Chapter 91

In fact, when you think about it, Havier collapsing was largely due to Ariel’s influence.

Ariel had perfectly matched Havier’s theatrical performance.

The crimson glow of Ragnarok, the exaggerated incantations, the convincing use of telekinesis for the performance, and finally, collapsing from Havier’s finishing blow…

It was truly a heroic and demonic battle of epic proportions.

Havier, who had become overly immersed in the performance, ultimately couldn’t handle the emotional climax and fainted.

He was so overjoyed that he passed out.

“Hmm… It doesn’t seem dangerous, just a temporary loss of consciousness…”

Revena examined Havier’s condition and spoke.

The Saintess is a being born under the blessing of the gods.

Instinctively, she can distinguish between good and evil in people, and even somewhat see through their emotions and physical symptoms.

From Revena’s perspective, Havier wasn’t in any serious danger. With some rest, he would regain consciousness soon.

“First, we should move him to a bed. If he stays here, he might catch a cold.”

Revena tried to drag Havier by his armpits to her room.

Of course, it didn’t go well. Revena was too frail to move someone by sheer strength.

Seeing Revena struggling, Ariel cast a telekinesis spell.

As Havier’s body floated up, Revena was startled.

“!”

But soon, she remembered that Ariel was an adventurer and understood.

She probably used some kind of magic, Revena thought.

Ariel used telekinesis to move Havier into Revena’s room.

Revena’s room had a clean and tidy feel. There were no extravagant or luxurious decorations, just a few simple pieces of furniture.

“Thank you, Ariel. Can you lay Bishop Havier on the bed?”

Revena said this and quickly tidied up the dolls on the bed.

There were three dolls, all with cute wings and tails, resembling dragons.

They were probably the dolls Revena cuddled with while sleeping.

A look of greed appeared in Ariel’s eyes as she gazed at the dragon dolls.

“…Ariel?”

But at Revena’s call, Ariel snapped out of it and laid Havier on the bed.

Revena approached Havier, closed her eyes, and gently placed her hand on his forehead.

“Vitalize.”

A sacred light emanated from Revena’s hand.

The light carried a warm energy, and just looking at it seemed to calm the mind.

The sacred and warm light slowly seeped into Havier’s body, and soon his face became peaceful.

Sacred Magic, Vitalize.

It doesn’t heal wounds, but it improves blood circulation, calms the mind, and helps restore energy.

Revena then cast ‘Purification’ to cleanse Havier’s body and reached into his clothes to pull something out.

It was a pendant necklace, emitting an intense golden light.

The golden glow from Havier’s body in the corridor earlier was because of this.

Revena pressed the pendant’s mana stone firmly.

The golden light from the pendant instantly disappeared.

“This is a pendant used for prayers in the chapel… So he was carrying it around in his clothes.”

Originally, it was meant to be hung from the chapel ceiling to emit a golden glow and create a sacred atmosphere.

Since it only emits a golden light, it’s not used unless hung from the chapel ceiling.

But to use it like this…

Revena muttered while looking at Havier’s sleeping face.

“Bishop Havier, perhaps he’s a genius…”

“……”

Ariel pretended not to hear. She just turned her gaze back to Revena’s dragon dolls.

“Bishop Havier should be fine now.”

Revena pulled the blanket up to Havier’s neck and turned around.

Then she pointed to the Holy Knights collapsed by the door.

“Ariel, can you move them to the room too…?”

Ariel, who had been lost in thought while looking at the dragon dolls, nodded.

She used telekinesis again to move the Holy Knights into the room.

From Revena’s perspective, the Holy Knights weren’t in any serious danger either.

They had a few bumps on their heads, but their lives weren’t at risk.

A simple healing spell would have them up and about in no time.

Revena took out extra bedding from a drawer, laid it on the floor, and asked Ariel to place the Holy Knights on it.

Ariel gently laid the Holy Knights on the bedding, and Revena cast a sacred spell again.

“Healing.”

While Revena healed the Holy Knights, Ariel used telekinesis to retrieve Ragnarok, which she had flung down the corridor earlier, and reattached it to her back.

“Done.”

Revena clapped her hands and looked at Ariel.

“Now, shall we talk?”

*

Honestly, even when parting with Revena earlier, Ariel thought Revena was just a wandering vagabond.

Revena’s robe was too shabby, and she had no money.

So when Ariel met Revena here again, she was quite surprised inside.

Especially when Havier called Revena ‘Saintess,’ it felt like fate was playing a joke.

For a moment, Ariel thought meeting Revena at Delight might not have been a mere coincidence, but that probably wasn’t the case.

Ariel had just gone to Delight because she wanted dessert.

She wasn’t the type to believe in fate’s intervention to that extent.

Anyway, it was fortunate that Revena was the Saintess.

Persuading a Saintess she barely knew would have been harder than persuading Revena, whom she had befriended earlier.

“So, what brings you to me, the Saintess, Ariel?”

At Revena’s question, Ariel tried to explain about Rakia’s mother.

“Ugh…”

Just then, the Holy Knights on the floor regained consciousness.

They didn’t react violently upon seeing Saintess Revena safe, but their expressions hardened when they saw Ariel.

Revena quickly explained that Ariel was just her friend, but the Holy Knights didn’t seem convinced.

Of course, they didn’t dare contradict the Saintess.

The Saintess’s authority rivals that of the Archbishop in the Cathedral.

If the Saintess says so, then it is so.

“Hey.”

Ariel hesitantly approached the two Holy Knights.

“Sorry about earlier…”

“!”

But the Holy Knights flinched, shrinking back and looking at Ariel with fearful eyes.

“……”

Ariel eventually had to step back. It felt like her apology was rejected.

Meanwhile, Revena looked utterly baffled.

The Cathedral’s elite Holy Knights were this scared? What on earth did Ariel do to them?

“…Then we’ll return to our posts. Please call us if anything happens, Saintess.”

“Alright. Thank you.”

The Holy Knights left the room, and a mutter of “What’s this gold coin?” was heard outside the door.

Revena looked at Ariel again.

“So, what brings you to me, the Saintess, Ariel?”

“Well…”

Ariel explained about Rakia’s mother.

Could the Saintess undo the dark magic cast by a Demon King’s Army executive? That was the gist of it.

“Hmm, I’m not sure since I’ve never tried, but can I really undo that dark magic?”

At Revena’s question, Ariel shrugged.

She didn’t know either.

What was certain was that Revena, the Saintess, was their last hope.

“Besides, to heal that dragon, we’d have to leave the Cathedral… The Archbishop won’t allow it. Unless it’s a matter of humanity’s survival, the Saintess can’t leave the Cathedral.”

Ariel silently stared at Revena.

Revena’s cheeks turned slightly red.

“…Earlier today, I just sneaked out. I found a secret passage by chance.”

Ariel turned her gaze back to the dragon dolls.

And she gently wagged the dragon doll’s tail with telekinesis.

She wasn’t slacking off during the conversation.

Nor was she coveting the dragon doll.

She just wanted to give Revena time to think.

“Hmm, if we can make it back within a day, it should be fine. I can pretend to be in the sanctuary praying all day. Going over a day would be problematic though.”

“One day is possible.”

Ariel took out a Teleport Scroll from her inventory.

Tearing this would take them to the Dragon’s Lair instantly.

And they could fly back quickly using telekinesis.

Though Revena probably wouldn’t like that.

“Alright, then let’s do it. But I have a request.”

At Revena’s words, Ariel tilted her head.

“A request?”

“Yeah.”

Revena leaned in and stared straight at Ariel’s face.

“Ah.”

Ariel nodded and took out a macaron from her inventory.

And she placed it in Revena’s mouth.

Munch munch.

Revena happily chewed the macaron.

But soon, her expression changed.

“No, that’s not it. I didn’t ask for a macaron. It’s delicious though.”

“……”

“My request is this.”

Revena smiled slightly and said.

“Become my guardian knight, Ariel.”