Chapter 36: Saints And Saintesses (8)
She, who was collecting her few possessions, looked at the bewildered dispatch team and spoke.
Everyone, return to the Kingdom of Silia. I will proceed to the elf village.
Her declaration, which sounded like a command, left everyone stunned.
Venturing to the elf village alone.
Was she not considering her own safety as a saintess!
Immediately, dissenting voices erupted.
No, Saintess!
Exactly! You just witnessed it yourself! Those demonic elves
Going alone is too risky!
Despite their passionate responses, Iriel shook her head.
I believe its safer for me to go alone than to bring all these people with me. Moreover, they wont attack me without reason.
While it was true that they wouldnt assault the saintess unprovoked, the situation remained perilous.
But if she, the representative of God, ordered it, they would have no choice but to obey.
A few priests from the dispatch team conferred, and one of them spoke as a representative.
In that case, please allow some of us to accompany you. It will undoubtedly be safer than going alone.
This was their attempt at compromise.
But once again, Iriel shook her head.
I mustnt give the impression that I am assembling people to accompany me.
The saint she perceived was a boy who didnt give off that impression.
If she gave him the impression that she was scheming something, it could incite him further.
And provoking him would also provoke the elf accompanying him, making it challenging to hastily gather people.
Moreover, she had to consider the possibility that the elves wouldnt accept her.
There was no need to bring someone along and cause unnecessary trouble.
And she couldnt afford to do so.
I will go alone.
The resolute determination in her statement left the priest speechless.
But
This is a command. Everyone, return to the Kingdom of Silia. Immediately.
She interrupted the priests words and spoke with authority.
She then raised her right hand, relieving everyone of their fatigue.
Her divine powers light enveloped everyone, instantly dispelling their accumulated fatigue. They turned their gaze towards the saintess.
S-Saintess
Please stay safe.
May God be with you
Moved by Iriels blessing, they felt a wave of emotions.
They believed that the saintess was considering their welfare and had chosen to go alone.
Typically, many viewed the saintess negatively, comparing her to a zealot, and thus avoided her.
But now, everyone looked at Iriel with favorable eyes.
Although it wasnt her intention, it was an unexpected advantage.
However, the reason the saintess wanted to go alone was entirely different from what they assumed.
It wasnt because she was concerned that they would get injured.
Instead, she didnt want to bring them as she thought they would be a hindrance.
Iriel hid her expression and smiled faintly.
I will surely bring back positive results.
Ah
We will be waiting for news from the Saintess!
Sob
Some even shed tears of emotion.
Iriel, who had always seemed cold and heartless, considered them at a crucial moment.
Those who had previously thought ill of her now shed tears of remorse and self-reflection, and the priests believed that the gods had chosen the right saint, blessing the future of the holy kingdom.
Such reactions indicated that it was a perilous journey to go to the elf village alone.
She might have truly died.
Iriel picked up her small luggage and slightly bowed her head.
Ill go ahead. Be wary of the monsters attacks, and may Gods blessings be with you on your journey ahead.
With her blessing, divine power truly flowed into them.
Looking at their bodies filled with divine power, they felt as if they could defeat any monster that crossed their path.
So this is the power of a saint
Really, its as if Gods blessing is embedded
As a saint with a significant presence, they acknowledged that she indeed possessed such power.
Iriel observed them, then quickly ran in the direction where Lei and Aira had vanished.
She moved almost out of sight, as if she had disappeared.
Watching Iriel vanish completely, the dispatched soldiers followed the priests guidance and left.
They whispered to each other as they went.
As expected, she is a saint who will be recorded in history Just a word, and its really as if God has bestowed his blessing
I I dont think Ill ever forget todays history
From today onwards, after Gaia, Ill serve the saint!
Because they believed their god had directly bestowed blessings upon them, their faith deepened even more.
Even the paladins of Sangyeondae, known for their deep faith, radiated divine power with dazed eyes.
The weakest among the dispatched soldiers, Hagyeondae, was brimming with divine power and couldnt regain their senses.
But since they had received blessings directly from the god, there was no way they would lose to monsters.
They yearned to encounter monsters and test their power.
Having checked the approximate location on the map and thoroughly memorized it, Iriel knew where to go as if she had been there before.
Before sunset, she entered the forest full of towering trees and paused for a moment to survey her surroundings.
Are there no monsters around here?
Having encountered several groups of monsters on her way to the village, she noticed the number of monsters significantly decreased as she neared the elf village.
This allowed her to proceed to the village smoothly.
After surveying her surroundings and resting for a while, she quickened her pace again and soon arrived at the entrance of the village.
There, she encountered several elves one after another, who became alert at the sight of blood on Iriels armor.
The scent of blood was not human.
It was natural for them to react to the scent of their kins blood.
Human, dont come any closer.
Are you a slave trader? The number of people seems too few.
Two male elves blocked her path.
One of them pointed a bow at her, while the other unsheathed a sword.
Seeing this, Iriel responded with her characteristic smile and a wave of her hand.
I didnt come here to fight. I came to see the saint in your village.
Her blood-stained face and armor made her words hard to believe.
But she was genuine.
They must have realized that her words were truthful.
Youre serious. So, youre saying theres a saint in our village?
Regardless, we cant allow a human into our village.
Even if her words were truthful, they wouldnt step aside.
After all, wasnt that the blood of their kin on her armor?
As she smiled with blood on her face, they questioned her identity.
Ignoring the doubts that arose in their minds, they aimed their bow and sword at her.
Leave the forest immediately.
If you come any closer, we wont stand by.
She had already ventured deep into the elves territory.
It was their front yard, though she hadnt entered the village.
Therefore, the elves naturally became more hostile.
There was no reason for humans to venture this far.
Yet, she didnt lose her smile.
Its troublesome But could you at least call him for me?
Despite her request, the elves shook their heads.
We cant allow that.
Go back.
Their unanimous response didnt unsettle Iriel.
Then could you at least let me stay here?
Her awkward smile made them exchange glances, seemingly considering.
Noticing their hesitation, Iriel continued.
I wont cause any harm. I promise.
Perhaps because they sensed sincerity in her earnest words, the two elves nodded.
Stay far away from here.
If you try to come any closer, we will attack immediately.
Iriel slightly bowed her head.
Thank you. I wont come closer, so dont worry.
After offering a brief greeting, she moved to a corner and gently set down her packed bag.
The elves didnt hinder her, but they frowned at her actions.
She utilized a portion of her tent to shield herself from the sunlight and gathered fallen leaves to create a comfortable bed on the ground.
Her actions didnt resemble those of someone who had only camped a few times.
The sight of a human setting up camp in their front yard was unfamiliar to them, but they sensed no ill intent towards the elves in her actions.
As the sun began to descend, Iriels hands moved more busily.
Before complete darkness fell, she successfully erected the tent.
Although it was crudely constructed with unsuitable materials, it seemed adequate for camping.
The elves felt compelled to monitor her actions, so they didnt take their eyes off her every move.
Iriel felt their stares but didnt mind, and she began to remove her blood-stained armor.
The armor, which covered only the vital areas, was quite heavy.
When she placed it on the ground, a thud sound echoed.
She picked up damp leaves and began cleaning the armor she had worn, her actions reverent.
Of course, the elves didnt see it that way.
They merely frowned at the scent of blood and continued to watch.
They seemed to have a vague idea of who the saint she claimed to be was and let her be, wondering if they knew each other.
After all, the individual in their village was a benefactor to all the elves.
They couldnt treat someone who might be acquainted with him carelessly, but they also couldnt let her into the village.
All they could do was send a messenger to the village and prepare to attack immediately if she exhibited any suspicious behavior.
However, contrary to their expectations, the human girl before them didnt do anything unusual.
She simply cleaned the armor, neatly placed it to one side, knelt down, and brought her hands together in prayer.
How could they not recognize that she was praying?
Her familiar posture exuded a mysterious aura.
A small but gentle divine power emanated from Iriel.
Gradually, the divine power that erupted from her body orbited her before returning.
This cycle continued.
Given the surrounding darkness, she seemed to radiate light.
How long could she hold this stance?
The two elves remained alert, but they regarded the human before them with fresh perspectives.
It appeared as though she was murmuring something, but it was indistinct.
They merely observed her and awaited the change of shift.
Since another elf had already been dispatched to the village, there were no issues.
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