<Chapter 15>
If it happened on the same day, the High Priest would be flustered, creating an opening. He intended to search the entire temple.
He hoped that the startled High Priest would rush out to the Saintess. Of course, it was a naive hope.
Despite his grand entrance, thorough search, and questioning everyone about “the woman who arrived at the Grand Temple today,” or “any new female devotee,” he couldn’t find the Saintess.
He knew. It was a hasty and reckless approach.
Even so, if things had gone as usual, Theodore would have found the Saintess. He had incredibly sharp intuition, especially when it came to small details, so he was certain.
Though Theodore himself didn’t realize it, his luck also contributed to his disbelief in God.
It’s difficult for someone who faces few hardships in life to develop a ‘reliance on faith.’
Anyway, today, things weren’t going his way. Even the lucky man had encountered an insurmountable wall.
‘This is troublesome. If the Saintess has returned, all eyes will be on the temple.’
Theodore, having failed to achieve his desired goal, was in a very foul mood.
So, even though he knew that winning a petty argument with the High Priest wouldn’t change anything or be of any help, he needled her.
He needed an outlet for his frustration.
Seeing the High Priest struggling to contain her anger, her lips twisting grotesquely, seemed to alleviate his irritation, even just a little.
He was in a truly foul mood.
Especially that…
‘That commoner who clung to me.’
Theodore disliked not only the nobles who offered their daughters as marriage prospects, but also the women who, blinded by the prospect of social advancement and a handsome husband, threw themselves at him.
‘Maria is… so happy.’
The excessively saccharine voice echoed in Theodore’s mind.
He had experienced this countless times since childhood, but he couldn’t help but feel a wave of fatigue.
The thought of the wheat-haired woman with fluttering eyelashes made his head throb again.
“I should be going now. I wish you good health… well, you look too healthy for that. It’s time for you to move to Naphtar and hand over the reins, so think carefully.”
“…Your Majesty also seems excessively full of vigor.”
“Haha. I’m always healthy.”
Having finished his final sarcastic remark, Theodore left, feeling refreshed.
“Theo… dore!”
In the space Theodore had vacated, the High Priest belatedly exploded in anger, throwing her teacup to the floor.
That arrogant bastard.
There was a time when Theodore’s parents knelt before the High Priest and begged earnestly.
But why had that powerless little boy grown up to be so arrogant and unpleasant?
“Priest. Is anyone there?”
“Y-Yes! High Priest.”
A priest, who had been trembling in the shadows, witnessing the High Priest’s fury, revealed himself.
The priest knelt before the High Priest with an admiring gaze.
“After announcing the Saintess’s return, we need to create an opportunity to present her.”
“An invitation to a very important event has just arrived.”
The Saintess’s words were true. Even before they could confirm, the Emperor barged in and personally searched for the Saintess, proving her point.
The Saintess would be a very useful card.
Such a being was now in the High Priest’s hands. God had sent her.
Until now, she had tolerated Theodore’s petty provocations, but now was the time.
Now, she had been given permission to step forward and ascend to the highest position.
Yes. The gods were finally showing her their love.
“Excellent.”
All the High Priest had to do was utilize the Saintess’s peculiar abilities effectively.
To her advantage, by any means necessary.
The sun was beginning to set. It had been only yesterday afternoon that I left Themont, arriving at the Grand Temple early this morning.
So much had happened in just one day. I was especially tense because of Theodore.
Exhausted, I collapsed onto the bed.
[Dorothy, are you alright? We’ll give you our blessings. Your body will recover.]
[Thank you… ugh…]
As I lay still, I felt something enveloping my body. At the same time, I felt my depleted energy being restored.
The aches in my body subsided.
[This… is nice.]
The gods here were truly useful, no, competent. I was once again filled with gratitude.
[Hehe. This is truly something only you can receive, Dorothy. The way you absorb divine power so readily… you’re a truly fascinating being.]
Agatha spoke as if she was proud of me.
Should I take that as a compliment…?
But it didn’t feel like a straightforward compliment. It was about my cursed constitution.
I was pondering how to respond to Agatha when I decided to change the subject.
There was a question I had been wanting to ask, and the timing was perfect.
[Agatha, you said the divine power that can be exerted through me is very strong, right?]
[Hmm. Based on the display of power last time, it was strong, but I’m not sure about other aspects.]
[What kind of abilities do you have?]
So far, I had seen: splitting a bed in two, instantly subduing two large men, diminishing the presence of objects or myself in people’s eyes, and levitating the High Priest.
It would be useful to know the abilities properly.
[As you saw before, I can fight to protect you, Dorothy, and I can diminish the presence of objects and yourself within a 1-meter radius. And I can levitate objects or people within a 1-meter radius… Ah! I can levitate you too.]
[…So I can fly?]
[It would be difficult to go high up in the sky, but if you don’t want to walk, you can.]
As soon as Agatha finished speaking, my body, lying on the bed, slowly floated up.
‘Crazy, amazing…’
My body floated up and stopped at the ceiling.
[Can I go higher than this?!]
[Um, yes. But if you go higher than this, I can’t hold you for long. Maybe 30 seconds?]
[Wow.]
I flapped my arms and legs, swimming in the air. And my body actually moved.
I heard Agatha chuckle beside my ear.
This was… an incredible ability. Even if I couldn’t fly very high, if I diminished my presence and used this ability, I could go anywhere secretly…!
[Ah, you’ll also be able to play musical instruments well. There’s a god of music.]
[Oh…]
[He says to leave art to him. And, um, there’s also a god of beauty. If they bless you, everyone will shower you with praise just by looking at you. There’s also healing, but… ah, that’s difficult, apparently?]
These were quite tempting stories. As a Saintess, I would be entering the dreaded social circles while engaging in political battles, and there were buffs to charm the nobles.
[That’s all for now, it seems. Our power itself has weakened, and since it’s exerted through you, Dorothy, there are limitations. I feel… a kind of wall… I’m sorry. It’s not very helpful-]
[Not helpful? This is… this is amazing!]
[Really?]
[Yes! If your divine power is restored, will there be more abilities?]
[Probably? I’m not sure if the wall I feel will disappear, but if things go well, you’ll be able to use healing powers. You’ll be able to heal almost any critically ill patient.]
[Wow, healing powers!]
[You’ll also be able to create barriers. The Captain of the Knights is the strongest swordsman, capable of taking on a thousand soldiers alone, and you’ll be able to use that ability too… It seems that healing and superhuman swordsmanship require more divine power than the blessings of art and beauty, so it’s difficult right now.]
The more I heard about the gods’ abilities, the more amazed and awestruck I felt, but at the same time, fear crept in.
‘A god with the ability to take on a thousand soldiers…’
I recalled the image of the bed, split in two by the Captain of the Knights’ single outburst of anger.
If I make a mistake, I could die. Definitely die.
[Wow, that’s amazing. Awesome! How can you have such incredible abilities…!]
Amazing, awesome, incredible. Only clichéd expressions came out as I tried to flatter them. Could I just keep repeating them? You need a good vocabulary to flatter properly, but…
[Haha, is that so?]
[Ahem. Dorothy has good taste.]
[You shouldn’t just blurt things out! Dorothy finds it noisy.]
[It’s not fair, Agatha. You always get to talk to Dorothy!]
Despite having experienced everything, the gods had an unexpectedly innocent side. Seeing them get excited and happy over my trivial flattery.
‘Come to think of it, they’re not that difficult to coax…’
They liked me from the beginning, and they eagerly took my side and comforted me.
So, I should try my best to show only my favorable side.
[Then, what about you, Agatha?]
I asked the leader of the gods, the supreme god Agatha, to find something to flatter her about.
[Yes?]
[What are your abilities?]
[Ah, I… precognition… but…]
Agatha replied hesitantly.
[Wow, that’s amazing! Precognition means you can see through all the workings of the world-]
[I… haven’t been able to do that for a while.]
I closed my mouth.
A brief silence followed.
Those damned temple people. How corrupt are they that the gods have lost all their powers?
[It’s okay. I believe things will get better now that we have Dorothy.]
Agatha replied, trying to sound cheerful.
‘I made her sad…!’
This was an emergency. Comfort was needed. I chose the easiest and most familiar method.
I hadn’t given her enough blueberries earlier, so I should give her some now.
I jumped out of bed, went outside, and called the attendant who was waiting.
“When is dinner time?”
“Soon. If you’re hungry, I can prepare it for you right away, Lady Dorothy. Would you like to eat in your room?”
Yes, yes. I nodded.
Not long after, attendants entered, carrying trays laden with food, and set a magnificent table.
[Oh my, it’s been a while since I’ve seen this. This isn’t the kind of food that comes from the temple…]
It was an extravagant spread, the likes of which I had never seen before, in both my past and present lives.
As soon as the table was set and the attendants left, I took out the candles and eight statues from my luggage, placed them neatly on the table, and said,
[Please, enjoy the feast!]
The key to flattery is food.
The soul from my previous life told me so.
And the next day.
Newspapers carrying the news of the Saintess’s existence spread throughout the empire.
「Return of the Legendary Saintess, Announced by the Grand Temple」
It was finally beginning.