Those from the Past Are Gone

Just as Gawain had guessed, this "Lantern Saintess" before him—the spirit lady who had protected the entire expedition team seven hundred years ago—possessed far more information than the ordinary members of that team had.

Gawain frowned and asked seriously, "What exactly did he tell you?"

He was not worried that she would refuse to answer—since Selina had taken the initiative to bring up these matters, it meant they were things she could speak of, perhaps even things that had long been intended for him, this "Outworld Wanderer," to hear.

Sure enough, Selina quickly nodded. "He told me that atop a tower forever shrouded in starlight, he came into contact with an ancient inheritance of knowledge and learned the weaknesses and truth of the gods.

"He could not speak that knowledge directly in the mortal world, because doing so would cause the gods to notice immediately.

"He said he would die in his prime, his soul taken as part of the bargain, but that he would awaken again. At that time, a powerful being would descend upon this world through his body.

"That was everything he told me."

"No wonder..." Gawain finally understood and let out a soft sigh. "No wonder you knew the details of that 'bargain' and knew I would appear, even though you never followed Gawain Cecil into the depths of the continent to find that giant tower."

Then he could not help looking at Selina in confusion. "Since you already knew I would descend into this world by occupying this body, and already knew my true 'identity,' why did you choose to remain silent until now? You neither told your compatriots nor came to contact me..."

"I did not trust you," Selina said bluntly. "Or rather, I was filled with suspicion and wariness toward an existence from