I Thought I Was Collecting Systems, Not Overpowered Wives

Chapter 62: Saga 62: A Saintess Unmasked

The fight had spilled deeper into the archive’s winding stacks, ancient shelves toppling under stray strikes, centuries of documents scattering across the floor in a chaotic blizzard of parchment. Sylvia had dispatched one of the corrupted creatures entirely, its remains dissolving into inert ash the moment her celestial blade found its mark, but the second creature had latched onto her leg with wicked claws, dragging her balance off just enough to open a dangerous gap in her defense.

"Sylvia!" Kael’s warning came a half-second too late as the masked figure he’d been dueling seized the opening, breaking away to lunge toward her exposed flank instead.

Ari moved before Kael could, closing the distance with a speed that belied her earlier claims of rustiness, staff crackling with golden light as she intercepted the strike meant for Sylvia, deflecting it at considerable cost to her own balance.

"You dare interfere," the masked figure hissed, clearly recognizing her now, some genuine surprise bleeding through the distorted voice. "The false Saint fights her own executioners directly. How refreshingly undignified."

"I was never particularly good at dignified," Ari shot back, planting her feet and meeting the figure’s next strike head-on, staff ringing against blade in a shower of golden sparks. "Ask anyone who’s actually met me instead of the version the Church parades in front of crowds."

Something in her tone made the masked figure pause, just slightly, just long enough for genuine confusion to bleed through the distortion. "You speak with considerably less composure than reports suggested."

"Reports lie," Ari said, pressing her advantage, staff sweeping in a wide arc that forced the figure back another step. "Or rather, reports only ever describe the performance, never the person underneath it."

Kael used the opening to finish off the creature still clinging to Sylvia’s leg, a sharp burst of concentrated mana severing its grip entirely, allowing her to regain her footing and rejoin the fight properly.

"Thank you," Sylvia said, breathless, already redirecting her swords toward the remaining threat.

The masked figure, seeing the tide turning decisively against them, began edging backward toward the alcove, blade raised defensively rather than aggressively now. "Impressive coordination for a group that’s known each other mere days," they observed, voice still distorted but carrying something almost like grudging respect. "Cardinal Vane underestimated you considerably."

"Tell him we said hello," Kael said, pressing forward to close the gap before retreat became viable.

The figure raised a hand, and a small orb of dark energy pulsed briefly at their palm, some kind of emergency ward or transportation focus activating with a low, discordant hum. "This conversation isn’t finished. Merely postponed."

Together, the three of them pressed the masked figure back through the ruined stacks, coordinated in a way that spoke of trust built over days rather than the brief acquaintance it technically represented. The figure, sensing the shifting balance of the fight, finally disengaged entirely, retreating toward a shadowed alcove at the archive’s rear.

"This isn’t over," the figure said, voice carrying genuine frustration now beneath the distortion. "Cardinal Vane will not be pleased with tonight’s failure, but he plans in decades, not single engagements. We’ll return, false Saint, with considerably better odds next time."

Before any of them could close the distance, the figure vanished entirely into the shadows, some enchantment carrying them away before pursuit became possible.

The archive fell silent except for their own labored breathing, the aftermath of battle settling heavily over the ruined stacks. Ari lowered her staff slowly, hands visibly trembling now that the immediate threat had passed.

"You did well," Kael said, moving to steady her.

"I nearly threw up twice," Ari admitted, voice shaky. "Is that normal?"

"Completely normal," Sylvia said, sheathing her swords. "Adrenaline’s a strange thing. Give it a few minutes."

Ari nodded, taking several slow, deliberate breaths, color gradually returning to her face as the immediate shock began to fade. "That was considerably more terrifying than any of the sanitized reports I’ve read about assassination attempts over the years."

"Reports rarely capture the reality," Sylvia agreed. "You held your own admirably, though. Better than most trained hunters manage their first real fight."

"High praise, coming from you."

"I don’t offer praise I don’t mean."

They spent several more minutes securing the archive, confirming no additional threats remained hidden among the ruined stacks, before finally allowing themselves to fully stand down. Kael checked Ari over carefully for injuries, finding only minor scrapes and bruising despite the intensity of the fight.

"You’re going to be sore tomorrow," he said, noting the way she favored her left shoulder slightly.

"I’ll take sore over dead, gladly." Ari managed a weak smile, exhaustion evident in every line of her posture. "Thank you both. Genuinely. I don’t think I would have survived tonight without you here."

"You held your ground," Sylvia said firmly. "Don’t discount your own contribution to that outcome."

Guards began arriving in greater numbers moments later, the Cardinal close behind them, expression cycling rapidly through relief and mounting alarm as she took in the scale of the destroyed archive wing.

"Report, immediately," the Cardinal demanded, surveying the wreckage with visible horror.

"Three intruders, at least two corrupted creatures," Sylvia reported crisply, falling into the familiar rhythm of after-action briefing despite her exhaustion. "One masked operative escaped via unknown transportation enchantment.Two guards lost before our arrival."

The Cardinal’s expression tightened with grief at the casualty report, though she nodded grimly, already turning to organize the recovery effort.

"See to their families personally," she instructed an aide. "Whatever the Church can provide, ensure it reaches them today, not buried in bureaucratic delay."

She turned back to the group, exhaustion evident beneath her composed authority. "Thank you, all three of you. Songrel owes you a debt tonight that mere words can’t properly repay."

"We’re not finished yet," Sylvia said quietly.

"The masked figure escaped, and whatever intelligence they gathered tonight will inform Vane’s next attempt. We should assume this isn’t over, merely delayed."

"Agreed," the Cardinal said grimly. "I’ll increase the guard rotation further, and we’ll begin a full review of every entrance and blind spot in the cathedral complex again, more thoroughly this time."

Ari, still catching her breath, looked between them all with an expression that mixed exhaustion and stubborn resolve in equal measure. "Whatever comes next, I don’t intend to simply wait for it anymore. Tonight proved I’m not as helpless as everyone, myself included, assumed."

"No," Kael agreed, watching her with quiet admiration. "You’re really not."

—

End of Chapter—