Chapter 15

“It seems like we’re not too far from Radelia now,” Claire said, checking the map. “I heard the Demon Beasts around here were supposed to be cleared out, but something feels off, doesn’t it?”

“What do you mean, off?” Zion stopped walking and asked.

Claire looked around, raising her gaze. “It’s way too quiet for a place where Demon Beasts are supposed to roam. Don’t you think that’s weird?”

“Yeah,” I agreed, also scanning the surroundings. “At this point, we should at least hear some wildlife, but it’s dead silent.”

Luan, holding a spirit in his arms, quietly spoke up. “I’ve been feeling it for a while now… like something’s watching us.”

“Again?” Zion turned his head and said, “Luan, your senses are amazing, but saying stuff like that is scary.”

“Still, Luan might be right,” I said quietly. “We can’t let our guard down, especially now.”

Linda was walking quietly next to Zion. She had an uneasy expression as she stared at the shadows of the forest.

“Linda, are you okay?” I cautiously asked.

“Huh? Oh, I’m fine,” Linda forced a smile and nodded. But her hands were still trembling. “It’s just… that Ignia guy whispered something. Said something interesting might happen.”

“Something interesting?” Zion asked with a puzzled look. “What does that mean?”

“Don’t trust that guy,” Linda sighed softly. “He always sees everything as a joke. But… it does feel a bit weird.”

At that moment, the sound of a branch snapping echoed from afar. We all froze, and some of the merchants turned around in surprise.

“What was that?” Claire asked in a low voice.

I raised my hand to signal everyone to stop. “Stay quiet. I’ll check it out.”

The Beginning of the Crisis

I pushed Luan back and stepped forward with Claire, Zion, and Linda. The forest was still dark, and the sound was getting closer. We moved quietly, trying to locate the source of the noise.

Suddenly, a massive Demon Beast leaped out from behind a tree. Its teeth were sharp, and its eyes glowed red. The beast let out a piercing howl directed at us.

“Ellie!” Zion shouted, raising his shield to block the beast’s charge.

“Lumino Aegis!” I quickly activated a Sacred Technique, forming a barrier.

Claire drew her sword, aiming to strike the beast’s flank, but it swung its tail faster. She barely dodged, but her face showed clear frustration.

“Damn, this thing’s fast!” Claire yelled.

Linda, preparing a spell from behind, shouted, “Everyone, move! Ignia, lend me some power!”

A red flame ignited in her hand, soon transforming into a massive pillar of fire. “Flame Strike!”

The pillar of fire shot toward the beast, hitting it squarely. But the beast didn’t fall. Instead, it let out an even sharper roar and charged at Linda.

“Linda, watch out!” Zion stepped in front of her, blocking the beast with his shield.

I ran to Linda, pulling her back, and asked, “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine… but that thing’s really strong,” Linda said, catching her breath.

“It might be even stronger than we thought,” I said, looking back at the beast. “Stay focused. This isn’t going to be an easy fight.”

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We resumed our positions and continued the fight. Claire used her agility to target the beast’s weak points, while Zion shielded everyone from its attacks. Linda provided continuous support with her fire magic, and I used Sacred Techniques to weaken the beast while assisting the team.

Finally, Linda’s last flame attack and Claire’s decisive strike ended the beast’s life. Its massive body collapsed to the ground, motionless.

We all took a moment to catch our breath and looked at each other.

“Is everyone okay?” I asked.

“That was exhausting,” Claire said, sheathing her sword. “But why was a Demon Beast like this here?”

Zion nodded in agreement. “A beast this strong shouldn’t be in this area. Something’s not right.”

Linda quietly stared at the beast’s corpse and muttered, “Maybe… this is what Ignia meant by ‘something interesting’?”

I looked at her and asked, “What do you mean?”

Linda hesitated for a moment, then shook her head. “It’s just… a weird feeling. Like someone’s testing us.”

Her words left us in silence, exchanging uneasy glances. It felt like a greater danger was waiting for us.

“We might find some answers in Radelia,” I said decisively. “Let’s head to Radelia for now.”

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After leaving the forest, we finally laid eyes on the walls of Radelia. The high walls, bathed in sunlight, shimmered brilliantly, and the lively sounds of people from within the city eased our tension a bit.

“Wow, Radelia…” Claire exclaimed, looking up at the walls. “It’s way bigger than what I saw in the game. Truly magnificent.”

“This is one of the largest cities on the continent,” Zion nodded as he spoke. “The church here is also the largest. With rumors of the Saintess disappearing, security might be tight.”

“Let’s all be careful,” I said, glancing at the spirit Luan was holding. “Our goal is to heal Luan and the spirit. Let’s move as inconspicuously as possible.”

“Don’t ever take off your hood,” Claire teased. “What if you get confessed to again?”

I sighed, glaring at her. “Let’s drop that topic. I’m already tired.”

Linda, walking quietly beside Zion, still looked overwhelmed by Radelia’s size. “This place… is really amazing. What’s that tower-like thing over there?”

“That’s the central Cathedral of the church,” Zion answered. “That’s also where we’re headed.”

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I lowered my head, hiding my face with the hood, and scanned the surroundings.

“The path to the church is over there,” Zion said, leading the way.

We soon arrived in front of Radelia’s central Cathedral. The massive doors were adorned with intricate patterns, and armored guards stood in front. As Zion stepped forward to speak, the guards seemed to recognize him, bowing their heads and opening the doors.

“Priest Zion, welcome. We will guide you to the Cathedral immediately.”

“This is the first time we’re being treated like this,” Claire whispered softly.

“It’s probably because we’re a hero party,” I replied quietly, keeping an eye on Luan. “We should be able to get in without any issues.”

Zion spoke to the guard. “This child is a companion. We need the Cathedral’s help, so we must enter together.”

The guard scrutinized us for a while before nodding and stepping aside. “Please, go inside.”

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As soon as we entered the Cathedral, the solemn atmosphere made me shrink back for a moment. The light falling from the high ceiling illuminated the space with a sacred glow, and voices reciting prayers could be heard from various corners.

We were soon guided to the healing room inside the Cathedral. There, a woman in white robes greeted us. She had neat blonde hair and sharp eyes, her face somehow familiar.

“It’s Lilia,” Zion said in a low voice. “She was the most promising candidate for Saintess, but now she’s a priestess here at Radelia Cathedral.”

Lilia looked at us and immediately bowed her head to Zion. “Priest Zion and companions, welcome. Thank you for visiting Radelia Cathedral.”

“It’s been a while, Lilia,” Zion nodded in greeting. “We came today because we need help. We’d like you to heal this child and the spirit.”

Lilia frowned slightly as she looked at Luan and the spirit. “This… is a state where magic and holy power are intertwined. It will be difficult to resolve with ordinary healing methods.”

“So there’s no way?” Claire asked anxiously.

“No, there is a way. But it will take some time,” Lilia said quietly, examining Luan. “Please leave this child and the spirit with me for a while. I’ll do my best to heal them.”

I nodded and carefully handed Luan over to Lilia. She lifted the spirit in her hands and examined it carefully. “This spirit… is a very rare being. I’ll need to look into its connection with this child a bit more.”

As Lilia began the healing process, we decided to wait for a while. She skillfully manipulated holy power, starting to stabilize Luan and the spirit.

“Wow….” I couldn’t help but let out an exclamation of admiration at her holy power.

Then, suddenly, her hands stopped. She looked at the spirit with a puzzled expression before raising her head and staring straight at me.

“Uh… Saintess?”