Chapter 88
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: Rumors of the Saintess
“Word’s spreading starting from the southern districts. The temple isn’t exactly denying it either.”
“What do we do, what do we do! I’m not someone great enough to deserve such a grand title.”
“But to the farmers, you’re exactly that great. Sorry for being late, but welcome back!”
Rachel and Lucia embraced.
“Receiving your greeting makes it really feel like I’m back. But saintess?!”
Lucia’s eyes spun in circles. But soon, a spark lit up in her green eyes.
“It’s embarrassing, but this could be an opportunity?”
Rachel nodded. In past loops, the people’s support had all gone to Damian. Now it was flowing toward Lucia and Carrion.
When civil war broke out, the populace would side with Carrion, not Damian. The fourth prince, Enoch, would lend his strength to Carrion as well.
“Was the trip back comfortable?”
“It was smooth. No bandit groups, and plenty of festivals.”
In the old days, bandits swarmed everywhere, attacking noble carriages without a care.
There had been plenty of noble kidnappings, and even lords who disguised their private soldiers as bandits to plunder other territories.
But this time, bandits were nowhere to be seen. Many villages had finished their harvests and were holding thanksgiving festivals to the gods. The grim, wretched autumns of before were gone.
“We owe this moment to you, Lucia. That’s why you deserve to be called a saintess.”
At Rachel’s words, Lucia blushed.
“It wasn’t just me. That unlucky Abyss helped too, Enoch put in the effort, and you were always encouraging me and working hard.”
Lucia and Rachel’s eyes met. There was an emotion only the two regressors could share.
The hope that things were better than before—and that they would get even better—stirred in the girls’ hearts.
“Whether they call me witch or saintess, it doesn’t matter anymore. My friends will see me for who I am. Right?”
“Yeah. No matter what they call you, you’re just my friend, Lucia.”
At that moment, green mana surged from Lucia’s body. It wasn’t something she was controlling; it was as if the mana was dancing freely in response to her emotions.
‘Her mana’s grown!’
Lucia had grown. Gaining a strong heart that wouldn’t bend to outside gazes seemed to have influenced her magical development.
“Rachel, I feel stronger!”
“Congratulations!”
“Aren’t you curious how?”
“You can grow plants even better?”
“That too, but it’s a bit different.”
Lucia held out her hand to show Rachel. Mana gathered in her empty palm, forming a small seed. The seed sprouted in an instant.
“You can grow plants without anything?”
“Yeah. And I can shape them however I want.”
This was huge. If there was no food, she could make some. If there were no weapons, she could craft wooden swords.
“I feel like I can do even more amazing things. I’ll practice hard and show you later!”
***
Enoch unleashed his divine power before the king’s ornate bed, where the king lay. Pure white light enveloped the king’s body.
“How do you feel?”
“Much lighter.”
The king sat up. He had stepped back from the front lines due to his worsening condition, but in truth, it had never been that serious.
“How long do you plan to hide that your chronic illness is cured?”
The king trusted no one around him. Though cured a month ago, he had kept it secret from everyone.
Only his personal physician, Enoch, and the head chamberlain knew.
His other children and the second queen still believed King Pavellos III’s condition was dire.
“Not yet. I haven’t decided who to pass the throne to. What do you think?”
Ironically, Enoch—the child who had been kept distant from the king—was the only one who had earned his trust.
First, because he had cured the king’s illness. Second, because he had led the Silver Knights to many achievements. Third, because he showed no interest in the throne.
“In my humble opinion, it would be most fitting to pass it to Brother Carrion.”
“Why?”
“Lord Damian has only avoided detection so far, but the circumstances show he was closely tied to the Daimon organization I arrested.”
They were brothers, yet one was “brother” and the other “lord.” Pavellos III could glimpse how Enoch viewed Damian.
“And the item found in the bedding last time...”
The king’s brow furrowed.
When Enoch had inspected the bedroom, claiming the healing was progressing slowly, they found a cursed object.
It was a very subtle curse that weakened the body and invited illness upon close contact. It took about three years to show effects—right around when the king had begun losing his health.
This never could have happened if the priests had visited the palace frequently.
“Indeed. Damian is the prime suspect.”
“Yes. I don’t believe someone with intent to harm their father could become a benevolent king.”
“Let’s watch a little longer. I need to test them and confirm a few things.”
“Yes. Then I’ll take my leave.”
Enoch withdrew silently, without a sound. The king watched his youngest son’s retreating figure, then rose from the bed. He sat at his desk and began writing something.
***
Having finished their talk, Rachel and Lucia left the castle. Their breaths fogged in the air.
“Ugh, it’s cold.”
“The south was warm, right?”
“Yeah.”
Lucia gazed into the sky as she spoke.
“Just one month left.”
In a month, the king would close his eyes. And rebellion would erupt in Cudas.
“This time, we’ll make sure it doesn’t drag into summer.”
Wars were usually avoided in winter, but Cudas’s civil war had started then and ended in spring or summer.
In loops 10, 11, and 12—where Rachel hadn’t intervened—it ended in late spring.
Only in loop 18, when Rachel had shared information with the temple and Abyss, had it ended in summer.
‘So the loop Lucia remembers is 18.’
Rachel nodded in empathy, having deduced it through elimination.
Lucia boarded the carriage. Rachel checked the coachman’s face before getting in.
“The Black Sorcerer hasn’t shown up since that day?”
“Not yet. Incidents that look like black magic have dropped off sharply.”
It felt like the calm before the storm. The Black Sorcerer’s movements were so elusive it seemed like he was lying low, waiting for the right moment to strike big.
“I noticed on the way—the public order’s improved. The roads are cleared up too.”
“That’s a relief. But I can’t shake the feeling we need to prepare more.”
When civil war broke out, the black sorcerers would come crawling out like they’d been waiting.
Since death fueled their black magic, they needed a way to completely purge them from the capital.
“Want me to drop you home?”
“No, I have business near the west gate today.”
“Why the west gate?”
“I commissioned some jewelry work, and they asked me to stop by around now.”
“That thing you mentioned in your letter?”
“Yeah.”
Rachel wondered what had become of the raw pink diamond.
She had left the results entirely to their discretion. Devout believers, they would surely shape the god well with their deep faith.
“Diamonds are hard, so the work takes time. What you see today is probably an intermediate piece.”
“I want to check it out too.”
But when they arrived at the workshop, Rachel saw not an intermediate piece, but a completed glow.
“It’s dazzling!”
She hadn’t specified a form when asking them to make a statue of the god.
She had left it all to the sculptors and jewelers, and they hadn’t carved it into human form—they had shaped the light itself.
“What do you think?”
Ecstasy laced the sculptor’s voice as he asked for her opinion. He was already satisfied with his creation.
Rachel couldn’t critique it. The diamond statue reflected light, creating the illusion that it glowed on its own.
“It’s dazzling.”
She had nothing else to say. The radiance was so brilliant it was almost frightening to look at in the sunlight.
“So a large diamond shines like this.”
Even Lucia, who had handled many gems, was amazed.
“As I said before, I plan to offer this piece to Lux.”
The sculptor made the sign of the faith.
“Where’s the jeweler?”
“He’s praying in rapture after finishing the statue.”
“I see. I’m sorry—I didn’t expect it to be done so soon, so I only brought half the payment. Is it okay if I bring the rest tomorrow?”
“Yes, take your time. We’re the ones grateful to the young lady who gave us this experience.”
“Huh?”
Rachel thought the “experience” meant handling such a large raw stone. But the sculptor added that wasn’t it.
“When I first saw the raw stone, I glimpsed the shape of the light trapped inside. Seton and I merely revealed that shape.”
The sculptor explained that the statue’s form had already been complete—they had only brought it to light.
“It was truly miraculous. Normally, carving a stone statue takes at least three months, but we finished this in one. It must be the god’s will.”
In a world where gods existed, divine intervention wasn’t particularly strange.
Afterward, Rachel sent a letter to the temple announcing the donation of the statue.
***
A few days later, a guest arrived at Rachel’s mansion.
“Milady, a guest has arrived.”
Rachel was preparing to go out. It was a holiday, and a rare day when Enoch, Abyss, and Lucia would all gather. A sudden visitor was inconvenient.
“My father’s home—why me?”
“They asked for you specifically, milady.”
“Me? Who?”
“Lord Enoch.”
Since Enoch’s identity as the fourth prince was revealed, the servants treated him with utmost respect.
Rachel relaxed upon hearing it was Enoch.
“If it’s Enoch, that’s fine.”
Wondering why he’d come to the mansion when they were about to meet soon, Rachel finished getting ready and headed downstairs.
But behind the Enoch she’d expected to be alone stood the Silver Knights.
“Hello?”
Her short greeting carried the implicit question of why they were there.
“Rachel, the temple is summoning you urgently.”
“Me?”
“Yes. An assembly order has gone out to most high priests and senior holy knights.”
“Why me?”
“It seems related to the statue you donated to the temple.”
“Where are we going, then?”
“To the Grand Temple.”
The distance from the capital to Sios territory, home of the Grand Temple, wasn’t something one could travel in a day.
If Rachel went to the Grand Temple now, she’d be absent for at least ten days.
“I’ve already processed the support request papers with your signature.”
“That’s abuse of public authority!”
“But isn’t this exactly when newfound power should be used properly?”
Rachel was speechless at Enoch’s more flexible thinking than before.
‘He definitely learned that from Prince Carrion!’
But this kind of flexibility was worth learning.
Unaware of Rachel’s thoughts, Enoch extended his hand.
“Then allow me to escort you to the Grand Temple.”