novelraw Chapter 110: Always Anew (6)
Chapter 110: Always Anew (6)
Translator: Dreamscribe
Airi always watched everyone from behind.
She hadn’t been of any help during the Great War, and instead, she had received help. Even when fulfilling the role of the Saintess at the Grand Temple, she had relied on Hallon’s support, and for the regular sermons, she was helped by the Heroes.
A fool who couldn’t manage a single thing without help.
That’s how Airi assessed herself.
Everyone was doing their best to move forward toward the future.
They were proving their worth for Arsilan and radiating a brilliant light. Only she remained in place, still looking at their backs.
‘I want to be helpful.’
Even now, she was merely spending idle time in Marquis Namas’s Domain. As she let out a sigh in the beautiful garden, Marquis Namas’s expression hardened.
What had so disturbed her heart?
If there had been a change...
“Is it because of the Duke?”
“......”
Lost in thought, Airi didn’t hear the words of Marquis Namas.
“Do not worry. I hear the Duke’s side is in an uproar due to some catastrophe. Besides, we have the barbarians, so he won’t be able to act rashly.”
The Duke had directly visited Marquis Namas’s Domain. It was to resolve the conflict between them and to seek a path for His Majesty the Emperor and the Empire.
“Planning to pretend to accept the Duke’s proposal while gauging the situation....”
“Haa.”
As Airi sighed while looking at the flowers, Marquis Namas shuddered. Her sorrowful expression became a whip that struck his heart.
“I see. A man who speaks such weak words would not suit you.”
Marquis Namas nodded.
“I shall strip the Duke of everything and decorate it for you! Remain here. There shall be no further negotiations with the Duke!”
Resolving so, Marquis Namas looked at her once more and then walked confidently toward the conference room. His words didn’t reach Airi’s ears.
Airi walked through the garden, lost in thought. Though loud voices could be heard from the direction of the conference room, they only registered as white noise.
As she continued walking in her contemplation, she arrived in front of the building that Marquis Namas had lent to the Duke.
The Duke was boiling with fury over the sudden change in Marquis Namas’s attitude.
“You traitorous bastard who sold the Empire to barbarians!”
Marquis Namas was a traitor who had handed over lands to the barbarians.
Doing it once was hard, but doing it twice was easy.
In the past, the Duke himself had sold lands of the Empire to the Erosion, so he too was a traitor.
The Duke began preparing to return to his Domain with the nobles who had accompanied him.
That’s when he encountered Airi.
The Duke and the nobles froze in place as if struck by lightning at the sight of Airi.
Thump! Thump!
The Duke clutched his chest.
His heart, which hadn’t beaten in over a hundred years, suddenly began to pound violently. Airi’s sorrowful expression exuded a deadly charm, and the sigh she had exhaled shook the Duke’s entire body.
“Ahem!”
After adjusting his clothes, the Duke approached Airi. As the shadow of his massive frame fell over her, Airi finally snapped out of her thoughts.
“Greetings.”
“Yes, hello?”
The Duke roughly recognized her identity. He recalled hearing that Marquis Namas and the foolish nobles were enamored with a certain woman. He had thought it absurd, but seeing her in person, he now understood.
She was a treasure that shone more brightly than any other.
“Is something troubling you?”
The Duke was exceedingly gentle.
“Why am I so useless? I can’t be of any help....”
At Airi’s words, the Duke’s eyes trembled.
Just how had Marquis Namas been treating her?
“What nonsense is that! You are a precious treasure just by existing!”
As Airi shook her head, the Duke’s face twisted.
“No. I can’t do anything on my own.”
“Then it is this world that is wrong!”
After confiding in the Duke, her heart felt a little lighter. The people here were so kind, it was hard to believe they were villains.
As Marquis Namas approached with his knights, the Duke glared at him, then turned to Airi.
“I shall rescue you! I will shoulder all of your worries!”
Marquis Namas, you bastard!
The Duke, having said that, got into a heated argument with Marquis Namas.
‘Everyone seems so busy.’
Airi thought that as she accessed the group notice board used by Arsilan players connected to the Empire of Evil.
Airi (Ruler): Is there anything I can help with?
└Tia (Morwen): Just keep doing what you're doing! You're doing great! Good!
└Hallon (Prophet): Very good.
└Jinwoo: Excellent.
Whenever she asked like this, they always told her she was doing well.
They always showed her consideration, which made Airi feel even more sorry.
Airi returned to the Church in Evanth. The view of Evanth seen through the window was peaceful.
Airi suddenly recalled the past.
She had fled from the demon realm, tainted by Erosion, to Arsilan. It was only natural for others to reject her for being a demon, yet the great Archmage had accepted her as one of Arsilan’s own. To her, who had been persecuted even in the demon realm, it was the only salvation.
‘Let’s try to find something I can be helpful with!’
Resolving herself, Airi stepped outside the Saintess’s room.
Outside the Church, it was very busy. Airi cautiously stepped out of the Church.
“Um, can I help with-”
Airi trailed off mid-sentence.
“Huff! Huff!”
“Haah!”
The muscles of the clerics were rippling. With overwhelming strength, they were splitting rocks in front of the Church and constructing a warehouse. Lifting a large pillar, they slammed it into the ground.
Even when injured,
“Heal!”
They immediately healed themselves with a low-tier Healing Sacred Technique. Airi watched this for a while.
‘Heal...’
Despite playing the role of the Saintess, she couldn’t even use basic sacred techniques. The demonic energy within her was nearly incompatible with divine power. Airi looked at her hands and clenched them into fists. She resented her hands that emitted only useless demonic energy.
‘Ella-nim.’
She gazed at the statue of Ella in front of the Church, gripped by guilt.
It always weighed on her heart that someone like her, a demon, was fulfilling the role of Ella’s Saintess. However, she had no intention of abandoning the role she was given. It was because she wanted to be of help to the Archmage and to Arsilan.
‘I’m sorry, Ella-nim. Even if you hate me, I still want to continue being the Saintess.’
She bowed her head and apologized in front of Ella’s statue. Though she was a Saintess who couldn’t even wield basic sacred techniques, she still wanted to do what she could.
“Hehe!”
“Kyaa!”
Children were laughing and running in front of the Church.
Airi smiled as she watched them, then tilted her head. Among them was a young girl wearing a pure white dress. Airi knew all the children in Evanth, but this was the first time she’d seen that girl.
She followed the children.
The children ran out of Evanth and joined others playing in the fields. They were playing a ball game that the Heroes had taught them, and laughter echoed without end, as if they were having the time of their lives.
‘She’s not there.’
The girl in the pure white dress was nowhere to be seen. Airi sat in the field and watched the children. Just seeing them having fun brought a smile to her face.
“Ah!”
One of the children running after the ball tripped over a rock and fell. Her knee was scraped, and a cut formed on her face; tears welled up in her eyes.
“Marie!”
Airi called the child’s name and quickly stood up and ran toward her.
Marie was born with a naturally weak constitution. Due to the influence of the Erosion, she had been born that way, and not even Hallon, who had been the Pope, could heal her with sacred techniques.
Airi often brought the always-alone Marie to the Saintess’s room and read her picture books. That same Marie was now struggling to catch her breath but still trying to play with the other children.
“I-I’m okay.”
Marie forced a smile through the pain.
She tried to wipe her tears with the back of her hand and stand up, but collapsed again. Airi quickly approached Marie and checked her wounds.
Airi took out ointment and bandages from her pocket. She always carried medical supplies since she often cared for children. Before applying the ointment, Airi put on gloves. If her demonic energy seeped into the wound, it could worsen it.
She applied the ointment to Marie’s wound. After giving first aid, she would take her to the Church and have her fully healed with sacred techniques.
Marie held back her tears and looked up at Airi.
“Unnie..., why am I like this?”
Marie panted as she blamed herself. She had only caused worry by trying to join in and play.
Airi gently embraced the girl.
‘Ella-nim....’
A false Saintess’s prayer could hardly reach Ella, yet Airi desperately prayed for Marie’s happiness. She hoped this fragile girl could be happy enough to make up for her own share.
Swoosh!
At that moment, someone stroked Airi’s head. She looked up at the touch. Sunlight peeking through the clouds gently surrounded her.
“Praise the Creator God.”
A beautiful voice sounded right next to her. The voice felt so warm and comforting that Airi’s eyes quivered slightly. When she looked to the side, only the children watching Marie with concern were there.
The Creator God.
That was what the Heroes called Jinwoo, the Archmage. With voices full of joy, they would often shout, “Praise the Creator God.”
As Airi recalled Jinwoo, her gloves began to melt, and light began to flow from her hand. That light gently touched Marie’s scraped knee and face. Airi gasped and examined Marie’s wounds.
“Huh?”
Marie looked at Airi with surprise as the pain disappeared. The injuries on her knee and face were gone without a trace. Marie slipped out of her arms and began to move her body.
“Wow! Unnie! My body feels light!”
She jumped in place and spun around in a circle.
“The air tastes amazing!”
Just moving like that used to leave her gasping for air, close to fainting, but now it didn’t.
It felt so refreshing, it was like the world had changed.
Marie beamed brightly.
“I’m all better! Thank you!”
Marie hugged Airi tightly. Her joy and delight passed through Airi’s entire body.
Then Marie ran back to the other children.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah! Unnie healed me.”
“Really?”
Marie played ball with the other children, running around. When she kicked the ball, it soared far away.
“Wow!”
“Amazing!”
The children admired Marie’s kick. Airi still wore a dazed expression as she looked on, then turned her gaze to her hand.
‘Was that sacred power just now…?’
Demons couldn’t use sacred techniques. Yet not only had she healed Marie’s wounds, but she had made her healthy. Airi gulped and released the energy within her body.
Swoosh!
Only thick demonic energy flowed out. What was different from a moment ago?
‘Creator God…?’
Airi tightly shut her eyes and recalled Jinwoo’s image.
His Highness Leon.
He was so cool. She even had a poster of His Highness Leon hanging in the Saintess’s Room.
Comfortable.
He had a gentle, easygoing look that wasn’t bad at all. When Jinwoo had the form of Comfortable, she had been able to speak with him easily.
Aren.
So cute that she wanted to hug him tight. Watching Tia and Tiris act so boldly, Airi had felt envy from behind.
And the Archmage.
He had saved her despite having died several times to the Erosion. He brought the Heroes to Arsilan and restored the joy that had vanished a hundred years ago. As Airi recalled the many sides of Jinwoo, she cautiously opened her mouth.
“Praise... the Creator God?”
Fwoosh!
In that instant, the demonic energy flowing from her hand became surrounded by light, transforming into multicolored light.
“Ah...”
Sacred power? It’s sacred power!
The demonic energy had turned into sacred power!
Airi shot up from the spot.
Airi (Saintess): Where are you? Something incredible just happened!
Jinwoo (Leon): I’m in the royal office. What’s going on?
Airi didn’t move her right hand, which now held sacred power. She felt like if she moved it even slightly, it might disappear. She held her right wrist with her left hand and took off running. She used the Hero’s Flower to teleport to the palace entrance.
Dash!
Airi ran up the stairs at full speed.
“Airi…?”
Heina noticed her and tilted her head in confusion. It was her first time seeing Airi run like that. And the way she was holding her own hand like it was some precious object was very strange.
Airi entered the palace and sprinted at full speed toward the royal office. The door to the royal office was open.
“Jin..., no, Your Highness Leon!”
She entered the office, drenched in sweat and breathing heavily.
Jinwoo blinked as he looked at Airi. At that moment, many people were gathered in the royal office. Tia, Tiris, Hallon, and Hasman were there, and Heina had followed Airi in.
“What’s going on?”
“L-look at this!”
When Jinwoo asked, Airi held out her right hand. Jinwoo and everyone else looked at her hand.
There was nothing in her hand. Jinwoo hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to respond.
“Mm, those are some excellent palm lines.”
That’s what Jinwoo said.
Tiris nodded at his response.
“I can read palms, and those are in the top 1%.”
Even in Arsilan, palm reading was considered a superstition.
Airi became flustered when she saw that the sacred power that had been flowing from her palm just moments ago was no longer visible.
“Look carefully!”
Airi closed her eyes and focused.
What was she trying to show?
Airi’s appearance as she concentrated with her eyes closed was beautiful. She even seemed sacred. Jinwoo and everyone else remained silent as they looked at her. In that stillness, Airi quietly opened her lips.
“Praise the Creator God!”
Her voice echoed through the office. But nothing happened.
“......”
“......”
Jinwoo and the others looked at Airi with sympathy. Jinwoo reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder.
“Uh..., well, thank you.”
“N-no, that’s not it! I really used sacred power! Light came from my hand and a healing sacred technique activated!”
At Airi’s words, Jinwoo looked at her with a pitying gaze.
Jinwoo reflected.
Airi had done so much to help him. Thanks to her, they had been able to protect Arsilan like this. Perhaps, deep down, he had come to think her sacrifices were simply a given.
‘But there’s nothing in this world that’s a given.’
Jinwoo let out a deep sigh and bowed his head to her.
“Airi, I’m sorry. I’ve been too thoughtless. Don’t think about anything. Just get some rest.”
“Huh? N-no, that’s not-”
Jinwoo stood up and guided Airi to sit on the sofa. Hallon and Hasman also nodded.
“Miss Airi has achieved many accomplishments in the Empire of Evil. It’s only natural she would be under stress. Tch, those noble bastards really are evil.”
“Yes, leave the rest to us and get some proper rest.”
As Hallon and Hasman said this, Tia sat beside Airi and tightly held her hand.
“If anything’s hard, just tell us anytime.”
Tia’s eyes reddened.
Tiris, who had been silently watching over Airi, took out a helmet for mental diagnostics from subspace.
“I’ll conduct a mental check.”
Tiris placed the helmet on Airi’s head and performed the assessment. Fortunately, no abnormalities were found.
Airi felt like she was going crazy from the injustice.
“I-it’s true...”
Praise the Creator God, praise the Creator God, praise the Creator God!
Come out! Sacred power!
Airi continued muttering as she looked at her hand. Jinwoo turned his gaze to Heina.
“Heina, take Airi to the best room in the palace.”
“Understood.”
Heina gently lifted Airi into her arms.
Airi was so light. This frail girl had been working this hard for Arsilan. Heina nodded and brought her to the best room, then laid her on the bed.
“Rest well. I’ll come back right after work.”
Heina closed the door and left.
Airi blinked as she lay in bed.
“It really happened... I really did produce sacred power....”
She raised her hand.
Was it all just a misunderstanding?
“Praise the Creator God!”
As she shouted, once again, a soft light shone from her hand. The light held countless colors, like reflections through a crystal.
“It-it’s happening!”
Airi ran out into the hallway, but Heina caught her and brought her back to the room.
The sunlight streaming through the window gently swayed, as if smiling.
It was summer.
*****
For 15 or more extra chapters, you can check out my Patreon here --> patreon.com/dreamscribe
If you enjoy this novel, please review and rate it at Novelupdates. Thanks! 😊
To receive the latest update notifications or report mistakes, join our Discord server linked below.