Chapter 09
Natalija’s gaze met Eloise’s.
‘She hates me again.’
Natalija wanted to become Gerard’s healer.
‘No—she wanted to marry him.’
Everyone except Gerard wanted the two of them to marry.
“In this age of chaos, the god shall punish fallen humanity.
But the goddess, gazing upon humankind, shall bestow a golden sword and a blue shield.
On the day the two become truly one, salvation shall come.”
Interpretations of this prophecy, passed down for generations, varied greatly.
But after the Rainbow Hole disasters began and time passed, opinions gradually converged.
The sword was a mage.
The shield was a healer.
They complemented each other and overcame disasters together, so the idea seemed convincing.
The problem lay in the final line.
“The two become one.”
Opinions were divided.
Some said it meant physical union.
Others said it meant their hearts becoming one.
Some argued it required something beyond either.
Servan Vandes, the vice pope revered as the closest to the gods, devoted himself to interpreting the oracle.
Eventually, he reached a conclusion.
The sword and shield bestowed by the goddess were one-of-a-kind beings.
The sword was Gerard.
But the shield had not yet appeared.
“Then we wait,” Servan had said.
“Until your destined partner appears.”
“And how will I recognize them?” Gerard asked.
“The god will show you as well.”
***
Despite Servan’s interpretation, a widespread rumor persisted.
That the “blue shield” of the prophecy was Natalija.
The symbol of House Duna was a blue bird.
However, Gerard rejected Natalija.
He kept all healers at a distance.
‘And then, at some point, I appeared.’
Eloise becoming Gerard’s exclusive healer had been kept secret at the time.
Still, Natalija must have been irritated by Eloise suddenly becoming close to him.
Gerard didn’t openly walk around with Eloise.
But when secrets lasted too long, someone was bound to see.
People eventually witnessed them meeting.
Naturally, the rumors reached Natalija.
After that, Natalija repeatedly visited the support team where Eloise worked, making unreasonable demands.
Back then, complaints flooded in from both healers and mages, making things unbearable.
Later, Eloise learned that the people causing trouble had been sent by Natalija.
‘It was practically harassment.’
Watching Natalija taught Eloise that personality and skill were separate things.
Natalija was beautiful.
And her healing ability was exceptional.
Countless mages lined up just to hold her hand.
According to rumors Merlin had heard, there was even a “mage harem” created just for her.
‘Ugh…’
While other healers wore themselves down endlessly treating mages—
She healed as if bestowing charity from her personal harem.
The world was unfair.
In any case, because of this history, Eloise was uncomfortable around Natalija as well.
‘Maybe it’s good that we dislike each other.’
While Eloise was lost in her thoughts, Natalija walked right up to her.
Wearing heels, Natalija forced Eloise to look up at her.
Their actual heights were similar.
Eloise briefly lifted her heels—
Then she stubbornly planted her feet flat on the floor, pride wounded for no reason.
“Don’t you know how to greet people?”
“Miss Duna, let’s exchange greetings inside.”
Gerard stepped in, blocking Natalija’s gaze.
Natalija’s eyes flared sharply upward.
Seeing the vicious look on her face, Eloise lightly tugged on Gerard’s robe.
Gerard turned to look at her.
‘I’m okay.’
Eloise mouthed silently.
Whether he understood or not, a faint crease formed between Gerard’s brows.
“All right, let’s go inside. We can’t just stand here during the support team’s working hours. We came here to protect that, didn’t we? Blocking the door doesn’t help.”
Morgana ended the not-quite standoff, tapping her wristwatch.
“I’m busy too. Miss Rubelia, let’s have a conversation.”
Unlike her professional tone, Morgana’s eyes gleamed like a predator eyeing prey.
Sweat dampened Eloise’s palms.
Outside a small private room within the support team area.
The room’s owner, Support Team Leader Colin, stood there panting, holding a tray of drinks.
“Merlin, are you sure the drinks are prepared properly?”
“Yes.”
“There’s nothing on the tray or cups, right?”
“I told you there isn’t.”
“How do I look? Neat?”
It was the tenth time he had asked.
“Should I carry them in for you?”
“No! That won’t do. Sir Gerard personally assigned this task to me! There must be a reason he chose me. He doesn’t trust you.”
Merlin let out a quiet sigh.
“More importantly, what did Eloise do wrong?”
Colin believed the insolent Eloise must have committed a serious offense.
That was why the higher-ups of the Disaster Response Headquarters had come to interrogate her.
Crime or merit.
Punishment or reward.
His black-and-white thinking completely excluded the possibility that Eloise had achieved something worthy of praise.
“I’ll knock.”
Merlin didn’t agree with Colin’s thoughts, but instead of arguing, she knocked.
“Wait—!”
Colin shouted too late.
Permission to enter had already been given.
Colin glared at Merlin.
Then the door opened, and he had no choice but to plaster on a wide smile.
Carefully, Colin stepped inside.
“Hahahaha! That’s quite an interesting story. So you’re saying you played a major role in destroying the Green Hole?”
“And if that’s true, it’s remarkable. What do you want?”
Morgana Raven spoke after Crown Prince Noah Norvark.
Colin gripped the tray tightly.
The atmosphere inside was completely different from what he had imagined outside.
And no one paid any attention to Colin.
“I brought the drinks.”
Ah—someone did look at him.
The insolent Eloise, seated right beside Gerard.
Originally, she should have been the one carrying this tray.
Yet there she was, boldly occupying a luxurious sofa that Colin had once obtained by behaving like the budget team leader’s obedient shadow.
While Colin glared at Eloise, Gerard spoke.
“Set them down and leave.”
“Y-yes. Understood.”
Colin bowed hastily, placed the drinks on the table, and left.
While most of them didn’t even glance at the ice-filled glasses, Eloise stared at them desperately.
Since the higher-ups hadn’t touched them yet, she couldn’t take one first.
Her throat was dry.
Cold sweat broke out from the tension.
Then—
A long, solid arm stretched out.
“It’s refreshing.”
Gerard took a sip and looked at Eloise.
His golden eyes gleamed as if he understood everything.
That her mouth was dry.
That she desperately needed something cold.
But that was only Eloise’s assumption.
“I suppose so.”
Morgana picked up her glass next.
Only then did Eloise finally drink.
“Everyone seems to have plenty of time. Let’s continue.”
Noah Norvark looked at Eloise.
“So. You can predict Rainbow Holes?”
Eloise nearly spat out her drink.
For a brief moment, Gerard’s gaze sharpened—but no one noticed.
“Ah—predict… I don’t believe I ever said I could predict them.”
Eloise hurriedly set the glass down and wiped her mouth.
“You said you knew a Green Hole would appear.”
“Yes.”
“You didn’t receive a revelation. You said you weren’t religious.”
“…Yes.”
Eloise glanced at Servan instead of Noah.
The vice pope, representative of the temple, added smoothly,
“The house of God is always open, even to wandering lambs, Miss Rubelia.”
Servan seized the opportunity to preach.
Eloise gave an awkward laugh, but Noah continued questioning.
“You didn’t have a prophetic dream. You didn’t use divination.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Then how did you know a Green Hole would appear in Windfield?”
