Ainz Ooal Gown: Noble Knight.

The rich aroma of black tea quietly permeated the air, creating a strange harmony with the faint sobbing sounds coming from afar.

Rune picked up his teacup and looked out the window. The afternoon light outlined a soft contour on his profile, but a slightly wicked smile played at the corners of his mouth.

"Unlimited magic power, no need to thank me. If you suffer a little when you're young, you won't have to suffer when you grow up."

"It's almost time, Your Majesty the God of Judgment." The High Priest set down his teacup, the porcelain and tray making a soft clatter.

Rune turned his head, met those aged yet profound eyes for a moment, and nodded slightly.

He stood up, straightened his robes, and slowly walked towards the closed door.

The sound leaking from the crack in the door was no longer the sharp one it had been; it had turned into intermittent sobs, like raindrops left on the eaves after a storm.

Rune rubbed his face with his hand, adjusting his expression.

He suddenly pushed the door open.

"Antille—"

The sound stopped abruptly because his gaze had been fixed on the small, curled-up figure in the center of the room.

Alice knelt on the floor, her once meticulously combed blue hair falling loose and obscuring most of her face. Her shoulders trembled slightly, like a young animal trapped by hunters, stubbornly refusing to beg for mercy, yet unable to conceal the fear in her heart.

Rune strode to her in two quick steps, using his body to separate her from the dead.

He spread his arms wide, adopting a protective stance, and looked up at the girl in front of him with a stern gaze.

"Miss Antilin, that's enough." His voice was deep and powerful, each word seemingly squeezed from the depths of his chest. "How could you bully a little girl?"

Zetsuki blinked her innocent heterochromatic eyes, as if asking Rune, "Me?"

Rune maintained his righteous expression, but his eyes twitched slightly as he gave her a wink: cooperate.

Jue Shi Jue Ming tilted his head slightly, a very slight smile playing on his lips, before reverting to his expressionless demeanor.

"Oh," she said, "then I was indeed bullying her."

"...!"

Rune almost choked on his words. Just as he was about to say something more, he heard footsteps behind him.

The High Priest had appeared at the doorway at some point. His gaze swept around the room before finally settling on Zesshi Zesshi, his tone gentle yet carrying a hint of elder's authority: "Antillin, for the sake of the God of Judgment, let's call it a day."

Jue Si Jue Ming looked at Rune, then at the High Priest, remained silent for a moment, and finally gave a soft "hmm".

She turned around, her black and white hair drawing a graceful arc in the air as she walked deeper into the room.

Rune felt something grab his clothes.

He lowered his head.

Alice had raised her head at some point, her eyes red from crying, with undried tears still clinging to her eyelashes. But the arrogance and aloofness from before were gone from her eyes; in their place was a complex mix of emotions: gratitude, dependence, and a hint of tentative, cautious exploration.

She gripped Rune's clothes tightly, like a drowning person clinging to the last piece of driftwood.

Rune's heart skipped a beat.

Those eyes, that expression, overlapped with a figure from his memory, bearing a six or seven-tenths resemblance.

That's enough; there's no need to correct it any further.

After all, I, Rune, am not some kind of demon.

He bent down and gently stroked Alice's head. The hair beneath his palm was soft and disheveled, and he could feel her small body trembling slightly.

"It's alright now." He spoke very softly, as if afraid of disturbing something. "It's all alright now."

Alice's tears welled up again, but she bit her lip tightly, refusing to make a sound.

The High Priestess walked over and extended her hand: "Alice, come with me for treatment."

Alice looked up and glanced at Rune.

There was something familiar in those eyes—like the look in Hill's eyes when Lajus pulled him away in the alley.

Rune nodded to her, feeling a little guilty.

Alice then released her grip on his clothes, stood up, and followed the High Priest out of the room.

The door closed gently.

Rune was the only one left in the room.

------------

Hill sat on a bench in the side hall of the temple of foreigners.

Sunlight streamed through the stained-glass windows, casting dappled shadows on her. Her blue hair was carefully braided into two plaits, which hung quietly over her shoulders. She sat upright, her hands clasped on her knees, as if she were in class.

Hearing footsteps, she immediately looked up.

Those brownish-yellow eyes lit up the moment they saw Rune, as if two small flames had been lit.

"Lord Rune!"

She jumped off the bench and jogged forward, but stopped three steps away from Rune and gave him a proper bow.

This is what Aldred's butler taught her.

Looking at her cautious demeanor, Rune felt a pang of tenderness in his heart.

Hill.

"Yes!" She looked up, her eyes sparkling.

Rune was silent for a moment.

He had prepared a speech, but now he couldn't quite bring himself to say it.

Hill tilted his head, looking at him with some confusion.

"Lord Rune?"

Rune took a deep breath.

"Hill," Rune brought his gaze to her level, "I have something to tell you."

Hill blinked, waiting for him to continue.

"The Kingdom of the Church..." Rune paused, "is a very good place."

Hill nodded.

"It's safe here. There are powerful people protecting you, and many other children like you," Rune continued. "You can study here, learn magic, and grow up well."

A hint of confusion flashed in Hill's eyes.

But she still nodded obediently.

Rune looked at her and suddenly didn't know what to say.

The room was silent for a few seconds.

Then Hill spoke.

"Lord Rune."

"Um?"

Are you going to leave me here?

Her voice was very soft, as soft as a feather falling on the water.

Rune looked into those brownish-yellow eyes—there was no questioning, no grievance, only a calm acceptance, as if he had already anticipated something.

"Hill..."

"It's alright," Hill said, her voice still soft. "I know."

She looked down at her hands, which were folded over her knees.

"I'm just a commoner, I don't know anything, following Lord Rune will only cause me trouble."

Rune opened his mouth, as if to say something, but found that his throat felt like it was blocked by something.

"And," Hill looked up, forcing a smile, "the Church sounds really good."

That smile was forced, and it caused a sharp pain somewhere in Rune's heart.