Chapter 100: Nana

“Ahead is the directional teleportation magic array of the Saint Luo Empire. Unauthorized personnel are prohibited from approaching!”

The soldiers of the Saint Luo Empire raised their weapons, aiming at the pink-haired girl attempting to approach.

“I am a saintess candidate from the Holy Land. Due to special circumstances, I need to apply to use the directional teleportation magic array.”

Via stopped in her tracks and explained to the soldiers guarding the directional teleportation magic array.

“Via?”

One soldier recognized Via and was somewhat surprised.

“Who is this?” Another soldier asked curiously.

“You’re stupid; this is Lady Sylvia’s daughter, the twin Via.”

“Ah? You mean that one who looks so—”

“Shut up!”

The soldier elbowed his colleague, signaling him not to speak recklessly.

After all, they were soldiers of the Saint Luo Empire. If they badmouthed a cleric from the Holy Land and got reported later, they’d be fined.

Better to avoid trouble.

“Can I pass?”

Via took out her Saint Luo Empire citizen ID card, first proving her identity.

Immediately after, she presented the Holy Land token that came with the letter.

Holding this token allowed one to use the directional teleportation magic array.

It was a privilege granted by the Saint Luo Empire to the Holy Land.

“Mm, Miss Via, you may pass.”

After checking the ID card and the Holy Land token, the Saint Luo Empire soldiers returned them to Via.

“We need to register the reason for your use of the directional teleportation magic array.”

“The Holy Land has summoned me back to prepare for the Holy Prayer Day activities.”

“…Alright, I understand.”

After registering, the Saint Luo Empire soldiers opened the gate and led Via inside.

Not long after, they saw a rather massive magic array. At the four corners of the magic array, floating spatial stones were set, maintaining the array’s stability.

After the Saint Luo Empire soldiers explained, the mages responsible for operating and maintaining activated the array.

After Via stood at the center of the directional teleportation magic array, the teleportation began.

She watched as light enveloped her body, as if an invisible hand was lifting her toward the distance.

“I really don’t understand why they insist on keeping that Via in the Holy Land. Letting her participate in the Holy Prayer Day activities is just purely embarrassing the Holy Land, right?”

After seeing Via leave, the soldier who had been holding back finally spoke.

“Don’t meddle in so much. Whether it’s the empire or the Holy Land, how they want to mess around has nothing to do with us.”

“You don’t care at all?”

“Even if I care, it’s useless. You and I are bottom-tier people; what we need to do is not make mistakes in this post, not get fined, and just collect our wages.”

“If only I had your mindset.”

“Learn it; otherwise, how do you think I’ve been in this post for so many years?”

“…Back again.”

Via stood at the gate of the Holy Land and let out a sigh.

She had set off from Doff City, gone to a city with a directional teleportation magic array, then leaped from city to city, finally arriving at the Holy Land.

The gate before her towered into the clouds, as if separating the worlds before and behind the door.

It was named the Gate of Divine Grace, forged from radiant stone and star gold. At night, it emitted a soft white glow, like heavenly light descending.

The steps of the Gate of Divine Grace led upward all the way to the end, Mount Orions.

The peak of Mount Orions was the sacred place in the hearts of the clerics, which was the Holy Land.

The entire Mount Orions had three Gates of Divine Grace in different directions, all leading to the Holy Land.

“Every time I come back, I have to climb the mountain; it’s really troublesome.”

Via muttered a complaint under her breath.

She glanced at the pilgrimage stairs vanishing into the clouds, feeling very displeased.

Clearly, there were faster means of transportation to ascend, but the Holy Land stipulated that, unless it was a special emergency, all clerics entering the Holy Land must ascend on foot; otherwise, it was disrespectful to the gods.

Just like before, she began climbing, but a voice came from behind.

“Isn’t this Via?”

“Hm?”

Via turned her head and saw a girl about her age.

“Nana?”

“Mm, Via, long time no see—has it been half a year?”

The girl named Nana had a cheerful smile on her face as she walked to Via’s side.

Her appearance could be considered pretty, with a youthful vibe between her brows. Her brown long hair was tied into a single ponytail, hanging behind her, and she wore the same style of saintess candidate outfit as Via.

“What a coincidence, running into you at the Gate of Divine Grace!”

“Mm…”

Via averted her gaze.

Nana, like her, was a saintess candidate.

Besides the Shirleyford sisters, the Holy Land had other saintess candidates, but relatively speaking, as the elder sister, Sophie was too famous, causing many to overlook the remaining saintess candidates.

Nana was one of them.

“What’s wrong, Via? You look like you want to avoid me?” Nana showed a puzzled expression.

“Nana, are you heading back to the Holy Land too?”

“Yes.”

“Then you go up first.”

“You’re not going up?”

“I’ll go later; I’m waiting for someone.”

“Nonsense; in the Holy Land, who else would travel with Via? Because Via is a good-for-nothing; everyone wants to avoid her!” Nana laughed happily.

Via fell silent.

She wasn’t good at dealing with Nana.

Just as Nana said, other clerics didn’t think much of Via; if not looking down on her, they wanted to avoid her.

But Nana was an exception; she was different from the other clerics.

Besides her sister Sophie, she was the only cleric in the Holy Land who would actively talk to and interact with Via.

As for the reason…

“Come on, Via, let’s return to the Holy Land together. If you’re not by my side, the archbishop will criticize me later!”

Nana grabbed Via’s hand, and they passed through the Gate of Divine Grace together.

“Sigh.”

Via sighed.

Nana was actually not outstanding among the saintess candidates; she was the second from the bottom.

But it was Via, this bottom-ranked one, who was too outrageously bad, making Nana, the second from the bottom, seem decent by comparison.

That was why Nana would actively talk to Via.

Whether Nana was there or not didn’t matter to Via; her situation had always been this bad anyway.

But for Nana, it was completely different.

Without Via, Nana would become the bottom saintess candidate.

“Don’t sigh, Via; sighing will let luck slip away!”

Nana was as usual, inexplicably cheerful every day for some reason.

“Come on, smile!”