Chapter 129
Chapter 129
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 129
Chapter Title: Holy Kingdom Hospitality
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"Feng Yuhuan, huh... What an interesting scheme that woman's cooking up, isn't it?"
A smile spread across Minerva's face. There wasn't even a hint of displeasure, as if she now understood why Ceres had been picking fights with her from the moment they'd met.
'Originally, the NPC was bald, so maybe they removed the breasts too. What vicious humans.'
In this world, Erika and Selene were considered flat-chested, and no one disputed that perception. So what kind of treatment would someone like Ceres get, with no breasts at all?
I myself had once briefly lost my mind and lumped those two in with the flat-chested category.
Truth be told, I still occasionally thought Erika and Selene counted as flat-chested. It felt like two sets of values were clashing inside me.
'No way this is the black magic's fault too, is it?'
Whenever something felt even slightly off in my perception, I blamed it on that black magic. I needed to ask the witch about its exact scope when I saw her.
"Is it really possible to make a potion that enlarges breasts?"
"In theory, it's not impossible. It's just that brewing such a potion isn't worth it—better to do one more round of magic research or brew an extra potion instead."
'Whoa, so it works.'
The idea that you could enlarge breasts just by drinking a potion was astonishing in more ways than one.
In the game, they had eventually succeeded in developing a hair growth potion, so it wasn't hard to guess that Ceres's potion would succeed too.
'It succeeded. It did succeed...'
Yeah. It succeeded.
"Now we're off to get the holy water, right, child?"
I snapped out of my thoughts. What happened next was no longer my concern.
"Yes. Do you know where to buy it?"
"I do. I stopped by there once before to get some."
"Just teleport us there, then. I'll handle the rest."
Minerva nodded once and lightly tapped the floor with her staff. A floating sensation washed over me, and both our bodies were enveloped in a blue glow.
When the blue light faded, the scenery around us had flipped 180 degrees. Distinctive white buildings and streets paved with white bricks.
The Holy Kingdom.
I pulled the brooch from my pocket and pinned it to my left chest. Minerva, spotting it, gave a look of deep intrigue.
"Child, that is..."
"Have you seen this before?"
"Not in person, but I've heard of it. A brooch symbolizing the Pope's esteemed guest—one that represents both the sun and the moon, no less? Now I see why you were so confident. With that brooch, you'll surely obtain the light-infused holy water."
Her silver-gray eyes narrowed slightly.
"But, child... the fact that you have that brooch..."
"Let's move. We can't waste time here. I need to wrap this up fast and go find the Crystal Scroll."
I cut her off and strode forward. It was obviously a forced change of subject, but Minerva followed quietly behind me, seemingly willing to let it slide.
After walking between buildings for a few minutes...
"Here they come."
Perhaps sensing the mana waves from our teleportation, about ten holy knights were riding toward us from afar on horseback.
They were clad head to toe in white armor, and even their horses were pure white steeds. At least the weapons strapped to their saddles were normal in color.
I couldn't tell their genders. The armor was so thick it hid their figures completely, and they wore helmets over their faces.
The holy knights halted their horses in front of us and gripped their maces as one.
"Halt! Who are you? If you don't speak, we'll deem you heretics and deal with you!"
The lead knight shouted at us. Her voice was definitely female. Without a word, I pointed to the brooch on my left chest.
The knight glanced where my finger indicated, froze for a moment, then jolted as if burned and dismounted, prostrating herself flat on the ground.
The others followed suit one by one as they confirmed the brooch. The clamor of armor clanging and tangling echoed loudly.
Soon, all twelve were kneeling with heads bowed to the ground.
"W-We greet the esteemed guest!"
"We greet the esteemed guest!"
Their voices boomed. Especially the lead knight, who had spoken so aggressively at first—she trembled pitifully, visible even through her heavy plate.
'What's her deal?'
Did they execute people just for raising their voice to someone wearing this brooch? This was near the Papal Palace; it seemed like standard protocol for unidentified people.
My doubts vanished quickly. I recalled that she'd threatened to treat us as heretics if we didn't respond.
Even if she hadn't known, declaring the Pope's esteemed guest a heretic was probably the ultimate blasphemy in the eyes of these devout believers.
"Raise your heads. We're not here for—"
"How dare we receive honorifics from an esteemed guest! Please speak casually to us!"
Thud! The knight slammed her helmet to the ground and bowed her head again. Her reaction startled me more than anyone.
I turned to Minerva with a bewildered look. She smiled and leaned in to whisper in my ear.
"Do as they wish, child. Sometimes excessive consideration can be poisonous."
I nodded dazedly. I'd never imagined this level of reception when pinning on the brooch. I figured they'd just be a bit more polite, that's all.
"Got it. I'll drop the formalities. Heads up and look at me. I'm not here for your bows."
"Understood! Esteemed guest!"
Their booming voices rang out again as they raised their heads. The once-pristine white helmets were now caked in dirt.
"I need a favor. That okay?"
"A favor? Unthinkable! Please give us your command!"
"...Fine. I have a command for you."
"We gladly accept! What is your will?"
"Can you get me some light-infused holy water?"
The knight replied without the slightest hesitation.
"Of course! How much do you require?"
I glanced at Minerva. She looked genuinely surprised.
"Living long enough, even days like this come around. Being with you never runs out of surprises, child."
It was surprising. In the game, light-infused holy water wasn't something you bought by specifying quantity—the sellers decided how much to part with.
Even Minerva wouldn't have been an exception, so this 'normal' question of how much she needed was probably a first for her.
"That's what they said. How much do you need, Lady Minerva?"
"...Me, child?"
"Is there another Minerva here besides you, Lady Minerva?"
I repurposed what she'd said at Ceres's house, and her eyes widened briefly before returning to normal. She'd caught my intent.
"Then not too much... One vial should suffice."
"You heard her? One vial. That'll do."
"Understood! We'll escort you to the guest building. Would you wait there while we prepare the holy water?"
"Sure."
"Yes! Thank you for permitting our escort!"
The lead knight rose with a vigorous reply, mounted her horse, and the others followed, kicking up dust as they departed. Three remained and approached us.
"We'll escort you, esteemed guest."
A woman's voice again. We followed their lead. They stopped before a building about four or five stories tall. The two flanking us opened the doors with utmost courtesy.
Inside was a room adorned with lavish decorations. The escorting knights bowed one last time, asked us to wait here, and departed.
I sat on the sofa. Minerva settled her hips onto it and gazed at me with honey-dripping eyes, smiling.
"Thank you, child. I received some unexpected consideration."
Part of me wondered if I shouldn't get closer to Minerva here, but honestly, half of me was like, whatever.
Our affinity was already maxed out from the Crystal Scroll alone. Tossing in one vial of light-infused holy water wouldn't change much.
Besides, to keep Kaikilia in check, staying close to Minerva was the smartest move—short of defecting to the Holy Kingdom and throwing myself on the Pope's mercy.
"You're welcome. You've helped me too, Lady Minerva."
"Wasn't this a transaction for the Crystal Scroll?"
"You didn't specify excluding items from the Mage Tower."
Thanks to her, we'd skipped all the middle steps and come straight here, so it wasn't entirely one-sided generosity.
"Hehe... I understand. Then I'll say no more on the matter."
True to her words about excessive consideration being poison, Minerva backed off cleanly.
Seeing that enigmatic smile, I wondered if this was really the same woman who'd been nagging me to hurry and find the Crystal Scroll. Which Minerva was the real one?
'Right now, she gives off this transcendent sage vibe.'
—Bang!
The door flew open with force. As I turned to see what was happening, radiant golden sunlight poured in.
I reflexively shielded my eyes. Through the gaps in the light and my fingers, I vaguely saw Minerva glancing sideways in slight surprise.
The light gradually faded. I blinked a few times to restore my vision and turned my head. What the hell was that?
"It's been a while, esteemed guest."
My eyes met Floretta's.