"There you are, Rhea! I've been looking all over for you. I have something we need to talk about."

"What a coincidence, so do I."

In a stable, the crimson Saint lovingly patted a horse. Its head leaned back as it whinnied and lovingly ate up the treat from her hand. Her glistening armor always looked so picturesque to Ryuji, like he was staring at a live image from a fantasy novel. She turned to face him and walked forward. Her usually cheerful and kind face had a dark overcast that put him on edge.

"You can go first. It looks like yours is more important anyway."

She nodded, scrutinizing him as she did. "Can you please leave us for a moment, Dot? I would rather talk with Ryuji alone."

Ryuji had almost forgotten the girl still clinging to him like she was a backpack or some other form of travel ware. In response, she just gripped tighter.

"D-E-NIED. I'm staying here, so just act like I don't exist. I'm only a figment of your imagination and all that jazz."

"Uh-huh? Well, in that case, I have a few questions for you, Ryuji. I would like you to answer them carefully and truthfully. Failure to do so will not be tolerated, understand?"

"Um, yeah, I understand."

He felt his voice crack, but he was too focused on the glare he was being given. It was as if he was about to be interrogated; all that was missing would be dark, cramped walls.

"What do you know about this?"

From her travel pack, she procured a great black-bound book. It had no design on the cover but the sheer amount of pages and its size, in general, made it seem like something remarkable. And from its pages, it radiated something akin to malice. It was the same book he had found lying amongst the destruction.

"It's a book, and beyond that, I have no clue."

Her knife-sharp glare cut through him enough to make him shiver. Ryuji had no idea that Rhea could be so scary. He was beginning to wonder how terrifying the book must be.

"Is that so? Then where did you find this, and more importantly, why didn't you inform me of it?"

He could see the anger in her eyes and the pain in her voice. He held off telling her of the book because he had known her reaction would be like this. Yet it had still ended up like this. A genuine sigh escaped his lips as his heartbeat went into overdrive.

"I found it in a pile of rubble the night we celebrated." The way she continued to look at him made his skin crawl. He felt like some small child who was again getting scolded by his parents. "I-I didn't tell you because I was afraid of what you would do..."

"If you didn't know what it was, then why would you be afraid of telling me?"

"W-Well, it's uh you know well uh... I know that it belonged to pride."

"And how do you know that!?"

Her eyes looked at him even harsher than before. Ryuji felt as if he would suffocate under her gaze. All the rational excuses he could make were fading from his mind. He sensed that at this rate, he might let something slip that he shouldn't.

"I saw her carrying it before... in my dream."

"Your dream? The one Ishtar gave you?"

"Yes! Remember? She showed me what they all looked like. In there, I saw Hybris clinging to that book, so when I saw it just lying there, I picked it up subconsciously, and then I just didn't know when to tell you! Then we got separated, then I forgot about it then..."

Warm tears filled his vision. What would he do if she abandoned him? Where would he go? Without her, could he discover a purpose? Just when he was starting to find the world fun, albeit a bit dangerous, would he really be ousted? He tried to think of a way out, but in the end, he could only do what he always did, grovel and beg.

"Please just believe me, please?..."

"Lift your head, Ryuji Koyanagi."

A gloved hand touched his cheek and gently raised his head from the stables ground. Bits of hay and other undesirables were swept off as she wiped his tears away. Her glare was gone, replaced by a warmth he wished would never leave.

"I believe you."

He felt them coming, but he couldn't stop it; all he could do was hold his hands over his face as new streams pattered onto the floor.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

"Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah, thanks for staying with me."

Ryuji broke his silence for the first time in an hour. Waves of red hot embarrassment threatened to overtake him every time he thought of it. To bawl like a baby in front of someone he was desperate to impress was a terrible fate indeed.

"I mean, seriously, is one of your side jobs being an inquisitor? I felt like I was on the verge of having a mental breakdown."

"I'm really sorry! But this book is dangerous. I had to make sure that you had absolutely no connections to it whatsoever!"

"Is the book really that bad?"

He seemed to remember that Pride cared for it immensely and always had it in hand. There was also some kind of off feeling he got whenever he looked at it like he was peering into something that would be better off left alone. But despite all this, when Ryuji had opened the book, all he had found were blank pages. To say it was anti-climatic would be an understatement.

"Listen well, this book gives procedures to whoever reads it. The people who carry them believe the tasks given will bring the world closer to its ruin."

"Like the end of the world?"

"Yes, whether they actually do or not is irrelevant. The actions they perform in order to accomplish their tasks put a great number of people in danger. Whenever we finally catch someone with a book, there's always a pile of bodies."

"Do you know who made them?" Ryuji asked the next question naturally. He was intrigued by whoever gave Hybris that book. A woman like that wouldn't just submit to taking someone's help unless that someone was far stronger than her.

Rhea's face revealed almost nothing, but Ryuji was careful to observe a slight twitch in her face before she answered. "We have no clue, or at the very least, I was never told."

"Uh-huh."

"Sounds like a load of bull to me."

Ryuji was about to drop it and go into the next subject when the girl attached to him a backpack spoke up. Rhea's response was a pretty typical one.

"W-What do you mean!?"

He felt conflicted. On the one hand, he wanted to know, but on the other, it made him feel horrible to see Rhea so distraught. It occurred to him that the information must be confidential, considering she wouldn't lie to her new friends. Ryuji knew that if she was anything like him, she wouldn't willingly upset someone.

"Just drop it, Dot. And weren't you supposed to not exist right now!? Cause you're talking quite an awful lot for someone that's not here!"

"Thank you for understanding, Ryuji."

Ryuji attempted to distract himself from the twelve million-volt smile by staring at a pile of horse shit on the floor. Even with doing so, he couldn't keep his voice calm. "Y-Yeah, anyway, I've got something to ask you."

//////////////////////////////////////////////

A snowflake's light kiss dotted Ryuji's hair white as he and his carry-on walked on. Next to them, a fidgety crimson-haired woman nervously trotted along. If someone watching had no clue who she was, they might believe her to be no better than cannon fodder.

"This snowscape is really starting to grow on me."

"Is it? I'm getting tired of it. I wish we could get to a new place fast. Playing the same level on repeat is boring!"

Rhea's mouth opened and closed more times than Ryuji could count. He had been there before and very much was still there right now. Talking to someone had never been an easy task for him.

"What do you think, Rhea?"

"Me? Well, I have no clue what Dot means, but I, for one, think every place is beautiful in its own way. Even a wasteland devoid of life can be elegant in its loneliness."

Seeing her smile, in turn, made him bring out his. "That's a pretty nice way to think about it. You're amazing, you know that?"

A jab to his gut caused him to walk sideways for a second. "Smooth Ryu smooth!"

"Shut it!"

Their strained whispers got netted them a strange look from Rhea as they continued down the path towards the chief's house. Ryuji used the time to take in his surroundings, and he had a thought form in his head as he looked on at the people. Their lives were definitely harsh, much harsher than the people of Dengal. There was very little food, and the environment was desolate. Yet the people were all smiling. The men carrying hay to the stables. The women cooking for their families. The children helping with the chores.

"Everyone here is so kind. It's nothing like Dengal."

Rhea nodded in approval. "That's to be expected. Hardship brings people closer together. In villages like this, those that aren't team players are quickly kicked out. It sounds harsh, but in order to ensure their lives, it's the only way they know, and the result of such actions is a peaceful and kind place such as this village."

"I guess everything has an upside, huh? The woman who was letting me sleep in her bed even gave me some food before I left."

"She did? I'll have to compensate her more handsomely for taking care of you so splendidly!"

Dot's hands twitched as she continued to latch on to Ryuji. With her aggravation apparent, Ryuji lightly gripped her arm as if he was asking a question.

"I feel an annoying presence coming in at Mach speed."

"Annoying?"

A white robe fluttered in the light snow. Adornments of gold let any passerby know just how expensive the cloth must be. And even if it didn't, the air of arrogance around him would surely tip them off.

"Hello, Sword Saint and lowly adventurers! I see you've made a full recovery in no small part to my efforts, might I add."

Ryuji did his best not to instinctively cringe. He didn't have enough energy or care to put on his usual act. "Oh hey, Abate, what were you out and about doing?"

"Hmm? Isn't it obvious what a devout priest would be doing in a small settlement such as this? I was merely spreading the word of our gospel and creating devotion!"

Rhea leaned on her right foot while cocking her head. "How exactly do you go about creating devotion?"

Abates smug smile was shining brilliantly as he stroked his chin. "Simple, I asked everyone how much faith they had in our church and gave any that voiced their disapproval lump sums."

Ryuji was in awe of what he had just heard. Even Dot was taken back by the caucasity Elio had displayed. "...So you gave everyone who didn't like you a lot of money?"

"That is both the most gracious and most arrogant thing I have ever heard."

"Thank you for your kind words, but it is only expected of an Abate to be so great!"

"Ryu, I haven't heard him talk too much, but is it safe to assume he's dumber than a middle school dropout?"

All he could do was sigh as the house they were going to came into view. He had a feeling that the trip to Mallan would be a long one.

"Where are you going, you coward!?"

"Why are you actually shooting at me, you crazy bitch!?"

That feeling more than tripled as he saw a cat woman on all fours running away from stray shots.