Chapter 351: Where the Hell Is That?
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 351: Where the Hell Is That?
Her heart hammered like a drum, drowning out everything else.
Scalding blood surged through her body, finally pooling in her mind like molten lava.
She seemed incapable of thought.
Instinctively, she tried to avert her gaze from that blindingly radiant spot.
But then, a gentle hand pressed against her back.
That hand carried a familiar touch, one her palm had felt before, yet for some reason, it felt like an electric current, making her delicate frame tremble.
"Go forth, my Saintess."
That deep, mellow voice spoke:
"You belong in the light."
And so, the light converged.
Liya clenched her small fists, dragging her consciousness out of the unknown torrent with great effort. She lifted her head and looked forward.
The Saintess’s gaze remained gentle as she watched her.
Then, she asked the question once more.
Only this time, it was different.
"Liya."
The crystal in her hand now pulsed with a dazzling brilliance.
"Are you sure you don't want to think about it further?"
"...There is no need."
Without a second thought, the words escaped Liya’s lips.
Yet, for some reason, she didn't dare meet those gentle eyes again. She averted her gaze, gripped the cold crystal firmly, took a deep breath, and said:
"This has always been my pursuit. I will not give up."
"..."
The Saintess said nothing more. She simply allowed Liya to take the crystal, her gaze flickering briefly toward Muen behind her with a meaningful look.
She rose gracefully and nodded to the crowd.
"That will be all for tonight. Everyone, please rest well. I hope to see wonderful performances from you all in the days to follow."
The Saintess departed.
The Holy Communion had come to an end.
Seeing that the show was over, the onlookers began to disperse, some heading off to gather intelligence on this suddenly appearing God-Attendant Knight.
"What a pity. I thought we’d lose one opponent tonight."
The first to rise and prepare to leave was the Platinum Princess. Her cold face was expressionless, as if she had just watched a boring play.
But Muen immediately shot a sharp look her way.
"Was that your doing just now?"
The ordinary-looking man—the one who would vanish into a crowd without a trace—had already disappeared with the flow of people. Muen couldn't exactly strike out in the middle of the cathedral to restrain someone.
But those words earlier definitely weren't just a random outburst from someone who disliked Liya.
In reality, few people were bored enough to actively mock someone, let alone a Saintess Candidate, without a reason.
No matter how he looked at it, it seemed premeditated.
"I am not that bored. Please don't go snapping at people randomly, Sir Fiancé of that woman," Margarita said, pausing to meet Muen’s gaze coldly.
She knows me?
No, she probably knows Celicia.
Recalling what Pink Bear had said earlier, Muen raised an eyebrow, his gaze showing no fear.
For a moment, the atmosphere turned icy.
"Now, now, let’s not do this. It’s not time to fight to the death yet, is it?"
A scruffy man with disheveled clothes stepped between their clashing gazes, casually throwing an arm around Muen’s shoulder.
"Don't be angry, brother. Little Rita might have a bad temper and a habit of saying the wrong thing, but I guarantee you, she’d never stoop to such petty tricks!"
The man named Paul, the direct successor of the Divine Will style of swordsmanship, wore a flippant smile. However, just being near him made Muen’s skin prickle, as if a sharp blade were suspended right next to him.
As Pink Bear had warned, this was not a character to be trifled with.
"By the way, I really liked what you said earlier."
Paul suddenly nudged him with an elbow and lowered his voice, sounding mysterious.
"To be honest... I’m a breast man myself."
You too?
Seriously?
Muen’s gaze flickered toward Margarita’s chest, which was just as flat as Ariel’s...
Is he kidding me?
Before the Platinum Princess’s aura could shift from annoyance to murderous intent, Paul quickly dragged her away.
After Margarita left, the haughty white-stockinged loli also departed with her God-Attendant Knight, the "monster" known as Reta, without saying a single word.
The two figures, so starkly different in stature, provided a massive visual impact. No one dared to underestimate them.
With the two Saintess Candidates who were hostile toward Liya gone, the atmosphere eased considerably.
But before Muen could breathe a sigh of relief, he saw the mage-clad Saintess Candidate, Fei'er, approaching with sparkling eyes.
"You're Muen Campbell, right!"
"Uh... you know me too?"
Muen felt a flicker of doubt.
Am I really this famous?
I guess being handsome really does—
"I heard my magic mentor mention you before. You're quite excellent in magic, aren't you!"
"Eh?"
Muen’s expression froze.
"Excellent... in magic?"
"Exactly!"
Fei'er nodded vigorously. "My mentor said you have a very formidable teacher and that your level of magic must be exceptional. He regretted not having the chance to visit you personally. I didn't believe it at first..."
Fei'er sized Muen up, her expression turning solemn. "But seeing how you can suppress your mana signature to such a low level without leaving a single flaw... it seems my mentor was right!"
"..."
Muen’s lip twitched as he forced a smile.
"I... I suppose you could say that. I’ve had some minor achievements, minor achievements..."
In the field of the Illumination Spell, he could practically claim to be unrivaled under heaven.
At the very least, he could definitely beat Professor Prang’s pet cat!
"Then we should find an opportunity to exchange magical knowledge—"
"No need for that. We are enemies now!"
Muen refused flatly, then asked with a strange expression:
"Miss Fei'er, you want to become the Saintess, right? But why are you so... focused on magic?"
"Oh, that... well, an excellent woman can't tie herself to just one tree."
Fei'er yawned and blew Muen a kiss.
"I have to keep a backup option, don't I?"
She’s a total player!!
...
Not wanting his pure soul to be contaminated by this "player," Muen quickly cut the conversation short. But as soon as he turned his head, he met another gaze that was impossible to ignore.
It was the Saintess Candidate named Freya.
She was kneeling beside Liya, her expression so gentle and warm that for a moment, one might have thought the departed Saintess had returned.
A faint Holy Light drifted around her, signifying a high affinity for the element that was likely on par with Liya’s.
"Mr. Muen, was it?"
Freya smiled.
"Mr. Muen, do you like flowers?"
"Flowers?"
"Yes."
Freya cupped her hands, and a bouquet appeared in her grasp.
It was a flower Muen didn't recognize.
The petals were pale yellow and translucent, unfurling in layers that emitted a strange, sacred aura.
"The Golden Orchid. Beautiful, isn't it?"
Freya held the flower out to Muen.
"A gift for you."
"For me?"
Muen was stunned. "Why?"
"Because I like you."
"What?"
Muen’s eyes widened instinctively, but in Freya’s eyes, he saw no trace of lust or desire.
"Whenever I see someone I like, I can't help but give them flowers. It’s a habit of mine," Freya said, her smile unchanging.
"I... I see."
Is this the universal love of a top Saintess Candidate?
He had almost thought his "Yellow-haired villain" traits had evolved to the point where he could steal a girl’s heart just by exchanging a few words.
"Thank you... but, I’m sorry."
Muen politely declined, having no intention of getting involved with this strange woman.
She gave him an odd feeling.
Despite her seemingly genuine kindness, which made it impossible to feel any dislike toward her, Muen instinctively wanted to keep his distance.
"How cold," Freya sighed softly.
In that instant, Muen felt a flicker of killing intent.
It came from the shadow behind her.
"Brian!"
Freya spoke with a hint of feigned anger, rebuking the man in the shadow. She then gave Muen an apologetic smile.
"I’m sorry. Brian has a bit of a temper."
"It’s fine."
Muen’s hand, hanging at his side, curled slightly. He smiled back. "I don't mind."
"Mr. Muen really is a good person."
Freya’s smile didn't waver. After a lightning-fast confession, she had just as quickly given Muen a "good person" card.
"In that case, I won't disturb you two any longer. See you later—though we’ll be enemies then."
"Yeah, see you later."
...
Watching Freya’s retreating back, Muen finally let out a long sigh of relief.
His tense body finally began to relax.
They were all terrifying individuals—so terrifying that he wanted to run back to Belland right now and shamelessly beg Celicia or his Senior Sister to let him hide behind them.
"But... are you okay, Liya?"
Pushing his thoughts aside, Muen looked at Liya in confusion.
She hadn't said a word since the beginning, standing as still as a wooden statue.
"Did something happen?"
Muen placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Eek!"
Liya’s shoulder jerked. She suddenly snapped back to reality, jumping away like a startled deer, her face flushed crimson.
"I-I’m fine."
"Are you really okay?"
Muen looked at his hand, putting on a hurt expression.
"I guess me suddenly showing up to be your knight really did scare you, huh?"
"I-It was a bit of a shock."
"Ah."
"B-But..."
Liya gripped the cold crystal, seemingly trying to suppress something. "I’m actually... really happy."
"Really?"
"Yes. So..."
Liya hid her small hands behind her back, her toes tracing nervous patterns on the floor. She tilted her head up slightly, her shimmering, misty eyes reflecting Muen’s silhouette.
Under the lights, Liya’s blushing face looked exceptionally vibrant and tender.
She bit her soft pink lip, then suddenly tilted her head, revealing a cute smile a hundred times brighter than the Golden Orchid from earlier.
"I’ll be in your care from now on, my Sir Knight," she said radiantly.
"..."
Muen’s heart tightened. It was as if the lake in his soul had been struck by a massive wave the moment she tilted her head.
He took a deep breath to calm the ripples that shouldn't be there and replied with a smile:
"Of course, my Saintess."
Well, looking at it now, jumping into this pit wasn't such a bad thing after all.
In fact, if he thought about it carefully, while he had forgotten most of the minor characters from the original novel, he still remembered some of the plot.
With those memories, he could gain the upper hand. Even without Ariel, making Liya the Saintess wasn't an impossible task.
"Then let’s do our best in the upcoming Secret Realm, Liya!"
Muen held out his hand to boost morale.
But Liya’s face suddenly froze. She stared at him blankly with an expression of utter confusion.
Not just Liya—even Fei'er and Freya, who hadn't quite made it out the door yet, turned back to give Muen a look that said, What on earth is this guy talking about?
"Secret Realm? What Secret Realm?"
"Huh? Haven't the Pay Homage to the Sage Ceremonies of the past always been held in a Secret Realm specially created by the Life Church?" Muen scratched his head. He at least knew this basic common sense.
"That was true in the past, but this time is different."
"Different?"
Muen’s lip twitched as a bad premonition suddenly surged in his heart.
"How is it different?"
"Didn't Professor Pink Bear tell you?"
Liya blinked and answered:
"For this ceremony, the trial location isn't the usual Secret Realm. It’s...
An Ancient Ruin the Church only recently opened the entrance to. That legendary Lost Homeland.
—Cantville!"
"Eh?"
The light vanished from Muen’s eyes.
"Where the hell is that?"
*
PS: Suddenly caught a cold and stayed in bed all day. If the writing isn't great, I apologize.