An invisible blind person, pure white priestess robes, and the Great Temple at the heart of the Order — combining these three things, a single answer instantly flashed through her mind. It was the woman who held immense power within this religious order.
“Could it be… are you Lady Gahlia, the Saint? It is truly an honor to meet you for the first time in such a beautiful setting.”
Erika hurriedly lowered her head in a bow.
She wasn’t entirely sure what the etiquette of the Holy Kingdom was, so she instinctively lifted the corners of her skirt with both hands and performed a formal court curtsy. Although this blind nun might not be able to see her gesture, having spent so much time in a palace filled with tedious etiquette, her body reacted naturally, moving faster than her brain.
“Raise your head. I haven’t even had the chance to introduce myself yet. As expected, a woman called an enchantress is indeed different.” The Saint let out a soft, “He-he-he,” laughter. Her voice was gentle and kind, instantly putting people at ease.
But Erika was only focused on her surprise. She hadn’t even asked for the woman’s identity, so how could the Saint be so certain she was Erika Angelina?
The title of “Enchantress” didn’t seem to be pinned on anyone else.
Although the eyes, the windows to the soul, were covered, and her robes concealed most of her body, one could vaguely see the Saint’s lovely features from the lower half of her face.
Gahlia reached out her slender hands and began to gently pat Erika’s cheeks and shoulders.
‘What’s going on?’
Erika thought this was probably similar to the “blind men touching an elephant” story. After all, the main way blind people understood the world was through hearing and touch.
“However… you are a bit more petite than I imagined. You look completely like a little girl. I thought someone given the name ‘Demon’ would be a tall, muscular, and sturdy woman.”
“It seems rumors about me have traveled as far as the distant Holy Kingdom.”
Since the Saint was touching her, Erika felt she should take the opportunity to observe her closely as well. She quickly scanned the woman from head to toe.
Half-fairies weren’t just strong in hearing; their eyes were often sharper than those of ordinary people. Having the blood of the elf race, they naturally inherited racial talents, possessing a **Fairy Eye** with powerful insight, especially dynamic vision.
‘Wait?’
Those originally crimson eyes seemed to become even more vivid. Erika, who was observing the Saint, pondered for a moment before she was suddenly startled by the “truth” she saw…
The Saint’s long, smooth, and translucent pink hair was almost entirely covered by white cloth. Erika hadn’t noticed before, but the Saint’s skin was so pale it was almost transparent, creating an even sharper contrast with the black blindfold covering her face.
Although the graceful curves unique to women were completely hidden by the priestess’s loose clothing, the words “exquisite and delicate” naturally came to the mind of anyone who saw her.
That sense of presence called “beauty” could not be covered or blended by moonlight and flowers. Even as a young girl, this peerless elegance still struck Erika’s heart directly.
Beautiful in every way, and every part made for beauty — that was Erika’s first thought. If she were to shed her robes and release her charm, she would absolutely be a beauty on par with Evelyn. She truly lived up to her reputation as a woman under the spotlight.
A kingdom-toppling enchantress? Erika felt that this title was devaluing quickly, as the girls she saw around her were each as stunning as the next.
However, this woman was Saint Gahlia — the one who would later become the final boss of the protagonist’s final dungeon…
Looking at her current approachable and soft appearance, it was truly hard to imagine that she would become so terrifying in the future.
“You’re a bit different from what I imagined. It’s truly surprising. Are you an elf? No, more like… a branch of the elves — a fairy? And one from a lineage with particularly thick and close bloodlines.”
“I am a half-fairy. That is to say, only half of my blood is fairy.”
“Then, what about the other half?”
“Probably… human…”
“He-he, it seems rumors really can’t be trusted.”
Saint Gahlia chuckled softly and let go of Erika’s shoulders. “A dissolute and lewd woman, an enchantress who brings chaos to the court… such nicknames made me a bit curious about you. Some even said your chest was bigger than your head, and that’s how you seduced the love-starved princess. As expected, they were just rumors… ah, how rude of me.”
“…”
Facing the Saint’s talkative and thick-skinned words, Erika couldn’t help but break into a cold sweat. Was it really okay for her to say such defamatory things so recklessly in front of others, while also spreading rumors about the Queen’s taboo origins and scandals?
Was this something that could be said out loud?
‘What a scatterbrained woman. Fortunately, she isn’t my subordinate, or things would be a mess.’
However, if she weren’t so pure-minded, she probably wouldn’t have been able to occupy the supreme position of the Order’s Saint, which held unparalleled influence.
“Lady Angelina, do you not have anything you want to ask me?” At that moment, the Saint suddenly tossed a question her way.
“A question? Come to think of it, I heard you were performing a **Sleepless Overnight Prayer** and had no time to rest. So why are you here?”
“I’m slacking off. If humans don’t rest like this occasionally, they’ll break. That’s how everyone was created, you know.”
“Ah… break, huh…” Hearing this from a Saint who would eventually become a dungeon boss felt like an unusual amount of pressure.
But this dignified and holy Saint would actually look for chances to slack off?
In Erika’s eyes, Saint Gahlia looked as though she were enveloped in moonlight, as if she could grow angel wings and ascend to heaven at any moment. Now, however, she seemed a bit more grounded and human.
According to Erika’s earliest memories of the original story, the Saint was a quite a good person. It was exactly because such a Saint eventually fell and became the final boss that the plot development had such a high-impact twist.
*Ding-ling-ling~*
The Saint shook a **Copper Bell Lantern** that jingled with noise. The crisp sound jolted the deep-thinking Erika back to reality.
“By the way, this is to prevent passersby from bumping into me. Although I am blind and have grown used to the darkness, most people cannot do the same. You must be quite curious about this lantern, right?”
“I see. As expected, you are even more clever than the rumors say. You truly are the bright light of the church.”
The Saint covered her bloodless lips with her pale, slender hand and laughed softly. This important figure’s laughter was more frequent than expected.
“The rumors about you being quite popular in certain aspects are not false, Lady Angelina. Although such praise is meaningless to me, my mood has improved. So, in return, let me take you to your bedroom.”
“That is… I am truly honored.”
Thus, Erika walked with the Saint for a short but slightly awkward distance. For some reason, Erika felt she should maintain some distance from this woman.
Even though the Saint was blind, the strange thing was that it felt as if no secrets could exist beneath the eyes hidden behind the black cloth.
Just in case, she quietly raised her hand and waved it left and right in front of the Saint. *Swish, swish.*
However, the Saint showed no reaction. Based on her appearance alone, she truly seemed unable to see or perceive anything.
‘Could it be that I’m nervous for nothing?’
But how did she know the person she met was Erika? Was it because she was a half-fairy? Or could she perceive mana or some kind of magical energy?
Perhaps like Evelyn, she possessed a special talent for sensing a person’s presence.
However, the way she walked freely within the Great Temple didn’t make her look like a blind person at all…
“We’ve arrived. This is likely your residence. It’s the room where Bishop Frey once lived. The quiet environment is very suitable for meditation. It is very, very quiet and peaceful…”
“It certainly is a secluded and tranquil room.”
“It’s the kind of room where even if someone died, you wouldn’t hear a single scream.”
“…”
“Just a joke. Any form of violence is forbidden in the temple.”
‘Thanks, I was actually scared. You remind me of an old acquaintance from Tresen Academy.’
‘Your talent for joking is truly second to none and unprecedented.’
Erika could only smile and reply, “I see. Thank you for the guidance.”
“Then, I wish you a good dream. Please be sure to keep it a secret that I slacked off today.”
“I understand.”
The Saint’s high-top shoes made a crisp *click-clack* sound as her figure gradually disappeared into the shadows at the end of the corridor.
When the Saint was almost completely out of sight, the girl narrowed her eyes and looked in the direction of her departure. She activated her ability: **Eye**.
…
*Tap.*
Suddenly, the Saint stopped in her tracks and looked back at Erika.
The upper half of her cheeks was hidden in the darkness, and the lantern in her hand was completely unable to illuminate her face.
Was the blackness above her nose the darkness of the night? Or was it a shadow?
Were her eyes open, or…
“Ah, Miss Angelina. There are some things in this world that should not be looked at. Even though my eyes cannot see now, and I can no longer see anything even if I wanted to…”
Erika’s blood froze in that moment. She forced herself to remain calm and did not look away, continuing to meet the woman’s gaze.
“…”
Seeing that the girl did not answer for a long time, the Saint continued, “That room contains Bishop Frey’s private items, so please do not open them as you please. Well then, I wish you a pleasant night.”
After saying that, her other half disappeared completely into the corridor, leaving only fragmented bits of moonlight behind.
Saint Gahlia.
She was completely different from Evelyn, but undoubtedly another elusive woman.
‘I should avoid getting involved with that woman as much as possible.’ Erika didn’t want to add another uncontrollable variable; the two young ladies, Evelyn and Emil, were already enough for her to handle.
Erika closed the room door and locked it —