Chapter 9: Fateful Encounter

Act 3: The Holy Power of Fangirling

Our journey from the Holy Vios Empire to the Rahel Northern Empire was surprisingly short. The capital of the Rahel Empire, Helsarose, lay in the heart of the empire, making it conveniently close to our starting point.

Why was the trip so brief? I wondered aloud. While the others were eager to reach our destination quickly, I couldn't help but feel a sense of sadness at how close we were. It should have been longer. Much longer!

For the past three weeks, I had been living in bliss, spending every moment by Miltiades' side, whether in the realm of dreams or reality.

It was like heaven, I sighed with contentment. I had no need for study or prayer; I only wanted to indulge in my adoration for my favorite character. And I relished every moment of listening to Miltiades engage in serious discussions with Callian while holding me in his arms.

Luciana finally broke her silence when my infatuation became too much for her to bear. "Saintess," she began.

"Hmm?" I turned to look at her.

"Please, calm down," she implored.

I tilted my head in confusion. "Why?"

"Your gaze is always fixed on your father," Luciana explained.

Her words snapped me back to reality. I had been trying to restrain myself, but I leaned in closer to her and whispered, "Was it that obvious?"

"Yes," she replied.

"Very much so?"

"Yes."

There was nothing I could do to conceal my feelings. I reluctantly averted my gaze, attempting to focus on something else. In the distance, I spotted a mountain.

I began to count to distract myself. Ten, nine, eight, seven...

The mountain remained a mountain, and the sea remained the sea. I continued counting in my head: two, one... Done!

I immediately turned my attention back to my father. Seeing him again after a mere ten-second break was like a breath of fresh air. How could someone be so incredibly handsome? Even the way his sword rested on his hip looked attractive, and his hands as he held a sheet of paper were mesmerizing.

Luciana couldn't help but notice my behavior and shook her head in resignation. She sighed, but I paid no attention to her. Instead, I decided to ask her something.

"Hey, Lucy, Daddy told me he was a bad person."

"I... see." Luciana appeared unsure of how to respond, possibly aware of the rumors surrounding him.

"But, did you know? If someone were truly bad, they would never admit it." It was true that Miltiades had his dark side, but he was far better than his future self.

I felt a heavy weight in my chest as I contemplated the knowledge I possessed. What could I do to prevent my father from becoming a terrible villain?

When the novel introduced him, he was already villainous , yet he became immensely popular with middle-aged women. I might be a minor, but I still admired him. After all, he was undeniably handsome. I sighed and muttered, "Ah, I want to read it again." I longed to revisit the moment of his first appearance in the novel. And I missed the scent of his cologne that I kept in my room—a limited-edition Miltiades cologne I wanted to boast about.

"I wish I could cross dimensions or bring my room into this world!" I exclaimed. "Ah! I won't wish for anything else, just my fan items!"

"Saintess, please calm down. Saintess!" Luciana moved to intervene as my outbursts became more frequent. Fortunately, they didn't last long. "Saintess, your father is right there! He's looking at you!"

"Daddy!"

That's right! Miltiades was right in front of me. What use were a few possessions when I had the real thing? I beamed joyfully while Luciana sighed once more, perhaps muttering something about wanting to discard everything.

Suddenly, I choked up, unable to control my emotions. I whimpered, and Luciana looked at my tearful face with puzzlement. "What's wrong, Saintess?" she asked.

"I suddenly feel so sad."

"Why? What's the matter?"

"I feel sorry for the people who will be born in the next generation," I explained. She gave me a strange look, so I continued. "They can only learn about Daddy from history books!"

I could sense Luciana slowly inching away and creating some distance between us, but I paid little attention because Miltiades had started walking toward me.

"Let's go," he said.

I eagerly grasped his outstretched hand and nodded. Finally, we were on our way to the Revelenon Temple.

***

In the original novel, Priscilla had never visited the Revelenon Temple. My knowledge of it was limited to the fact that it housed the sacred sword. This is why I was left speechless when a beast suddenly appeared.

"Get back!" Miltiades urgently warned. "Stay inside the carriage," he whispered.

As the beast emerged from the shadows, Miltiades stepped out, leaving me inside the carriage. The sight of the creature took me by surprise. "So that's what a beast looks like," I whispered.

The creature defied categorization as human or animal; it was an ominous and unsettling presence when it attacked. This was when the reality of living in a different world truly struck me. It was a peculiar sensation, even more so than when I had used my divine power. Thankfully, we were accompanied by numerous paladins, so I wasn't in immediate danger. However, the repeated attacks by beasts on our journey to the Revelenon Temple were perplexing.

How strange! I knew that this region had been depopulated due to rampant disease, but I hadn't come across any information about this phenomenon. Could it be because I left the temple before Priscilla did in the novel?

Was this the butterfly effect?

As the beasts continued their relentless assaults, the paladins grew increasingly fatigued.

"Where are all these beasts coming from?"

"Protect the Saintess! Don't let any of them near the carriage!"

The voices of the paladins, dedicated to my protection, echoed all around. However, during the intense battle, my attention was drawn to one person—Miltiades.

"Wow!" I exclaimed in admiration. Despite not being bound by vows like the paladins or wielding a blessed sword, Miltiades was at the forefront, dispatching the most monsters. "He's incredible."

Wasn't that the reason he became the villain?

Feeling guilty for merely sitting in the carriage, I pondered how to contribute. I had acquired knowledge of numerous prayers and blessings, but I needed to select the right one for this situation.

Suddenly, a faint voice reached my ears, sounding like it came from a malfunctioning radio. I turned my ear toward it.

"Get... back..." it croaked.

"What?" I asked, puzzled. "Get back?" Suddenly, the carriage began to tilt. "Huh?"

I had heard that time seemed to slow down when a person was near death, and at that moment, that was exactly how it felt. The carriage took a moment to overturn, and my body slammed against its now-broken walls. I writhed in pain as I crawled out. A few paladins were still nearby, but for the most part, I was alone as I struggled to my feet.

Above me, a humanoid figure was silhouetted against the moon. Its only instinct was to feed on blood. It growled, emitting a menacing and deep sound.

When I first saw its blood-red eyes, my initial thought was that I was about to meet my end, that I would be devoured right then and there.

However, strangely enough, that fear soon dissipated. For some reason, my fear was replaced by the sensation that the beast was trying to convey something to me.

"Marge... Castle..." it managed to utter.

What?

Upon hearing the voice, I furrowed my brows in puzzlement t, but then I saw a brilliant streak of light slice through the air. A beam of light cut the beast apart, and blood splattered before my eyes. When I regained my senses, Miltiades was kneeling beside me.

"Child," he called.

Everything that had transpired felt like a dream. I gazed at Miltiades blankly. He met my trembling gaze with concern. I grasped him with trembling hands and closed my eyes to forget the beast's final words.

"Please save me," it implored.

***

The Revelenon Temple had been isolated for a considerable duration. Following Miltiades' rescue, I had been so shaken that I lost consciousness. I found myself safe within the temple's walls when I awoke again .

"Welcome, Saintess! Our lives have finally gained purpose now that you've graced us with your presence," a priest warmly greeted me.

"Where's my father?" I inquired immediately.

"He went to confront the beasts," he replied.

I couldn't help but make a worried expression, and Luciana gently brushed my forehead. "I was quite surprised, Saintess," she remarked.

"I was too," I admitted. The events that had unfolded felt more like a dream than a series of actual occurrences. "What has happened to the temple?"

The priest stepped forward once more, his voice hushed. "Allow me to elucidate," he began. Looking at him closely, I noticed his hair was white, and he appeared as old as the elders back at the Vatican.

Luciana leaned in and whispered to me, "He's Priest Aiden, the one overseeing this temple."

"Not a bishop?" I asked.

"Our head bishop was our guardian, but he passed away last month," the priest answered, his voice tinged with sadness. "That's why I'm deeply grateful that you've graced us with your presence."

"Well, it's not much," I humbly deflected, feeling like I hadn't done anything significant yet.

Luciana looked puzzled as if she didn't quite understand the implications of what the priest was suggesting. She urged, "The Saintess has just awakened, so please explain quickly."

"Of course," Priest Aiden acquiesced, his tone composed. He then explained the events that had transpired within the temple over the past few years.

"So, you're saying beasts have been attacking for the past three months, and it's becoming increasingly perilous because you haven't received any assistance?" I summarized.

"Yes, that's correct," he confirmed.

"And on top of that, the head bishop's passing has left you reliant solely on your commitment to the holy sword?" I probed.

Priest Aiden nodded solemnly.

I needed to take the holy sword for Ludwig, but I couldn't ignore the peril the temple faced. Leaving the holy sword behind was not an option either. With this in mind, I quickly decided we should take the sword and use it to eliminate the beasts. Dealing with the consequences would be a task for later.

I rose from the bed. "I wish to see the holy sword," I declared. After all, the sword had driven me to come to the temple in the first place.