Chapter 62 - 2.23

"Then, everything is settled. Let us part off with this town. Do you think we have everything we need?" Xu Jiaqi asked.

"I've checked it multiple times, and I also procured a map from the knights' resources. There is a town not far from here, so we could make a stop there. After that town, it should be a two day journey to Palla.. Ah, Lady, you are fine with taking shortcuts from the main road, right?" Zenith explained the pathway they were going to take, letting their finger trace over the roads drawn on the map's surface.

Although originally the estimated time was one week, because they were going to scrap the carriage and take shortcuts, the length was reduced to just four to five days.

"Naturally. I just want to get there, the method isn't that important to me. If only I could use teleportation magic, we would've been there in a flash.. but that's nonsensical, right?" Xu Jiaqi chuckled as she was determined to learn that trash magic one day.

Spare her butt from having to sit on a hard rock carriage all day long!

"Lady Ariel is a talented magician, so I'm sure that you will get there." Zenith smiled as he assured her. After changing the horse's reins to something more comfortable, Zenith assisted Xu Jiaqi to get on top of the horse.

"Aha, you have that much faith already? Zen, you are so gullible. What if I'm tricking you as we speak?" Xu Jiaqi laughed.

Zenith simply hummed, not replying this time. Xu Jiaqi was positioned in the front, while Zenith got on the back of the horse to secure the lady.

Xu Jiaqi's expression fell. Silent people were usually the most dangerous ones.

They were sent off by the townspeople, who now more or less had a good impression on these two newcomers. Wishing everybody to be well, the pair began their travel to the faraway land of Palla.

The horse galloped through the roads at a relatively fast speed, and Xu Jiaqi was also enjoying the windy terrain and fresh air from the nature.

Then, she suddenly had a thought. About Zenith and her, in relation to the future occasions they were going to go through.

"Zen.. Although I don't exactly know which path we are going to take, I just want to ask you one simple question that you don't have to answer right away." Xu Jiaqi's lips curved up as she muttered in a low voice. She tilted her head upwards, and leaned her back against Zenith's chest.

The knight was distracted by the lady's movements. For a second, he became hypnotized by her crystal clear eyes that seemed so bright, akin to stars in the night sky. Zenith gulped as he coughed to relieve the knot that was forming in his throat.

"Yes, my lady?" Zenith asked.

"If, one day, I will destroy the world with these hands.. will you oppose me and turn into my enemy?" Her starry eyes blinked at him, as if subconsciously trapping him in them. A trap that he was rather willing to fall into.

There was a tug on Zenith's heart as Xu Jiaqi launched the strange question. After thinking about it, and composing himself, he answered. "Everybody has their own reasons. I don't think that Lady Ariel would just do such a thing out of boredom, so you must have your own reason to support it. I will decide after I hear the reason."

Xu Jiaqi broke into a cheerful laughter as she straightened her back and turned around, facing Zenith.

"The world is twisted, Zen. I don't like it, so I am going to turn it around, make the world my canvas, and paint it with my colors. My views. Blood may become my paint, but if it is necessary, then I can afford anything. I am going to get stronger and somehow snatch all the injustices, gather them up, and destroy it. And you know where is one of the centers of these bad guys? It's the place we are going to.. Palla's churches." Xu Jiaqi narrowed her eyes as she looked at Zenith's sculpted face, stretching her hand upwards to touch his features.

Zenith's heart skipped a beat. Although he wasn't a devoted believer of Goddess Eula, it was a well known fact that the Holy Region of Palla held a massive support throughout the empire. If the lady's words were spread to the people, then they would call her a blasphemer.

When he thought about his lady being condemned by the society, he felt annoyed, but that wasn't the point.

He felt more frustrated at the thought of the lady being mistreated rather than dreading her plan.

Xu Jiaqi ignored Zenith's silence and continued to speak, knowing that he wasn't in full denial of her words.

"Say, Zen. I.. have a strong magic power, but that isn't it. I have an enormous aptitude to the Holy magic. I won't explain in detail, but Holy magic is very close to me in nature. I don't hate Goddess Eula, nor do I hate the faith. In fact, I am a believer. I just hate the church, I feel disgusted at the people who commit monstrosities under the name of my Goddess and make use of the holy title to get away from punishment and law." Xu Jiaqi's voice grew colder and colder as she spoke.

She twirled around her hand, casting an array of Holy magic that shone bright, making Zenith close his eyes and slow down the horse's pace in order to avoid falls.

Internally, the System was cursing Xu Jiaqi again and again. Precisely because minutes before this, his Host consulted him about the story they were going to act on, and she insulted the Goddess saying that she might already be gone and that it would be better to get rid of the faith entirely.

System: I have to live day in and day out with a hypocritical Host!