CH 89

After a while, Camilla fell asleep again as she ran out of energy.

I quietly closed the door to keep her from waking up. And I walked towards my room.

My heart was pounding.

‘Now, let’s sort it out.’

Although it was a sudden situation, Camilla’s holy power was revealed today.

Many priestesses witnessed this, and now Camilla’s presence in the temple will grow out of control.

To think that she is a priestess with holy power great enough to save the dead. Everyone may doubt my authenticity.

‘Then what will happen to the contract?’

I bit my lip in nervousness.

Elium, the highest temple of all temples, the saintess only dwells there. And Camilla saved a life that was already dead today.

“…”

Both my mind and heart were complicated.

“Saintess!”

As I walked out to the hallway, I heard Daisy’s voice.

I stood still.

“Here you are. I came back, but you were out… I thought you went for a walk.”

The speed of my pounding heart gradually slowed as I smiled.

“How have you been? While you were in the mine, I prayed every day because I’m worried about the Saintess…”

“Daisy.”

“Yes, Saintess.”

I looked at Daisy while holding her hand, said.

“I missed you.”

Daisy’s eyes widened at my words. And she smiled broadly like a flower blooming.

“Me too, Saintess. I missed you so much.”

Fake saintess Ariel.

As in my previous life, I thought there was nothing really mine.

The temple is always a place from where I have to leave, and so are the ties.

Yet deep down I realized that wasn’t the case. Maybe I have grown attached to a lot of things here.

Maybe even if I hadn’t signed a contract with Diego, I might have been greedy for this place.

I guess I was thinking that this is where I really need to be.

“Saintess, I’m very happy too, but it’s suffocating. Please let go of me.”

“Just a minute more.”

At my words, Daisy patted me on the back.

“Did anything sad happen, our Saintess?”

Her arms were warm.

***

Daisy went out, comforting me with pleasant stories from her hometown.

A lonely night alone. I went out with Dwayne and looked at the six statues I bought.

The small statues on the desk were funny because they looked like Moai for some reason.

The God of Art, Mond.

The God of Knowledge, Hessed.

The God of Destruction, Ciel.

The God of Justice, Hetuse.

The God of Benevolence, Oman.

The God of Love, Odyssey.

I got out of bed and sat down in a chair, stretching out my hand and stroking each of the statues.

“It’s not like this, is it?”

There were no Gods who answered, but I smiled at the thought of the cute shape of the statues.

After a while, I put my hands together and closed my eyes to pray.

“How are you? Gods. I was surprised that you left without saying anything. Wherever you go, always be happy. Phew…”

I let out a small sigh and opened my eyes.

“…Actually, I miss you.”

It’s true that there were times when the oracle interfered with my life and nagged me, which was annoying.

But once it disappeared, the emptiness lingered for a very long time.

I looked at the icon without an answer, then sighed again and stood up.

And then it was.

[Or… acle…]

[Ora… cle is… not smooth…■■]

A  chat window suddenly popped up in front of me.

I stared at the chat window in surprise. However, it became transparent and disappeared within seconds.

“…What is it?”

Didn’t the oracle disappear altogether?

It doesn’t make sense to assume that the oracle was disturbed, this was the temple. It’s not like there are demons that emit powerful Magi like Diego Vester did.

I prayed again and sat down, yet the oracle window didn’t appear again.

***

The next evening, after spending a lot of time with a troubled heart, I rode a carriage and left the temple with Reihausd.

“I didn’t expect us to have a meal outside the temple.”

“It’s a long-awaited time with the Saintess, that’s why I prepared it so you won’t feel sad.”

The carriage left the temple and arrived downtown shortly after.

The place we decided to go today was a nice restaurant on the street not far from the temple.

I got out of the carriage, escorted by him.

“This seems to be a restaurant that doesn’t have many customers.”

“I borrowed this for a period of time for Saintess.”

I was surprised by Reihausd’s words and looked at him.

Isn’t this the line usually spoken by rich guys in dramas?

‘Well, being a priest doesn’t mean he’s poor.’

Reihausd looks no less stylish and rich than he is.

“I heard what happened yesterday.”

He said while pouring wine into my glass. A thick steak was placed on the platter.

“Ah, you mean Camilla saving the Golden Crown?”

I cut the meat carelessly.

“Are you okay?”

At Reihausd’s direct words, I stopped the knife I was cutting the meat with. My eyes gazed upon him and I said.

“…There’s no reason why I shouldn’t be okay, is there? Camilla saved a poor life.”

He looked at me with his lips closed for a moment, as if my words conveyed an uncomfortable feeling.

“…For me.”

After a while, he opened his mouth.

“What would you do if you were the only saintess to me, Ariel?”

I responded with a light smile.

“I know that Sir Reihausd cares for me excessively. I’m always grateful for that.”

I could see his golden eyes swaying low.

The more I look at him, the more beautiful he is. And the peculiar constitution in which his body reacts (?) to a person with holy power.

“But Sir Reihausd’s excessive kindness sometimes puts a burden on me. I’m afraid you will get hurt someday.”

Now was the time to draw a line, both for me and him.

After I went to Ares, he was checking on my safety like a puppy suffering from separation anxiety.

“…You’re burdened. As expected.”

His golden eyes darkened.

After a while, his lips were chapped.

“Still, it doesn’t change that you are a saintess forever.”

A repeated question that comes back again.

I was naturally accepting Reihausd, who had become my fan from a certain moment.

Yes, it’s all because of holy power. It’s all because of my holy power.

‘If this holy power disappears someday, it might suddenly go to the new holy power holder, Camilla.’

Thinking that time would solve the problem, I decided to focus on eating.

But then, Reihausd’s voice was heard again.

“We’re sending Camilla to the temple of Raid.”

“Pardon me?”

“I’m not kidding.”

Startled by his low voice, I looked back at him. His dark gold eyes shone darkly.

His red lips were swollen.

“Does the Saintess believe in Camilla with all your heart?”

I was silent for a moment at his words, then I asked him again.

“What do you mean?”

Soon Reihausd stared at me and opened his mouth again.

“Behind what is too righteous lies a deep valley of distortion.”

I couldn’t understand what he was saying.

“That is also the difference between the Saintess and me.”

So, is it like, the more straight something is, the more you shouldn’t believe it by just looking at its outside?

“…Sir Reihausd. I think it’s exaggerated to think of Camilla as being too nice.”

“She has a valley as deep as mine.”

Reihausd’s thick voice cut me off.

“She will harm Ariel.”

I looked into his eyes for a while. My heart skipped a beat at the words I couldn’t understand.