Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: I Thoroughly Protect What's Mine. (5)
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"Saintess, the refreshments prepared by the temple earlier will get cold. Please eat them while they're fresh."
He was immensely grateful for the opportunity to serve the Saintess so closely. Thus, he attended to her with utmost sincerity, ensuring no discomfort befell her.
"Mmm, it's fine. If I eat now, crumbs will get on the holy scripture. I'll eat after I finish reading."
Rachel waved her hand dismissively and turned her gaze back to the holy scripture. At the sight, the priest had to clutch his chest once more.
'She's at an age where she can't resist such sweet treats.'
Her faith was so profound that even refreshments didn't catch her eye. It was truly admirable.
Rachel habitually twirled her hair with one hand while flipping through the holy scripture with the other.
"By the way."
Suddenly, her lips moved.
"Yes, Saintess. Please speak."
"Any interesting rumors going around lately?"
The priest tilted his head.
"Rumors like what...?"
Rachel's hair-twirling sped up. Her locks began to resemble twisting vines.
"Mmm, well..."
Rachel furrowed her brow, then pursed her lips, pondering.
"Mmm, how should I put this?"
She thought for a long moment before finally speaking.
"You know, like, big events happening somewhere, or some amazing person showing up—stuff like that."
It was a most vague question, like grasping at clouds.
The priest couldn't pinpoint exactly what Rachel wanted. But he knew this youthful girl often lived with 'I'm bored' on her lips.
In his eyes, the Saintess's life was quite monotonous and repetitive. She spent most of her time in the prayer room, occasionally appearing in the great hall for mass.
She had no close friends, nor was she ever seen wandering the city streets during free time or enjoying shopping.
The Saintess he observed was little more than a doll moving according to the temple's schedule.
Separate from his reverence for her, he did feel pity for her as a fellow human.
"You must have been quite bored, Saintess."
The priest smiled without betraying any surprise at her abrupt question.
"I'm sorry, but I haven't heard anything. If it reached even my ears, it must be quite the uproar."
"Hmm, is that so?"
For a fleeting moment, an enigmatic smile crossed Rachel's lips. But the priest, who had turned to rummage through something, didn't see it.
"Though the Saintess isn't permitted many books... I believe this is allowed."
He handed her a bundle of newspapers he had prepared.
"It contains news from the past week. I hope it helps alleviate your boredom, even a little."
"Wah!"
Rachel's mouth fell open wide. Her neat teeth gleamed in a bright smile.
"Thank you!"
At that smile, the priest felt all his fatigue melt away. He also swelled with pride, feeling he had earned her favor.
Who knew? Perhaps the Saintess would bless him if she took a liking to him.
"Hmm~"
The Saintess hummed a tune as she unfolded the newspaper and meticulously scanned the articles, slowly and carefully.
'I wonder if she even understands the content?'
The priest tilted his head while tidying the bed beside her.
The Saintess knew the holy scripture inside out, but she was ignorant of worldly affairs. Her world consisted only of the temple and the imperial palace.
Yet there she was, reading so earnestly. Propping her chin on her hand, absorbed in the paper—it was adorable.
"The Noble Conference is coming up soon, right?"
As Rachel asked, a sharp glint flashed in her eyes. It was a cautious, seasoned gaze unfit for such a young girl.
But hidden by the newspaper, the priest didn't see it. Assuming she was checking her schedule, he answered calmly.
"Yes, it starts in exactly two days. That's why the imperial family seems quite busy lately."
"I see. Thanks to that, I can breathe a little easier."
Rachel muttered softly in a subdued tone.
"Pardon?"
"Mmm, nothing."
Rachel's face peeked out from beside the newspaper.
"More importantly, I'm getting hungry. Have them prepare food in the dining hall."
"Yes, understood."
The priest bowed deeply and left, closing the door behind him. The Saintess's hand, turning the pages, stopped.
Thud.
Rachel set the newspaper down and leaned back in her chair.
Creak.
She tilted her body back, staring at the ceiling.
"......"
Rachel's face turned expressionless and cold, as if her earlier beaming smile had been a lie.
"How long do I have to keep up this childish act?"
A grinding sound leaked from between Rachel's lips, like she was gnashing her teeth.
"At least in front of that bastard Theodore, I can spit out whatever and it's easier."
Alone now, she discarded her polite, gentle speech, reverting to her rough, vulgar tone.
"Who'd have thought that incompetent, greed-filled bastard could be useful at times? Unbelievable."
She casually cursed the Emperor's name, chewing on expletives out of habit. Then, realizing it, she clapped a hand over her mouth.
"Oh dear, what foul words from me. God will be displeased."
She slapped her lips as if scolding herself.
"Dio Benedica."
She made the sign of the cross, closed her eyes, and whispered quietly.
"Lord, I who must spread Your mercy to all have erred in speech. Please grant me Your mercy."
Finishing her dramatic prayer, Rachel snapped her eyes open. Her emerald eyes sparkled coldly, like frost on frozen leaves.
"So please, just go die already, okay?"
She didn't believe in God.
No matter how many hundreds of prayers she offered, God never granted her wishes. If God truly existed, He wouldn't have scripted such a wretched, miserable life for her.
"Well, this priest seems naive too, which is lucky. Easy to handle."
Rachel callously belittled the priest who had just left.
"That guy won't last long either."
The priests attending her were replaced before a week was up. After that, she heard no news of them.
It was because of the secret she harbored in her body. The Emperor would never allow that secret to leak.
"Hmph."
Rachel snorted derisively and crossed her arms.
"I wonder where he is now?"
She closed her eyes and chanted like a song. Emotion slowly colored her blank face.
"Requiem, Requiem. Where are you?"
A map of the empire floated in her mind. She began tracing Requiem's path upon it.
"The territory where it first descended must be in ruins by now... Probably heading to the next one."
When Rachel first sensed Requiem's presence, it came from the distant west.
"The west—yes, the western mountains. That makes sense for Requiem to appear there. No place in the empire has as much death clinging to it."
Rachel nodded to herself.
"The lord was Diego Ovest Kindriel, right? Already struggling with border monsters, and now Requiem on top—hopeless. Probably devoured by Requiem long ago. Poor guy."
Even as she said it, an irrepressible smile played on Rachel's lips.
A sudden calamity massacring countless people—a tragedy.
For a Saintess who cherished all life, it was something to mourn. She ought to step forward to minimize the damage.
But.
"Where next? Cader? No, maybe even as far as Ayk."
Rachel merely speculated on Requiem's whereabouts with a light, amused tone.
She had detected Requiem's descent weeks ago and predicted the ensuing chaos.
Yet she told no one. Nor did she plan to hint at it during the upcoming Noble Conference.
"Next will be Magiore here. Good, keep it up."
Rachel murmured as if cheering Requiem on—or urging it. More precisely, like praying for her own wish to come true.
The empire's fate held no place in her mind. Not a shred of affection or attachment remained.
To her, this empire was evil incarnate, a malignant tumor that needed to vanish from the world.
"Destroy it all, everything."
A sorrowful tremor laced Rachel's voice.
"And... please, kill me."
She longed for death but couldn't die. Nor did her "life" allow her to live as she wished.
It was merely a life of being used and exploited by others. For centuries, Rachel had endured this repulsive, controlled existence.
Now, she wanted to break free from that endless chain of suffering. And only Requiem could grant that.
Only Requiem.
"It's been about two weeks now... But it probably isn't satisfied yet."
Rachel imagined Requiem's current form. She understood its nature quite well.
The wielder of Requiem wasn't coated in blood like in novels.
"So... probably moving like a pitch-black demon."
Quietly, swiftly, cleanly reaping lives. Cloaked in void-black energy, flitting like the wind to find the next victim.
"Requiem, Requiem. What are you doing now?"
Rachel closed her eyes. She performed the ritual she had done without fail every day since Requiem appeared.
"......"
Far away, somewhere, she sensed Requiem's presence.
Rachel probed further, trying to grasp its state. Not precisely, but a rough sense.
Requiem was... right now... eerily still.
"......?"
Rachel frowned.
"What's this? Why so quiet? It feels like it's asleep?"
Requiem's core emotions were emptiness, hunger, and murderous intent. It never satisfied, relentlessly driving its user to devour the world.
It should always be dissatisfied—that was normal.
"Hmm... Maybe it ate its fill and fell asleep?"
No other explanation fit.
Requiem's disasters didn't spread news easily. By morning, a village vanished entirely.
With no survivors, word arrived late. By the time nearby villages noticed, Requiem's slaughter was underway.
Thus, Rachel thought this quiet world was natural.
But,
"This is a first...?"
Requiem's current state was anything but natural.
In past appearances, it had killed relentlessly until nothing remained, then its wielder died, and it vanished.
It should be rampaging madly now.
"Weird? What's wrong with Requiem?"
Faced with this incomprehensible reality, Rachel could only think of one hypothesis.
"No way... Someone actually succeeded in dominating it?"
Stunned for a moment, Rachel soon let out a hollow laugh.
"What nonsense. A mere human dominating Requiem."
An absurd notion.