After Gro tossed Ileil onto the bed in the single room, he hurriedly left. Shortly after Gro departed, a cleric dressed as a priest soon arrived in the room to check the injuries of Ileil, who had just escaped the sea of fire.
“Nyaa… By the dawn above. Miss Ileil, your body is very healthy. Barring any surprises, you should recover normally soon.”
The cat-eared priest breathed a sigh of relief, interrupting her focus on the healing spell. The warm golden light gradually dissipated from Ileil’s body, and the priest nodded satisfactorily.
“…”
Ileil looked at the priest casting the healing spell with slight curiosity. For Ileil, who was long accustomed to white-blade combat, she had almost never observed a holy cleric casting divine arts up close—including most of her enemies. Even those who knew a few simple spells were rare creatures in Ileil’s perception.
But this cat subhuman had no magic flowing within her. As a witch, Ileil could sense that the source of this holy power was…
“Nyaa? Miss Ileil… you’re staring at the holy relic in my hand, right?”
Seeming to notice Ileil’s gaze, the cat-eared priest proudly waved the stick-like “holy relic” in her hand, saying seriously:
“Your silver hair is so beautiful, and your features are very striking… very upright and heroic! Unlike most of the delicate girls I know. But you’re not from Aressto, right, Miss Ileil?”
Ileil was a bit speechless. She hadn’t said anything yet, just glanced a bit longer at the magic-emitting stick in her hand—and this seemingly chatterbox priest had already started babbling nonstop.
She had no interest in learning about this so-called holy relic stick, nor was she in the mood to listen to this overly familiar priest’s flattery. Ileil replied expressionlessly:
“Sorry, Miss Priest… I didn’t mean that.”
“Nyaa! So heartless…” The cat-eared priest’s long tail behind her drooped. “I just wanted to say… are you interested in learning about our Lord—the one who brings light to the earth…”
“Unfortunately, I already have a god I believe in.”
“Is that so… then sorry for disturbing you.”
The cat-eared priest’s tail wilted and curled around her waist. She closed the medical kit at hand and placed a bell adorned with a sun emblem on the bedside. “Then I’ll go first. If you feel unwell, shake the bell and call me.”
Ileil looked at the somewhat dejected priest; she seemed not very bright. Letting this naive little girl go like this might be a waste…
“Answering your earlier question, Miss Priest… strictly speaking, I am from Aressto too.”
“Eh?” Hearing the cold Ileil suddenly respond, the cat-eared priest was a bit at a loss; her cat ears on her head twitched. “Appearances like Miss Ileil’s are rare in Aressto… Ah, no offense; I just think people as beautiful as you are scarce!”
“You’re too kind, Miss Lily. As for faith—my father is from the northern Kastit, so…”
“Ah, I get it, I get it!” Lily, as if to escape the awkward atmosphere, hurriedly clasped her hands in apology. “I shouldn’t have mentioned my Lord in front of a valkyrie’s warrior; I’m really sorry!”
The warriors of the north were brave and skilled in battle; most sought glorious death on the battlefield, believing their souls would be led to Valhalla by valkyries after death—this was the honor they pursued lifelong.
But Ileil didn’t believe in any valkyries, nor did her father born in Kastit. In her view, valkyries weren’t even as reliable as the dawn god the Aressto people believed in; at least He truly bestowed power on believers. Ileil mentioned valkyries purely to placate this priest miss.
“It’s fine, Miss Lily.” Ileil put on a magnanimous appearance and shifted the topic to what concerned her:
“Thanks to you all. If not for that saint saving me, I probably couldn’t be lying here talking to you.”
“Eh… This, this is all Lord Dorias’s credit! I can at most do some healing divine arts…”
“The saint who saved me is named Dorias?” Ileil feigned surprise, raising an eyebrow. “If possible… I should thank Mr. Dorias in person.”
“Lord Dorias?” Lily’s ears stood straight up, her tail wagging happily. “He was just discussing something with Her Highness the Princess; he probably doesn’t have time…” Lily suddenly realized she had said something extra; her voice stopped abruptly, and she hurriedly covered her mouth, looking like a kitten who spilled the milk jug.
“May I ask… is Her Highness the Princess in Renn Town too?”
Although Ileil had already learned this from Gro, she still put on a surprised expression.
“Nyaa… Oh no. I said something I shouldn’t have again…” Lily curled into a ball; Ileil looked at her tense appearance and softened her voice to ask:
“Can you tell me what’s happening in Renn Town?” She showed an uneasy expression, her tone trembling: “I don’t want to be caught in such a terrifying sea of fire again… Please, Miss Lily, tell me the truth.”
Lily looked at the silver-haired girl with a face full of worry, unable to hide her reluctance. In this naive cat girl’s eyes, Ileil was just an innocent victim; under Ileil’s carefully packaged fragile exterior, Lily couldn’t bear to conceal the truth she knew from her.
“Sorry, Lord Dorias…” Lily murmured softly. After a good internal struggle, reason ultimately couldn’t overcome her sympathy for Ileil.
“Renn Town hasn’t been peaceful lately, so His Majesty the King sent Her Highness the Princess to Renn Town to clear the evil spirits. According to Lord Dorias, the fire you encountered, Miss Ileil, was the work of a witch.”
This was information Gro hadn’t told Ileil.
The king sent the princess to handle these matters? Ileil’s thoughts aligned oddly with Gro’s; wasn’t this just a young lady playing house?
Ileil felt genuinely troubled at the thought that the bastard Gro might arrange for her to meet that princess later.
…
“Lily, this is the how many times you’ve let slip in front of others?”
The room’s door had been opened at some point.
Ileil frowned; she looked toward the doorway at the unfamiliar girl in a gorgeous long dress. Her light golden curls were coiled into a ring bun on her head; her features were striking, giving the stereotypical impression of an upper-class young lady. Her deep red pupils were filled with displeasure.
“P-Prinshitt Your Highness…”
The cat-eared priest was frightened by this arrogant girl; she stammered: “S-Sorry… I thought Miss Ileil was too pitiful, so…”
This blonde, red-eyed young lady was that princess? As Ileil pondered, the princess’s scolding voice came mercilessly:
“Don’t make excuses, Lily. Return to where you should be now; we’ll discuss your punishment later.”
“Wuu… Your Highness, I understand.”
The princess’s command brooked no argument. After Lily glanced at Ileil one last time, she quickly left the scene. Ileil thought the storm was over, but that Princess named Prinshitt seemed to have no intention of leaving; instead, she walked into the room, shifting her angry gaze to Ileil:
“Such exaggerated acting… Truly disgusting.”
Prinshitt spat out this sentence with a disgusted expression.