Chapter: 122
In a game called Soul Academy, the strategy using the Saintess never failed in purification.
The character known as the Saintess was undeniably overpowered in that regard.
So much so that veteran players would intentionally skip using the Saintess, claiming it ruined the fun.
Knowing just how far purification could go with the initial untouched version of the Saintess, I found it hard to believe that Phoebe had failed at this moment.
Phoebe wasn’t the type to stumble here.
So this was a variable.
A variable that didn’t exist in the game.
The kind of variable that had been annoying me to no end until now.
But maybe it was just that the things that had been bothering me so far were so outrageous that this seemed just cute.
Right?
This time, she just couldn’t let me coast through.
Not that I was facing a life-or-death crisis.
And not that I was in danger of failing the quest.
It wasn’t like my reputation was ruined due to a fallout with another NPC either.
In fact, this was a variable I could definitely manage.
There was no reason to panic.
I blocked the magic projectiles flying toward me with my shield, and embedded the image of the dragon casting spells in my mind, I asked Grandpa.
“Grandpa! What do you think is wrong?”
The first thing to confirm was whether I could still get an easy win or not.
If it was just that Phoebe had made a mistake, then I only needed to hold out until the prayer was completed.
[It seems like she lacked faith.]
“Pardon?”
The most crucial aspect of handling Divine Magic was faith.
Believing that miracles would occur when reciting one’s prayer.
That was why I found it easy to handle Divine Magic.
Since I was someone from outside this world.
Knowing that using Divine Magic would definitely yield results, I had no reason to doubt it.
“Are you saying Phoebe doubted the miracle?”
[From the nature of the failure, it seems so.]
Phoebe doubted the miracle. She doubted Armadi.
She thought she couldn’t purify the dragon’s original soul.
The shock that revelation brought wasn’t light.
Last time, Grandpa had said.
That Phoebe might be shaken.
When I heard that, I thought there was no doubt she would overcome it.
Because she did in the game.
She was someone who never broke down, no matter what crisis arose, and would smile at the end.
However, that was my foolish misunderstanding.
Phoebe was shaken.
She doubted herself.
She couldn’t believe in miracles anymore.
How could such a Saintess end up like this?
What on earth was happening in her heart?
Ha. My head gets a bit hazy when something that has never happened in the game occurs.
Let’s think.
Shooting down that dragon flying in the sky isn’t really that hard.
If an easy win isn’t possible, I can always go for the orthodox method.
The various tools I bought through Alsatine last time to hunt that dragon are still snoozing in my inventory.
Every time the opportunity arises, if I throw those out and focus on burst damage when it falls, I should be able to take it down.
But that might not work. After all, Phoebe is in a state of not believing in herself.
Imagine trying to hunt that golem dragon without her.
She’ll probably think she’s just a burden receiving rewards without doing anything.
While I know Phoebe isn’t the type to dig her self-esteem into the ground, it’s impossible for her to have failed!
Which means I have to change my mindset.
The Phoebe here isn’t the NPC I know.
She’s the real Phoebe.
I can’t know what kind of thoughts she’s harboring.
The best way is to make her overcome this herself.
I need to help Phoebe stand up again so she can create a miracle.
If Phoebe’s self-esteem starts crumbling now, I can’t imagine what will happen later on!
We’re in trouble if the real trials haven’t even started yet!
I don’t know if this will work or if it’s more difficult and tedious than the orthodox approach, but still, I have to do it.
Well, what’s the matter? For a veteran like me, this is nothing.
It’s better than getting completely wrecked by Nakrad, so there’s no reason to give up.
Let’s think of it as new content being added.
Wow. Reality Online definitely has fast updates.
But hey, operator.
There’s something I’d like to suggest.
Could you please update a bit more user-friendly?
At this rate, I feel like the users might just burst from overindulgence!
Enough with the nonsense.
Okay.
How should I approach this?
The end of my thoughts was quickly settled.
I had only one method.
In the style of a Mesugaki.
“Scaredy-cat Saintess!♡”
I’m not really good at comforting people.
I’m not great at instilling confidence either.
I don’t even know how to lift someone’s spirits.
But there’s one thing I’m great at.
Pissing the opponent off.
“Did you fail?!♡ Hehe♡ How typical of the Sloppy God’s Saintess!♡ Isn’t it odd how both the God and the Saintess are the same?♡ Is the doctrine of the Shoddy God’s Saintess to be a burden?!♡”
“No way!”
Phoebe shouted back at my provocation.
With her cheeks flushed and her voice elevated, it was a sight I’d never seen before.
She might endure insults about herself, but she certainly couldn’t stand the provocation about Armadi.
“Are you sure?♡ To me, that’s how it looks!♡ Sloppy♡ Scaredy-cat♡ A useless burden!♡”
“Correct that! Even if I’m useless, Armadi is never lacking!”
As I dodged and blocked the magic, I stalled for time until the dragon shut its mouth and spread its wings again.
After a brief respite, the pattern would continue.
While that dragon stayed calm, I needed to come to a conclusion.
I couldn’t afford to keep arguing with Phoebe, not knowing when aggro would shift.
“Well then, prove it♡ Show that you’re not the Sloppy Saintess of the Shoddy God!♡”
The word “prove” made Phoebe falter.
If she was stopping herself from talking out of anger, she must really doubt herself.
That’s why she failed the prayer.
“Can’t do it, huh?♡ You’re not confident, are you?♡ Right?♡ What a Scaredy-cat Saintess you are!♡”
“I…”
“The Saintess is like this, what do you think the God is like?♡ Probably a super coward!♡ A trash who stays silent out of fear in front of the Evil God!♡”
“Shut up! Lucy Allen! I can do it!”
Right, that’s it.
If she lacked confidence, I’d just have to create it for her.
Ah. Is this more about evil or guts?
What’s the difference?
In the end, isn’t it all the same?
As long as the results are good, it doesn’t matter.
I looked at the dragon, which was about to open its mouth, as Phoebe turned away.
So, is it time to toy with the boss of a veteran?
“Hey!♡ You, lizard-brain!♡ Do you have no brain or eyes?♡ How can you not inflict a single wound?♡ You’re utterly sloppy!♡ Trash!♡ You’re saying this is a boss? The professors of the academy must really be lacking!♡”
*
Oh dear. Someone like that couldn’t possibly be Armadi’s Apostle!
There was no way someone chosen by the God would dare insult Him!
I heard Lady Allen has improved greatly, but that’s not the case at all!
She hasn’t changed one bit from when she caused a ruckus at the church!
How dare she call Armadi “that”!
Phoebe bit her lip.
Just a moment ago, she had failed to raise the Prayer of Purification.
It wasn’t that she lacked divinity, or that the original soul was too high.
It was because Phoebe doubted that a miracle would come true, thus her prayer fell apart halfway through.
Until now, Phoebe had never once doubted that Armadi would perform a miracle for her.
It was a given that God would create miracles.
And since she was the Saintess chosen by God, she needed to succeed in performing miracles.
Maybe because of that, Phoebe was so weak against the doubts building up in her heart.
She had never faced him even once, so she couldn’t stop the crevices from spreading.
After the prayer failed, her heart was overwhelmed with dark emotions.
Guilt towards her party members who brought her this far.
Disappointment in herself.
Doubts about whether she was worthy of the title of Saintess.
All those feelings combined to create a thick, murky darkness.
Just as Phoebe was about to crumble under her self-blame, Lucy called out to her.
And provoked her.
Insulting the name of the Lord.
Phoebe, who could endure insults directed towards herself, could hardly bear to have God insulted. She felt a rage so intense it was something she might have never experienced before.
When she came back to her senses, she found herself in a position where she had to prove herself.
Yet Phoebe didn’t think even a bit that something was strange.
With her heart burning red, she could only look ahead.
I have to do this.
Must.
I need to succeed in the Prayer of Purification and flatten Lucy Allen’s nose!
I must make that person who has become so arrogant in receiving God’s love acknowledge the greatness of God!
Phoebe silently shouted in her heart as she gathered her hands.
However, at that moment, a doubt flickered through her mind.
Can I really do it?
I just failed, didn’t I?
Can I be sure this time will be different?
As her heart, once stained red, started to be consumed by black,
The learned despair quickly pushed her towards oblivion.
As the strength in her gathered hands faintly dwindled,
“Sloppy Saintess!♡ Are you still not done?♡ So incompetent and so slow!♡ Just like the Shoddy God!♡”
Clap.
Once again, her heart turned red.
You’re right. This isn’t about whether I can or not.
I must do this to prevent disgrace against Armadi’s name!
Reinforcing the energy in her fingers, Phoebe closed her eyes and recited the prayer in her heart.
She was exceedingly skilled at this.
The Prayer of Purification was one she had repeated dozens of hundreds of times before.
Since it was a prayer she had memorized long ago, it shouldn’t feel awkward.
‘The reason the dead remain on the earth…’
While vowing to press down Lucy’s nose, Phoebe chanted her prayer and looked upon the sight unfolding before her.
She saw a small girl, just barely hovering onto her shoulders, laughing and mocking the dragon flying in the sky.
“What’re you aiming at?♡ Is there a ghost or something?♡ Eek!♡ So scary!♡”
How can someone stand up to such a massive dragon that could squash her with one hand?
Does fear even exist for that person?
Seeing her, Phoebe bit her teeth together.
If they acted like that against the dragon, it’s obvious what would happen if I fail again.
So, absolutely no failing.
I can’t fail.
I will prove that Armadi performs miracles!
As her heart’s hesitations began to fade, Phoebe’s pace in reciting the prayer gradually quickened.
Just as the dragon ceased blowing fire, Phoebe successfully completed her prayer.
“Lady Allen!”
Just watch.
This is the miracle of Armadi you looked down upon!
My site has received a lot of DMCA notices, lol. From now on, I will update the MTL on https://darkmtl.com/.
The site is fast and lightweight because there are no ads yet. However, the theme is different from Cybor-TL, so take some time to familiarize yourself.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.