FTA Ch 24

<Chapter 24>

 

Gloria took a round about way toward the alley on the other side.
As she got closer, she instinctively realized something.

There wasn’t just one presence… there were at least three people.

Two of them wielded sword energy.
One of those two also seemed to possess divine power.
The last person emanated an overwhelming amount of magic.

Still, Gloria wasn’t the least bit surprised.
This setup was all too familiar.

When setting out to hunt monsters, reconnaissance teams were often deployed before engaging the enemy.

These teams typically consisted of a paladin, a magic swordsman, and a third member, forming a trio.

 

‘But there shouldn’t be any monsters near this village.’

 

Gloria recalled the first time she had heard about Baron Romenta’s territory from Claude and visited Romenta to confirm.
During that visit, she had discovered and wiped out a pack of gargoyles lurking in the nearby forest.

It wasn’t that she had specifically gone hunting for gargoyles.

She had originally searched the forest, hoping to find remnants of wyverns that had attacked the village in the past.
Wyverns were a rare type of monster known for their immense magical energy.

Despite scouring the forest thoroughly, she hadn’t found a single trace of wyverns.

Disappointed, Gloria had lingered in the forest. That was when she discovered the gargoyles.
Though not as potent as wyverns, gargoyles still carried substantial magical energy.

The gargoyles turned out to be an excellent source of funds for her.
With the money she earned selling their corpses to Claude, she had paid off the promised balance and purchased the castle.

 

‘There shouldn’t be any monsters left near here now. Why would a reconnaissance team be here?’

 

The presence of the team was puzzling.

 

‘Could Joshua have informed Alexion about my where abouts?’

 

If that was the case, Alexion might have dispatched the team to capture her.
With the monster hunt unfinished, it wouldn’t sit well for Alexion to let a leashed hunting dog run free.

Once he knew where she was, it was unlikely Alexion would simply stand by.
He had always been the one to exploit Gloria to his heart’s content.

 

‘That bastard.’

 

Cursing inwardly, Gloria quickened her pace while staying as silent as possible, ensuring her footsteps were muffled.

Soon, she reached the alley and spotted three men hiding in the shadows.
All three wore pitch black robes that were pulled low over their heads.

Anyone passing by would immediately find them suspicious.

Gloria fixed her gaze on the man standing in the center.
It was because he radiated divine energy.

Through her experiences in monster hunts, Gloria had learned that targeting a healer first was often the fastest way to gain an advantage in battle.

Even though Gloria herself possessed far superior healing abilities than any priest.

She had spent countless hours honing her combat skills in the training ground.

Some monsters, particularly those with a certain level of intelligence, naturally targeted her first for the same reason to ensure their victory by eliminating the strongest healer.

Because of this, Gloria had poured her blood, sweat, and tears into building up her physical strength and resilience, comparable to that of a seasoned knight.

Her efforts paid off to giving her a strong and durable body that was useful both in monster hunts and in swift.

He reflexive situations like this.

Keeping her eyes on the central man’s back, Gloria silently approached.

Once she was close enough to strike him with her mace, she raised it without hesitation.

As the mace descended

 

“Saintess!”

 

The man on the left turned suddenly.

His hood fell off with the movement, and Gloria immediately recognized his face.

The mace, which was aimed at the central man’s head, abruptly halted.
Gloria, as if spellbound, spoke.

 

“…Bliss?”

“Yes, Saintess. It’s me, Bliss.”

 

Bliss, a knight of the Marquis of Lanark and a magic swordsman of the second hunting party.
He was also Erhardt’s adjutant.

Looking visibly alarmed, Bliss shifted his gaze between Gloria and the mace she held aloft.

 

“…Saintess, would you please lower your weapon?”

 

Her grip had already slackened.

At his request, Gloria nodded slightly and lowered her mace.

Meanwhile, the other men standing behind Bliss turned one by one.

One of them, whose hood had fallen, fixed his disheveled hair and glanced at Gloria.

 

“Damien.”

 

At Gloria’s call, he gave a slight bow.

His cloudy gray eyes like a stormy sky, focused on her.

Gloria met his gaze briefly before shifting her attention to the central man.

The one whose head she had nearly smashed with her mace just moments ago.

 

“Saintess,” the man said.

 

Erhardt Walter Lanark

Erhardt Walter Lanark, with his radiant golden hair shining like a prince out of a fairy tale

He extended his large hand toward Gloria.

Now that she thought about it, she had always liked the way he addressed her as ‘Saintess’ with his deep, resonant voice.

Momentarily hesitating, Gloria instinctively reached out her empty left hand.

As soon as she did, Erhardt gently enveloped her hand, leaned down, and pressed a soft kiss to the back of it.

The touch of his lips was strangely refreshing, even now.

 

* * *

 

Joshua Fandeil¹

Joshua walked steadily, doing his best to appear nonchalant under the furtive glances of the priests around him.

They tried to hide it, but Joshua could easily discern their subtle reactions.

There was no doubt, they had seen him get struck and rolling in the dirt at Gloria’s hands.

 

‘Damn it…’

 

Though inwardly seething, Joshua maintained the facade of a dignified priest.

 

“He’s waiting for you inside,” a servant informed him.

“Very well. Thank you,” Joshua replied, forcing a polite smile.

 

The servant bowed deeply and stepped away.

As soon as the servant disappeared, the smile vanished from Joshua’s face. Annoyance written all over his features, he entered the reception room.

Inside waited his visitor, the current Tower Master, Kais who a mage renowned for maintaining a rare close alliance with the temple, unlike his predecessors.

Kais rose from his seat and strode toward Joshua with a stern expression.

 

“Where have you been? Did you forget about the meeting at the imperial palace today?”

 

Kais’s sharp tone caused Joshua’s brow to furrow deeply.

 

“Do you think I have all the time in the world like you?” Joshua snapped back.

“What happened? Did someone slap you? Why are you taking it out on me?” Kais teased.

Joshua ground his teeth and retorted, “Yes, I did get slapped.”

“…” Kais’s mouth hung open in shock.

 

At first, he thought Joshua might be joking a rare sight but the furious glint in Joshua’s eyes suggested otherwise.

Falling silent, Kais observed the fuming Joshua collapse onto the couch.

His frustration seemed genuine enough for Kais to grow serious.

 

“Are you telling me… you really got hit?”

 

For someone to lay a hand on Joshua, the Chief Priest of the Holy Empire? It was a skin to provoking Kais himself.

But even putting aside Kais’s connection to him, who would dare assault the empire’s high priest? Whoever it was, they’d surely face retribution.

 

“Who had the audacity to touch you?” Kais demanded.

 

Joshua gritted his teeth as if struggling to contain his anger.

 

“Who else would it be?”

“That crazy wench,” he growled.

 

Kais froze, staring blankly at Joshua as he angrily undid the front of his robe.

It was immediately clear to Kais who Joshua meant by ‘that crazy wench’.

 

“…You went to see Gloria?”

 

Gloria had been openly residing in the Baron of Romenta’s territory.

Whether she was aware of the rumors circulating about a false Saint abducting a duke or not.

She moved freely and made no effort to hide her face.

It wasn’t a matter of people not knowing her location.

Everyone was aware of it.

The problem was that no one dared approach her—not yet.

After all, many had wronged her, and now they were wary of her retaliation.

Even the emperor had instructed Alexion to placate her and bring her back if possible.

Only after waiting and assessing the situation did Alexion, Kais, and Demonion finally agree to confront her together.

Yet Joshua in his impatience, had gone alone to see her.

Kais who knew just how much Joshua had tormented Gloria in the past, was left speechless at his reckless decision.

 

“You’re lucky to have come back alive.”

“…What?” Joshua shot him a scathing glare.

 

Clicking his tongue in disbelief, Kais shook his head, finding Joshua’s foolishness exasperating.

The gesture only added fuel to Joshua’s anger, pushing him to his breaking point. He shot to his feet, visibly livid.

 

“Don’t tell me… you’re taking her side in front of me?” he snarled.