It doesn’t take much effort to explain the prestige that the Holy Star Order holds on the continent.
Describing the group requires only one word.
The strongest on the continent.
Even though their headquarters is merely the size of a single fortress, they are described in such terms.
It wasn’t a strange thing.
After all, the origin of the national system was the Holy Nation, led by the Saintess, and the power of the Supreme God who created this land still lingers beside the Order.
The authority of the Order is so vast that it dictates the world’s order.
The reason why the nations of the continent form a single union and operate under the Order’s mediation lies in this fact.
As such, the Order’s grandest festival, the Holy Star Festival, became a venue where leaders of various nations gathered annually to discuss diplomatic issues.
For those participating in these meetings, it was an arena where they could never let their guard down, even for a moment.
However, that was only the story of the leaders.
For most of the tourists attending the festival, the meaning was entirely different.
It was the grandest festival on the entire continent, a foreign culture worth experiencing at least once in a lifetime.
Before the festival’s main events, there was only one thing they were anticipating.
“Hey, it’s starting soon!”
“The ritual, right? I heard it’s an amazing spectacle.”
“Don’t even get me started. My friend wouldn’t stop talking about how a life without seeing it at least once is a wasted life.”
It was the opening ceremony where the Saintesses gathered to offer a prayer to the Supreme God.
The open plaza of the Order was already crowded with people who had come to witness it.
Excitement was evident on everyone’s faces.
It wasn’t just the ceremony’s rumored beauty that made people eager.
“Do you think we’ll receive a blessing?”
“Oh, of course! They say if you receive the light of the ceremony on your body, you won’t fall sick for an entire year!”
The four Saintesses were coming together to emit divine power.
There were rumors that exposure to this light could cure illnesses or bring good fortune.
Of course, the Saintesses themselves would simply say, “Eh, that’s just a superstition.”
But sometimes, there are things that remain beautiful when left mysterious.
The Order never bothered to explain such matters.
They allowed people the freedom of belief.
Regardless, thanks to such traditions, the opening ceremony had become a major event, and with the sound of horn trumpets, it began.
Bwooooo—
The ceremony was grand.
As the trumpets sounded, the sacred flames blazed, illuminating the entire space, while priests and holy knights marched in solemn procession, adding to the reverent atmosphere.
The magnificence of the towering altar at the center of the plaza spoke for itself.
The subtle divine energy that spread throughout the space was enough to inspire awe in all who watched.
At that moment—
“Ah, there they are!”
“Ohh… The Saintesses!”
The four Saintesses of the Order began walking toward the altar together.
They were dressed in ceremonial white robes.
Given the solemnity of the moment, no one openly cheered, but a collective whisper of admiration swept through the crowd.
“They are so beautiful…”
“As expected of the women chosen by the Supreme God.”
This demonstrated the public perception of the Saintesses.
Within the Order, they might be entangled in various scandals, but to the common people, the Saintesses were divine emissaries, personally appointed by the Supreme God.
It was only natural that people looked upon them with reverence.
That reverence soon turned into awe, spreading like an epidemic.
Then, at the very moment when the four Saintesses knelt around the altar—
Fwoooosh–
A radiant light surged.
No—rather, it descended from the sky onto the altar.
No one could fully grasp the direction of the light in that instant.
What blinded their eyes were the four streams of divine energy swirling around the pillar of light.
The breathtaking sight, reminiscent of a dragon’s ascent, soon flooded the space with warm, bursting radiance.
One by one, the spectators fell to their knees in awe.
Some even wept, crying out for the Supreme God’s grace.
A faint prayer for healing was embedded in the pillar of light.
It was the very source of the rumor that ‘it drives away illness,’ even if it was merely a superstition.
The opening ceremony was a complete success.
Its sheer grandeur made it undeniably worthy of the Holy Star Order’s reputation.
Among the spectators, someone murmured—
“The Saintesses must be hearing the voice of the Supreme God at this very moment, right?”
“Of course, isn’t that obvious?”
Appearances are important for this very reason.
Not knowing what the Saintesses were actually saying only helped maintain their image.
“Ugh, I just want this to end so I can go eat some meat.“
“I want pasta, baguettes, and lasagna.“
“I really crave something sweet right now…“
“Forget that, I just want to sleep…“
The truth is always brutal.
The opening ceremony concluded successfully.
The spectators’ enthusiasm was as heated as ever, filling the entire space with smiles.
The saintesses, having finished their grand schedule, returned to their respective places.
In other words, they went to do what they had been holding back for so long.
Halia immediately disappeared to eat the meat Diego had grilled.
Rubena threw off her ceremonial robe, put on her usual overly revealing outfit, got scolded by the high priest, and then changed into a modest priestly robe.
In that state, she headed to the restaurant.
Judith staggered towards the laboratory, seemingly determined to get a deep sleep as she had declared.
The much-anticipated Usher ate cookies as soon as the meal was over.
Hia puffed-up cheeks and the way he chewed on the cookies evoked the image of a pitiful little animal.
“Mmph…”
“Finish eating before you speak. You’ll choke like that.”
Bersia chuckled as she placed another cookie into Usher’s mouth.
Normally, Usher would have refused, insisting he could do it himself, but at that moment, he lacked even the mental capacity for that.
After nearly a month without sweets, the cookie’s taste was so overwhelming that it almost destroyed his reasoning.
The flavor, texture, aroma, and even the way it went down his throat—everything was so vivid.
He wondered if he had ever tasted something this delicious with such detail in his entire life.
Finishing an entire plate took no time at all.
Only after devouring the cookies like a blink of an eye did embarrassment begin to creep in.
But he brushed it off with an awkward laugh.
At this point, it was too late to act reserved, and more importantly, the real festivities had yet to begin.
“This isn’t the time to sit around! Let’s go to the festival!”
“Yes! We have to visit all the restaurants I had my eye on, right?”
“Of course! I completed that grueling diet on behalf of the saintess. I think I deserve this today!”
With a confident smirk, Bersia burst into laughter, clutching her stomach.
After that, they immediately set out to explore the festival.
As soon as they stepped into the streets, people recognized them everywhere, but no one dared to approach.
Perhaps the solemnity he displayed at the opening ceremony had created some sense of distance in their hearts.
That was a relief. He could at least manage to walk demurely to maintain the dignity of a saintess, but if he got caught in a crowd, he might end up flustered.
Regardless, the festival exploration was enjoyable.
Though he couldn’t fully let loose in the public eye, going around with Bersia, searching for the foods he had been waiting for, filled his heart with a constant ticklish warmth.
They visited the restaurants Bersia recommended, watched street performances, and hhe even stood by as Bersia treated a child’s scraped knee.
A few hours passed like that.
Usher, having eaten and played so much that his stomach felt like it couldn’t take another bite, realized it was about time to head back.
A wave of emptiness suddenly hit him.
It felt as if he was waking up from a sweet dream.
He smacked his lips in regret as he gazed at the fading festival lights.
“You’ll come out tomorrow too, right?”
His head whipped around to face Bersia.
She was smiling brightly.
“We only saw the southern side today. We still need to check out the other areas.”
Was she feeling the same way?
Had Bersia also felt the same sense of lingering attachment?
That thought sent a pleasant warmth spreading through Usher’s chest.
It wasn’t an uncomfortable heat.
Rather, it was a cozy and uplifting feeling that seemed to spread all the way to his face.
Usher struggled to suppress the smile creeping onto his lips.
“…Yes, we should explore the other areas as well.”
Why was he suddenly so aware of every little word and action from Bersia?
Was it the curse making his emotions unstable?
These days, his embarrassment seemed to deepen even more.
His steps back home felt lighter.
Excitement for tomorrow nestled in his heart.
The next day, Usher and Bersia arrived at the morning market.
But it seemed fortune was not on their side that day.
Thunk—someone bumped into him in the crowded street.
He lifted his head to apologize.
At that moment, Usher’s body stiffened.
The hooded figure he had collided with was a boy.
His sky-blue hair rippled like waves—he looked about fifteen.
‘Ah.’
The crown prince, Bersia’s younger brother, was about to lift his head but flinched upon seeing Usher.
A not-so-welcome encounter.
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