New Weapon – 3

“Pungyuhwan, huh…… Isn’t she a truly interesting woman, trying to pull off such a stunt?”

A smile was widespread on Minerva’s face. As if she understood why Ceres had been constantly picking fights with her ever since she first saw her, there wasn’t even a hint of displeasure to be found.

‘Were NPCs originally bald, so they removed their breasts? What terrible people.’

This was a world where Erica and Selene were considered flat-chested, and no one questioned that perception. If that’s the case, then what kind of treatment would someone like Ceres receive, who had no breasts at all?

Even I, who was thinking this, had once concluded that the two of them were flat-chested, as if my head had gone a little strange for a moment.

In fact, even now, the thought that Erica and Selene were flat-chested continued to cross my mind. It felt like two conflicting values were clashing within my mind.

‘Surely this isn’t because of that black magic too, is it?’

Since they said there was a spell on my head, even if my perception was slightly twisted, it all seemed to be the fault of that black magic. It seemed I would have to get a clear explanation from the witch about the scope of its effects when I met her.

“That medicine that makes breasts bigger, is it actually possible?”

“Theoretically, it’s not impossible. It’s just that it’s more profitable to do more magic research and create another potion than to bother making such a medicine, so we haven’t attempted it.”

‘Wow, that’s possible.’

To think that a medicine that could enlarge breasts just by eating it could actually be created, it was a wondrous world in many ways.

In fact, even in the game, they eventually succeeded in developing a hair growth tonic, so it wasn’t difficult to guess that the medicine Ceres made would also be successful.

‘It was a success. A success, that is…….’

Yes. It was a success.

“Are you going to get the Holy Water now, my child?”

I snapped out of my thoughts. What happened next was no longer my concern.

“I suppose so. Do you know the purchase location?”

“I know. I once stopped by to get it a long time ago.”

“You just need to teleport us there. From then on, I’ll take care of it myself.”

Minerva nodded once and lightly tapped the floor with her staff. Along with the sensation of floating throughout our bodies, both of us were enveloped in a blue aura.

When the blue light that enveloped our bodies dispersed, the surrounding scenery had already changed by 180 degrees. Very distinctive white buildings and roads paved with white bricks.

It was the Holy Nation.

I took out a brooch from my pocket and pinned it to my left chest. Seeing that, Minerva wore a very intrigued expression.

“My child, that is…….”

“Have you seen this before?”

“I haven’t seen it directly, but I’ve heard of it. Isn’t that the brooch symbolizing the Pope’s honored guest, and not just for one of the Sun or Moon, but for both? So there was a reason why you were so confident, my child. If you’re wearing that brooch, you’ll surely be able to obtain the Holy Water imbued with light.”

Her silver-gray pupils narrowed slightly.

“But, my child. For you to have that brooch means…….”

“Let’s move quickly. There’s no time to delay here. We need to finish this as quickly as possible and go find the Crystal Scroll.”

I cut her off mid-sentence and walked forward. Anyone could see it was an attempt to forcibly change the subject, but Minerva seemed willing to let it slide and quietly followed behind me.

After walking between the buildings for a few minutes.

“Here they come.”

Perhaps they felt the mana ripples that spread when we used teleportation, as about ten Holy Knights were galloping towards us from a distance on horseback.

They were clad in white armor from head to toe, and even the horses they rode were pure white steeds. At least the color of the weapons tied to their saddles was ordinary.

I couldn’t tell their gender. The armor was so thick that their body shapes weren’t revealed at all, and their faces were covered by helmets.

The Holy Knights who stopped their horses in front of us collectively gripped their maces.

“Stop! Who are you?! If you don’t speak, we will consider you heretics and deal with you!”

The Holy Knight at the very front shouted towards us. For now, the voice was definitely female. I silently pointed to the brooch pinned on my left chest.

The Holy Knight, who looked at where my finger was pointing, froze for a moment, then startled as if burned, and dismounted from her horse as if falling, prostrating herself flat.

The personnel behind her also performed the exact same action, one after another, in the order they confirmed my brooch. The noisy sound of armor toppling and clanging echoed for a long time.

Soon, all twelve of them knelt on the ground and bowed their heads.

“H-Honored Guest-nim, we greet you!”

“Honored Guest-nim, we greet you!”

Their voices were absolutely booming. In particular, the Holy Knight who had spoken so forcefully at first was pathetically trembling so much that it was visible even through her heavy armor.

‘Why is that person acting like that again?’

‘Surely they wouldn’t kill someone just for raising their voice a bit to a person wearing this brooch, would they? I mean, this is near the Papal See, so I’d think it’s a natural measure to take against an unknown person.’

My doubts soon vanished. It was because I recalled the fact that the knight had said they would consider us heretics and deal with us if we didn’t answer.

Even if they didn’t know, they had essentially threatened to treat the Pope’s honored guest as a heretic, so from the perspective of those devout religious people, there could be no greater sacrilege.

“Raise your heads. We didn’t come toㅡ”

“How dare Honored Guest-nim speak to mere commoners like us with such high language! Please, speak down to us!”

*Thud!* The Holy Knight slammed her helmet hard onto the ground and bowed her head again. I, who had spoken to her, was startled by her action.

I turned to Minerva with a bewildered expression. Minerva, with a smile on her face, brought her lips to my ear and whispered.

“Just do as they wish, my child. Sometimes, excessive consideration can actually be poison.”

I nodded in a daze. When I put on the brooch, I hadn’t expected to receive such treatment at all. I had merely thought they might treat me a little more courteously.

“Alright. Then I’ll speak informally. Raise your heads and look at me. I didn’t come here to receive bows from you.”

“I understand! Honored Guest-isiyeo!”

With another booming voice, heads were raised. The once pure white helmets were now covered in dirt.

“I have a favor to ask, is that alright?”

“A favor, you say? That’s preposterous! Please, issue a command!”

“……Right. I came here to issue a command.”

“We will gladly accept it! What do you command?!”

“Can I obtain the Holy Water imbued with light?”

The Holy Knight replied in a voice devoid of any hesitation.

“Of course it’s possible! How much do you desire?!”

I glanced back at Minerva. She seemed quite surprised.

“To think that a day would come when I’d hear such words in my lifetime. Indeed, when I’m with you, my child, the surprises never cease.”

It was indeed surprising. Because even in the game, the Holy Water imbued with light was an item where the seller, not the buyer, decided how much would be sold.

It wouldn’t have been an exception for Minerva either, so it was probably her first time hearing a ‘normal’ question like “How much do you need?”

“That’s what they say. How much do you need, Minerva-nim?”

“……Are you talking about me, my child?”

“Is there anyone else named Minerva here besides Minerva-nim?”

When I applied the exact words she had used at Ceres’s house to answer, Minerva’s eyes widened for a moment before returning to their original state. She seemed to have caught on to my intention.

“Then, not too much…… just tell them one bottle will be enough.”

“You heard that, right? One bottle. That much is enough.”

“I understand! We will escort you to a building for Honored Guest-nim, so would you be able to wait there while we prepare the Holy Water?!”

“Alright.”

“Yes! Thank you for allowing us to serve you!”

The leading knight rose with a vigorous reply and mounted her horse. The remaining Holy Knights also followed suit, mounting their horses and disappearing in a cloud of dust, while three remaining individuals approached us.

“We will serve you, Honored Guest-nim.”

This time, it was also a woman’s voice. We quietly followed their guidance. The Holy Knights stopped in front of a building about 4-5 stories high. Two people on either side courteously opened the door for us.

As we entered, a room adorned with brilliant decorations appeared. The Holy Knights who guided us bowed their heads one last time and left, leaving us with a request to wait there.

I sat on the sofa. As soon as Minerva settled onto the sofa, she looked at me with eyes dripping with honey and smiled.

“Thank you, my child. I’ve received unexpected consideration.”

In truth, I wondered if I shouldn’t get any closer to Minerva here, but honestly, I was feeling half like, “Who cares?”

My favorability had already soared to its limit with just the Crystal Scroll. Even if a bottle of Holy Water imbued with light was added on top, it probably wouldn’t change much.

Furthermore, keeping Minerva close was also the most correct choice if I wanted to bind Kaikilia. Unless I were to cross over to the Holy Nation and entrust myself to the Popes, that is.

“You don’t need to thank me. I also received help from Minerva-nim.”

“Wasn’t this a trade for the Crystal Scroll?”

“There was no mention of providing items from the Magic Tower, was there?”

Thanks to her, I was able to skip all the intermediate steps and come directly to the Holy Nation, so if I considered it a repayment, it wasn’t an entirely one-sided favor.

“Heehee…… I understand. In that case, I won’t mention this any further.”

Minerva neatly backed down, just as she had said herself that excessive consideration could be poison.

Seeing that mysterious smile, I wondered if the woman in front of me was truly the same person who had been nagging me to hurry and find the Crystal Scroll. I became curious which Minerva was her true self.

‘Just looking at her now, she feels like some sage who has transcended life.’

-*CRASH!*

Suddenly, the door was flung open with force. The moment I was about to turn to see what it was, brilliant golden sunlight poured in.

I instinctively covered my eyes. I vaguely saw Minerva, who had looked to the side, looking slightly surprised through the pouring light and my vision obscured by my fingers.

The light gradually subsided before long. I blinked a few times to regain my vision and turned my head. Questions like, “What on earth happened?” surged within me.

“It has been a long time since I last visited you, Honored Guest-isiyeo.”

And then my eyes met Floreta’s.