Chapter 95
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I'll purchase divine power with money.
Chapter 95
"How on earth did you manage to move the Grand Temple of Sea God?"
Was that more surprising than the Death God's Temple joining forces?
"Well, it's a bit embarrassing to say I orchestrated it myself."
I shrugged and explained lightly.
"We don't have a great relationship with the Grand Temple of Sea God. So when they heard we were expanding into the Southern Market, the Sea God Faction panicked and hastily withdrew."
"In other words, you exploited their pettiness."
"Oh, you understand well?"
"I've experienced quite a bit."
Ah, right—I'd heard the Sea God Faction was desperate to bring Cali to their side. They must have dealt with plenty of annoying situations.
"Anyway, since things turned out this way, you can set aside your worries. If any serious injuries occur, send them to the Death God's Temple. Our priests will be staying there for a while."
"Of course, it won't be free."
"Naturally. We need to eat too."
Pfft.
Wait? Did she just laugh?
I was startled by that soft, whispering sound.
Cali, who had maintained an expressionless—no, a rigid expression from our first meeting until now, was smiling faintly.
I thought even her smile would be stiff, but surprisingly, it looked quite gentle.
"Is there a condition that one must become a believer to borrow a priest's power?"
"What? You're going to become one of our believers?"
Cali is a duke just like Lute Sheary!
Though unlike Lute Sheary, who fought the protagonists until the end as a villain, she exits midway through the original story—but her abilities and reputation are genuine.
So even if she's not SS-rank like Lute Sheary, she should be at least S-rank...!
"No, I haven't thought about it."
But my soaring hopes came crashing down in an instant.
I was disappointed as Cali's expression hardened as if she'd never smiled at all.
"You get my hopes up and then brush me off like this. That's really too much."
"Of course, if you insist I become a believer, I have no choice. I've learned firsthand through this incident just how invaluable absolute healing power is in battles against monsters."
As she said this, Cali stared at me intently.
It was the same piercing gaze I'd seen in the carriage—as if she could see right through me.
Ah, I see. That look was observing me.
Or perhaps testing me.
"Then become a believer!"
I smiled brightly at Cali.
I thought she'd wave me off out of courtesy.
As if that would happen. Every single believer is so precious!
"After Duke Lute Sheary, now Duke Cali as well. Finally, our Sun God Grand Temple is seeing the light of day instead of being like a mouse hole."
"High Priestess, a mouse hole is a bit... I don't think it's quite that bad..."
Seth Noel, who had been listening from the side, protested with a slightly reddened face.
Unfortunately, even Cali didn't listen to those words.
"Duke Sheary is a believer?"
"Yes. He became a believer a few months ago. That's precisely why Lumen and we are together."
"Hmm...."
"What do you think? With even Duke Sheary as a believer, isn't it tempting? It feels different from those Sea God fanatics, and it doesn't seem so bad, does it?"
Cali visibly wavered at the mention of Lute Sheary himself becoming a believer.
I seized the opportunity and continued to gently coax her.
"There's nothing special you need to do. You just need to make a donation once in a while. Prayer? You don't even need to come to the Temple of the Sun God for that—you can pray anywhere the sun shines."
"Just like that.... Of course, the Sun God would listen no matter where one prays...."
Seth covered his face with both hands.
He seemed unable to contain his admiration for the High Priestess's excellent choice of words.
"You don't need to answer right away. Take your time and think it over. If you have any questions, you can ask Duke Sheary. He'll answer you sincerely."
I smiled contentedly and patted Cali's shoulder.
"Our Temple of the Sun God will always be waiting for Duke Cali."
"The Sun God cherishes his believers, so please give it serious consideration."
Seth chimed in as if he'd never felt embarrassed a moment in his life.
Well done, our Seth.
"Mm."
We were circling Cali and laughing merrily when it happened.
Suddenly, Seth's expression hardened as he looked toward something.
Cali turned her head in the same direction.
"What's wrong?"
"It seems a commotion has broken out. There appear to be quite loud voices...."
"I should go check. Please excuse me."
Since it was happening in her own territory, Cali didn't even look back and headed straight toward the disturbance.
Just as I was about to follow, Jeremy dropped down from the sky, dressed entirely in black.
"There's a fight."
"A fight? How did that happen?"
Are our Holy Knights fighting with the slum dwellers?
If that's the case, Cali alone should be able to handle it, so there's no real need for us to go....
"There's a kidnapper. The Holy Knights are holding them back."
But the situation was more serious than I'd thought.
I immediately looked at Seth.
"Let's go now."
"I'll take the liberty of being impolite."
Judging there was no time to hesitate, Seth scooped me up in his arms.
He held me securely and began running swiftly toward the source of the commotion.
Terrified I might bite my tongue at a speed faster than any horse, I clamped my mouth shut and clung to Seth's neck.
I noticed his arms around me seemed to tighten slightly, but I had no time to dwell on it.
Soon the sounds of chaos began reaching my ears as well.
"The sound of weapons clashing?"
"Yes, it appears a battle has broken out."
Seth Noel nodded and glanced at Jeremy, who was following beside us.
"When we arrive, you must never leave the High Priestess's side."
"I was already planning on it."
The two men quickly reached an agreement.
The scene we arrived at moments later was considerably grim.
"All of them are kidnappers...?"
I descended from Seth Noel's arms, my expression hardening in shock.
Facing off against our Holy Knights and the Duke's knights were five men in total.
Five of them attempting an abduction in broad daylight, not even under cover of night?
What's more, they appeared unscathed, yet among our forces—numbering well over ten—there were already wounded.
But the truly astonishing thing was something else entirely.
"...Jeremy, do you sense something from them?"
Men wrapped entirely in garments far more drab than Jeremy's own.
An uncanny aura emanated from those wielding weapons dripping with blood.
"I don't sense anything distinct. Just an uncomfortable, filthy feeling? Why—what do you sense, High Priestess?"
What do I sense? Is that what you call it?
I clenched my teeth.
To be precise, it wasn't something I sensed—it was something I could see.
Black stains.
The very same black stains I had witnessed on several wounded we treated with Lute Sheary in the Southern Region now covered these men's entire bodies.
The difference was that unlike those others, these men did not writhe in agony.
Rather, with each movement, the stains clumped and gathered, as if channeling strength.
Which meant only one thing.
These men were servants of 'Evil'.
Why on earth were they here?
"Do you know who they were trying to kidnap?"
"There, the girl behind them."
Jeremy pointed toward a tent house.
Several wooden barrels sat in front of the dwelling, its surface covered in a fine layer of dust and sand.
Upon closer inspection, a bundle of filthy cloth behind the barrels was shifting slightly.
It was so indistinguishable from the tent house itself that I would never have noticed it without Jeremy's guidance.
What kind of girl could she be that men presumed to be servants of 'Evil' would attempt her abduction at dawn?
"Ah."
At that moment, the bundle of cloth shifted, and a girl's face peeked out slightly.
Despite the considerable distance, our eyes met in an instant...
"...Huh?"
Wait, wait just a moment. What is this? Did I... see that correctly?
What? No, is that... real?
Dust clung to her in such abundance that her true coloring was difficult to discern, yet her golden hair was unmistakably radiant, and her delicate, beautiful features could not be concealed beneath the grime.
Up to this point, I could overlook it.
But those eyes.
Even in this place teeming with sand, those irises gleamed with unmistakable clarity—they were undoubtedly golden.
Golden hair and golden eyes, coupled with such exquisite beauty, all belonging to a vagrant girl in her teens.
'...Idella?'
That's unmistakably Idella, no matter how you look at it!
What on earth is she doing here?
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org