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“Miss Rachel, please stop for a moment!”
“Huh?”
Rachel, who had hurried ahead, was suddenly stopped in her tracks by Ail, who, with a stern expression, positioned himself in front of her.
“Haa, haa. What’s the matter, Sir Ail?”
Rachel paused, catching her breath, and she asked him with a puzzled look.
But his expression was a bit off. His face was tense as he stared ahead and he had drawn his sword before she even realized it.
“Somewhere not far away, a massive amount of mana is clashing.”
“What? A clash of mana?”
Ail was looking toward the direction they were headed, and Rachel, who had paused to concentrate, could also sense the anomaly.
She wasn’t a swordsman skilled with a blade or a mage using magic, but her senses for detecting the supernatural were quite acute.
Distracted by the enigmatic presence that filled her mind, she had initially failed to notice it, but now her expression hardened as she realized the gravity of the situation.
“Could it be the person who delivered this letter to me?”
“That, I cannot say for sure, but something is definitely amiss.”
“Then shall we…?”
“Shouldn’t we head back?”
Ail’s priority was, of course, Rachel’s safety above all else.
The very fact that they were out in an unfamiliar place at night was something that weighed heavily on his mind.
He was inclined to dissuade her, but he couldn’t go against Rachel’s determination.
But now, it was different. With the disturbance present, he needed to forcibly escort her back to safety.
“Miss Rachel, should we return to the Ares Order first and assess the situation…?”
“Wait a moment, Sir Ail, over there…!”
“Hmm?”
Rachel hastily held onto Ail, pointing to a particular spot.
When Ail turned his head in that direction, he too saw what had startled her.
“A beast?!”
It appeared as if a giant beast had caught its prey and was moving swiftly; a mysterious presence was rushing away with an unconscious person, appearing in urgent flight.
“Sir Ail.”
“No, absolutely not.”
Even though Rachel hadn’t fully verbalized her intentions, Ail immediately anticipated her thoughts and expressed his refusal.
Not only refusing, but he seemed poised to forcibly lead Rachel away to safety.
“Sir Ail!”
“… Never. Miss Rachel, it’s one thing that we’re even here, and if anything were to befall you in such a place, it would be an issue for the entire Latima Order.”
“No. If we were to ignore this situation, it would indeed disgrace the Goddess Latima.”
“….”
Every order has its own creed. But before any individual creeds, all orders share one common principle: do not ignore injustice.
Helping the needy, caring for them, and standing against injustice. This is why the orders were revered by the people and why they were not threatened by other powers.
Rachel reminded Ail of this.
What they had witnessed was clearly unjust, and they were possibly the only ones who could help.
Ignoring injustice was akin to renouncing their status as clergy. It was an insult to the deity they served.
Rachel’s unwavering gaze implored Ail with these arguments. But Ail couldn’t easily agree.
His utmost priority was his faith in the Goddess Latima and ensuring the utmost safety of Saintess Rachel. Any risk to her was unacceptable.
“It’s an order, Holy Knight Ail.”
“….”
“Go now and save that person in peril. Quickly.”
“Huuu….”
Rachel spoke resolutely to Ail, who hesitated.
At her firmness, Ail sighed and ultimately nodded.
“Please promise me one thing.”
“What is it?”
“Promise me you will wait here until I return. If you assure me of this, I will follow the will of the Saintess.”
Rachel hesitated at Ail’s words. But she soon nodded, agreeing to his terms.
“You’ve made a promise.”
Ail emphasized their pact before turning to leave.
And as if he hurried to return as soon as possible, he quickly disappeared from her sight.
Rachel sighed lightly at Ail’s actions and turned her gaze back to where she had originally intended to go.
The place where the unknown clash of mana persisted, where the enigmatic presence shared a secret—known only to herself and the Goddess—awaited.
“I’m sorry, Sir Ail.”
She couldn’t keep her promise to Ail. While her mind told her to wait until he came back, her heart couldn’t ignore its turmoil.
“Latima, behold.”
Within her chest, the resonation of holy energy reverberated. It was a revelation sent to her by Goddess Latima.
Though it wasn’t a direct descent, it was a divine signal meant for the earthly representative, the Saintess.
Go forth. Meet. Protect.
The Goddess was telling her so.
“Gladly, I will follow that will.”
Rachel moved forward without hesitation.
***
“Aunt?”
Christian was unable to take his eyes off the presence that bestowed the sacred energy enveloping him.
As the black tendrils were entirely obliterated by the vast and benevolent holy energy, and August Varian collapsed, coughing blood from the backlash, Christian was too entranced to notice.
His gaze was fixed solely on Rachel, who was approaching step by step.
“Do you know me?”
Though the term “aunt” slightly irked her, the voice of the unfamiliar boy who seemed to know her resonated with longing, as if he had met a cherished person.
Perplexed by this, Rachel inquired further.
“Is it you who called me here?”
“….”
Christian could only awkwardly smile at Rachel’s unfamiliar demeanor.
Although he had grown used to it—both through Nemea Roblan and his former master Aira—it always pained him that his cherished folks seemed not to recognize him.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t answer, so he merely nodded quietly.
“What are you doing?”
As if displeased by the reunion of the two, August Varian shouted angrily, glaring at both Christian and Rachel while coughing up more blood.
Glaring at August Varian, Rachel spoke calmly.
“I am unaware of the relationship between you two or why such events have unfolded….”
As she drew holy energy, she enveloped both Christian and Aira in comforting warmth.
Aira, who had been pale and breathing unevenly, and Christian’s injuries healed almost instantly.
With Aira healed, Christian sighed in relief.
“A cursed grudge. And the dragon’s blood tainted with darkness. First, I will subdue you and then inquire as to the reason.”
Tainted with darkness?
Christian hadn’t sensed such indications in August Varian’s blood, but Rachel seemed to discern something different.
At least, considering the taint she mentioned—the darkness—she spoke of demons, creatures of shadow existing on the darker sides of this world.
‘Can dragons be tainted by darkness?’
Dragons were the apex of creation in this world. They were guardians, protecting this realm from the shadowy world.
Thus, the rebellion of the ancient dragon Magnus, overthrowing the order he should protect, was the gravest of betrayals.
‘Could it be?!’
The thought that shouldn’t exist flashed before Christian’s mind, but he quickly shook his head in denial.
‘No, it can’t be. While regular dragons might not withstand, ancient dragons are different.’
In this world, while dragons are at the top of the food chain, those classified as ancient dragons are akin to demigods. It was unthinkable.
“A vexing servant of the divine, are you? And quite beloved it seems?”
“Yes, fortunately, I am dearly cherished.”
“How enviable. To be loved by someone and to love in return…”
In genuine envy, August Varian regarded Rachel, Christian, and Aira.
Realizing that his black mana was disadvantaged against the order’s holy energy, August Varian seemingly retracted his mana and adjusted the dagger he held.
Her eyes returned to normal silver hues, and even though the situation required her to face them with solely her elven physicality, August Varian seemed far from backing down.
“You’ve never known to retreat, have you, then and now? Perhaps that’s fortunate.”
“Is that a compliment?”
Carefully resting Aira, Christian stood up and leveled his sword at August Varian.
Thanks to Rachel’s holy energy, not only did his wounds heal, but despite the black energy and a dragon’s blood taint consuming most of his mana, Christian remained steadfast.
The temporary mana reservoir function of the Wings of Zephrys had been closed, leaving him only a substantial body.
But it was enough.
This was adequate to confront August Varian.
‘This needs to end here.’
Despite her apparent loss of power, August Varian was still undoubtedly dangerous.
Hence, as he urged for an approach, Christian focused straight ahead.
“Mm?”
August Varian flinched, and Christian gripped his sword tightly.
However…
“Did Grigor get killed? That’s hard to believe….”
Seeing August Varian heave a deep sigh and lower her sword, Christian found himself unable to charge, opting instead to assess the situation.
August Varian, putting away the daggers in her scabbard, spoke calmly.
“Let’s meet again next time. Until then!”
“What? Hey, where are you going?!”
Watching bemusedly as August Varian vanished like smoke, Christian stood stunned.
She wasn’t like that before, what was going on?
Left bewildered, Christian stared blankly where August Varian had disappeared, eventually sighing again before carefully lifting Aira.
Her gentle breaths and regained complexion were testament to the impressive treatment of Latima’s holy energy.
“Well, uh….”
And as he pondered what to say or how to introduce himself, he met Rachel’s gaze.
Rachel, without hesitation, bowed her head and spoke.
“I, Saintess Rachel, greet the new Saint of the Latima Order.”
“… Excuse me?”
A Saint? Who?
‘Me?’
TL’s Corner:
So, he became the Saint?