Chapter 42: The Switched Journey (1)
Ray found himself dumbfounded once again.
His previous thought was discarded. It wasnt that Iriel hadnt thought things through or refrained from speaking.
This was undoubtedly revenge for the full sheet of paper incident. His sharp intuition told him so.
Why else would she, who had never even greeted them in the morning or waved, now come to greet them, constantly smiling at the door?
As proof, she was currently laughing.
Hoo Hoo
He cooled his heated mind using the Lamada breathing technique.
There was no need for negative thoughts. Thats right. His heart was as pure as a saints.
Ray also looked at Iriel and returned her smile.
Lets meet again.
King of the Silia Kingdom, Silia Vi Dugard.
He sat on his throne in the audience chamber.
In front of him were Ray and Iriel, slightly bowing their bodies and heads.
Their posture was different from prostration. Initially, Ray intended to prostrate, but Iriel gave him a look, so he adopted the same posture as her.
Fortunately, their quick adaptation allowed them to pass without any words.
The king raised his hand.
Both of you, raise your heads.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Perhaps it was the pressure of having a king of a nation right in front of them, but their words were filled with awkward tension.
Yes. I heard that youre returning to the Holy Kingdom today.
Yes. The opportunity to return to the Holy Kingdom is all thanks to His Majestys grace. On behalf of the Holy Kingdom, we sincerely thank you.
Hahaha. What have I done? Its all due to the strength of the Holy Kingdom.
No. Merely by allowing us to stay in the Silia Kingdom, we have received more than enough grace. We will definitely repay this kindness someday.
Hmm. Is that so By the way, are you the newly chosen Saint?
The king addressed Ray, and he instinctively knew.
He was being tested with just a few words.
Ray slightly bowed his head.
Yes, my name is Ray.
The king regarded him with interest, his greeting marked by a restrained yet anxious demeanor.
I detect no mana from him. He appears to have some knowledge of swordsmanship, but its minimal. Given his lack of a surname, he must be a commoner.
Dugard, known as the Knight King, had demonstrated prowess in swordsmanship while also fulfilling the kings duties.
This was why the current Silia Kingdom could even scorn the Empire, not to mention the Holy Kingdom.
The kings military strength directly influenced the morale of the soldiers.
With such military power, he certainly wouldnt fail to perceive the mana of the boy before him.
The mana he sensed from him was almost identical to that of an average person. He didnt seem to possess any aptitude for magic or swordsmanship.
Internally, Dugard felt a wave of relief.
I assumed they were exceptional beings since its the first time in continental history that two Saints have appeared in one era, but fortunately, its not as dire as I feared.
The power of the Holy Kingdom would undoubtedly increase, but if it was just the boy before him, he could manage it.
He wasnt particularly pleased about a Saint emerging from his own country only to be claimed by the Holy Kingdom, though.
Its a pleasure to meet you. Its an honor to encounter both the Saint and the Saintess in one location.
Youre too gracious.
.
Ray cast a brief glance at Iriel and signaled her with his eyes.
It was time to depart. The conversation was also nearing its end, so it was time for them to retreat.
Iriel seemed to understand, giving a slight nod.
Just as they were about to speak, Dugard interjected.
Oh, Saintess Iriel. Didnt you just mention that you would reciprocate the kindness?
Something was amiss.
The conversations direction was shifting rapidly.
Iriel also seemed to have a bad feeling, but she kept a bright smile on her face.
Yes. Is there something you would like to request of us?
Hmm
Dugard took a deep breath and paused for a moment.
After about a minute, he sighed again and spoke.
Hoo My cousin, the daughter of Grand Duke Silos, is ill. But we dont even know what kind of illness it is, let alone how to treat it. Could you please see her before you go?
In other words, he wanted to settle the debt of gratitude with this favor.
Iriels smooth forehead wrinkled slightly.
They had already reported that they would return to the Holy Kingdom. The Holy Kingdom was preparing the baptism ceremony and eagerly waiting for the new Saint.
And now they were supposed to visit the daughter of the Grand Duke in his domain? This would delay their schedule to return to the Holy Kingdom, whether it be for a short or long time.
And it was difficult to refuse since the person asking was not just a count or a duke, but the king himself.
Moreover, their Holy Kingdom was in debt to the Silia Kingdom for finding the Saint.
Iriel hesitated for a moment and eventually bowed her head.
Refusing His Majestys request would not be proper for the Holy Kingdom.
Ha ha ha! Thank you very much.
Dugard laughed heartily, as if he already knew the answer, while Iriel gritted her teeth in frustration.
Addeuk! Ive been had.
Ray had a bad premonition, and it came true. He shook his head slightly.
The journey to the Holy Kingdom seemed to be getting longer. And the destination was the Grand Dukes domain.
A nation within a nation, the Grand Dukes domain was granted by the king, and they didnt collect taxes separately. That was the status of the Grand Duke.
This title, sometimes called the Grand King, only had the king above it and allowed the Grand Duke to gather military power independently, placing other dukes below him.
So, the domain was quite extensive. It would take at least three days by carriage without rest from the capital to the Grand Dukes domain.
If they also had to treat the illness there and then proceed to the Holy Kingdom, it would take more than a week, at the very least.
Just when they resolved to go to the Holy Kingdom, something always obstructed their path.
Eventually, they had to exit the audience chamber with their shoulders slumped as the kings order to leave was issued.
Outside the audience chamber, Ray glared at Iriel.
They were supposed to go to the Holy Kingdom, but now they were heading to the Grand Duke Siloss domain.
And it was all due to the Holy Kingdoms affairs.
So, whats your excuse?
Iriel answered his muttered question with her characteristic smile.
Now that you are a part of the Holy Kingdom as a Saint, you could argue that this will be a valuable experience for you to learn about the world. And if you look at it from a smaller perspective, its a precious time for you to see how I, as a Saintess, handle divine power
That precious time is slipping away.
Iriel recoiled like a startled turtle at his passing comment.
Ray sighed deeply.
Hoo Its difficult just to get to the Holy Kingdom.
The harder the journey, the more God is
Iriel averted her gaze as Ray shot her a silent, penetrating look.
But now that they had already told the king they would go, they had to go, no matter what.
It was an irreversible decision.
Fortunately, the Grand Duchy was en route to the Holy Kingdom.
On the journey to the Holy Kingdom, the thought of treating the Princess provided some solace.
Lets depart right away.
Understood.
Since the detachment members had already been instructed to prepare for departure, there was no issue with leaving immediately. Iriel nodded happily.
They quickly moved to the VIP residence to report on the events that had occurred.
The detachment members were stunned upon hearing the story.
Having already submitted the return report to the Holy Kingdom, it was surprising that they were now heading to the Grand Dukes territory, and moreover, to treat the Princess.
Geol, the chief priest, quietly approached the saintess and spoke.
Saintess, preparations for the baptism ceremony are already in progress in the Holy Kingdom. But you are going to the Grand Dukes territory. This should not be.
Iriel then smiled slightly and spoke softly.
The king requested it. I couldnt refuse and accepted, so please dont press me too hard.
What! The king?
Geol, the priest, jumped and exclaimed.
Typically, the highest echelons do not make requests to saints, as there is a large price to be paid in return.
He swallowed hard.
So, what did you promise in return?
What could the Knight King of Sillye have offered that made it impossible for her to refuse?
Geol was so curious that he couldnt stand it.
But the answer that came back was just a smile.
Not understanding, he tilted his head, and Iriel spoke again softly.
There is no return. We were asked to repay the debt we owe.
Was it his imagination that he heard the sound of grinding teeth?
Geol, the priest, caught on at the mention of the debt.
If the Holy Kingdom owed a debt to the Silia Kingdom, there was only one thing it could be - the agreement to search for the saint.
The situation dawned on him, Geols expression showed his discomfort.
I will send a message that our return to the Holy Kingdom will be delayed.
Thank you for understanding.
Despite the saintesss words, he couldnt erase his discomfort.
Indeed, it was a rather uncomfortable request.
The first step of the saint was supposed to be the baptism ceremony, and yet, this had been interrupted.
The king must have known this too. So, was this an obstruction to the Holy Kingdom, or was it an urgent matter?
Geol sincerely hoped it was not the former.
Thanks to the carriage and many horses brought from the Holy Kingdom, the departure went smoothly.
The grand sight of them leaving the city gates must have resonated in the hearts of the guards.
The hoofbeats shook the ground, and the noble bearing of the saintly knights was admirable, even to their fellow knights.
Ray gasped in awe.
Amazing.
Iriel puffed out her chest and proudly said,
All the strength of the Holy Kingdom.
Just hold onto the reins.
Ray glanced at her.
He was riding behind Iriel, just like when he had arrived. He knew he would have to learn how to ride a horse someday, but for now, there was no other choice.
Of course, he wanted to feel the wind as he rode, but if he got tired of that, he planned to ride in the carriage.
Iriel seemed to have the same thought, as she didnt plan on riding for long either.
She said with a puzzled expression,
You can at least let go of my hand while riding.
Feeling that her horse-riding skills were belittled, she proudly let go of the reins.
Of course, that didnt mean the horse suddenly laid down, but the speed was quite fast now.
Without holding the reins, she didnt know what might happen.
Dont let go of the reins! You should drive safely!
For him, who had the memory of losing his life in public transportation, it was a very important issue.
But she didnt seem to care. If her horse-riding skills were belittled again, she was ready to stand on her hands on the horse.
He realized that he should never belittle her horse-riding skills again.
It would be too sad if he ended his second life in the same way.
Iriel covered her mouth with her unique smile and laughed.
Hoho. Are you worried that something will happen because I let go of the reins?
Of course, he wouldnt get hurt even if he fell off the horse.
But since the memory of the modern day had settled as a slight trauma, he couldnt help but feel reluctant.
Iriel chuckled.
If youre so frightened, hold onto my slender waist. Hohohoho.
At her irritating voice, mana instantly gathered in his fist.
Just as his fist was about to rise, Geol, the shrine guardian, approached Iriel.
The sun is setting. Should we prepare for camping?
She laughed and answered.
Sure. Please prepare.
Yes, I will find suitable terrain and move.
He bowed his head in greeting, but secretly thought.
This is the first time Ive seen the saint look so happy.
Even though she was always smiling, there was a liveliness in her smile that hadnt been there before.
The sight was quite beautiful, to the point that some even swallowed their saliva in envy.
And it was the same for Ray.
His silvery-white hair and blue eyes made even the priestesses blush.
He hadnt stood out in the elf village until then, but his appearance was on par with the elves.
Rays appearance had unknowingly led to the formation of a certain organization in the entourage.
Even at that moment, that organization was secretly surrounding him.
Iriel also noticed its existence.
There was no way she couldnt notice the gazes pouring towards the saint.
But she wasnt worried. How likely was it for love to form between the saint and the priestesses?
Moreover, she couldnt imagine them trying to seduce Ray.
On a grand scale, they were all believers of the same god. Even if they lacked devotion, they wouldnt have the courage to seduce the saint.
But that was her misconception.
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