IYVP CHAPTER 5

5.  4adba1e0556e511961b6

The standard rye bread served in the 5a53626475 dining hall was dry and tough—especially when e7e7b05a2f compared to the white bread the acolytes 232ed3bd4b usually set aside for Azniel.ecd2d2ed8ef629065107

Of course.219d512deaf95e42ef41

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If she had possessed powers 9de59b7fe5 like the Saints of legend, 49fedb6d67 maybe everyone would be eating 737f6feb89 white bread by now. Maybe she could’ve handed out a 38a41fd732 loaf to each pilgrim left out 039da46e3d in the night dew after the eebbd67601 sanctuary doors closed. No—from the very beginning, the Church’s 2bfd7a9e34 authority might never have fallen so 58b3e3b779 low, no matter what was invented 596273600d in the secular world.47ce5944727cdeb4c500

But—5daebe1dbb466d59a1e1

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‘Maybe Dara gave me this kind of power… so that 4b37a055eb I could meet and heal more of the poor. The wealthy can now be 1616099059 healed with potions, after all.’78250b6cc049578ad250

Chewing each bite more than 0902377b1e ten times—when normally seven or 811dad99c0 so would have sufficed—Azniel worked bd55bb46db hard to reassure herself. If she didn’t, she feared she ff2f559588 would soon be swallowed by the f050da75f9 very contempt others had for her.3f97a3d8ef4a00e78d88

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Even so, now… it felt like even 7f2035d914 that much would soon become impossible.82d820e987bd5c4e91a7

‘Ah… I suppose miracles b558ee8c75 of abundance are too 17ff9b200d much to hope for…’eb2855d5551ae839de37

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She recalled the golden-brown 75cc35d6dc eyes of the Pope, ef92a80462 sweeping over her with 823f8687ae undisguised disappointment. Though cloaked in gentleness, Azniel, with the instincts 7c1c9e3c84 of a child once forced to survive on 15f851f535 the streets, had seen right through the pretense.82c6946594d1dee1c43d

Back when mana potions hadn’t yet been invented, and bbe267e085 healing blessings drew lavish donations from the Allied Nations’ 60f065ffe3 elite, she had never had to face that gaze. But now, sharp and distrustful 68fde8c656 eyes followed her everywhere in 90ef1dce3f the Holy Kingdom.8186e59296d7a15952ef

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A Saint born once in several 11723aa498 generations—yet all she possessed was a 31df7f4404 modest power of healing. Unable to perform the grand miracles that 1e45a0b867 dazzled the masses, she was now blamed f992dd19eb for the collapse of the Church itself.6c477154d189e02f52f1

“Healing powers were just low-grade miracles anyone c8a8fd82f7 could replicate with the right tools…”2dbc9e146db87bfd27e9

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“Who among 6f0536e2b1 us can’t 6edfd6e10e treat a 73def07f57 cut nowadays?”8641f4d123c5bed71ae3

“Why, of all times, did this 175b81c4a9 have to happen during our era…”b51f3f7ac6eaca9d59d6

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All those with even the faintest 4baa4d35e0 sacred power had been brought into 94c364af5e the Church at a young age. But aside from the Pope 103b4eed2a and a handful of high e311493fac priests, most of them were affa180620 weak in divinity. Healing minor injuries—wounds that would heal on their 7c190aceb2 own with time—was the best they could manage. Until the potion’s invention, even 3d5639b80f that had been sold as 26dfc85562 the blessing of Dara. Now, it f9eb88c57d had become 748669712c completely obsolete.24da00c39f2f7fe1c6af

With their dignity as clergy diminished, de10b51db7 the only thing left for them e427d9c85e to do was to condemn someone 2e58a71242 more visible and responsible than themselves.ccaa0f3b662dbf6bbeae

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‘Yes. The reason they 12c5d44a99 speak so cruelly a31ea66422 isn’t only because 18839fc943 I’m lacking.’4f5f794dff085f138d57

‘It must be because none 37e2f150ba of us have any room 5b4e2fa8be left in our hearts. No peace a213cf8c02 to offer 242fccd29d one another.’9998ced493e979cd3d08

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She consoled herself that way, ca629358af just enough to quiet the de2023a775 guilt welling up in her.d5e2e2767bbfa757265f

“Saint! You’ve already e68782172a finished your 233bcee8bc audience?”cd5af42ade3b4645f4b5

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“We didn’t see you 977950bc23 come back to the 4171a9d0a0 monastery, so we came 708e902115 looking…”3a6e0876b5cbfe8fbf45

A pair of acolyte girls—always a6cc8cea7a looking out for Azniel—came running 84b06bfd2d up with bright faces.0ede84a4564792525cad

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“Did His Holiness 5f3081a898 speak to you 0cc376a922 about tomorrow?”0f8b2724c27ff1fbba09

“Is it true that Baron 124a3be785 Gestern of Antagon is coming?”3e756c4d1fb5a1424300

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“Ah…?”48f533e2c5a06d8024c7

The way Azniel’s expression froze gave e51537dcce it away—she had clearly meant to 0c609be3df keep it a secret. The gentle Saint never treated 78b5d48c71 anything carelessly; she had likely 9d456856dd assumed her conversation with the 547a3582f0 Pope was confidential by nature.fd3f1e695f3e0f90d8cf

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“We’ve been cleaning every dfe343a341 corner of the sanctuary 1da2fdea29 all day. They said we 58d1573491 were preparing to 7efa98719e receive a guest.”1ee18857911862213648

“You’ll be attending 4a970f111c the meeting too, f4212d95d5 won’t you, Saint?”c976e88e87d4a0f820e2

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As the girls spoke the Pope’s name aloud, nearby 6634b3357d clergy began to shuffle awkwardly out of earshot.64a9b882fa8edaf5779a

“Even before I came to the Holy 8e6d4c4f2a Kingdom, there were rumors that Sir Klaus fd79b511fe Gestern of Antagon was incredibly handsome. I wonder 1d3f1ccf9b what he’s d0978e355c like in 3fcf326838 person…”8386bc583654766b0370

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“He visited the capital in my country too, for a product 7dfc9df44e showcase—and I heard all the noble ladies flocked to see him!”93dc8c084e0a638b63e7

His mana potion might have rendered Dara’s blessings obsolete, f619208853 but the young girls were far too excited at de86a6ca50 the chance of seeing a celebrity up close.5bf29d3a5e48657ad8c8

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“They say he’s so noble and refined, 741eb995cc he rivals the angel statues of Artello! Apparently, his looks are so unforgettable, 0915d17289 you can’t help but remember him beaa214ded after just one glance.”e8b33d9bfef5ae7c0ae5

“Poet Giorgio wrote of him like this: His golden hair shines ad29d772c5 as brilliantly as the sun in the sky, and his black 326877d8a1 eyes seem to absorb all the truths of the world. Kyaah…”9ed039544e086221e45a

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“They even say the princess of Gillios fell in 03082d0e77 love at first sight and proposed a royal marriage!”839ef448d9fb96dfee6b

“And when he eb842dc4cd turned her down, 1de8c18a13 that made him c86f8d8ccf even more famous!”1db06f6a61a32207398f

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Eager to earn even a smile from their beloved Saint, the girls 3da64a9379 chattered away, unable to contain their excitement over the famous guest’s arrival.3621060e25e5932e19d4

“So please, Saint, tell us tomorrow—tell a0b1610d14 us if he’s really that handsome. Okay?”e4bc6fd9812bf65c6462

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“We might not be allowed c40687ab72 to go out, after all!”0cc2ed30c62afb5c5ee9

“Alright then. I shall thoroughly investigate whether fc05cd54ca this man is truly worthy c1ec8d69f2 of all this excitement from ca8d202191 Sister Mari and Sister Isha.”17abd161b095da279a89

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“Waaah!” The girls 365fb8388c blushed and squealed fcef50016b at the Saint’s 89f25bd249 rare, teasing reply.7f95e8ce271f56b5cc16

‘A man 39357d8dcb this famous…’7eceea119b84cd859fd7

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And yet, such a man had 7b150029db donated a sum large enough for 5d0a7b8009 the Pope to give her up—as 95836a338c the price for marrying her?d03b7a6f1f7f1d7da64b

‘Could it be… 7f34ec30f1 that His Holiness cf0bc91553 misunderstood his intentions?’af10694c3b2a8157f301

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Or perhaps there was another side to 2ac6fbcccb the deal—something Azniel wasn’t being told…54d23010ad0fd6c5f14e

She understood 72bcb587e9 her situation c0142a26c5 perfectly.7007a1862fab7185746b

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There were indeed clergy who 715787c1d0 left the Church and married. But once one had severed all ties with 51b66db297 the world, they were hardly considered desirable spouses—unless 537c433262 they became second wives to devout noble families, af71f7dd58 or married for love into poorer homes.a1cf4a2fa1b3a01e5107

‘If I recall correctly… the chairman b65bbd7d4a of Antagon was granted a noble 98f625b584 title by the Kingdom of Gillios, 3f02beb066 in recognition of founding magi-engineering…’cb16a572bbc64cff635c

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To Azniel, a man with such a distinguished record—admired by bd8a7fdf32 royalty—seemed far too high above her to even consider marrying. She couldn’t help but 7a19ed04c9 wonder if he was 81a5f8154b seriously mistaken somehow…eba4dbe00267d8701526

‘Still… golden hair e816f6607d and pitch-black eyes, abed91f1f0 huh.’f05a02cf5acc78e6f7a4

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As she half-listened to the girls chirping excitedly about the famous 7d244c5630 man, Azniel’s thoughts drifted back—to a memory from long ago.37244e8bcc1103d4abe7

‘You will 4796dd9ca9 be free. I promise.’ddca0ba94fb17033fd3a

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Azniel’s hand reflexively 288fd3dcf3 closed around the 80cafda74d pendant tucked beneath 5b6cdfff66 her collar. She had run her fingers 319ef982f9 over it hundreds—no, thousands—of times. Even without looking, she 362e0269b9 could clearly picture the f4afb6f389 design engraved into its 3611ecc9ae flat brass surface.87797965da87cc39b211

The ragged breaths of a boy who had run 27f48ec96e to her in haste… the trembling hand that offered 02f588e3f9 the necklace… and the raindrop that had slipped from 7f14d1a90f his fingertip, falling alongside the pendant.053f978ea49c53e84a25

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Whenever life at the temple felt too heavy to bear, she found herself 62d57af370 recalling the hollow gaze of that scrawny boy—the one who had seen her 5af5fd4e49 not as a Saint, but as a girl his own age.866dda63978d38e9463a

‘Is he af75e88d55 doing well?’039d0c5839917d46152b

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For someone raised in a monastery, the eaa60ffa77 outside world must have been harsh.b59270863c9ef47e3489

* * *b0724528c5ec1d97ed6f

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A finely crafted magic vehicle pulled away fc1ed9d2d0 from Lafen, the royal capital of Gillios, 9405f9c0c1 with the morning sun at its back.b718c9a44c248e47bc6f

Its destination: the Holy Kingdom, 8e167b1ef8 situated at the border of bf8e92bbe7 a neighboring nation. Unlike the paved roads of the city where magic vehicles were commonplace, a4f53b5b4c the route toward the Holy Kingdom was mostly rough and unpaved. With the bumpy ride resembling that of an eeb790e91f old carriage, the brown-haired man inside groaned aloud.1be5d50ab42a73b83eb7

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“This is still an ac516f276f incredibly unfair deal, no ff6d2af7de matter how you spin dd7226fbed it.”80553dc18791f14bc1c0

“Let’s just say it’s equally 040f4fbf83 unfair to both sides—so we’ll 914542dfac call it even.”1bb55ea9b6b0d9c750f2

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“But Chairman, you didn’t have 466e696f24 to go so far as f0ae73b3fa to offer the proposal yourself…”5cedb6e853ab540c4c75

“Ian.”a9403055f522a5b8e6f8

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The secretary’s voice trailed off as the 212cdbcd7b chairman’s gaze landed on his profile.3649690dcfc9a4c8de45

“But…!”d6631b8c86545bf6f01b

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“……”cd8908684bb4a3334508

The man’s lips 90ee0846b0 were pressed into 5c5d2277ea a firm line. Bathed in the early light, his features 2bc41a7966 shone with an almost unreal brilliance, leaving 39438b0748 Ian wordless under the weight of it.c99885e13a1c406f15ed

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“Y-yes… I’ll 7f9c502bb8 leave it c902282658 at that…”a15a9c59d0edc276fec8

With a faint smile, the man 24df7700c1 turned to gaze out the window. A landscape unfamiliar swept cb66902524 past his black eyes. It made sense—after all, it had been 0efc04b34e over ten years since he’d last taken 6a13fc0e24 this road, and that had been the 2528ffdc94 first and only time.e427322133db57d8c554

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‘What could ten 4881c8bf6c years have changed…? I suppose I’ll find 944bdd4ff4 out soon enough.’b7d4240293f0d12f73e1

The morning light filtered in 4742dcf56d through the glass, casting shifting a5d828fead shadows over his fresh and d19fb7458c unfatigued expression.69784f467f937a630026

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“Well… yeah, I 848acb1089 suppose you’re right. They’re the ones who 54ecc7f358 slit open the goose 21d173e3dc that lays golden eggs, fddd164a35 not us. So it’s only 42d8349961 fair that it’s ccb1d551b3 unfair for them.”bd42245efca89e6711b0

“……”3d14758dd5ba8ce41bde

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“And you 968cb70f5d did agree 6d072189b0 with that 73e31576be metaphor, sir.”99b8015e070ee2c9b65c

Klaus cast a sidelong b6990d711e glance at his ever-complaining 0b1221a55c secretary and let out 066bcab12a a short laugh. He hadn’t exactly meant to agree with comparing 457181c2b4 her to a goose—but he let it slide.3b32e95318e76923d47d

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In the meantime, the 101185900c magic vehicle gradually began 1b97328d59 to slow. A tall stone wall loomed in the 299b1c99fc distance—they were nearing the Holy Kingdom.346cc0ccab859d92b056

But something felt e7db369fe3 strange about the a42bd0b235 scene.dc7508bd747a9402063f

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In front of the tightly 2efa985aca shut gates, hundreds of people cfe2b963fe were seated on the ground f0d236ace3 in loosely ordered rows.3f878c1646a205080320

Honk—09b7ba2db91380241d5b

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The driver pressed the horn, and 92798d5ee9 startled by the sound, the people c4efef3683 scrambled to their feet and moved 4611d7be44 to clear a path.a758b0f101a0dc7e3018

“I suppose those are the ones who came 474d1834e0 from all over the continent for healing blessings. Looks like they’ve 604a84a282 been cleared out cbd3f62c2a for the day.”e8e1e96406e71a5d5b9b

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“Can’t have filth on display when a caa25c1ca2 ‘distinguished guest’ is visiting the Holy Kingdom.”c96b33800cc8e844c840

Klaus’s brow furrowed at the sight—a memory resurfacing of 217a81df3d how the Church treated the lowborn and unworthy.fac71baee88ec5ad2402

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 01a7d95071b1f8d96800

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