episode_0070

My impression of Veronica isn’t particularly favorable.

There’s no one better than her—though that’s partly because all the other scumbags are already dead.

To be honest,

‘I’d rather not get involved.’

To be even more honest, I wish she’d just drop dead.

But.

‘The problem is, that’s not so easy.’

I hold the source of her divine power—her purity—and even though I threatened her to stay out of my business,

Veronica is desperate.

She knows she’s the acting Saintess,

and because of that, she’s gathering information about Clara.

The issue is,

‘She has no one else to trust, so she’s lingering around us.’

Though revered as the Saintess and regarded as the divine incarnation,

and though she wields absolute power within the Church,

‘That’s only a force she can exert in a direct confrontation.’

If the Church has secretly created a substitute Saintess while hiding the real one,

no matter how much authority Veronica holds,

she’d never find her.

So, she has no choice but to seek my cooperation.

Which means,

‘It’s all an act.’

I watched Veronica feign madness as she lunged at Seo Mun-yeol.

Seo Mun-yeol tried to run, but she caught him,

and as she swung her arm wildly, his body began spinning along.

“Wow, what a rabid dog…”

“You two seem close.”

“Hm? Well, appearances aside, she is the Saintess. Though who knows if she’ll remain one in the future.”

“Gonna let her join the clan?”

“A bit awkward, isn’t it? You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

“……”

I pondered for a moment.

Weighing the pros and cons, the benefits were undeniable, but—

‘…For now, it’s a loss.’

Keeping her with us would not only put us at odds with the hidden Saintess the Church has stashed away,

‘I won’t brainwash her, but…’

If pushed to the absolute limit, I might resort to it.

In the long run, having her in our clan would bring nothing but complications.

So, I’m against it.

“Ha, ridiculous. I’m offering to join for just three meals a day.”

“You’ll want more than that, won’t you?”

“Hmph, obviously? I am the first among the current heroes to be chosen, after all.”

Yet, she looked at me.

With golden eyes brimming with divine power.

“You’re not a hero yet, so you wouldn’t understand, but a hero is an existence that carries the fate of an entire race. For one to join a clan is practically unheard of.”

“And your situation isn’t exactly normal either.”

“…Tch. Anyway, I’m offering to join your clan, and you can’t even do that much?”

“You haven’t forgotten our first meeting, have you?”

“Ah, right—when you collapsed and I carried you to safety?”

“……”

That shuts me up a little.

“Not that.”

“Then the day after, at the inn? Nothing came of that, did it?”

“The outcome isn’t the only thing that matters.”

“The process does? In this world, results are everything.”

Veronica smirked, her lips curling mockingly.

She tossed Seo Mun-yeol aside and spoke.

“Whatever. Doesn’t matter.”

With a faint smile, she added,

“Even if you don’t want me now, you’ll end up needing me eventually.”

“……”

What a piece of work.

I sighed and glanced at Seo Mun-yeol.

“We can just leave him.”

“Well, he might get killed or stripped naked by vagrants, but that’s the path he chose, so who cares.”

Erme said cheerfully, grinning as she walked toward me.

“But I’m curious about something.”

“What is it? If it’s you, Yuseong, I might even share my deepest secrets.”

“The witch—”

“Forget it.”

Before I could even finish,

Erme smiled, her eyes cold as she stared at me.

“…I’ve forgotten already.”

“Shall we go, then? Ah, but what about her?”

Erme’s gaze shifted to Lucia.

Lucia stood under an umbrella, watching me.

“What do you think I should do?”

Lucia’s tone suggested that her joining the clan depended entirely on my decision.

“We’d be happy to have you.”

“Hmm, then…”

“Seeing you every day would be better than just occasionally.”

“……”

“……”

Erme looked dazed.

Lucia’s face lit up with delight.

And Rishiel stared at me with pity.

…Why?

‘Even if Lucia’s like that, seeing her daily is better than occasionally.’

I’ve started feeling something like friendship, after all.

Rishiel, reading my thoughts, gave me a truly sorrowful look.

-Come to think of it, you… Never mind.

…Why?

Thud. Thud.

Veronica walked deeper into the alley.

Her lips twitched, and she forced a scowl to keep her expression in check.

Normally, she’d never set foot in such a filthy place, but—

‘…What is this?’

Her emotions were out of control.

The moment she stood before that man, feelings she couldn’t contain surged uncontrollably.

So, to remind herself of her duty as the Saintess, she took this path.

The Saintess.

The hero crafted by the Holy Nation.

That existence required purity, a sacred image.

She shouldn’t be reduced to this over some man.

‘What is this?’

Yet.

Every time she faced him, strange emotions welled up.

It wasn’t something as trivial as love at first sight.

Something deeper.

Something viscous, unfamiliar.

Like a dark flame igniting in her chest.

‘…Dangerous.’

This wasn’t good.

At first, it was curiosity.

He was the first man to evoke such feelings, so she slaughtered the thugs trying to rob him.

And then.

The more she spoke to him—

‘…Why?’

Longing surfaced.

She didn’t understand.

A Gift that manipulated affection?

Such a thing might exist.

But if that were the case—

‘He’d want to stay close to me.’

Instead, he pushed her away, as if he disliked her.

She recalled the day after their first meeting.

When she had unleashed her divine power.

That ability wasn’t something she should’ve revealed.

Her last resort.

A technique she’d obtained by chance but never intended to use.

It imposed countless restrictions on the target—

but carried equal consequences for herself.

A power she could wield only once in her lifetime.

‘I thought I’d rather die than use it.’

Veronica gnawed her lip, casting an anxious glance behind her.

But right now, more than any of that—

She didn’t want Han Yuseong to hate her.

‘…Ha.’

Am I insane?

She was not that kind of woman. She didn’t need to rely on some man.

Yet.

-……

The words of the being that tormented her in dreams resurfaced.

Nothing concrete came to mind,

but the emotions she felt for him were vivid.

The one who had saved her as she fell into the abyss.

That figure kept overlapping with Han Yuseong.

So.

She tried to distance herself.

But no matter how hard she fought it, she always found herself drawn back to him.

Now, Veronica was restraining herself with all her might.

‘This feels awful.’

Seeing Han Yuseong’s face made her happy.

‘How dare he reject me?’

Honestly, when he refused, her heart sank.

She played it cool, but his rejection had become her greatest fear.

‘I’m offering to join his clan.’

The very idea was a burden.

A member of the Holy Nation joining a subordinate organization of the Empire’s Adventurer Guild?

Under normal circumstances, she wouldn’t even consider it.

‘That woman.’

The girl beside Han Yuseong unsettled her.

-How… lucky…

Her mind fogged over.

She wanted to tear them all apart. Then flee to some empty space.

“……”

I must be insane, thinking like this.

Veronica scoffed at herself and stepped outside.

But she knew.

If Han Yuseong called for her now, she’d run to him faster than anyone.

“……”

The thought depressed her.

Yet, beneath it, her heart swelled with joy.

And so.

She remained unaware.

Of Clara’s twisted smile as she watched from the shadows.

Rain fell today.

Going to the Adventurer Guild would’ve been fine, but I decided against it to focus on preparations.

“So, my friend. Have you decided on the clan members?”

“Mostly.”

The current party members,

‘Plus Lucia.’

And then Viola’s words came to mind.

-I haven’t found a party yet. Since my brother followed you, contact me if you form one.

Adding Viola,

and the little magic hero candidate—so around nine?

…Wait, the kid’s too young, so we’d need at least two more.

-Hm? Why eight?

‘One more can join.’

-Someone I don’t know?

Rishiel looked troubled.

“You seem conflicted.”

“With the party as it is…”

“Hmm… Forming two five-member parties would leave gaps in combat power.”

“Gaps?”

“…It’s rude to say here, but Marcel and Terrisa…”

We’d need a party to support them.

“Terrisa’s here, so the front line is covered, but we’d still want at least one more swordsman.”

“How about someone like me?”

“Huh? You’re not an archer, so…?”

“A speed-focused swordsman.”

“That could work.”

“So, me, Rozante, Yuseong, Lucia, and Viola?”

“For the second party, we’d want a priest.”

“Low-level priests are hard to find. Maybe rotate Viola to fill the gap?”

“Then who else?”

As I pondered, Burkan appeared.

“…Sorry, my friend. I’d help, but I have other orcs to rally.”

“Figured.”

“But as one indebted to you, if you ask, I’ll…!”

“No, there’s still time.”

Still, Viola was the ideal addition.

With four frontliners, including me.

That left the rear.

‘A mage would be best.’

But we’d need to fill the slots.

“…No choice. I didn’t want to resort to this.”

Erme closed her eyes, her expression resolute.

What was she planning?