CH 99

The first place I went to after getting out was my room. I was worried about whether Kyuu and Daisy were doing well.

“Kyuu…”

I stroked Kyuu’s fur through my sleeve.

Kyuu was also rubbing its body against my wrist as if it was happy.

“It’s a relief. That you’re safe.”

[Ciel, the God of Destruction, pities it.]

The door to my room was locked, but I guess they didn’t imprison the golden hamster.

“Kyuu, kyuu kyuuuu!”

As soon as Kyuu saw me, it became restless. It was as if it wanted to convey something.

“What’s the matter?”

When I looked closely, Kyuu went back to its nest and pretended to be distressed. It seemed to mean that it was roughly locked up and couldn’t get out.

“Is Daisy locked up?”

Escaping with Daisy with the old used secret passage map was highly risky, so I had left the temple without telling her.

I thought Daisy, who didn’t spill any information, because she didn’t know anything, would be safe…

“Kyuuu…”

“Did Camilla lock her up?”

“Kyuu!”

“Do you know where she’s trapped?”

“Kyuu kyuu, kyuu kyuu, kyuuuuu kyuu kyuu…”

Kyuu tried to explain with all its might, but I couldn’t understand its words right away.

It was when I was listening to Kyuu’s explanation several times.

[Ciel translates Kyuu’s words that Daisy is imprisoned in the underground prison under the west wing.]

“…Huh?”

[Ciel turns around, blushing.]

Turns out Ciel… knows how to speak the hamsters’ language.

***

The place I arrived at soon was a dark and wet semi-basement cave.

After asking Kyle’s knights to stand guard, I went downstairs.

As I groped my way through the darkness, I saw the outline of an underground prison.

Yet for an instant, I felt a strange presence behind my back.

I turned around in surprise and saw a familiar face. It was Dwayne, who had taken off his Paladin uniform and was wearing plain clothes.

Dwayne asked me in a small, urgent voice.

“Where have you been, Saintess? Do you know that Elium is turned upside down?”

“I know. Sshh. First of all, I’m here to save Daisy, so be quiet.”

“Sir Reihausd is also imprisoned.”

He must have come to rescue Reihausd. I wish I could save him too if we had met before.

“The Paladins on Heinz’s side are guarding the prison.”

“Don’t worry about that.”

I also had something in mind.

I faced soldiers with torches.

“W-Who are you!”

It was the time for me to take out the holy relic that I bought at the shop, though I didn’t want to.

[Oman’s Lash – When you wield this whip and say a special starter, all the opposite sex will obey you.]

“Towards the Queen…”

I shouted as I wielded it.

“Obey!”

Then, a few beams of light from the whip flew, wriggling as if they were alive, wrapping themselves around the soldiers and causing them to fall.

The fallen soldiers crawled on the floor, fumbling as if they were drunk.

[The God of Benevolence, Oman, is very satisfied, saying that he said it would help, didn’t he.]

[The God of Knowledge, Hessed, covers his eyes in embarrassment.]

[The God of Art, Mond, can’t hold back his laughter.]

It was a useful holy relic that I didn’t want to buy after seeing the ‘starter’ part in the shop, the whip.

I also have the blessing of Ciel, the God of Destruction, but I chose it because I think I need a weapon to deal with people in the dark… How absurd.

Dwayne’s startled voice came from behind.

“Queen… You say?”

“…”

I kept swinging the lash, ignoring his words.

“Obey the Queen!”

Again, the soldiers fell.

[The God of Justice, Hetuse, is a little ashamed of you.]

…My face was hot.

‘Uugh.’

Still, thanks to the long whiplash, there’s nothing quite like it for a ranged weapon.

“Queen…”

Leaving behind Dwayne, who muttered in a timid voice, I hurriedly searched for Daisy.

“Daisy.”

But the inside of the bar I was holding was empty.

“Daisy!”

I looked around and shouted. Then a faint voice came from the corner.

“Sain…tess…”

It was Daisy’s voice.

I hurriedly approached the grate where the noise came from. There was Daisy, leaning against the cold wall, staring at me helplessly.

“My goodness.”

I applied force to the lock.

Thanks to Ciel’s blessing, the door was immediately broken open with a creak.

“No, how can you handle iron with your bare hands…?”

I heard Dwayne gasping behind me, yet I didn’t care and went inside the prison.

Then I threw off the veil and helped Daisy as she staggered to her feet.

“Daisy. Are you okay? Such…”

“Saintess… Why did you come? It’s dangerous here.”

Tears welled up in Daisy’s eyes.

“Camilla is a witch. I’m saying she’s evil. She has strange powers.”

Daisy’s body trembled as she spoke sparsely, struggling. She must have been through a lot of hardships.

‘Poor thing.’

I concentrated energy in my hands and energized Daisy’s body. Fortunately, I felt her trembling body gradually calm down.

“Dwayne. Support Daisy.”

Immediately, he came over and held Daisy in a bridal style.

“Saintess. You can’t go…”

She reached out to me and said.

“I’m in a hurry, so let’s talk later. I have to save Sir Reihausd.”

“That person… He… He’s out of his mind right now.”

Daisy shook her head.

Something must have happened to Reihausd. However, I didn’t care and moved busily to find him.

‘Please… stay alive.’

***

“Sir Reihausd. Sir Reihausd!”

I ran from place to place calling his name.

Yet there was no response from him anywhere.

But I couldn’t give up. I kept looking for him in the prison cells, and finally found him in the last cell near the exit.

“Sir Reihausd…”

But I hesitated to reach out to open the door.

He was hanging in the air with chains hanging around his arms.

Traces of the whip all over this body, bloodstains, and even his eyes were covered with bandages. It was so miserable that I couldn’t bear to open my eyes and see him.

“Reihausd!”

Watching it blankly, I broke down the door and entered the room.

He just hung there, as if he couldn’t hear my voice.

The traces of the whip on his whole strong body made it possible for me to guess what kind of time he had spent.

To think that they made the temple’s High Priest like this. It’s something shocking.

I raised my whip and shouted.

“Obey the Queen!”

A beam of light flew out and freed the shackles from his wrists and ankles. Fortunately, it seems that it could be used for objects as well.

Reihausd’s body floated about 15 centimeters then his feet touched the floor. I quickly approached him.

Then I heard Daisy’s screaming voice from behind.

“Be careful. Saintess!”

Feeling something awful, I tried to hide, yet his hand immediately wrapped around my neck.

“Ugh!”

It was such a strong force that it felt like my breath would be cut off at any moment.

The bandage on his eyes came off, revealing his golden eyes full of bloodlust.  He was staring at me as if there was nothing in his eyes.

“I will… kill… you.”

I could see Daisy through my fading vision.

She shouted at me with all her might.

“Camilla kept harassing the High Priest! I heard her voice!”

So… You mean that I’m mistaken for Camilla right now?

Perhaps it’s the power of Bellatrix, the God of Lies, of the two Gods she is with. His strong grip tightened my throat, choking my breath.

“High Priest. Please stop. Damn it.”

Dwayne came running from behind.

But I had Ciel’s power.

I raised my hand and slapped him on the cheek before Dwayne ran up. Then Reihausd’s head turned and his golden eyes shook violently.

He let go of me and threw me straight to the ground.

[The God of Art, Mond, is shocked as his hands tremble.]

[The God of Destruction, Ciel, is satisfied with the powerful power.]

Fortunately, I could now control the power of the blessing that had been upgraded once in the mine.

‘Otherwise, I might have sent Reihausd to the God of Death with my own hands.’

I could feel Dwayne, who couldn’t believe that I, who looked weak, threw Reihausd with tremendous force, stood tall.

“…”

“…”

A deep silence fell between us.

“…He just fainted.”

I hesitated to answer, and Dwayne took two steps back as if he was looking at a monster.

Daisy must have been startled, she let out a sound, hiccup.

“…It’s not my power, it’s the power of the Gods?”

I spoke in a benevolent and bright tone, yet Dwayne was shivering. With eyes looking at the monster that defeated another monster.

“Y-You… are awesome. The same goes with the whip.”

No, I told you I’m not that kind of person.

I have more misunderstandings that have to be cleared up again.