The Trio Chasing The Saintess’s Trail

While Seyi and her group were preparing to flee overseas, at that same time—

A three-person party walked through the rain.

The S-rank female adventurer Phylite.

Her lover and fellow adventurer Bols.

And the Holy Knight Ufhcok, with cropped blond hair and clad in silver armor.

“Man, this rain’s insane.”

Bols looked up overhead.

It truly was a bucket-dumping downpour.

Heavy rain had been pouring endlessly for a while now.

Though wearing cloaks over their heads, they were completely soaked.

“Hey Phylite. Let’s rest under a tree? At this rate we’ll catch a cold.”

They were inside a forest in northeastern Anemosgive of the Elf Nation.

Bols suggested it, but Phylite shook her head.

“No. We must reach the Black-Haired Saintess as soon as possible!”

The Black-Haired Saintess was the nickname for Seyi Falt (she herself didn’t know).

Because she caused miracles (misunderstandings) wherever she went, she gained that name.

Phylite’s group wanted to contact her before the Tendo Church and recruit her.

Because this world had become one with scarce healing methods.

Potion-making techniques had degraded and were ineffective.

Large-scale healing and resurrection were monopolized by the Tendo Church.

To receive their blessing required vast money and, above all, a church-affiliated saintess.

But the Black-Haired Saintess was different.

She was an unaffiliated wandering saintess.

Phylite, an adventurer, revered Seyi who saved people freely more than the Church saintesses who demanded money.

Bols and his guildmaster also thought such a convenient existence joining them would help.

Thus both wanted to contact Seyi (albeit with different motivations).

…Though Phylite mainly wanted to meet the wonderful saintess.

“But Phylite, the Saintess’s trail stopped completely at Giiv. Shouldn’t we gather info first?”

“Th-that is… well…”

After crossing the Kingdom and the Stampede Territory, they reached Anemosgive.

They heard rumors she defeated the evil king (King of the Forest) in Giiv.

Afterward she was to become the new king—Holy King—but disappeared that very day.

“Where’d she go? Maybe becoming king was a pain?”

“Haa!? That would never happen!”

“…Indeed. The Saintess would never do such a thing.”

Agreeing with Phylite was former Tendo Church Holy Knight Ufhcok.

She was a woman, but after being saved by Seyi, fell for her.

After meeting along the way and sharing goals with Phylite, she now pursued Seyi.

“…The Saintess is earnest and admirable. Not irresponsible.”

Unfortunately, Seyi was irresponsible.

Bols was correct, but two Saintess believers outvoted him.

He sighed with a tired expression at these troublesome companions.

“Exactly, Ufhcok. Hurry before the Holy Knights capture her!”

Phylite’s group began walking aimlessly.

“But Ufhcok, you good disobeying orders?”

“…Yes. It is fine.”

Previously, many Holy Knights were in Giiv.

One captain, a man named Esgard, contacted Ufhcok.

‘Ufhcok. Official order. Capture the black-haired saintess. Direct command from Great Saintess Reinforce.’

‘…Don’t joke! I refuse!’

‘What? You dare defy the Great Saintess?’

‘…I will act on my own!’

Thus Ufhcok ignored orders and pursued the saintess independently.

“But why do the Holy Knights want her?”

“…Esgard said the Great Saintess ordered it.”

“Great Saintess?”

“…One of the four highest saintesses. Called the Four Saints.”

“Want to make five saints?”

“…I don’t know. But they’ll surely do something terrible to my saintess. Unforgivable!”

She wasn’t actually hers, but Bols didn’t bother correcting.

Then—

“Somebody help!”

“A scream! Let’s go!”

Phylite ran first toward the voice.

Bols sighed and followed…

“…?”

Ufhcok stood still.

“Hey, let’s go.”

“…Ah, yes.”

She seemed reluctant but followed.

They reached a huge river swollen by rain.

“Please! My child was left behind!”

A drenched mother begged gathered travelers.

A child stood crying on a rock mid-river.

Apparently they tried crossing and only the child got stranded.

“Trying to cross now’s reckless.”

“Don’t say that, we’ll help!”

“Yes yes… Ufhcok, help.”

Ufhcok tilted her head.

“…Why?”

“Huh?”

“…I’m a Holy Knight. Our policy says we don’t help non-church people.”

“Right… figures.”

Bols scratched his head.

While hesitating, Phylite jumped into the river alone.

“Phylite! Damn it…!”

Bols tied a rope around himself.

“Hold this rope.”

“…An order?”

“No. A request. We’re travel companions.”

“…Yes.”

He handed the end and jumped in.

Phylite swam the raging current at tremendous speed.

Even soaked, an S-rank adventurer’s body was tough.

She climbed onto the rock and smiled at the crying child.

“You’re safe now♡ Let’s go home.”

“Okay! Thank you!”

Ufhcok watched from afar.

Bols arrived and tied the rope to the child.

“Before it floods more, let’s move!”

“Bols! Look!”

“What—damn! Here it comes!”

Rain intensified, water surged like a tidal wave.

“Damn! Is this it…!”

Then—

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

An explosion sounded somewhere.

Confused—

“Look! The river’s water is decreasing!”

“It is! Saved…!”

The raging current calmed instantly.

They escaped the river.

“Mom!”

“Thank you!”

The mother bowed repeatedly.

Phylite smiled gently.

Meanwhile Ufhcok stared quietly.

Then she approached Bols.

“…Why did you save them? It wasn’t your job.”

“Huh? Helping people ain’t a job.”

“…I see.”

She remembered recently seeing a child attacked by monsters.

At first she planned to ignore it since the child wasn’t church-affiliated.

But seeing the injured crying child… she moved unconsciously.

She thought she had gone strange.

But she hadn’t.

Helping others didn’t need a reason.

“…Sorry, Bols. Next time I’ll help too.”

“Huh? Sure.”

Then Phylite approached smiling.

“I heard a traveler saw the Saintess upstream!”

“The Black-Haired Saintess?”

“Yes! She apparently solved the river problem!”

They didn’t know how, but she reduced the water for others.

“Ah as expected! The Saintess is wonderful! Helping people as naturally as breathing!”

…Though she hadn’t intended to help anyone.

Thus admiration for the Black-Haired Saintess rose rapidly.

“The Saintess is nearby! Hurry!”