Chapter 27: The Saintess’s Resolve

“We rushed here with the Demon King’s entourage, frantic with worry, but to our surprise, you seem to be doing quite well.”

Joshua, operating her mechanical owl, meticulously examined Noah’s form from head to toe, her gaze ultimately settling on the generously proportioned, pale mounds of Noah’s chest.

‘It’s only been a few days, but why do they seem even larger?’ Joshua mused with a hint of reluctance.

“Since everything appears to be in order, we should depart swiftly. The front lines are riddled with casualties, and the Church’s forces are already assembling; they require your presence to oversee the situation.”

“Indeed, Sister Noah, let us return together quickly. His Holiness the Pope and Sister High Priestess are both very worried about you.”

Issac placed her hand over her chest, her large, clear eyes brimming with concern.

“Hmm, that’s true.”

Noah’s delicate fingers lightly touched her rosy lips, a serene smile gracing her features.

“However, I cannot return with you yet.”

“’Why?!’ Joshua exclaimed, her voice sharp with disbelief. ‘No, what exactly transpired!?’”

Hearing Noah’s reply, both were stunned, with Joshua’s eyes widening in fury as she sharply rebuked this incomprehensible behavior.

“’Did that Demon King do something to you,’ she demanded, ‘something that would make someone like you abandon your duties as a Saintess and choose to remain in this place teeming with defilement!?’”

Joshua, having lost her customary composure and rationality, was not merely reacting to the situation exceeding her expectations but was also driven by profound worry for her dear friend.

She knew Noah as a Saintess who would never utter such words.

“’Sister Noah… why?’”

Compared to Joshua’s desperate outcry, Issac appeared far calmer; yet, this tranquility stemmed only from her mind being utterly blank, incapable of processing further thoughts.

Her beautiful, large eyes were vacant and lifeless, and her petite frame trembled slightly, as if she was unwilling to accept the reality before her.

She recalled the Noah of old: though possessing ample curves and a witty disposition, she was, on the whole, a dignified, earnest, and dutiful individual.

The Noah Issac now beheld, however, seemed like someone brazen and mischievous, causing Issac to question whether this was truly the Noah she knew.

“’No, you’ve misunderstood,’ Noah began, ‘the Demon King… she hasn’t done anything to me. As for the Saintess’s duties… ugh…’”

A sudden, tearing headache abruptly cut off Noah’s words. She clutched her forehead with one hand, the pain, as if her soul were being ripped in two, blurring her consciousness and causing her to instinctively gasp for air.

“’Noah!?’”

“’Sister Noah!’”

Witnessing Noah’s expression of intense agony, both Issac and Joshua instantly cast aside all other concerns, rushing forward with looks of profound worry.

Yet, Noah felt their calls receding into the distance, a buzzing tinnitus filling her ears as her previously ethereal memories became etched into her mind with startling clarity:

“’I, Noah Autolinde, hereby swear in the name of the Lord’s faithful.’”

In the center of the radiant Grand Cathedral, a maiden with cherry-blossom white hair, bathed in sacred light, solemnly swore an oath before the divine statue, witnessed by numerous knights, bishops, saintesses, and the Pope himself.

“’I shall don the crown of the Saintess, and in the Lord’s name, I will spread His love throughout the world. I shall treat the weak as my own kin, scatter grace and blessings upon the earth, and bring warmth and light to heal humanity.’”

“’I shall receive eternal blessings, divine protection, and sacred beauty, using these to proclaim the Lord’s good name, His miracles, and His boundless compassion…’”

Each powerful segment of the maiden’s oath carved itself into Noah’s heart. Instinctively, she wished to resist, yet her body accepted it without any impedance, as if it were her most fundamental essence.

“’…Henceforth, a crown of righteousness shall be preserved for me.’”

Upon completing the oath, the maiden slightly bent her knee. The tall Pope, his face obscured by the backlight, placed the silver crown upon her head.

The instant the crown touched her scalp, Noah’s consciousness snapped back to reality, like a film abruptly paused and then restarted.

“’Hah… haah…’”

A powerful sensation of suffocation suddenly surged through her, and only then did Noah realize she had completely forgotten to breathe.

She gasped for air, her chest heaving, and pressed a hand firmly over the prominent swell of her bosom, emitting a slightly husky sound.

“’Are you alright, Noah?’”

That subtly alluring voice caused both of them to blush faintly. Joshua leaned closer, cautiously inquiring about her condition.

“’No, it’s fine. I’m alright now, Joshua.’”

Noah shook her head, lowered her hand, and straightened her slender waist. Her previously alluring demeanor had subtly shifted, becoming somewhat more serious and spirited.

Her pair of rosy eyes, which had always seemed somewhat veiled, now held a newfound clarity, allowing Issac and Joshua to discern a familiar essence within them.

“’Just now, we were discussing the Saintess’s duties, weren’t we? I believe that by remaining here, I can better fulfill those responsibilities.’”

“’Why?’”

Joshua asked, as if it were the most natural question, for after the earlier shock, both she and Issac had regained much of their composure, and their tone was no longer as aggressive.

“’I apologize, but I cannot say.’”

Noah’s gaze lowered, yet her reply was immediate and unwavering, as if she had long anticipated this question and prepared her evasive answer.

“’Then, is this a decision you have firmly made?’”

“’Yes, I have resolved to do this.’”

Noah lifted her head, her eyes shining brightly, and within her gentle smile, there was a discernible blend of pain and resolve.

“’Is that so… In that case, I have nothing more to say.’”

Joshua slowly exhaled, her voice tinged with regret.

“’We had originally agreed to cooperate with that woman, Avril, but now it seems that plan will have to be abandoned.’”

“’Wait, you negotiated a collaboration with the Demon King’s Executive, Avril? Could you elaborate on that for me?’”

Noah was somewhat surprised, yet not entirely taken aback, for after all, these two — one person and one mechanical owl — had brazenly infiltrated disguised as maids; someone was bound to be their contact.

Executive Avril, then, was a character both unexpected and entirely reasonable.

Joshua recounted the details to Noah with precision, occasionally prompting Issac to add minor points.

After listening, Noah rested her chin in her hand, falling into thoughtful contemplation, before finally speaking with earnestness:

“’Issac, Joshua, do you intend to leave this place now, or will you continue to cooperate with Avril and bide your time?’”

Joshua, the mechanical owl, turned its head to glance at Issac, and after noting the worry and reluctance in the young destroyer’s eyes, it pivoted back to face Noah and spoke.

“’We’ll see how things unfold. Leaving you here alone would be unsettling. We can continue to maneuver with Avril and remain here to ensure your safety.’”

“’Should the need arise, you’ll also have convenient access to support.’”

Noah patted her soft bosom, letting out a sigh of relief, and said:

“’That’s good. Significant events may soon unfold in the Demon King’s Castle, and I was hoping to ask you both to remain here and bolster my position.’”