Chapter 08
“Meow. Meeeoow.”
A cat standing right in front of me began to meow while looking down at me.
I rolled my eyes to look at the kitten, and somehow…
“Meow, mew, mew.”
“S-sorry…….”
Why do I feel like I’m being scolded?
A cat’s expression doesn’t vary much, but the look in its eyes as it stared down at me felt strangely intimidating.
As I mumbled an apology, the cat let out a *sigh* as if it understood.
Then, it slinked closer and *thump*, leaned its body against my arm.
Just that one change was enough.
“Mmm, this is the best…….”
It felt like my ankle, the scratches from Penny, and even the lingering headache that had been faintly buzzing were all subsiding.
Plus, the fluffy, soft feeling of its fur against my arm!
“So this is what healing feels like…….”
It was so fantastic that I almost wondered if I had fainted and gone to heaven.
I wiggled my hand and slowly began to pet the cat.
“Myaah.”
The cat, which had meowed at me again, let out another sigh and entrusted its body to my hand.
‘This really is heaven.’
I hadn’t even healed my wounds yet, and on top of that, my eyes were growing heavy.
‘I should at least make it to the bed……’
But my attempt to force my eyes open and continue thinking was short-lived.
“Mmm.”
Whether it was the body warmth against my arm or the sudden wave of comfort…
I couldn’t even think, let alone get up.
“I’ll move you, so don’t worry and sleep.”
Then, a faint voice seeped into my hazy consciousness.
‘Is this a dream……?’
After thinking dazedly for a moment, I gave a small nod.
“Mmm.”
I thought I heard someone chuckle softly at my voice… or maybe not.
Before I could figure it out, I had already fallen into a deep sleep.
***
Meanwhile, in the dim evening.
“Mmm…”
Ciela, who had fallen into a deep sleep, frowned and rolled on the cold floor.
She shivered as if cold, then soon stretched out as if hot.
A hand suddenly reached out towards her.
A man of unknown origin, his touch seemingly careless yet cautious, lightly touched her forehead and then gently picked Ciela up.
“Mmm!”
“Shhh.”
The man soothed Ciela, slowly stroking her shoulder with his thumb.
Her body, pressed against his, seemed to regain comfort and immediately relaxed.
Yet, her body still fluctuated violently, sometimes boiling hot like lava, then suddenly turning cold as if thrown into a glacier.
The man gazed intently at Ciela’s pained, furrowed face for a moment, then moved towards the bed.
Perhaps he didn’t want to wake her, or perhaps his steps were naturally slow.
Despite wearing a suit and dress shoes, not a single rustle or footstep could be heard.
“Mmm.”
Meanwhile, Ciela tightly hugged the man. As if feeling reassured just by the contact, a smile formed on her lips.
Because of that, even after reaching the bed, the man couldn’t put her down.
*Swoosh.*
As he resignedly sat back against the headboard, the canopy swayed as if in greeting.
Through the gap, the remaining sunlight illuminated the man.
Hair blacker than the approaching darkness and crimson eyes reminiscent of the dawn.
His drooping eyes and lips amplified the dangerous aura.
He had a languid, relaxed impression, like a well-fed beast. For a moment, he even resembled Arte.
“Huuu…”
The man’s hand, which had been resting on her shoulder, was now placed on Ciela’s hair.
As her body continued to alternate between hot and cold springs, the man blinked and applied pressure with his fingertips.
That was the moment.
*Fwoooosh—*
A pure white light spread softly through Ciela’s room, as if driving away the approaching darkness.
The source of the light was none other than Arte’s divine power. However, the one who wielded that authority was not Ciela, but him.
“Ugh, ah, it hurts…….”
“It’s okay.”
A low, drawn-out voice continuously soothed Ciela.
The hand emitting the divine power did the same.
How many hours passed like this?
Ciela, who had been sweating profusely, showed significant improvement.
Simultaneously, the hand that had been gripping his clothes like a lifeline loosened its hold.
Only then did the man let out a small sigh and carefully lay Ciela down on the bed.
At the same time, *shhift*, his form changed.
“Meow.”
The man’s form, beautiful enough to elicit admiration, vanished in an instant.
In its place, a familiar cat took his spot. It was the black cat Ciela had brought home.
The cat didn’t climb back onto the bed but lay down on the floor.
But then.
*Ding!*
A cheerful sound broke the serene silence. The black ears detected the sound and fluttered *padadak*.
The eyes, which had been closed for sleep, opened slowly, filled with annoyance.
He glanced briefly at the sleeping Ciela, then turned his gaze to the blue window floating in the air.
[Thank you for granting my request, Piete. If not for your healing abilities, Ciela would have suffered greatly.]
‘Hm.’
The man—no, the cat—named Piete, offered no response to Arte’s thanks and simply closed his eyes.
He had nothing to say in reply, and he was a bit irritated.
He was originally a divine beast who had lived a long life freely, without anyone’s interference.
But this time, he had been semi-forced into taking charge of Ciela’s protection and healing due to Arte’s whining.
He had intended to refuse, but…
‘Tch.’
Piete couldn’t bring himself to refuse Arte’s request. He was the type who couldn’t stand being in debt.
Whether aware of Piete’s thoughts or not, Arte floated another window.
[Please continue to protect Ciela well. Whether as a divine beast, or as anything else.]
“……”
‘As anything else’? His brow furrowed slightly at the unclear meaning. But Arte vanished after those final words.
Piete stared at the empty space where the window had disappeared for a few more seconds, then *thump*, laid his head on the floor.
But again, he couldn’t sleep.
“Huuuk.”
It was because Ciela’s pain, which he thought had subsided, had started again.
‘Haa.’
*Swoosh—*
The cat stretched its back once and instantly took on the form of a human man.
*Fwoooosh—!*
Divine power seeped from his hand and poured onto Ciela.
Piete continued to pour out divine power while stroking Ciela’s hair, not stopping until she opened her eyes.
***
The next day.
Waking up early in the morning without any pain for the first time in a while, I prepared to go out alone instead of pulling the servant’s bell rope.
“My instincts are telling me.”
The instinct that my family would give me a hard time for a long time!
Since I hadn’t been revived for long, going outside the mansion was something I couldn’t even dream of for the time being.
I was also concerned about glossing over the matter of my healing ability yesterday.
“There’s no way Lucien would just let that slide.”
With everything that happened yesterday, it passed in a blur, but today he would surely summon me and interrogate me all day.
“I have incurable diseases to treat urgently; I can’t be held captive!”
There were many things to do, but the most important was the Arte Church.
“If I get my tasks done quickly, things will work out, right?”
Remembering my past life made me feel like my spirit was firmly lodged in my head.
“Right. Let’s go to the Arte Church right now!”
Having firmly made up my mind, I immediately found an awake coachman and, with a bit of coercion, secretly slipped out of the mansion.
Soon, there would be an uproar at the mansion, but…
“I’ll leave that to future me.”
Right now, I only care about getting to the Arte Church!
“Besides, it’s too late to turn back now.”
Because the carriage had already arrived at District 22, where the church was located.
I stretched my stiff body from sitting for so long, when a problem suddenly occurred to me.
“But if I go and say I’m the Saintess, will they believe me? They won’t make me take some weird test or something, right?”
Given the church’s strange rumors, I became a little afraid they might try to do something odd.
Then, Arte popped up a *ding* status window.
[Arte has just delivered an oracle, so don’t worry, she encourages you.]
“An oracle?”
My eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected words. Well, I didn’t know she could deliver an oracle when there was no human to receive the ability.
*Ding.*
[Arte puffs out her chest proudly, saying the Pope received a veeery tiny amount of her divine power.]
[Lady Arte has donated 5 Florins!]
[I’m a god who can deliver at least one character per year, you know~! Heheh.]
“Ahh, yes. One character…….”
She added proudly that she could save up the characters to form a word or sentence.
‘Somehow, I feel sorry for her.’
One character per year. I think I understand how she became a recluse…
Just then, the carriage began to slow down, likely having arrived at the Arte Church.
My lips were dry from nervousness for no reason; I licked them and pushed the door open with all my might.
*Whoooosh!*
A moderately cool morning breeze tousled my hair.
Meanwhile, an excited man’s voice reached my ears.
“We’ve been waiting for you, Saintess.”
