Chapter 531

I could feel my expression twist, and the priest desperately defended himself.

He explained that he didn’t mean it in a promiscuous way, but since it was known that I had a “close” relationship with Seilon, he naturally assumed I wouldn’t be able to ride a unicorn.

Listening to him, it did seem like something people who didn’t know the truth might think. Since it was a misunderstanding rather than an insult, it was awkward to get angry or punish him.

So, I just furrowed my brows and emphasized that I hadn’t done “that kind of thing.”

“Oh… I see. I’ve made a grave mistake. Both of you are renowned knights, so it’s only natural you’d uphold purity until marriage. It’s a rare virtue among young people these days.”

The priest let out a short sigh of admiration, closed his eyes, and nodded.

I don’t know if this world has a tradition of pre-marital purity… No, judging by Milia, it probably doesn’t. But anyway, the fact that Seilon and I “hadn’t done it” seemed to him like a praiseworthy moral virtue.

“Well… something like that.”

I had no reason to argue, so I just shrugged my shoulders, trying to ignore Leonor, who was silently laughing with a face that looked like she was about to choke.

To her, who knew the truth, this situation must have seemed like the ultimate farce.

And so, the relic supervisor, who had almost turned from a priest to a corpse with one slip of the tongue, was able to safely clock out for the day.

—

After selecting all five relics, we left the 2nd-class Holy Relic Vault and returned to the central zone where Lacey and Hersh were waiting.

On the way to the central zone, the supervising priest rambled on about the importance of the relics, with the expression of a father watching his beloved daughter get snatched away by a blond thug.

In reality, there wasn’t much difference.

While it was considered a fair reward, that was only the judgment of the Holy Kingdom’s upper echelons. From the supervisor’s perspective, it was like watching the relics he had painstakingly preserved being handed over to outsiders.

It must have been unbearably frustrating.

Unlike magical tools, most relics were one-of-a-kind in this world, and their historical and religious value was immense, regardless of their performance.

No wonder even the elite of the church orders were hesitant to distribute them. If they were damaged in battle, a world-class cultural heritage would turn into shattered trash.

Lacey, who was resting at the tea table in the central zone, smiled brightly when she saw the relics we had chosen.

“Your discernment is excellent. It’s no exaggeration to say you’ve made the best choices.”

“Well, I only picked the cream of the crop. It seems the better relics are enshrined somewhere else like sacred treasures, so I couldn’t find them.”

I had hoped there might be a relic or two left neglected due to its true potential being overlooked, but the only thing I found was the necklace of Saint George, which I handed to Damien.

Even that wasn’t of much use yet, as it required slaying a dragon to enhance it.

“The divine artifacts and high-value treasures are managed directly by the church order. The relics you can obtain from the 2nd-class Holy Relic Vault are limited to that level.”

“Treasures?”

Lacey, setting down her teacup, explained in detail.

The relics secured by the Holy Kingdom are classified into two main categories. First, they are divided into 1st-class and 2nd-class relics based on usage restrictions, and then further categorized into four types based on their origin or source.

Divine artifacts, treasures, holy relics, and consecrated artifacts.

“Divine artifacts refer to weapons or tools directly bestowed by the gods. They are the highest grade among relics.”

Examples include Emperor Carolus the Great’s Holy Sword, Juwaiyoz, and my Durandal. They are items whose value is beyond measure.

Treasures are relics that, while not directly bestowed by the gods, are imbued with divine power. Holy relics are literally the remains of past heroes of the Holy Kingdom, who infused their own powers into them.

The Sealing Ring I chose, Nigel’s Eberond’s Holy Spear, and Milia’s Bow of the Divine Tree fall under treasures. Relics like the accessories Damien and Leonor picked, which bear names like “Saint So-and-so’s something,” are all considered holy relics.

Consecrated artifacts are more like the priestly version of magical tools. They are mass-produced items that can be created through blessings, like the Azure Dagger. They are attempts to replicate the powers of treasures or holy relics.

Though inferior to the originals, their advantage lies in being mass-producible, making them popular for their ease of use.

The Azure Dagger was also a failed attempt to replicate Agnes’s Moonlight Blade. Unlike the Moonlight Blade, which emits moonlight energy, it’s just a glowing lantern.

“Those are considered relics too?”

“Not all light needs to be dazzling. Even a dim, faint glow can illuminate the darkness, and that too is a form of light.”

In other words, even mass-produced relics contain a degree of sanctity, so they are classified as relics.

Well, even if their purpose is similar to magical tools, you can’t call them “holy tools” like a magician’s magical tools. It just brings to mind something else.

—

Right after leaving the vault, I had to summon the unicorn to show it off, unable to resist the enthusiastic cheers of my companions.

In front of the supervising priest, who had subtly joined us, claiming it was his first time seeing a unicorn, and the curious paladins who were wondering if unicorns were real creatures.

The method to summon the spirit beast sealed in the Sealing Ring was simple. No grand incantations or rituals were needed—just press and rub the sacred letters engraved on the ring.

“Like this?”

As I rubbed the ring on my index finger with my thumb, the sacred letters glowed, and a circle of light appeared on the ground in front of me. It was an extremely simplified summoning circle.

– Whoosh!

The next moment, thousands of strands of light shot up from the circle, intertwining to form the shape of a horse.

Seeing it in person, it was more impressive than I thought.

“Oh…!”

It wasn’t just me who thought so. The paladins watching also let out gasps of admiration.

Nigel, Lacey, and Leonor watched with interest as the unicorn’s form took shape beside me, while Milia and Hersh observed from a slight distance.

I had unintentionally revealed the experience levels of my companions… but still, it was better than being impaled by a rampaging unicorn’s horn, right?

After all, no one had expected Milia or Hersh to be inexperienced. Hersh was a former prostitute, and Milia was practically living with her fiancé.

“Neigh!”

Soon enough, a horned white horse appeared before me.

Its slightly translucent form revealed it was a summoned entity. Its skin and mane were pure white, reminiscent of a snowfield, and its eyes were as red as pomegranates.

The clearly defined muscles under its skin made it look as tough as armor, and its face was slightly pointed.

Its slightly open mouth revealed teeth that were different from a normal horse’s.

Unlike the large front teeth and small molars of a typical horse, it had sharp fangs lined up, interlocking like those of a carnivore.

So, it’s a carnivore, not a herbivore.

Since it’s a summoned entity, it doesn’t need to be fed unless kept summoned for a long time. But if I had to feed it, it would probably prefer meat over grass.

“Truly… it has a horn.”

Nigel murmured in admiration, pursing his lips. Indeed, it was an impressively striking figure.

The long horn growing between its brows. Slightly curved like a dao, as sharp as a knight’s lance, and given its size, it was almost as long as a short sword.

[It’s a more splendid horse than I imagined. Its size alone rivals the Black King’s… and that horn. I thought it would be like a goat’s or a deer’s, but it’s practically a lance.]

‘The Black King?’

[Orhan’s steed. They say it has the blood of a spirit beast… I don’t know if it’s true, but it’s a fierce and savage horse that enjoys chewing the heads of warriors who opposed Orhan while they’re still alive.]

…That’s something your horse used to do a lot in the original. Did you steal it after killing Orhan?

[Honestly, I had my eye on that horse, but seeing this one, I no longer have a reason to envy it! Just by looks, it’s a better steed than the Black King!]

Hershela exclaimed in a voice filled with excitement, as if she were in the midst of a slaughter.

No wonder they’re a race obsessed with horses. Seeing a near-divine horse, she couldn’t contain her excitement.

“Neigh…”

The summoned unicorn seemed to recognize me as its summoner, slightly turning its head to look at me sideways.

I took a step closer to the unicorn, holding the saddle Nigel had handed me. It was time to prove my purity.

“Neigh… Sniff, sniff…”

The unicorn sniffed at me, bringing its snout close.

Wait, I thought it would detect purity with some kind of divine ability. Was it really just by smell…?

I felt an indescribable discomfort, like witnessing a large dog’s rear end after a bath, as the unicorn began sniffing for the scent of a virgin.

If it had been some kind of divine detection, I would’ve accepted it, but the blatant sniffing made me feel… well, like I was being teased by a horse.

“Neigh…?”

But the unicorn’s reaction was strange.

“Sniff, snort. Neigh?”

After sniffing me, the unicorn opened its mouth, tilted its head, and began circling me, sniffing incessantly.

What’s wrong with this thing?

Its reaction was baffling. According to the priest, once it confirmed my virginity, it was supposed to lie down and let me mount it. But instead of lying down, it just kept sniffing me with a look of suspicion and confusion.

Why is it acting like this… Wait, could it be because of me? Because I was originally a man?

…Surely not. Even if it’s a spirit beast, it can’t tell that just by smell, right? Right?

“Neigh? Neigh, neigh?”

I was sweating bullets as I stared at the unicorn, but it only proved that horses could express interrogative sentences with their cries.

“What’s wrong? Can’t you ride it?”

“It’s a bit strange. Could it be that this spirit beast is more wary than the legends say…?”

The others watching also seemed to sense something was off with the unicorn and began looking at me suspiciously.

“Or maybe…”

Since it hadn’t swung its horn yet, they were still just suspicious, but as time passed, their looks gradually turned into ones of understanding and conviction.

Especially the supervising priest’s gaze—it was as if he had just discovered that a devout woman who claimed to uphold pre-marital purity had been using a backdoor.

Don’t… don’t look at me like that…!

—

My pupils were shaking as if an earthquake had struck. I alternated my gaze between my companions and the unicorn foal, my back drenched in cold sweat.

“Miss, don’t tell me…”

Leonor’s eyes widened as she covered her mouth with her right hand. I was filled with indignation.

“Don’t tell me” what? I’m not your mother, and there’s no way I’d do something like that!

[You, you… don’t tell me, while I was asleep, you…?!]

Hershela interrogated me in a voice filled with shock, as if she had just seen Orhan in a dress. It was the first time I’d heard her so startled since jumping off Berengeiria.

‘No!’

[Then why is this spirit beast acting like this?]

‘How should I know!’

I couldn’t say, “Because I was originally a man,” even if my mouth were torn apart.

That was a secret I’d take to my grave. Given Hershela’s personality, if she found out that the person who had taken over her body and touched every part of it was a man, she’d go absolutely berserk.

‘Are you sure you’re not the one lying to me? Maybe you and Ja-han weren’t just like siblings, but something much deeper…!’

[How could that be? Just the thought makes me sick!]

Judging by her reaction, they really were like siblings. I tried to deflect the blame onto her, but it only seemed to make her angrier.

“Neigh…”

In the end, I could only grit my teeth and glare at the unicorn, which had caused this unexpected mess.

Damn virgin-obsessed stallion. If I had my full strength, I would’ve crushed you already. It was frustrating that I couldn’t.

Once I regain my strength, I’ll chop you into pieces. I can always summon you again anyway.

But for now, the priority was to get this damn horse to lie down and prove my innocence.

“Good boy…? Will you lie down for me?……If you don’t want to die later.”

I whispered threateningly to the unicorn. My weakened threat probably wouldn’t work… but you never know.

If it’s a spirit beast, it should understand words, and if it recognizes the beastman king’s pelt draped over my shoulders, it might realize that my current strength isn’t all I have.

So, if you don’t want to become horse meat, kneel down already.

I shot a desperate glare at the unicorn’s back, trying to pierce through its hide with my eyes. It was a different kind of desperation than when fighting demons.

Show me your back, your back…!

Show me your back and prove my purity!

“Neigh!”

Whether my desperate persuasion worked or it finally decided I was pure enough, the unicorn finally snorted and lay down on the ground.

Relief washed over everyone’s faces. Including mine.