Chapter 84: CH 84

I hesitated, not knowing how to answer.

Ariel Celestine, daughter of a daughter of Baron Celestine, out of wedlock.

The reason why she became a saintess wasn’t well known to the public.

“…Hmm. I manifested my holy power two years ago, and she was discovered by Reihausd and brought to Elium. It’s not a very fun story. My memory is fuzzy.”

The reason I became a saintess was when I was a fake saintess, so I evaded it appropriately.

“I see. Well, I was so surprised to hear what happened in the mine this time.”

Camilla said to me with her green eyes shining.

“Closing the gate of the Demon Realm, and besides, defeating countless monsters. People say that among the saintesses of the past, the voices of praise are so loud that you’re comparable to that of the First Saintess.”

It was even more embarrassing to receive such praise from the original female lead.

“No way. I was just lucky.”

“You’re also humble.”

I also decided to ask Camilla questions.

“Does Miss Camilla have any kind of… holy power?”

Camilla’s appearance sped up, that’s why I wondered if her manifestation of holy power might have sped up as well.

Camilla, who heard me, slurred her words as if it was nothing.

“Although I have divine power as a residual skill, it’s insignificant compared to the Saintess’ holy power.”

Then her holy power hasn’t manifested yet.

I remembered [The Return of Saintess Camilla]. In the original story, it was said that Camilla’s holy power was discovered late.

Yet she didn’t say anything more and just smiled humbly.

After that, Reihausd didn’t appear for a long time.

My face was a little hot, probably due to the wine, so I decided to go out for a night breeze.

Camilla was happily chatting with Dwayne, who had returned.

“I’ll be out for a while.”

“Ah, Saintess. I will accompany you.”

Dwayne tried to faithfully carry out Reihausd’s order to keep close.

“Dwayne. Don’t make me regret saving you from the Demon Realm.”

Dwayne tried to get up, but at my warning, he sat down.

“That’s right. Even the Saintess needs some freedom.”

You mustn’t repay kindness with being an enemy.

I left, opened the door, and started walking. But after a while, someone called me.

“Ariel.”

Looking back, I saw Reihausd standing in the dark.

“Sir Reihausd?”

He took a step closer to me. And he said to me, who was looking up at him.

“I, towards Ariel…”

Reihausd’s voice was subtle.

I could see his red lips moving in the dark.

“I thought you had no interest in me.”

A strangely trembling voice in a deep echo.

I blankly listened to his voice and stared into his golden eyes.

I couldn’t understand this sudden conversation.

“Until now, I misunderstood that you were avoiding me. But I’m glad you have a good impression of me.”

Then he reached out and gently brushed the tip of my hair. The wine I drank earlier made my face even hotter. Reihausd also seemed to be drunk, as his cheeks were flushed.

His voice penetrated my ears. For an instant, I remembered what I had said to Camilla earlier.

[I think he’s a wonderful person.]

Did he hear that?

The moment I remembered the conversation from earlier, he jumped at me.

Reihausd’s eyes were right in front of my line of sight.

I said in bewilderment.

“Uh, I was just talking from an objective point of view…”

At my bewildered answer, he asked with his beautiful gold eyes shining darkly.

“In your eyes… How do I look?”

To be honest, he’s the strongest in the world in terms of beauty. His preference, preference, and preference… The problem is that part is unique.

“I’m curious about your honest feelings. Ariel.”

Had I known he was listening, I wouldn’t have said anything about him being wonderful in the first place, I regretted it belatedly.

“I mean, you look great because you’re the High Priest. You seem amazing, dealing with the difficult and complicated work of the temple…”

As expected, I couldn’t say that I was attracted to him as a man.

Reihausd’s golden eyes shook as he watched me speak more.

“Is that so.”

Unlike the excited expression from before, it was a very calm expression. For some reason, I feel a sense of guilt.

“The High Priest is only the High Priest, that’s it.”

Making such a handsome man sad makes me feel like the world’s worst woman.

“I’m sorry. I overreacted again. Even with your little attention, to the point it’s burdensome.”

The slightly trembling eyelashes cast a shadow under his beautiful golden eyes.

‘What should I do?’

It was when I was hesitating whether to appease him even a little, or just hit the iron wall as it is.

Reihausd took my hand on my shoulder and led it to my sword. And he pulled out his sword without hesitation.

A cool blade illuminated by the moonlight. In an instant, a chill went down my spine.

“Sir Reihausd, what are you doing now…”

Could it be that he was going to do something to me just because he was hurt? I opened my mouth in surprise.

And a low voice came from his mouth.

“Stay still.”

The tip of his sword, which had been roughly pulled up, suddenly headed for the pillar behind me.

“I can hear something rustling.”

Just then, an old priest with shiny hair and a pale face came out from behind the pillar.

“I-I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. Just calm down.”

I knew his name.

Chief Priest Heinz. He was the one who returned from being dispatched in the early days when Magi flowed from Ares Mine.

And when I first came to the temple, he greeted me with disrespectful glances or strangely ignored me.

“Ah. You must have been the Chief Priest.”

“I’m saying this in case you misunderstand, but I haven’t heard anything. High Priest, and the Saintess.”

Sweat could be seen pouring down his forehead.

“Whether you heard it or not.”

“High Priest.”

“And I’ll make a decision after talking about why he was hiding alone here, on the opposite side of the Chief Priest’s residence.”

Reihausd raised the corner of his lips and put his sword back into the scabbard. And he looked at me and pursed his lips.

“Saintess. I think I need to talk to the Chief Priest.”

I saw Heinz’s face darken.

I bewilderedly greeted Reihas and turned around.

For a moment, I forgot because Reihausd’s appearance is like the main character of a romance manga. That he commanded the Empire’s largest temple from the top and supervised the priests.

I went back to the dining table, thinking, ‘Can’t you show me your charismatic self only?’

***

It was after I entered my room after dinner with Camilla.

“By the way…”

After coming out of the bath, I swung my hand in front of my eyes.

“Why are you so quiet?”

The normally sparkling chat window was silent.

When I thought deeply about when this happened, it seemed like it had been since I arrived at the temple earlier.

“Anybody there?”

Even with the sound, the chat window was calm. It’s never been like this before except when there were enemies in the mine. The only thing that has changed is Camilla’s arrival.

“Perhaps… is it because the real saintess appears?”

I was talking to myself.

As expected, no one answered, but it was a plausible reasoning.

I am a fake saintess, and now that the real saintess Camilla, the main character of this story, has appeared, all the Gods of the oracle have moved to her.

Isn’t that the perfect story?

Even when the High Priest asked how I was, if the oracle had been connected, these messages would have appeared.

[The God of Art, Mond, evaluates the High Priest’s face very favorably.]

[The God of Benevolence, Oman, shines his eyes, saying that he wants to ■■ and ■■■.]

However, the oracle window remained silent.

For some reason, I felt my heart sink.

I went to the window and looked out.

“Did everyone really… leave?”

I suddenly felt like I was alone.

It’s been a long time since I felt this.

“…It’s natural. Yes, it’s obvious…”

I muttered.

Now that the real female lead has appeared, it is only natural that the Gods who have stayed so far have left. I felt the holy power still remaining in my body, but I don’t know when this will disappear.

It wasn’t like when I voluntarily disabled the oracle.

It seemed that my heart had become empty, like an empty nest that everyone had left.

“…”

I stared out the window aimlessly. Still, the sad thought of saying goodbye and leaving came flooding back.

What’s the point of thinking about the Gods who left? I’m trying to shake it off, yet that’s not easy either.

Then something popped out of my sleeve.

“Kyuuuu.”

It was Kyuu, who showed up with a pouty face.

It was watching my expression with its black eyes.

I smiled weakly and reached out my hand, stroking its head.

“Yeah… You’re here though.”

It tilted its head and looked at me.

It was as if it was stroking my empty heart with a small feather.

I put it on my hand and stared out the window for a long time.

“Shall we see Camilla again?”