I Became the Younger Sister of the Game's Villain - Chapter 14.3
“Sorry.”
No time for dialogue.
Before the priest could grasp the situation, a cloud of white powder scattered in the air.
Watching him collapse, I slowly lowered the arm that had been covering my nose.
‘I’m fu*king done for.’
***
“Who’s there?”
A patrolling priest sharpy shouted, noticing unfamiliar movement.
Rustle rustle.
As if caught, the bushes shook violently.
A priest’s robe hidden among the foliage emerged and revealed itself.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I dropped an earring…”
A young-faced priest scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
His genuinely troubled expression made the guard feel awkward for having shouted, and he cleared his throat a few times.
“But it’s almost time for the ritual. You shouldn’t be here, brother. Please return.”
“I’ll make sure to be on time. It’s a precious ornament given to me by the High Priestess when I first received the Holy Spirit…”
“Ahem… Maybe you should search a bit more then.”
“Yes.”
He left without further suspicion.
I listened to the crunch, crunch, crunch of the dirt as he walked away.
“Crazy. Thought my heart was going to jump out…”
My impromptu response using snippets of scripts I’d overheard seemed to have worked perfectly.
I hadn’t expected to be caught right at this hole connected to the resting room.
“What’s with all the security?”
Muttering, I dusted off the grass from my robe.
Typical of these cultists.
It was good that I thought to take the robe from that guy earlier.
Cautiously moving through the foliage, I looked around and tore off the flimsy-looking iron bars.
‘It’s an escape.’
I hopped down from the fairly high brick ledge.
Landing on an ordinary alleyway pavement.
It was fortunate there were few people around.
I gradually burned the robe I had hidden in my arms.
“No matter how I think about it, it feels unsettling.”
It bothered me a little, that I’d run into the priest at that moment, and that I hadn’t been able to investigate the director’s office.
But I wasn’t willing to go through the hassle and risk of breaking in there again.
“I’ll probably run into them eventually.”
I was certain I would inevitably encounter those from Light and Shadow.
I straightened my clothes and walked nonchalantly, shaking the ash out of my hair.
***
“…..”
“Ahem.”
Back at Myeongdong Cathedral.
Whether it’s the cult or this place.
I felt like my nose would go numb from this persistent pungent scent of incense I was exposed to all day.
Sister Mikaela was still examining the relic with a calm face, seemingly for minutes.
She scrutinized it in the light, appearing to assess whether it was real or fake.
She touched it with her hands, checked the bottom, and then placed the chalice back on the shadow cast by the colorful stained glass.
“You have succeeded.”
She spoke in a sweet voice.
【MISSION CLEARED!】
【Reward: ‘Pentagon Staff’ acquired.】
“Finally.”
Holding the silver-crafted staff in both hands brought a small wave of emotion.
Silver is a highly symbolic metal in the realm of divinity, and considering its rarity, I felt like I should be on my knees praying right now, regardless of being non-religious.
For this, I had worked my a*s off.
Right down to the intricately carved pentagonal ornamentation and the radiating light in the center.
‘A perfect Holy item.’
Just looking at it felt mesmerizing. It could make anyone feel holy.
Imagining adding just one enhancement gem to it, bringing it up to A-grade…
The thought alone was drool-worthy.
As I was flicking the staff around, about two palm-lengths long, back and forth, reveling in this subtle feeling…
‘Hmm.’
Sister Mikaela tenderly polished the chalice.
The tender look in her eyes tugged at my heartstrings.
The empty cathedral.
The streaming lights of various colors.
Holy.
I wondered if that word seemed to perfectly fit this scene.
Yet, there was a touch of loneliness.
It was as if the solitude of someone in the world, bearing the weight of everything alone, came to mind.
Painfully so.
“I’ve been thinking,”
Sister Mikaela’s gaze met mine for a moment as I trailed off.
“I think God does exist.”
“… I see.”
“Just doesn’t save me, that’s all.”
“…..”
She didn’t respond, but instead, smiled gently.
I nodded my head and left the cathedral.
In truth, whether God exists or not doesn’t matter.
Salvation is self-served.
Only I can save myself.
Now that I’ve secured a useful weapon, the real task is…
‘All I have to do is get stronger.’
I’m fully prepared.
My eyes gleamed sharply, ready for what’s ahead.
