesitation.

This was because, in her position, such a response was only natural. Kristina felt Anise’s resolve, her refusal to back down.

[I also admit I have many regrets from my life. From now on, there will be times when I need to borrow your body, but not in a situation like this,] Anise firmly refused.

“Why not?” Kristina asked.

Anise responded sarcastically, [Why ask such an obvious question? It’s because my lingering regrets might turn into greed for your body. While I can endure my desires, what if I can’t continue enduring them? It would be better for both of us if we don’t do this.]

“We deserve to be happy. You told me that, Sister,” Kristina reminded her.

Anise faltered, […Something like this… isn’t true happiness. It might even be a curse. Kristina, I truly like you. I don’t know how much longer I can remain in this world in this form, but as long as I’m here, I want to be a caring sister to you.]

Anise fell silent for a few moments. Kristina didn’t rush her, but the pace of their walk with Eugene naturally slowed. Eugene glanced at Kristina, walking without speaking, but didn’t question her silence.

[…If my lingering regrets do turn into greed, I might gradually want more and more of your time,] Anise eventually warned Kristina.

Kristina promised, “I’ll do my best to give you what you want, Sister.”

[What if I end up wanting your body completely? What if I regret my death and want to fulfill my desire for life by taking complete possession of your body?]

“If that is what Sister wants, I will gladly yield my body. You deserve happiness more than I do, Sister.”

Anise sighed, [You truly are a sinister person. You can say such a thing while believing I would never do such a thing.]

Kristina thought innocently, “It would be sinister of me to doubt you in the first place, Sister.”

Anise chuckled at Kristina’s response and said, [You… if you’re truly okay with it, then fine, Kristina. I will gladly accept your offer. However…]

“However?” Kristina repeated curiously.

[Until… the sun is about to set, just let me use your body until then. While that brilliant Light from the heavens still illuminates the earth, so that I won’t dare harbor any sinful desires…]

“Alright.”

Kristina smiled faintly, receiving her desired answer. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

“Sister.”

[Yes?]

“Happy Birthday.”

Their consciousnesses switched.

Anise unconsciously burst into laughter at Kristina’s last words. To think she would still receive such congratulations. It had been two hundred years since Anise had died.

On this day, three hundred years ago, Anise Slywood was born into the world. Her birth was miraculous. The imitation of the Incarnation of Light who conceived her couldn’t endure childbirth and died prematurely, so Anise emerged into the world after her dead mother’s stomach was sliced open.

Naturally, Anise didn’t remember that moment. She didn’t even know what her mother looked like. Her mother’s name was also kept secret. However, since she was young, one thing was certain.

She would never give birth to her own children.

Likewise, Anise was certain she wished she hadn’t been born into this world.

For young Anise, her birthday was never a happy occasion. On her third birthday, she was forced to go to the Fount of Light for the first time and perform the ritual. From then on, her visits to the Fount became more frequent, but no matter how short the cycle, she was forced to perform the ritual on her birthday.

Anise was also aware that one’s birthday was supposed to be special. But while other children received gifts, Anise never received a single present. She wasn’t even given the chance to ask.

However, there was one time… though when exactly? One of the nuns who cared for Anise once gave her a small stuffed toy on her birthday.

“Though a shabby doll like this is nothing compared to the Light that surges within you on your birthday, a much more gracious gift for the Saintess.”

Were those words meant as consolation for the expressionless young girl? Anise smiled wryly and shook her head.

So every birthday, she would go to the Fount of Light and perform the ritual, absorbing more Light into her body. But she never considered it a gift. That stuffed toy was the first and last birthday present Anise received in her childhood.

Then, after meeting Vermouth and leaving Yuras—

“Anise,” Eugene suddenly spoke, interrupting her thoughts. Staring openly at her, with a faint smile, he tilted his head and asked, “What shall we have for lunch?”

Although Eugene’s voice was as casual as ever, Anise understood the consideration in his words. With a broad smile, she skipped past Eugene.

“Let’s go to a place with some great beer,” Anise decided.

The golden beverage made from fermented barley was one of Yuras’ most famous specialties. Among the many monasteries scattered throughout Yuras, several specialized in brewing beer, and those with particularly good brews exported their beer abroad, labeled with their monastery’s name.

Anise especially enjoyed the beer from Corradict Monastery. While in Helmuth, she rarely drank beer, but after returning from Helmuth, she drank beer daily while living at Corradict Monastery.

Because of this connection, many shops sold Corradict Monastery’s specialty beer during the festival for Anise’s birthday. Anise walked through the street, weaving past waiters offering beer mugs. She didn’t need to try any; the aroma of the beer she’d drunk for decades permeated her soul.

“The quality of those mugs is terrible. It seems they’ve watered down the beer. Some stores are even selling a completely different beer under the Corradict label. If I could, I’d like to crack their skulls, but there’s no need. People like them will all die and go to hell anyway,” Anise gloated.

The place she chose was an old pub in an alleyway. The inside didn’t look aged. Anise immediately liked the orange light from the large fireplace and the familiar din of all pubs. As soon as she sat down, she ordered two beers and their meals.

Anise began, “Although I’m only saying this now, I never imagined a day would come when we could drink at a place like this just the two of us.”

Eugene hummed, “I feel like we’ve been to many livelier pubs.”

Anise frowned, “Hamel, I made it clear, so why pretend not to notice? Didn’t you hear me say, ‘just the two of us’?”

With a wry smile, Eugene raised his beer mug. Indeed, this was the first time they had gone out to drink alone.

“Well, to be honest, rather than just the two of us… I’d rather have more people with us like in the past,” Eugene confessed.

Vermouth, Sienna, and Molon—Eugene and Anise recalled the three missing members of their party.

“We’ll be able to come here someday with Sienna,” Anise said optimistically.

Their beer mugs clinked.

“We might be able to bring Molon with us as well,” Eugene reminded her. “No matter how much I think about it, I don’t believe that bastard is dead yet.”

“Don’t be so sure. If you get your hopes up and it turns out Molon really is dead, you’ll be very disappointed,” Anise warned Eugene.

Eugene denied this, “Not really. If he’s dead, then he’s dead. Even I’m aware of how long three hundred years is.”

“As for Sir Vermouth… even I’m not sure about him. But is there any point in talking about this now?” Anise asked with a smile, bringing her beer mug to her mouth.

The glass mug was as large as her head, but the beer filled it to the brim, and Anise drank it in one gulp.

“Aaaah!” Anise trembled with ecstasy, setting down her empty glass and continuing, “What’s important now is that you and I are here drinking our beers.”

While waiting for their food, they talked about various topics. Eugene was studying the White Flame Formula at the inn, while Anise—no, Kristina—had been to the Department of the Inquisition and the Department of Divine Magic Research. The Pope and Cardinal Beshara, the sole remaining Cardinal, didn’t dare stand in Kristina’s way, and Raphael, leader of the Knights of the Blood Cross, personally drew his sword and accompanied Kristina.

“The two organizations are quite similar. They’ve grown a lot since my time. The Department of Divine Magic was trying to create new sanctuaries and holy relics through the use of Light and miracles,” Anise said, without elaborating on their methods.

Though their food hadn’t arrived, she’d lose her appetite if she spoke of such things.

Anise continued, “As for the Inquisition… it seems they might have gained inspiration from a Saintess who lived long ago. Apparently, they’ve been working on something for a long time, and Sergio Rogeris, a former member of the Inquisition, has been providing steady support.”

“What are you talking about?” Eugene asked, frowning.

Anise explained, “Simply put, the Inquisition was trying to create its own divine weapon. Instead of a biological weapon focusing on miracles and Light like a Saintess, theirs was more specialized for combat. Well, in my eyes, it looked no different from a Chimera’s nest…”

A Chimera’s nest.

Eugene knew the term was an oxymoron. Chimeras didn’t lay eggs or give birth, let alone build nests. They were creatures made from mixed monster or human parts.

“They must be crazy,” Eugene cursed.

“They really are,” Anise agreed. “Thanks to that, the Crusader had to cut the throats of quite a few. I’m only saying this now, but I think I quite like that paladin.”

“Don’t you think he’s a bit too insane?”

“Hamel, do you really think you’re in a position to call someone else insane?”

“What about me?” Eugene protested defensively. “I’m also only saying this now, but I think I was the most normal of us.”

“Now that’s insane,” Anise said, laughing, as she shook her umpteenth beer mug. “In any case, since we cleanly wiped them out and smashed and burned their research, I feel relieved. The remaining remains were also returned to the Light with a sacrament…”

Anise lifted her white robe slightly. Then, with a bright smile, she showed the flail at her waist.

“The mace I once used was also modified to make it easier for Kristina to use,” Anise revealed. “Though to be honest, I think her skills are still quite immature… Haha, in fact, it’s because my standards are just too high.”

“It can’t be helped. After all, three hundred years ago, we were the best,” Eugene said with a smile identical to Anise’s.

At these words, Anise pounded her beer mug on the table and burst into giggles.

“Aha, ahahaha! Ahahaha! Ye-yes, that’s right. We… ahaha! We were the best. Though Hamel, I think you were still a bit lacking,” Anise insisted.

Eugene scoffed, “Are you serious?”

“Hey now, did I touch your ego? Don’t take it too seriously. I’m talking about you from when we first met,” Anise calmly clarified.

Their food finally arrived.

Skewering a sausage on a large fork, Anise chuckled, “I can say with certainty, we were definitely the best. However, Hamel, when you first met us, you weren’t all that great. Even now, my memories of that day are clear. Sienna, Molon, and I couldn’t understand why Sir Vermouth wanted to accept you as one of his comrades.”

“Do you think I understood that?” Eugene grumbled as he sliced his meat.

Eugene was also familiar with this story. In that port, three hundred years ago, Vermouth had single-handedly tried to recruit Hamel without the understanding or consent of the other party members. In the end, the other members acknowledged Hamel’s potential through his challenge to Vermouth and accepted him. But the Hamel they first met definitely didn’t fit the image of a “Hero’s Companion.”

“In the end, Sir Vermouth was right,” Anise sighed.

It had been a long time since she’d last had a drink, and more importantly, Kristina’s body had never consumed alcohol, so it quickly became intoxicated. Anise enjoyed this languid state of drunkenness. If she wanted to, she could easily shake it off, but she didn’t bother. She slightly tilted her flushed face, staring at Eugene.

Anise hesitated, “We were… perfect together. It was because there were all five of us that the party was perfect. So the absence of one of us proved fatal.”

“Are you also trying to reprimand me for dying first?” Eugene complained.

“I guess that means Sienna already reprimanded you?”

“She’s too weak-minded. She couldn’t even muster a reprimand. Instead, after talking about something like that, she just started crying and begging for my forgiveness.”

“Aha… I think I know what you mean,” Anise nodded. “Sienna couldn’t bear to say such a thing, but she still said it and then burst into tears. Ah… Hamel, do you remember the dream I showed you? What did you think?”

“What do you mean?” Eugene demanded.

“Didn’t it make you sad? Did you feel heartache or longing?” Anise asked with a mischievous smile.

This smile made Anise look cunning, which was why Eugene and Sienna called her a “snake” behind her back in his previous life.

“Wouldn’t you?” Eugene admitted reluctantly.

“It still feels a little unfair,” Anise pouted. “At that time, Sienna, Molon, I, and even Sir Vermouth were shedding tears, but I’ve never seen you cry.”

“It’s better if you don’t see it. My crying face is really ugly.”

“Ahaha! Is it even possible for you to make an ugly expression with your current face?”

“Why can’t it be done?” Eugene grumbled, reaching for his beer mug.

At that moment, Anise leaped up from her seat. She leaned forward as if collapsing over the table, then her hands grabbed Eugene’s cheeks. Anise’s face drew closer.

“…Fufu,” Anise chuckled to herself.

Their lips didn’t touch. With only a slight distance between them, Anise stared at Eugene with a smile on her flushed face.

“I really have to hold myself back,” Anise whispered.

Her hands pressed down on Eugene’s cheeks. Eugene’s face transformed into that of a goldfish as his lips were foolishly pushed forward into a pucker. Anise chuckled at this appearance before releasing Eugene’s face.

“If I act on my urges again, Sienna might really go crazy and try to get rid of me. It would be fine if I intended to stay here, but once I finally ascend… won’t that leave poor Kristina to be harassed by Sienna?” Anise reluctantly murmured.

“…Really now,” Eugene coughed.

“Stupid Hamel, what are you going to do now?” Anise asked challengingly. “Now that I’ve made it so assertively clear that even a fool like you should understand, and Sienna must also have conveyed her feelings to you, even if she wasn’t as straightforward as I was.”

“She definitely didn’t do what you did. In fact, she didn’t even try to say something directly. Sienna is really the same as she was three hundred years ago,” Eugene sighed, pulling his beer mug over. “Truthfully speaking, I’m flustered and… um… surprised. I never really thought of you two that way—”

“Are you a eunuch?”

“Cough!”

Eugene spat out the beer that had just flowed down his throat. Anise quickly pulled herself back to avoid the spray.

Eugene yelped, “H-hey! How could you say something like that…! No, wasn’t it only natural? Where did you find the time to think about such things three hundred years ago…?”

“Who wouldn’t think about such things when there was an opportunity to relax? Sienna and I only started thinking about what happened between us after the war ended. Unfortunately, the war ended in such a way, and you had already died,” Anise said with a wry smile, drinking more beer. “Well… at the time, I had no intention of revealing my feelings for you throughout the rest of my life. I was disillusioned with many things, and I knew that my existence wasn’t one that could afford to pursue such happiness. However, since I’ve already died like that, I just want to know if it’s alright for me to pursue it now.”

“Ahem,” Eugene cleared his throat instead of answering.

“I already know. You’ve never held such feelings for me, right? Hamel, your feelings for me were those of friendship towards a fellow comrade and… sympathy. Isn’t that right?” Anise asked resolutely.

“Mhm,” Eugene didn’t avoid answering this time. “I felt sorry for you. You never once let out a scream of pain, even though your back was drenched in blood. You drank alcohol every day to endure the agony, and you still stubbornly tried to save those bastards who just wanted to die without taking care of your own body, so I did feel sorry for you.”

“I really liked the way you cared for me,” Anise said, resting her chin in her hand and staring at Eugene. “I liked the way you treated me like a fragile piece of glass. Hamel, you’re usually incredibly rough and violent, but I