“You peasant… I will chop your head off this instant…”
‘This foolish woman… it’s one thing to have the Saintess protecting her, but she dares to mock me like this? It’s… it’s simply unreasonable. I have to kill her!’
“What do you think you’re doing?! Are you planning a rebellion?!”
Maguire still wanted to draw his sword, but Hailey stood firmly in front of him, making it impossible for him to act.
Although he was fuming with rage, he still didn’t dare…
The status of the Saintess enshrined by the Holy See was something these knights could not defy.
Moreover, the Pope didn’t seem to want to see her harmed.
“Temple Knight Maguire, bring the Saintess back in one piece. If she suffers even a scratch, it will be a price that you and your men cannot afford.”
Before he had departed, the dark figure sitting on the throne had emphasized this once more.
This time, it hadn’t just been a reminder; it was a warning from a superior.
Returning to reality, cold sweat actually broke out on Maguire’s forehead.
The young girl in front of him still stood defiantly in his way, showing no intention of backing down.
Hailey knew the man didn’t dare touch her, so she simply stood directly in front of Idledra.
Well, truth be told, her heart was still a bit anxious.
After all, the man had truly used lethal force against Idledra just moments ago.
If she hadn’t appeared suddenly, that sword strike would have been devastating…
Then again, Idledra wasn’t as useless as she was.
Hailey possessed an abundance of Mana, yet she was only used as a power bank or a mascot.
How embarrassing…
“Lady Saintess, are you sure you won’t step aside? What kind of ability does this woman possess that would make you risk your life just to protect her from me?”
This woman… she actually looks so similar to the Saintess.
Aside from the different hair color and the different temperament in her eyes, they seem identical…
As the Captain of the Temple Knights, even if Maguire wasn’t qualified to reach the positions of those high-ranking figures, he could still catch clues from rumors.
He had heard that to protect the Saintess, the Holy See had specifically created a body double.
Looking at it this way, this wild girl must be the double selected for the Lady Saintess, right?
If she were disguised, there would indeed be some resemblance.
But at her core, she was still ignorant and crude.
*Hmph, what a fool.*
‘If that’s the case, for the sake of the Holy See’s future, I can only begrudgingly tolerate the presence of this insolent woman…’
Having successfully convinced himself, Maguire suddenly felt a bit more relieved, but the look he gave Idledra was still filled with disdain and pure malice.
“Since the Lady Saintess insists, I shall obey. However, I still wish to remind you that being with these low-borns will tarnish your holiness.”
‘Here we go again, “low-born” this and “low-born” that…’
Hailey thought.
‘Do those old men in the Holy See think they’ve become gods? They spout this brainless nonsense every day.’
‘Who do they think they are, the High Elders? “Low-borns”… the day several new denominations rise up to replace the old ones, they’ll start admitting they’re human again.’
In any case, the man seemed to have completely confused the identities of the two.
He treated the real Saintess as a body double, while he treated the decoy with self-righteous reverence…
As for Maguire himself, he currently felt he had seen through the thoughts of those powerful figures.
He muttered to himself with a bit of smugness, gradually becoming quite arrogant.
However, he quickly remembered the purpose of this trip.
He cleared his throat, regained his supercilious expression, and calmly bowed to Hailey.
“In any event, since the Lady Saintess’s wish has been granted, please allow us to carry out the Pope’s decree. Saintess Idledra, please return to the Holy See with us.”
“Sorry, I won’t be going back with you.”
Upon hearing this, a trace of chill appeared on Maguire’s face.
The Pope had given a strict order; they had to bring the silver-haired girl back to the Holy See.
To the outside world, the Pope was always a dignified and kind figure.
But for those within the Holy See…
Rather than saying they held heartfelt reverence and love for him, it was more accurate to say the Pope instilled a sense of terror.
Their bodies instinctively forced them to be afraid.
“No matter what you say, she won’t — I mean, *I* won’t go back with you.”
Hailey had thought it through clearly.
If she were taken back, it was a question whether she’d ever return.
Those old geezers in the Holy See were practically itching to tear her apart…
What was the difference between going back with them and sending an innocent little lamb into a tiger’s den?
Regardless, Hailey’s attitude was firm. ‘I can’t die!’
However, in the face of his mission, the other party did not intend to back down.
With a wave of Maguire’s hand, the soldiers coldly surrounded the two girls, slowly closing in.
Watching their disrespectful behavior, Idledra’s gaze also gradually turned icy.
She lightly pressed her hand onto Hailey’s shoulder, and in the next second, golden Mana surged.
Just as they had experienced before, although the Saintess’s Holy Magic didn’t cause any direct damage — it could at most blind them with an intense light — as the highest practitioner of the Holy Magic used by the Holy See, the golden Mana Idledra radiated made the surrounding soldiers’ movements heavy.
“Everyone, take off your armor and drop your weapons! Without the holy blessing, the Saintess’s magic cannot affect a normal human body! On guard!”
Indeed, a major reason why the soldiers’ movements had become so difficult was that their equipment had undergone the Holy See’s holy baptism.
While it made the armor and weapons shinier and harder, it became a total burden when facing Idledra’s Holy Magic.
Now, wearing only their ordinary uniforms, the soldiers were no longer restricted.
Even without weapons, wouldn’t it be easy to handle two little girls with their bare hands?
Moreover, perhaps they could take this opportunity to get revenge on that insolent, ungrateful woman.
Idledra hesitated for a moment.
There seemed to be signs that she wanted to release dark magic, but if she released it here, they would definitely notice…
“Don’t panic. This time, let me try again.”
Just as she was about to act, Hailey gently took her hand.
As the warmth of their palms transferred between them, Idledra gradually calmed down.
‘Hailey is protecting me…’
Hailey looked stubborn, giving off a sensation like a peppermint — sharply guarded against others but possessing a gentle and delicate flavor for her…
“Hailey, your legs are shaking…”
‘Even though her hand seems to be trembling slightly, don’t be afraid, Idledra. You just need to believe in Hailey…’
“What are you talking about? This… I’m obviously overflowing with fighting spirit!!”