After their conversation ended, Kurose Akira returned to the previous room together with Idice.
Inside, Lucia was still sitting quietly where she had been before. Yet when Akira looked at her now, there was something extra in his gaze—a probing curiosity. Not wariness, but the instinctive interest one feels toward the unknown.
Idice had told him that among the current list of saints of the Holy Light Church, there was no one named Lucia. But that didn't necessarily mean such a person had never existed in the past.
Could it be that once a saint's term ended, she was required to be sacrificed to the God of Light?Obviously not.
Then that meant Lucia was most likely a… retired saint?
Wait.What—after retirement, does a saint simply stop being a saint?
Thoughts churned in Akira's mind as he sat back down beside Lucia. From the corner of his eye, he glanced at her once more, and what he saw beneath the pure white veil was a face so breathtaking it seemed almost unreal—beauty capable of toppling kingdoms, enough to steal one's breath.
"Remember to come find me tomorrow," Idice said as she reclined back onto the sofa, crossing her legs languidly. From between the soft, snowy curves of her bosom, she produced a jade token and tossed it toward Akira. "This is my jade seal. With it, you can move freely within my territory. No one will dare stop you."
Akira caught the token and gave it a quick look.
The blood-red jade was engraved with a fully blooming rose, its vivid elegance somehow intensified by the color.
[Rose Jade Seal: A symbol of noble status. Valid in (Red Maple Leaf Territory, Black Rose Ancient City, Starcalling Fortress).]
"Idice really owns quite a bit of land…" Akira muttered under his breath. He hadn't realized that not only the Red Maple Leaf Territory, but also Black Rose Ancient City and Starcalling Fortress were under her dominion.
Wait a second—
Black Rose Ancient City?
He remembered clearly: Black Rose Ancient City was one of the seven cities of the Starfall Kingdom guarded by Valkyries.
And among the seven Valkyries, Black Rose ranked just below Golden Peony and Silver Lotus.
"…Why does it smell so good?"Akira lifted the jade seal to his nose and inhaled lightly. A captivating fragrance lingered upon it.
Then it hit him.
This jade seal had just been taken from between Idice's soft, snow-white cleavage.
No wonder.
"This is my most treasured jade seal," Idice said seriously. "Make sure you keep it safe."
"Understood." Akira nodded, then stood and took his leave from Idice's estate.
...
A flash of white light.
Akira and Lucia returned to the Adventurers' Guild.
It was already seven in the evening. Ivsha and Alice were sitting in the guild hall, chatting together. The moment they saw Akira return, both of them hurried over.
"Mr. Su— I mean, Master~ You're back~""Mm." Akira nodded, then asked, "What were you talking about?"
"Some technical exchanges," Ivsha replied with a gentle smile.
"Technical… exchanges?"Akira blinked, clearly confused.
"It's getting late. I'll be leaving now," Lucia said softly at that moment.
"Alright. See you tomorrow," Akira replied.
Lucia nodded lightly and stepped into the teleportation circle. With a flash of light, her figure gradually faded from the air.
After Lucia left, Ivsha moved closer to Akira, her voice hesitant."Mr. Su… I'm not sure whether I should say this, but from what I know, among the current generation of the Seven Saints, there is no saint named Lucia."
"Mm. I already know," Akira said, nodding calmly, showing little surprise.
"But…" Ivsha lowered her voice further. "Lucia doesn't feel dangerous. Still, I can't help feeling that there's an untouchable nobility about her—like someone who once stood high above the clouds."
"Yeah!" Alice chimed in, nodding eagerly. "She gave me the same feeling I had when I first met the Elf Queen. Could it be… that she's a queen too?"
"Everyone has their own secrets," Akira said with a smile, gently rubbing Alice's head. "There's no need to speculate about Lucia's identity. When she's ready to tell us, we'll know."
He truly didn't care much about Lucia's past. As long as she was sincere in contributing to the guild, that was enough.
After all, members of his guild already came with… rather colorful backgrounds.
An undead knight.A witch-made creation.A succubus nun.Twin elves…
Nice~
"I understand, Master!" Alice nodded obediently.
"Oh, right, Mr. Su—" Ivsha suddenly interjected. "The prayer room has been fully prepared. When would you like to inspect it?"
"Right now," Akira answered without hesitation.
If Ivsha said the prayer room was ready, how could he possibly wait?
"Then please, follow me~"Ivsha gently took Akira's hand, leading him with refined grace toward the nuns' prayer room.
As the heavy doors slowly opened, the interior unfolded before Akira's eyes like a painted scroll.
Inside the prayer room were various tools used for prayer… and some that looked suspiciously like instruments of punishment.
"Please come in, Mr. Su~"Ivsha invited him elegantly.
Akira stepped inside, and Alice tried to follow——but Ivsha stopped her politely at the door.
"Children aren't allowed inside~"
"Huh?"
Bang!
Before Alice could respond, the prayer room doors slammed shut.
Once inside, Akira's attention was immediately seized by the assortment of tools.
Red ropes for intricate bindings.Neck stocks for restraining sinners.Chains hanging from the ceiling.And a small chamber labeled Confessional.
…Ivsha really prepared all of this?
"Please don't worry, Mr. Su~"As Ivsha spoke, her nun's habit drifted down like falling petals, revealing her alluring figure beneath. "All of these tools are brand new~ None of them have been used yet~"
"Uh—"Akira froze in place.
It seemed that today… escape was not an option.
"Mr. Su~ today~"Ivsha walked over to the instruments, her fingers lightly brushing the chains, producing a crisp metallic sound.
With a sultry smile, she asked,"Which prayer service would you like to experience?"
"What's that confessional?"Akira pointed curiously at the small room in the corner, his face full of anticipation.
"Mr. Su really has a good eye~ Choosing the most interesting option right away~ Please, this way~"
Ivsha led him over. Only Akira entered the confessional; Ivsha remained outside, sealing the door with a layer of magic.
"?"
Inside, the space was narrow and dim. On the wooden board directly ahead, several holes of different shapes had been deliberately carved out.
The sight instantly reminded Akira of certain scenes from manga.
(What follows is a devout and extremely detailed confession scene involving a nun. For the sake of brevity, one hundred thousand words are omitted…)
...
Solar Theocracy — Holy Light Church — Grand Cathedral
A woman sat solemnly upon a golden throne, regal as a sovereign. Her eyes were closed, her brows carrying an innate nobility that inspired awe. The throne's radiant gold shimmered brilliantly, reflecting against her snow-white skin, making her appear even more resplendent.
At that moment, a young girl in a white gown entered the cathedral and spoke respectfully,"Your Holiness, it is time for the scheduled pilgrimage."
The woman slowly opened her eyes. Within her gold-and-crimson pupils flickered a trace of delight. She smiled softly.
"I know."
The faint smile did not escape the girl's keen perception.Is it just me, or does the Pope seem… unusually cheerful today?
The woman rose gracefully from the magnificent golden throne, her left hand holding a two-meter-long Sun Scepter. She walked calmly toward the girl and said gently,"Winnisan, prepare some things for me."
"Yes, Your Holiness."
"…Some gifts."
..
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