Chapter 4
“Of course you can investigate before making a decision. But I swear, everything I said is true,” Luo Luoxi said to me with a look of utmost sincerity.
Honestly… I could see the passion of an environmentalist in her.
“Is wanting to borrow Fei’er’s prestige for environmental public welfare the decision of your Druid organization?” Lian Qi asked with her arms crossed.
“…It was my own idea,” she said, sticking her tongue out sheepishly.
“Huh?” Lian Qi frowned, then said no more.
“Everyone thinks I’m crazy. Do you all also think my idea is inconceivable?”
“It’s fine, just a little bold,” I said with a smile.
“In any case, Saintess, you must seriously consider what I’ve said.”
I nodded. “Mm, I will consider it carefully.”
Then she stood up and gave me a deep bow, her forehead almost touching the teacup on the table.
“It has been my honor to speak with you face-to-face. I won’t disturb you any longer.”
She walked to the door, stopped, bowed to me again, and said, “The tea you brewed was delicious.”
I smiled. “Everyone says that.”
Qifeng snapped back to her senses—“Hey! Are we just letting the matter of you assaulting a priest go?”
“Sorry, sorry!” Luo Luoxi ran off and vanished in a flash.
The room instantly fell silent.
Qifeng plopped back into her chair and asked me unhappily, “Fei’er, you don’t really believe her, do you?”
“Don’t worry, I have my own judgment. I need conclusive proof that the overuse of magic can melt the permafrost before I can believe what she said is true.”
As I spoke, I looked towards Lian Qi.
“Lian Qi, what do you think?”
“I suggest you ask for the Headmaster’s opinion. She’s the most knowledgeable among your sisters, right?”
“That’s right.” I tapped my fist against my palm. “Sister Aijieliya arranged to come to my house tonight for tutoring. I can ask her then.”
Lian Qi looked at me with a strange expression. “Huh—? Give you tutoring?”
“A… private tutoring session…” Qifeng had a look of someone lost in wild daydreams.
Seriously! She’s tutoring me, not her. A perfectly normal sentence sounds completely different coming from her mouth.
I stood up, grabbed Lian Qi’s hand, and said to her, “Let’s talk about this tonight. I’m taking you somewhere right now~”
“Where are we going?”
It’s rare for Lian Qi to come to the Church. On a sudden impulse, I decided I had to take her somewhere “special” so she wouldn’t feel bored. Thus, I said to her in a mysterious tone, “I’m taking you to the place that prophesied your arrival.”
Qifeng instantly understood my words, her face turning pale with shock.
“No way, Fei’er!? You’re taking Lian Qi to the Holy Light Secret Chamber?”
“What’s the big deal?” I pulled Lian Qi’s hand and started walking.
“W-Wait! That’s not really appropriate, is it? The Holy Light Secret Chamber is a place only you, as the Saintess, and the successive Popes can enter!” Qifeng followed behind me, saying uneasily.
“It’s fine. As long as I approve it, it’s fine.”
Just as Qifeng said, only I and the successive Popes are qualified to enter. However, a new Pope hasn’t been chosen yet, so for now, the “secret key” to the Holy Light Secret Chamber is temporarily in my keeping.
We walked down a spiral staircase, which led all the way to the lowest basement level of the Holy Light Cathedral.
Since the basement is also part of the cathedral, the architectural style was the same as above ground, filled with silvery-white Holy Light elements. Coupled with the lighting, it wasn’t gloomy at all.
I stopped in front of a large stone slab door carved with the Holy Light emblem, reached out, and gently touched it. With a rumbling sound, the stone door slowly opened.
I snatched my hand back in fright.
“What’s wrong with you?” Lian Qi asked me.
“It’s nothing. It’s just been a long time since I opened it, so it startled me a bit,” I said with a weak laugh.
“The last time I opened this door was when the Holy Light prophesied that the transmigrator from another dimension would eventually defeat the Demon King.”
As the stone door slowly opened before me, I turned my face to look at Lian Qi.
“That is to say, you, Lian Qi.”
“…Are the Holy Light’s prophecies one hundred percent accurate?”
“The Demon King herself firmly believes it, doesn’t she? Otherwise, she wouldn’t be trying so desperately to destroy all the summoning gates. She’s afraid of the person who can defeat her appearing.”
“I hope I don’t disappoint her.”
“Lian Qi, you have to have confidence in yourself. You’re a genius, you know. Come with me,” I said to her, and so, I pulled her hand and we walked into the Holy Light Secret Chamber, towards the light.
I looked back and saw Qifeng cowering at the corner of the wall, revealing only her eyes.
“Why aren’t you coming in?”
“The… the Church has precepts… I’d better not go in.”
“I really don’t know what to do with you.” I placed my hands on my hips, feeling helpless.
Right now, Lian Qi and I were standing on a circular terrace. The entire Holy Light Secret Chamber was round.
I pointed to the altar below the terrace, at the very center of the Holy Light Secret Chamber.
“This is why this country’s name is ‘Holy Flame.’”
Lian Qi showed a trace of surprise.
Looking down, on the altar, the pure Holy Light was burning silently, just like a pure white flame.
“A white flame?”
“That’s not a flame, it’s the Holy Light. The God of our world descended from there and delivered oracles.”
Of course, that includes the night I was born. Ahem, it’s hard to imagine the look on His Holiness the Pope’s face when he received me from God’s hands.
“Fei’er, you seem to have shown me something incredible,” Lian Qi said softly, gazing at the flame of Holy Light.
“Of course. This is the Holy Light Church’s secret, hehe.”
“Fei’er… I think we should leave quickly?” Qifeng was clinging to the doorway, looking terrified.
“I know, I know. I’ve discovered you haven’t matured at all over all these years. You’re still such a coward.”
After leaving the Holy Light Secret Chamber and waiting for the stone door to slowly close, I couldn’t help but recall how Qifeng was too scared to accompany me here when we were little. Now we’re both fifteen, and she’s still the same.
But thinking back on it now, is it because I’m a boy deep down? Is that why I’ve had a bit more of an adventurous spirit than Qifeng since I was young?
We were now climbing the spiral staircase, preparing to return to the ground level. I was walking at the very front, followed by Lian Qi and Qifeng.
Just as I had stepped up a few stairs, I ran into someone coming down the staircase—a man wearing the white robes of a bishop.
“Bishop Schneider!?” Qifeng looked startled.
Bishop Schneider glanced at Qifeng, then turned his gaze to me.
“Saintess, you opened the Holy Light Secret Chamber?”
“Yes.”
Next, he looked at Lian Qi and frowned.
“Who is this Magic Academy student? Even followers are not allowed to approach the Holy Light Secret Chamber without authorization, let alone an outsider.”
“She is my friend. I brought her in.”
The fewer people who know about Lian Qi’s identity as a transmigrator, the better. So, even if he’s from the Church, it’s better I don’t tell him.
Still, he’s so annoying, asking this and that. I pulled Lian Qi’s hand and walked away. Bishop Schneider did not stop us.
As I passed him, I heard him say from behind me, “I heard you just received someone from the Druid organization? I advise you not to trust outsiders.”
“I know, I know, old man…”
I’ve always found him very annoying, especially since he loves to meddle in other people’s business.
Stay far away from him.
Bye-bye.