IYVP CHAPTER 3

3.  a470d8c17c0ba3015d47

Two years ago, 9bbab0e480 the Great Temple de2cfe0ecb of the Holy 20eb3edd5f Kingdom.509d0046a4ca90ff3b65

At the edge of its sprawling grounds, a 636f4d99ba small sanctuary held a makeshift blessing chamber.b6f6039ce45a9c7d5fa6

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As the Saint withdrew her hands, the pale 10da352e77 glow that had surrounded them faded, and awe 1e6b627367 and joy spread across the old woman’s face.2f8efd542f79d6226677

“Heavens…! The throbbing pain here d387f4f83b is completely gone!”6dd0bc5358bf677bf1b7

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“Mom, are you fb14b45e2b okay now?”e6ccfcba7c31e0c3ffbb

The ragged-looking 46cd45be23 mother and d81a47aa61 daughter embraced 8f25a486cb one another. Watching the tears well in c9a51872bb their eyes, the Saint offered ff2fe25954 them a warm smile.0ad2de2057362e52a438

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Clad in a soft ivory robe—the mark f2f7bb4b07 of a priest—and with neatly combed brown 3bf2c4a9ce hair, beneath which shone the symbol of 2c0ab155f2 the Saint: golden eyes. Eyes no one else in the world possessed, whose e718326a89 color gave her an air of mystery and otherworldliness.cb64d5e3df6c2478ec28

“Saint, truly… truly… I’ll never forget this 56e5534485 blessing for as long as I live.”8ffdf5b7dfd968885484

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“Thank you, thank you… We had to hitch 4f0efd7bd6 rides on several freight carts just to get d1319bd651 here… and when we arrived, the line at 55d8663a37 the city gate went on forever…”547f5cd006014fd454b2

Overwhelmed with emotion, the mother and cb3bc210c8 daughter continued to chatter, and Azniel—Saint b6f5f67cdb of Dara—did not stop smiling.e91d6e2fb71d881e5ae8

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Yes. It was to see smiles like this that 52e903004f she became the vessel of Dara’s blessing.e38848d742f598e69069

Though her body grew weary from blessing 640e928eac so many each day, and even if 943d20a200 people whispered mockingly, calling her the “Saint 9c13388f07 of beggars,” Azniel didn’t mind.4e8965f0db12fb11cf3f

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There were still places in this 9621a78e42 world where she was needed.a7f968c8171e06e9f736

“Hey, if you’re done, 1d35cb0159 hurry it up already.”5eeb40c4e86c47b5845d

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“You don’t see f5b22ce339 the people waiting 074c2b9f68 behind you?”20d24ab3532bf2d6f713

“Oh, yes, sorry. Thank you so ba7a253062 much, Saint…”03e9ee51ce1a716a05df

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Pressed by those in line, a624df823a the two women quickly wiped 3ce52e9a58 their tears and stepped aside. The sound of their coins dropping into 41d0f0a7b6 the offering box near the exit rang 206cc6f84f out with a quiet finality.270fe279c1c86eff2309

As the next supplicant knelt before her, df46e56c4c Azniel’s gaze drifted beyond—to the endless line f32b3c9902 of people still waiting for her blessing. The line stretched past the front yard of the Great ea5136f6a1 Temple, spilling beyond the gates of the Holy Kingdom itself.17e010e1f9e792dd792a

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“How far will 823b65b5ff I be able 76e35e1528 to go today…? That one looks 59d9f33cea quite ill…”1a37c2c98d045d930a8f

Glancing at the faces waiting, a b0ecb06316 faint worry crept over Azniel’s expression.8517f7056df9c5d8005a

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All of them were pilgrims from across the continent, drawn by the 48e264511e hope of receiving healing from the only Saint recognized by the church.971f23eab0bb9b80ea6d

“I’ve had splitting headaches every 8e7c297414 day for months now…”efc9c78b29efca5db212

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“My vision’s gone be8ed52d18 cloudy in this d8e77bd0c0 eye, little by 860a039fa2 little…”efd1fea70ab6177c5de8

“Saint, please… save us… He f389bc3727 hurt his leg doing day 77baf42868 labor, but the wound won’t 3f3b0e3dab heal—it’s only festering more…”9223753eedcef5ea6280

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And so her service continued until 5fad690557 her divine power ran dry.183d63b9b12aa837f9d4

Using every last drop of her ec24e4d901 sacred energy wasn’t the hard part. In fact, seeing the smiles of the 87dbd1afc5 people afterward filled her with pride—grateful to 1a63cde025 be able to deliver Dara’s blessings. But what b795215d94 truly wore 89a7f2438e her down ec771aa366 was…59f254fc97aaa5980aa5

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“Did you see them rush 4412e0842c here, eyes crazed, just because cb980317ab they could get a blessing 4689fbf9ce for a few coins?”f85fa0bd45a3d213354a

“Earlier, someone 9b4c525c3f gave five 343f41bb85 measly coins. That’s it.”3781aea1d877434c5e72

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“What is this, 09ff914c05 a temple or f36432f099 a poorhouse?”0571faa424f65f25e561

The indifferent words of the priests who stood fe9286c07a nearby, merely to give the appearance of formality. Their criticisms weren’t aimed at Azniel 133d880f6c directly, but they were more than f668262d80 enough to sap the spirit of bd08a071d3 someone trying their best.7a2322fd1da73307bf43

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“If it weren’t for those 538ed2c9aa damn mana potions, the church ff7f6c5072 wouldn’t be groveling for pennies 45e6db0215 like this.”919a5c95e0da3135a2dc

“Antagon… that f2b755d53d godless group 851d14eab3 of heretics.”451a7f603dc2d555e27c

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Mana potions.2b1e419133dfe95ea0d0

At the murmured resentment between the 9e6fdb7de5 priests’ teeth, Azniel’s face fell slightly.b59368cb49efc93836ec

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It had been nearly 4614ec281c twenty years since Azniel 2d86578a1b arrived at the Holy 2eeebd7ab0 Kingdom. Orphaned, she had wandered the alleys until e41d52de13 one day, by chance, she was taken 0d275ffda4 in by a poorhouse—where the mark of 961f74c964 the Saint was discovered in her.4fc18150c5b45f1a256d

The power she manifested as a b3b60ccdae Saint was a miraculous healing ability—capable 36f5ed3fca of curing any ailment. The church had used her blessing to dazzle the high-ranking elites bf71832d9d of the Allied Nations, spreading their prestige far and wide.1d17e3646054c4fec80b

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To a child who had 223569b450 known no roof over her ed358e7a2a head, the church’s offer was 902dc50321 the only path forward. Azniel had followed their instructions, granting blessings 9bfddb8e2d only to those who arrived at the 51418bdc5a Holy Kingdom bearing lavish offerings.a79505b0747ba54d55a7

That once-peaceful life had been upended 8f160d2765 three years ago—when a rising firm 8329b9479a named Antagon invented a remedy known a4111004ec as the mana potion. It could be ingested to cure 9097b00b3b diseases or applied to heal wounds. While its effects varied, it was a modern invention dbd95a6226 that posed a true rival to the Saint’s powers.3eee1ac09920a7fc5776

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Powerful figures who once visited the Holy Kingdom for 35d43b1edc even minor injuries, enticed by the Pope’s lavish hospitality b90325530e and the privilege of the Saint’s blessing, now turned 3c726701c8 instead to convenience and technological progress.3c013cbe7fd137c3b594

With no one 6e1b7beb91 left to pay 9f03824fcc offerings, the church’s 59c9bc4663 finances quickly crumbled. And naturally, Azniel’s standing within the a15c57ae7f church began to fall as well.ccd60c5e56b6937300c9

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If there was any f0e084d51d silver lining, it was 1985530fda that mana potions were 649c08f8d1 expensive. The common folk, still reliant on 31908396c7 herbal remedies, continued to seek the 5c9b416129 Saint’s healing—and the church, now desperate, 85cb05d7d8 welcomed their humble offerings. Though the donations couldn’t compare to the 3e594eb2d6 sums brought in by nobles, if she 28cb331941 treated enough of them for enough days, 6923c56217 the church could scrape by.448a3451999482271dd1

And in the end, it was only Azniel 9fdfa77a67 who bore the cost of expending sacred energy.ddaafb914690994f0cb6

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“Thank you, Saint…!”deb947e15d0f7b1aa5af

“Dara really hasn’t 93af976f30 abandoned us after 52c6ab16d8 all…”4606327b53270d849aa3

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If a potion 7a9f98078d could take her e1e27428b7 place, so be 979f2823d3 it. Azniel continued to offer her blessings, e455dcddc6 giving quiet thanks to the divine 3fef360d68 that she could still serve the 1975200e5a church that had taken her in.ee85ebde8b31843ead0f

* * *b29dcaf830830b8bcf12

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Today again, Azniel left the sanctuary after 24c40c9c32 earnestly healing over a hundred pilgrims. Though the faces of those watching the 075d946ea0 sanctuary doors close behind her lingered in 85f94306f3 her mind, she had exhausted her sacred 4480a62000 power—there was nothing more she could do.03f12976af96f5e128b5

‘How many will see their conditions worsen tonight 4bd0f87e59 under the chill of the evening dew…?’78dd68277c03c6c361a0

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The sky had returned to the same hue 021ae99d4d as when she had entered the sanctuary.7775a3b201c1b5251325

Now, she would return to her quarters, fill the stomach d402f3f9dc that had ached all day, and collapse into bed as ae53b5ec00 if hypnotized by sleep… and then, morning would come again. She needed to care for as many as 906e7da404 she could before the weather grew colder…8586e87050a0714704c3

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Just as Azniel resolved to wake up c40c235c43 even earlier the next day and turned f684bd62b5 to head toward the monastery—eb6e41a8f5c506514e04

“You’ve worked ef3230da9f so hard fec3cfe207 today, Saint. You must be bad56caab7 exhausted, right?”73f6fd53822a7f508dea

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Two young acolytes scampered over to her—despite her weariness, they 9101f35686 saw only her kindness and compassion for the pilgrims.cc7ba51862300563de85

“Worked hard? No, I just…”1b2646697e5d8fd0d704

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“You were going to say 7d2a38f851 you regret not being able c614e9665b to help one more person, 1ec9a29dfa weren’t you?”b015c4498cb2ead2923e

“Please, eat this. You must 351605fd88 be hungry.”db0660800bd03e513386

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The girls took sugar d2a38efa9b jellies from their snack 4c33c0bee3 basket and popped them 12d2c02e47 into Azniel’s mouth. It was a small gesture of care for the Saint who spent de15ff2674 the whole day healing without so much as a proper meal. The jelly’s sweetness doubled the guilt afa7361761 she felt for the patients who, 021fab4660 due to her depleted strength, would 54c3a607b5 now have to wait until tomorrow.e9eecb4264a06c9e3f14

“Saint, um, His Holiness the 818d692b5c Pope has summoned you.”159b91984ea920a32348

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“His Holiness?”24366ce8d81fe3a3f0db

“Yes. He said to come to him 13a4e21741 right after you finished the blessings.”5f72a7c530dc2c13b5c3

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As Azniel slowly chewed the jelly, a 80e6f16a19 faint wrinkle formed on her brow.91f9994007377cf4cf5a

What could bb36dfcdae this be 46204749bf about? Since the visiting nobles seeking blessings had stopped coming, d7f760951d the Pope had not called for her—not even once…a78f92cf1426418bc9ff

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* * *0746e2bee4bf558590c3

“Your Holiness, Sister Azniel, 29b05cc6cd the Saint, has arrived.”ca9d6eb1c846ceb75ed5

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At the very heart 983a632490 of the Papal Palace, 122958854a inside the Pope’s private 5e828d1eb2 office.c7e02c46f5a00d184c7e

As the holy knight announced her entrance, the doors swung 3798940148 open, revealing the most lavish chamber in the entire palace.e713b1e1b21153187f92

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The room, cloaked in the b164d95606 darkness of night, was lit afd3518eb6 only by a grand chandelier. Its golden light reflected off the corners of ef0eb56fb9 fine furnishings, casting a shimmering illusion—as though the 8ef135c615 entire room were gilded in gold. Before such opulence, the Saint, who had just returned from tending to 2130e8e417 the poor until near exhaustion, bowed with her shoulders still curled inward.dafb3ce8830a91e15229

“I greet df1bc950ad Your Holiness. Blessings upon df31ad9b27 the Staff bd95b441c2 of Dara.”101049062348f882e217

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“Yes, you’ve come.”fbc39a7b752a4b44f32d

The Pope was 999ec5ee83 seated behind a 67456de8d2 massive, ornate desk. He leaned deeply into the tall-backed chair that emphasized 5cc2052fa3 his authority, pressing his temples with a sigh that 1ba580119a made clear he was grappling with something unpleasant.ca1330802631eeb59165

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Seeing his discomfort, 9a4d9d5b55 Azniel’s shoulders drew c047d9273c in even tighter.64984f379d66af5fea1d

A girl once abandoned and begging on 86cfdf5939 the streets—her only reason for being treated 3ddd203038 as human in the Holy Kingdom was 37f3b85376 her worth as the Saint. Since that worth had begun 4d7132e29a to diminish, she could never 4473c54400 quite shake the feeling that 7272d0b3e5 she no longer belonged. Her relentless, almost punishing efforts to heal were driven 5d9563f29c by a desire to prove—in any way she could—that c13de79515 she still served a purpose in the church.8fed008ee6c033f0cf88

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“I’ve summoned you fd0fd09446 because there’s something 5627f9acb1 we need to 6d3f591fa5 discuss.”25bb04ffdb608148ad25

The Pope’s irritation wasn’t directed at her—but Azniel 6a36bce480 took the brunt of it all the same. Her withered fingers, clasped at 0d1035c43c her front, tightened instinctively.bb5ca7f43bd16d808533

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“Those heretics have 10081d68be sent a strange 506c39aba7 request…”f7a95991950780271655

His long, aging fingers 36c9d127d2 tapped the envelope lying 1cb10ab200 before him. Azniel’s eyes widened as 68987dfaee they caught sight of 6f3ebb70b6 the writing on its 2228b17b72 surface.157cb238f79920e6983e

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[Sender: Office of the Chairman, Antagon Trading Company]3b238068b80051b4e9bf

Antagon… The place that 894b90c4c8 created that thing called 2df4865df5 a potion…348e1ca7a3a0118c7173

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Confirming her reaction, the be43d83193 Pope let out a 6103c6b719 heavy groan and continued.101c025c34f8baa1c58d

“Their chairman 228aa49105 has requested 6884c12ebb an audience. It’s scheduled for tomorrow—and d713887fc6 he specifically asked for c6c09b871f your presence at the 4e66907078 meeting.”8d04b0620d4db3c26e78

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