Infighter Priest (3)
"Erin, there you are."
Eunhyeon spotted Erin in the corridor of Riod's mansion and called out to her.
"Ah, yeah. I've been sparring with Eira sis a lot lately."
Eunhyeon nodded and glanced slightly upward at the empty air.
'This side calls her 'sis' too...'
The way Terezia had referred to Iliana as "sis" now felt profoundly unsettling. With Iliana's desires recently surging beyond control, he worried she might pick up some strange influence from this—yet at the same time, he couldn't help fretting over what effects his gifted "tool" might have on Riod.
"What's wrong? Something bothering you?"
"Nah, nothing. So how's it been lately?"
"Hmm, not sure. But it doesn't feel bad. Both me and sis are getting trained by Lady Emilia, after all."
"By Lia?"
"Lady Emilia's insanely strong. Even when the two of us ganged up on her, she didn't budge an inch. She gives advice on our movements too—she's amazing."
Eunhyeon found it amusing that Erin, whose sense of self was still forming, spoke so deferentially to a doll. Emilia had been assigned as Erin's 24/7 bodyguard, and since Iliana had disclosed her nature as a "golem" in advance, bringing her into the school had gone smoothly by invoking her name. Even so, this extra combat training was an unexpected but welcome bonus. With her vast data reserves enabling countless behavioral patterns, Emilia was sure to impart solid fundamentals and countermeasures to Erin and Eira.
"Hehe."
As he patted her head fondly, Erin wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tight.
"Lia, report Erin's training progress separately later."
"Command accepted. What time shall I set for the scheduled report?"
"Tonight at 9. Have it organized by then."
"Understood."
"Alright, let's go eat."
"Yeah!"
- Shut your trap and take the beating!
Snap!
With a flick of his fingers, the tale within Eunhyeon's Illusion World came to an end. Abros burst into a broad grin.
"Hahahahaha!"
The scene had faithfully recreated the temple incident, culminating in Bishop Harkan getting thrashed by Anies. The sight clearly soothed some deep-seated grudge, filling Riod's study with booming, cathartic laughter after dinner. With Erin and Eira sent to another room, the adults watching this replay of the past wore expressions of pure delight, as if enjoying a hilarious play.
"Heh heh..."
"Brother..."
Even Alex, sitting beside her, couldn't hold back stifled chuckles, earning a scolding glance from Elenoa.
"But considering the temple's usual antics, this was just too damn funny to hold in. Thank you so much, Archbishop."
"......"
Anies stared blankly at Iliana and Terezia, seemingly oblivious to Alex's gratitude—perhaps lost in whatever conversation they'd shared.
"Anies."
Eunhyeon could guess what the three women had discussed. He clapped her shoulder to snap her out of it.
"Huh? Oh?"
Startled back to reality, Anies cleared her throat and responded to Alex.
"Hmph, that was just a stopgap. I don't meddle in politics, but I don't tolerate corruption. Can't guarantee the new bishop won't pull the same trash."
"Still, now that they know you're here, they'll hesitate to act rashly out of fear."
"How did you even bring the archbishop—who should be in the Holy Kingdom—here?"
Bishop Harkan's audacity in bullying a continental hero like Riod stemmed from the influence and privileges of the "Vesta Temple" on Arkena. Priests were always favored in beast subjugations, expeditions, or wars, and the temples that trained, cared for, and managed them wielded near-inviolable authority across branches. Access to priests on demand was a massive boon. Thus, kingdoms had to tread carefully around Vesta Temples to ensure steady, reliable support. This held true everywhere—even for a kingdom with a world-saving hero. Even if Riod exposed it, the distance from Pernias to Erenia Holy Kingdom took a month by fastest carriage one way; round trip meant two to three. Physical distance made aid impossible, which Harkan exploited, knowing the kingdom needed priests regardless of Riod personally. But for Eunhyeon and Riod, such constraints didn't exist.
"Simple—I had Iliana fetch her."
"Why didn't Harkan account for the Black Witch? He should've predicted a witch indebted to the marquis could summon the archbishop."
Harkan was cunning. Unless he was an idiot, he'd known Iliana—Riod's ally—resided in Fernin.
"Maybe he figured Iliana loathed kingdom politics and ignored Riod's request. Or that she couldn't find Anies, or Anies would refuse aid. Still, it's baffling why Harkan was so complacent."
Eunhyeon had suspected some hidden ace, but Harkan fell pathetically, stripped of holy power and reduced to a mere human.
"I get that. When she teleported to me, I almost sent her packing out of annoyance."
"But... you changed your mind?"
"Yeah."
What could sway the archbishop? Elenoa asked curiously.
"She suddenly says she's getting married and wants me to officiate. Hah, what a nutjob."
"Pardon...?"
Elenoa's eyes widened at the bombshell.
"And get this—the groom? This bastard we personally buried. I thought, 'Has she finally lost it over her first love? Can't let go, loneliness eating her alive with age, marrying a corpse?'"
"...Hey."
"What?"
Iliana narrowed her eyes at Anies, who snorted and met her glare. They shared unchanging looks, advanced age, and unmarried status—but oddly, topics of age or marriage always hit Iliana hardest.
"Anyway, she said come see if curious. So I came—and boom, 'Go inside the temple, find the bishop's office, listen closely.'"
Eunhyeon had sensed his old friend eavesdropping via senses and prompted her entry. Reading Harkan's memories, he escalated—pushing loss of reason, self-confession. Game over. Even without hard evidence, hearing it firsthand cost Harkan his holy power.
"Um... Archbishop. Why did Bishop Harkan lose his holy power?"
"I prayed to Vesta Goddess. Said he wasn't fit for priesthood. So she stripped it."
"I-Is that... possible?"
Priests prayed for miracles, but judging one specifically? Never happened. Elenoa had seethed internally at gods ignoring Harkan's corruption.
"For me, yeah. It's my 'privilege' from the goddess."
"Privilege...?"
"Directly beseeching her with my voice."
Like Eunhyeon's apostle powers from the Norns—minor differences aside. Anies got holy power, superhuman body, and privilege at 16 via sudden calling; Eunhyeon accepted via dialogue. Norns ignored summons pre-death; Vesta answered Anies instantly. Eunhyeon envied that responsiveness, unlike his silent goddesses. Anies was Arkena's closest parallel to him.
"Anyway, I came to Fernin, saw your face—not undead—and it was fun. So when's the wedding?"
"Not settled yet. Been busy. Called you to wrap up Harkan and announce ours."
"Aigoo, finally. Congrats, Iliana?"
"...Shut up."
"Anyway, lady's betrothal and temple schemes sorted. Duke? This absolves responsibility, right?"
"...Indeed."
Replacing the branch head and panicking the temple? Overkill redemption.
"Who knew screwing them would be this spectacular..."
Alex chuckled wryly, eyeing his powerhouse connections. Backed by world-savers—though maybe they leaned on Eunhyeon.
"And I came for one more reason."
As talk wrapped, Anies shot her hand up, drawing eyes.
"From the vibe, you're this girl's dad, right?"
"Hm, speak."
Her rudeness to the ducal head irked no one. As Vesta's second-highest (near-pontiff), she outranked even Abros. He'd already warmed to her for flattening Harkan, grinning like at a cheeky young daughter—Alex snickered unwittingly.
"Our goddess gave an oracle."
"...Oracle?"
Elenoa recalled Anies mentioning it at the bishop's office.
"Hmm... what is it?"
"She wants to elevate your daughter, Elenoa Armitas, as 'Vesta's Saintess.' Can she?"