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Chapter 50
“What on earth… What happened here?”
Crown Prince Leonar muttered as he looked at the fallen beasts, the blonde saintess standing behind Elysia, and the wrecked forest around them.
Elysia frowned instead of answering.
Sigh. What a hassle to explain. Why did Leonar suddenly show up?
In the original storyline, the male leads appear just in time to save Prilien. If Elysia hadn’t been there, Leonar and Jerome would’ve rescued Prilien instead.
But now that I think about it, something’s odd… How did those two know to come here together?
It’s not like Jerome and Leonar share a hobby of strolling through the woods. And even if they did, why today, why here, both of them?
Unless they knew in advance Prilien would appear here today, the scene from the original wouldn’t be possible. If things went wrong, the story might not have even started because Prilien could’ve been killed by the monsters.
Could the temple have leaked information?
She was lost in thought when—
“Elysia!”
Tap tap tap!
Urgent footsteps echoed. When she looked up, Howell was sprinting toward her at full speed.
“Hey! What were you thinking, fighting beasts on your own?! Are you out of your mind?!”
“Huh? But I didn’t die. That’s what matters, right?”
“Ugh! I swear, you’re impossible!”
Howell shut his eyes tightly in frustration. Elysia nodded seriously.
“Right. You really should speak less. I was worried you’d draw the monsters’ aggro earlier.”
“Argh! You little—!”
Nya-nya nya-nyaa! (Value your life, human!)
Even the snow leopard smacked Elysia’s calf in panic. They must’ve been terrified she’d get killed.
I can’t exactly tell them my stamina stats.
She could take a beating from undead all day and be fine. That’s why she felt no sense of danger. In fact, Elysia had been far more worried that Howell, Prilien, or the snow leopard might get hurt or killed.
“Well, anyway, now that you’re here, things are easier. You explain the situation to His Highness.”
Elysia patted Howell on the shoulder. At her words, he turned his head with a bewildered expression.
“What? His Highness?”
It seemed Howell hadn’t even noticed Leonar. When he finally did, his face soured as he mumbled.
“Why would His Highness be here… Wait, no way.”
As his thoughts spiraled, Howell’s expression turned increasingly grim. Soon, he glared sharply at Elysia.
“Don’t tell me! You dragged us out here just to have a secret rendezvous with His Highness in the woods?!”
“……”
Elysia didn’t even have words. Her lips just pouted in disbelief.
Seriously! How does he keep jumping to these kinds of conclusions?!
“That’s not it. I was surprised too, okay? Your Highness, what brings you here?”
Elysia asked bluntly, and Leonar’s eyes wavered. He looked flustered, and also suspicious.
“…It’s a sensitive matter. I can’t say.”
Of course it is.
If he came at the temple’s request, he wouldn’t tell a mere noblewoman.
“I’m the one who should be asking. Why are you here, Elysia? And with the Sempherion heir, no less?”
Leonar’s gaze swept over the two of them—and even the snow leopard.
“…Is this the Duke’s doing?”
At his suspicious tone, Howell quickly shook his head.
“No! Absolutely not! She just followed a cat here!”
Nya nya? Nyaa-nyaa! (Me? I’m not even a cat.)
Howell pointed quickly at the snow leopard, doing everything he could to paint this as a coincidence and avoid political entanglement.
He jabbed Elysia in the side, signaling her to agree. As she struggled to think of a response—
“Um…”
A soft voice cut in between them.
It was Prilien.
Despite having literally floated in on a beam of light over the lake, no one had paid her any attention. She’d just stood there awkwardly, like an outsider. Now, finally, everyone turned to face her.
Up close, Prilien’s beauty was more than just striking—it was divine. Her golden hair glimmered like molten gold, and her flawless features seemed almost too harmonious, too ethereal. Her blue eyes resembled the fireflies and waters of this forest.
Elysia suddenly remembered.
Right, I need to confirm this.
She asked the question that popped into her head.
“Um, is your class by any chance… ‘Saintess’?”
“…Excuse me?”
AHAHAHAHAHAHA
Did she really just ask if that’s her “job”?!
What is this, a resume?!
Top jobs in this world: Doctor, Lawyer, and “Saintess” LMAO
Agh, I’m too used to games, I asked out of habit…
Elysia glanced nervously at the chat, which was blowing up. Feeling a bit awkward, she looked back at Prilien, wondering—
How will she respond?
Prilien is the protagonist. That means she should act based on the player’s choices.
Elysia remembered: Prilien had two possible routes here.
-
Boldly proclaim she is the Saintess.
-
Say she doesn’t really know and follow the temple. (In this route, the temple eventually declares her the Saintess.)
But there’s no player here.
So… whose will does Prilien follow?
As Elysia pondered, Prilien finally spoke.
“I… I’m not sure what you mean. I don’t even know why I’m here… I just remember following the light.”
So, Route 2 then?
Going with the temple because she’s unsure.
At that moment—
Rustle rustle rustle.
Multiple figures approached through the forest. Elysia recognized them as humans, not monsters, so she calmly turned her head.
“Those people…”
They wore blue uniforms bearing the symbol of the temple.
At the center stood a young man with blue hair. That annoying face—Elysia knew it well.
The High Priest!
How did he know to arrive now, of all times? Well, it was a Saintess Descent event, so the temple was bound to detect it.
The high priest’s group approached.
“…Oh, Lady of Light.”
His eyes sparkled as he spotted Prilien standing behind Elysia. His voice held a mix of awe and pity.
“I came to greet you, but my steps were slow. I apologize for arriving so late.”
He looked around at the monster corpses scattered about and continued.
“It seems wicked creatures dared to hinder the Saintess’s descent. Did His Highness aid you?”
Though his tone was flat, Elysia sensed expectation and favor beneath it. But Leonar shook his head.
“No, it wasn’t me.”
“Then…?”
The high priest’s brow furrowed slightly—but Elysia didn’t miss the moment.
“I did.”
She answered confidently, flashing a grin.
“A wayward noble lady decided to show some strength. What do you think of the results?”
“…!”
The high priest’s eyes widened in disbelief. The others murmured anxiously among themselves.
“No way…”
“Are you saying she took down all those beasts on her own?”
“But she doesn’t even have divine power… or a weapon…”
The temple officials looked stunned at the corpses around them. Only Leonar, Howell, Prilien, and the snow leopard, who had seen it all, remained unfazed.
“…Fascinating.”
The high priest finally spoke, voice low and thoughtful.
“Are you truly saying you helped the Saintess, Lady Elysia?”
“Yes. I took care of all the monsters.”
Still skeptical, the high priest asked—but Elysia replied calmly and courteously.
“With the Goddess watching, how could I possibly lie?”
“…That may be so.”
He continued slowly.
“But I’m curious. You weren’t meant to be here. What brought you to this forest?”
“……”
“This isn’t the sort of place one enters casually.”
He was clearly suspicious—just like Leonar. Elysia met his gaze.
That persistent, piercing stare. That quiet, sharp voice.
Come to think of it, the high priest had given her similar veiled warnings at the ball.
“Would Lady Elysia happen to know where the Saintess will descend?”
“Please don’t disrupt the sacred moment.”
Was he expecting me to show up? Why?
Does he have foresight or something? That guy…
Elysia kept her expression steady as she chose her words. She’d already told Howell she came to catch glowing fireflies, and told Leonar she followed a cat.
But this shady high priest wouldn’t be fooled so easily.
What excuse should she give?
Just as she opened her mouth to respond—
A completely unexpected voice cut in.
“…Actually, I asked her to come.”
“Gasp!”
“What…?!”
Everyone turned to the source.
It was Leonar—the one who had quietly watched the exchange and doubted Elysia earlier.
Why is he…?
Before she could even ask, Leonar stepped forward. Standing right in front of Elysia, he looked her in the eyes.
“I wanted to see her. I asked her to meet me here, in secret.”
“What…!”
“You WHAT?!”
The high priest’s and Howell’s expressions twisted. But Leonar didn’t falter.
“…I’m sorry, Elysia. I dragged you into this.”
Elysia was left speechless. His voice was just as gentle as the one she’d heard at the palace before. And his expression—was that… genuine regret? Shyness?
Shyness? Since when does he make that kind of face?
Everyone else watching the scene held their breath.
