Chapter: 82
“First, I’ve cast a spell to help you stabilize, so you should be okay for now.”
Phoebe said this as she dismissed the divine power that had been resting in her hand while looking at Joy.
Joy, lying on the bed, wore a blank expression as she gazed at Phoebe.
With a face that seemed utterly uninterested in the world, Phoebe, who had known Joy for a long time, could see beyond that mask.
So, she felt no fear at all.
Unlike others.
“Joy.”
As Phoebe called her name, Joy gently turned her head.
“Look at me.”
However, with her next words, Joy’s cold eyes met Phoebe’s once more.
“You know best that you’re still not completely stable, right?”
“Yes, that’s true.”
“Then why would you do something that triggers your trauma?”
With Phoebe’s probing, Joy found herself at a loss for words.
How could she admit that she decided to enter the dungeon out of greed?
Phoebe would surely sigh in disbelief upon hearing that.
As Joy remained silent, Phoebe squeezed her hand tightly with both of hers.
“Joy, you’re a strong person. But even strong people need time to overcome things. If you swing that sword before it’s hardened, it will just break, you know?”
“That’s true.”
“According to Armadi…”
Joy felt her breath hitch as Phoebe began to lecture her.
It was clear that Phoebe was a saint.
In all her decades of life, she had never seen her truly angry.
No matter how unreasonable the situation, she always chuckled, dismissing it as divine will.
Even when subjected to rude words from Lucy, she simply offered an awkward smile.
But when someone who usually didn’t get angry finally did, it was terrifying how long their lecture could go on.
Having been lectured by Phoebe a few times, Joy knew that if she referenced the Bible, she could easily go on for two hours.
For a saint who had preached in countless places, preaching was something she could do anytime.
Should she pretend to fall over, claiming mental fatigue?
Just as Joy was seriously contemplating this, the door to the infirmary opened.
With her deep pink twin tails and slightly upturned eyes, she had a playful laugh.
A girl with a ridiculously lively demeanor for a countess.
And she was currently the most infamous person at the Soul Academy in a bad way.
Lucy Alrn.
She told her knight, “Hey, trash. Wait up. I can manage that, right?” as she entered the infirmary.
“What? The pathetic saint was busy treating the clueless young lady?”
Joy felt overjoyed hearing Lucy’s voice, which so effortlessly disregarded the atmosphere of the room.
“Lady Alrn! How are you?”
“Can’t you tell from looking, pathetic saint? Am I hidden behind a big blob of fat?”
“F-fat blob?”
At Lucy’s words, everyone in the infirmary froze.
The healer, drinking water, choked and began to cough as if surprised,
Joy questioned if she really heard those words, while Phoebe’s face turned beet red with a stiff smile.
Only Lucy remained unfazed amidst it all.
“Is it strange to call someone a fat blob? Then g…”
“B-but! Why has Lady Alrn come here?!”
Joy had never seen Phoebe lose her composure like that before.
To think someone could break the calm of a high-ranking member of the God’s Church who had dealt with all sorts of people.
Is she really Lady Alrn?
“I came because the clueless lady called me.”
“Oh, I see! Then I’ll excuse myself!”
“It’s fine.”
“No! I’m done talking with Joy anyway!”
Phoebe, who had been fidgeting and unable to keep her eyes in one place, suddenly calmed down.
She gazed at Lucy’s cross pendant as if enchanted and then asked in a faint voice.
“Lady Alrn, has a blessing been added to your necklace?”
“Look at you, saint. Sniffing it out well, huh? Yep. But why?”
“It’s amazing! To have gained this much divinity in such a short time. You’re clearly receiving divine love, Lady Alrn.”
With the pure admiration in Phoebe’s voice, Lucy let out a contemptuous smile.
“Honestly? Doesn’t everyone get this level of attention?”
“I wish that were true, but sadly, it isn’t, Lady Alrn.”
“What? Pathetic saint. Jealous, much? Pfft. Total saint fail.”
Such typical cocky and self-righteous banter.
If she were an ordinary person, she’d probably just grumble about it, but Phoebe merely smiled in response.
“It seems our conversation got a bit long. I’ll excuse myself, but before that, just a moment.”
Standing from her chair, Phoebe turned to Joy and leaned in to whisper.
“I’ll finish what I was originally saying later.”
With the proclamation that she wouldn’t stop preaching, Joy felt her eyes tremble.
The saintess was dragging her off to hell.
*
I want to die.
Forget affection, quests, or anything. Isn’t it better to just see a game over?
But no, that would be too late.
For a more quiet and composed death, maybe it’d be better to ask Alsetin for poison.
Yeah, that sounds best.
[Girl. That.]
“Grandpa, please be quiet.”
No matter what I say now, it won’t mend my broken heart.
The old man, sensing the state of my heart, didn’t utter another word.
Sigh.
That pathetic, incompetent, and petty god?
What have you brought upon me? Because you strengthened my Mesugaki skills, I’m in this situation now.
Huh?!
What is happening!
Not only did I drop innuendos on the saintess but now I’m backstabbing her too!
Damn it.
What does “fat blob” even mean?
If I get any stronger, I swear I’ll end up calling Phoebe a lewd saint!
Right?
As I stew in annoyance, I can’t help but think that it might actually happen.
Just by calling Karl after my Mesugaki skills got a boost, he didn’t become “pathetic prince,” right?
Now, I just call Phoebe by her title, but cross a line, and I might just call her a lewd saint.
If that happens, I’m done for.
Seriously, who knows what would unfold if I insulted the saintess, the very symbol of the God’s Church, in a sexual connotation?
There were no scenarios like that in the game!
“Lady Alrn?”
While I was lamenting internally, Joy cautiously called out to me.
“Are you okay?”
With my Mesugaki skill active, why would Joy be worried about me?
Is it a problem that I’m keeping my mouth shut?
Well, asking whether I’m fine or not, I guess I am alright.
I might have slipped out a couple of blunders, but Phoebe should just overlook it.
No reason to fret about the next big incident that might occur.
So, I shrugged and smiled.
“I’m fine.”
“You’re worried about me? Clueless young lady? For someone who almost became a laughingstock, you seem relaxed.”
Mesugaki skill, huh?
Isn’t that bonus a bit too much today?
If you keep piling on this much, I’ll be quite troubled.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been a laughingstock.”
“I was just joking.”
“Clueless young lady. Can’t you tell the difference between jokes and truth? Such a lack of awareness.”
“…I wouldn’t want to hear that from someone like you, Lady Alrn.”
Right?
I’d feel pretty heated if I were called dense by someone like Lucy.
“So, Joy, what made you call for me?”
“Clueless young lady, what’s going on? Can’t sleep alone? Want me to sing you a lullaby?”
“A lullaby from you, Lady Alrn? I’d rather refuse; it sounds dreadful. The reason I called you is to apologize.”
For deciding to charge into the dungeon super confidently but then panicking and not being able to go in.
For ruining my plans for the day. For causing unnecessary misunderstandings.
And most importantly, for not being able to repay the favor I received.
In her serious voice, Joy expressed herself as she reflected on why she should apologize.
As I listened to her, my thought was, “Why is she apologizing to me?”
If one wanted to be picky, I provided her with the trauma that caused this, so I should have been the one apologizing.
Wasting a day?
I’m not speedrunning; why would I have an episode over that?
This slight misstep wouldn’t even be a loss for an experienced player at the Soul Academy.
“Don’t worry about it.”
“You’re so insecure, aren’t you? I couldn’t care less if you’re in debt to me, right? There’s no way I’d be interested in a pathetic person like you.”
“Still.”
“Seriously, don’t cling to me.”
Having said this, I stood up from my spot.
Staying here any longer, who knows what insults I might hurl at Joy?
I can’t keep piling negativity on someone just starting to get themselves together!
“Well then, I’ll be off!”
“Take care, clueless young lady. I hope that ridiculous face of yours looks a bit better next time!”
*
Everry, a close aide to Joy Partan, unconsciously chewed on her nails.
Lucy Alrn. That damn girl.
Just recently, she had recklessly messed with Lady Partan and got herself in trouble.
Everry only wanted to protect Lady Partan, who had bad memories of the dungeon.
How could she drag the lady, who had already faced trauma, all the way to the entrance?
She couldn’t simply watch that rascal meet with Lady Partan again.
However, the brat showed her true colors.
Pushing Everry down in front of many people, she made her fall flat on the ground.
Days later, ever since that humiliating moment, Everry gritted her teeth at the memory.
As the young lady of the Rumley family, who had been cherished by many, she could hardly bear such disgrace.
It displeased her.
Even when she misbehaved in high society, it was unbearable to witness that brat flaunt around, as if flying too high just because she did well on the entrance exam.
If Lucy Alrn had been someone with a lesser title, Everry would’ve taught her some manners herself.
But she couldn’t do that to Lucy Alrn.
She was the only blood relative of Alrn, the finest warrior in the continent.
Moreover, she showcased her talents by scoring first in the academy entrance exam.
That monster-like brat defeated the promising candidate, Frey Kent, with sheer force.
Such a presence was beyond Everry’s handling.
Normally, she could have borrowed Lady Partan’s influence to say a word, but Lady Partan looked favorably upon that damn girl.
She saw Lucy as her savior.
To think that brat saved another life was absurd.
It was probably a mere coincidence, yet Lady Partan believed it wholeheartedly.
‘If you continue to insult Lady Alrn, I might get a bit angry.’
So firmly, Everry and the other noble girls’ attempts to persuade had failed.
Thus, they opted for a secondary plan.
Someone who must be harboring hatred toward Lucy Alrn by now.
Someone who was likely grinding their teeth in frustration over their past defeat, vowing revenge.
Arthur Soladin.
They decided to seek the power of the third prince of the Soladin Kingdom.
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