“Saintess Idledra, I heard from the servants that you ran out again?”
An aged voice accompanied the questioning and dissatisfaction.
The cold White-robed Priest majestically scolded the girl, who met him with an equally cold face.
Her expression was written with pure disgust.
“Why should I listen to you? Being locked up in this dark, massive house.”
Facing the girl’s accusation, the priest didn’t care at all.
As if reciting a creed, he muttered the headache-inducing, wicked words in her ear.
“Because you are the Saintess. What you must do is bring new glory to the Holy See.
As for those useless external things, they never belonged to you…”
‘Ugh… My head hurts. I’m starting to remember some unpleasant memories again. What a nuisance. If it were possible, I’d just destroy the world…’
“Hey, Idledra… Are you okay?”
Ah, it was Hailey…
It was my Hailey.
She was still by my side.
I almost forgot.
Looking at the constantly silent Idledra, Hailey felt that something was very strange.
She curiously tugged on the other girl’s hand, yet she couldn’t seem to wake the dazed girl from her stupor.
This person had clearly agreed to come and visit the market.
It was a rare occasion where she could walk around freely, yet she kept a tight grip on Hailey’s hand without letting go, simply following her like this.
Although Hailey had been mentally on guard against Idledra’s next move on the way there, because Idledra was so hopelessly lost when it came to directions, Hailey had no choice but to take the lead.
‘If I wasn’t afraid of us getting separated, I would never have allowed her to hold my hand…
But why is she even more distracted than I am?
Could it be that she saw something she wanted but didn’t buy it?’
“Hmm? Hailey, I think I was daydreaming just now.”
“You were practically no different from a sleepwalker.”
Idledra felt a bit guilty, but Hailey was quickly attracted by the items in the market.
As Hailey pulled her hand along, all her previous suspicions seemed to have been tossed to the back of her mind.
‘Forget it, I’ll explain it clearly to Hailey when I have time later. Anyway, as long as she stays by my side for now, it’s enough.’
It was truly worthy of being a market in another world.
There were many novelties that Hailey had never seen before: trendy styles of clothing, otherworldly delicacies, and even toys and magic items that looked very fun.
While it was called a market, this place was more like a commercial street of another world.
Because it was located at the border between the Wealthy District and the Residential District, people of all statuses could be found here.
Because of her identity as the Saintess, everyone had been startled when they first arrived.
Following that was an atmosphere of enthusiasm and excitement, much like a fan meeting.
However, whenever some blind fool tried to get close to Hailey, they would inexplicably feel a bone-chilling cold in their hearts, and they would immediately back away for no apparent reason.
Eventually, Idledra bought a top hat from a nearby clothing store owner and used a scarf to cover up a bit.
Only then did she manage to make Hailey slightly less eye-catching.
‘There’s no helping it. Hailey is so beautiful that even more clothes can’t hide her elegance… What a pity, I couldn’t lock her inside a room to enjoy her all by myself…’
“I am truly flattered that the Saintess could visit our shop.”
Laura, the shop manager and tailor, was a famous fashion designer on this street.
Some nobles would come specifically for her work, all for the sake of a new dress.
Now that she had seen such a cute young model, Laura was more than happy.
Under Idledra’s hostile gaze, she excitedly pushed Hailey into the fitting room.
“This outfit is a gift of friendship. Consider it a thank-you for the Saintess acting as my model. You must come again if you have the chance!”
Finally able to browse the streets freely, Hailey stretched her limbs in relaxation.
She couldn’t wait to pull Idledra into the bustling crowd.
Hailey was very interested, looking around curiously, while Idledra—even though she had regained her senses—lazily followed behind her.
‘If I see something she likes… I’ll keep it in mind.
Later, when Hailey is tired, I’ll come back and quietly buy it.’
“This young lady, I see that we are destined to meet. Would you like to come over for a divination?”
Just as Hailey was mesmerized by a Magic Crystal that a stall owner was mysteriously recommending, a playful female voice called out to her.
A tent next to the stall, a familiar setting, and a familiar way of hawking—the Red-haired Fortune-teller waved enthusiastically at her with an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
“Miss, the silver-haired miss! I can do constellations, wealth, and love. Come and give it a try!”
‘Divination? Fortune-telling in another world sounds pretty magical. Should I go and try it?’
Hailey turned her head curiously toward the tent, feeling a bit tempted.
Before she could take more than two looks, her cheeks were firmly covered by a pair of hands.
Turning her head, she saw Idledra’s dissatisfied expression, her face puffed up with annoyance.
“Mmph… wha is it?”
“Nothing, I just suddenly felt like there was something good over there.”
‘There are so many people shopping here, and yet she chose to target my Hailey. She definitely has bad intentions.’
Idledra gently pulled Hailey, preparing to leave the area.
Seeing her potential customers about to run away, the Red-haired Fortune-teller immediately moved to block the two of them.
“Oh my, two noble young ladies. I can tell at a glance that you two are no ordinary people. My small shop doesn’t just have constellations; I also have coins, divination charts, and charms…”
Even though it was a sales pitch, why did Hailey feel like something was becoming more and more wrong?
It sounded more and more like a traveling scammer.
How could there be such a mix of Eastern and Western methods even in another world?
It was a bit hard to keep a straight face.
“Pity a lowly fortune-teller like me, who can only rely on these little tricks… Cough, rely on this little skill to survive. It is truly miserable.”
‘She really is a scammer, isn’t she? Maybe I shouldn’t try it. What if she tells me I have terrible luck…’
“Shouldn’t the Saintess take pity on someone as weak, helpless, and lonely as me?”
“How did you recognize… No, don’t say it out loud!”
Hailey panicked for a moment, almost reaching out to cover the woman’s mouth.
The Red-haired Fortune-teller giggled and retreated into the tent, beginning to set up her equipment with practiced ease.
“If the Saintess doesn’t want to attract the attention of everyone on the street, then please patronize this humble business. That will be three copper coins.”
‘Seriously, are marketing tactics so cunning nowadays?’
But if the woman really did speak out, Hailey wouldn’t be able to enjoy her walk today.
“Hailey, let’s hurry to another place. It’s still a bit too dangerous here…”
Idledra wasn’t nervous because of this.
She gently stroked Hailey’s hand and comforted her in a low voice.
People who threatened Hailey like this were best dealt with quietly.
“Oh my, this black-haired lady looks like a perfect match for the Saintess! It seems there are countless threads of fate entangling the two of you…”
‘Even though I don’t know why, I feel a chill on the back of my neck. But I should make the customers happy first.’
“Is that true?! Cough… Hailey, I suddenly think this fortune-telling might be worth a try.”