Chapter 20
Light novel: Episode 20
Manhwa: Chapter 10-11
“But don’t sacred relics each have their own unique abilities? Would it really be okay to give Duke Sieri something different from what he originally wanted?”
“I know what ability he’s looking for. The Duke told me when it was just the two of us.”
I offered a casual lie and crouched down to wrap the shattered necklace pieces in a handkerchief before placing them back into the jewel box.
Since I destroyed it with divine power, its function was probably broken too but still, I didn’t like the idea of leaving something like that behind in such an important sanctuary.
I should take it upstairs and incinerate it properly.
“Do you happen to know of any sacred relics particularly associated with healing?”
Healing.
At my question, Seth made a strange expression. He clearly hadn’t imagined that what Duke Sieri needed was something like that.
“…Healing is such a powerful divine ability that even the High Priest has trouble crafting sacred relics with it.”
Still, hearing that the duke sought healing rather than wealth or power, Seth’s face clearly relaxed.
“To my knowledge, only divine relics contain healing powers.”
Objects imbued with divine power are divided into two types: divine relics and sacred relics.
Divine relics are those crafted directly by a god and bestowed upon humanity. Sacred relics, meanwhile, are made by humans who possess divine power.
Naturally, divine relics hold far greater power than sacred relics and are much more valuable.
That’s why no temple would ever carelessly hand out a divine relic, especially not in place of a sacred one.
“Please guide me there.”
Divine relics were kept in the part of the sanctuary most directly touched by the light of the Sun God.
Bathed in that light, three divine relics sat atop a dazzling white marble altar.
“The one in the center is the divine relic imbued with healing power called ‘Aurora.’’”
Aurora shimmered in an iridescent, indescribable array of colors.
The droplet-shaped gem, which caught the eye instantly, gave off an entirely different aura from the so-called ‘Sacred Relic of Light,’ which had felt like it was trying to pull you into a swamp.
This one radiated endless calm and serenity, something that offered peace.
Yes, like a real aurora borealis.
“It’s beautiful.”
I walked over, mesmerized, and lifted the relic.
It wasn’t particularly extravagant in appearance.
It was a simple necklace with a shimmering droplet-shaped gem strung on a cord that glowed in various colors.
Nevertheless, it stood out far more than the ostentatious Sacred Relic of Light.
【User has made contact with the divine relic ‘Aurora.’ You can use the skill ‘Blessing’ on this relic.】
Good. The system message I’d been hoping for appeared, and I couldn’t help but smile—
【However, the user’s current divine power is insufficient to grant a permanent blessing.】
I can’t give a permanent blessing? Then how long does it last?
【The duration of the blessing is one month. After one month, you can grant the blessing again.】
So the blessing is rechargeable?
Well, that’s not a bad thing.
I had been wondering how to get Lute to come to the Grand Temple regularly if I wanted to fully win him over as an ally, and now I had the perfect excuse.
“Let’s give this to the Duke.”
“Pardon? But, Saintess, a divine relic—!”
“Is incredibly important. I know. But the Duke is just as important to us as any relic.”
Seriously, he’s that important. If you knew the future, you’d be throwing this at Lute without a second thought.
In the original story, Seth suffers a grave injury while fighting Lute after he’s completely consumed by the villain.
A wound so deep that he ends up struggling with the aftereffects for the rest of his life.
It’s not just for show when I say bringing Lute over to our side is crucial.
“Someday, you’ll understand why I made this choice.”
I smiled sweetly at Seth, and he opened and closed his mouth several times.
In the end, instead of trying to stop me, he obediently followed my command.
“I’ll speak to the High Priest myself, so please don’t say a word, Captain.”
【Activating skill: ‘Blessing.’】
【The divine relic ‘Aurora’ has been blessed by the ‘Sun Crawling Out of Death.’ The relic’s power has been enhanced.】
As the blessing was imbued, Aurora’s gem shimmered with even greater brilliance.
And with that, a temporary one-month blessed item was complete.
* * *
“I’ve brought what you requested.”
Returning to the reception room, I handed over the relic carefully placed inside the box.
Airek and Lute’s lieutenant, Yuri Poulton, were apparently still busy sorting out the payment given that Lute was still alone in the room.
Perfect. I needed to get this over with before Airek showed up and tried to stop me.
“This is it…”
Lute bit his lip as he opened the box and examined the necklace.
He looked even more shaken than when I asked for 2,000 gold.
“That also has my blessing on it. You know how valuable a Saintess’s blessing is, don’t you?”
I made sure to emphasize that it was worth the 2,000 gold.
Lute couldn’t bring himself to even touch the relic. He just stared at it blankly.
“Are you worried it might not work?”
Since I’d deliberately kept Seth out of the room just in case something happened the moment Lute touched the relic, I asked freely.
“…Do you know how many years I’ve suffered from this damned pain? Twenty years.”
I couldn’t remember his exact age, but I was pretty sure Lute was in his mid-twenties.
So that means he’s been suffering from this excruciating pain since he was in kindergarten?
Maybe the reason he became so completely captivated by the pain relief the so-called Relic of Light offered in his mind and body was because he had suffered for so long.
“I’ve been to every Grand Temple, taken every kind of potion, and still the pain never went away. Isn’t it natural for me to wonder if this will really work?”
“Well, I suppose so. If even this doesn’t work, then nothing in this world can relieve your condition, Duke.”
I shrugged casually.
“But that’s not going to happen, so don’t worry and just take it. Do you know how much I struggled for this? I’m telling you now, those 2,000 gold aren’t coming back.
Did he think I just gave up a divine relic for nothing?
The thousand gold Airek took, maybe I could let go—but the two thousand? The Sun God already happily gobbled that up.
There’s no way to cough that up again, so this has to work no matter what.
“Were you, by any chance, a back-alley swindler before you became a Saintess? You’ve got an outstanding knack for squeezing money out of people.”
“What was that?”
He calls me a swindler after I went through all that trouble for his sake? Should I just snatch the relic back?
“You drop honorifics just because I said something a little harsh? You must do just fine in life—probably never once taken a loss. Forget surviving, you’d thrive even on a deserted island.”
When I glared at the relic, Lute, like he’d never hesitated, immediately clutched it in his hand.
“Kuek!”
At that very moment, he clutched his chest and tumbled back down the couch.
Cold sweat instantly drenched his face.
“Oh, no.”
I quickly rushed to his side.
Lute’s glasses, which was barely hanging onto his face, slipped off to the floor with a loud clatter.
His skin flushed red, and veins bulged across his temples and forehead.
He looked dangerously wracked with pain, but I didn’t pull the relic away from his hand.
“It’s okay. Don’t be scared, just take deep breaths slowly. The black stains on your body… they’re starting to fade bit by bit.”
The gold and black blotches scattered across his body.
The black marks that used to endlessly expand, as if devouring the gold, were finally receding.
Just one look and you could tell it was working.
“Huff… huff…”
Lute shut his eyes tight, as if enduring the pain, and began breathing slowly.
Right now, what mattered most was resonance between him and the relic, so I refrained from using healing power and simply waited.
I don’t know how much time passed, but his ragged breathing gradually began to calm.
Since I’d used my handkerchief to gather the cursed relic’s shards, I had no choice but to wipe the sweat dripping down with my sleeve. Then I quietly stepped back.
Lute’s silver-gray eyes were trembling faintly, overwhelmed with emotion.
“…the pain.”
That one line was all I needed to understand what he was feeling.
“Ha.”
After twenty years of agony, he covered his eyes with trembling hands, he was finally freed from the torment.
I could feel just how overwhelmed he was from the way his teeth clenched tightly against his lip.
“At least now, you won’t have to search for another way. Congratulations.”
I gave his shoulder a pat and offered a short word of congratulation.
With this, the future villain was no more.
And for someone like me, whose goal was to destroy the original storyline, nothing could make me happier.
“Coming all the way here was worth it, really. Not a single gold out of that two thousand was wasted at all.”
“I always make sure to earn what I’m paid for.”
Lute, now somewhat calmed, picked up his fallen glasses and leaned back heavily against the sofa.
The hand that had been trembling while loosening his tight collar had finally stilled.
His breathing had evened out again, and the shaking had stopped. So I could say this now, right?
“Just so you know, the reason the relic worked so well is because of my blessing.”
“Because of the Saintess’s… blessing?”
“Yes. If it were just the relic alone, it probably would’ve only eased the pain a little.”
Since that would’ve been the case if it were truly the Relic of Light, I wasn’t exactly lying.
“So what you’re saying is, I should thank the Saintess, because this is all thanks to you.”
“Well, that too. But there’s something even more important.”
I tapped lightly on Lute’s hand, the one still clutching the relic like a lifeline.
“My blessing… has a one-month time limit.”
“…Excuse me?”
“If you want to keep enjoying the effect, you’ll have to come see me once a month for a blessing.”
Lute’s jaw dropped in disbelief.
I conveniently left out the part about it being because of my lack of ability, and delivered the most important piece of information last.
“Oh, and by the way… the blessing recharge fee is separate.”
Yes, this was indeed a petty revenge for calling a former detective who used to beat up bad guys a swindler.
SoundlessWind21’s Notes:
If there are any errors, whether it be grammatical, spelling, translation, or website-related issues, feel free to let me know. (´◡`) Anyway, thank you for reading!