Before it got too late, Ian took Summer back to the mansion.
“Summer. Please understand that I’m trying to save you.”
“...I understand now.”
In the deepening darkness of the night, only the scattered lights faintly illuminated the surroundings.
Summer quietly gazed at Ian’s face, standing in the shadows.
No words came to mind. She felt her clumsy words wouldn’t be able to comfort him.
Surely, Summer would betray Ian. She had to go back. She would leave him with yet another wound.
“...Your Grace.”
“I will somehow give you a reason to want to live. Live, Summer.”
Ian, with trembling fingertips as if handling glass, caught a leaf that had fallen onto Summer’s head and tucked it behind her ear.
Summer gently touched the leaf that was now resting against her ear, then left it there.
“Please go in, Your Grace.”
Ian got into the carriage first and left. Summer waited for a long time until the carriage he was in was out of sight.
As soon as he disappeared, Summer dashed into the mansion to find the coachman.
“I’m sorry! I need to go somewhere urgently. Can I ask for your help?”
“Of course, Miss.”
The coachman quickly finished preparing and stood in front of the main gate with the carriage. Summer burst through the door and climbed into the carriage, shouting.
“Take me to the Daesinjeon!”
* * *
In a hurry, Summer reached the Daesinjeon and opened the door before the carriage had completely stopped, stepping out briskly.
“You don’t have to wait!”
Summer shouted as she turned around sharply. The coachman shook his head with a kind expression.
“I have nothing to do anyway, so I’ll wait. Please take your time, Miss.”
“I’ll be out quickly!”
Summer gave a light bow and hurried inside the Daesinjeon. The fact that someone was waiting for her didn’t feel so bad.
Once inside the Daesinjeon, Summer took a deep breath.
It was too vast. It was impossible to find the Pope with just a couple of steps.
She cautiously approached a passing priest to ask for directions. The priest was smiling gently, as if he had been painted.
“I would like to see His Majesty.”
“His Majesty is not someone you can see easily.”
He spoke coldly with a kind face. Still, Summer didn’t back down and raised her index finger.
“Just once. Please tell him that Summer Lindsey is looking for him, just once.”
“I will mention it once.”
A moment later, the priest hurriedly ran back to Summer and bowed politely.
“I’m sorry for not recognizing you. I will take you in right away.”
Even though she thought the priest was being overly deferential, Summer followed him.
After walking for a while, familiar scenery came into view.
“Summer. I’ve been waiting.”
“It’s been a while, Your Majesty.”
At the end of the corridor, the Pope, dressed in a white priest’s robe, had hair that was indeed a delicate lavender color.
Aware of the priest’s presence, Summer greeted him politely.
Once the priest finished his guidance and left, the Pope lazily unbuttoned a couple of buttons on his robe, which he had fastened up to his neck, and gazed at Summer.
“It seems you have a request.”
“That's right.”
“Summer’s requests are always welcome.”
The Pope extended his hand with a kind smile, as if inviting her to take it. But Summer merely stared at his hand.
A smooth hand without a single scar. It was a hand that revealed how desperately he had struggled to become perfect.
“Your Majesty, can you let me back into the prayer room?”
“Of course, that’s possible.”
“Then,”
Summer’s eyes sparkled as she lifted her head. But the moment she looked into the Pope’s eyes, a sense of foreboding crossed her mind.
“However, it might be a bit difficult without a trade.”
“W-without a trade? Your Majesty, are you suggesting we negotiate?”
Her ominous feeling turned out to be true. The Pope brazenly proposed a deal, having previously whispered that he would grant any request.
“Yes. I intend to negotiate.”
“What do you want from me? Do you need something from Your Majesty?”
“Of course.”
The Pope glanced around and then extended an arm to cover Summer as he opened his door.
Following the Pope’s guiding hand, Summer entered the room and heard the door close behind her.
Before long, she could hear the murmurs of passing priests outside.
“It seems you dislike being misunderstood.”
“Uh, Your Majesty’s hair...”
“I’ve returned it to its original state. I can’t always maintain it.”
Damian nervously swept his black hair back.
“Your Majesty. It’s urgent.”
“What is it?”
“The world is trying to prevent my death.”
In stark contrast to Summer’s grave demeanor, Damian’s expression was indifferent.
“...Well, that makes sense. That’s why I’m suggesting a deal.”
“Did you know?”
“If you allow me into the prayer room today, please tell me what you intended to see.”
“...”
Summer fell silent. Damian scoffed as if he had expected this.
“Since when has Summer been so selfless?”
“How on earth,”
“It must be quite urgent now. Is it okay to be so relaxed?”
“What exactly do you know? Why are you being so cryptic and not giving me any answers?”
“The answer, you must find for yourself. So I will propose this: you must tell me what you see this time. How does that sound?”
“I’ll do that.”
Summer’s response was more agreeable than Damian had expected, and he widened his eyes in surprise before bursting into laughter.
“Oh, Summer. Don’t get too attached.”
“Have you still not eaten? I’m disappointed. Please guide me quickly.”
Summer replied nonchalantly as she grasped the doorknob in response to Damian’s reaction.
“Just a moment.”
Damian’s black hair gradually lightened and turned lavender. His blood-red eyes also changed to purple.
Once again, Damian, now back in the form of the Pope, guided Summer to the prayer room. The prayer room remained unchanged.
Slightly cool, empty.
Summer headed straight for the fountain filled with holy water.
“If it’s too late again, please pull me out.”
“I will. Then.”
“Wait...!”
Once again, the Pope pushed Summer lightly and smiled brightly.
Summer reached out to the Pope as her body suddenly swayed, but she sank into the cold holy water.
Again. Just as she thought she was sinking into darkness, her vision cleared.
* * *
The Pope stood quietly in front of the fountain, waiting for Summer to resurface.
One minute, two minutes. As five minutes passed, the Pope’s arms crossed impatiently.
“...She’s late again.”
Just as the determined Pope approached to retrieve Summer, who had sunk beneath the fountain, he heard a splash.
“Phew! Cough, ugh!”
“Summer.”
The Pope quickly embraced the staggering Summer and brushed her blonde hair away from her cheek.
“Did you see?”
“...”
The Pope, suppressing his heightened emotions, asked calmly. But Summer could only cough repeatedly, shaking off the water that obscured her vision.
Finally, the Pope gripped Summer’s shoulders tightly and urgently questioned her.
“How is she? Did she return safely?”
“Cough, cough...”
“Was the person you saw originally Selena? You came to see Selena, didn’t you?”
The Pope was right. Summer had originally come to the Daesinjeon to see Selena.
She couldn’t be sure if she could only see her original world or if she could see the appearances of other possessed individuals, but she couldn’t bear not coming here.
Ian, speaking of Selena, had shrunk back to the young age when he had to let her go in an instant.
Summer faced his wound for the first time.
This was why she didn’t want to know his wounds. Compassion would inevitably follow, and compassion moves people.
What was it that he wanted to return to? The moment she heard his murmuring voice, she resolved to find this place.
And as Summer had anticipated, she saw Selena. She had returned to her original world.
“Summer, please... say something.”
“I saw her again this time.”
“What did you see? Was it Selena? Or was it someone unfamiliar? Summer, please say something.”
“W-well...”
“Did it go well? That’s all I need to confirm.”
Summer swallowed hard. Her voice felt choked, as if she couldn’t get it out.
“It went well. The person named Selena returned to the world she originally lived in.”
“Ah... that’s enough. That’s sufficient.”
“...”
Summer stared blankly at the Pope, who was patting his shoulders and smiling broadly.
“Thank you, Summer. I have been looking for another outsider who could see her.”
“...”
“When one dies in this world, it seems they can return to their original world. Selena was right.”
“...”
“I’m so glad, really, so glad. I can’t express how much...”
The Pope smiled widely, tears of joy streaming down his face.
Perhaps overwhelmed by feelings of joy and relief, he slid down to the ground while still holding Summer.
His breath brushed against Summer’s thigh. It was a sigh of relief.
“Summer. Do you still want to go back?”
“...I...”
“If you want to go back, I will help you. If this end is not death, I will help you with anything, Summer.”
“...”
“...Summer?”
“Ah, I just didn’t think there would be another outsider besides me... so I was a bit taken aback.”
“Oh, that’s understandable. Come on out.”
The Pope quickly took off his outer priestly robe and draped it over Summer’s shoulders. He was already soaked, making it meaningless.
“It’s okay. Once my clothes dry, I’ll go back right away.”
Summer returned the robe the Pope had draped over her.
“Would you like to rest a bit in my room?”
Summer quietly observed the Pope, who seemed eager to help her in any way.
Seeing him act so emotionally, who had always been so cryptic, it seemed that Selena was someone very precious to him.
Why was she someone precious to both Ian and Damian? Why did she ultimately leave, leaving behind wounds?
“Am I... different from her?”
Summer’s murmuring dispersed.
She didn’t know.
Summer closed her eyes gently. Tears formed at the tips of her long eyelashes and fell.
Right now, she was filled only with the thought of wanting to rest.
She was very, very tired.