Chapter: 271
When Phoebe first heard Lucy’s plan, she didn’t doubt it for a second.
After all, she was the Apostle of the Great God, the very person who had transformed countless absurdities into common sense.
No matter how nonsensical it sounded, if it came from Lucy’s mouth, there had to be a trustworthy basis for it.
How could someone like Phoebe doubt her words?
So, Phoebe placed her trust in Lucy.
However, that faith was directed strictly at Lucy alone and didn’t extend elsewhere.
Simply put, Phoebe did not believe in herself at all.
“Pathetic Saint. You’re at the center of this plan. Who else can cause the miracle of the pathetic God better than the pathetic Saint, right?”
“Me? Are you saying I have to carry this miracle instead of Young Lady? Even with Bishop Johan assisting, I…”
“I’m a fake. I’m just someone made by the church!”
How could a sacrilegious being like her replicate a miracle? There’s no way that would be allowed!
Suppressing a flood of doubt, Phoebe only displayed her lack of confidence.
But Lucy was adamant. She walked right up to Phoebe, looking down at her with that familiar smile.
“So you’re saying my insight is faulty?”
“…Huh?! No, that’s not what I meant!”
“Puhahaha! Hey, Nerd Saint! Who believes a complete loser like you? I’m saying believe in your divine, cute self!”
After poking Phoebe on the forehead, Lucy left. Phoebe didn’t dare voice her fears any longer.
She simply thought of repaying Lucy’s faith and prepared the miracle to the best of her ability.
When she woke up in the morning, during class, and even after school.
She practiced desperately until she fainted.
Continuously. Always.
Even though the moment to see the fruits of that effort had arrived, Phoebe couldn’t shake off her doubts about herself.
In the past…
When she believed she was the true saint without a doubt…
When she didn’t know she was a fake born from the deaths of her orphanage friends…
Before she got strung along by the evil god…
Phoebe would have gladly repaid Lucy’s trust.
She wouldn’t have doubted that she could carry out the will of God and manifest miracles.
But now was different.
There were too many confusing thoughts clouding Phoebe’s mind to pursue that pure faith like before.
“Saint! Stay focused!”
“…Yes!”
Perhaps that’s why the process of drawing the miracle on the orb imbued with the god’s divinity was sluggish.
“That part needs to go up from the right.”
“I’m sorry!”
With mistakes that hadn’t even happened during practice, worry crept into Phoebe’s heart.
What am I even doing?
Young Lady brought me here trusting that I would be okay! What if I mess it all up?!
– Of course it wouldn’t go well.
At that moment, she heard a voice.
– How could a being symbolizing the church’s corruption enact a miracle?
A damp and sticky voice settled in the midst of Phoebe’s confused mind.
– That would only prove that corruption was right.
Phoebe tried to ignore the voice, but it was already firmly rooted in her consciousness, refusing to leave no matter how hard she shook her head.
– You’re a child born from your friend’s blood.
No!
– A child born of resentment and pain.
No!
– A child born of corruption, greed, and depravity.
I’m telling you that’s not true!
– Let me ask you this.
Please shut up!
– What did that God do when you screamed?
Suddenly, breaking free from her fantasy, Phoebe gasped for breath.
Cold sweat poured down her face.
Her legs trembled as if about to give way.
Her eyes, staring into the void, were filled with sheer terror.
“Saint?”
Noticing something was off, Johan called out, but Phoebe didn’t hear his voice.
Her head was filled to the brim with doubt.
Phoebe.
Calm down.
Please! You can’t ruin everything now!
“Puhahaha!♡”
What pulled her back from her panic was a clear and beautiful voice that pierced through her ear.
Looking up from staring blankly at the ground, Phoebe turned toward the source of the voice.
It was Lucy.
“Eh?♡ Is this it?♡”
One eyebrow scrunched up in pain.
Blood trickling from her lips.
Trembling arms.
Anyone could tell.
Lucy was far from being in a comfortable situation.
It wouldn’t be strange if she crumbled at any moment.
Would Lucy not know this fact herself?
Probably not.
In fact, she likely understood it better than anyone.
With every clash of swords, she would be in pain and afraid.
Yet, Lucy kept smiling. Smiling while standing in front of others.
Phoebe knew Lucy felt fear.
She could hear the quiver in Lucy’s voice even with her eyes locked up high.
Phoebe knew Lucy hated pain.
Having seen her complain after sparring with Professor Karl.
Phoebe knew Lucy didn’t have blind faith in divine miracles.
She had seen her chasing practicality in every crisis time and again.
So, then…
How can Young Lady raise her shield like this?
– That’s simple.
It’s obvious.
Because it’s something she has to do. Something that must be done.
Taking a deep breath amidst the sound of the clash of shield and sword, Phoebe resolved herself.
No matter the success or failure, it’s something that has to be done.
What meaning does doubt even have?
She must do it.
Even if she got scolded later for being a pathetic saint.
“Bishop! I’m sorry! I’ll start again!”
“…Are you okay?”
“Yes!”
Despite still being filled with that sticky, dark voice in her mind, she was okay now.
As long as there’s a piece of warmth in her heart, that was enough.
With newfound calm, Phoebe started to weave the miracle atop the orb.
Johan could barely keep up with her pace.
Not making a single mistake now.
She transferred the effort she had accumulated into a single realization above the orb.
After some time, Phoebe looked at the orb, now filled to the brim, and couldn’t help but smile before collapsing onto the ground.
I did it!
I actually did it!
“Young Lady! All preparations are complete!”
As joy overwhelmed her, enough to dispel the darkness swirling in her mind, a weary-looking Lucy approached her.
Lucy stared at the orb in a daze then broke into a smile, lightly patting Phoebe’s head.
“Pathetic, but still a saint after all.”
With that, Lucy took the staff from Phoebe and stood before the orb.
“Alright, everyone. It’s time to give that pathetic trash a taste of his own medicine!”
As Lucy lightly tapped the orb with her staff, it lifted upward.
Then, when the orb had distanced itself enough to the point it was barely visible…
A brilliant light burst forth from the center of darkness.
It was so bright it seemed blinding.
Huge enough to erase the surrounding darkness.
Intense enough to incinerate all unclean things.
Yet, warm like the sunlight filtering through a window in spring.
“Sun.”
Looking up, Phoebe let out a long sigh and clasped her hands in prayer.
For those who had to endure what they hadn’t wished for because they were swept up by the evil god.
For Johan, who had helped her until the end, even when it must have been frustrating.
For Cal, Alsetin, Lina, and Ter, who had protected her amidst countless dangers.
For the merciful God of miracles who granted her this.
And for Lucy, who believed in her.
*
The arduous preparations for the miracle bore fruit.
As the miracle unfurled in the sky, the darkness began to recede.
While watching as the forces that aimed to swallow the Burrow territory fled from the light, Phoebe spotted the original sun floating above in the sky.
Hmm. That’s strange. Why is the sun so small and pathetic up there?
‘Doesn’t it look like what we prepared is the real sun?’
[Ha. Well, who made it, after all.]
‘You said Karon played a huge role in it? Truly a great mage!’
[…Are you doing this on purpose?]
‘Was that too obvious?’
Giggling, I replied casually to my grandpa and surveyed my surroundings.
Everyone wasn’t looking too hot.
The Clumsy Fox, who had been in a power duel with Taliki, was on the verge of collapse.
Cal, who had to face off against Duke Burrow, and Alsetin were covered in various wounds.
Even Phoebe and Johan, who had poured their efforts into preparing the miracle, were almost out of divine energy.
I wasn’t any different.
Sure, I gained a bit from taking hits from Duke Burrow, but it was still just a bit.
With my body still hurting from blocking without enhancing with divine power.
And since I had thrown back so many potions, I felt like puking.
To be honest, as much as I want to collapse right here and wake up staring at the dormitory ceiling, I still can’t do that.
There’s something more important to handle.
I haven’t even gotten a look at the dungeon Taliki prepared!
All I’ve done so far is give them a freakin’ housewarming gift! There’s no way I can stop here!
If I give a gift, I should receive an equivalent reward, right?!
As soon as I staggered upright, the others followed suit.
Telling those on the brink of fainting to rest and take care of the citizens wouldn’t do any good.
“Hey you! Can you really just sit around and watch while your friends are pushing themselves to their limits?”
‘…That’s true.’
“Acting all high and mighty when you’re just a masochistic pervert fox.”
Then, convinced by the Clumsy Fox’s words, I decided to leave those sprawled on the floor to the Spatial Sorceress and headed for the Burrow mansion.
Some of the darkness that tried to swallow the Burrow territory had been burned away in the face of divinity, yet, some had fled inside the Burrow mansion.
Which meant that the mansion was the real deal.
It was the dungeon Taliki prepped just to take me out.
I can do this.
I got this.
The terrible condition I’m in is no issue at all.
I’m like dirty water.
However, as I got closer to the mansion, my determined thoughts scattered at the sight of Karia, waving her hand with a nonchalant smile at the front door.
…Huh?
What on earth is she doing here?
No, that’s not it.
Her being here isn’t odd at all.
She had infiltrated, didn’t she?
“Karia! Please stop for a moment.”
“I trust you’ll understand, Master.”
As Karia approached, Cal and Alsetin hastily blocked me.
“I know, I know. You think I’m suspicious?”
“…Yes.”
“What proof do you need? The password? Or that our cute disciple is desperately trying to keep her excitement in check? Or that your employer’s knight was slightly happy to see herself behave like a knight?”
As Karia opened her mouth, Alsetin and Cal’s expressions stiffened.
Those two were real?!
“Ah, there’s more! I witnessed the sun rising in the heart of the city! Wow, that was epic!”
Following that, Karia’s detailed account could only be shared by someone who witnessed the miracle firsthand.
Wasn’t there a chance she could have been ensnared by the evil god if she had seen the miracle?
It seemed Alsetin and Cal were of the same thought, as they lowered their weapons.
“…You should have mentioned that earlier. Master.”
“I got a little excited meeting a normal person after so long. Forgive me.”
Karia, responding to Alsetin’s grumbling, didn’t come closer and continued from where she was.
“Let’s get to the point. Master, first off, I need to tell you that I and the Apostle of the Art Guild have mostly cleaned out that mansion.”
…Huh?
No.
Wait a minute.
What did you say?!
You’ve cleaned out the mansion?!
Regardless of my shock, Karia shrugged, continuing.
From what I gathered, they had taken advantage of the chaos caused by my miracle, knocked out the mansion’s occupants, and swiftly subdued the guys who were serving the evil god.
“Since the Duke and most of Burrow’s forces went out to take down the Young Lady, the remaining ones, apart from the evil god’s apostles, were enough to deal with.”
…But I need to see it for myself before believing it.
If what Karia said were true, there’d be no way for her to walk out unharmed.
This is great!
Everyone was already at their limit.
That means, it’s best if there’s no fighting.
But why do I feel so empty inside?
…
Where did my dungeon go?
Where’s the dungeon that Taliki prepared solely to mess with me?!
I’ve been dying to conquer that after all this effort! Why is the main course suddenly gone?!
Why is it just a side dish of pickled vegetables without the main dish?!
Return my steak!
“Ah, just to clarify, we didn’t defeat the evil god’s apostle.”
‘What do you mean…’
“What are you trying to say, you daft old maid!”
“By the time you showed up, the evil god’s apostle had already taken shelter inside the dungeon.”
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