Chapter 92

92.

As I conversed with Myna, I couldn’t help but feel that, by the end, we were somehow dancing around the subject subtly.

It seemed our points of interest came from different perspectives…

Anyway, I had approached her with a request, hoping for a small bit of assistance regarding the attack on Kalheigh, but instead, she immediately offered to teach me the method of miracles.

Pushing aside the flurry of questions in my mind,

I found myself listening to various pieces of information about miracles as Myna, with an enthusiastic expression, began a lengthy explanation.

“Alright! Follow along. When you pray earnestly, the Goddess shall bless you!”

“Must I do this?”

“Yes!”

Starting from the First Saint and passed down through generations at the Luelara Great Cathedral, this was the way to invoke miracles through prayer.

People bearing the sign can directly mediate with the divine through prayer.

By accepting the blessing, one becomes a kind of conduit connecting to the celestial realms.

This is why the prayers of the saints, unlike those of common people, are conveyed with precise expression and in a manner that the Goddess can directly project her power.

However, when the overwhelming force of a divine being unfolds upon the earth, it disrupts the balance of the world. Thus, the Goddess’s power is delivered in a diluted state after passing through the boundaries dividing the world.

At this point, Nia’s face, locked in contemplation, came to mind. The boundaries dividing the world likely referred to the Three Realms.

Additionally, it was said that the power of Sora, the Goddess of the Sun, is characterized by the eruption or cascading down of radiant light when manifested on earth.

It was said to feel quite sacred.

It was once said that when a miracle was performed long ago, the surrounding priests and believers cried tears while yelling out Sora’s name.

She then handed me a seven-star pendant, claiming that by gripping a consecrated object, one could wield greater power.

“Would you like to give it a try?”

“Is it that simple?”

“Yes. If you express your gratitude to the Goddess, only her blessings will activate.”

With these words from Myna, I accepted the pendant, closing my eyes.

“…Goddess, thank you.”

Since I couldn’t picture Her face, I imagined Myna’s instead.

Suddenly, a strange power enveloped my entire body, and a warm sensation coursed through my neck.

There!

“Woah, you’re picking this up fast.”

“So, this is how it feels when the power is used?”

“Is it gentle and warm?”

It felt like a mild spring.

I nodded as I brushed the pendant that emitted a soft glow.

When I returned the pendant to Myna, she quickly transitioned into the next explanation.

The second topic was the types of miracles.

It was said that the type and magnitude of the miracle depend on the extent blessed by the Goddess at the time one receives the mark.

The First Saint, Ruella, used the miracle of healing and could mend the wounds of everyone she touched.

The second saint wielded flames, purifying all that was impure with holy flames that were not hot.

There were also miracles that could read the hearts of others, amplify strength, or harden one’s body.

According to Myna, the sect’s history books documented a wide variety of miracles.

She explained that while carefully examining the mark on my neck, and when she concluded, she clapped her hands together with a bright smile.

“You and I share a similar kind.”

“If I am similar to Saint Myna, then my miracle is of healing.”

“That’s right! You can wield the power to heal wounds.”

To put it simply, I had received a ‘heal.’ In a world devoid of divine power or curative potions, this was a mysterious power to restore wounds.

You could recover from fatal injuries during combat and continue the fight, or you could heal your ailing loved ones in daily life.

I wondered, “Does this mean it only heals external wounds like tears in the skin or bruises?”

Upon raising this question,

“Are miracles meaningless simply because they’re miracles?”

She had implicitly confirmed that it could also heal diseases.

“Thank goodness.”

It was the greatest gift bestowed by the Goddess.

Even if Iris were to face any danger,

As long as she had a breath of life, I could revive her.

As long as I live, the likelihood of her meeting an untimely end before her time is practically nonexistent.

Up until this point, it had been a very meaningful time. The complication came at the end.

Just as I was nodding contentedly, Myna spoke with a subtle expression on her face.

“But may I say…”

“Yes.”

“While it feels a little delicate to express, Cain’s power is rather weak.”

“What do you mean, exactly?”

What is she talking about now?

“The level of miracle sufficient to revive someone nearing death probably has a limit of three times.”

“Three times? Is there a limit to the miracles a saint can perform?”

“No. When I perform miracles, I merely become quite tired; there is no limit.”

Myna tilted her head as if puzzled by the situation.

The outcome is known, but the reason is not.

As she stared intently at my neck, I asked her,

“And what happens if I perform three miracles?”

“From then on, only the small power to pray for health and peace will function.”

“You mean only blessings?”

“Yes. This is the first time such a situation has occurred, but it feels faintly to me.”

“It seems like the Goddess has informed me in this way.”

Myna concluded with a look full of confidence.

Raise the critically ill back to life.

Even though three times might be the limit, it is no small feat.

This kind of miracle itself was an absurd power for an individual to handle. It was also an extremely limited power granted only to Myna in the entire continent.

By breaking the unspoken rule of bestowing divine protection onto just one person and bestowing it on me as well, the Goddess likely deemed that granting full power would have been too disruptive.

While judging the will of an unfathomable divine being from a secular perspective was somewhat ambiguous,

“Three times.”

When I heard that I could use the same miracle as the saint, various plans momentarily crossed my mind.

This is only possible if the miracles can be used infinitely. Given the limit of three times, I must use them carefully.

“One I’ll reserve, just in case, for Iris.”

I could also simply bestow blessings.

The ability to do what only saints could do before. With Myna acknowledging this, the Bright Sect would certainly be a strong ally.

How can I prudently utilize it?

Just as these ponderings were taking place, Myna’s voice interrupted my thoughts.

“What do you think?”

“…That’ll suffice.”

This was not something to meddle with.

I thought her intention was merely to keep the saliva moist, but little did I realize, she had granted me the divine blessing for miracles altogether.

With this, things will run smoothly when consolidating the alliance with the Human-Beast Union under the sect’s following.

I am uncertain whether Myna will absolutely agree with my intentions, but as long as it isn’t something egregiously unethical, she would likely accept it.

“Very well.”

With a slight laugh at my answer, Myna inquired carefully.

“Then… How do you intend to handle the issue with the alliance countries?”

The conversation came back to the beginning. Minimal bloodshed for Kalheigh.

“Hmm.”

This war isn’t just about Kalheigh personally; it involves the intertwining interests of various countries.

Even if I push for a short war, there were bound to be forces holding onto something. Originally, I had planned to give assassination orders through the likes of the Black Falcon or the Central Intelligence Bureau.

“The saint of the Bright Sect. If I use him, it should work.”

Belief sometimes induces irrational conclusions.

Even in my previous life’s world, and especially in this world where there exists a saint who performs miracles directly, such conclusions were inevitable.

The appearance of the saint.

Not yet officially announced.

With these two elements, the attack on Kalheigh will conclude.

“This time, the saint must help.”

“Me?”

By specifically pointing out Myna herself rather than the whole sect,

She seemed to understand the implications, looking surprised and asking back.

“Excuse me.”

I explained to Myna in detail the plan going forward.

Myna, startled initially by the suggestion whispered in her ear and turning red in the face, lost her expression as the explanation continued. By the end of it, she opened her mouth wide in surprise.

“Heresy… Fraud?”

“Fraud is a bit of an overstatement. It’s about resolving misunderstandings.”

It’s about intentionally creating a misunderstanding and resolving it by letting it twist a bit in the process.

“Isn’t it…?”

“The saint merely needs to remain silent in response to external inquiries. Occasionally, a meaningful look is all that’s necessary. There’s nothing special you need to do.”

As she hesitated to continue speaking, I gently seized her hand.

“!”

“If everything goes well, it ends with the King of Jade.”

“But, going well is contingent, right? There’s always a possibility of failure, isn’t there?”

“It will succeed. I will ensure it.”

“…”

“I will also make a donation in the name of His Majesty to the sect.”

Myna, trembling at the hand being held, moved her lips.

“Isn’t this… Isn’t this some kind of temptation?”

“Temptation, you say? It’s somewhat similar. So, will you cooperate?”

The situation was not at leisure, and that’s why we intended to strike first.

However, the present cards we have offer the ability to make Kalheigh move first.

Who initiated the war?

The justification matters during the subsequent negotiations.

Myna, who seemed to have decided her stance while the hand was being held and gently stroked, opened her mouth with a serious look.

“Alright. I’ll cooperate with Cain’s plan. And…”

“And?”

“I have a small favor to ask.”

A request from the saint.

I looked at her, slightly tense. She gently retracted her hand and cleared her throat.

“There are also many believers who serve in the palace, and I’ve heard that Cain is also skilled at paperwork.”

That’s not entirely true.

If one had to judge administrative skills, Iris and the Inner Palace staff would be the most proficient.

I merely distinguish the importance of documents and provide support. During inspections of various departments, I just coordinate to prevent any deviations.

As I nod wanting to hear more, Myna glanced around the Audience Chamber slowly before speaking.

“As you can see, the sect also has piles of work to deal with.”

“I noticed that when I first entered.”

“Yes. So, even once a week would be great if you could offer advice on managing our tasks.”

A request to lend advice once a week.

It was simpler than expected, so I mulled it over a bit, and Myna continued speaking.

“The palace has been running the country since its establishment, so I believe the knowledge and skills accumulated would be vast. I thought receiving some help might improve our situation, wouldn’t it? Would you consider it?”

A visit to the sect once a week. It shouldn’t be hard.

“I understand. I cannot guarantee when I might be away, but I’ll assist as long as it’s feasible.”

“Yes! It’s fine. No need for You to move so as to disrupt Your schedule.”

“How long should this go on?”

“Let’s say one month, or even three.”

I nodded, leading Myna to clench her fist in excitement.

“Yeah!”

“First, I’ll be quite busy focusing on the Kalheigh issue. Please understand that.”

“I know. And for the plan to proceed, we’ll need to maintain some distance for now.”

“You’re correct. So, I’ll help when the war is nearing its end.”

I gave a slightly awkward smile at the sight of her nodding enthusiastically.

Later, we exchanged some casual complaints about daily life and then returned to the Imperial Palace to earnestly initiate the Kalheigh operation.

***

After Cain had the meeting with Myna, time quickly passed into summer.

King Jade Camelsson of Kalheigh was troubled by war preparations that were curiously lagging, when one day, he received disturbing news.

“Rescue the saint!”

“Overthrow the empire that suppresses the sect!”

“Gather everyone! The children of the sun! We must judge the evil ruler, Duke Macbilian of the empire!”

While chewing on a lot of meat, Jade absentmindedly spat out:

“What the heck is this nonsense?”