CHAPTER 71…………………………….
No matter how I felt, in the face of passing time, it was only a fleeting emotion. Once again, I faced reality.
The day before embarking on the third pilgrimage, Aria boarded the carriage to leave Melissa.
I got in the carriage as well to see her off and sat across from her.
As the carriage started moving, Aria gazed out the window at Melissa.
I only spoke once her eyes had shifted away from the glass.
“You’ll be able to reach Nicholas safely.”
“Thank you, Saint.”
Though I spoke confidently, my heart raced with anxiety.
“Do you remember what I told you?”
“Yes. That the prince has prepared a carriage.”
I exhaled slowly and nodded.
“When you leave the sanctuary, someone will be waiting for you.”
I had reminded her multiple times, yet I couldn’t shake the worry about what Paviban might do.
“Yes. I heard from the captain as well. Don’t worry too much, Saint.”
“And if, just in case, something goes wrong, hide and wait. I’ll come to you immediately.”
The thought of having to rush to save her filled my mind.
My voice trembled slightly, more nervous than she was about leaving.
To ease my nerves, she smiled brightly.
“I will.”
The carriage jolted violently, as if it had left the paved road.
Passing the village and racing along a forest path, the carriage finally stopped on a wide stretch of land.
It seemed we had already reached the edge of the sanctuary.
“Aria.”
“Yes, Saint.”
I removed the hairpin holding back her long hair from her simple bag.
Her hair cascaded down gently as the updo loosened.
Aria had already turned her gaze out the window again, her eyes intense as if feeling multiple emotions at once.
Then, as if reminding herself to focus, she shook her head vigorously before finally looking at me.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
I stood and sat beside her, inserting my own hairpin into her unadorned hair.
“Saint?”
There was no particular reason. I simply remembered the butterfly-shaped adornment Amy had placed in my hair today.
“Aria, have you ever received a blessing?”
She touched the hairpin and slowly shook her head.
If she had never received one from a previous saint, then I was the only one in this world who could bestow it upon her now.
I held her hand and gently closed my eyes.
Honestly, I hadn’t expected it to work. Her vessel for holy power was practically broken.
Yet, contrary to my expectations, Aria smiled faintly.
“So this is what receiving a blessing feels like.”
Though I couldn’t fully empathize, it seemed the blessing had reached her.
“Aria, I hope you are happy.”
Even though I had told myself not to form attachments to precious people, saying this felt almost laughable. Yet Aria looked at me and replied softly.
“I will. So don’t worry about me. Please take care of yourself.”
I responded with a smile. Then, there was a tap on the carriage door.
“Saint.”
Hearing Alec’s voice from outside, I let go of her hand.
“Take care, Aria.”
As she held out her hand to step down from the carriage, her voice called back.
“Will we meet again?”
The sound of her heels hitting the ground, I smiled at her silently.
I didn’t answer.
Once Alec closed the carriage door, she disappeared from view.
“Saint.”
I turned my attention to the following carriage.
“Do not worry too much.”
There was nothing I could do immediately, so I had to trust Alec and the people Raymond had sent.
“Please take good care of Aria.”
Alec would accompany her all the way to the teleport point in the Kingdom of Nicholas.
But the incident would happen before then.
It was Paviban’s order, and it was also part of our plan.
Seeing the holy knights approaching, Alec muttered something under his breath.
Why say that? Before I could even ask, Alec’s gaze had already shifted away from me.
As the knights came closer, Alec spoke casually.
“How many?”
“Two.”
Apart from Alec, both were my personal guards.
In some ways, it might be fortunate. Perhaps it was better that few people were near Alec and Aria right now.
But Alec didn’t bother to frown and stared intently at the carriage I was to board.
Sensing my gaze, Alec gave a respectful nod.
“See you in Melissa.”
I alternated my gaze between the approaching knight and Alec.
“Captain, you should leave first. I’ll watch over Aria’s journey and then return to the temple.”
Alec briefly nodded in return and climbed onto his horse.
Soon, the carriage carrying Aria departed. I silently watched it recede into the distance.
When the carriage, winding along the narrow path, finally disappeared from view, the knight called me.
“Saint.”
Only then did I turn.
“Yes. Please take her safely to Melissa.”
“Yes, let’s go.”
It was time for me to return to Melissa.
I climbed onto the stopped carriage. Once the door closed, silence settled around me.
As the carriage rattled forward, I closed my eyes and folded my hands, praying habitually that Aria would safely reach the Kingdom of Nicholas.
By the time the sound of hooves outside reached my ears again, I opened my eyes.
Looking out the window, I saw the carriage racing along a tree-lined path toward the village.
Then it happened—the carriage jolted violently, and it wasn’t a single jolt.
The excited cries of the horse mingled with panicked voices outside, slipping through the window.
Clang, rattle.
Unable to go straight, the carriage ran unstably.
I gripped the seat tightly.
Though it might seem like a problem with the carriage’s wheels, the faster the horse cried, the faster we went.
“Stop the carriage!”
“Stop it immediately!”
Hearing the knights shouting outside, I bit my lip.
The driver’s panicked voice reached me, but the horse had already lost all reason and was rampaging.
The carriage shook violently, and I tried to summon my holy power.
“Do not use your holy power if possible.”
But Alec’s earlier words made me hesitate.
The scenery changed dizzyingly fast, and soon the village was near.
“Kyaa! Th-the carriage…!”
“Everyone, get out of the way!”
Hearing the urgent cries outside, I bit my lower lip tightly.
It was a test to see if I could use my power.
But there was no way—I couldn’t allow anyone to get hurt because of me.
Just as the white light began to flicker and spread from my body…
Crash! A slicing sound, like a sword cutting through something, and the horse’s cry echoed.
The front wheel of the carriage lifted, pinning me into the seat.
Opening my eyes from the sharp pain, the rapidly changing scenery suddenly stopped.
The carriage had stopped.
The door flung open urgently.
“Saint! Are you alright?”
I exhaled the breath I had been holding and nodded.
“What happened?”
The man said the horse had momentarily lost reason and gone wild.
So it wasn’t the carriage’s fault.
“Then, for now…”
“First, get out.”
He extended his hand, and I stepped down. The carriage wheels were completely ruined.
After racing over a rocky path, it was no wonder it was damaged.
How had the carriage stopped?
“Are you alright? Any injuries?”
“Yes, I’m fine.”
Though I had felt pain just moments ago, it was gone now.
The driver hurriedly knelt before me.
“Saint… I’m sorry… I have committed a grievous sin.”
The villagers, startled by my presence, covered their mouths in shock.
“To think it was the carriage the Saint was in.”
“If the carriage hadn’t stopped…”
“Thank you, knight.”
“Thank you for saving our Saint. What in the world is happening?”
Knights? Two knights who had been guarding me stood by, but the comments seemed aimed elsewhere.
Looking again, the driver’s clothes and face were stained with blood.
It wasn’t an injury—it looked like blood had splattered. Following the scent of iron, I glanced over the driver’s shoulder.
The horse, having lost reason, had collapsed. No—it was dead.
Raising my gaze slowly, my eyes caught a man holding a blood-dripping sword.
Our eyes met
