Seeing how the two of them looked at each other, Mu So felt even more vexed. "You two clearly love each other. Why will you not even try?!"

Vars didn’t bother to glance at him as if every second that he did not spend looking at Nilgu was wasted. He still answered though. Maybe he felt that there was some thanks due for giving them just a couple more minutes with each other. "It is easy to say for you. You don’t know what the temple of Bul will do if we try."

Mu So just gave a humorless laugh. "Does it matter though?" He motioned over to Nilgu with his head. "He has nothing but the temple and he already promised he would leave her as long as you agreed. And you?" He kicked Vars’ leg, instantly regretting it when his toes connected with the armor. He winced but still forced himself to speak. "You have nothing left over there and only him if you consider the rest of the world. What else can that temple take from you?"

Vars stared at Nilgu, a hint of surprise hidden in his eyes. He could not believe what he had just heard. Nilgu … had agreed to leave with him? If that was so … but no, he could not believe it. He shook his head but then still could not help but make sure. "Do you really agree to leave?"

Nilgu glanced at Mu So. He had indeed promised. And just like he had thought this afternoon, he was not sure what he would have chosen back then. Right now, he did not know either. But this temple … it had no future. He either died tonight or might find a future with Vars. But … he also could not bring himself to say it. "You already rejected, did you not?"

Vars took a shaky breath. He never would have thought that Nilgu would even entertain that idea. He had always believed that he would live or die with this temple. If that was not the case …

He closed his eyes and exhaled, then turned to Mu So. "What do we need to do?" Day after day, he had stolen time. An hour, a day, a year … Just knowing that that person was still alive and well made him feel that it was worth it. He knew the temple used it to control him but they had already tightly grasped onto his weakness and even after all these years, his heart had still not grown cold in regard to Nilgu so he could only let them control him.

Now though, things had changed. If he stayed with the temple, Nilgu would have to die tonight. The only way out would be to have him join the temple of Bul himself and that was something that Nilgu would indeed never do. Any other plan … he doubted it would work. But in any case, why hesitate? He would just start to steal time once again.

If they had to flee, if they had to live a life more wretched than animals, he did not care either. He wanted to pluck the stars for Nilgu and give him the best life he could have but that was impossible. But if Nilgu was willing to have less with him, then he would live that life for as long as they still could, no matter the cost.

Mu So heaved a sigh of relief. He could hardly believe that the first part of his plan for tonight had been this difficult even though he had thought it would be the easiest. He could only hope that the rest would also defy his expectations and be easier instead.

Thinking of what he had planned though … He scratched his cheek and gave an embarrassed cough. "Now … we go and steal a pair of corpses."

Vars and Nilgu both turned to him simultaneously, looking at him as if he had gone mad.

Mu So tensed up but could only give an embarrassed smile. "What do you want me to say? I also don’t like it but it’s the only way. If you don’t want that temple chasing after you, they need to believe that there is no reason to. So you’ll have to … die together."

Nilgu furrowed his brows. "That is your grand plan? They will be on hour heels come dusk then. They know how the two of us look in case you have forgotten."

Vars glanced into the corner behind the traveler though and his gaze grew thoughtful. "Unless …" They burned the temple of Jel down.

Mu So nodded in his direction to show that he had understood right before he turned to Nilgu. "Don’t worry about that. I thought of a way. Anyway, we shouldn’t tarry any longer. The night is getting later. The further away we are by tomorrow morning, the better."

Vars nodded. He sheathed his sword and then walked to Nilgu’s side, taking his hands. "Have some trust. If not in me or him, then in Jel. There is a way to get through this. Otherwise, why have this traveler come here at this time? Isn’t that some kind of sign?"

Nilgu gave a humorless smile. "You would really say anything to convince me right now."

Vars nodded straightforwardly. "I would. So please, do me this favor."

Nilgu stared at him and finally nodded. "Well, I supposed we might as well try. How have you planned to do this?"

Mu So heaved another sigh of relief and then told them about his visit to the graveyard close by.

The two of them gave him the same disdainful look.

"The graveyard? Are you an idiot? That is what they will check first if they find two bodies that they can’t identify!" Nilgu might not understand yet how Mu So intended to achieve this in the first place but he knew that the temple of Bul would not be that easily tricked.

Mu So’s lips twitched. These two … they really weren’t helping!

Vars nodded but his expression was pensive. "That is indeed the first place they will check and they would notice if a couple of bodies were missing. But the mass graves are a different matter altogether. Let’s get some from there."

Mu So’s annoyed expression eased. He’d take back what he had just thought! These two were actually helpful. "Let’s go then. I asked the old priest to get a cart."

Vars clicked his tongue. "No, not a cart. It’s too quiet in Lald at night. They’d notice immediately if we were wheeling a cart around. We’ll have to carry them ourselves." Saying so, he grabbed Nilgu’s hand and pulled him deeper into the temple.

Mu So wasn’t quite sure what to make of this but hurriedly followed. Finally, he realized that they had gone to Nilgu’s room. He raised his brows, especially when he suddenly saw Vars take off his armor. "You …"

Vars shot him a look. "The armor is too eyecatching. Anyway, make yourself useful and get the head priest here. I can carry two bodies if need be but I am afraid the two of you would have trouble carrying one by yourselves each. So get his help." To be honest, it was still risky to run around with four people at night as well but what other choice did they have?

Mu So nodded but after turning around, he realized that he had no idea where to look for the old priest. He turned to Nilgu for help and got another glare in return. Mu So couldn’t help but tense up, feeling a bit embarrassed. Clearly, he had just caught him staring at his fiance with hot eyes. It suddenly made him feel that he had interrupted something he shouldn’t but he couldn’t take it back now.

Nilgu went forward and looked into Vars’s eyes. He would have wished to have a few minutes to speak to him alone but this was the best he would get, it seemed. "Even if it doesn’t work out, just knowing that you were willing fills my heart with joy."

Vars smiled wryly. "And still, I haven’t seen you smile in years." He cupped his cheek and leaned down, giving him a faint kiss. "Go now. We can’t lose more time. Hopefully, in the future, there will be more so you can scold me to your heart’s content."

Nilgu nodded and turned, going to get the old priest. When he arrived, he found him wide awake in his chambers. "Head priest …"

The old priest looked up and smiled kindly. "How is it? Did you agree, child?"

Nilgu looked at him quietly and then nodded. "We are … going to do something wrong for it. I hope you can forgive me. In any case, we need your help. If we all want to escape —"

The old priest raised his hand and shook his head. "I can help but don’t plan for me. I will stay here. In any case, if we all escape together, it is more likely for them to find out. I’ll stay here for another day and then make my own escape. Maybe we will be able to catch up in the future."

Nilgu was startled and wanted to argue but the old priest already got up and walked over to him, putting his hands on his shoulders.

"This is not the time to argue, child. In any case, I have already made up my mind. You go and do what you have to do. May Jel be at your side, guiding your path and protecting you."

Nilgu’s eyes teared up and he had to force himself to nod. "I will. Thank you for everything." He didn’t know if — after this moment — he would see him again. Something told him he probably wouldn’t.

He turned and closed his eyes before he finally rushed back to his own room.

Vars glanced at him and understood, giving a faint sigh. "Let’s go."

Mu So hadn’t quite caught on though. "The old priest —"

"I said let’s go." Vars kicked out, hitting Mu So at his leg where he had kicked him before and then put his arm around Nilgu’s shoulders, squeezing them once before he let go and led the way.

They left the temple and made their way through the streets of Lald as quietly as possible. The mass graves were at the side of the city, only to be reached through a small underground passage.

Mu So shuddered when they walked in there but he had to say that one glance was enough to convince him that Vars had been right in saying this place was better suited for their needs: There were pits dug out, bodies thrown in haphazardly. Nobody would know whether one or two were missing.

He gulped and cleared his throat. "Don’t forget to choose one that looks similar to you."

Vars gave him a side-glance and then stepped close to one of the pits, surveying the bodies inside. Nilgu followed him, doing the same, even though he felt strange. Doing this …

Vars threw him a faint smile. "Robbing a grave with a priest … I never thought that would be in my future."

Nilgu raised his chin, refusing to show his own discomfort. "The head priest will notify the temple in the next city. They will likely get a much better burial than this. It is also comforting their souls in a way."

Vars nodded and then motioned to one of the bodies. "That one should fit you." He carefully climbed down right after, pulling the body out of the pile. When he did, he realized that the one below was actually quite fitting for being his stand-in. He scoffed and heaved the first one out of the pit before going back.

Pulling himself out of there, he raised his brows at Mu So. "Didn’t find one yet?"

Mu So blinked his eyes. "Me? Why do I need one?"

"You don’t want to leave with us? What about the temple?" If he understood right, there wouldn’t be one pretty soon. The old priest would have things to do the next morning but this guy? He would have thought he’d prefer to leave as well.

Mu So scratched his cheek. Truth be told, he’d indeed rather leave … He looked around and then picked the first body he spotted. With a strained expression, he climbed down, inwardly cursing Vars for being biased. That guy had clearly helped Nilgu but now he couldn’t help him out?

He took a moment moving the body and was pretty out of breath when he reached the edge of the pit and that was even without lifting it out there. Ah, who would have thought a body was this heavy? He had never felt that way when … well, he’d rather not think about that in a pit full of dead bodies.

Vars finally took pity on him or maybe it was more that things were taking too long in his eyes. With a sigh, he crouched down and helped pull the body up. Looking at the three on the ground, he picked up the smaller ones, clearly swaying a bit under the weight. "You’ll have to carry the other one yourself. Sorry for having it be the bigger one but I can’t that much."

Nilgu just nodded and grabbed the body by the feet before lifting his head to stare at Mu So.

The traveler sighed and then pulled himself out of the pit, rushing over to grab the body by the shoulders. "You can count yourself lucky that you didn’t have to go down there. Don’t look at me like I was being too slow."

Nilgu just faintly raised his brows and didn’t bother to argue. Instead, he turned to look at his fiance.