Crushing the High Priestess
"Stop scowling like that, or you'll drop dead," Rasitena said, staring at the hero with eyes full of disbelief.
"A... are you insane?! I'm a high priestess sent by His Majesty himself!"
"So what? I'm the Hero sent by His Majesty. And Frensia here is chosen by the Goddess herself— a Saintess, in plain terms. She's not someone a lowlife like you can treat like shit. You had to know that basic fact."
-Grind.
Rasitena ground her teeth in fury. She took a moment to steady her breathing, then glared at him with eyes brimming with murderous intent.
"My family is connected not just to His Majesty, but to all the kingdom's top brass. You think you can get away with treating me like this once word gets out?"
Capier sneered in disbelief.
"Go ahead, spread it around. Like I said, I'll execute you on the spot for insulting a Saintess. And I'll hold your family accountable too."
As the man channeled divine power into the Goddess Token, the Holy Sword materialized in his hand. It wasn't as massive as before, but the blade still pulsed with overwhelming holy energy.
"The day I have to step in will be the day your pathetic little family's power crumbles and vanishes from the kingdom." To prove his words weren't empty bluster, Capier's sword began to glow even more radiantly with divine light. The blade's razor-sharp edge gave off a lethal aura that felt like it could slice through anything just by looking at it.
Rasitena flinched, hesitating for a long moment before finally forcing words out.
"I... I'm sorry..."
But Capier didn't stop. "Explain why you pulled that shit. Apologize after. You really that eager to die?"
In an instant, he poured more divine power into the sword. She could instinctively sense the sheer power radiating from it. With that kind of force, it wasn't impossible for the Hero to wipe out her entire family single-handedly.
"P... please spare me... I... I must've lost my mind..."
"H... Hero, sir, I'm fine, really..."
Frensia, who had started calling him "Hero" by now, whipped her head around in panic, her face a mask of distress.
Capier ignored her, staring silently at Rasitena.
Soon enough, Rasitena bowed her head to Frensia in apology.
"I'm sorry, Lady Frensia. I spoke out of turn."
Hidden by her hair, Rasitena's face twisted in rage. 'Fuck these shitty bastards... how dare they...'
She had been born into one of the kingdom's most influential families, living her entire life as a noble high priestess. Her superior divine power had let her claim a position others could only dream of, no matter how hard they tried. She was someone born superior, her life free of hardship. She had always believed the only ones who could make her bow her head were the king and her father.
Yet here she was, bowing to some filthy fallen noble. 'That whore... whatever dirty tricks she pulled, she's already got the Hero wrapped around her finger.'
'I'll make her suffer no matter what it takes...'
Merian and Henessi, standing beside the menacing Rasitena, fidgeted nervously, stealing glances without daring to intervene.
Capier eyed them and thought, 'Looks like this Rasitena bitch has them under her thumb.'
In truth, Merian and Henessi were sweating bullets, their faces pale with anxiety as they watched Rasitena's every move.
'Merian's a high priestess too, so that makes sense, but Henessi is a Saintess. Why the hell is she kowtowing to Rasitena?'
He had his doubts, but he knew they wouldn't spill even if he asked.
"Rasitena, apology accepted. Now get the fuck out. And be back tomorrow morning. You're still part of the subjugation team, so we'll leave together."
"Y... yes, sir..."
"And quit swinging your worthless power around to control people. Seeing trash like you makes me want to puke."
"..."
"Answer me, you fucking bitch?"
"Understood..."
Seeing her face twisted in humiliation, Capier spoke in a tone of utter contempt.
"Stop scowling before I kill you. A useless bitch like you, clinging to nothing but pride."
Rasitena forced her lips into a servile smile.
"Yes, sir..."
Capier showed no mercy to the desperate or earnest, but he despised the lazy and arrogant with a burning hatred. Even accounting for that, his reaction bordered on excessive.
'Gotta set the hierarchy straight now, or she'll keep slithering back like this while we're stuck together.'
That's why he pushed her harder than necessary. By the time he looked up, she was trudging away, fists clenched so tight that blood dripped from her palms. Even from afar, her seething rage was palpable.
But a mere high priestess like her could do nothing against the Hero Capier. All she had was her self-destructive fist-clenching.
"Um... Lady Frensia..."
As she left the room, Merian the priestess hesitantly approached Frensia.
"I... I'm sorry too... I should've stopped her from saying that stuff, but... the situation didn't let me..."
"What are you talking about? You didn't do anything wrong— it was all that Rasitena woman's fault!"
"S... still..."
Merian apologized with a whimper, looking like a nervous puppy on the verge of tears. Frensia only grew more flustered at her reaction, until Saintess Henessi stepped in to lighten the mood.
"Lady Frensia, I'm sorry too. Both of us have been called out by Rasitena before, so we couldn't exactly stand up to her openly. Please forgive us for not intervening more forcefully. That said, her behavior was utterly outrageous."
Henessi glanced briefly at Capier, then turned back to Frensia with a smile.
"You've found yourself a good man... Honestly, I'm a little jealous."
"Haha... what do you mean? Anyway, please don't think we hold any grudges against you two!"
"Yes...! I'm really okay!"
Capier had worried Rasitena might make Frensia even more skittish around people, but seeing her chat easily with the two women eased his mind.
"Well, we'll be going then!"
"M... me too, Lady Frensia. And Hero, sir..."
With that, they slowly filed out of the room. Once they were gone, Capier turned to Frensia with his usual indifference.
"You okay, Frensia?"
"Yes... but Hero, I have a question."
"What?"
"Why go so far to take my side? We haven't known each other that long..."
"Obvious, isn't it? You channeled divine power into me so I could use the Holy Sword and save my life. Being nice to your lifesaver is just common sense."
"Wh... what?! You saved me!"
"No idea what you're talking about."
"B... but because of me, you were stuck at the cave entrance... couldn't fight or even dodge properly..."
"Bullshit. I just got injured in the fight and couldn't move right. And it just happened to be at the cave mouth."
"Who'd believe that lie...!"
"Why the hell would I risk my neck for some girl I barely met?"
Frensia knew he was deliberately being harsh. She wasn't stupid. But when he scowled like he was annoyed, she couldn't press further.
Ignoring her, Capier walked on quietly.
"There's no such thing as kindness without reason. If I really meant to save you like you say, there'd have to be a damn good one."
He paused, turning back to gaze deeply into Frensia's eyes.
"Anyway, get some sleep. Things get busy tomorrow."
This time, he truly stepped out. Frensia stared blankly at the ceiling for a while, lost in thought.
Why did he help me?
She couldn't find the answer. 'We'll be traveling together from now on...'
With that, she drifted off to sleep.
The door to her room creaked open cautiously.
-Creeeak.
Beyond it, some unidentified figure watched her.
-Grind... biting down on their teeth with all their might.