By nightfall, not all the Vestal Virgins had gone to rest. Two stayed behind to continue guarding the Eternal Flame.
Two figures in black had been quietly watching the temple of Vesta, but nothing unusual happened. Even Astra had settled down, sitting beside the Eternal Flame and silently watching the fire burn.
"Strange. Looks like nothing is going to happen tonight," Avaritia said. "Let's go. We have plenty of time—that child will fall into my hands sooner or later."
"Yes, my lord."
Once Roland was certain the two figures in black had left, he hurried into the temple of Vesta.
"You're—" A Vestal Virgin was about to cry out when Astra produced an apple from somewhere and stuffed it straight into her mouth, muffling her voice. Then she knocked the girl unconscious.
"—That was efficient." Roland withdrew his outstretched hand.
"Godfather, what brings you here?" Astra asked.
"Garfield told me you were here," Roland said. "Good thing I came, or I'd never have known you were doing something so dangerous."
"Hehe, it's not really that dangerous." Astra blinked. "The Vestal Virgins here are all innocent little girls. It's easy enough to sweet-talk them into going back—"
"Your ideas are getting more and more ridiculous." Roland looked exasperated. "Someone has his eye on you."
"Huh?" Astra froze. "What do you mean?"
"A fellow called Avaritia. He seems to know quite a lot about Christianity." Roland told Astra what he had just overheard.
"So it was him..." Astra thought for a moment. "He's a high-ranking figure in Judaism. I thought he'd be on our side."
"—Looks like I need to give you a lesson on the relationship between Judaism and Christianity in Roman times," Roland said. "In the early days of the Roman Empire, Christianity was indeed considered a branch of Judaism,