The Fortune-Teller Saintess - Chapter 89
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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“What does that mean?”
Jacad, who had been watching, asked anxiously.
I, who had been examining the ‘King of Cups’ card closely, calmly answered his question.
“A king card that stands firm in its position even amid chaos. It means to utilize my strengths.”
“What among your strengths could help in the current situation?”
“That is…”
I don’t know. The only ability I possessed was the single sacred relic called tarot cards that I had just used.
When I shook my head as if I didn’t know, Jacad furrowed his brow.
“Think carefully. Right now, Holy Lady, your abilities are desperately needed.”
“Holy Lady…?”
“Have you forgotten your identity already?”
“That’s not it!”
I quickly turned my head. I saw the Temple people busily moving to help the evacuated villagers.
“My strength as the Holy Lady. That’s precisely the Temple.”
“The Temple?”
“The Holy Lady, like the Cardinal, has the authority to command the priests. That’s why the ‘King of Cups’ card appeared. To utilize the priests around me. Curses are weak against divine power.”
If the priests collectively poured their divine power inward while the barrier containing the curse was maintained?
The curse would weaken, and rescuing Lucian would be possible in the meantime.
Having made my decision, I immediately approached the priests.
“Everyone, please listen to me!”
At my shout, the priests stopped in their tracks.
I explained to them the current situation where the curse had gone berserk and the method to help Lucian and the mages using divine power. The priests listened to my story in silence.
“So I need everyone’s help. Please help me.”
“…”
The priests glanced at each other.
The somehow suspicious atmosphere made me feel uneasy.
“…We understand the situation. But Holy Lady.”
One priest hesitated before carefully speaking up.
“Joining forces with the mages… wouldn’t that be a bit problematic?”
“What did you say?”
I found myself asking back at the question that rejected mages even in this situation.
The priest who had hesitated continued speaking again.
“We know that you regard the mages fondly, Holy Lady. Perhaps, as you say, the mages might not be heretics. But Holy Lady.”
The priest sighed and spoke hesitantly.
“They were born with magic power. They are different people from us. Honestly speaking, helping them is… a bit uncomfortable.”
“Since when have we hesitated to help people who are different from us?”
At my reproachful question, the priest closed his mouth.
I turned my gaze away from him and asked everyone.
“Do you all think the same way?”
“…”
“Ahem.”
They all avoided my gaze without exception.
Uncomfortable expressions as if they knew this wasn’t right but were deliberately suppressing their conscience.
Knowing that the reason was simply because of mages who walked a different path from them, I couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.
“Fine. I have no intention of forcing you either. But you know what? The mages stepped forward to help the villagers. Just like you, or perhaps into even more dangerous places.”
At my words, the priests who had been avoiding eye contact began to look at me again one by one.
I turned around sharply without receiving those gazes and added.
“Even so, are they really different from us?”
“…”
No answer came.
Since I hadn’t expected one anyway, I returned to my companions’ side.
Robelina, who had been watching the situation, approached with a worried face.
“Ria…”
“It’s okay. Now isn’t the time to be discouraged either.”
I spoke with forced cheerfulness.
Then Jacad approached and asked with a serious face.
“What do you plan to do now? Without the priests’ help…”
“I’ll have to go myself.”
“You alone?”
-It’s impossible for the Holy Lady alone.
Nein spoke coldly.
I also knew that going alone wouldn’t be much help. I wasn’t particularly strong in divine power to begin with.
But I couldn’t just stand still.
“I know. But I’m still going. If push comes to shove, I’ll use the sacred relic.”
-The Holy Lady’s sacred relic has no attack capability.
“It has no attack capability, but…”
I looked down at the pouch containing the tarot cards and added.
“It has sufficient divine power.”
“Ria, you don’t mean…”
“Yes. If push comes to shove, I plan to use the sacred relic’s divine power. …Even if I end up losing the sacred relic as a result.”
“Gasp…!”
-Are you out of your mind?
Shocked reactions poured out.
But I was resolute.
“Because it’s better than people dying.”
-Damn it. Just wait for me instead. I’ll finish things here quickly and come…
“There’s no time for that.”
I abruptly cut off the communication device connected to Nein.
There would be consequences later, but there was no choice now.
“Your Highness will come with me, right?”
“Of course.”
“Good. Then let’s go.”
“I’m coming too.”
“Robelina?”
When I looked at her with a surprised face, Robelina spoke firmly.
“Two is better than one.”
“…Alright. Let’s go!”
I stepped into the village with determination.
“…”
And the priests left behind couldn’t take their eyes off Ellia’s group.
***
Clang! Claaang!
“…Ugh.”
A groan burst from Lucian’s mouth.
It was solid. No matter how strongly he swung his sword, the black hands didn’t budge at all.
Rather, they only rushed at him as if more excited by his counterattack.
-Kieeeek!
“Damn it! I can’t believe it got even stronger here. Holy Knight Captain, what should we do?”
Duke asked with an anxious voice.
The mages from the Mage Tower continued their supporting offensive from outside the barrier, but it seemed they couldn’t deal significant damage to the evolved curse.
After pondering, Lucian raised his sword and spoke.
“For now, holding out is our only option.”
“Holding out, until when?”
“Until reinforcements arrive.”
“Ugh…!”
Though he said until reinforcements arrive, it was essentially an indefinite wait.
But since they couldn’t give up like this, Duke squeezed out all his strength to cast magic.
Lucian, who was watching him, also infused divine power into his sword blade.
‘Fortunately, attacks imbued with divine power work.’
The problem was Lucian’s divine power.
Having already consumed quite a bit of divine power earlier, he didn’t have enough left to eliminate the curses before his eyes.
Not expecting the curses to become even stronger was a miscalculation.
‘There’s no choice. For now, I can only try to hold out.’
Lucian’s blue eyes gleamed sharply.
It was the moment his sword flew toward the curse.
“Count Lucian!”
“…!”
Lucian, who had hesitated, quickly turned his head.
The Holy Lady he served, Ellia, and other companions were running toward the barrier where he was.
“You mustn’t come in!”
Lucian shouted urgently.
Fortunately, Ellia stopped in front of the barrier. But her face was filled with anxiety.
“I won’t go in. But are you okay? You’re safe, right?”
“I’m safe. …For now at least. Ugh!”
Clang!
“Count Lucian!”
As a curse suddenly charged at him, Lucian hastily raised his sword.
I watched Lucian fighting against the curse with an anxious face.
‘This isn’t the time. I need to hurry.’
I steeled my resolve and placed my hand on the barrier. Robelina also stood beside me and took the same position.
We simultaneously infused divine power into the barrier. I could feel the divine power inside my body flowing out through my palms.
-Screech!
Sensing an aura that threatened them, the black hands turned to look this way. But they couldn’t attack us because of the barrier.
…No, more precisely, they didn’t attack.
“Huh…!”
“Ria…”
It seemed they realized that our divine power alone couldn’t pose a threat to them.
Indeed, my divine power was already running low.
Looking to the side, I saw Robelina standing with a strained expression. It seemed Robelina’s divine power was nearly exhausted too.
Squeezing out all the divine power I had, I bit my lips tightly and thought.
‘Do I have no choice but to use Nein’s divine power?’
If I used all of Nein’s divine power, Nein would lose his abilities completely.
In other words, I wouldn’t be able to receive Nein’s advice in the future.
This might cause problems with future matters, but…
‘But I can’t just let my people die.’
Having made my decision, I took out the tarot cards from my pocket with one hand.
Perhaps realizing what I was trying to do, Robelina’s eyes wavered.
“Ria, really…?”
“Yes.”
Drawing upon the cards’ divine power, I muttered quietly.
“This is the only way.”
“No.”
That’s when it happened.
A large hand suddenly popped out from behind and took away my deck of cards.
“I don’t think you need to go that far.”
“What…?”
I looked at Jacad with incredulous eyes.
Then Jacad chuckled and gestured somewhere with his chin.
Looking in that direction, I opened my eyes wide.
“Huh?”
“Holy Lady! We’ve come to help!”
A white wave entering the village.
They were priests.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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