Chapter 19

There was still one fundamental problem left regarding my plan to impersonate the Saintess. A Saintess’s ability isn’t just limited to seeing the future. When people think of a Saintess, they think of the one thing only a Saintess can use in this world: the power of a god.

‘Divine power.’

If you choose the first of the three main routes and successfully save the Saintess, there are two major events that follow:

That’s right. There are going to be two separate raids. The second raid is particularly problematic because the number of magic beasts swarming in is more than the Knights can handle on their own. To make matters worse, the Knights can’t just focus on their own survival; they have to protect the villagers.

At the dramatic climax—when the defense line breaks and everyone is on the verge of death—the Saintess awakens, wiping out all the magic beasts with an explosion of Divine Power.

Honestly, if she had just awakened during the first raid, there wouldn’t have been a crisis at all, but I suppose it’s a necessary plot device for her to meet the protagonist. Anyway, following that script would be difficult for me.

How is a mere maid supposed to use Divine Power?

‘However, faking it might actually be possible.’

The reason is simple. No Saintess has appeared for several hundred years, and knowledge of them relies on a few surviving ancient texts. Inevitably, the people of this world are ignorant about Divine Power.

Ignorant enough to believe that even a different kind of power is Divine Power, as long as it looks the part.

‘And in this world, there are Holy Relics passed down from ancient times, strictly managed by the Church.’

Holy Relics fundamentally possess the power to protect people from magic beasts. Like the Saintess, many of these relics were lost during ancient wars or the records of their usage were destroyed. The Church is still working on restoring them to this day.

‘So, even if I use a Holy Relic, they won’t know the difference. In fact, they’ll probably mistake it for Divine Power—a miracle.’

Conveniently, I’m well-acquainted with the effects and usage of most Holy Relics because I could use them as items in the later chapters of the game if certain conditions were met. So, where exactly was I supposed to find a Holy Relic perfectly suited for my situation? Surprisingly, one wasn’t far away.

‘It’s right near here.’

I shifted my gaze from the houses and looked over the hill.

“B-Belita. What are you looking at? There’s nothing over there…”

Emily grabbed my shoulder, her voice laced with anxiety. It seemed I had unintentionally spooked her.

“I thought I saw a rabbit.”

“A rabbit? How cute!”

“Right?”

“Oh, jeez. You had me imagining something scary for a second~.”

Naturally, I was lying.

I was trying to spot the people who should be just over that ridge.

‘Because they have my Holy Relic.’

As it happened, a faction currently passing through this area with a Holy Relic was a unit of Knights belonging to the Order. They were on their way to dispose of the relic in a hurry.

“Dispose of a Holy Relic? Why?” you might ask. The Order probably felt they had no choice. The relic, which was supposed to be sacred, had begun exhibiting an extremely sinister phenomenon: it was attracting magic beasts.

‘Originally, it had the power to repel them.’

Utterly baffled by the sudden corruption of the Holy Relic, the Order decided to send a trusted group of Knights to seal it away in a secret private estate.

A magic-beast-attracting Holy Relic staying near this village…

The cause of the upcoming raid on this village was starting to become clear, wasn’t it?
Exactly. The first thing the magic beasts targeted was the camp of the Order’s Knights.
That’s why the villagers living nearby became the victims of the first raid.

‘It would be great if I could steal the Holy Relic right now, but…’

The security would be tight, so it wasn’t a great idea. If possible, I should steal it when they’re distracted or off-guard.

‘Like, for instance, right after the raid.’

I’d slip in during the chaos of repairing damages and reorganizing their ranks.
Since I’d already scouted the area, I had a rough idea of how long it would take to get there.

I was curious about what the Knights looked like, but that would be too suspicious.
If I were seen lingering nearby and then the Holy Relic went missing, I’d be the first person on the suspect list.

‘Which means I have to pull it off during the actual event.’

“Shall we head back soon? I’ve seen enough of the scenery.”

Emily, who had been wandering around, returned to my side. The timing was perfect. I’d finished my scouting, and my stomach was starting to scream.

“Ugh~ I’m starving! This food better be good!”

Emily spoke while practically gnashing her teeth. Honestly, I felt the same way.
It better be good. Or I won’t forgive them.

“Okay, they’re forgiven!”

The meal was Western-style, but even I—who was starting to get tired of greasy food and craving Korean cuisine—found it delicious. Surprisingly, the dishes were generally quite spicy.

‘I didn’t expect the lamb stew to have such a kick.’

Maybe it’s because the developers are Korean? The taste of a meal loaded with red pepper flakes almost brought tears to my eyes. Emily seemed just as moved as I was, chatteringly excitedly about the meal.

“They said this was the best restaurant in town, and they weren’t lying!”

“Agreed. It was worth the wait.”

“Right?! I wonder if it’s just because we ate while we were starving, but…”

“Even considering that, it was delicious.”

“See?”

The sun was dipping below the horizon as we stepped out of the restaurant. The time for the operation was drawing near. My throat felt tight, and I swallowed hard at the thought of committing my very first act of theft…

“Oh, if it isn’t Belita!”

Standing where the voice had come from was Priest Kalat.

“My, Priest Kalat-nim!”

“Emily?”

Emily and Priest Kalat. Did they know each other? Well, they both belonged to the same Order, so it wasn’t that strange.

“I see you were drafted as well.”

“Hehe. It was halfway a voluntary thing, actually…”

“How do you know Belita?”

“Belita is a friend I got close to during this expedition! I’m the one who’s curious. How do you know her…?”

Considering his oath of confidentiality, Kalat gave Emily a vague, makeshift explanation.

“I happened to meet Belita at a noble estate I visited previously. Her faith was so exemplary that she left quite an impression on me. I never expected to meet her here. Truly, one never knows where life will lead…”

“I see! I suppose this is what you call fate!”

It was an awkward bit of acting, but Emily didn’t seem to find it suspicious.

‘Then again, he probably looks more like he did when we first met.’

He had been a man so shrunken with anxiety that his voice was barely a mosquito’s buzz, after all.

“Anyway, I’m worried about whether Lord Ilian is doing well.”

“I heard he’s struggling a bit as the Knight Commander. Honestly, it’s not that grand a task.”

“He’s the face of our Order! The commander of the Berha Knights! It most certainly is a grand task!”

I flinched involuntarily at the mention of the familiar name. The world really was small.
The person they were talking about was Ilian Ruthi, the captain leading the Knights currently transporting the Holy Relic. In the game, he was a reliable supporting character who witnessed the Saintess’s awakening and actively assisted her.

‘To think he knows Emily and Kalat.’

Moreover, judging by the way they spoke, they seemed quite close.

‘Well, it doesn’t matter.’

It was information that wouldn’t affect the plan.

“Did you also dine here with Emily, Belita?”

Kalat asked, pointing toward the restaurant.

“Yes. The food was excellent.”

“Even though we had to wait for two hours!”

“Ah. If I had known, I would have joined you.”

“You wouldn’t have had to wait like us, Kalat-nim.”

Emily smacked her lips, looking a bit regretful.

“Ack! Look at the time. I have to go get ready for bed!”

Emily spoke urgently as she looked at the nearly vanished sunset.

“Ready for bed?”

“You might not know, Kalat-nim, but for our safety, we have to be asleep by a certain time!”

Was Kalat a higher-ranking official than I thought?

Emily gave a rapid-fire explanation to Kalat, who seemed not to understand the basic expedition rules. Then, she grabbed my arm and pulled me along.

“Then we shall take our leave! Please forgive our rudeness!”

“…Ralphican will surely grant you his forgiveness.”

Leaving a lonely-looking Kalat behind, we returned to the campsite. My tent, which I had abandoned halfway through its construction, was now standing perfectly finished. When I gave her a look, Emily puffed out her chest and shouted.

“Ahem! You can say thank you if you’re grateful!”

“Alright! Everyone except those on watch, go to sleep now!”

Before I could even get a “thank you” out, the order came from the expedition’s leader.

“Ugh… let’s get inside quickly!”

We hurried into the tent as well.

“That leader guy is so scary…”

“He probably feels a heavy sense of responsibility.”

“But he’s too much. It’s a shame about washing up, but I’ll have to do it tomorrow. Ugh, I feel so grimy~.”

All thanks to that waiting list, our time to wash up had vanished. Still, there was no need to feel too bitter. Chaos was about to break out in this area anyway; even if we had washed, we would have just ended up filthier than we were now.

“Emily. Wake up.”

Late at night, while everyone was asleep. Emily was stirred from her slumber by a thin voice calling her name.

“What… Belita?”

There was no one else who would be calling her. Still half-asleep, Emily forced her eyelids open with effort. She met a pair of eyes that looked strangely resolute.

“This might sound crazy, but I have a favor to ask.”

A favor at this hour?

She was dumbfounded, but for now, she nodded. Since her friend was an eccentric whose thoughts were always impossible to pin down, she just went along with it.

“You know where Lord Hereis is, right?”

Why was she suddenly looking for Lord Hereis? Emily felt a sudden chill.

“Go find him and tell him that Belita is looking for him. Also, mention that mountain we went to earlier.”

“The one we went to before lunch…?”

“Yeah. That one. Tell him I went there. Tell him I asked to meet him there.”

“Wait, there’s no way Lord Hereis would meet with someone like me…”

“If you say it’s about Belita, he’ll almost certainly see you.”

“What? That… no, okay. I get it.”

The request itself was simple. Emily had a lot to say, but since it wasn’t hard to do, she agreed.

At that, Belita gave a beaming smile and thanked her.

“Ah, right. Don’t go wandering anywhere tonight; make sure you stay near the Knights. It’s going to get dangerous.”

Emily stared blankly at Belita’s mismatched smile and missed her chance to argue. The cold wind that rushed in as Belita slipped out of the tent finally snapped her back to reality.

“Hey, wait! Belita! What do you mean by—”

But Belita had already vanished.

She considered searching for her for a moment but decided to give up on further thought. Emily threw on her outer coat and headed outside.

‘Well, if we’re following the rules, the Imperial Knights should be in their barracks.’

Following the standard expedition protocol, the Imperial Knights’ barracks were located on the outermost perimeter, furthest from the village. They were arrayed in a formation designed to surround and protect the vulnerable from the outside.

However, Lord Hereis was the undisputed Vice-Commander of the Imperial Knights and a high-ranking noble. For convenience’s sake, he might have ignored the rules and stayed in a comfortable inn in the village.

Normally, Emily would have headed straight for the village, but she didn’t.

‘Because Lord Hereis is different from those lax nobles!’

If it was Lord Hereis, he would try to protect everyone in the expedition regardless of status. Believing that, Emily headed toward the barracks.