Chapter 34: Stop drinking kimchi soup

The next morning, chaos erupted in Luminous Garden.

“What’s going on?! The assistant priest is gone?!”
“Find the assistant priest! The Saint’s orders!”
“Where did he go?!”

Assistant Priest Isabel Leonhardt was a crucial figure.

His sudden disappearance was…

A serious matter.

He was the one who guided their Saint back to righteousness, who reformed the Order.

His absence was a significant loss.

Rebecca, her face grim, walked down the hallway.

With a dignified air, she strode across the red carpet and opened the sanctuary doors.

“Saint!”

Belladriel Dresia sat on her throne, a worried look on her face.

“…Yes… Rebecca? Did you call for me?”
“It’s… Isabel… he’s completely vanished…”
“…”

Belladriel’s eyes widened, and she clenched her fists.

“…That… he’s supposed to take responsibility, and he runs away…”

She recalled the letter he’d left on her desk:

---

To Belladriel and Rebecca,

By the time you read this, I’ll be gone.

I’m not sure how you’ll feel, but I heard a voice last night.

God told me to spread his word elsewhere. It seems my role here is over.

I enjoyed my time with you both, but what can I do? I heard God’s voice.

Please forgive my abrupt departure.

I also felt that staying would burden you, Belladriel. I am still the Black Hound, a villain at heart.

My presence would tarnish your reputation.

However, I haven’t abandoned God’s word or you.

To purify the world, according to God’s will, and to establish new truths,

I will meet with influential people and embark on a journey.

Please, stay here and spread the word. Teach the followers the right doctrines.

I hope to see you again someday…

Isabel Leonhardt.

---

“…I should have… done it last night.”

Last night, while they were drinking,

If she’d just been bolder…

If she’d carried his child, he wouldn’t have left…

Belladriel’s mind raced with regrets.

“Saint, if I may… share my thoughts?”

Rebecca looked at Belladriel, a serious expression on her face.

“…Go ahead.”
“Neither of us… can marry anymore. But he left without… doing anything… he must have a reason.”
“A reason…?”

Rebecca lowered her head, lost in thought.

Then she murmured, “He said he’d meet influential people and spread the word… perhaps he plans to gather followers for our Order?”
“…That’s a possibility.”

The letter did mention spreading the word in other cities.

And…

“He said something strange yesterday, as well.”
“…What?”
“He…”

Rebecca blushed.

“He said he’d choose one of us to be his wife…”
“Oh…”

Belladriel remembered their drunken behavior last night.

How embarrassing.

Rebecca also blushed at the memory.

“Perhaps… he didn’t want to choose between us?”
“He didn’t want to choose… oh…!”

Belladriel looked at Rebecca, who nodded.

“He said he’d return. He said he’d spread the word… perhaps he meant something else. Maybe he left to change the Order’s rules? So both of us could be happy…”
“…I see…”

The Black Hound knew everything.

He must have known about the rule regarding responsibility.

He pretended not to know last night, when they revealed themselves to him.

He was just being considerate.

Despite being the Black Hound, he was a kind man.

He wouldn’t want to hurt them.

He was always scheming…

Perhaps he’d gone to the Emperor to change the Order’s rules.

“…Such a profound plan.”
“Ahem… that’s what it takes to be the legal wife.”

Rebecca puffed out her chest, proud of herself for understanding Isavel’s intentions.

“That must be it. Isn’t that right, concubine… I mean, Saint?”
“Did you just call me a concubine?”
“…No.”

‘How dare she…’

‘Trying to steal my place.’

Belladriel was annoyed. Not because of the disrespect, but because Rebecca was trying to steal Isavel.

“Just you wait. I’ll be the first wife.”
“I doubt that…”

The two women bickered, completely misunderstanding Isabel’s intentions.

He’d simply left to redeem another heroine…

Oblivious, they continued their argument.

“Anyway, shouldn’t we stop searching for him?”
“That’s a good idea. He’ll be pleased to see how much the city has improved when he returns.”
“He’s my husband!”

Rebecca glared.

“Why are you glaring at me? How amusing… for a knight-captain…”
“Saint… you should act more… saintly! You can live as a spinster!”
“Don’t be ridiculous… stop drooling over my husband…!”
“He’s my man…!”

They continued their squabble.

[Quest Complete!]

 

---

[Status Window]

Belladriel Dresia, the Saint of the Radiant Morning Star.

Belladriel Dresia.

She transformed Luminous Garden and Shine City into holy lands.

She will achieve great things in the future.

Once, she was a naive saint.

She didn’t understand God’s voice, nor the path he laid before her.

Despite her ignorance, you guided her.

As God’s agent, you led this lost lamb, the Black Hound.

Thank you for your dedication to Belladriel Dresia.

Thank you for creating such a capable saint.

We appreciate your hard work.

[Reward: 10,000pt]

[Skill Acquired: Saint’s Eye!]

---

A new skill.

Saint’s Eye.

Its effect:

“Detect faint traces of targets and living beings in vast forests and lands.”

A tracking skill.

Useful for finding villainous heroines.

His next target: Lunari Evangrace.

He opened the quest board on the interface and selected Lunari’s quest.

---

Lunari Evangrace, the Ill-Fated Nine-Tailed Fox.

Lunari Evangrace.

Born with a powerful bloodline, she is a rare Yoho, also known as a nine-tailed fox. Some call her a guardian spirit of the forest.

From a young age, she was exceptional. Before she could speak, she mastered powerful magic, communing with nature spirits with her innate holy power. She was destined to become a divine immortal.

But the world was cruel.

The Yoho were constantly targeted for the Elixir of Immortality, a useless concoction made from their tails. Countless hunters sought them relentlessly.

And as if that weren’t enough, they were also hunted by their own kind, other beastkin, who blamed them for attracting human attention. This led to internal conflict and ostracization.

To humans, they were a source of a rare elixir.

To beastkin, they were a source of misfortune.

Everyone scorned them.

Despite the cruelty, Lunari Evangrace never lost hope.

She roamed the forest, striving for a peaceful life with her family.

But…

Was the legend of the Yoho bringing misfortune true?

Tragedy struck.

Her family was slaughtered by humans and beastkin alike, and Lunari became the last of her kind, hunted relentlessly.

Broken by the cruel world, Lunari fell into darkness.

Consumed by hatred and rage, she became a true monster, intent on showing the world what misfortune truly meant.

She became a villainess, devouring humans and even her own kind.

The peaceful, potential immortal became a monster of the forest, consumed by hatred.

Lunari Evangrace, a monster filled with negativity.

She needs a gentle touch, a savior.

Black Hound, we implore you.

Embrace this hatred that seeks to destroy the world.

Please…

Redeem this woman and guide her to become a benevolent guardian of the forest.

Not a rampaging monster who devours all living things…

But a Yoho who loves life and nature… Please, save Lunari…

[Reward: 10,000pt]

---

“…Quite a grim story.”

A monster who devoured humans and beastkin.

He needed special items to redeem her.

He’d buy them from the point shop.

First, he had to find out where she lived.

Then, he’d use Saint’s Eye to track her.

“The village that hunted Lunari… was Mysticgrove, right? I should go there first.”

He smiled and set off towards the village.