Chapter 24: A mage who returned from death

“That’s absurd. People of that caliber just… came back empty-handed?”

Lione, a priest who survived Bielina Sanctuary, muttered in disbelief.

Having faced the unidentified monsters firsthand, she couldn’t comprehend the situation.

Saint Mikael, Princess Sercia, Valery Gainer, Eilin of the Children of the Forest, and Rita, the newly ascended supreme-rank mage.

The failure of such formidable figures to annihilate the enemy in their pursuit was a staggering shock.

“Elaine’s holy knights and priests lost their lives,” someone said.

“And from the Mage Tower…” another voice added.

“Monsters that even supreme-rank fighters can’t kill? Does that make any sense?”

“What in the world is happening for things to come to this…?”

One casualty from Rita’s team, six from Mikael’s.

The losses intensified the public’s grim mood.

“The capital’s practically bursting. All the northerners have fled here,” someone remarked.

“It can’t be helped. The north has become a land of death,” another replied.

Thanks to an early evacuation order, many northerners had fled south to the capital.

Most, except those in remote areas, successfully evacuated, but they were devastated by the loss of their homes.

The man-eating monsters of the north—what Rita called beasts—were now officially recognized as a calamity.

Rumors spread rapidly among the refugees, casting an ominous pall over the capital.

Meanwhile, cities overflowed with evacuees, facing all manner of chaos, as swift nobles had already fled south.

“Regardless, forming an army is inevitable. With the north now empty, we must focus there…”

Discussions buzzed hourly, but Rita felt a quiet relief.

Back then, the north was overrun overnight without us knowing anything.

Now, it’s our turn to strike first.

It was time for Rita to reveal her cards.

“You said you have something to discuss privately?” Mikael asked with a gentle smile, despite being called away in the midst of the chaos.

Avoiding the curious gazes of the elder mages, Rita led him to a quiet spot, took a deep breath, and faced him.

Mikael, unaware of her intent, simply smiled warmly.

“The truth is…”

After much deliberation, Rita hesitantly spoke.

“I believe I’ve received an oracle.”

A brief silence followed, and Mikael’s golden eyes widened slowly.

Frozen for a moment, he soon nodded with his usual gentle smile.

“As I thought.”

His tone suggested he already knew, causing Rita’s eyes to widen in turn.

“Do you… know something?”

“In fact, a month ago, I received an oracle from the Rihanes God,” Mikael said.

The word “oracle” made Rita’s heart race.

“The omniscient Rihanes God told me to aid a mage who returned from death.”

A mage who returned from death—clearly referring to Rita, who had indeed come back from death.

The Rihanes God gave such an oracle to the Saint?

But didn’t the god say Mikael disappointed them?

Or… does the temple already know about my oracle?

Relief and joy mixed with doubt and unease.

An oracle bestowed upon a mage, not a priest, was unlikely to be welcomed by the temple.

Rita cautiously studied Mikael’s expression.

Noticing her concern, he offered a kind smile.

“Don’t worry. I haven’t told anyone. Even if I did, no one would think ill of it.”

“Is that so?” Rita asked.

“The moment I saw you, I was certain you were the one from the oracle. Reaching the realm of transcendence means crossing the boundary of life and death—that’s how I interpreted it. But seeing your expression now, it seems there’s more to it.”

His calm golden eyes met her wavering ones.

With a resolute gaze, Rita asked, “How much of what I say can you believe?”

Mikael smiled warmly.

“Everything.”

His gentle voice gave her the courage to continue.

“I had a dream—a vision of this continent being overrun by those monsters, humanity defeated, and everything falling to ruin.

In that dream, I died horribly, but the god revived me, commanding me to return and protect this world.”

She framed it as a “dream” to avoid the absurdity of claiming she came from the future, knowing how unbelievable it sounded, even with an oracle’s weight.

All her actions stemmed from that future, but she veiled it carefully.

“You received a prophecy of the apocalypse?” Mikael asked, stunned.

As a priest who interprets oracles, Rita’s revelation was shocking.

Before he could process it, she continued, “The god ordered me to exterminate them as the condition for restoring my life.”

Mikael’s refined features furrowed slightly.

Though Rita called it a dream, to someone as close to the divine as Mikael, it likely felt like reality.

He had interpreted “one who returned from death” as a transcendent who survived death’s threshold, but learning a mage, not a priest, was sent back in time was bewildering.

The Rihanes God, as he knew, lent power to believers but never directly interfered with life and death.

For the god to rewind time for one person was unthinkable from a priest’s perspective.

Yet, Mikael’s nature kept him from voicing such doubts outright.

Questioning Rita would achieve nothing; she was undeniably the subject of his oracle.

“Lady Rita, is there anything else I should know?” he asked, his eyes seeking more.

Rita hesitated.

“Before that, I have one request.”

“Speak.”

“I’d like this information to remain between us, and any sharing to go through you, as the Saint.”

Mikael nodded, understanding her intent.

As one who received oracles, he knew the burden of revealing knowledge of the future.

Smiling brightly, he vowed, “Don’t worry. I’ll follow your wishes always.”

Relieved by his unquestioning cooperation, Rita’s trust in Mikael grew.

She cautiously revealed her next secret.

“The god granted me an ability.”

“An ability?”

“Yes—a vision to discern the beasts’ information.”

“Information?”

“Their growth stage, rank, attributes, and most importantly, their unique vital points. I can also see their names and origins, though those are less critical in battle. I’ll explain those later.”

As expected, Mikael looked baffled.

To clarify, Rita borrowed tools to sketch a rough circle representing a beast, adding a box with details and marking a dot as its vital point.

Despite her explanation, Mikael struggled to grasp it, tilting his head repeatedly.

“You mean… you can see all this at a glance?”

Even with her drawing, the concept of her “ability” was alien.

It was so extraordinary that he questioned whether it truly came from the Rihanes God—and if so, why it wasn’t given to a follower first.

But he quickly dismissed his doubts.

Rita’s combat prowess matched her claims.

“That explains something,” Mikael said with a smile.

“You seemed capable of handling them alone, but in the cave, it felt like you were stalling, as if to show me something. I wondered why you didn’t just say you knew their weaknesses.”

Rita was startled.

She hadn’t expected Mikael to notice her subtle actions.

She’d underestimated him, assuming he was just a naive pacifist.

Perhaps I misjudged the Saint.

His image from her past life—reaching out to Iskis as it lay dying—had left too strong an impression, causing her to view him as weak.

Reflecting, she observed his reaction.

“Now I understand you better,” Mikael continued.

“It must have been frustrating to hold back such knowledge. Don’t worry anymore.”

When Rita asked what he’d do, he smiled.

“I’ll announce my oracle, declaring you as its subject. I’ll share your information as part of the oracle’s contents, bit by bit.”

Rita hesitated, worried about invoking an oracle so casually, but Mikael’s nonchalant expression eased her concerns.

He had his own worries, though.

“Of course, since the oracle was given to a mage, not a temple member, some old-fashioned folks might cast judgmental glances. They may not show it openly but could gossip behind your back.”

As someone aware of the temple’s underbelly, Mikael was embarrassed to admit it.

He was likely referring to the Pope and high-ranking clergy.

Though he bowed his head in shame, Rita was unfazed.

“I don’t care. I’m used to being talked about. As long as I can exterminate them with my ability, it doesn’t matter.”

“You’re truly strong and admirable for enduring such scrutiny for the greater good,” Mikael said, his gaze full of respect.

Embarrassed, Rita knew her motives were more personal—survival, driven by the god’s threat to take her life if she failed.

But she let it pass.

“Then I’ll choose a suitable day to announce the oracle,” Mikael said.

“There may be some noise initially, but once we launch our campaign and you demonstrate your value, those negative views will fade.”

Rita’s gaze lingered on Mikael’s excited, almost innocent smile.

A question she’d long wanted to ask surfaced, but as this was the past, she couldn’t voice it: What were the Saint and Princess thinking when they reached out to Iskis?

Mikael’s sharp combat in the cave contrasted with his saintly compassion, too fierce for the temple’s “beautiful flower.”

Why, in her past life, hadn’t he fought despite his skill?

Curiosity surged, but Rita pivoted.

“A sudden question, but… what do you personally think of those creatures?”

She expected a saintly response—pitying them as unholy, unblessed beings.

Instead, Mikael’s smiling face twisted uncomfortably.

“They’re man-eaters,” he said.

“Evil by their very existence. Utterly ominous. They must be eradicated.”

Rita was momentarily speechless.

His face held a venomous disgust, far from the all-embracing saint she’d imagined.