“Lady Rita!”
Just as Baal’s tail was about to tear into her face, Rita barely managed to roll away.
Mikael, who had sent a sword aura to threaten Baal, rushed to her side.
Rita raised a hand to signal she was fine and sprang to her feet.
The throbbing pain in her back made her want to curl up, but Baal was already closing in again.
Mikael stepped forward first, lunging at Baal’s flank.
Seeing this, Rita quickly joined him.
Gripping a new spear of fire, she attacked from the opposite side.
Baal screeched in fury as the sword and spear struck from both directions.
“Crimson Light of Annihilation.”
Thanks to Mikael, Baal’s attention was divided.
Seizing the moment, Rita aimed a flash of light at Baal’s head, but its large eyes gave it a wide field of vision.
Baal raised an arm, blocking the crimson light with its hardened scythe-like limb.
As the light fizzled out, Rita grimaced.
But at the same time, this served as a subtle signal to Mikael.
Mikael’s eyes gleamed, noting that the creature had instinctively protected its head.
It might just be instinct, but it was highly likely a weak point.
With renewed confidence, he thrust his sword toward Baal’s head.
Baal reacted sensitively, retreating to dodge.
Seeing this, Mikael grew certain and pressed the attack more boldly.
“Lady Rita! Its head…”
At Mikael’s confident shout, Rita smirked inwardly.
He’s finally caught on.
Now I can target its vital point without hesitation.
Of course, the cramped space meant she had to avoid wide-range spells.
Alternating between “Pursuing Flames” and “Crimson Light of Annihilation,” Rita relentlessly aimed for Baal’s head.
Under the coordinated assault from both sides, Baal began to falter and retreat.
Then, it leapt back, creating distance.
Mikael tried to pursue, but Baal’s arms suddenly glowed red.
Rita’s eyes widened as she recognized it.
“Dodge!”
A crescent of malevolent mana shot from Baal’s glowing scythes, like a sword aura.
Mikael leapt swiftly, his body lightened by divine blessing, soaring into the air.
Baal’s scythes came at him with terrifying speed, but Mikael twisted his body to evade.
Then, he held his sword horizontally.
It glowed white, and a solid wave of light surged forward, swallowing Baal’s mana.
In that fleeting moment, to unleash a sword aura mid-air—it was an unbelievable sight, and Rita swallowed a wry laugh.
Is he a priest or a warrior?
I can’t tell.
A holy knight by training and a supreme-rank mage—it’s not that strange.
But why didn’t I see this side of him in my past life?
Regardless, it was a welcome sight for an ally.
“Saint Mikael! Lure it outside first!”
As she shouted, Rita briefly worried what if Baal understood human speech.
In her past life, fragments like Satan, Asmodeus, and Lucifer had spoken human languages and communicated.
The only reason she’d learned the names of the fragments was from the information they let slip.
“Understood!”
A barrage of white sword auras poured out, and Baal, forced to defend, faltered again.
Though Mikael’s swordsmanship wasn’t refined, the combination of supreme-rank mana and holy power made it formidable.
In the end, one of Baal’s arms was severed.
The watching priests and holy knights cheered, and Mikael grew emboldened.
But Rita wasn’t so optimistic.
“Be careful!”
Unless its vital point was destroyed, a fragment’s body would regenerate endlessly.
Knowing this, Rita shouted sharply.
Unaware of this, Mikael, who had closed in on Baal, tried to react, but it was too late.
The severed arm on the ground twitched, yet Baal swung its newly regenerated arm as if it had never been damaged.
‘I won’t be able to dodge this.’
Sensing the danger, Mikael immediately retreated.
The distance widened again, and this time, Rita charged forward.
“Piercing Flame.”
Two steps in, Rita transformed her staff back into a spear. Lowering her stance, she dodged the incoming scythe.
As the scythe sliced through the air and returned, Rita sprang up, thrusting her spear at Baal’s jaw.
But Baal, sensing the danger, moved its knee again.
The kick disrupted Rita’s aim, and the spear missed its mark.
It should’ve hit.
Instead of piercing the center of Baal’s jaw, the spear struck the side, catching on something hard—perhaps bone.
Despite this, Rita held her ground, but Baal opened its mouth wide.
Seeing the rows of hooked teeth, her eyes widened.
She quickly released the spear and leapt back, but corrosive fluid sprayed out.
With a sizzle, the burning sensation hit her skin, and Rita stumbled, collapsing.
The green fluid ate through her clothes, corroding her skin.
“Lady Rita!”
Mikael, alarmed, sent a sword aura and rushed toward her.
Baal crouched, retreating to create distance.
Then, staring at Rita and Mikael, it abruptly turned and fled.
Writhing in pain, Rita saw this and sprang up, but Mikael stopped her, shaking his head.
“We should treat you first.”
Despite the overwhelming pain, Rita glared at the passage where Baal had fled.
It had likely judged it couldn’t win against the two of them and escaped.
For now, her injuries left her no choice, but the real problem was what came next.
Rita suspected the fragment would grow and multiply further.
“We have to chase it…”
Trying to stand, Rita grimaced and sank back down.
Her head spun, and her vision blurred.
Now that I think about it, Baal’s fluid is toxic.
Recalling this late, having confused it with other fragments, Rita let out a bitter laugh.
The frantic voices of the priests reached her, but her consciousness was already fading.
***
Mikael returned with the small elite team of priests and holy knights.
Behind their bloodied figures were the mangled corpses of the priests.
Seeing Mikael with his head bowed, the priests could say nothing.
News of the attack at the Bielina Sanctuary eventually reached the Pope.
The Pope, far away, canceled all engagements upon hearing the news and returned to the Sanctuary immediately.
Rita faced the Pope three hours after beginning detoxification treatment, in the late afternoon.
“It is an honor to meet you, Fifth Blessed.”
Pope Saint Anacleo of the Seviess Sanctuary and Rihanes Temple entered the treatment room, her youthful appearance belying her fifties.
With upright steps and an elegant posture, she sat across from Rita on the bed, offering a faint smile.
Speechless at seeing the Pope for the first time, Rita struggled to respond.
“I… I’m Rita, the mage. It’s an honor to meet the highest authority of the Rihanes Temple. Please forgive my inability to show proper respect due to my condition.”
“No matter. I’m not one to fuss over such things, and I value human lives far more than petty formalities.”
A disapproving cough came from Cardinal Eugène, but Anacleo ignored it, looking at Mikael.
“I’ve heard everything about the Bielina Sanctuary from the Saint. With our priests, including the Saint, witnessing it and tragic deaths occurring, the Rihanes Temple will now take direct action.”
At the Pope’s declaration, Rita’s face brightened.
With the head of the Temple taking a stand, the kingdom and the Mage Tower would have no choice but to act.
The kingdom aside, not having to deal with the troublesome Mage Tower herself put Rita at ease.
“It feels as though a savior has appeared in these troubling times—a true blessing.”
Pope Anacleo’s gaze lingered on Rita.
The faint smile behind her impassive expression made Rita tense.
She expected questions about how she became a supreme-rank, but surprisingly, neither the Pope nor the Cardinal pressed her.
It seemed Mikael had already explained the general situation.
“Then rest. I’ll contact the palace, so we’ll meet again this afternoon.”
Rita’s eyes widened at the Pope’s words.
It was unlikely, but the absence of the Mage Tower in her mention of contacts puzzled her.
“Your Holiness? What about the Mage Tower…?”
She was about to ask if they’d already been informed when—
“The Mage Tower? Aren’t you right here?”
The Pope’s quizzical counter left Rita speechless.
Realizing the Pope’s implication, Rita hurriedly explained, flustered.
“I actually left the Mage Tower abruptly and haven’t been in contact with anyone. This could be a long battle, so I think it’d be wise to coordinate with the Mage Tower and secure their full support.”
“Hmm. Aren’t you a Grand Mage now?”
“Well… I’ve reached supreme rank, so, embarrassingly, yes.”
“Then what’s the problem? A Grand Mage belongs at the Mage Tower. Aren’t you the Mage Tower itself?”
The strange realization left Rita stunned.
The Pope’s words weren’t wrong.
By Mage Tower tradition, mages were obligated to bring a Grand Mage back to the Tower.
There were several reasons, but chief among them was preventing a transcendent being from running amok with dangerous ideas.
Like it or not, Rita was bound to the Mage Tower again.
Seeing her dazed expression, Pope Anacleo drove the point home.
“From now on, you are the Mage Tower, and the Mage Tower is you. You needn’t concern yourself with your mentors. True mentors and humans will follow your decisions. So, you’d better get used to it… to being in charge.”
With a soft smile, she added quietly.
“But since you’re unwell now, I’ll send word to the Mage Tower to summon aides to assist you.”
As the Pope turned away, the room buzzed.
Her statement was tantamount to recognizing Rita as the master of the Mage Tower.
Rita glanced at the remaining priests, whose heads bowed before their eyes could meet.
They already seemed to regard her as the Tower’s leader.
This is troublesome.
In charge, huh?
Knowing the Mage Tower’s rigid elders, Rita felt uneasy.
But separately, being named the Mage Tower’s representative by the Pope stirred a fire in her chest.
I might end up taking Talos’s position at this rate.
Rita let out a wry chuckle at the absurd thought.
Stealing his power wasn’t enough—now taking his position?
She had no interest in power struggles and hadn’t given it much thought, but oddly, after the Pope’s words, her imagination wandered.
Becoming the Tower Master, with the elders and Talos at her feet…
And herself, enjoying everything Talos had possessed.
Rita began to indulge in the sweet temptation of ambition, if only for fun.
***
“Rita!”
The treatment room door swung open.
A group of middle-aged mages in the Mage Tower’s signature white cloaks stormed in and froze.
The Temple had contacted the Mage Tower just an hour ago.
At the Pope’s summons, the mages who rushed over were stunned at the sight of Rita reclining on the bed.
Her radiant golden eyes blinked calmly, as if observing the situation.
“Good heavens. Golden eyes—it’s true.”
“The rumors… were real.”
“To witness a Grand Mage’s return in my lifetime…”
Gasps and murmurs of awe filled the stunned silence.
Led by Ganesha from the Herbology Division, the elders rushed forward.
“Rita! What in the world happened? How did you get golden eyes…?”
Questions poured in from all sides, but they were largely the same.
Instead of answering immediately, Rita put on a deliberate smile and faced Talos.
Walking in last with heavy steps, Talos wore a thoroughly bewildered expression.