Church.
"Charles, what exactly did you do?"
A figure in the same red-and-white armor strode quickly up to Charles and roared, "Why did you bring those outsiders to the church? You nearly woke the Saintess! Didn't we agree that we had to wait for her to awaken on her own?"
Judging from the patterns on the armor, this was also a Knight Commander of the Holy Judgment Knights, on the same rank as Charles.
Charles's expression darkened. He slapped away the Knight Commander's accusing arm and said coldly, "You have no idea how strong they are, Tyler. Did you think that if I didn't bring them here, they wouldn't come?
I could tell they were a pack of desperate criminals. Especially that man smoking—if I had refused them, they would have slaughtered the entire order of knights! Idiot!"
Knight Commander Tyler froze briefly, then sneered. "You've really grown more cowardly with age, Charles. Just a few youngsters in their early twenties, and you obediently invited them into the church? Where's your courage as a knight?
The Knight Commander Charles who once dared to challenge a divine beast alone—had he really become this pathetic?"
Charles shook his head. "I merely did what benefited the order most."
"Benefited it? You mean nearly interrupting the Saintess's slumber?"
"We didn't interrupt the Saintess." Charles paused. "We were already about to leave... the Saintess suddenly released her power. I don't know what she was thinking."
"Hmph." Tyler snorted. "Where are they?"
"In the room beside the Echo Corridor."
Tyler turned and headed toward the other side of the church.
"One of them was accidentally injured by the Saintess and fell unconscious. The others aren't in a very stable mood. Don't do anything stupid, Tyler," Charles warned with a frown.
Tyler did not answer. He merely