The candles kept burning.
Kallen braced his arms against the back of the chair, his head tilted back;
From time to time, the vapor that had risen earlier condensed into droplets overhead and dripped onto his face.
The Golden Retriever lay sprawled on all fours, his chin against the cushion, tongue hanging out, belly rising and falling as he panted heavily.
After recounting what had just happened, Puer silently began grooming her tail again.
The man, cat, and dog fell into another long silence.
Finally,
Kallen drew a deep breath and sat up straight.
In fact, after completing his purification, he had noticed no changes in his eyesight, hearing, or the like, but the way he perceived the world had indeed changed.
It was as though a filter had been added, allowing him to sense "colors" that had not existed before. Of course, that filter was not in his eyes, but in his heart.
The world was still the same world, and he was still himself. The difference was that their contact had once been cold and direct, whereas now, a kind of atmospheric resonance had begun to emerge.
This feeling should also have concrete applications, such as the basic spells of the Order God Church, or the notes Mr. Hoffen had given him.
For now, however, Kallen had no inclination to think about those things.
"So, earlier... did things really almost get out of hand?"
Puer blinked and answered quite honestly, "Not almost. They really did get out of hand, because things had already gone beyond my control. Fortunately, we got through the scare unscathed."
"What should I say at a time like this?" Kallen asked. "Thank the God of Order for his protection, or the God of Light?"
Puer swished her tail, confirmed that it had returned to