~Chapter 10~
The Goddess Artenis laughed heartily, “Puhahaha!”
Selene felt a little embarrassed at her reaction. She had asked her question seriously.
[What kind of question is that? You are my child too.]
The goddess gently stroked Selene’s head. Her hands were warm, as if this were reality, not a dream.
[All my children deserve love and the right to enjoy everything.]
The gaze the goddess gave Selene was incredibly tender—full of affection, as though looking upon her own child.
And in that moment, Selene suddenly found courage.
The courage to confess the grave mistake she had committed.
Selene dropped to her knees and then lay flat on the ground.
“Goddess! The truth is, I snuck into the Artenis Sanctuary and spilled all the sacred water… Could you please forgive me just this once?”
But the goddess gave no response.
Was she perhaps too angry to speak?
Selene cautiously lifted her head to observe the situation.
The Goddess Artenis continued to look at her with a warm, gentle gaze. A beautiful smile rested on her lips.
[I really love humans. Their efforts are so admirable.]
The goddess slowly approached and crouched before Selene.
[The gods only provide the minimum help. Ultimately, everything depends on human will.]
Selene sat there, dazed. She understood the goddess had spoken wisely, but she couldn’t fully grasp the meaning.
Did this mean she was forgiven? Or did it mean she was supposed to try to refill the sacred water herself?
The goddess laughed again, seeing Selene’s confused expression. Then—
She lightly kissed Selene on the cheek.
The sensation of her lips felt strangely vivid.
The goddess rose and gazed at the full moon above.
[I don’t know when we will meet again. My power is too weak right now.]
The moonlight grew stronger, and the goddess’ form began to blend with it.
By the time her beautiful smile became almost impossible to see,
Selene woke up.
Outside, it was the dim light of dawn.
The scenery through the window looked the same as usual, but something felt different.
The chirping of the birds was so vivid it felt as if it were right beside her, and the smell of trees in the wind was distinct.
The distant forest looked fresh, like someone had splashed paint across it.
Everything surrounding Selene was filled with vibrant life—a sensation she had never felt before.
“Goddess Artenis, please refill the sacred water. And please help me save Arpiel.”
After a short prayer, Selene donned her magic cloak.
She hid a small glass vial in her robes.
Kirien had already used the potions made by the high priests of the sanctuary, but there was still one person who hadn’t made any yet.
That person was Selene.
She planned to take a little sacred water and make the potion herself.
She had considered taking the sacred water from a high priest, but it would likely arouse suspicion.
Requesting it from the High Priest would be even worse—the old man would never just hand over the sacred water.
It seemed safer to sneak into the Artenis Sanctuary again.
After all, she was planning to check if the sacred water had refilled, and she knew there were no guards.
Selene had never made a potion before.
But the Goddess Artenis had said she loved seeing humans make an effort.
And that everything ultimately depended on human will.
So Selene decided to try.
It was more productive to attempt something, even if she had no experience, than to give up before even trying.
“Alright… Selene Leclair. Let’s do this right.”
With resolve, she left her room and slipped out of the Elenore Palace without being noticed.
The process was far easier than before.
Ever since meeting the goddess in her dream, she could clearly hear even the footsteps of distant people.
However, before she even reached the Artenis Sanctuary, the day was beginning to break.
Panting, Selene hurried along.
“Hah… From now on… I’m going to exercise, hah…”
Taking the forest path to avoid being seen made the trail rougher, but she pressed on.
She had to get the sacred water before the High Priest arrived.
The entrance to the Artenis Sanctuary was still empty.
Snoring could be heard from the small tent nearby.
Yesterday, she had dismissed it as just someone sleeping, but now she could even tell how many knights were inside and how they were positioned.
Selene quickly opened the door and headed straight for the sacred chalice.
Fortunately, the sacred water was still there.
It seemed slightly more filled than yesterday, replenished again.
“Goddess Artenis, thank you… Thank you so much.”
Selene knelt in front of the chalice and offered her heartfelt prayers.
At this moment, her prayer was more sincere than any she had ever made.
She pulled out the glass vial she had hidden.
But just before putting it into the chalice, she paused.
Something seemed off. The sacred water…
Wasn’t it supposed to be fuller?
All she had ever seen before was the sacred water brimming, almost overflowing the chalice.
Yesterday, Selene had spilled all of it. Now, just after sunrise, this water was newly formed sacred water.
So why was the chalice less than half full?
Selene hesitated, puzzled by the thought, when a presence was suddenly felt from afar.
“It’s the High Priest.”
She realized he had already crossed more than half of the ridge.
Normally, she would never have heard someone from such a distance.
Selene quickly ran to the stairs behind the altar, opened the window, and crouched inside the railing.
Soon, she heard the High Priest’s voice from the entrance of the sanctuary.
“I swear before the Goddess Artenis to cherish freedom, guard against indulgence, and respect my neighbors.”
“I swear.”
She also heard the high priests echoing after him.
Then came the creak of the sanctuary doors opening.
Selene crouched further down, worried her shadow might be visible inside.
But then, she was startled by an unexpected name.
“Edin, check the chalice.”
Edin? Selene thought. He wasn’t part of the Healing Department, was he?
Curiosity got the better of her, and she peeked inside.
She saw Edin inspecting the chalice.
Why was Edin checking it? Normally, the High Priest would pour the sacred water into silver goblets and then distribute it to the senior priests of the Healing Department.
Bringing only Edin seemed suspicious.
At that moment, Edin spoke in a refined tone:
“High Priest, it’s still less than half full.”
“This is serious. The Goddess has clearly abandoned us.”
“Shall we fill the goblets with water again today?”
“Of course.”
Suddenly, Edin pulled a water bottle from his robes.
He poured it into the silver goblet and then hid the bottle back inside the sanctuary.
Selene was stunned at what she had just witnessed and moved closer to the window.
Then—
“Edin, did you spray perfume?”
The High Priest sniffed around the chalice.
“No, not yet.”
“Is that so? Then where is this strong rose scent coming from?”
The High Priest looked around. As his gaze moved behind the altar,
Selene leapt outside the railing, out of his sight.
“Hmm… it smells like the rose perfume from the Delian Sanctuary?”
The High Priest ground his teeth in frustration.
His small eyes burned with anger.
“Contact Mia through the communication orb. Check if the Saintess is asleep.”
“What? Why the Saintess all of a sudden?”
“Have you already forgotten how that girl acted so recklessly yesterday? I wondered why she was so bold… She clearly has some protection.”
Edin’s face instantly stiffened. He hurriedly retrieved the communication orb.
“Saintess might be nearby! Find her!”
Selene heard the High Priest’s command and the fast footsteps of the knights.
The sounds were still distant, but they would soon approach.
Selene dangled from the railing, pondering. Should she just jump?
It was only the second floor—at most, she might sprain an ankle.
Escaping was the priority… she could risk an ankle.
With that decision, she let go of the railing.
A sudden gust of wind carried her, allowing her to land lightly on the ground, unscathed.
“She’s not over here!”
Selene listened to the approaching knights’ footsteps.
She crept toward the tent where the knights had been resting.
They had all been running around the sanctuary, so the tent was empty.
As she hid fully behind a pile of supplies, another gust of wind blew.
“Follow the scent of roses!”
The High Priest’s command left the knights bewildered.
A rose scent? Suddenly? They were not hunting dogs—how could they follow that?
“Damn it… why is the wind blowing like this all of a sudden?”
While the High Priest was muttering uselessly,
Edin came running, drenched in sweat.
“High Priest! I’ve brought the communication orb!”
At the same time, in Elenore Palace:
Mia received Edin’s message and woke earlier than usual.
But his request was utterly absurd.
―Mia! Confirm if the Saintess is asleep! No! Bring the communication orb to her room!
“What? Why the Saintess all of a sudden?”
―Don’t ask, just do it. Please.
“She still has time to sleep…”
Mia wanted at least ten more minutes, but Edin begged relentlessly, so she had no choice.
Yawning, she knocked on the Saintess’ door.
“Haah… Saintess, are you awake?”
―Mia! Just open the door!
“Edin, it’s rude to just open a lady’s room!”
―I know! Please, just this once.
Reluctantly, Mia opened the door.
