Chapter 90
Chapter 90
Saint, You’re So Vulgar! – Chapter 90
Whirling thoughts sometimes cloud rational judgment.
That was Asher right now.
He had seen the culprit who ended his childhood days, plotting another scheme right before his eyes.
An enemy. One who ruined his entire life.
Flooding negative emotions seemed to crush his chest, filling his mind solely with the thought of grabbing and killing that woman right then.
That was when Versia embraced him.
"Not yet?"
He couldn't regain his senses from that momentary event.
Her scent was so potent that the moment he was enveloped in her embrace, a tingle spread through his veins to his whole body, and his breath grew hot and ragged.
Fireworks exploded in his head; when her breath touched his nape, his lower abdomen tightened.
Even though Versia quickly released the hug, Asher couldn't forget the lingering sensation.
His eyes half-glazed over. His breathing remained rough, and saliva pooled uselessly in his mouth.
He quickly realized he wasn't in a normal state.
He wasn't sure if this method was right, but Asher realized he had been extremely emotional just moments ago.
"S-Saintess...!"
"Sorry. You didn't seem to be hearing me."
Her relaxed, sly smile made Asher's cheeks flush slightly.
His characteristic sulky glare emerged.
Versia chuckled at that, then gently stroked Asher's hair.
When Asher flinched, she finally realized and pulled her hand away.
"Ah, sorry. Anyway, let's talk now. Do you know what we should do from here?"
"...Yes."
Asher steadied his breath and nodded.
When he lifted his head again, his eyes were clear, unlike before.
It felt like his narrowed vision had widened again.
Asher wetted his lips and explained to her what kind of being the witch Tehura was.
After hearing the whole story, Versia frowned.
"You're saying she's the mastermind behind creating artificial witches."
"We need to find out exactly what method she used and why she did this."
Normally, he would kill her on sight without question.
Because a witch's words are evil lies meant to deceive people.
But something bothered him.
-They kill us like beasts in droves, yet do they think we really are beasts?
That statement nagged at him. It felt like even this incident was part of some larger plan.
"...If possible, capturing her alive would be best. I can't shake the feeling that we're missing something."
"It's definitely strange. If she just wanted to survive, she could have lived here as queen, but instead, she went out of her way to create artificial witches and stir up the Church."
Versia agreed with Asher's opinion.
First, pursuit. Asher sought clues from their conversation.
'She called herself queen. She also mentioned Anton's jealousy and the Sandstorm's greed up to this point.'
In other words, it was now undeniable that the king and the Sandstorm mercenaries were evil collaborators who knew the witch's identity.
What changes by knowing that?
If asked, quite a lot would change.
"The palace is a dead end. The Sandstorm is probably more deeply involved with the witch."
"Indeed, the king was too emaciated to be a key player."
"They deliberately caused chaos in the palace. Externally, they used sandworms to attack the city center. In all this, the place that would quiet down is...!"
"The Sandstorm's main base."
Asher nodded.
He stood up and headed toward the north gate of the palace.
The Sandstorm's headquarters was in the northern center of Baern.
If they had to go, probably there.
They needed to depart.
As Asher rose, he glanced at Versia.
He owed her a debt he couldn't repay with words.
Without her, he would have rampaged emotionally and missed the right timing.
Before leaving, he said,
"Thank you."
But still, he had to be cautious about certain things.
"...Still, that skinship was too much. I'll definitely hold you accountable for this!"
"I'm confident in taking responsibility with my body. I studied hard."
"...!"
"Books are repositories of knowledge. With methods a knight like you couldn't imagine..."
"Ah, come on!"
Asher's fine hairs stood on end, and he let out a squeak.
Versia smiled brightly.
Their staring contest lasted only a moment; soon after, the two ran north without another word.
* * *
The streets were filled with screams.
Civilians, lost in panic, bumped into each other or fell; meanwhile, mercenaries gripped their swords, scanning around desperately to protect themselves.
Sand dust rose. The vibrations didn't stop.
Debris from the collapsed walls rolled and crushed buildings.
In such streets, a girl and a man walked against the flow of fleeing people.
"My goodness... To think I'd live to see a desert worm obeying human commands."
"Strictly speaking, they're not human. Witches and heretics can't be considered as such."
"Hmm, that's true enough."
Halia stroked her chin.
Beside her, Diego stood tall, not in his usual armor but with dozens of long spears strapped to his back.
They were chatting casually as they walked.
Halia stopped near the rampaging sandworm by the walls and grinned.
Then she licked her lips.
Because there were some truly ridiculous and admirable things there.
"If you'd fled, you might have saved your lives, but why choose to appear before me?"
"Halia, your monstrous tales of valor end here."
Heretics appeared among the building debris and atop the sandworm's head.
The one who spoke was a gloomy-looking man in black priestly robes, with a striking black eyepatch around his eyes.
From Halia's experience, such types were the most dangerous among heretics.
"You're one who made a 'deal'."
Those who offered something to the heretics' god and received its power.
Judging by appearances, it seemed this man had brought the sandworm.
"The time of the oracle has come. Our lord bestows grace upon us, to those who believe in false doctrines..."
"Shut up."
Zheeeng!
Halia swung the hammer she'd planted in the ground, cutting him off.
The ground cratered, and the scattered dirt turned into cannonballs, sweeping the front.
Thud-kwang!!!
The man, his guarding heretics, and the foremost sandworm collapsed riddled with holes.
But the voice didn't stop.
"Futile."
From another direction, another heretic spoke in the dead man's voice.
Halia narrowed her eyes.
'Hive mind.'
One of the heretics' main forces.
Those connected souls didn't die until the last one was caught.
Truly troublesome enemies.
"Even if you catch us all, it's futile. No, you won't even be able to stop us. The oracle is already being fulfilled..."
Halia blew a raspberry at their droning.
They might be confident in whatever they'd prepared.
Thinking about it, that witch whose head she'd half-blown off was different from any she'd seen before.
But was that reason to fear?
Reason to be cautious and hasty?
Thinking of him made her sigh.
A sneer crossed Halia's upturned face.
"Your premise is wrong from the start."
"...?"
"The Church has no reason to fear you. No need to worry about that oracle. Know why?"
Crunch, the hammer slammed into the ground again.
Halia clenched her fist.
Charge stance; murderous intent rose from Halia's entire body.
"Because no beast fears the tricks of insects. And..."
Crunch!
Halia's muscles swelled, screaming.
"...Because the one here is the Church's fiercest beast."
It wasn't just referring to herself.
The other side pursuing the witch was the same.
In fact, if talking about the main force, they were closer to it.
Because of Versia?
Because divine favoritism follows where she is?
Wrong.
As a saintess who hears God's voice, it wasn't her place to say, but Halia wouldn't rely on such flimsy methods.
In her view, what crushed crises was confirmed force, not uncertain miracles.
What Halia believed in was none other than Asher Terbion, the Church's murder weapon loaded with all its secret arts.
"You made a mistake. You should have been wary of him."
"That guy...?"
Had they finally realized who the man with her in this city was?
She could feel the heretics' faces hardening.
It was delightful.
'Indeed.'
Who would finish first: her clearing this place, or Asher crushing every breathing heretic in the tower?
Competition was a healthy motivator.
Halia loved competition.
"Diego! Let's go as planned!"
"Yes."
At that moment, Halia charged.
Kkiiigigigik!!!
Immediately after, space was shredded.