Same-sex love (同性愛).
It’s the feeling of loving someone of the same gender.
It’s one of the things strictly prohibited in our temple.
The reason is simple.
It’s because same-sex couples cannot create children.
One of the great blessings bestowed upon us by the goddess.
That blessing is the joy of being able to create precious life with our own hands.
Abandoning the beautiful blessing given by the goddess and engaging in same-sex love is treated similarly to heresy in the temple.
In that respect, it’s seen as a sin akin to murder, as it robs the world of life.
But unfortunately…
The feelings I have for Lily are…
Not those of friendship, but love for a lover.
Yes. I am attracted to women.
When I first realized I was this kind of person, I was tormented by deep self-loathing and an enormous sense of guilt.
Perhaps if the goddess knew of this side of me, she would be disillusioned with me.
I might even be stripped of my status as a saintess.
So I have kept this a secret from everyone, including the goddess.
Fortunately, I have managed to keep this secret without any problems so far.
Although ever since I met Lily, my feelings of love have been trying to escape little by little.
But I will endure.
I will never reveal this sinful heart of mine.
I have sworn to myself countless times that I will do just that.
And…
In addition to same-sex love…
There was another prohibited act for priests.
That is infidelity.
Simply put, it means cheating.
It’s an act of betraying a life partner to whom you will commit your life.
Even I can’t condone such behavior.
How irresponsible and reckless must one be to commit such shameless acts?
I definitely thought so.
I truly believed that…
I believed it…!!!
Huhuk… Huh… Ah… Iris… You can’t die…
Thud-thud-thud…
“Huh…? Eh…?”
A beautiful woman, holding me as if I were precious, was crying.
Feeling her sweet scent and that strange body smell.
And looking into her jewel-like pretty red eyes, which were trembling for me.
My heart, which had only been faintly beating for Lily, was now pounding hard enough to burst.
And all this for a woman I just met.
What… What is this…?
Why… Why is my heart…
My heart felt like it would explode, but it wasn’t painful at all. Rather, it felt good.
It was a feeling I was already familiar with since I had been in love once before.
Yes.
This feeling is clearly…
Lo…
I shook my head vigorously to clear my mind.
There’s no way it’s possible for me and Iris!!!
It can’t be!
I’m in love with Lily, that’s for sure.
I couldn’t possibly be such a shameless person who loves someone else while having feelings for Lily.
It must just be for a moment, brought on by my fear of death.
That’s right.
The reason my heart is racing is nothing else.
Could anyone remain calm when death is looming right in front of them?!
It’s a fierce emotion expressed due to a sense of fear and the relief of being unharmed.
I thought that to myself and gathered my thoughts.
Then, I felt my heart calm down a bit.
So it seems my guess was right.
…What a relief…
I almost became a heinous sinner who would break two taboos of the temple.
Letting out a short sigh of relief, I tried to reassure the woman, who was sobbing and worried while holding me.
In fact, all the wounds I had were already healed.
The bleeding had stopped, and the terrible pain that tormented me had completely vanished.
I always feel this way, but the goddess’s power truly seems incredible.
“Call… call someone… No, let’s stop the bleeding first…”
The woman was fidgeting with an anxious expression on her face.
I opened my mouth to reassure her.
“I’m okay—”
But at that moment.
I had no choice but to change my words hurriedly when I saw something flying from behind the woman.
“Watch out… behind you!!”
At my words, her eyes widened in surprise, and she quickly turned to look.
Behind her was a flask filled with a suspicious liquid flying toward us.
She clicked her tongue and quickly wrapped her arms around me as if to protect me.
Crash!
Then I heard the sound of glass breaking, and the face of the woman who was holding me contorted in pain.
“Ugh…!”
With a sizzling sound as if something was being burned, I heard her soft groan.
“Are you… alright?!”
“Hahaha!! You look great!”
From a distance, I heard a bizarre laugh.
As I leaned forward to look, I saw that Katrina, who should have exploded, was now regenerating like a slime.
It was such a grotesque sight that it made me frown.
From her half-smashed face, a wide grin almost tearing at the seams appeared.
“The poison won’t stop until everything it touches is corroded!!! Not even bones will be left. Kya-haha!!!”
At Katrina’s words, I felt my heart drop.
The black-haired woman seemed to have heard what Katrina said.
Without hesitation, she pushed me away and let me fall from her arms.
“I’m so glad you’re okay, Iris…”
Then the black-haired woman turned her body towards Katrina.
“Yikes?!!…. Are you… alright?!!!”
As her upper clothes melted away, her slender, white back was revealed.
I saw that bright red burn marks were spreading all over her body.
When I looked at her with trembling eyes, she smiled at me and said.
“I’m fine. Just wait there for a moment.”
Then she disappeared from my view in an instant.
Boom!
With a loud explosion, she obliterated Katrina once more.
However, the shattered pieces of Katrina’s body slowly began to regenerate again.
“Hahaha!! Go ahead and hit me as much as you want. I can regenerate countless times?”
The woman maintained a calm expression even in the face of Katrina’s taunting laughter.
Perhaps unhappy with that, one of Katrina’s eyebrows furrowed.
“Before long, the demon race will storm this place. I wonder if you can kill me before that.”
“I know. I know you can regenerate.”
“Hoh-hoh. Then give up—”
“And I know what your weakness is.”
“…What?”
After finishing her sentence, the woman glanced around as if searching for something.
When she found what she was looking for, she pointed to a corner.
Though it was hard to see with the naked eye, something small and green was glowing and lodged in the corner wall.
Katrina’s face twisted in anger.
“You… How did you know about that!!!!!”
Without hesitation, the woman dashed toward the glowing green object.
“It was in a novel.”
She muttered softly, almost too quiet to hear.
Boom!
She blasted the wall, destroying it completely.
And not long after.
“Aaahhh!!!”
With a horrific scream, Katrina’s slowly regenerating body began to melt back into the ground.
“No… No way!!! No one should have known!!! How could this be!!”
Katrina cried out in despair.
The woman slowly approached Katrina, who was now before her.
“Is this how it all ends so easily?!! My ultimate alchemy??”
Katrina unleashed a barrage of insults directed at the woman approaching her.
“You filthy bitch!!! You won’t make it out alive either!! My poison will—!”
Crack!
“Guh!”
But her words never reached a conclusion.
As soon as the woman kicked Katrina, her body slumped helplessly to the floor.
Once she confirmed that everything was over, the woman sat down on the ground with a thud.
“Are you… okay?!!”
I rushed over and placed my hand on her back.
“I’ll… heal you!!”
But before I could even recite a prayer, the woman swiftly grabbed my hand and said.
“I’m fine, Iris. I’m already completely healed.”
“Really? That can’t be…”
There was no way such impossible wounds could heal naturally.
But as I slowly examined the woman’s back, I saw a mysterious blue mist dissipating into the air, and all the burn marks had completely vanished, leaving only her fair back.
Truly, just as she said, her wounds had healed completely.
“How… how is this possible…?”
I was left utterly bewildered.
Could it be that she also bore the goddess’s blessing?
Moreover, it dawned on me that I hadn’t noticed before because I was too flustered.
But now, looking closely, I could sense the goddess’s power emanating from her, just as it did from me.
As the woman turned around, I was once again able to see her face.
Her black hair, flowing like the night sky.
Those mesmerizing red eyes that seemed to pull you in, making it impossible to escape.
Her face so pale that it appeared almost ghostly, yet with a lively blush adding vibrance to her features.
Even upon seeing her again, the word “beautiful” felt insufficient—a truly divine face.
I continued to gaze at her, drawn by an irresistible attraction.
Moving my gaze down, I followed the delicate curve of her jawline to her slender neck.
Beneath it lay an enticing collarbone that stirred my senses.
And below…
“…….Huh?”
I nearly lost consciousness at the stunning sight before me.
“Oh… why is her clothing…?”
Ah.
It had all melted away from the poison.
“…Iris?”
The woman tilted her head with an inquisitive expression as she called out to me.
It seemed she hadn’t noticed yet.
“Iris? Are you alright?”
She looked at me with concern, but I could not respond at all.
After all, I was utterly captivated by the scene before my eyes.
Before me was a stunning sight.
From the delicate curves that should have been covered by underwear…
The two peaks a woman must possess.
And at their tips…
Yes.
I could not take my eyes off the intoxicating fruits before me.
Thud-thud-thud…
Oh no.
Something’s strange.
Why is my heart aching again?
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