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Chapter 94………………………………….
“Ah, you’ve arrived just in time. How perfectly the timing aligns. Could this not also be the will of the gods?”
Upon arriving at Pegasus Castle, the visitors they encountered were a group dressed in garments bearing the crest of the Holy Nation.
Among them, the priest of the Holy Nation standing at the front approached Lin and greeted her.
“Welcome, Saintess.”
“Huh?”
Startled by the unexpected word, Lin’s eyes widened, and for a moment, she forgot to return the greeting.
This priest was different from the ones she had seen at the previous Emergence Party or the Hunting Festival.
The newly arrived priest of the Holy Nation, Pfine, smiled gently at the confused expression of the young Lady Pegasus.
‘Well… it’s understandable to be surprised.’
Despite being the young lady of a grand noble family, Lin Pegasus was only a six-year-old girl.
It was easy to imagine how astonishing the title “Chosen Saintess” would feel to such a young child.
Seeing the young Lady Pegasus—who was to become their Saintess—her eyes wide with surprise, Priest Pfine recalled the instructions he had received from the Holy Nation.
“Silver hair… Are you saying that Lin Pegasus’s hair color is a sign chosen by the gods?”
Priest Pfine did not hide the look of surprise that appeared on his face.
The master before him would surely not appreciate his subordinates hiding anything.
“Pfine.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
At the soft voice calling his name, Pfine immediately bowed deeply.
“What lineage do I belong to?”
“Your Grace is the noble divine beast of the Silver Fox lineage, chosen by the god who watches over all the beastfolk across the continent.”
The answer flew from Pfine’s mouth without a single hesitation.
The Holy Nation’s Law King Family, Numen.
They, the silver-haired fox beastfolk that did not naturally exist in the wild, were chosen by the gods to possess such coloring.
The knowledge had become an unquestionable and absolute truth for the people of the Holy Nation.
Unlike ordinary fox beastfolk, these chosen divine beasts, silver foxes, were divine.
Pfine gazed in awe at the characteristic silver hair of the master, waiting for his next words.
A soft smile.
The Law King did not withhold a smile from his intelligent subordinate.
As he moved gracefully, his long silver hair shimmered and swayed in the light.
“Yes. This silver bestowed by the gods is sacred light.”
Not only his hair, but the silver in his eyes, like tiny frozen flowers embedded in his beautiful face, shone as the Law King spoke.
“Thus, it is only natural that one who bears this silver is imbued with divinity.”
“Your Grace’s words are correct.”
Seeing the Law King’s always-gentle eyes curve even more with a smile, Pfine quickly agreed.
The Law King slowly passed by the bowing Pfine.
His silver eyes swept over Pfine, whose orange hair marked him as an ordinary fox beastfolk.
“……”
A brief silence followed, causing Pfine a slight moment of doubt, but he maintained his bow.
True to his wise and cautious demeanor, Pfine felt no overt emotion as the Law King continued giving instructions.
“Pfine. There is something I want you to do.”
“Command me, Your Grace. Your command is the will of the gods. As a faithful servant, I shall follow it.”
“How admirable.”
Praising him lightly, the Law King revealed his request.
“Bring the young Lady Pegasus here.”
“Do you mean to convey an invitation to the Holy Nation?”
Though always phrased gently as a request, it was, of course, effectively an order.
Pfine, familiar with the master’s expressions, listened intently, not missing a single nuance of the Law King’s words.
“An invitation, yes. But that is not all.”
Heh heh.
The Law King chuckled briefly, his voice light and clear.
“I intend to appoint her as a Saintess.”
“Saintess…!”
Pfine, unable to contain himself, unconsciously repeated the word, breaking his usual composure.
“Yes. Isn’t it quite obvious?”
The Law King looked satisfied at Pfine, who remained in a listening posture.
“If the power that vanquished the monsters is considered, its origin is only one.”
His silver eyes remained calm and steady as he spoke.
“It is the power of the ‘divine beasts’ possessed by those chosen by the gods.”
“That means…!”
Pfine’s eyes widened at the mention of the gods, but the Law King’s calm voice did not waver.
“Yes. Like our Numen family.”
With a gentle, elegant smile, the Law King commanded:
“The young Lady, being so young, will find it difficult to understand the calling she has received.”
As publicly announced by the Pegasus family:
Lin Pegasus is a divine beast, a giraffe-type.
She possesses the power to eradicate monsters.
The Law King had no intention of disputing this announcement.
‘It has already been witnessed by countless eyes during the Hunting Festival. There is no need to overturn proven fact.’
He had no interest in wasting effort on trivialities.
Instead of clashing directly with the Pegasus family in a confrontational, uncertain way,
he spoke with the innocent, holy smile of a divine beast, the kind that would make any devout follower cry tears of joy.
“As a divine beast who first received the oracle, it is only fitting to lead the new divine beast, isn’t it beautiful?”
“Ah! I see…!”
“Yes. In accordance with the will of the god who chose me, I shall receive Lin Pegasus as the Saintess.”
A power manifested to save people during the event to raise the banner of protection.
A perfect Saintess for the Holy Nation.
‘That power must belong solely to our chosen divine beast.’
Just as the Silver Fox lineage had been chosen as divine beasts, this time it was Lin Pegasus, the Saintess, who had been called by the gods.
No other interpretation was possible.
The Law King’s crimson lips curved upward.
With a joyful smile, he commanded:
“Then bring Saintess Lin Pegasus here. Everyone must rejoice at the birth of a Saintess.”
His expression truly embodied kindness itself.
Pfine, honored to receive his master’s order, replied with a proud expression:
“Understood. All is according to the will of the gods.”
He organized the details in his mind to carry out the Law King’s instructions and lifted his head.
“I will do my utmost to ensure the will of the gods, as received by Your Grace, is fulfilled.”
“I look forward to it.”
The Law King’s fox-like eyes curved even deeper upon hearing the obedient response.
Having finished his recollection, Priest Pfine raised the corners of his mouth proudly.
“I have come to receive the Saintess. I am Pfine, servant of the gods, sent by Your Grace, the Law King.”
He put on a gentle expression for the new divine beast, the Saintess, who must have been astonished by this overwhelming news.
He hoped that the Saintess they were to escort, Lin Pegasus, would show a face of delight.
It would be fine if she was so overwhelmed that she could not speak, or even moved to tears.
Even a bright, joyful laugh would be welcome.
However, the first words that left Lin’s mouth were nothing like what he had imagined.
“Priest! Can priests heal injured people?”
Lin’s reaction was something Pfine had never anticipated.
“Eh…? Heal?”
“Yes! Someone is hurt right now. Kaidan is badly injured.”
With a very worried expression, Lin grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the carriage.
Her anxious gaze focused on the inside of the carriage.
Pfine, moving reluctantly, followed her gaze and looked inside the carriage.
There, barely breathing, was the black stallion.
Immediately, Pfine furrowed his brows and exclaimed:
“Kaidan Tigris! Isn’t he the child of a Famine Caster?”
“!”
The voice, filled with contempt, pierced his ears.
“What could have caused such an injury…? Well, I suppose it’s not surprising.”
Pfine, as if encountering something filthy, pulled out a handkerchief to cover his nose, moved away from the carriage, and muttered a curse.
“It is only natural that the sins of parents marked by ‘Famine’ pass on to their children.”
Startled by the priest’s unexpected words, Lin’s eyes narrowed sharply into a triangular shape.
