Don't Be Holy! - Chapter 7
The first time Eir met her grandmother was three years ago.
At that time, Eir was nothing more than an unlucky, ordinary priestess dispatched on a long expedition.
The mission of the purification squad, which included priests like her and holy knights, was to purify the northern lands infested with monsters, retrieve treasures, and deliver them to Albarm.
Of course, dealing with monsters was dangerous, but with Rubel Shinote appointed as the commander, most of them had grown complacent, half-heartedly slaying monsters and purifying the land.
But then, during their journey, the purification squad was ambushed—not by monsters, but by something else.
Albarm, always discontent with the Divine Empire, did not trust its promise to deliver the treasure. This time, they had gathered and allied with witches, thought to have been hunted to extinction a century ago, and launched an attack.
For holy knights and priests, who had only ever trained to face monsters, resisting the spells of witches they knew nothing about was nearly impossible.
Many lives were lost in that first ambush.
Eir, too, was among the unfortunate ones who fell victim.
The ground beneath her feet, cursed by a witch’s magic, crumbled, sending her plunging into the depths below.
As she tumbled down the cliff, losing consciousness along the way, her life flashed before her eyes.
Her bleak, impoverished childhood as an orphan. The awakening of her divine power at the age of seven, which led her to join as a priestess-in-training.
The years of rigorous study and training that finally earned her the title of priestess. Up to that point, she had lived relatively peacefully and happily.
But after that…….
‘Everything fell apart.’
What was right or wrong, what the Gods wanted from her, and what she was supposed to do—all of it had become twisted beyond recognition.
How much longer would she have to live righteously while drowning in shame?
Did she really need to survive and return to that place filled with desires, jealousy, and contempt? There was no reason to go back.
Yes, she would run away.
The moment that thought crossed her mind, a surge of strength coursed through her limp body.
Somehow, Eir managed to stand and began fleeing in the opposite direction of where she had fallen.
And it was on that impulsive escape that she happened to meet her grandmother.
At the time, her grandmother was surrounded by three witches who were attacking her. Not only were they ganging up on an old woman, but they were also hurling the vilest curses at her. Hearing their words, Eir realized that the old woman, like herself, was a traitor.
That realization sparked both sympathy and a sense of kinship. The moment those emotions combined, Eir didn’t hesitate to help the old witch.
After a fierce battle, she was left half-dead, muttering, ‘Well, respect for the elderly is important, isn’t it?’ before passing out dramatically.
When she woke up, she found herself here, her entire body wrapped in bandages.
The first thing the grandmother did upon seeing her open her eyes was to scold her harshly.
‘You helped a witch? Are you out of your mind? Judging by your appearance, you’re a priestess. Helping the witches who attacked you—are you stupid?’
‘I didn’t help witches. I helped you, granny. And didn’t you save me, a priestess, too?’
When Eir talked back, her grandmother’s glare grew even sharper.
Her fierce gaze, combined with Eir’s inability to move properly, was honestly intimidating.
But the fact that the grandmother had gone out of her way to wrap Eir’s body in bandages and herbal poultices suggested she wasn’t entirely heartless.
‘I only saved you because I owed you my life.’
The grandmother said coldly, slamming the door as if to end their connection.
However, despite her harsh words, the grandmother continued to care for Eir.
Not once did she question Eir’s circumstances or urge her to leave, even as Eir’s body slowly healed.
It was as if she understood Eir’s despair—the way her future seemed bleak, how even breathing and eating felt burdensome.
One day, when Eir had nearly recovered, she finally couldn’t bear it anymore and declared she would leave.
The grandmother abruptly told her to sit and placed her in front of the dining table.
Seeing the bottle of alcohol on the table, Eir thought her grandmother was celebrating finally getting rid of her.
But instead, her grandmother simply said.
