Kays Translations

Chapter 137: The Priestess Candidate

Lucius wrapped up his morning training and returned to the detached quarters. He roused the groggy Priena, still half-asleep, and called out to Sol as they set off toward the main house.

Yawning, Priena followed Lucius to the main house. He knocked on the door.

“Tyrus, I’m busy. Can you get the door?” 

Came a woman’s voice from inside. It was the same woman they had met the day before.

“Coming!” 

A young boy responded. Moments later, the door opened to reveal the eight-year-old boy Lucius had saved the previous day.

Tyrus glanced curiously at Priena’s iron mask before locking eyes with Lucius. 

“Oh, it’s you! The guy from yesterday!” 

He exclaimed, beaming with joy.

What’s going on here?  

Lucius vividly remembered the boy’s injuries from the previous day—his broken bones had been unmistakable. Yet here Tyrus stood, opening the door himself, with no signs of bandages or even scars.

“Thanks for saving me! Pallavis told me you carried me back!” 

Tylus said cheerfully.

“What about your injuries?” 

Lucius asked, still perplexed.

“Something like that is no big deal! If I sleep with my magic sword, I’m healed by morning!” 

Tylus declared proudly.

“In a single night!?” 

Lucius gasped. The boy’s words brought to mind the “Unity” combat arts Pallavis had mentioned. Through body-enhancing techniques, users could harness incredible strength, agility, and even rapid healing akin to that of monsters.

No wonder the republic’s soldiers are so formidable. This explains why no nation dares challenge them.

“You two took down that magic-eating Brute, didn’t you?” 

Tyrus asked eagerly.

“Well, after that—” 

Lucius began, but Priena clapped a hand over his mouth, cutting him off.

“After that, we carried you all on our backs and ran away,” 

She interjected with a smile, smoothly fabricating a story.

“Really? That’s amazing! You outran the man eater?” 

Tyrus said in awe.

“Of course! I’m pretty fast on my feet,” 

Priena said, stroking her legs in mock pride.

“That’s enough, Tyrus. Your food’s getting cold.”

Came Pallavis’s voice from inside. The warrior emerged, gently patting his son on the head.

“Yeah, yeah,” 

Tyrus grumbled, brushing off his father’s hand as he headed back inside. Pallavis, looking slightly exasperated, gestured for Lucius and Priena to follow.

“Come in.”

“Excuse us.” L

Lucius replied, stepping inside.

Once Tyrus was out of earshot, Lucius whispered to Priena.

“Why lie about the magic eater?”

“It’s better to keep quiet. If people find out that Chiyou can devour magic artifacts, it’ll attract too much attention. We won’t be able to focus on gathering magic tools or making contracts.”

“…Fair enough,” 

Lucius nodded. He decided to trust Priena’s judgment—she clearly knew more about the Holy Land than he did.

Gathered at the Table

Lucius and Priena took seats at the dining table as directed by Pallavis. Around the table sat Pallavis, Tyrus, Lucius, and Priena. Sol, being a puppet, did not eat and remained motionless in a corner chair, silently observing.

Shortly after, two more people entered the room: a woman in her mid-20s, whom Tyrus had called Anushka, and a young girl about Tyrus’s age. The girl, Lucius realized, was the same one they had found unconscious in the forest the previous day.

“Anushka, so she’s awake now?” 

Pallavis asked.

“Yes. Come, have a seat,” 

Anushka replied, ushering the girl to the table.

The girl hesitated, hiding behind Anushka, particularly wary of Priena’s iron mask.

“C’mon, Sai, over here!” 

Tyrus called to her. Sai, startled, scurried over to Tyrus and sat quietly beside him.

“She’s so shy. It was hard enough just getting her to change clothes.”

Anushka said with a sigh.

“Cut her some slack, Mom. Sai’s never really talked to strangers before.”

Tyrus said.

Once everyone was seated, Pallavis spoke in a stern tone. 

“Now that we’re all here, Tyrus, explain yourself. Why were you in the forest with a priestess? Taking a priestess candidate outside the Holy City is a serious crime.”

Pallavis’s unyielding demeanor made Tylus avoid his gaze. 

“…It’s none of your business.” 

The boy muttered.

The atmosphere froze in an instant.  

Is this his rebellious phase?

From the scene at the entrance, Tyrus had been acting unusually aggressive toward Pallavis.  

“A-um…”  

The one who broke the silence was, surprisingly, the young girl, Sai.  

“Tyrus isn’t at fault… He helped me.”  

At her words, Pallavis turned his gaze toward her.  

“Helped you? Start from the beginning. Why does Tyrus even know a candidate for the priestess?”  

“We met at the Varna Temple. I’ve been going there for magic sword training. Sai and I have known each other for over a year.” 

Tyrus admitted with a sigh, his tone somewhat guilty. Perhaps he felt compelled to explain for Sai’s sake.  

“No wonder you’ve been frequenting the Holy City lately.”  

“That’s irrelevant!”  

Tyrus flushed red, averting his eyes from Sai and looking down.  

“Fine, fine. So, what do you mean by ‘helped’ her?”  

“…I tried to get her out of the sanctuary.”  

Tyrus answered quietly, still looking down.  

At those words, Pallavis, Anushka, and Priena’s eyes widened in shock.  

Is this a serious problem?  

Lucius, still unfamiliar with the customs and rules of the sanctuary, struggled to follow the gravity of the situation.  

“Do you understand what that means? Taking a priestess candidate outside the sanctuary without permission is a grave crime!”  

“I know. But Sai’s life is in danger.”  

“Impossible. The seventh priestess candidate should be under strict protection.”  

Pallavis immediately dismissed Tyrus’ claim.  

Before Tyrus could respond, Sai raised her voice again, this time with urgency.  

“It’s true! Two weeks ago, I received a letter saying, ‘Leave the temple, or you’ll lose your life.’ After that, bookshelves toppled over, daggers were found embedded in walls, and someone slashed at my hair and clothes in passing… but the culprit hasn’t been caught.”  

“I spoke to Sai about it too, but no one took it seriously. Everyone said it was just a prank.”  

Both Sai and Tyrus looked disheartened.  

“Threats in the Varna Temple against a priestess candidate? And no arrests? What are the temple guards doing?”  

“They all seem to be busy. For the past month, the temple has been in turmoil… Apparently, the neighboring country and the Empire have gone to war after that recent incident. People say the Republic is at risk too…”  

This referred to the battle Lucius had fought against the Empire.  

Could this be connected to my actions?

The neighboring nation had gone to war with a major power, leading to an invasion of the kingdom that had long served as a buffer zone.  

It made sense that the Republic, too, would feel heightened tensions.  

“So the kingdom and Empire are at war? This is the first I’ve heard of it.”  

Pallavis glanced between Lucius and Priena.  

He seemed to suspect that the three of them might be connected to the situation somehow.  

Given the sanctuary’s isolated nature, it wasn’t surprising that news hadn’t yet reached remote areas like Musu Village, even if it had already circulated in the Holy City.  

“Yesterday, on my way back from morning training, I saw Sai cornered in the shadows by a man with a dagger. I rushed in recklessly, fought him off, and took Sai out of the temple.”  

“And that’s when you tried to escape through the forest but were attacked by a magic eater?”  

“Exactly.”  

“Why didn’t you at least inform Anushka? Why act alone?”  

Tyrus fell silent for a moment before muttering softly.  

“I didn’t want to involve my mom. I knew it was wrong…”  

“Tyrus! What kind of child are you!”  

Anushka’s loud rebuke made Tyrus shrink back in guilt.  

Still, everyone understood the situation.  

Both Sai and Tyrus had tried repeatedly to report the threats to the adults but were brushed off, dismissed as children exaggerating or imagining things.  

That bitter experience had driven the two of them to act on their own.  

“So, in the end, you were saved by Lucius and Priena?”  

“Yes.”  

“What was your plan? If Lucius hadn’t found you? If you hadn’t coincidentally run into someone in that vast forest, you both would have died. I only managed to find you because someone saw you heading into the woods and told me!”  

Pallavis glared at Tyrus intently.  

It wasn’t entirely a coincidence.  

In that enormous forest, Lucius had been able to find them quickly because Chiyou sensed the presence of Tyrus’ magic sword. Ordinary senses or magic detection wouldn’t have reached them in time.  

The clash between the predatory magic eater’s magic sword and Tyrus’ weapon had drawn Chiyou’s attention.

If Tyrus had only run without fighting, they might never have been found.  

“…I thought I could handle it. Against a magic eater in the outer forest, not in the Abyss…”  

“You fool! Don’t confuse recklessness with bravery! Especially when someone else’s life is in your hands!”  

Pallavis’ voice was sharp, cutting through the tense air like a blade.  

Sai flinched visibly.  

Tyrus remained hunched over, his voice faint as he spoke.  

“…You’re not…”  

“What?”  

Tyrus looked up, glaring at Pallavis.  

“You’re not even my real father, so stop acting like one!”  

Tyrus abruptly stood, jostling the table and spilling soup as he did.  

“Tyrus!”  

Anushka stood as well and slapped him across the face.  

“…All of you are selfish, but you’re always ordering me around!”  

With that, Tyrus stormed into the next room, slamming the door behind him.  

The dining room was left in a heavy silence.  

“…I’m sorry, Lucius, Priena. Don’t worry about it. He just has these outbursts sometimes.”  

Pallavis smiled faintly, devoid of strength.

Sai wore a slightly sorrowful expression, but it was clear she wasn’t surprised. As a friend, she must have known about this from earlier conversations.

“Hey, is there some history between Pallavis and Tyrus?” 

Priena asked with an unruffled tone.

“Priena, that’s a bit personal—” 

Lucius began to protest.

“No, Lucius. In the Noah faith, living on the same premises is akin to being family. Not knowing each other’s circumstances is actually considered impolite,”

“…Ah, I see. That makes sense. I should have explained earlier. Tyrus is my brother’s son, and Anushka is his wife. Due to certain circumstances, I’m the one looking after them now.” 

Pallavis clarified.

Although Pallavis referred to Tyrus as his “son,” it seemed they were, in fact, uncle and nephew by blood.

“Where is your brother now?” 

Priena asked cautiously.

“…He’s in the Abyss,” 

Pallavis replied.

“The Abyss?” 

“You’ve seen it. That massive chasm that makes up most of the sanctuary. That is the Abyss.”

The enormous pit they had glimpsed upon arrival and during their movements around the forest came to mind. It was so deep that even light could not reach its depths, radiating an unsettling presence.

“What is he doing in the Abyss?”

“…He’s wandering as a magic eater.”

Lucius fell silent.

From what he’d learned previously from the dwarves, magic weapons that overdraw their power eventually reverse, cursing their wielders. According to Priena, a magic eater was the end result of a person who continued to use such cursed weapons.

In other words, a magic eater was what became of a holy warrior who excessively relied on their magic weapon.

“What an utter fool. Leaving behind his wife and child to fall into such a state… That should’ve been my burden to bear, not his.”

Anushka gently placed her hand on Pallavis’s shoulder.

“My apologies. The soup has gone cold. Let’s change the topic. Sai, was it?”

“Y-yes…” 

Sai stammered, looking at Pallavis with evident nervousness.

“To be honest, I’m still unsure how to handle this. I don’t believe there’s a safer place than the temple. However, I won’t dismiss your claims outright.”

Sai clenched her small hands tightly, her tension mounting.

“For now, stay here until the commotion at the temple settles. Hide out for a while.”

“Is that… really okay?” 

Sai clasped her hands in gratitude, her eyes wide with relief.

“Fortunately, we already have a priestess here. Right, Priena?” 

Pallavis said, turning to her.

“Eh, me?” 

Priena blinked in surprise.

“It’s your duty, isn’t it? Guiding priestess candidates is part of the job. Get to work.”

“Hmph…” 

She pouted.

“Are you a priestess, Lady Priena?” 

Sai asked, her eyes brimming with admiration.

“Well, sort of,” 

Priena replied modestly.

“What kind of god do you serve? What verse is your hymn in?” 

Sai leaned forward excitedly.

“Alright, calm down. I’ll take care of you, Sai, but as for guiding the seventh priestess candidate, I’m not much help. Our village doesn’t even have a shrine.”

Priena said with a laugh. 

Despite her words, Priena seemed a little pleased.

“Well, only priestesses can interact with candidates. I’ll leave Sai’s care to you…Though this house of mine isn’t exactly a hideout.”

Pallavis said standing.

Lucius finished his meal quickly and stood as well. 

“I’ll go check on Tyrus. He’s still just a kid, after all.”

Even the dragon outside seemed eager to stretch its wings. Lucius considered taking Tyrus for a ride to show him the sky.

“Thanks, Lucius, but it’s fine. He’s stronger than he looks, like his father. He still says childish things, but he understands. Let him be for now,” 

Pallavis advised.

Pallavis likely knew Tyrus better than anyone. Anushka and Sai nodded in agreement with his suggestion.

“Understood,” 

Lucius replied. 

“Oh, and Lucius, we’ll head to the Holy City together later.”

“The Holy City? Why?”

“To deal with your dead magic sword, as I mentioned earlier. Plus, with Sai’s story, it’s time to check the temple for ourselves.”

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