Chapter 135: Organizing Notes

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“Have you calmed down now?”

“Ugh… Huh…”

Though trembling with shame and unsure of what to do with herself, Sugar couldn’t help but feel calmed by Riley’s scent. It wasn’t that she disliked his scent, she just hated how dependent she had become on Riley. It wasn’t the kind of thought someone who was blushing while being tightly hugged should have.

The more she thought about it, the more ashamed she felt, so she buried her face in his chest. But hiding didn’t make the shame go away.

Riley sighed but gently patted the pitiful woman’s back.

“You always act so strange.”

“Don’t mention it…”

She opened her eyes sharply, but when Riley softly stroked her hair, she quickly became docile. Biting her lip, she quietly accepted his touch.

After being stroked and pampered for a while, Sugar’s expression gradually softened. Though filled with shame, it didn’t feel like it would burst. Especially when he massaged her ears, it was very effective. Using his whole hand to gently cup her ear or kneading her earlobe.

When he played with it, she could feel the tension in her shoulders easing.

She must be feeling better now. The man’s hand naturally moved down to Sugar’s neck.

“It’s gotten a lot lighter.”

He slipped his finger into the choker and pulled it to check inside. He took the opportunity to inspect it.

Riley fiddled with Sugar’s ribbon tie, sending a signal that he wanted to do something. It seemed like a familiar gesture, but this was only the second time he had marked her at school. The first time was when he gave her the choker.

In other words, today was the day the Sugar Mill would operate for its original purpose.

“I don’t want to today…”

Unfortunately, the raw material shook her head.

“Why?”

“I want to go to the bathhouse…”

If he marked her now, she wouldn’t be able to go for the next few days. It was a rare place she could only visit right before the renewal date.

It wasn’t intentional, but that’s how it turned out.

Adding a bit more of her true feelings, Sugar didn’t want to show her chest today. Her partner would unbutton her chest to leave marks. He had done it before, so he would probably do it again.

She just felt awkward showing herself to a man who had witnessed such a thing yesterday. It was the result of her inferiority complex as a woman.

With a slightly pouty face, she spoke, and Riley silently removed his hand. Though disappointed, he could wait a day or two. How could he not grant the request of a woman who always accepted him? He had also enjoyed some interesting sights today.

“And, um, there’s something else I want to talk about.”

Sugar, pretending not to notice the inferiority complex she felt towards her closest female friend, held up her notebook.

“What is it?”

“About our future plans. I want to talk about our direction.”

She opened the notebook. Various heresy-related terms, words she didn’t want to be familiar with but were. Riley slightly frowned.

Seeing him trying to avoid the topic, Sugar quickly added.

“Don’t hide it from me forever. I’ll tell you first if anything happens. Okay? Let’s talk together.”

Sugar took the man’s hand with her small, white hand and made him touch the choker.

I’ll keep my promise, so you should show a corresponding attitude.

Her moist eyes and worriedly drooping eyebrows tugged at the man’s heartstrings. The pulse he felt through her hand. The rhythm of life throbbing made her even more precious.

Riley sighed.

“…Alright.”

Just as Sugar was weak to Riley, he was also weak to her. The woman, who had gotten her way, smiled warmly.

Unlike this smile, she knew deep down. They would again keep secrets for each other, act secretly for each other. As long as the conflict with the cult continued, it would repeat. Still, they wanted to get along well on the surface. It would be good to reduce the anxiety they felt for each other, even if just a little.

The two lay side by side, facing each other. Sugar picked up a pen.

‘Apostles. Maximum of six. (Sometimes there are vacancies.)’

‘Five senses + vocal cords. Each is missing one. They use magic related to the missing part.’

‘[List]

Vision – Louveci

Smell –

Taste –

Hearing –

Touch –

Vocal cords – Claude’

“I’ve organized what I know. How much do you know about the apostles?”

“…Even if the number is correct, how do you know about their characteristics?”

“I may not look like it, but I am the Saintess of the Evil God.”

What’s so great about that? Riley sighed again and spoke.

“I’ve said it many times, but I don’t have much information, and it’s not certain. They’ve been in the shadows for so long. First, smell. Vacant. He was defeated. If they haven’t seated someone new, it’s probably still vacant.”

“Wow.”

Starting big. Sugar wrote ‘vacant’ next to it.

“Hearing. Name unknown. He hasn’t shown himself for a long time, so it was considered vacant until about ten years ago when he incapacitated a knight order with a single sound, confirming his existence. And touch, Ethel. They recently showed themself.”

Known stories and names came up. The two apostles were the same as in the original.

“Taste?”

“…The beast you faced when you were taken to the crystal tower.”

“That’s an apostle?”

“It’s not just one or two. It’s a group of fused beings made up of young children. Their common trait is a faint sense of taste, and they recover stamina by eating humans. Considering their abilities, they must be related to the apostles.”

Sugar recalled the memory. The beast that bit her shoulder and praised her taste. When it ate other believers, it coldly evaluated them as ‘tasteless.’

Something felt really bad.

‘Why am I the only one who tastes good?’

Sugar rolled up Riley’s sleeve and bit his arm hard. She was venting her anger on the person who had killed the being that ate her.

‘Hmm? Not bad.’

But she felt unexpectedly pleasant. She licked the skin with her tongue. The taste of his skin. The taste of Riley’s scent, it was fun to press the uneven blood vessels with her tongue and feel the firmness.

Somehow, a sense of satisfaction rose, and she sucked with a blank expression. Was this how Riley felt when he marked her? she wondered.

“Hey.”

The man, disgusted by the sudden wetness, poked the cheek of his distracted partner.

“Hmm…”

Then Sugar fell off his stomach, opening her mouth. A silver thread connected the woman’s cute lips and the man’s thick arm.

On that arm, there were vivid tooth marks and bright red bruises. Oh my. How embarrassing.

Sugar, coming to her senses, muttered.

“You, you do it too… so I tried it…”

She ended her sentence with a slight upward inflection, making it sound like a question, which annoyed Riley.

“No, look at the size of the bruise. Did I do this? It looks like I got hit.”

He carefully marked her, thinking of her burden, making it pretty. In contrast, this was too much.

Sugar pouted at the man’s scolding and looked over the marks she had made.

Indeed, they were darker and more grotesque than the ones around her collarbone.

Sugar licked the saliva off her lips and wiped Riley’s arm with her sleeve. Then, embarrassed, she silently returned it to its original position.

“Shall we move on to the next topic…”

She shamelessly flipped the notebook.

‘Cult of Unity. Leader Menes Prophen. Fused beings. Beastkin. Relationship with the Gem Dragon.’

“The Gem Dragon. I think it’s also related to the fused beings.”

Riley pinched Sugar’s cheek and spoke.

A few days ago, there was news that an Inquisition carriage transporting those from the Healing Center was attacked. The enemy killed the prisoners when they couldn’t take them and left the Inquisitors unharmed before disappearing.

The characteristics of that enemy: A girl’s form, gem-like horns on her head, and a barrier that seemed to deflect magic.

He briefly summarized the story, leaving out the part about the Healing Center.

“It’s probably not the Gem Dragon herself. I think it’s a product of experiments, it must have created the crystal tower.”

“But does that make sense? A human who has taken in the power of a dragon?”

Sugar rubbed her cheek and opened her eyes wide.

Dragons. Beings once considered equal to gods. How could a mere human take in their power?

Riley was about to ask, ‘Then what about you?’ but changed his words.

“There are still countless mysteries in the world that haven’t been revealed. You can’t say it’s completely impossible.”

“If that’s true…”

“It’s a miracle.”

His calm answer seemed to settle the atmosphere. There couldn’t be a more regrettable miracle.

At the same time, other questions followed. Does the Gem Dragon in the ruined land know about this? Did she cooperate?

“Anyway… it means there’s someone on the enemy side who can freely use that crystal.”

Some unpleasant thoughts arose. If it can be made, it can be destroyed.

The crystal tower, filled with the power of beings who seek brilliance. At this point, it just stands still without moving.

-The energy inside, even just looking at it, is unusual. If something happens to that mineral…

The concern Professor Trace muttered in the lake cave.

How did Sugar respond to that concern?

-I’ll stop it. I can do it.

Sugar brushed off her pounding heart. Thump. Thump. It was hard to breathe. What can I do as the Saintess of the Evil God? She always wondered.

What I can do. What only I can do.

And so, at this moment.

To the voice of magic whispering in rhythm with the pulse. To the feeling of awakening to some mission, to the omnipotence flowing through her body. The Saintess took a deep breath–

“Don’t think nonsense.”

Eyes as coldly blue as ice suddenly came close to her face. Literally close enough to touch her nose.

Their breaths mingled, and Sugar, startled, leaned back, but Riley pulled her into his embrace.

He held her tightly, making the woman groan. Her chest, abdomen, and lower body clung to the man’s body, leaving no room to escape. Their bodies heated up from each other’s warmth.

This time, her heart started pounding for a different reason.

“Let’s finish the conversation.”

“Ah, um… Putting aside the cult, about our plans, I want to investigate the status of the crystal towers on the continent and the cult… But since we have to attend school, we can only act during vacations…”

“Leave that to the Holy City.”

“We should, um… help too. There must be something only we can do. Also… Leon’s mother’s treatment plan. Ian has been visiting the library often lately, probably for that reason. I want to help too.”

“Hmm.”

Riley made a sound while playing with Sugar’s hair. It seemed like an affirmation.

Being held like this made her feel restless. Sugar blurted out any question that came to mind.

“Wh-who do you think is the most concerning person, Riley?”

“The Hearing Apostle and the Gem Dragon fused being. The former is hard to guard against surprise attacks, and the latter… I don’t need to explain.”

“I see…”

Sugar recalled her past life memories. The apostle who lost his hearing. The sound he used in return.

His ability alone was terrifying. But due to his innate personality, he stayed hidden within the cult and only appeared in the latter half. Even then, he felt different from the usual enemies.

‘He’s not an immediate threat.’

Rather, the quietness of the crow man was unsettling. She thought he would start causing trouble the moment she left the Holy City.

Anyway. It seemed like they had a good conversation. Sugar, freed from Riley’s embrace, organized her notes again.

‘[List]

Vision – Louveci

Smell – (Vacant)

Taste – Beastkin???

Hearing – (Exists)

Touch – Ethel

Vocal cords – Claude

+Gem Dragon fused being’

‘That’s about it.’

Except for the top line, it was a list of enemies they would have to face.

Sugar stared blankly at the notebook. Her slightly frowning eyes shone nobly, showing her determination.

***************

‘Ah, my creation. Child of miracles. Your breath is like that of the Saintess.’

Praise-like anger overwhelmed the girl.

Why did something like you get to be born through miracles?

She thought it was absurd anger, but unlike her siblings, the girl was intelligent. She quietly accepted it. Complaining here wouldn’t change anything.

After being punished, the girl with gem-like horns headed even deeper underground. Claude had left, telling her to ‘use the power of other apostles to create a sanctuary,’ so she was doing just that.

She knew she would have to go back, but she went anyway, just in case. Though the man remained silent to all reactions, she thought he was better than the crazy woman who broke her fingers and self-harmed.

“Hello.”

A giant man.

The small girl standing next to him made him look even bigger.

The girl spoke to the man’s back. He was deaf, so he wouldn’t respond.

He just muttered incomprehensible prayers, solidifying his faith. He had been like this since the first time she saw him. Always in the same place, kneeling in the dark basement, praying for hours.

“If you have time…”

She stood in front of the man and opened her mouth. Maybe he would understand her lip movements.

She tapped his shoulder to make her presence known.

But the man remained motionless. No change from before, just praying.

It was ridiculous and pitiful. What’s so great about that Evil God? The girl sneered. Knowing he wouldn’t react, or even recognize her. It was the arrogance of a child.

Then the prayers stopped.

“…!”

The girl swallowed and looked down at the man. The basement, where only prayers could be heard, fell silent. An uncomfortably empty silence. Was the man’s world like this?

Soon, he stood up.

Thinking she had irritated him, the startled girl prepared to respond, but the man silently walked past her and headed for the door.

“Uh… hey. Where are you going?”

Was he angry? The girl quickly ran and blocked the man’s path. Then she asked the question again. She spoke slowly, syllable by syllable, so he could see her lips clearly.

Then, for the first time since meeting him, she heard his answer.

“It’s time for martyrdom.”