Chapter 32: Saints And Saintesses (4)
Hmm?
She seemed not to understand and asked again.
It appears they came to find me from the Silia Kingdom.
Ah.
Finally, she seemed to grasp the situation, nodding her head.
Aira looked at Ray.
It appears our child has encountered them.
Pia?
Im unsure. I cant confirm.
They wouldnt have attacked recklessly, would they?
I cant guarantee it, but probably not.
Lets go see quickly!
With those words, Ray leaped down from the tree.
He could do this because he trusted Aira.
Of course, even if she didnt assist him like the last time, thanks to the mana enveloping his legs, he wouldnt be severely injured.
Airas voice echoed from behind him.
Fly.
Uttering the activation word, she jumped down after him, and Ray gave her a thumbs up.
Excellent!
Hehe
The high elf was susceptible to compliments.
Pia found herself in a challenging situation.
Numerous armored humans were in the forest.
Unlike them, she was alone.
In her village, all the inhabitants and fighters were elves, and they would only select one or two guardians, but there were no separate guards.
Thats why the current situation had arisen.
She knew it would happen someday but didnt anticipate it would be this soon.
What are the humans doing here? And why are there so many?
The bead-like voice made the commander swallow his saliva.
Wow I knew elves are considered a beautiful race, but this is beyond imagination
Tsk What a pity
Pia, growing more cautious as she observed them, even reached for her swords handle.
With a sigh too faint for Iriel to hear, she stepped forward.
With a sudden change in expression, she smiled brightly and spoke.
We have come here in search of the saint. We would like to have a conversation with him. By any chance, have you seen a boy with white hair?
The human, beautiful in her eyes, announced that they had come in search of the saint in a matching voice.
Pia didnt react when Iriel mentioned the saint, but she flinched at the phrase boy with white hair.
In her village, there were two people with white hair.
Aira and Ray.
Since he referred to a boy, it had to be Ray.
Iriels eyes sparkled when the elf, who had previously shown no reaction to his words, suddenly perked up.
Got it.
He wasnt completely sure, but he believed the likelihood was greatest here.
And, as he expected, he was correct.
Iriels smile widened.
Is the saint here?
Despite the many thoughts swirling in Pias mind, she tried to appear composed and stumbled over her words.
Who is the Saint?
So, youre saying theres a boy with white hair here?
Elves couldnt lie.
Silence could be interpreted as confirmation.
Having unintentionally answered the opponents question, she felt anxious inside.
If such a large group attacked, the damage, including to herself, would be substantial.
Of course, she would handle the rest.
Seeing Pia clench her hand tightly, Erielle gently raised her hand to stop her.
We didnt come here to fight. We just came to take the Saint with us. Once we finish our business, well leave immediately. And of course, well pay the appropriate reward.
She smiled, trying to defuse the tension.
But Pia didnt soften her stance.
Her resolve was steadfast, as if she wouldnt let even a single person enter the village.
Erielle found herself in a bind.
Overpowering Pia by force wouldnt be difficult.
But that would inevitably result in a loss of their full strength.
And ultimately, their power would be weakened.
Erielle laughed awkwardly and said,
If its going to be like this, we have no choice but to fight. Just give us one person, and no one else will be hurt.
Despite her gentle tone, her true message was clear:
If you dont want to die, step aside.
How could Pia not understand the veiled threat in those words?
The number of lives at risk was far from insignificant.
If they surrendered Ray, their friends would not face potential harm.
That was why the role of Guardian existed in the elf village.
If Ray had only a personal connection with her, she would have surrendered him immediately.
The elf Guardians would not sacrifice a friend due to personal emotions.
However, Ray was the one who rescued Aila and, in turn, saved the lives of the elves.
If Aila had perished, the remaining elves would have eventually been slaughtered by humans.
She considered this and shook her head.
He already saved us. Many among us would willingly lay down their lives for him.
At least, that was her belief.
Erielles smiling face hardened at her words, expressing a readiness to face death.
Contrary to expectations, things were not progressing smoothly, and she appeared slightly irritated.
If you obstruct us, a holy war will ensue. Will you still stand in our way?
Pia was taken aback when she recognized the individuals before her.
If there was a kingdom that could declare a holy war, there was only one.
The Holy Kingdom.
Usually peaceful, but when it involved a deity, the most troublesome place was the Holy Kingdom.
They were notorious for disregarding their own lives and executing heretics.
A representative of them had just alluded to a holy war.
That could be interpreted as a final warning.
Pia swallowed hard.
I dont know what will transpire if a holy war erupts.
Aila was their last stronghold, but they didnt know how long they could hold out against a nation.
In fact, it was doubtful whether they could resist at all.
The name Holy Kingdom bore a significant weight.
Despite the tension and pressure, she was soaked in sweat.
But she did not retreat.
She had already committed to confronting death.
If she were to waver now and betray her benefactor, she wouldnt be able to face the other elves.
For her, loyalty was more important than her own life, and that was the decision she made, even if it meant her comrades might lose their lives.
With that resolve, her actions followed suit.
Her posture tightened, and her aura blended flawlessly with nature.
Even though they could see her with their eyes, they could not sense Pias presence.
It was as if they were confronting a master assassin at the height of their skill.
Iriels gaze turned icy.
So you choose war after all.
Isnt that what you humans always desire?
There was no point in debating with her.
Even if they talked all day, she didnt seem like she would change her stance.
Without a word, Pia simply raised her hand.
At Iriels subtle signal, the front and rear guards instantly adjusted their formations, demonstrating they had all undergone proper military training.
Then, with her fist lowered, she ordered,
Clear the path.
A single quiet command was followed by a deafening collective shout.
Yes!
Yes!
Their voices, charged with divine power, were enough to shake the earth.
The paladins with shields took the lead, and behind them, the priests and priestesses followed in support.
Facing such overpowering force, Pias complexion turned pale.
She was skilled in one-on-one combat, not in fighting numerous opponents simultaneously.
In a situation like this, she would be easily overwhelmed.
Moreover, the elite troops from the holy nation seemed to be exceptionally formidable.
Realizing she wouldnt stand a chance if she just stood there, Pia made the first move.
A swirling mist arose from her sword, which was slightly shorter than a longsword.
Iriel was secretly taken aback at the sight.
I knew she was powerful just from the mana radiating from her body, but to think she could wield an Aura Blade
Though her combat style was more suited to assassination, it was surprising that she could handle an Aura Blade, a weapon more commonly used by knights.
Assassins generally found it harder to reach the pinnacle of their craft than knights did.
And if even Aura users struggled, what about Swordmasters?
If Pia had been human, she wouldnt have reached such an impressive level of mastery.
Thats how challenging it was for those specializing in assassination to reach the pinnacle of their craft.
True to its reputation, the Aura Blade could cut through anything, and no one dared to approach her recklessly.
The rear guards, being younger, were not as devout in their faith and thus were not willing to risk their lives in battle.
So, the front guards took the initiative and moved forward.
As the paladins advanced, those behind them provided support.
God, please bless us. Bless.
May our bodies be immune to the enemies attacks Holy Protect.
Pia observed their movements before making her move.
Once she decided to hide, she vanished without a trace, her presence undetectable even by the naked eye.
The area was filled with trees, bushes, and hills, making it an ideal place for her to operate.
Moreover, she was familiar with the place, having spent years observing it.
However, the front guards did not panic and gathered together so that they could immediately support each other if one of them fell.
Either way, that was their misconception and arrogance.
To stop her, the self-proclaimed guardian of the elves, their collective strength might have been enough, but individually, they were inadequate.
In the blink of an eye, a priest in the back row spat out blood and collapsed.
Argh!
As he fell, the remaining clergy and priests hastily turned around.
But there was nothing in sight.
The dead priest, with a small hole in his chest, wore a frustrated expression.
There was no time to heal amidst the tension as another scream echoed.
Cough!
This time, it was someone from the front row.
It wasnt a cleric or priest, but a paladin who was targeted.
In other words, she was prepared to kill clerics, priests, and paladins alike.
What kind of assassin could participate in such a conflict with a large unit like this?
The clerics at the rear quickly healed the injured paladin.
Heal!
Heal!
The surge of healing magic saved the paladin, who appeared near death.
Amid the astonishment at the elfs swordsmanship, which neatly severed a throat, another victim appeared.
Aaah!
Heal!
The healing spells were almost automatic now.
Despite the screams, there were no further casualties.
Frustrated, Pia gritted her teeth.
At this pace, I wont be able to kill many before they break through.
She altered her strategy.
She shifted her sword from the clerics and priests to the saintess.
Pia unsheathed her sword as the saintess, oblivious to her closeness, looked forward with her arms folded.
The clear path of the sword seemed to create a rainbow as it slashed downwards, prepared to cut through everything in its way.
Just as the saintess seemed likely to lose her life easily.
Clang-
Pias sword failed its mission, being obstructed by something unknown.
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