Ch.310Chapter 310 – The Saint is Embarrassed!

Looking up the word “embarrassment” in the dictionary, it’s defined as:

‘Being in a state of feeling undignified or dishonorable, or feeling hesitant due to lack of boldness or courage.’

This was precisely the emotion Etherna was experiencing as she buried her face in her pillow in her cabin, hiding her flushed cheeks.

‘Ugh, I finally confessed my feelings, and Lord Pathos seemed to be responding positively, so why am I feeling so embarrassed?’

No matter how much she thought about it, Etherna couldn’t understand why she had acted that way.

She liked Pathos. No, beyond merely liking him, she adored and loved him.

Why else had she toured various countries, unhesitatingly cast buffs on herself in battles against demons, and actively participated in the fight against the Demon God?

As someone qualified to be a Saint, it was to protect the Sun God Church she served, but as Etherna the individual, it was to protect the man named Pathos.

Needless to say, if not for Etherna’s resurrection ritual, Pathos would have been lost forever in the explosion on the ship.

Moreover, Pathos had played the most crucial role in destroying the Demon God. Without him, they would have been helplessly overwhelmed when the Demon God revived.

Unlike the high-ranking officials of the church, Pathos had even recognized her true identity despite her concealment.

On top of that, he was an ability user who had received his powers directly from the Great Goddess.

It was only natural that Etherna had been drawn to him from their first meeting.

But while she hesitated, other women had claimed him first.

Regina Blasteria. Former Imperial Archmage of the Gelebrio Empire and current Chancellor of the Glesius Academy.

A person who could be Pathos’s most reliable patron, both by lineage and ability.

Yes, the first one was acceptable. But before she could aim for the second position, another woman appeared.

Cheon Hyeryeong. The famous “Cheonma,” leader of the “Cheonma Divine Sect” in the Eastern Continent. The strongest martial artist.

She had volunteered to be Pathos’s bodyguard in Regina’s absence, who couldn’t protect him due to academy duties.

As her self-appointment suggested, Pathos had traveled across the continent with her, and naturally, both Regina and Cheon Hyeryeong came to be treated as Pathos’s fiancées.

Yes, up to the second one was somewhat understandable.

But just when she thought she had grown closer to Pathos during the demon cult suppression operation and the battle against the Demon God…

The First Imperial Princess of the Gelebrio Empire appeared out of nowhere and snatched Pathos away.

Though it hadn’t been officially announced yet, according to the Sun Church’s intelligence network in the imperial palace, there were plans to announce the engagement of Pathos and Princess Karen once public interest in the New Continent Expedition had subsided.

Etherna feared she might end up not even in fourth place, but completely forgotten.

So when she joined the coalition forces against the demon race this time, she wanted to make her mark definitively.

Yet when she finally tried to properly convey her true feelings to him, her lips remained firmly sealed.

Why? What was blocking her from speaking?

There was no reason to hesitate anymore.

She needed to confess her feelings as soon as possible.

Only then could she have a chance to be with him before others claimed him.

Why?

Why did I hesitate at that moment?

Etherna carefully reflected on her actions.

And she realized one thing.

‘I was still embarrassed to confess my feelings.’

Understandably, as a Saint, she had often had to suppress her true feelings while working.

So how many times had she honestly expressed her emotions?

She had even run away because she was too embarrassed to hear Pathos’s response to her question.

How must she have looked, pushing away his hand and fleeing when he questioned her?

‘Could Lord Pathos think I was just testing him?’

Etherna realized her actions might have seemed like she was merely testing his feelings.

And thinking about how embarrassed Pathos must have felt because of her behavior, she felt terribly sorry.

“I need to apologize right away.”

She had to apologize. Before Pathos could develop deeper misunderstandings due to her mistake, she needed to restore their relationship.

What she needed was to act with the conviction that her feelings weren’t wrong.

Etherna immediately left her cabin and went up to the deck to find Pathos.

On the deck, Pathos was sighing at the same spot as before.

It was a place where few people passed by, with only the sea ahead and the cabin wall behind.

Etherna approached Pathos.

“Could Etherna have just been testing me with those words?”

As Etherna drew near and heard his words, she felt her heart sink.

“No! Absolutely not!”

Hearing Pathos’s words, Etherna rushed to him to change his mind.

“Whoa, what’s going on?”

Pathos nearly fell into the sea when someone suddenly embraced him from behind.

However, the weight of the person hugging him was substantial enough to prevent him from falling.

“Lady Etherna? What’s the matter all of a sudden?”

“I absolutely did not say those things just to test you, Lord Pathos!”

Etherna kept emphasizing that her words were definitely not meant to test him.

“Pardon?”

“I’m sorry! I apologize! I was too embarrassed to answer!”

Etherna finally confessed her true feelings to Pathos.

She admitted that embarrassment had prevented her from confessing her feelings.

“So, you ran away because you were embarrassed?”

“Yes! That’s right! I was embarrassed!”

“Then could you please let go of my waist?”

Etherna released her hands from around Pathos’s waist at his request.

Only then could the two finally stand facing each other.

“I’m sorry about earlier! It was my first time in such a situation, so I got embarrassed and ran away.”

“I understand. Anyone could react that way in an unfamiliar situation.”

Pathos readily understood that Etherna had fled out of embarrassment.

She hadn’t lied; she was genuinely embarrassed, so he could overlook it.

“Earlier, Lord Pathos, you asked me something while holding my hand, didn’t you? You asked how I felt about you.”

Etherna stood before Pathos, looking at his face.

An ordinary appearance, neither particularly unattractive nor exceptionally handsome.

Etherna asked herself:

Do I love this person?

“Yes, I did.”

“Let me answer that question now.”

And her answer was singular.

Pathos felt something warm and soft covering his lips.

Only by seeing Etherna’s thick eyelashes close to his face did he realize it was her lips.

“This is my first kiss. Is that answer enough?”

Etherna had proven her love for him by giving him a kiss.

Pathos looked at Etherna.

Unlike before, she had returned to her silver hair and half-closed eyes.

Looking at her slightly glistening lips from the recent kiss, Pathos realized it was his turn to respond.

“Let me give you my answer as well.”

And this time, it was Pathos who covered Etherna’s lips with his own.

“How’s that? Is it a sufficient answer?”

“Yes, y-yes…”

Etherna was still dazed from experiencing two kisses in succession for the first time in her life.

But one thing was certain.

She would never forget this day when they confirmed their feelings for each other on the ship.

“So, which number wife will I be for Lord Pathos?”

“Well, the first would be Princess Karen, then in order, Sister Regina, Cheon Hyeryeong, and then you, Lady Etherna.”

“Hehe, I’m satisfied even being fourth. But can Lord Pathos really have four legal wives?”

“I heard that such restrictions disappear if one marries royalty first.”

Etherna sighed in relief at Pathos’s answer.

“That’s fortunate. There are so many women aiming for you, Lord Pathos.”

At least there wouldn’t be fights over the position of legal wife.

“What did you just say?”

“Nothing. Nothing at all.”

Just as the relationship between the two had progressed, the expedition’s ship also advanced toward the New Continent… and soon reached it.

“Land! I see new land!”

This meant that the battle to eradicate the demon race would soon begin.