Chapter 75
Chapter 75
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: Reunited Connections (2)
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Armida sis had a wretched look on her face from the morning. Her eyes were hollow as if she had pulled an all-nighter, and her skin was dry and sallow. Fortunately, she had finished the report, but she clearly wasn't satisfied with it—her expression was utterly grim.
"Ugh... What am I supposed to do now."
Armida sis plopped down at the dining table and started grumbling.
Shura tried to comfort her from the side.
"Don't worry too much."
"How could I not worry! How am I supposed to stomach that smug dung-fly bitch showing off!"
"Dung-fly?"
"I mean Catrine, that nasty little hag."
I took a casual sip of soup and glanced her way.
"They're coming too?"
"Yeah. And get this—they've got two Grand Saintesses on their side."
"Princess Ignatius and Princess Sierra?"
"Yep."
"Big deal."
"Huh?"
"Come on. What could a worldly-ignorant Valkyrie accomplish dragging around two spoiled princesses? Probably just went sightseeing."
Armida sis's expression softened a bit.
"You really think so?"
"Yeah. So don't stress. They didn't find squat either. If they had, they'd have tipped us off."
"True?"
"Yep. Just go in, give your report like I told you before, and you're golden."
Finally relaxing, Armida sis took a sip of her soup and shot me a sidelong glance.
"What about you, little bro?"
"Obviously, I'm not going."
"You have to come too!"
"Nah, no way."
I refused flat-out.
If I showed up, my identity could get exposed. Catrine could use her see-through magic to peek behind my mask. No guarantee she'd try it on me, but I wasn't about to risk it.
"Why not?"
"That dung-fly sis can use see-through magic, right? I hate having my face out there. You see me wearing this mask everywhere."
"But you show it to me?"
"You're you, and they're strangers. I'm super shy with faces."
Shura chimed in from the side. She knew my situation well.
"He's right. Even when we first met, the Young Master was really guarded."
"But you meet people all the time?"
"That's why he wears the mask."
"Oh?"
Armida sis lightly touched my mask. A bright light flickered, and a subtle aura enveloped it.
"What'd you just do?"
"Put an interference spell on it. No see-through magic can pierce it now."
This sis was too damn capable sometimes. An interference spell was fifth-circle level. Casting it without incantation required at least seventh-circle mastery, and she did it like brushing off lint.
"Why go that far?"
"You need to come too. Better you explain things than me—they'd listen to you a hundred times over."
"I've gotta see Padilla off. She's entering the Divinum Cathedral today."
"Perfect. We're headed there anyway."
In the end, I was going.
But I wasn't exactly hating it. Princess Ignatius would be there. I thought I'd never see her again after we parted last time, but fate had looped us back together.
We arrived at the Divinum Cathedral around late morning. No identity check at the main gate—they must've heard we were coming and just waved us through.
What a blatantly biased backdoor. Last time I came in ragged clothes, they grilled me thoroughly. Now? Smooth sailing. Well, even backdoors discriminate by size. Can't fit the little guys, right?
I stepped into the administrative office and eyed the middle-aged priest handling paperwork. This guy's still stuck here. Guess the incident I caused last year didn't launch his career.
"All clear. You may enter."
We left the office and trudged down the Path of Repentance for a good while before reaching the central plaza entrance. It was meant for pious reflection, but we just chattered the whole way. To me, it was just a doghouse alley; to Armida sis, a stroll in her private villa garden.
I turned to Padilla, who was about to head to her quarters.
"Padilla. Here, you handle your own stuff. Bear with the hassle for a few days."
"Yes. I can manage that much."
"And after getting the divine artifact, they'll probably push the Path of Austerity on you. Don't go. It's useless."
Padilla's eyes widened slightly.
"Why not?"
"Look at Shura. Skipped the Path, and she's treated like a Grand Saintess. If they won't recognize you as Guardian, screw 'em. It'll just lead to misery later."
Guardians end up in the Divine Artifact Legion, dragged to brutal battlefields. In the era of ruin, if anyone suffered more than me, it'd be those Divine Artifact Legion guys.
Go there, and shit hits the fan. One wrong move, and you're massacred. Like when Catrine's reckless charge wiped out the entire legion in my past life.
That dung-fly skimps on everything. Even with lives on the line, if she gets pissed, she just charges.
"Got it."
"And whatever mess happens in the Hall of Divinity, don't freak out."
"Mess?"
"When the doors open, there'll be some issues. All our sis's doing, so just keep your mouth shut and ignore it."
Armida sis barked.
"You told me to do it!"
I ignored her and patted Padilla's shoulder.
"Good luck. See you later."
"Yes."
Padilla headed to her quarters, accompanied by an attendant priestess. Still, I couldn't shake the worry. Dropped from queenly pampering to fending for herself—would she manage?
But I'd done it, so she could too.
"Little bro. This way."
Armida sis led me and Shura toward the main building. It was a series of arch-connected structures, the tallest in the cathedral at four stories.
Temples never build higher. Doctrine demands serving from the low places. Sure, they gobble up land for living space and farms, but it was a noble idea in its way.
'Hmm...'
As we entered the main building, a familiar silver-haired woman passed by. She wore full-body metal armor etched with holy symbols like a holy knight, with a one-handed mace and shield at her waist and back.
'Ex-fiancée.'
It was none other than Princess Sierra.
Always haughty, she carried herself with unyielding pride. Her face was frozen like ice, showing no reaction ever, as if she embodied the essence of faith, holiness etched deep in her soul.
But that's just rumors. Counting this time, I'd seen the woman exactly three times.
First meeting: early in the era of ruin, at the Divine Artifact Legion inauguration. Absurdly, she asked me, "Who are you?" She'd never even glanced at my portrait—didn't recognize her own fiancé.
Second: mid-era, when everyone shunned me and I wandered like a beggar. She told me, "Go forth honorably to the battlefield." Sounded like "go die" no matter how you sliced it.
Today was third. Wonder what she'd say. Tempted to rip off the mask and find out.
'Still gorgeous, though.'
Delicate features, strong yet clear obsidian-black eyes. Her balanced, upright figure stretched like a statue, full lips vividly red as if painted deep crimson.
As I stared for a while, Shura gave me a puzzled look.
"Master. Do you know her?"
"Nah. First time seeing her today."
"Then?"
I tore my gaze from Princess Sierra vanishing into the distance. In this life, we had no ties. Looked like some might form soon, but nothing romantic.
She had no interest in me, nor I in her.
Couples become strangers after divorce; an unseen fiancée? Even more so. I'd declared the breakup already—we were done.
"Grand Saintess. That bludgeon on her waist is the 'Earth God's Chaos Hammer Bermong.'"
Shura's eyes followed Sierra's back in surprise, while Armida sis looked at me with unexpected admiration.
"Little bro. How'd you know?"
"Saw it once in the Hall of Divinity."
"Really? Your eyesight's always sharp. How'd you tell from one glance?"
Truth was, I didn't know from one glance. I wasn't some prodigy like Yosef— I'd seen it plenty.
"I paid attention. Try living mindfully, sis. Sharpens the eyes."
"Pass. Too bothersome."
Armida sis waved it off and strode ahead. She'd probably stay that way forever. But it suited her. That airheaded charm from her personality was her best feature.
If Armida sis were like Princess Sierra, I'd have suffocated from the stuffiness.
"Here. Through this door."
Armida sis stopped before a door on the fourth floor. Fancy engravings and antique vibe aside, it was just a normal door.
I grabbed the handle and opened it to an utterly barren room. Nothing. No table, no chairs, no furnishings—just walls closing in.
"What do we do here?"
"Go deeper."
Armida sis went to the far wall, pushed—and it slid smoothly inward, revealing another room. A secret chamber. Still sparse, but at least it had a table and chairs.
"A hidden room like this, huh."
"Yeah. Conversations here never leak out."
"Did you use this last year too?"
"Yep."
I nodded and started inspecting every inch. Sliding under the table like a snake, I poked around until Armida sis blinked at me.
"Little bro. What're you doing?"
"Oh, nothing."
"Nothing?"
"Don't worry about it."
I found a cracked square patch under the table and gently scraped it with Yojjo, extracting a small crystal. Looked like an enchanted essence.
I held it to my lips and addressed whoever was listening.
"Evelyn. Consider this a pass since it's here. Install this crap in my house, and you're dead."
I pocketed the essence in my subspace pouch and emerged. Armida sis asked again.
"Little bro. What the heck were you doing in there?"
"Saying hi."
"To who?"
"To the room."
I spouted nonsense, clicking my tongue and shaking my head. What were these sisters up to? They went looking for their runaway friend, but ended up under surveillance.
I checked the room thoroughly, found nothing else, and sat.
A while later, three women entered the same way. Catrine, Princess Ignatius, Princess Sierra.
Catrine beamed and greeted Armida sis warmly.
"Armida. Long time."
"Yeah. You good?"
"Eh. Hanging in there."
"Any results?"
"Eh. Hanging in there."
Polite chit-chat, but their eyes sparked with a storm of emotions, locked in sharp rivalry. As expected—they really didn't get along.
I turned at a gaze aimed my way. Princess Ignatius. She scanned me up and down with a meaningful look.
I narrowed my eyes at her.
"What're you staring at?"
"Nothing. The mask just looks odd."
"First masked guy you've seen?"
"Not common."
Thorns in her tone. Felt like she was probing. I crossed my legs and looked away. Wanted to drink in my first love's face more, but her vibe unsettled me.
"Everyone here?"
Suddenly, a woman materialized as a hologram at the front. Pointed hood, massive shoulder pads on her cloak, mask covering her nose—identity totally obscured.
I poked Armida sis's side.
"Who's that?"
"Shh. Valkyrie Queen."
"Prosia?"
"No. That's Lady Nemisona, Valkyrie of Matter. There are two Queens."
Seemed all Creation God-line Valkyries became queens. Meteria, Goddess of Matter, was one of the Creation Gods.
"Why the getup?"
"Standard in our sky city Chronos."
The translucent Nemisona glared at me. My yapping must've annoyed her.
"Who’s that human man?"
Armida sis stood cautiously and reported.
"Kaoyan Anukin, a human Master assisting me."
"Got it."
As Armida sis sighed in relief and sat, Princess Ignatius raised her hand.
"Lady Nemisona. If I may suggest..."
"Speak."
"Today's meeting is highly confidential and crucial."
"And?"
"We can't have someone hiding their identity behind a mask."
Princess Ignatius eyed me, as if urging me to unmask. Something was off. Ignatius never judged people on trifles like tastes or appearances.
I looked at Nemisona.
"Hey. Nemisona sis. This elf princess says take off your mask quick."
The room froze like ice. I'd just casually dissed Valkyrie Queen Nemisona and Princess Ignatius at once.
Reunited Connections (2) End