Chapter 826: The Drunkard, the Cat, and the Little Girl
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 826: The Drunkard, the Cat, and the Little Girl
"Lin should have gone back by now, right?"
The night was deepening.
Since autumn had settled over Belland, a faint mist would often drift from the Gulain River into the city's streets and alleys at night, bringing with it a biting chill.
Protected by the Holy Light, neither Liya, the Saintess, nor Great Nun Lin, her dedicated caretaker, could feel the cold anymore, let alone be harmed by it. Yet, looking at the empty streets, Liya couldn't help but imagine a pitiful image of Lin shivering alone in the freezing night, waiting for her.
While I was off having a good time, I left Lin to keep watch all by herself for days... Forget being a Saintess; even as a normal person, this was a massive blunder that deserved a formal apology on bended knees.
To do such a thing was practically being a piece of trash—even more of a scoundrel than a certain blonde bastard!
"Ugh... I'm so sorry, Lin. I didn't mean to."
Liya pressed her hands together in prayer and poked her tongue out playfully, feeling a fresh wave of guilt.
It wasn't that she didn't care about Lin. On the contrary, after her teacher stepped down as Saintess and left the Church, Lin, who was tasked with her care, naturally became the person she was closest to.
It was just that she had been too immersed in the wonderful time spent reuniting with Muen. At the same time, her mind had been occupied by those two "stray cats" trying to steal him away. Combined with the fact that she had barely seen the sun over the past few days, Liya had accidentally let Lin’s existence slip her mind entirely.
All in all... it was an accident. A pure accident.
"Hmph, it’s all Muen’s fault!"
Liya muttered petulantly, her face falling into a pout as she self-righteously pinned the blame on the "bad man" who had seduced her.
If that bad man wasn't so captivating, how could she have made such a low-level mistake?
No matter how you sliced it... it was all Muen’s fault!
"I just hope Lin isn't too angry..." Liya whispered another prayer to the Goddess.
Lin was terrifying when she was angry.
Though she usually appeared capable and treated everyone with kindness, Liya had once seen her scold a novice nun so harshly that the poor girl burst into tears on the spot.
Lin in that moment... was practically a demon!
Taking several deep breaths, Liya finally pulled out her Voice Transmission Stone.
Even if she was going to get a lecture, she needed to contact Lin as soon as possible to keep her from worrying.
Liya dialed the frequency on the stone.
Beep...
Beep...
Beep...
The rhythmic ringing of the stone echoed through the silent autumn night like the ticking of the Great Clock Tower, possessing a strange, calming magic.
But as the seconds ticked by, Liya’s perfectly shaped brows began to knit together.
"She’s not picking up?"
Liya tilted her head, finding it strange.
For a Great Nun serving the Saintess, ignoring a transmission for this long was completely unlike Lin.
"Could... something have happened?"
Liya’s expression hardened.
the soft, cute aura of a girl wondering how to apologize vanished instantly. As the exquisite floral crown atop her head caught a stray glimmer of light from the darkness, an air of holy majesty and authority settled over her.
She closed her eyes and clasped her hands tightly.
"O Goddess, please guide this lost lamb..."
In an instant, a light flared within Liya’s darkened vision.
As the Saintess, Liya could naturally sense the Holy Light within others. After steadying her mind and filtering out the presence of other clergy members in Belland, she quickly located the cluster of Holy Light belonging to Lin.
Then, she realized with a start...
"She’s fine?"
Liya opened her eyes and blinked, her demeanor instantly snapping back to her cute, soft self.
In her perception, Lin’s Holy Light was resting perfectly at the inn. There were no signs of disturbance or fluctuation. It was so calm that it could only mean one thing... she was fast asleep.
"Ha, haha... Right. It’s this late; of course she’d be sleeping. It’s normal not to answer the stone."
Liya scratched her head awkwardly.
Looking toward the distance, the hands of the Great Clock Tower were nearly at the top. Although she had just rushed out of the Duke’s Estate after a romantic candlelit dinner with Muen...
In reality, because they hadn't woken up until evening, the "dinner" had been pushed to a very late hour. With her internal clock completely scrambled over the last few days, Liya hadn't realized the time immediately.
"I’m just too tense."
Liya patted her cheeks.
Thinking about it seriously, she had just discussed this with Muen. All eyes on the continent were likely fixed on the war and the Abyss. Furthermore, the evil cultists here had just been purged by Pink Bear and the former Saintess. Who would come looking for trouble with a minor Saintess like her right now?
Besides, to ensure her trysts with Muen remained secret, she had been extremely cautious. She hadn't even told the Grand Cathedral where she was staying.
"Anyway, I should head back and find Lin first."
Though she hated to cut her time with Muen short, she couldn't actually leave Lin all alone.
At the very least... she had to go back tonight to put her mind at ease.
That way, she could ask Lin to keep watch again later so she could continue her secret dates with Muen!
"Is this what they call 'balancing the scales'?"
Liya pumped a small fist and said proudly, "I’ve finally mastered Muen’s secret technique!"
*
Liya sped toward the inn.
She had already changed back into the black cloak she used for a disguise, hiding her exquisite floral crown beneath the hood. Her face was different from usual, too—covered in freckles and looking quite ordinary.
After all, as the Pure Saintess of the Church of Human Life, Liya’s public identity brought nothing but inconvenience.
Countless believers, hungry for the Goddess’s radiance, would swarm to catch a glimpse of the Goddess’s earthly representative. Moreover, the people at the Grand Cathedral would never allow the Saintess to wander around alone; they would surely deploy the elite Church Knights to surround her in layers of protection.
If that happened, forget doing the things she loved to do with Muen—she wouldn't even have a moment of private time.
Thus, Liya had returned to Belland without alerting anyone. To prevent the Church from finding her, the inn she chose was located in the Lower District, far from the Belland Grand Cathedral.
"Ugh... it’s a bit too far. I should have picked a place closer to Muen’s estate."
Not daring to use a conspicuous Holy Light spell, Liya pouted as she flew using magic for half an hour. She hadn't felt it before, but now she felt this commute was a total waste of her time with Muen.
Fortunately, she was almost there.
Liya landed and checked her bearings. After a moment’s thought, she didn't take the main road she had used before. Instead, she turned and ducked into a narrow alleyway.
It wasn't that the inn was so remote it required navigating such cramped spaces, but this path was a shortcut that would shave several minutes off her trip.
The current Liya was shrouded in the halo of a Saintess, and few people knew that, like Ariel, she had also grown up in the Lower District of Belland.
She knew this place well.
"This road still hasn't been fixed... it’s been years."
Liya pinched her skirt and hopped over the potholes like a little girl playing hopscotch. A bit of rain from a few days ago had left the path muddy, but Liya’s movements were light, and not a single speck of mud touched her.
The reason she wasn't flying through the alley wasn't just to enjoy a bit of childhood nostalgia, but because laundry lines hung above her like a giant web, crisscrossing the entire alley.
The scenery here was familiar—not just the traces left by people struggling to live their lives, but the same messy environment and atmosphere.
For instance, even at night, it was impossible to be truly alone in the alleys of Belland’s Lower District.
Liya stopped in her tracks.
"Meow—"
A startled black cat leaped out of a trash can, hissing at Liya with bared teeth. Its glowing green eyes were particularly eerie.
"Good... good kitty."
Liya reached out, wanting to use her power to cleanse the filth from the scrawny cat and heal the wound on its left leg.
A poor cat like this wouldn't survive the winter if its injuries weren't treated.
But the black cat was clearly wary of humans. Before Liya could get close, it darted into the shadows of the alley and vanished.
"What a shame."
Liya felt a bit of regret at not being able to pet the cat, but she didn't chase after it.
She was the Saintess, but it was impossible for her to heal every stray cat in Belland. Moreover, forcing the issue might lead to unwanted consequences.
Better to let nature take its course.
Liya continued forward. Not far away, a drunkard lay passed out in the open autumn air, surrounded by a sea of empty bottles. He wore nothing but a tattered shirt.
"You’ll get sick like that."
Liya knelt beside the drunkard and wove her hands together. The Holy Light formed a warm blanket of radiance, which she gently draped over him.
"Dammit... I’ll win it back next time... I will..." the drunkard muttered. As he grew warmer, his curled-up body began to relax.
"Gambling is no good either," Liya said, wrinkling her nose as she thought of something. "If you aren't careful, you'll lose everything."
"..."
The drunkard stopped mumbling, as if he had actually heard her advice.
"That’s better."
Liya nodded happily, stood up, and walked around him, soon reaching the end of the alley.
There, she stopped once more.
In the dark alleys of the Lower District, three things were most common.
Cats.
Drunkards.
And... crying little girls.
True to form, at the end of the alley, there was a little girl crying.
"Waaa... Mimi, my Mimi... where are you?"
In the thick of the night, a little girl in black clothes sat hugging her knees, weeping piteously.
"Little girl, what are you looking for?" Liya asked curiously.
"I... I’m looking for my cat." The girl looked up. Her face was dirty, and her large eyes were brimming with tears, making her look incredibly fragile. "Big sister, have you seen my cat?"
"A cat? I just saw one back there." Liya pointed in the direction she had come from. "It was a black cat."
"Really? My Mimi is black too!" The girl was so excited she nearly jumped up.
"That’s great then." Liya patted the girl’s head and smiled. "It shouldn't have gone far. You can still find it."
"Mm! Thank you, big sister!"
The girl nodded vigorously, showing no suspicion toward Liya’s words, and ran off in the direction she had pointed.
Liya watched the girl’s retreating back until she disappeared from sight.
A faint light flickered in her eyes for a split second.
"I hope she doesn't wake Lin up."
Liya pouted. People who didn't get enough sleep usually had bad tempers. She didn't want to see Lin get angry.
Liya continued on, leaving the alley and entering the unassuming little inn across the street.
The lights inside were dim. The owner—an old grandmother with hair as white as silk—was behind the counter, using an oil lamp to sew a hole in her husband’s trousers.
"Grandma, not in bed yet?"
Liya took a lantern from the wall and lit the wick with the flame of the oil lamp. In a common inn like this, there were no magic stones for lighting, and they couldn't afford to keep lamps burning all night. However, they thoughtfully provided lanterns for guests to use whenever they needed.
"Mm."
Though she was sewing, the grandmother was nodding off. "Just a bit more... almost done..."
"I see... take care of yourself." Liya took a few steps, then paused. "Oh, right. My companion... did you see her, Grandma?"
"What?" The old woman craned her neck. "What did you say? Your communion? There’s no communion here!"
"I said my companion."
"You like unions? That’s no good. Those same-sex unions are a disgrace to the Goddess, a disgrace..."
"..."
Liya puffed out her cheeks and gave up on communicating with the old woman.
"Make sure to sleep early!" she urged one last time before stepping onto the creaking stairs to the second floor.
"Oh, oh, sleep early... sleep early..."
The oil lamp flared slightly. This time, the grandmother seemed to have heard her. She grabbed her cane and tottered through the small door behind the counter.
The oil lamp flickered once and finally went out.
*
The second floor of the inn.
Though old, the place was kept very clean.
Unfortunately, with the Empire at war, there weren't many tourists in Belland. Aside from the room Liya had rented, the others were mostly empty.
Liya walked past the empty rooms one by one. When she encountered a closed door, she even reached out to knock.
Finally, after making a full circle, she returned to her own room.
She pushed the door open, and the dark room was instantly illuminated by her lantern. The furniture was exactly as she had left it; there was even a sheet of unfinished letter paper on the small table.
On the only bed at the far end of the room, Lin was sleeping.
"Lin, I’m back."
Liya sat on the edge of the bed and took Lin’s hand.
"I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. Please don't be mad at me. I won't make a mistake like this again, I promise..."
Liya rambled on, but Lin didn't react at all.
Lin’s face was serene, her breathing steady. Her form-fitting nun’s outfit rose and fell rhythmically with her chest.
She looked for all the world like she was in a deep sleep.
And if she was asleep, how could she react?
But as she spoke, Liya’s expression suddenly turned sorrowful.
"And I’m truly sorry. I was too careless this time, and it put you in danger. Someone even... took your form."
Holy Light began to flow from Liya’s palm.
At first, the light was warm, like the spring sun or a gentle breeze.
But gradually, it became intense—scorching hot, like glowing embers, like molten lava!
It grew so fierce it seemed as if it would melt the hand Liya was holding!
"How did you find out?"
The "Lin" on the bed suddenly opened her eyes and spoke coldly. "I believed my disguise was flawless. Appearance, aura, even the Holy Light... there shouldn't have been a single opening."
"...It was indeed perfect. I didn't find any flaws, but..."
Liya, who had been apologizing sadly just a moment ago, showed no surprise at the change in the person on the bed. She looked down and said:
"Lin is so strict that if she sees a novice nun with messy clothes, she’ll lecture her for half the day. How could someone like her go to sleep without even changing out of her habit?"
"...Is that so?"
"Lin" paused, then realized. "A shame. That’s something I had no way of knowing."
BOOM!
The accumulated Holy Light suddenly erupted. Liya’s strike was decisive, leaving no room for error.
However, her opponent had also been preparing.
Two terrifying forces collided at point-blank range. A horrific shockwave, carrying a searing torrent that tore through everything, instantly shredded the entire second floor of the inn.
Dust filled the air, but not a speck of dirt touched Liya as she landed lightly on the ground.
Liya looked up. In her perception, the opponent had completely vanished. The body disguised as Lin wasn't actually Lin, after all, and it hadn't felt overwhelmingly powerful. It seemed perfectly logical that it would be annihilated under the majesty of the Holy Light.
But... what was this sense of foreboding?
"Ah! What... what happened?"
In the alley, the drunkard was suddenly jolted awake by the explosion. He stared in shock at the ruins of the inn’s second floor, now engulfed in flames. After a moment of stunned silence, he began to flee in the opposite direction, his face pale with terror.
However, he hadn't gone two steps before he tripped.
"What... what is this?"
The drunkard looked down in horror to find himself wrapped in a shimmering blanket of light, unable to move.
"Huh? So the drunkard... really was just a drunkard?"
Liya raised a hand, retracting the Holy Light and letting the man scramble away in a panic.
It seemed the backup plan she had left behind because something felt "off" wasn't going to be useful here.
"Then..."
If that one wasn't it, then the other one...
"Big sister..."
The little girl in black was standing not far from Liya.
Liya turned to look. In the girl’s hair, just as it had been on the drunkard, there was a faint glimmer of Holy Light.
"It’s you, little sister. Did you find your cat?" Liya asked.
"..."
The girl didn't answer. She only wept. "Big sister, you lied to me."
"Lied to you?" Liya blinked. "About what?"
"That wasn't my cat." The girl sobbed. "That wasn't my Mimi..."
Splurt.
Blood sprayed.
A hot, crimson liquid suddenly splashed before Liya’s eyes. Though it was evaporated by the Holy Light surrounding her before it could touch her, her eyes widened slightly.
The weeping girl slowly collapsed.
"Meow—"
Behind her, a filthy black cat with an injured leg limped out of the darkness. It sat down not far from Liya and elegantly licked the blood from its claws.
"A pleasure to meet you, Saintess," the black cat spoke, its voice identical to the "Lin" from before.
"It is truly rare to find an opportunity to be alone with you. I am a subordinate of the Third Seat of the Salvation Society—the Cat Lover, Dennis Hollen."