Volume 7, Chapter 19 – Re-entering the Milcandis Holy Kingdom

Across the vast, boundless sky, two figures—one in black and one in purple—were racing at a speed that threatened to break the sound barrier. Despite the velocity, their faces showed no signs of the agonizing suffocation usually caused by such flight. A closer look revealed translucent blue, umbrella-shaped light shields surrounding them, blocking the powerful impact that should have battered their bodies.

The figure in black was, naturally, Fia. The figure in purple was not Liti, but Anastasia. Perhaps wanting to demonstrate to the world that she was not the same person as the original Anastasia, she had discarded her usual emerald-green cloak in favor of a dress dominated by light purple. The change had made Fia’s eyes light up when they departed that morning.

“Are you okay with this speed, Anastasia?”

Fia asked from behind, her arms wrapped firmly around Anastasia just beneath her chest. Using her teleportation crystals, Fia had first warped from Blossom to the Barony of Khesa, and then from Khesa to the Oro territory, which was closer to the Milcandis Holy Kingdom. Now, they had already crossed into the heart of the Holy Kingdom and were nearing the Holy City itself.

As for why she was holding Anastasia in such a manner, it was because there was no other practical option. [Telekinesis] did not move relative to the caster; if Fia had used her invisible hands to grip Anastasia while flying, she would have surged forward alone, leaving Anastasia suspended and motionless in the distance.

Furthermore, options like ropes, holding hands while flying, or holding her by the waist were either too dangerous or resulted in a bizarre posture for Anastasia. Wrapping her arms just beneath the chest was relatively normal. The only downside was that Fia had to focus intensely on not thinking about the wonderful tactile sensation of Anastasia’s body, lest her mind be led astray by the soft, pressuring weight of her chest.

To make matters worse, if her fingers accidentally twitched and touched somewhere they shouldn’t, Anastasia’s personality was such that she would never speak up. Instead, she would simply assume Fia was lusting after her body, which would be terrible.

Of course, for Anastasia, this was an entirely different kind of experience. Fia’s slender, delicate arms were wrapped around her from behind, hands supporting her from below. If they weren’t thousands of meters in the air, Anastasia might have squirmed in embarrassment over the intimacy of the pose. In the past, never mind being held like this, even the slightest non-business-related physical contact would have been enough to make her happy for an entire day.

A rosy blush crept across her lovely cheeks, her deep blue eyes reflecting a mix of bashfulness and a suppressed, flickering joy.

“I… I’m fine.”

As if thinking of something, Anastasia hesitated for a moment, her voice dropping so low it was almost inaudible.

“Your Highness, you can hold me a little tighter.”

“Hold you tighter?”

“I… I feel like I might fall, so I’m a bit worried…”

“Ah, I see. All right.”

Fia quickly tightened her embrace, to the point where her own slightly developing, youthful chest was pressed against Anastasia’s back. She could clearly feel the warmth of Anastasia’s body—a temperature slightly higher than the Eldest Princess’s had been.

Even a warrior of Anastasia’s caliber is afraid of high-altitude flight.

Fia mused, not quite understanding the fear. If it were Liti being afraid, she would find it justified, as the feeling of placing one’s life in someone else’s hands was naturally unsettling. But Anastasia was skilled in flight magic herself; even if Fia let go, Anastasia could simply fly on her own.

Could it be that the current Anastasia lacks a sense of security because of her long life as a fugitive, and that’s why she wants to be held tighter?

At the thought, a pang of pity rose in Fia’s heart. She held Anastasia even closer, her nose burying itself completely into Anastasia’s beautiful golden hair.

What Fia didn’t know was that Anastasia’s heart was currently thumping wildly. Internally, she was screaming at herself: Anastasia, you little vixen! She wasn’t actually afraid of falling; she had simply realized she could use another excuse to get closer to Fia. The fluttering in her heart had prompted the request.

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After all, no one knew what the future held. Since she had come to this wonderful world and decided to live as herself, she wanted to experience as many things as possible that she had missed out on. Obstacles like shyness were nothing in comparison. This was Anastasia’s mindset, and it was the reason she had specifically swapped to a light purple swordfighter’s dress—she had even commissioned a fairy capable of rapid tailoring to help her overnight.

As a result, her heart was filled with a sense of overflowing satisfaction.

Anastasia wanted to reach back and take Fia’s hand, but fearing she would startle her, she could only let a faint smile play across her lips.

Only while I am both Anastasia and not Anastasia can I feel safe doing the things I never would have dared to dream of before. Like her prayers to the Goddess: Since this is only a temporary taste of someone else’s happiness, please allow me to accept it all without shame.

“By the way, Anastasia, do you have a habit of using perfume? I recall you once saying that as a warrior, you shouldn’t use scent, as it makes it easy to give away your position during a mission.”

“Eh? Why the sudden mention, Your Highness?”

“At this distance, it would be hard not to smell it.”

Because they were pressed front-to-back, Fia’s head was essentially buried in the golden hair near the nape of Anastasia’s neck. The fragrant aroma was soothing to the soul—delicate and considerate, much like Anastasia herself.

“And your clothes have changed style too. Was it inspired by our talk yesterday? Before, it was always a maid outfit or easy-to-move-in swordfighter’s gear and a cloak. This is the first time I’ve seen you in a light purple dress.”

I really did use perfume…

Anastasia’s expression stiffened, her eyes darting around. She hadn’t expected Fia to notice so quickly. Fortunately, Fia didn’t press her on why she was using it. Taking advantage of the fact that Fia couldn’t see her face, she gave a dry laugh as she answered.

“After returning last night, I thought about it for a long time. I felt Your Highness was right; instead of obsessing over whether to blend into the other Anastasia’s life, it’s better to just be myself. So, I wanted to make some changes so others realize I’m not the Anastasia they imagine.”

“No wonder you not only changed clothes but used perfume too.”

“Is it… unsuitable? I know very little about such things. I only put this together after asking Miss Colita…”

“It’s not unsuitable at all. It suits you very well, Anastasia—like a noble young lady.”

…Except for the part where Fia accidentally swallowed a few strands of hair every time she spoke.

“You’re too kind with your praise…”

“I’m being serious. You are a member of the Royal Family, after all. Since we’re going to the Milcandis Holy Kingdom, we should dress formally. Now, standing together, we actually look like sisters.”

“The Milcandis Holy Kingdom…”

At the mention of the name, Anastasia’s lips thinned, and her warm heart rapidly cooled. If possible, she would have preferred to never come here again for the rest of her life—not because the Holy Kingdom was strong, but because it carried a deep psychological trauma for her. The Eldest Princess had died here. Thus, the mere mention of the name caused a reflexive fear in Anastasia, a feeling that she would lose something vital. Fourteen years of regret came rolling back like a tidal wave.

Her throat went dry, and she swallowed hard.

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“Even though it feels like a bit late for this… Your Highness, I believe it would be better to find Lady Calista, who has already been confirmed as a Holy Son. Lady Calista was the only Holy Son of my era; I swear on my life I am not deceiving you.”

“I know, but I have other arrangements for Calista—just not right now. I understand you’re worried about me being attacked by the people of the Holy Kingdom again, but I am not the person I was back then. We’re flying too high, so you have no concept of my speed. Once we hit the ground, you’ll see that even Absolute Evil would have to take the long way around if it saw the current me.”

Anastasia’s point wasn’t without merit. The Milcandis Holy Kingdom hadn’t received a divine oracle in a very long time. Furthermore, Calista’s Goddess had said she was the last deity left in the world; perhaps the Goddess of Life had long since met with misfortune.

But even if there was only a one-in-ten-thousand chance, Fia had to try. Calista and her Goddess had not established a reliable relationship of trust yet. Playing the Calista card too early would likely startle the bird; if Calista’s Goddess fled, the lead on the gods would be completely severed. This was a problem that had to be approached slowly, no matter how urgent it felt, or all previous efforts would be in vain.

Additionally, Fia was curious about the Milcandis Holy Kingdom for other reasons.

First was the Eldest Princess’s plan. All clues now pointed to her death being premeditated, and that she had to die specifically by the Unsinkable Moon to trigger whatever it was she wanted. Combining the Princess’s final words she had found in the archives with the information Anastasia provided from the other world, it wasn’t hard to draw a conclusion.

Like The Sovereign, the Eldest Princess had known in advance that the disaster known as Chaos would descend upon the World Tree Continent. This explained the murmurs Erin Slate had occasionally heard, things like “there isn’t enough time.”

Later, the Princess must have learned the method to resolve the disaster and knew the Unsinkable Moon played a special role. Thus, she designed her own death beneath it. As a result, the “self” capable of eliminating Chaos was born within her body. The final words she left confirmed this; she understood a successor would find her notes.

However, while this explanation seemed logical, too many points remained obscure. First, how did the Princess know the Unsinkable Moon would awaken the current “Fia,” and how could she be certain Fia would be stronger than her?

Second was the old question: if she knew she would die, why didn’t she tell those closest to her?

And the final question: if both the Princess and The Sovereign aimed to eliminate Chaos, why did the Princess oppose him? She couldn’t have failed to understand that as long as their interests aligned, enemies could become allies. To waste strength on internal strife before a disaster was simply irrational.

Therefore, she had to enter the Milcandis Holy Kingdom and take the data related to the Unsinkable Moon to find the truth.

Gradually, the mist in Fia’s vision cleared, and a massive city situated on a vast plain appeared before her. Because most of the buildings were constructed from white stone bricks, looking down from the sky naturally felt quite dazzling.

“I can see the Holy City. We’re going down.”

“Yes.”

Anastasia whispered back, her entire body tensing as if facing a great enemy. Even though they were still thousands of meters above the city, her hand was already resting on her mithril sword. Fia couldn’t see her face, but she could guess the expression—one of hatred and determination. She wanted to wash away her past shame.

“This time, I will fulfill my duty as your guard…”

Anastasia’s murmur was full of resolve.

It feels like she’s saying a final farewell.

Fia wanted to smile wryly, but she couldn’t. What was a trivial matter to her was fourteen years of accumulated regret for Anastasia. Dofilia’s death had long since become a knot in Anastasia’s heart, a shadow she hadn’t been able to step out of for her entire life. Perhaps only by taking a sword for Fia again would she be satisfied, finally believing she had fulfilled her purpose.

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However, as long as she was by Fia’s side, Anastasia would never find such an opportunity—unless Fia manufactured an accident herself.

In that case, she would prove herself to Anastasia through sheer strength—both for her own Anastasia and for the one here. No, considering there was no fundamental difference between them, they were both her Anastasia.

Feeling the soft body of Anastasia in her arms, a soaring fighting spirit ignited in Fia’s eyes.

◇

When Fia, dressed in her black gown, descended from the heavens, the entire worship plaza of the Holy Capital broke into a frenzy.

Black was considered a forbidden, evil color in the Milcandis Holy Kingdom. Consequently, the laws of the Holy Kingdom forbade its citizens from adorning themselves in black; even those naturally born with black hair had to use dyes to change their color before they could walk the streets. For an Elf dressed in a black gown and sporting pitch-black twin tails to appear before the Holy Capital’s cathedral was considered an insult by any believer—an act of blasphemy.

Not to mention, it was currently the hour of prayer. Thousands of devotees were gathered, including renowned bishops and inquisitors.

“An Elf! It’s an Elf! How did an Elf fly down from the sky?! What were the sentries doing?!”

“Those black clothes… she’s an Elf who has sided with the Darkborn!”

“Kill them! They are insulting the Great Goddess of Life!”

With just a few shouts, the crowd’s fervor was ignited. The praying devotees swarmed toward Fia and Anastasia like insects.

Anastasia unsheathed her rapier with a shing and blocked Fia’s path. Fia shook her head gently and snapped her fingers. Immediately, a powerful shockwave radiated outward. In an instant, every person within ten paces collapsed one after another like wheat being mown down. A terrifying zone of empty space appeared before the crowd.

This was a basic [Mental Shock]. Fia didn’t take their lives; although Silvar was now a victorious nation that had successfully counterattacked, and the Milcandis Holy Kingdom was a defeated aggressor, her status as royalty meant no one could stop her from insulting them. However, she had come to demand that the Pope pray for a divine oracle; it was best not to let things get too explosive.

“Silent casting of a fourth-tier mental spell… Your Highness, your strength has grown to such an extent…”

Anastasia’s deep blue eyes widened instantly, her lovely face covered in shock.

“Didn’t you see me do it before we left? Whether it was the teleportation magic or the [Aegis of the Firmament] that blocked the wind for us—all of it was silent casting.”

Feeling no sense of urgency, Fia asked curiously. She had assumed Anastasia already knew she could cast without chants.

Anastasia froze, her posture becoming respectful.

“I-I thought the teleportation was achieved through a paired-type magic item.”

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“And the [Aegis of the Firmament]?”

“My deepest apologies. I thought it was simply a mana shield with a slightly unusual color…”

By the end of her sentence, Anastasia was so ashamed she looked ready to hang her head. If it weren’t for the surrounding Holy Kingdom devotees glaring at them, she would have knelt to beg for forgiveness.

It seems having plain-looking magic isn’t a good thing. I should learn some flashy spells when I get back, just so Anastasia has a clear understanding of my power. Just in time to take Helian’s doll down to the Abyss and test if she could pull the real Helian up from beneath that emerald barrier.

“Monster!”

“Where are the guards? Capture this Elf!”

“Use magic!”

After the initial confusion, the devotees became noisy once more. Fia and Anastasia’s behavior of completely ignoring them infuriated them. Within just a few breaths, Fia heard the hurried footsteps of approaching Paladins.

Perhaps she should have used [Cloud Moon of the Illusory Sea] to hide herself and Anastasia until they found the Pope. But the Pope certainly wouldn’t listen to her obediently, which would just lead to another mess later. Besides, she had zero goodwill toward the Milcandis Holy Kingdom. These people hadn’t hesitated to turn on her in the past; if she hadn’t been strong enough, she and Anastasia would have been murdered long ago.

“Who dares to desecrate the Goddess?”

Accompanied by a powerful, heavy voice, a man covered in silver armor stepped out from the crowd. A golden mace used for bludgeoning ¹ Bludgeoning is the act of hitting someone or something repeatedly and forcefully with a heavy, blunt object like a club or hammer, causing smashing or crushing damage, and can metaphorically mean coercing or bullying someone through persistent pressure or aggressive arguments. hung at his waist, and a massive tower shield was strapped to his back. His hulking frame moved like a walking mountain.

Seventh tier. Not bad.

Fia was slightly surprised.

She stepped forward and introduced herself with a smile.

“Dofilia Alexia Yushir. Eldest Princess of Silvar, Witch of Calamity Flame, Regent of Cold Night. I have come to the Milcandis Holy Kingdom to speak with His Holiness the Pope. Would you be so kind as to lead me to him?”

The man, his face hidden beneath his helm, pondered for a moment. He noticed the devotees watching him, but he noticed the terrifying mana radiating from Fia even more. This was a blessing granted by his faith-based magic; simply by Fia standing there and speaking, he felt the surrounding mana go wild, dancing in rhythm with her words.

He used both hands to remove his helmet, revealing the face of a white-haired, powerfully built old man.

“I am the Pope. For what reason does the Eldest Princess seek me?”