According to Plan

I'd covered the eye-catching priestess robe with a modest travel cloak. With the hoods pulled down deep, we looked like any ordinary mother and daughter you might find anywhere. Granted, even a cloak couldn't quite hide Alicia's voluptuous figure.

Disguises in place, we headed for the eastern slums.

The moment we left the main thoroughfare, a rancid stench hung thick in the air. Rats scurried and squeaked in every direction, empty bottles lay scattered where they'd rolled, and the sullen stares of vagrants followed us through several alleys.

Then, just as we turned a corner—

"Hey, what's a blind broad think she's doing, shoving past people?"

"Should've smacked her with that cane, eh?"

"Hold on, this one's got a right pretty face on her, doesn't she?"

Men's voices jeered, toying with a woman.

"I-I'm sorry... I can't see where I'm going..."

There's my cue.

I scanned the alley. Three rough-looking thugs had a shabbily dressed girl surrounded. Strands of silver hair poked out from beneath her hood. Clutching her staff like a lifeline, Luise trembled against a crumbling wall.

"Sorry doesn't cut it. You know the rules around here? Hand over ten gold, and this fine elder will graciously forgive you."

"I-I don't have that kind of money..."

"No money, then you pay with that body. That's the law of the streets, ain't it? Kahahaha!"

Shing.

Alicia's hand went to her sword hilt.

"Wait."

"Angel?"

"Let me handle this."

I couldn't hand off a salvation opportunity to someone else. Alicia studied me for a moment, then released her grip on the sword.

"...I'll intervene the moment you're in danger."

"Yes, ma'am."

Just as the bulk of the group, clearly the leader, leered and reached for Luise's shoulder—

"That'll be far enough, gentlemen."

I flung off my cloak and stepped into the alley. Every eye snapped to me at once.

"Huh? The hell's with this pipsqueak?"

"A priestess robe? Boss, she's one of those Holy Radiance Church wenches."

"Church, schmurch—down this back alley, yours truly is king. Hnngh, now that I look closer, this one's a pretty tasty morsel too."

The thug boss curled his lips into a slimy grin.

Why is it that every villain in this place is cut from exactly this cloth? Where's the shred of decency, the 'must protect the young' compassion? Even mafiosos are supposed to be nice to kids.

"Child of the Holy Radiance, you should know that trespassing in a place like this earns you a good thrashing. Today, this elder here will teach you what a real man tastes like. Eheheh."

"R-run! Please!"

Luis gripped her staff tight and spoke to me.

"It's fine."

I reassured her, calm and even.

"Pipsqueak, it will *not* be fine."

One of them drew a dagger and slowly licked the flat of the blade.

Fwoooosh—

In an instant, the plain white robe transformed into the Gossamer Dress.

Snap.

So it auto-activates when it senses killing intent—but seriously, THAT counts as lethal threat?

Well, in for a penny.

I switched my halo on for good measure. The thugs, startled by this dramatic production no back alley had ever seen, froze for a heartbeat—and I closed the distance and drove a fist into the boss's gut.

CRACK!

The bonus damage procced instantly, and the man's body slammed into the wall. The point of impact had burst wide open—instant death, obviously.

"Wh-what the—?"

Staring at their boss buried under a pile of bricks, the thugs' eyes bulged.

"W-we're sorry!"

They hurled their weapons aside and flattened themselves against the ground.

Buddha Punch is great and all, but it does have one small flaw. With a bonus multiplier this absurd, there's simply no holding back.

Slick—

The remaining two thugs' heads parted company with their bodies. Alicia had closed in before I even noticed and finished them off. My, my. Our saintess really shows no mercy.

I changed back into my priestess robes and approached Luise, who was huddled in a corner, gasping for breath.

"It's all over now. I'm Nirvana of the Holy Radiance Church, and this is the Saintess."

I said it as gently as I could manage.

"Angel, you left out the part about being the Celestial Zenith Saint."

Declaring myself a saint with my own mouth is just a little embarrassing, you know?

"I handle that too, more or less. Let's move somewhere else for now."

Talking in a bloodstained alley didn't sit right with me. Even Luise's hand around her staff was still shaking. Naturally. She may be blind, but her hearing, smell, and magic sense were abnormally sharp from birth—she'd already pieced together exactly what had happened in front of her.

We slipped out of the alley onto the main road and ducked into a shabby teahouse at the edge of the market.

"My name is Luise, from Remshite. It is an honor to meet the one who descended upon starlight, and the Saintess as well."

Luis bowed, awkwardly grasping the hem of her skirt.

The rural village of Remshite had been destroyed in a monster attack, and she, the sole survivor, had made her way to Georg alone. I knew the backstory well enough.

"You know quite a lot about the Holy Radiance Church, don't you?"

Alicia remarked, lifting her teacup with graceful poise.

"The village priest taught us that we must show every courtesy to the Saintess and the Saint, should we ever behold them."

Ding—!

A system notification popped up. I glanced at it.

Was there even a question? I smashed YES immediately.

Stingy as ever with only three slots, but Luise was an absolute must-pick. If for no other reason than this entry on the Great Original Vow:

Alicia already possessed half-finished combat strength even at this point in the timeline. Luise, on the other hand, hadn't so much as taken her first steps. In other words: nurture Luise diligently, and Votive Power pours in on autopilot.

My conditions are far better than the original protagonist's.

I chewed thoughtfully on a thick slice of bread slathered with honey, thinking it over. Munch, munch.

Speaking of which—this bread was pretty good. Almost too good to keep to myself.

"Luise?"

"Yes."

Probably from being so wound up—despite the sweet, toasty smell in the air, Luise hadn't so much as touched her bread. She had to be starving.

I slid the plate of bread over to her.

"Eat this first. The talk can wait until you've filled that stomach of yours."

"Thank you..."

Luis took a careful bite. Her lashes trembled faintly—so it's good, then. A strange satisfaction welled up in me. So this is why Alicia's always feeding me things.

By the time the plate was nearly empty, I called to her again.

"Luise."

"...Yes."

"What are you planning to do from here?"

"I don't know. They said one could earn money in Georg, so I came..."

Honest, at least.

"You don't know anyone here, do you?"

"No."

"No place to go, no money?"

"...No."

"Then come with me."

"...Yes. ...Come?!"

"That's what I said. You're coming on an adventure—with me."

"S-someone like me, being of use to the Saint... You have the Saintess at your ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠side already. I would only be a burden."

Oh, the temptation to scold her. A burden? What nonsense is that? Luise, you're destined to become my Votive Power copier and the party's main DPS. I wanted to say it right then and there, but instead—

"A burden? I need your strength, Luise. Truly."

I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠spoke while keeping my expression as lofty and benevolent as possible.

Tap.

Alicia, who had been quietly sipping her tea, set down her cup.

"Angel, I confess I'm curious as well. Just what ability does this woman possess, that you had to come all this way for her?"

"Hmm."

Did it really need explaining in words?

"Seeing Luise's talent for yourself would be faster."

I stuffed the last of the bread in my mouth and stood up.

We left the teahouse and made our way to the Georg cathedral. Alicia instructed the bishop to have Luise cleaned up and properly attired.

About an hour later, the door opened with a click.

"Oh."

As Luise walked out, escorted by a nun, I couldn't help the gasp that escaped me. Shed of her rags and dressed in clean clothes, she looked like an entirely different person. Her silver hair fell like silk, and her closed eyes lent her an air of quiet mystery.

She really is the main heroine for a reason.

Alicia beside me gave Luise a slow once-over, her brow narrowing ever so slightly.

"Bishop."

I called for the bishop to bring the item I'd told him to prepare. He carefully carried out a single steel sword—an ordinary, standardized mass-issue one-hander. I'd deliberately asked for the most unremarkable blade available.

"This way, Luise."

I picked up the sword and stepped out into the cathedral's front courtyard.

"Set that wooden staff down, and take this."

Luis hesitated for a moment, flustered—then took the sword with trembling hands. And the instant her slender fingers closed completely around the hilt—

Fwoooosh—!

The fallen leaves blanketing the courtyard whipped up into a swirling vortex.

Shing—

As if entranced, Luise drew the sword and assumed her stance. The body of a girl who had never once held a sword in her life aligned itself into the most ideal swordsman's form imaginable. If one were to sculpt the very concept of "sword" into human shape, surely this is what it would look like.

Alicia, watching beside me, went wide-eyed on the spot.

"Th-this is..."

She couldn't finish the sentence. Sacred arts may have been her specialty, but Alicia never slacked on her sword training either—her swordsmanship alone ranked among the world's finest. She must have grasped immediately just how transcendent the talent this blind girl carried within her truly was.

Luis swung the sword as though she'd slipped into a state of selfless trance. Swish— With every movement of her slender limbs, the falling leaves split precisely in two.

"Forgive me for ever doubting your discerning eye, Angel. With talent like this... she will become your mightiest blade—a sword stronger than any paladin in the order."

"Aw, my strongest blade is the Saintess. Now and always."

"Ohh, Angel..."

Alicia's blue eyes flashed with fanaticism and rapture.

...I'm pretty sure I just pulled the wrong trigger there. This'll be fine, right...?

Ignoring the faint unease creeping over me, I pulled up my status window.

All ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I'd done was toss a sword at Luise, and my Votive Power was already flooding in.

"Just as expected."

I nodded with deep satisfaction. Everything was going.

Exactly according to plan...!