Chapter 90
Chapter 90
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 89
Chapter Title: Star of the 13th Month
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It was a mistake.
Every time Carrion asked what she wanted, those words came out automatically.
Even though the person before her wasn’t Carrion, her brain spat out the familiar response to the familiar question.
“You seem quite tense.”
“Haha.”
Rachel laughed awkwardly. The Pope smiled as well.
“Labor is a sacred act. You’ve long understood and embodied that truth, Sister. Though you might wish for rest now that you’re weary.”
‘Thank you for interpreting it that way.’
It was the Pope who saved Rachel from her state of panic. Knowing how extremely tense she was, he patted her shoulders a couple of times and infused her with divine power.
Only then did Rachel let out a sigh that sounded almost like a sob.
“It’s fine. I did it to convey your thanks, Sister, but instead I’ve burdened you. I’m sorry.”
One might think the head of a religion would have a stiff neck, but the Pope of the Lux Church apologized to Rachel with ease.
Rachel felt she understood why the Lux Church hadn’t fallen into corruption and had maintained its power for so long.
Most people in high positions consider admitting fault and apologizing shameful.
To protect their honor, to maintain their dignity, they believe they mustn’t bow their heads lightly and thus try to bury their own mistakes.
Yet the Pope, without anyone saying a word, readily apologized in front of everyone to someone far younger than himself. It showed he was clear-minded, free of stubbornness, and humble.
“I’m alright now.”
“That’s a relief. This gathering was prepared simply to let you know the Church is your ally, so there’s no need to be nervous.”
The Pope declared it officially in front of the assembled high priests.
“Thanks to Sister Rachel’s kind heart, the Light is pleased. This is no ordinary bond.”
The Pope reached his hand toward the sky. Pure white light poured down from the stained glass windows of every color.
“Surely it is a fate blessed by the Light, so we shall name Sister Rachel the Star of the 13th Month of the Church.”
Applause rang out. Rachel knew what the Church’s “Star of the 13th Month” meant.
It was an honorary position with no official rank in the Church but granting the authority of a high priest.
With no responsibilities but all the privileges, the Church didn’t bestow the title on just anyone.
The most famous Stars of the 13th Month were the heroes who defeated the Demon King. Fidelis was an exception, as the only saint of the Lux Church.
Rachel thought it absurd that such an honor was being given to her.
But the high priests gathered in the grand meeting hall didn’t seem to agree.
From their perspective, Rachel had gifted the Church a powerful holy relic. In these chaotic times when a black sorcerer was plotting to summon the Demon King, no less.
Their god had given a direct response, so they believed befriending Rachel was the will of the divine.
“I didn’t do anything that grand...”
“You’re humble, Sister Rachel. There’s no need to feel burdened. The Church asks nothing of you in return for this. We simply feel gratitude and wish to offer our help.”
Rachel read the Pope’s firm resolve. If refusal wasn’t an option, the polite thing was to accept graciously.
“If that’s the case, then I gratefully accept.”
The Pope handed his staff to a priest standing behind him and raised both hands upward.
The pouring light formed a ring and settled atop Rachel’s head. The halo above her shrank smaller and smaller before vanishing between her hair.
“The rite of the Light’s blessing is complete. May this light guide your fate steadfastly.”
Rachel felt the light lingering around her. Tiny specks twinkled like fireflies.
***
“The temple is always open, so come visit anytime.”
“Thank you.”
After the temple affairs concluded, Rachel and Enoch exited amid farewell send-offs.
Enoch had sent a letter to the royal castle about the delayed schedule and selected five attendants from the Silver Knight Order.
The attendants were Dona, Rekent, Michelli, Pashié, and Solla—knights Rachel mentally nicknamed “Do-Re-Mi-Fa-Sol.”
Enoch decided to travel only with them, asking the rest of the order to return to the castle first.
“Five people? To take the Path of Light, we need at least six...”
“It’s fine. The light Rachel received is always active, equivalent to one priest.”
“Oh?”
“Of course, being holy power bestowed by His Holiness, it won’t move at Rachel’s will.”
“So that means I heal quickly even if injured, and unclean things can’t approach me easily?”
“Yes.”
In game terms, it was a permanent buff. But Rachel soon realized the downside of this state.
‘Black sorcerers sensitive to divine power will sense me coming. And I can’t increase my strength points anymore!’
Normally, strength comes from muscles. Muscles grow through repeated damage and recovery from training, but with divine power healing instantly, they won’t develop.
There was a huge difference between strength points stuck at 3 or barely increasing versus being completely blocked.
‘I really need to learn magic. Magic I can use with my own mana!’
Rachel felt the urgent need to acquire magic more than ever.
The Silver Knights brought horses from the stables. Rachel clapped her hands and spoke.
“As briefed earlier, our destination is Fern Mine.”
She had already explained to the Silver Knights why they needed to go to Fern Mine, but Rachel emphasized the destination once more.
“Um.”
Then Michelli, with her wheat-colored hair, raised her hand.
“I don’t quite understand—why do you think the symbol His Holiness declared as His own was a pink diamond instead of a statue?”
“Good question.”
Rachel pulled out her pouch of gems and held it out to them.
“It’s a fragment that broke off when the statue was made. It’s not just the statue that became a holy relic.”
The knights nodded as they examined the gem.
“It might be that divine power resonates only in the raw gem fragments used to craft the statue. That’s why we’re going—to confirm it precisely.”
“I see.”
“But I’m convinced all pink diamonds have become holy relics.”
Enoch, who had been listening quietly, asked.
“Why is that?”
“Until now, these pink gems were dismissed as worthless, right?”
“That’s true.”
“And I think I was the first to process them.”
“Is that so?”
Enoch responded nonchalantly, but the other knights still looked puzzled.
“What does being the first to process them have to do with the pink diamonds becoming holy relics?”
“Why do you think the Lord was pleased with the statue made from the gem?”
The knights shook their heads, unable to find an answer.
“We’re not sure.”
“I believe it’s because I brought light buried underground to the surface and offered it to Him.”
“If that’s the reason, shouldn’t other gems offered to Him also hold His power?”
Many nobles had donated gems to the god over time. Yet He hadn’t turned all of them into holy relics.
“No. The gems humanity offered to Him before were things we used first and then donated leftovers.”
Gold, diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds—various precious metals and gems had been offered to the god, but their original purpose was to adorn humans. Only later, realizing their value, did people donate processed ones to the temple.
But fancy diamonds—pink diamonds among them—hadn’t been used before.
“What I offered was processed for the sole purpose of dedicating the world’s first raw gems to Him, and I gave them first thing.”
Pashié, who had been chewing on rations, clapped as if she understood.
“To use a metaphor, existing gems are like leftover food, while pink diamonds are freshly made dishes?”
“Yes, exactly.”
Though reduced to the size of a man’s palm for the statue, gems that large were rare.
Rachel recalled the raw stone she’d first found, transparent like glass.
A raw stone of that grade, flawless and without inclusions, would never appear again.
The temple’s statue would become known as the most valuable gem in the world—not just among pink diamonds, but all gems.
“Explanation over. Let’s move out now.”
Rachel fastened her cloak and mounted her horse. Seeing this, Pashié called out.
“Sister, you’re bolder than you look.”
“Me, bold?”
“Most other ladies need help mounting for fear of falling, but you’re so petite and yet hop on so easily.”
Rachel chuckled. There had been a time when she’d used Enoch’s thigh as a step to mount. Before that, she couldn’t ride alone at all.
“There was a time I had to ride by myself.”
‘Thanks to that, I barely escaped danger by the skin of my teeth.’
Recalling the summer raid, Rachel gripped the reins firmly to prevent slipping.
“Let’s depart.”
“We depart.”
Enoch’s horse kicked off the ground and took the lead. Rachel followed, and the knights trailed behind.
***
“Your Highness, please help us! You know, don’t you? We did it all for you...!”
“Shut up! I said I’d look into it! Why can’t you wait?”
Demian snapped at the nobles reaching out for his aid.
Seeing Demian’s hand move toward his sword, the noble muttered that he’d take his leave and departed with a crestfallen voice.
Demian glared at the closed door and spat irritably.
“Every last one of them! They get caught for being idiots, and what am I supposed to do about it?”
Most of his supporters were locked in prison or dragged off to mines or labor camps.
The executed ones were heavy with crime, their families wiped out by implication, so they stayed silent.
But the families and relatives of those still alive came begging daily.
“Before, a word from me and they handled it themselves!”
Demian seethed. It wasn’t even that long ago.
Until this spring, his followers brought valuables as tribute and made requests. A word to his advisor beside him, and it was resolved in days.
Yet his power had shriveled like dried fruit in less than a year.
“It’s all because of that witch in the administration!”
His faction began crumbling after Paris Emporus died. He’d thought the man merely a baron, but his absence made everything creak.
The baron had been like lubricant, and without him, Demian’s support base was eroding bit by bit.
“That rat of a woman.”
He needed a solution fast. Priests loyal to Carrion were pressuring the king to name an heir quickly.
If this continued, Carrion would become king.
“Should I eliminate her?”
A chilling glint flashed in his eyes.
If he couldn’t catch up, he’d remove the obstacle. It was natural thinking for him.
But.
“Killing her outright would make me suspicious.”
If Carrion were his only rival, suspicion be damned. But now Enoch was in the mix.
Demian felt the need for a scheme.
“I’ll write a letter.”
His advisor, who had been holding his breath quietly, hurried to the desk. Without even letting the inkwell sit for ten seconds, Demian said.
“The day after tomorrow, at moonrise, the usual place.”