Chapter 12

Why was the person who was supposed to be busy inspecting the temple taking a peaceful nap here?

Noticing Hanna’s presence only after she had approached, Cesar slowly opened his eyes.

Whether it was because he had just woken up or because he naturally had sleepy eyes, he looked incredibly tired.

“Hello.”

Hanna greeted him awkwardly.

Cesar lazily lifted one hand again in greeting.

He’s strangely arrogant…

For a moment, Hanna seriously wondered if becoming a Deputy Head Priest required having a bad attitude.

Still…

Since someone had already claimed her usual resting spot, maybe she should just leave.

As Hanna hesitated, Cesar sat up and spoke.

“Sit.”

His voice startled her.

It was much deeper than she had expected.

If she exaggerated a little, it was as soothing as the song of the earth echoing from deep underground.

…No, that sounded way too embarrassing.

Anyway…

He had a really nice voice.

“Ah… okay.”

For some reason, his words carried an odd weight.

Before she realized it, she had obediently sat down beside him.

Cesar’s lazy gaze briefly swept over her.

It lasted only an instant—so short that she almost missed it.

“Have you worked at the orphanage for a long time?”

“Oh, no. Not really.”

“For someone who’s only been there a short time, the children seem to trust you a lot.”

His voice sounded tired, yet somehow it naturally drew people’s attention.

“When did you see us?”

He looked like someone who couldn’t care less about the world.

When had he even been watching them?

“I’ve been lying here since this morning.”

He looked toward the spot where he had been sleeping.

Hanna followed his gaze.

The grass beneath him had been completely flattened.

He had obviously been lying there for a very long time.

“…I guess you weren’t that busy.”

She politely rephrased what she really wanted to say.

So you’ve just been sleeping here all day?

“I am busy.”

Yeah, right.

“Of course. Even busy people need to rest.”

She immediately agreed.

Even if he looked like the type who dumped all the work on his subordinates and spent the day lazing around, he was still the leader.

There was no reason to upset him.

“The biggest leaks usually come from the places no one bothers to check.”

“Huh?”

As if he could read exactly what she was thinking, Cesar rested his chin on his hand.

He’s much sharper than he looks.

His icy blue eyes turned toward her.

Until now they had been half-closed, so she hadn’t noticed…

But his eyes were as clear as the ocean.

They didn’t match his blunt, lazy manner of speaking at all.

“I thought this temple was completely rotten.”

He looked at Hanna.

“But after seeing you… I’m not so sure anymore.”

“What?”

“I mean that as a compliment.”

Cesar quietly observed her confused expression.

Even before arriving here, he already knew the temple had been embezzling money and bribing previous inspectors to keep them quiet.

Naturally, he had assumed the orphanage was also being exploited for funding.

But contrary to his expectations…

The orphanage was obviously being run with genuine care.

It made him hesitate.

“I heard you grew up in this orphanage.”

“Huh? Ah! Yes.”

Only then did Hanna remember that the original Hanna had indeed been raised here.

“So perhaps this place isn’t completely beyond saving.”

Cesar murmured quietly.

Hanna found herself reevaluating this strange Deputy Head Priest.

Was he simply very observant?

Was he unusually intelligent?

Or was he just making random guesses because he was too lazy to investigate properly?

His silver hair swayed gently in the breeze.

“Deputy Head Priest… you’re a rather… unique person.”

“Don’t bother sugarcoating it.”

He replied calmly.

“Just call me a weirdo.”

His answer struck right at the truth.

Hanna had no choice but to admit…

His instincts were frighteningly sharp.

Maybe he always looked sleepy because he secretly worked all night.

“If there’s anything you’d like to tell me about this temple… you can.”

It was an indirect invitation.

If the temple is doing something wrong, report it.

But everything Hanna knew…

He already knew.

Although…

She hesitated.

Should she tell him that someone was secretly planning to sell the children?

There wasn’t any solid proof.

And if exposing everything caused the temple to collapse…

The children would be separated and sent to different places.

“If this temple fails the Central Temple’s standards… what will happen?”

“It’ll disappear.”

“And the orphanage?”

“Of course.”

“Then the children…”

“They’ll be transferred to other temples.”

Just as she expected.

She needed more time to think.

“If I have anything to report… I’ll tell you.”

The thought of being separated from the children made her heart sink.

Maybe… I should just raise them myself.

Just then, a strong gust of wind blew.

Her hair scattered.

The ribbon holding it together slipped off and flew into the air.

“Ah!”

Thud.

Cesar caught it effortlessly.

Hanna looked at the ribbon in his hand—

Then noticed something unusual.

A tattoo?

The first time they met, he had been wearing white priest’s gloves.

Now his hands were bare.

A crimson marking stretched across the back of his hand.

It continued up his arm beneath the loose sleeve of his robe.

An arrow…?

The moment she saw the arrow-shaped crimson tattoo…

A strange feeling washed over her.

It seemed oddly familiar.

A bow… a priest… Cesar…

Suddenly—

Hanna’s face froze.

Every hair on her body stood on end.

How…

How did I forget that?

Her eyes widened in horror.

She stared blankly as Cesar held out her ribbon.

It slipped gently into her hand.

Slowly…

She looked back at him.

“…The Light of Judgment.”

Cesar.

The man known as The Light of Judgment.

He wasn’t just a villain hunter.

He was the villain among villains.

A priest drenched in the blood of countless criminals.

If he hadn’t been called the Priest Who Judges Evil…

He would have stood at the very top among villains himself.

People always said…

Even if two people were born with the same destiny, one might become a butcher while another became a great general.

Cesar had simply been fortunate enough to receive the blessings of the gods.

Otherwise…

He would have become a monster instead of a priest.

The crimson arrow engraved on his arm was a divine weapon.

Whenever Cesar clenched his fist, a golden bow appeared in his hand.

When the tattoo shone…

An endless rain of arrows poured forth.

Those arrows existed for one purpose.

To slaughter villains.

“My goodness…”

Hanna gasped.

The man standing before her…

Was the greatest enemy of her precious children.

How could she have forgotten his name?

No…

The Cesar she imagined had always been a bloodthirsty demon.

Not…

This lazy, sleepy man who enjoyed warm breezes.

“Is something wrong?”

There was no way this drowsy slacker could be the same terrifying villain hunter.

“…”

This is fraud!

Three future villains…

And the man destined to hunt them all…

Were standing in the same place.

Did Cesar even visit this temple in the original novel?

“The weather’s nice.”

He lazily enjoyed the warm breeze.

How could this carefree man…

Become the ruthless Deputy Head Priest who bathed himself in the blood of villains?

It simply didn’t make any sense.

* * *

“Teacher! Teacher!”

“Hm?”

Still overwhelmed by her discovery, Hanna picked up the laundry basket and returned to the orphanage.

Jeremy came running toward her, completely out of breath.

“What’s wrong? Did something happen?”

“M-Masha…!”

“What about Masha? Don’t tell me she’s hurt!”

Anxiously, Hanna waited for him to continue.

“The… the egg!”

“The egg?”

“Chick! The chick!”

“The egg? The chick?”

Jeremy beat his chest impatiently as Hanna struggled to understand.

“The egg hatched!”

“What?!”

Hanna dropped the laundry basket in shock.

No way.

It had actually hatched?

“Hurry! Hurry!”

Jeremy grabbed her hand and pulled her along.

“The chick!”

Led by Jeremy, Hanna rushed into Masha’s room.

Inside were Masha and Ian.

“…Masha?”

Something tiny was moving in Masha’s hands.

“Teacher!”

Masha greeted her with the brightest smile.

Hanna carefully knelt beside her.

Masha proudly held the tiny creature in front of Hanna’s face.

“…”

Hanna immediately fell into deep thought.

“…Are chicks usually this color?”

Instead of a fluffy yellow chick…

There was a soft gray baby bird.

Maybe chicks in this world were gray?

She looked at the children.

They all shook their heads.

“And… they have horns?”

A small, soft horn stuck out from its forehead.

Again…

The children firmly shook their heads.

“Gyaak!”

“And… do they make sounds like that?”

“Of course not.”

Ian answered calmly.

The creature in Masha’s hands was definitely not a chick.

It wasn’t a duckling.

Or a sparrow.

Honestly…

Hanna wasn’t even sure it was a bird.

Horns?

A bird with horns?

“Teacher! The egg cracked open—crack!—and the chick came out!”

“…C-Congratulations… little chick.”

At the very least…

A new life had been born.

Hanna clapped weakly.

“She thinks I’m her mommy! Look!”

The adorable… mysterious bird rubbed its fluffy body affectionately against Masha’s cheek.

Just as Masha said…

It really looked like it was showing affection.

Isn’t that strange too?

A newborn bird shouldn’t be acting like this.

Shouldn’t it still have trouble opening its eyes?

“…”

The more she looked…

The more suspicious it became.

“How did you take care of it so well that such a beautiful bird hatched?”

“I petted it every day and hugged it tightly!”

Could it be… a magical beast?

Dark mages were known for controlling magical beasts.

Maybe…

Without realizing it, Masha’s hidden magic had awakened it.

No! What am I imagining?!

Hanna quickly shook her head.

“But still…”

No matter how closely she looked…

The bird in Masha’s hands was definitely strange.

“Is its name Kkokko?”

“Yes! We’ve been calling it Kkokko since it was still inside the egg!”

“…I see.”

Hanna couldn’t bring herself to tell Masha…

That isn’t some cute little chick.

“Right… Kkokko…”

The newborn creature looked up at her with its round black eyes.

“What should I do…”

No matter what…

They had to hide Kkokko.

The temple absolutely couldn’t find out about it.

“But… what does little Kkokko eat?”

As if raising three children wasn’t enough…

Now she also had to worry about feeding an unidentified bird.

Please…

Just don’t eat meat.

Please.

She really didn’t want Masha to hate her because she secretly threw the creature away one night.

With the appearance of this mysterious little bird…

Hanna couldn’t stop looking worried for the rest of the day.