I Will Not Fall For the Villain’s Flirtations - Chapter 38
chapter a. a moon that couldn’t become full
“Duna Valorem returned the fake key to me directly without using it. She has no connection with the Magic Tower.”
The silver-haired knight, with his back to the platform bathed in white moonlight like a curtain, said. His face, masked in sternness, showed faint relief.
Chelin, who had been leaning against a pillar and observing him, unfolded her arms and let out a small scoff.
“Isn’t that just what you want to believe?”
“You’ve already done the background check. Birthplace, parents’ background, nothing stood out.”
Chelin sighed as she brushed back her long, straight hair. Her troubled thoughts were evident from her sharply arched eyebrows.
She clicked her tongue, gazing at the man before her, who spoke in a persuasive tone, wondering if he realized the expression he was making. Her usually cold but tender friend always softened towards those he cared about.
“How do you explain the timing of the holy relic’s theft coinciding with her arrival at the temple?”
“If you put it that way, other novitiates arrived on the same day.”
“So, she healed Wolfven’s poison by herself?”
“…….”
When the reason they had started looking into connections with the Magic Tower came up, Peidos couldn’t argue further. Chelin rubbed her face with her palm, looking tired.
“She might have realized you dropped the key on purpose to test her.”
“…….”
“She might have approached knowing you were going to Liche from the start.”
“……She’s a kind girl. She wouldn’t do that.”
Despite his uncertainty, he stubbornly uttered the words, making her glare at him.
“Ah. So Ren’s younger brother wasn’t kind, is that it?”
“…….”
When the almost taboo subject between them was brought up, a cold silence filled the prayer room. As the suffocating stillness enveloped them, Peidos, who had been clenching his fist, finally spoke with difficulty.
“That guy…….”
“Pedi.”
His wandering green eyes met a serious gaze. Chelin, who had been watching him with deeply sunken eyes, placed a hand on his shoulder.
After Ren Lione’s death, she had often relied on him more than her guardian husband. She stroked his broad shoulders a few times to comfort her old friend’s pain before speaking.
“Alright, that’s enough. Whether by coincidence or miracle, as you said, Duna Valorem might have no connection with the Magic Tower.”
“…….”
“But you know this isn’t like you. You know she’s not a strong candidate for the next Great Saint.”
His unfocused eyes blinked and then slowly closed. Even in the rough silence, his eyelids remained shut. When the silver thread that had been waiting for a long time finally surfaced, the turmoil in his green eyes had completely calmed.
“I know.”
“…….”
“I’ll sort it out. Slowly.”
Unlike the still undecided Great Saint, the next Guardian had been chosen long ago.
For a Guardian, the Great Saint was a fated companion who shared destiny and lifespan, a person to be protected with one’s life. Thus, the person who would become the Great Saint had to be the most important person to the Guardian, and caring for anyone else was forbidden.
“Right. I’m sure you’ll handle it well.”
Chelin murmured resignedly. Pushing wasn’t her role. Moreover, there was no doubt that his priorities, having prepared as a future Guardian for half his life, were more solid than anyone else’s.
“I haven’t spoken to her, but she’s cute. Seems quite diligent. Charming, too.”
“…….”
At her playful words, Peidos let out a light laugh. Chelin patted his shoulder heavily and spoke awkwardly.
“Sorry I can’t support your rare romance.”
“……It’s not like that.”
It just caught his eye a little. Peidos tried to calm his agitated heart by thinking that way.
Maybe they had crossed paths too often. Every time they met, she showed a new side of herself, which might have intrigued him.
From their first meeting, where she looked at him with sparkling eyes like a savior after clumsily stumbling, to her ridiculous appearance when she was punished for her rebellious behavior that contrasted with her demure looks, and her kind efforts to somehow lighten his burden with her innocent face.
It was pleasant to recall in the monotony of daily life. Sometimes it became frequent, and thinking of her often made him curious. What she might be doing now, if she had caused any trouble again. Maybe, if she was also reminiscing about their encounters.
Curiosity quickly turned into anticipation. Before he knew it, he began to look forward to their next meeting. The unfamiliar emotion that had grown into affection while he let his guard down was a troublesome thing he couldn’t control, having always cut off any chance of falling into such temptations from the start.
Peidos quietly lifted his head to gaze at the glass ceiling. Amid the scattered stars like splattered white paint, a vaguely full moon shone softly.
A person’s heart grows endlessly and then wanes like a crescent moon. He knew from experience that this too would fade at some point.
[Pedi, you’re a really uninteresting guy, but it’s fun being with you.]
Just like his first love in childhood, and the camaraderie with his irreplaceable friend.
Even someone who he thought shared a perfect friendship with him had at some point returned as an enemy sharper than a crescent moon.
So, he believed this would be similar,
He believed so.
CHAPTER 6. From a Bad Connection to a Good One
“Magnogit Smallhander, step forward.”
At Sister Elexi’s impassive voice, a novitiate stepped forward.
The peculiar layout of the space had a low altar and a white altar cloth without any pews. Unlike a typical chapel, this was a holy power measurement room. Long ago, in a much smaller but similar place in Liche’s temple, she had her holy power measured.
As soon as it started, she had shed tears, feeling like she was struck by lightning. Back then, she really thought she was electrocuted.
For a naive girl living a peaceful life, it was an unforgettable memory. It teaches her the bitterness of life along with memories of her past life.
As she smiled faintly and looked ahead, she saw the tense face of her classmate. He was usually popular for his cheerful attitude and endless chatter. However, her face, usually relaxed, was now stiff with tension.
It was understandable since this holy power measurement was akin to a grading system for their future careers. A good result would open the path to a promising future.
“……Magnogit is not a character from the original work, so he’ll probably have an average outcome.”
She quietly predicted the future and shook her head.
The reason for re-measuring now was because the accuracy was lower when holy power first manifested in childhood. While some, like Prim, boasted immense power from the start, it was very rare, and usually, one’s potential could only be properly evaluated when one reached a stable period.
In other words, if the result was low this time, it meant it would be difficult to significantly increase it in the future. Holy power was also an innate ability.
And no matter how excellent one’s control was, a certain amount of basic power was needed to succeed as a Stella.
“Next. Kella Veger.”
As soon as the recording priest’s hand moved busily, Sister Elexi, standing beside, called another classmate.
Kella, with a similar expression to Magnogit’s earlier, knelt in front of the altar. When she placed her palm on the floor and closed her eyes, the engraving on the altar began to glow brightly.
“…….”
She secretly watched Sister Elexi whisper something to the busy recording priest. Only the magical tool in her hand could accurately determine the brightness and intensity of the light. In other words, only she and the recording priest could see the holy power measurements of the novitiates.
When I stand up there, what grade will the magical tool show? As the rival of the protagonist, I should be in the upper ranks.
But it will still be second grade.
“Primis Starling, step forward.”
All thoughts stopped at the name that was called. She blankly watched Prim step onto the altar after Kella. Her face, half-hidden by her striking pink hair, was as calm as ever, unlike the previous ones.
“Begin.”
“Yes.”
When she answered Sister Elexi and placed her hand on the floor, a completely different reaction occurred.
“Wow, that’s bright.”
Leila, beside her, muttered a small curse and covered her eyes. Reflexively squinting her eyes, she too stared blankly at the brightly glowing altar.
The protagonist is indeed different.
Those living a first-class life were truly different.
Unlike the classmates who were exclaiming in admiration, I watched Sister Elexi whisper the results into the priest’s ear without showing much reaction. To their eyes, Prim must have seemed exceptionally special, just as Great Saint Chelin Snyper recognized her at first glance.
“Next. Duna Valorem.”
“…….”