Chapter 726: Episode 726

Israphel and Dana.

Efnel was turned upside down by the news that the respective heads of the moderate and hardliner factions within the Holy Federation were meeting for a conference.

The two had been immediately guided to the meeting venue: a picturesque outdoor table situated on the fifth floor of the building.

Having changed into their holy vestments, the two Saintesses elegantly lifted their teacups and sipped their tea.

Colorful, luxurious refreshments were laid out on the table.

It looked like a typical teatime, but there was a surprisingly unusual aspect to it.

The two of them were playing chess.

"I wonder what wind blew you all the way here, considering you rarely ever show your face."

The knight clacked against the board as Dana made her move.

"I’m here to discuss the obvious."

Israphel advanced her knight as well.

"I wish to discuss the punishment of Chief Inquisitor Rate, who recently caused the border provocation incident."

Dana remained silent.

"The circumstances of his unprovoked attack on the Dark Alliance without authorization from his superiors are clear, and his justification and grounds for the attack are flimsy. Above all, to pretend to agree to the Alliance’s prisoner exchange only to hang the prisoners on red crosses in front of everyone at the border..."

Israphel captured Dana’s knight with her rook, a twisted smile on her lips.

"It is a serious matter. It nearly escalated into a war. Yet, not only did you fail to punish him, but you also used your authority as a Saintess to help him evade trial."

Dana rested her chin on her hand, looking thoroughly unimpressed.

"Is eliminating a few followers of evil really such a big deal?"

"Dana!" Israphel snapped.

"Rate is a loyal warrior the Federation cannot do without. His reputation as the man who has killed the most necromancers in the world is also quite impressive."

This time, Dana picked up her rook.

"If you’re going to play it like that, I have something to say too. The Ever Kire incident that happened far away on Roc Island."

Israphel’s closed eyes twitched.

"From what I heard about the progress, it ended far too smoothly. A lot of information was omitted, too. How did mere necromancers manage to find Ever Kire’s location? It makes you wonder, doesn’t it?"

She lifted her rook, lightly running her tongue over it.

"There’s no way someone secretly dispatched an Efnel priest. Just thinking about it is a horrifying act of high treason."

She placed the piece down on the chessboard with a sharp ’clack’, capturing the opposing queen. Israphel smiled, refusing to back down.

"High treason is a term better suited for someone who caught the fleeing Ever Kire at the border, deliberately let them go, and then blamed innocent paladins before slaughtering them all."

"Oh, did that happen? I had no idea."

Sparks flew fiercely between the two Saintesses’ gazes.

In stark contrast to the beautiful outdoor teatime setting, a brutally intense war of nerves was unfolding.

"How exhausting," Dana sighed, letting her hands drop as if bored.

"How did a girl who used to be so competent and cold-bloodedly ruthless turn into an idealist who only cries out for peace?"

"Do you think peace is a bad thing?" Israphel asked.

"Peace. Peace itself is fine." Dana’s gaze darkened. "Of course, it only has meaning after we drive out the necromancers and our Efnel unifies the continent."

Israphel stayed silent.

"Doesn’t the Great Scripture repeatedly emphasize uprooting the evil that wields dark power? That is the Goddess’s will. We and they can never coexist."

"If war is absolutely necessary, then we have no choice but to fight," Israphel replied. "However, I am saying that it is wrong to pull all sorts of dirty tricks just to provoke a war."

"Why?"

"If a war breaks out, countless lives will be endangered, and the people will suffer great pain and hardship. As Saintesses, we must understand their pain."

"Why?"

Israphel’s brow furrowed fiercely. Dana smiled in satisfaction and waved her hand dismissively.

"Everything is for the Great Goddess. They, too, would consider it an honor to eliminate the enemy and sacrifice themselves in accordance with the Goddess’s noble will."

"They do not consider it an honor," Israphel cut in sharply. "How long has it been since you stepped out of your luxurious life and met with the common people? To them, surviving and putting food on the table day by day is the most important thing."

"Talking to you makes my head throb." Dana scowled. "How old are you again?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Because despite your age, it seems you’re still suffering from good girl syndrome. Peace. Morality. The people. You just spout nice-sounding words without facing reality or having any actual plans. Is it for political reasons? Are you aiming to be the next Pope like the rumors say? If not—"

Dana’s eyes narrowed.

"Are you trying to imitate Anna Cross?"

Before she could even finish, Israphel’s closed eyes snapped wide open. Behind her back, a wave of divine power surged with murderous momentum, beginning to distort the space around them.

"Hmm. Did I touch a nerve?" Dana also drew up her divine power in response.

Just as the situation reached a boiling point.

"Saintess Israphel! We have a major problem!"

One of Israphel’s officials came running over in a panic, quickly whispering something into her ear. Similarly, someone from Dana’s side approached and whispered to her.

Israphel’s face turned pale. Dana licked her lips with an amused expression and stood up.

"It seems a massive incident has broken out, one that makes this issue look trivial."

Dana pushed her chair back, the legs scraping against the floor, and lightly tapped Israphel’s shoulder.

"Good luck."

Even long after Dana had disappeared, Israphel remained seated, rooted to the spot.

---

Simon’s sixth day in the hospital.

And just three days after Anna had arrived on Roc Island.

"Oh my, good morning, Doctor!"

"Hello, Mrs. Ayla!"

"Hahaha! You’re full of energy today as well."

She had become an overnight star in Kizen.

Everyone was falling for Anna’s kind and gentle charm.

She never just walked past anyone.

She always greeted them warmly, initiated conversations, and if someone was working, she would roll up her sleeves and try to help with whatever she could.

Even the people who were initially blunt or annoyed eventually felt her sincerity and opened their hearts one by one.

"So my child..."

"They say there’s no right answer to parenting. How about trusting your child for now?"

She even offered counseling.

People who met Anna found themselves pouring out their true feelings before they even realized it, and she always gave wise answers without ever offending them.

The ward, which had always been static and quiet, became lively and harmonious with her arrival.

She somehow even found out the birthday of a servant who worked as a cleaner and organized a small surprise party to celebrate it.

Anna and the others waited in the cleaners’ break room, and when he returned, they greeted him with a round of applause as Anna presented him with a homemade cake.

The sight of the servant tearing up with emotion left a deep impression on everyone.

Seeing how they could laugh, chat, and be so happy over such a small surprise reminiscent of their school days, people reflected on themselves, wondering if they had been missing out on the simple joys of daily life.

Anna had a positive influence on the people in the ward.

People tried to smile a little more and be a little kinder.

A ward doctor who was afraid of water decided to learn how to swim, and a couple who had always been on bad terms reconciled.

"Mom, what in the world have you been doing around here?" Simon asked, scratching his head from his hospital bed. He couldn’t possibly be unaware of the widespread rumors.

She blinked innocently. "Huh? I just did what I always do."

"Ahaha."

Whether it was thanks to Anna’s reputation or because his condition had improved, Simon’s grounding was finally lifted.

He decided to take Anna to visit the home of Professor Parahan, the Divine Defense professor.

He had mentioned Parahan while exchanging letters with Anna, and she had kept pestering Simon, saying she absolutely had to meet him.

Eventually, the two met at Parahan’s house.

"Thank you so much for guiding and protecting our Simon, Professor," Anna said warmly.

She didn’t hide her identity this time, revealing that she was Simon’s mother.

Parahan had kept the fact that Simon could use divine power a secret and was even teaching him white magic.

She felt it was only polite to reveal that she was Simon’s parent and a former priest.

Parahan wore a relaxed expression, as if a long-standing riddle had finally been solved.

"So there was a reason why Simon, a necromancer, could use white magic."

Of course, it couldn’t be said that there were zero instances of a necromancer and a priest marrying on this vast continent, but it had never been revealed that a child like Simon could wield both jet-black and divine power simultaneously.

Let alone a child who could mix the two to create ’Chaos’.

Anna and Parahan sat and talked for hours.

Since they shared the major commonality of both being from the Holy Federation, they communicated well and had endless things to discuss.

Just the presence of the other was a great comfort to them both.

Their conversation continued until the sun went down.

’I’ve never seen Professor Parahan talk this much before.’

Simon smiled warmly as he watched the two from a distance.

"I’d love to invite you to our home someday, Professor," Anna offered.

"Haha! I appreciate the thought. But this old man cannot leave the island."

Parahan’s body was bound by a powerful curse along with tracking magic.

The moment he stepped off the island, the curse would activate.

It was impossible to lift, as attempting to dispel it with purification magic would trigger the curse first and cut off his breath.

It was a natural measure, considering how extremely sensitive Kizen’s elders and the students’ parents were to the very fact that a priest was on Roc Island.

"If I am ever able to step outside within what remains of this old man’s lifespan, I will be sure to visit Leshill."

Anna looked like she wanted to talk more, but curfew was slowly approaching.

Her son had just been allowed to take walks, and she couldn’t break curfew on the very first day.

"Thank you, Professor." Anna bowed deeply from the waist in a polite greeting. "Please continue to take good care of our Simon. He still has much to learn, so please teach him well."

"Gratula mi cibilis."

Parahan raised his head after folding his hands and giving a highly respectful greeting reserved only for high-ranking priests.

"It is this old man who is honored to have met such an excellent child in his twilight years, and to be able to pass on even a single grain of knowledge."

---

On his seventh day in the hospital, Simon was finally cleared of any physical abnormalities and discharged.

He planned to return to Leshill today.

As soon as vacation started, the Legion had left Roc Island to seek out troop reinforcements.

Because they had suffered too many troop losses in the war in Northern Kalos, replenishing their numbers for the next major battle was their top priority.

Erzebet had gone to an area called the ’Bug Tomb’ to explosively increase the corpse spider population, Akemus to the ’Screaming Jungle’ to inspect the Skull Wing nests, and Prince was naturally in the ’Deathland’.

And Pier decided to head to Northern Kalos once again.

He planned to inspect the troops there, check on the condition of the Northern God, Zairos, and finally decide what to do with the mine in the Frost Field.

If they could just sell the resources buried in the mine, the Legion would secure a stable source of funding.

Since they could use the undead, labor wouldn’t be an issue either.

However, the mine was currently left in its natural state, so it seemed it would take considerable time and money to develop.

Pier planned to check on that himself and, if necessary, cooperate with the Grand Duke’s side to develop the mine.

[Do you have any intention of coming with me to Leshill to meet my father?]

Simon had asked him this subtly, but the reply he got was that it was better not to meet if there was no reason to.

If that was Pier’s stance, Simon had no intention of forcing him.

Richard hadn’t tried to meet Pier or the other Legion Commanders either.

Still, just in case, Simon decided to take Herseva, the captain of the mummy unit who could mobilize the Legion’s entire military force, with him to Leshill.

On the day of his discharge, on their way to the teleportation magic circle, everyone who had met Anna in the ward came out to wave goodbye.

"Have a safe trip back, ma’am!"

"Come visit us anytime, Ayla!"

Some people even teared up at the parting.

Anna hugged them one by one, smiling and promising they would meet again.

From a short distance away, Simon, Lorraine, and Serne quietly watched the scene.

"Your aunt... She seems like a truly wonderful person," Lorraine murmured.

Simon felt a pang of guilt but forced a smile. "Thanks."

"I never knew someone could shine so brightly. I want to be like her someday."

"Hmm—" Serne simply offered a meaningful smile.

Soon after, they left the ward, said their final goodbyes to Lorraine and Serne, and stepped onto the teleportation magic circle heading to Leshill.

Simon surrendered his body to the familiar sensation of his feet floating up.

---

A moment later.

When he opened his eyes, the all-too-familiar rural mountain scenery unfolded like a painting.

Simon stretched both arms out and let out a refreshing shout.

"I’m back!"

It was Leshill, the affectionate hometown where Simon had lived for sixteen years.

This place, where towering, sheer mountain ranges spread out like a folding screen.

The fact that there was a place that remained unchanged no matter when he visited gave him a sense of emotional stability.

However.

He frowned, noticing something off.

Looking again, it had changed a little.

No, it had changed a lot.

The sky was dark, and heavy rain poured down in sheets.

The roads had turned into complete mudfields, and landslides had caused the soil to collapse, exposing the yellowish-brown earth everywhere like bare flesh.

Trees had collapsed, and the grass had been torn away as if sliced by blades.

Simon quickly pulled out an umbrella and held it over Anna.

"I didn’t realize it would still be pouring. It wasn’t this bad when I left to see you," Anna noted.

"L-Let’s hurry back, Mom."

"Yes, let’s."

The two of them hurried their steps.

The valley seemed to have overflowed, as the opposite side was a complete sea of water.

Only the roofs of houses were visible amidst the raging current.

A deafening crack of thunder shook the ground, and lightning struck, flashing the entire area white for a moment before returning to gloom.

"I wonder if your father is safe," Anna said, looking up at the mountain range. If the territory had suffered this much rain damage, Richard would undoubtedly be running around doing everything in his power to help.

"I’ll go help Father too!"

"Do you even know where he is? Let’s wait at home until he returns. Even if we don’t rush, it looks like there will be plenty of work to do."

She was right.

The rain poured down even harder, making it impossible to see an inch ahead.

Stepping out blindly when they didn’t even know where Richard was could be dangerous.

They decided to head back home first.

Fortunately, perhaps because Simon’s house was on relatively high ground, it hadn’t been submerged or swept away.

Simon entered the house and closed the door with a dull ’thud’.

The deafening roar of the heavy downpour that had filled their ears shifted into the muffled patter of rain drumming against the outer walls.

Simon took off his wet uniform, and Anna lit a fire in the fireplace.

Warmth quickly spread, making the house cozy.

The rain continued to batter the roof as if threatening to cave in the ceiling.

Simon and Anna waited anxiously for Richard in the kitchen.

"I’m worried," Anna muttered as she stirred a boiling pot of soup. "Lethe is supposed to arrive soon. I wonder if she’ll be able to make it properly with the roads like this."

Simon jumped up from his seat.

"Lethe is coming?"