Just as Alren was about to ask Cael what a keep even was, and what kind of blessing he was talking about–a sharp knock sounded at the door.
Both Alren and Cael turned toward it at the same time.
As Alren turned back to face Cael, he saw that his face was completely drained of color.
For a brief moment, he looked as though he wanted to hide Alren somewhere–anywhere, but the room was too small, and it was already too late.
"Oh no." Cael murmured. "It must be Elder Ariana. She's here for you."
Alren frowned. "And who is this Elder Ariana now?"
Cael didn't answer.
Instead, he stood up from the bed and walked toward the door. After a brief pause, he reached out and opened it.
The silence that followed felt heavier than before.
As the door opened, the Elder Ariana in question was nothing like what Alren had envisioned.
Because Cael had called her an elder, he had expected an old woman with wrinkles. Instead, standing in the doorway was a young woman who appeared to be in her early twenties. She had the classic black hair along with snow-white skin.
She was strikingly beautiful, beautiful enough that, in his previous world, she could have easily passed for a model.
She wore a simple habit similar to the nuns Alren remembered from his own world, but the colors were entirely different. Instead of black and white, the fabric was a soft silver, embroidered with crescent moon engravings in deep maroon.
Alren blinked.
Elder, apparently, meant something very different in this world.
Ariana's gaze settled on Alren, her eyes filled with sorrow.
For a moment, she simply looked at him–long enough that he almost thought she might say something nice.
Then she spoke.
"The High Priest has decided," she said softly, "that all wards who took part in the previous rite are to be banished. As such, you are to gather your belongings and leave the church immediately."
The words landed like a final judgment.
Cael stepped forward instinctively.
"But Elder Ariana!" he protested. "It wasn't Brother Alren's fault. I mean, how could he–"
"Cael." Ariana cut in sharply.
Her tone wasn't loud, but it was final as if there was no room to negotiate.
"The High Priest has already spoken," she continued. "Unless you wish to be banished as well, keep your objections to yourself."
She paused, her voice lowering just a fraction.
"You may think what you wish. That's fine. But do not say such things to others."
Silence followed.
And in that moment, Alren understood something very clearly.
Whatever had gone wrong during that rite…
He was paying the price for it.
Alren was about to speak and perhaps try to fight for his case, but before he could, Cael blurted out,
"B-but, Elder Ariana–Brother Alren, he has lost his memories."
That finally caught her attention.
Ariana frowned slightly and looked at Alren, confusion flickering across her face.
"Lost… his memories?"
Alren immediately straightened, doing his best to look as innocent and harmless as possible. He had seen his own face in the mirror earlier–and honestly, it was lethal. Maybe–just maybe–he could charm his way into some mercy.
But Ariana had already turned back to Cael.
"What do you mean?" she asked calmly.
'Ouch.' Alren thought.
'Rejected even with this face? This world sure is cruel.'
Cael, meanwhile, looked like he was fighting with everything he had to save him.
"Yes," he said, speaking very quickly. "Since he woke up, he doesn't remember anything. He doesn't even remember me–or that this is a church. I'm sure the Goddess wouldn't want us to banish him in such a condition."
His voice trembled, but he pushed on.
"How could she? Isn't the Lady the most forgiving? Even if Alren did something wrong, he'll make it right. He'll correct his mistakes and serve the Lady with everything he has... isn't that right, Alren?"
Alren froze for half a second.
Then, realizing that both Ariana and Cael were looking at him, he nodded.
Inwardly, though, a different thought surfaced.
'Man… it would've been really nice to have a friend like this in my previous life.'
Ariana stepped closer.
Instinctively, Alren took a step back–less out of fear and more out of sheer embarrassment. He'd never had a woman this beautiful stand so close to him before. Unfortunately, she seemed to misunderstand his reaction.
"Oh–don't be afraid of me, Alren," she said gently. "Have you really forgotten me?"
She studied his face, searching for recognition.
"It's me. Ariana. I was the one who brought you into the church...I am...not a bad person."
'Ahem...it's not that lady. You are just too beautiful for me.'
Alren opened his mouth to respond–
And then a scream tore through the air outside.
"Aaaaargh!"
At the sound of the scream, Ariana moved instantly.
She threw the door open and looked out into the corridor—and froze.
A man in his thirties was running through the corridor, blood trailing behind him. One of his hands was gone entirely, torn away, leaving a gruesome, bloody mess in its place.
With his remaining hand, he was dragging a woman along–her clothes soaked in blood, her body limp and unmoving.
As his eyes fell on the blood-soaked woman in man's grasp, Alren's stomach lurched.
He almost wanted to throw up. He had immediately realized that the lady was dead.
Ariana and Cael both gasped at the same time.
"Brother Alaric!"
"What happened, Brother Alaric?!"
Despite his obvious pain and panic, the man still straightened slightly when he saw Ariana, as if her presence alone demanded respect.
"E-Elder Ariana!" he panted. "I-it's the Pale… it's broken in. It's coming through the keep."
His voice shook violently.
"I–I don't think we have much time. The remnants… they're already inside. Charlotte and I–we were outside the church, near the market, gathering ingredients when they attacked. I–I tried to save her....I swear to the lady...B-but–We should go to the–"
Cael, pale and shaken, forced himself to ask,
"Are you sure? M-maybe you saw something wrong?"
Alaric's head snapped toward him.
"Wrong?" he barked, lifting his ruined arm. Blood dripped steadily from the spot where once his hand was. "I've lost a hand."
His voice cracked as his gaze turned to the unconscious woman he was holding.
"And Charlotte" He said in a dangerous tone. "Oh, fuck… what do you think happened?"
Ariana's face completely got drained of color listening to him.
"What...? But how?" she whispered. "Even though the rite failed last time, we performed it again–and it worked. It should have worked..."
Her arms went around her chest as she started shivering from fright.
"S-so what went wrong...?"
As Alren observed the scene, he started to feel unease too.
He had no idea what the Pale or the remnants were–but listening to the the talks, he knew instinctively that neither meant good news.
'Oh God… why do you hate me this much?' he thought miserably.
'Couldn't I have gotten the usual isekai adventure? You know–overpowered abilities, a peaceful start… maybe even a harem?'
Instead, he was standing in a blood-soaked corridor, surrounded by cult-like members, and something terrifying that had already breached the so-called keep.
This world hadn't even given him time to breathe.
And it was already trying to kill him.