Two hours ago.
After obtaining the Saint’s symbol, Silbell could receive the blessing of divine power even without chanting or praying.
However, at Alberic’s suggestion, Silbell would still pretend to chant before a battle. Her weapon was a spear that had lost its master, its tip bound with a white cloth. This matched part of the widely circulated “symbol” of one of the Saints.
Perhaps she was naturally gifted, or perhaps the Symbol of the Saint had brought her strength. The petite Silbell was capable of killing a monster that bordered on the transcendent by herself, though it required a trade-off of injuries.
Her new ability to heal herself meant she only had to pay the price of a little pain and some of her strength.
The Knight Academy and the Mage Academy had organized search and rescue operations toward the west and north, respectively, while students from the Medical Academy were currently treating the wounded. Silbell could heal herself, but she had not yet learned divine arts that could be used on others. For now, exchanging injuries was the best solution she could manage.
Silbell felt a bewilderment unique to a young girl. Ulgrich was a large city that felt almost foreign to her, and now it was riddled with disaster and tragedy. There were no familiar faces or scenes around her. She felt she had to immerse herself in something to offset these uncontrollable, wandering thoughts.
Beyond the monastery, the only people she knew were Sister Beta, Alberic, and Dolores.
Just as the thought occurred to her, Dolores’s figure appeared at the university exit. After waving from a distance, she approached Silbell. Dolores was preparing to return to the royal palace. She had just come from Alberic’s dormitory and had stopped by to say goodbye to Silbell on her way.
After bidding her farewell, Dolores left with her maid.
The Princess had only sought her out because she knew Silbell would become a Saint. Silbell had no reason to harbor ill will or refuse her proposal.
Soon, Silbell was the only one left on this section of the street, surrounded by monster corpses that had not yet been cleared away. Silbell discovered she was surprisingly strong. Especially after what had happened with Beta.
At that thought, Silbell felt a wave of gloom.
Some of the wounded would greet her, and passing students would offer their regards. Silbell smiled and responded to each of them. She hadn’t originally wanted to be a nun—or rather, she hadn’t wanted to spend the rest of her adult life in Wulin Monastery.
She was two months away from turning eighteen.
Silbell had been abandoned by her parents as a child and was picked up by Dean Mary of Wulin Monastery. Unless something unexpected happened, someone raised in the monastery could only continue as a nun. She could try to enter the clergy system, go to a parish with a cathedral, or even head directly to the Holy Kingdom for further study. Or, she could study at a cathedral in another major local city.
Archprelate Berkeley of the Sulland region had attended a banquet not long ago, where Dolores and Grimm were also present. However, he had hurried back to the cathedral in the Kingdom of Vath after it ended. Otherwise, if this Archprelate—who was equivalent to a transcendent—were still in Ulgrich to help, King Felts IV would not have been so severely injured by the dragon, even without Grimm’s involvement.
Silbell didn’t like the rigid rules of the Church, but now, she might have changed her mind somewhat. She placed her palm over her heart, assuming a silent prayer position.
She was an unfaithful believer, yet she had received a gift from the God.
Silbell didn’t understand why the God had chosen her. There were so many people in the Holy Church who were more devout and more capable of carrying this power and honor. Yet, she alone had been chosen.
She didn’t understand. But… she would try to comprehend it.
Thinking of her past clumsy, rebellious self, Silbell couldn’t help but let out a bitter smile. When they first met, she had been angered by Alberic’s offensive words, but facts had proven him right. She really should take her studies more seriously.
As for why the God had granted her this blessing…
She was puzzled and curious. That God… perhaps He was capricious, or perhaps He had deep-seated motives.
But.
“I hope I can find the answer in the future.”
She thrust the spear into a gap between the stone slabs at her feet. The simple, patternless white cloth fluttered like a flag. The dead monsters around her looked like silent observers, wordlessly surrounding the scene.
She tucked her long hair into her robes, waiting for the day when it could fly freely beneath the white flag.
***
**[Dolores Affection Quest (Trust)]**
Task Requirements: Complete any three of the following five tasks.
(1) No time limit. Find any clues regarding Dolores’s mother and deliver them to Dolores.
(2) No time limit. Save Dolores or Veserian once in a life-threatening situation.
(3) No time limit. Obtain two types of special non-romantic emotions from Dolores (including Fear, Pity, Maternal Love, etc.).
(4) Within 10 days, expose Count Kanko’s conspiracy to embezzle royal property.
(5) Within 15 days, clear 50 mindless monsters wandering near the Royal City Hollow. Remaining: 346.
Quest Rewards: Unlock Dolores’s Affection stage [Like], Dolores’s “Punishment” Memory × 1, Dolores’s exclusive item [Blood Cup of Mercy].
Hidden Reward: Upon quest completion, the base affection for the [Trust] stage will increase by the number of completed tasks × 1.
Note: Affection at the [Trust] stage and above cannot be increased through physical touch or dialogue.
Grimm had completed Dolores’s [Familiar] stage affection quest back when they were at Mercury Street, but the new affection quest had only unlocked after the main quest was finished. Because he had completed the main quest [Mortals Beneath the Dragon Calamity (2)], Grimm had received 10 points of affection for Dolores’s [Familiar] stage, and the hidden task reward was also 10 points.
Added together, it was just enough to cross the threshold from 50 to 70.
Alberic had a zero increase, while Silbell’s affection had jumped from the [Acquaintance] level of 10 to 35, which wasn’t a significant change.
When he walked to the university entrance with Dolores, Grimm had used the rewards he obtained. He watched the affection level above Dolores’s head shift from 50 to 70 in an instant.
However, before he could confirm her reaction, Dolores had sent him away.
Before being dismissed, Grimm had carefully observed Dolores’s expression. She didn’t seem to have as strong a reaction as she did back in the palace garden. The timing of the dismissal was a bit too coincidental, but after weighing the pros and cons, Grimm saw no need to object. He would have plenty of time to contact and see Dolores later.
Grimm felt that he might truly be getting a little impatient. Because of Dolores’s reaction, his affection for her had inexplicably dropped.
The Hollow near Mercury Street was eerily quiet. Grimm waited for a while, cleared out a few monsters, and then prepared to head back. He had delayed for over an hour.
Suddenly, Grimm stopped in his tracks.
He saw Dolores appear not far away, walking toward the royal palace with Veserian. He didn’t go out to greet them or meet them this time.
Dolores walked past him, while a strange figure lingered behind her.