I Cured the Mastermind and Failed to Run Away - Chapter 21
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 21
Ranuah was a man of common birth who had become a Holy Knight after an enormous surge of Divine Power manifested within him.
Frustratingly righteous, incapable of doing wrong.
True to the original’s R-rated reverse-harem setup, he was diligent with his training and blessed with an excellent physique — a detail I’d somehow overlooked, mistakenly convincing myself he was an Information Guild member rather than a believer.
There was no way this paragon of virtue could ever be affiliated with the Information Guild!
‘How could I forget the hidden details scattered throughout the original to serve those R-rated developments?’
Levelin cursed inwardly.
‘For now, I’ll just perform a genuine prayer and leave without drawing suspicion.’
She had no desire to leave a lasting impression on the male lead.
“Thank you for your help, Sir Ranuah.”
“It was simply a blessing to guide one in need into God’s grace.”
Ranuah departed with a courteous bow, as though the matter were of no consequence.
Levelin watched his receding figure, then released a breath of relief as she stepped into the prayer chamber.
‘Fortunately, it seems I didn’t make any particular impression on him.’
He would likely remember her as merely one of many nobility who came to pray.
Inside the Private Prayer Chamber, Levelin glanced around. A carpet lay spread for kneeling or sitting in prayer, and a sofa offered a place to rest.
Levelin stood with her hands clasped neatly together.
‘While you’re being so gracious, I’d appreciate it if you’d expedite my promotion to Grade 1 Purifier.’
Since she rarely prayed to God in earnest, she spoke the brief sentence silently before settling onto the sofa.
There was nothing more to do.
‘If I leave too hastily after coming to pray, it’ll look suspicious.’
Levelin reclined comfortably against the sofa.
‘Since I’m here, I may as well have a proper spiritual communion with God.’
She closed her eyes.
A restorative nap… or rather, a moment of private communion with God.
* * *
She had no idea how long she’d slept.
Knock, knock.
“…Miss.”
Knock, knock, knock.
“…Miss.”
Levelin’s eyes fluttered open at the persistent, disruptive voice calling from outside.
A bright, unfamiliar ceiling came into view. The divine symbol hanging on the wall caught her eye.
Her drifting consciousness returned. As she flexed her fingers, her dulled senses stirred with pins and needles.
Then came another sound—the careful, tentative knock on the thick door.
Knock, knock.
“Miss, you’ve been here for quite some time. I came to check on you. Are you all right?”
A concerned voice asked carefully from the other side. She couldn’t even guess how long they’d been knocking.
How long had she slept? Or rather, how long had she been communing with God?
‘Is it the temple’s atmosphere? I slept far better here than in my own bedroom.’
Levelin pushed her sluggish body upright, smoothing her rumpled clothes and hair. After brushing away the drowsiness from her face, she opened the door.
“…Sir Ranuah?”
It was Ranuah standing at the door, frozen mid-knock. As the door swung open, his eyes swiftly assessed her condition.
Only after confirming that the prayer chamber showed no signs of trouble did his rigid expression finally soften.
“I was in prayer—was something the matter?”
Levelin glanced down both sides of the corridor. It was empty and quiet.
“You were taking so long to emerge that I grew concerned something had happened.”
Had she been in there that long? She’d only meant to lie down for a moment!
With no window, she had no way of knowing how much time had passed.
“I seem to have interrupted your prayer. My apologies.”
“Not at all. I’d just finished, actually. I was so absorbed in my devotions that I lost all sense of time.”
“To lose track of time while absorbed in prayer for hours—that is truly remarkable. I had not known you possessed such devotion.”
Ranuah murmured as though deeply moved, then bowed respectfully.
“If it’s no trouble, might I be permitted to escort you as far as the Temple entrance?”
Levelin regarded the extended hand with visible reluctance.
‘I’d rather refuse and go alone, but he’d only remember it more if I did.’
You’re the first to ever reject me — something like that. Better to accept his escort here.
“Very well.”
“The honor is mine.”
As Levelin emerged from the corridor of the Private Prayer Chamber under Ranuah’s escort, a vast window came into view.
“What? The sun’s already setting?”
She distinctly remembered the sun riding high when she’d arrived at the Temple, yet through the glass it hung low on the horizon.
“Yes. Since this morning you haven’t emerged once, and I grew concerned.”
It was only natural — someone who never visited the Temple suddenly spending over half a day in prayer without leaving would alarm anyone.
‘So he thought I’d collapsed or something had happened inside.’
Now she understood why Ranuah had knocked so urgently, why his worry had been so evident.
‘How long did I actually sleep?’
She’d woken feeling unnaturally refreshed, almost unsettlingly so.
As Levelin clicked her tongue inwardly, fretting over whether Sophia had fared well, a loud voice cut through the air.
“The Private Prayer Chamber cannot be entered without authorization.”
“I’m just asking to check in. How is that difficult?”
“The time spent in prayer to the Divine cannot be disturbed by anyone.”
“I understand the rule well enough. But doesn’t it strike you as odd that someone with no interest in the Temple suddenly vanishes for hours claiming they need to pray?”
“Opening the door to the Private Prayer Chamber is forbidden.”
“Is that so? You’d say the same even if I brought His Majesty himself?”
The Temple had erupted into chaos. Someone had stormed in and was insisting on opening the Private Prayer Chamber to see inside.
‘No respect for sacred spaces.’
Ranuah’s pace slowed, then stopped altogether.
“Miss, I apologize for my earlier offer, but might I trouble you while I briefly attend to this matter? I’ll escort you afterward.”
A chance to slip away.
“It’s fine from here — I can find my way. Thank you, Ranuah. Perhaps we’ll meet again someday.”
Ranuah’s expression fell with disappointment, but as the commotion grew, he seemed to accept the inevitability and turned to leave.
Perfect.
Levelin watched Ranuah’s retreating figure vanish toward the disturbance, then released a quiet breath of relief and continued on.
Whoever had caused the scene, she was grateful to them.
“Ah, there you are, Ruby.”
Right up until the voice causing the commotion spoke her nickname, that is.
Levelin’s feet froze mid-step.
‘Why is my nickname being called here?’
She turned her head slowly. The worshippers who’d been dealing with the disturbance all swiveled toward her in unison.
Ranuah was among them, his gaze shifting to Levelin with a question written plainly across his features: ‘Were you the cause of all this commotion?’
Then she saw the man standing confidently among the worshippers, and the color drained from her face.
“Agh!”
A cry of alarm escaped Levelin’s lips before she could stop it.
What was he doing here?
It was Chadwin. She’d wondered what kind of audacious person would cause a scene in a Temple—and it was Chadwin, of all people!
This was the first time since that day in the Contaminated Area.
The moment their eyes met, Chadwin nodded and walked toward her.
“What—why are you here?”
“You disappeared.”
Chadwin examined her slowly, as if checking for injuries.
“You look fine though.”
“Disappeared? Who on earth said that?”
“A maidservant standing in front of the Temple.”
A maidservant? Levelin tilted her head in confusion.
“I didn’t bring a maidservant—wait.”
Levelin’s casual reply cut short as her breath caught sharply.
Hold on. Was it possible? Could it be? Could it really be?
Levelin broke into a run toward the Temple entrance. She heard someone shouting behind her, “You mustn’t run inside the Temple!” but she paid it no mind.
That man caused an even bigger disturbance, after all!
As she reached the entrance, she saw Sophia—and Sophia’s face was twisted with barely contained fury. Had she misread it? Sophia never looked like that.
No—perhaps it was simply too far away to see properly.
“……Bring a hammer so I can smash this cursed building to rubble, or hire mercenaries to set it ablaze right now…….”
“Sophia!”
Levelin called out to her, grinding her teeth, muttering something toward the Temple at Sophia—who had been murmuring quietly to herself where no one could hear. The moment Sophia caught sight of Levelin, she let out a cry of anguish, her worried expression asking what on earth had happened.
“Miss!”
Eyes glistening with tears. Yes. That was the Sophia I knew. The face I saw before must have been a mistake.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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