In a whisper so quiet that the others could not hear, Lusan spoke to the youngest Apeto. The boy's golden eyes widened just a slight.

"It's... okay."

"It's not widely known, but divine power is not only effective for wounds, but also for excessive tension."

"What?"

At that comment, the boy eased his stiff expression a bit, and his lips curved up as if to smile. Lusan did not miss that moment and slightly released his divine power, letting it flow into the boy's body. The bright sunlight pouring down on the plaza in front of the shrine concealed the light emitted by the divine power, preventing anyone from realizing what they were doing.

After a short while, color returned to the boy's pale cheeks. Lusan took his hands away, pretending that he had finished tying the string. It was so natural, even he had to admit it was admirable.

"It's done now."

"...Thank you."

Surprised by the unexpected words of gratitude, Lusan was taken aback.

"I will repay this kindness you've shown me. Thank you so much."

'Huh?'

"Lusan!"

Just then, an older priest yelled towards Lusan, who was still standing at the front even after the other novice priests had retreated. Lusan had to step back hastily, unable to respond to the words he had just heard.

'But... I could swear he didn't move his lips when he spoke those words... Was I mistaken?'

The shrine's front was crowded with people thronging to receive the sacred flame. The sacred flame 'Glin' was the only one in the world imbued with divine power, and just by keeping it in a room, one could somewhat experience its healing effects.

In the past, there were instances when overexcited poor commoners, desperate for this golden opportunity, had spoiled the ceremony, but now such worries were absent thanks to those dispatched to maintain peace.

"Lusan, look over there. Not just the Imperial Troops, people from the Cavalry have come this year. See the black uniforms?"

A fellow priest standing beside Lusan whispered. Indeed, there were a few unfamiliar faces dressed in black uniforms mixed among the Imperial Troops. Lusan, having heard the rumors in the capital, already knew what the Cavalry was.

'Are those people the Awakeners?'

Despite their small number, only five in total, they all looked incredibly daunting and powerful. Their various weapons made them look even more formidable. Those who had come to receive the sacred flame seemed to feel the same way, as their demeanor when climbing the stage to receive the flame was much more subdued and careful than the previous year.

"The senior priest has arrived."

The ceremony's responsible senior priest, Beltrail Shand Apeto, revealed himself later than anyone else. Having put the attendees to work preparing the ceremony, and then sitting down without a word of praise, he closed his eyes with a slightly tired look.

'It's better than someone who doesn't help at all and shows up late just to complain about the preparations, but that attitude isn't good either.'

The priests' expressions hardened in unison, as if angered by his arrogant demeanor. Naturally, Lusan thought of the boy from the Apeto family he had helped earlier. The two were unmistakably from the same lineage, but the aura they gave off was entirely different. Undoubtedly, the boy had traits uncharacteristic of a typical noble.

'How could they be so different? Is it because I have no family?'

Regardless of what everyone was thinking, the ceremony of Sharing of the Sacred Flame proceeded as planned. It was a simple ceremony where all that was required was the handing out of the flowers, without the need for any special powers, memorized prayers, or a sequence of rituals.

However, when about half of the flowers had been distributed, an unexpected incident occurred.

Screeeeech!

"Ah!"

"What, what's happening?"

Suddenly, a piercing sound that could shatter eardrums resonated across the entire square. The shockingly loud noise, its origin unclear, temporarily caused deafness and dizziness. Lusan, instinctively covering his ears, harnessed his divine power to protect himself. The warm light of divine power enveloped his body, helping him regain a portion of his senses and lessen the vertigo.

"..."

The scene reflected in his eyes was pure chaos. The previously peaceful ceremony had vanished within moments. People clutching their ears fell down all over, screaming, but Lusan couldn't hear a thing. The screeching sound was so loud that even the screams from right beside him were inaudible.

'What on earth is happening?'

Lusan looked around in confusion. Some of his fellow priests who were beside him were writhing on the ground with their hands over their ears, while others ran for the sanctuary. The nobles on the stage who had been handing out the flowers were mostly on the ground, crying and screaming inaudibly.

'If only I could find out where this damned noise is coming from!'

No matter how much he looked around, he couldn't find the source of the sound.

'Oh dear God, please......'

As he staggered, someone grabbed his arm, supporting him and preventing him from falling.

"Th, thank......"

Murmuring words that couldn't be heard, Lusan lifted his head and found himself looking at a man dressed in black.

'The Cavalry?'

The man, with his black uniform, black hair, and black gloves, looked as if he had emerged from the darkness of the night, instantly capturing people's attention despite the chaotic situation.

The man frowned as Lusan gaped at him, opened his mouth, and said something, but of course, Lusan couldn't hear anything.

"I can't understand what you're saying!"

"..."

The man opened his mouth again, this time enunciating clearly and slowly so Lusan could read his lips.

'Where is the Elder Priest?'

Ah. Only then did Lusan realize that the one who should take responsibility for this situation was the Elder Priest, and he turned his head. However, the spot where the Elder Priest had been sitting just a moment ago was now empty.

'He was there a moment ago... Don't tell me he fled leaving everyone behind?'

He was taken aback, but he had to respond to the man from the Cavalry. While he was panting heavily, Lusan, pointing towards the now-empty seat with gestures, was gratefully noted by the man from the Cavalry, who seemed to understand his intention. Despite the noise tearing through his ears and giving him a headache, the man maintained a surprising calm.

'How could he be so unaffected? It didn't seem like he was deaf.'

Then, it happened.

A thin voice suddenly intruded into Lusan's mind.

The offering box!

"Eh?"

Lusan unconsciously replied, raising his head. However, his voice was not heard, and the noise was still persistent. He thought he might be hallucinating, but when he saw the man from the Cavalry next to him, he realized it was not an illusion. In the direction he was looking at was a single noble boy who, despite swaying, stood alone on the stage from which everyone had fled.

The boy from the Apeto family looked at Lusan, the man from the Cavalry, and the remaining people while he covered his ears in agony and moved his lips.

At first, I heard a small explosion from the offering box!

If anyone can hear this voice, please go there, quickly

Lusan had never seen 'Awakeners' using their abilities in person in his life. It was a hard sight to come by in the temple where he was born and raised.

However, he knew this voice was indeed the strange ability he had only heard of. It was completely different from the sensation he felt when he saw the magic of mages a few times. It was a very strange feeling that couldn't be described in words.

Others seemed to have the same thought as Lusan. Despite their pain, they looked at the boy on the stage with vacant faces.

And then Lusan came to his senses when he felt the gloved hand holding his arm fall away. The black-haired man from the Cavalry was running towards the purple-clothed offering box, drawing his sword.

'Ah right. He said something about the offering box!'

What could be inside that made him rush toward it without hesitation? Surprised, Lusan ran after him, but the man had reached the offering box with an unbelievably quick speed.

"Wait!"

In the midst of the ear-piercing noise, the man struck the offering box with his sword. Lusan unconsciously closed his eyes and screamed.

"No! Uh Uhh?

...

"Ah

Incredibly, as soon as the offering box was split in two, the noise stopped abruptly. Lusan, who was hearing his own scream, had to awkwardly shut his mouth.

Other people who were covering their ears and crouching also raised their heads in surprise at the sudden absence of the sound. The man from the Cavalry, seemingly oblivious to the attention on him, bent down calmly and began to rummage through the broken offering box.

After a while, he pulled out a red magic stone with traces of gold from the debris. While everyone was watching his movements, barely able to breathe, the sound of someone frantically riding a horse came from not too far away.

...What's happening here?

A man beautiful enough to be deserving of the descriptor 'an incarnation of the Sun God', looked around at the chaos that the plaza had become, his face creased in a frown. Lusan had seen him a few days earlier during the grand worship service. He was none other than Duke Peletta, Kishiar La Orr.