Chapter 108:Saint Arbella

Afternoon Tea.  

A light meal accompanied by tea and refreshments.  

It symbolizes elegance and refinement, a culture meant for socializing and enjoying leisure.  

It typically takes place in the afternoon, and since the ladies who participated often engaged in lively conversations, it was usually enjoyed in groups.  

Thus, in the gardens of the Diamond Palace, three women were indulging in afternoon tea. Laryana and the young ladies of the Highlander family were close, after all.  

“I met Duke Rahardt the other day.”  

Clink.  

Laryana set down her teacup.  

“…Duke Rahardt?”  

Hearing Laryana’s words, Eris’s hand froze. Her fingers trembled slightly at the rim of her teacup.  

“Yes, Duke Rahardt. We spoke the other day, but he still won’t come over to my side.”  

Laryana ran her fingers over the teacup with a wry smile. A wistful look flickered in her golden eyes.  

“I see…?”  

Observing her reaction, Eris felt a sense of relief. If by any chance he had accepted Laryana’s affections, then perhaps there would be no place for her.  

Zevela chuckled softly as she lifted her teacup.  

“You’re still after him, I see.”  

“Of course. How could I give up on a man like that?”  

“Well, that makes sense.”  

“Hmm? Are you after him too, Zevela?”  

“Not at all. I dislike love triangles.”  

“Hahaha.”  

It would be a lie to say she wasn’t interested, but Zevela wasn’t so drawn to Yohan Rahardt that she wanted to compete for him. Everyone knew how many noble ladies had their eyes on him.  

She had no intention of stepping into that bloody battlefield.  

“…Your Highness, but isn’t Duke Rahardt already engaged?”  

Eris asked cautiously.  

“Hmm? Ah, now that I think about it, you don’t know yet, do you, Eris?”  

Laryana laughed lightly and leaned her body against the table.  

“Duke Rahardt is a polygamist.”  

“What?!”  

Eris’s eyes widened in shock. But it wasn’t the fact that Yohan was a polygamist that surprised her, she already knew that.  

What truly shocked her was that Laryana knew.  

Eris asked hesitantly.  

“H-how did you find that out?”  

“Hehe, that’s a secret.”  

It wouldn’t be a good look to admit that she had mobilized the imperial special forces and commissioned an information guild to dig into his background. Laryana knew this, so she chose to remain silent.  

She simply smiled and shrugged.  

“Well, there are even more surprising facts, but if I say them, Duke Rahardt might get mad, so I’ll keep them to myself.”  

Then why mention it at all?! Making people curious for no reason. Zevela shook her head in exasperation. But well, that was just how Laryana was.  

“By the way, you know… Duke Rahardt is truly a wonderful person.”  

Laryana gazed into the distance.  

Her golden eyes shimmered beautifully.  

“In what way, exactly…?”  

Eris swallowed hard. A tense weight crawled up her neck, as if a stone were lodged in her throat.  

“His heart for his beloved is unwavering. He has strong values. He’s simply a charming person… Haha.”  

It was a simple answer, but her sincerity was evident from her expression. She was smiling warmly, gently without a doubt, the face of a girl in love.  

‘My god!’  

Eris’s lips parted slightly, her gray eyes trembling. She was utterly stunned.  

She had known Laryana for over ten years, but she had never seen her make that kind of expression before.  

That expression, it was the face of someone truly in love. Like a young girl, blushing just at the thought of that person…

Eris was no exception.  

“…It seems you truly have feelings for him.”  

Zevela, momentarily at a loss for words, barely managed to speak. Even as someone who had been the closest to Laryana, she found this unfamiliar side of her difficult to process.  

“You could say that.”  

Laryana smiled lightly and tilted her teacup. As the fragrance filled the air, the elegant curve of her lips relaxed with ease.  

“…”  

Zevela’s eyes narrowed slightly. Laryana hadn’t denied it. That meant she was serious. Not just curiosity or mild affection this was genuine romantic interest.  

‘This is dangerous.’  

Eris, her younger sister, was also aiming for a position as one of Rahardt’s concubines. But if Laryana entered the picture now, things could become quite complicated. After all, in most polygamous marriages, three wives were the usual limit.  

Of course, there were exceptions where some men had more, but such cases were extremely rare.  

That meant Eris and Laryana might end up competing for the final spot.  

‘This isn’t good…’  

It wasn’t that Zevela thought Eris would be at a disadvantage her sister was a beautiful and charming woman in her own right. What worried her was the possibility of their close-knit group fracturing over this.  

“Ha…”  

Zevela let out a quiet sigh.  

Yohan Rahardt.  

That man must surely be guilty of many sins.

*     *     *

Most of the personnel of the Purification Bureau had been selected.  

The units were formed around five Special-grade members.  

“The operation is just around the corner now.”  

Trickle.  

Elena refilled Yohan’s teacup.  

“Time has passed so quickly already…”  

Yohan tilted his cup.  

The scent of flowers lingered at the tip of his nose.  

“Aren’t you nervous?”  

“How could I not be? It’s my first deployment.”  

Yohan let out a small sigh and set down his teacup.  

“Since the civil officers are coming along, I’m not too worried, but the heart of a Demon’s Den is always full of unknowns, so I can’t help but feel uneasy.”  

The Purification Bureau’s forces were still not strong enough.  

If a large number of Special-grade demonic beasts appeared, they would be in grave danger.  

Moreover, little was known about the Demon’s Den.  

Yohan could close them, but their true nature remained a mystery.  

“It’ll be fine. Isn’t the Minister coming with us?”  

Elena smiled warmly.  

That was how much trust Rahardt, the Minister, inspired.  

“You’re right… Since everyone believes that, I should do my best.”  

Yohan chuckled.  

He wasn’t used to living up to expectations.  

There are times when it’s not about whether you can do it, but that you must.  

There was no room to retreat.  

He was the only key that could save the continent.  

For Francia and Rudella’s sake, he had to push forward.  

“By the way, how is the training progressing?”  

Currently, the Purification Bureau’s training focused on mastering Yohan’s organized formations.  

Only by doing so could each person fulfill their role and increase their chances of survival.  

Elena smiled brightly.  

“It’s going smoothly.”  

She continued,  

“Since many of our members are former civil officers, knights, and inspectors, their comprehension is exceptionally high. There haven’t been any interruptions in training.”  

These were people already accustomed to structured organizations.  

It was only natural that they could adapt to the Bureau’s systematic approach.  

Notably, there were no mages from the Mage Tower.  

Once they entered the Tower, they stayed unless expelled.  

They focused more on research than on combat or practical applications of magic,  

so it wasn’t surprising.  

“That’s a relief.”  

“Yes, you have nothing to worry about.”  

Training was progressing smoothly, and no issues had arisen thus far.  

For some reason, Yohan’s own magical purity had been steadily increasing as well.  

Thanks to this, he could now truly be called a transcendent mage.  

‘It feels like it’s been purifying even more lately.’  

Yohan took another sip of tea.  

Specifically, ever since his interactions with Francia had increased.  

From that moment, his magical purity had been rising continuously.  

‘Could this be connected to Francia?’  

It seemed highly likely that she was the reason.  

After all, she possessed the power of purification.  

‘I should ask her later.’  

Clack.  

Just as Yohan set down his teacup.  

—Minister, the reinforcements from the Holy Nation have arrived.  

A voice called from outside the office.  

If it was reinforcements, that meant the Holy Knights led by the Saintess.  

Since they had traveled a long way, he had to greet them personally.  

“I’ll head out right away.”

*     *     *

Yohan stepped into the training grounds.  

The Holy Knights and priests stood in formation.  

With the Saintess present and their mission being to close a Demon’s Den, everyone seemed especially disciplined.  

“It’s an honor to meet you, Saint!”  

As Yohan glanced around, a large man approached with an easygoing smile, extending his hand for a handshake.  

Judging by his appearance, he was undoubtedly the leader of the Holy Knights.  

“I’m not a Saint, I’m a Minister.”  

Yohan accepted the handshake but kept his expression firm.  

“You may not see yourself that way, but to us, you are the Saint! You’re the savior of the continent, after all!”  

The commander’s smile didn’t waver for a second.  

As expected of someone from a theocratic nation despite meeting Yohan for the first time, he displayed boundless faith simply because of the title Saint.  

‘This is uncomfortable.’  

It wasn’t the praise that bothered him.  

Rather…  

People like this tended to attach profound meaning to even the smallest actions of those they revered,  

which often led to troublesome situations.  

He didn’t know them well yet, but his instincts were clear, these people were his fanatics.  

“Oh, my apologies! I’ve gone on too long. That was quite rude of me, wasn’t it? Hahaha!”  

See?  

Before he even had a chance to respond, the man had already overinterpreted his silence and apologized in advance.  

The knight let out a small chuckle before introducing himself.  

“My name is Lazen. Lazen Hendrix. I am the commander of the Holy Knights. Please, feel free to call me Lazen.”  

Lazen Hendrix.  

Yohan was already familiar with the name.  

He had been tasked by Archbishop Cain to pursue Francia.  

“Yes, I look forward to working with you. Yohan Rahardt.”  

Yohan masked his reluctance and completed the introductions.  

“And where is the Saintess?”  

“Oh, if you’re looking for her—”  

Just as Lazen began scanning the surroundings.  

“Lazeeen! There aren’t any flowers in this training ground! What’s going on?!”  

A clear and gentle voice rang out from the far end of the field.  

The woman who emerged looked utterly out of place in such a rugged setting.  

“How could this be? Normally, there’s at least one flower somewhere! But I couldn’t find a single one! Lazen! Why aren’t there any flowers here?”  

She finally reached Yohan and Lazen, her breath slightly uneven from talking so much.  

Oddly enough, with every word she spoke, it felt like the air itself became purer.  

“…This is a newly constructed building. The land was cleared, so all the grass and flowers were removed in the process.”  

“Oh, is that so?”  

She smiled softly and turned her gaze toward Yohan.  

Her green hair shimmered in the sunlight, cascading gracefully.  

Her deep black eyes were serene and unwavering.  

Her translucent skin and elegant ceremonial robes only emphasized her noble presence.  

It was instantly clear.  

She was the Saintess.  

“Oh my, how rude of me! I am Saintess Arbella. My full name is Arbella Saints! I’ve come to the Empire to meet you, Saint, and to aid in the salvation of the continent!”  

Arbella bowed politely in the manner of her holy nation, then lifted her head slightly, expectantly waiting for his introduction.  

“Yohan Rahardt, Minister of the Purification Bureau.”  

“Ah…!”  

The moment Yohan introduced himself, Arbella’s eyes widened in surprise,  

her fingertips pressing together.  

“You’re the Saint!”  

Her voice had risen slightly.  

“I, Arbella, have long awaited this meeting with Saint Yohan!”  

Yohan blinked.  

“…You were waiting for me?”  

“Yes…! Ahh, what a joyous day!”  

Her voice trembled with excitement.  

She smiled radiantly, her face turning a soft shade of pink.  

Delicate, pale fingers gently cupped her flushed cheeks.  

“The Goddess has guided me…!”  

“…Excuse me?”  

Yohan was too stunned to respond.  

He had no idea how to continue this conversation.  

What was this woman saying upon their very first meeting?  

As he stood there blinking in bewilderment, Arbella beamed at him.  

“Saint Yohan, you are my destiny! That’s right, Yohan, you are to be my husband…!”