“Ugh… I feel like I had one long, long dream. I dreamed Hailey carried me on her back, walking and walking, and finally fell asleep while holding me…”
Idledra tried to open her eyes, but it was clear that only a gray haze met her vision.
She still could not avoid the fact that she was blind.
‘But why are my lips so wet? I feel a very soft sensation. I can’t even open my mouth, almost as if… someone is pressing against me.’
Soon, the soft sensation gently pulled away.
Idledra did not know what came over her, but she subconsciously reached out her hand.
The figure in front of her seemed to freeze for a moment but did not resist her reaching hand, gently taking hold of it.
“What is it? Are you still feeling unwell… ‘cough’, I will do it again.”
Despite some hesitation, seeing Idledra’s pitiful expression, the figure leaned down once more.
That familiar sensation pressed against her lips again.
Idledra struggled to sit up, but she only felt a warm embrace pulling her close.
Then came that familiar voice.
It was Hailey.
“Hai — don’t leave, okay?”
Idledra’s lips finally seemed to regain some moisture as she murmured in a weak voice.
Hailey had no choice but to lean close to her ear.
“I am here. I have always been… mgh.”
The moment Hailey lowered her head, Idledra gently pulled her face closer and gave her a small peck.
It made Hailey’s face turn bright red.
“Do not move around. Let me check you one more time.”
Hailey looked at the finally awakened Idledra and anxiously checked her from head to toe, terrified that there might be some lingering side effects.
Earlier, before Fran could even finish speaking, Hailey had been so worried that she had simply kissed her.
It was absolutely mortifying. Fortunately, Idledra had recovered.
Hailey hoped she had not noticed…
Perhaps due to Hailey’s accidental success, the contact between their lips allowed the Mana to transfer more efficiently, which was why Idledra was able to wake up so quickly.
“I told you not to push yourself so hard. If I had not found you in time, your eyes might have…”
“Hailey, is there something you want to say to me?”
Idledra listened quietly to Hailey’s complaining.
She felt as though Hailey was hiding something.
Hailey was such a tsundere.
Sure enough, as soon as she said those words, Hailey’s face turned a visible shade of crimson.
Even though Idledra could not see it, she could feel Hailey’s palm becoming scorching hot.
Even the hand holding hers began to tremble.
“No, I — I — I would never… Hmph, fine, I get it.”
Idledra simply sat there obediently and smiled at her.
Hailey found it impossible to maintain her facade of composure, let alone tell a lie.
She could not help it.
In her past life, she had always been thin-skinned.
She could not hide anything if someone teased her even a little, and this girl was just too cunning.
“Anyway… that is to say, gah! How am I supposed to say something like that out loud?”
To prevent her embarrassment from being seen, Hailey simply buried her head into Idledra’s embrace and whispered something in a tiny voice.
“Thank you… for coming to save me.”
‘She is actually thanking me!’
Even a stuttering Hailey was adorable.
It was a shame she could not see that blushing face right now.
“In that case, Hailey, say it again. Then kiss me again, and then hug me again, and then…”
“Do not push your luck… I am so tired. Let me rest for a bit.”
Hailey had been tied up for nearly one day and had not had a single good night’s sleep.
Then she had been looking after Idledra this entire time. ‘Yawn’, she was exhausted…
Hailey’s head leaned lazily against Idledra’s chest, snuggling into the soft sensation.
With a gentle sniff, Idledra could smell the scent of her hair.
It was a fragrance like flower petals, yet it carried a fresh hint of mint.
“Why could she also feel a leaf…?”
“Hmm? When I was escaping earlier, did I somehow snag a mint leaf from the Altar?”
Seeing the mint leaf that suddenly drifted onto her nose, Hailey felt her head being gently stroked.
Fine, she would let it slide just this once.
“Can we do that treatment from earlier one more time, Dr. Hailey?”
“Treatment? What do you mean… do not even think about it!”
‘This girl starts pushing her luck the second she feels slightly better. I knew I should not have been so nice to her. Stay calm, I cannot get angry with a patient.’
Idledra felt a bit sulky.
Hailey had been so proactive just a moment ago, but now she was acting reserved again.
Their relationship was already so close.
“You two, Granny sent over some hot soup. Why don’t you have some?”
Just as the atmosphere between the two was warming up, Fran walked into the room carrying two bowls of hot soup, and the mood instantly cooled down.
‘Wow. It looks like these two are already full. Maybe I should not have come in at this time?’
In any case, the steam from the meat soup curled through the room.
The three of them sat there somewhat awkwardly, unsure whether they should feel lucky to have survived or something else entirely.
“Ahem. Anyway, looking at you two, which one of you should I address as the Saintess…?”
Looking at the two who were practically glued to each other, Fran could not even see a difference between them while they sat together.
However, that dangerous Saintess seemed… a bit more aggressive.
“Hailey, I am still so cold.”
“If you hug me any more, I am going to pass out from the heat…”
Facing the girl’s offensive, the Saintess on the left was completely unable to hold her ground.
‘As expected, this must be the Doll from the rumors…’
‘Wait, why did that thought pop into my head? Forget it, forget it.’
“Miss Fran, thank you very much for your help this time. If it were not for you, she likely would not have been able to find this place.”
“Haha, you flatter me, Saintess. I only provided a little bit of help.”
‘You have no idea. If I had not agreed, this lady next to you was ready to flip my stall into the sky…’
Thinking of this, Fran cautiously stole a glance at Idledra, only to be pushed back by a cold smile.
But when Hailey curiously turned her head, she only saw a sweet girl looking at her with an obedient smile.
‘That’s strange. Was it an illusion?’
“Hailey, why are you always thinking about how good other people are? Haven’t I been right here by your side?”
‘This person is really in the way. If I had known, I would have just dumped her back there after I finished using her…’
Now Hailey actually had someone else in her eyes.
It was so annoying.
Fran felt a chilling killing intent from beside her.
She suddenly regretted not staying outside to warm herself by the fire with Granny instead of suffering in here.
“Speaking of which, are you two not afraid that those people will come looking for trouble now that you have left like this?”
To ease the freezing atmosphere around her neck, Fran quickly changed the subject.
Hailey looked a bit worried, but Idledra’s warmth made up for it.
“It is fine. They will not speak of this. That man is smarter than they are…”
***
Within the vast Divine Temple, a trembling old man fell to his knees at the foot of the steps.
Before him stood a holy and majestic figure.
“Gatekeeper, you have abandoned your post. For what reason?”
“Your Holiness, I have urgent matters…”