(This chapter takes place in Chapter 1313. Shade was beside the First Fire when he learned about the Black Night Spirit Temple from Sister Devlin, and the two planned to return to Miburg together.)
Walking out through the doorless entrance of the ancient Sacrificial Ground, Shade stood on the steps almost fused with the ground beneath snow and rubble and gazed out at the mountains. He felt an indescribable sense of exhilaration.
Standing here, he could almost touch the sky. The weather was exceptionally fine, and when he turned to look at Sister Devlin following close behind, the nun who had emerged from the dark Sacrificial Ground possessed an otherworldly air that suited these ancient ruins perfectly.
Perhaps you simply thought she was beautiful.
"She" said with a smile, but Shade pretended not to hear.
Shade had originally planned to return to Miburg immediately. It was almost lunchtime, and Grace and Helen had arranged to have lunch with him. But the nun stopped Shade, her somewhat detached voice saying:
"May I take up some of your time?"
"Oh, of course. What is it?"
Sister Devlin had helped him so many times; naturally, he was more than happy to help her as well.
"It will not take long. I merely hope you can accompany me somewhere."
"In Miburg?"
"No, here."
The nun came to Shade's side, her silver eye patch glimmering in the winter sunlight. The mountaintop was colder in winter than in the city, even colder than the outskirts of Randall River Valley, yet her attire had not changed much:
"Please follow me."
The ancient ruins containing the Sacrificial Ground covered a vast area. The Sacrificial Ground itself was probably at the very top of the mountain-backed ruins, occupying only a small portion of their total area.
Sister Devlin led