Saint Lady, Please Let Them Go

Chapter 9 The Omen of Potomac, Plucking the Baron’s Daughter Again

Potomac was a territory under the jurisdiction of Red Maple City.

It was more than two hundred kilometers away from Red Maple City, located at the edge of the territory.

Sophia had never been there, but it was said that Potomac bordered the Monster Mountain Range, suffering constant harassment from magical beasts, and had long since become a militarized fortress.

That place was not suitable for ordinary people to farm or cultivate.

It was mostly frequented by adventurers, bounty hunters, and adventure teams.

There were plenty of such places within the Holy Empire.

But for Sophia, it felt far too distant.

As the Saintess, I didn’t have to struggle on the line between life and death like ordinary adventurers, seeking food or wealth.

Nor was I like common folk who fought magical beasts to secure resources.

Now, Norelle spoke of an omen from Potomac, but I felt no real connection to it.

Even if magical beasts invaded in droves, it was more than two hundred kilometers away, far from Red Maple City.

Even if it concerned me, there was no need to rush.

But as the Saintess, I could not display an indifferent attitude, as if it had nothing to do with me.

“May the Holy Light protect you and me, may all darkness and suffering be banished where the Holy Light shines.”

“What does the Matriarch mean by this omen?”

Norelle said, “May the Holy Light shelter you and me… Though Potomac was once an ordinary human town long ago, it has become a militarized place over the years.”

“By all accounts, such a place should not encounter problems, but that White Knight brought back troubling news.”

“The Holy Light once delivered a prophecy: when plague and aberrations shatter the courage of the living, the demons of the abyss will tear through their seals.”

“Sophia, as the Saintess of Red Maple City, do you know anything of the suffering lands beyond the reach of the Holy Light?”

I shook my head.

Even with the memories of my original self, my activities had been limited to the towns near Red Maple City and those were in the name of preaching, accompanied by White Knights.

Farther places…I had not yet ventured there.

How vast, how deep, how wondrous was the Continent of Tran?

I did not know.

I knelt halfway, assuming a prayerful pose. “Saintess Sophia prays for the guidance of the Holy Light. I wish to bring Its radiance to all the suffering lands of the world.”

Norelle lifted me gently, smiling warmly. “I believe in you, child. This is precisely why I came to you…”

“Potomac has not yet been graced by the Holy Light.

It needs Saintess Sophia to sow its seeds.”

“The White Knight brought news—plague and undead have appeared in Potomac, the very ill omens foretold by the Holy Light.”

“Moreover, the holy water, meant as a gift of the Holy Light, was stolen there.”

If spreading the Holy Light was a grandiose pretext, a cover for proselytizing,

then Norelle’s final words were the true focus.

Because Red Maple City was merely a branch of the Holy Light Church, holy water could only be transported from the main church.

Norelle had just said that Potomac was generally safe under normal circumstances, so it was common for holy water convoys to pass through there.

Who could have imagined it would be robbed!?

This news was likely the reason that White Knight had rushed back to report.

But who had the audacity to steal from the Holy Light Church?

As I processed this, Norelle continued, “The holy water is not only vital for the upcoming purification ceremony, but it is also the face of our Holy Light Church.”

“Evil, dark claws dare to reach for us with their filth. The Holy Light will surely judge their sins.”

“Sophia, this task is yours alone.”

“It’s also a chance for you to gain experience. I’ve discussed this with the priest.”

“May you, under the guidance of the Holy Light, reclaim the holy water from the demons’ grasp and show Its glory in Potomac.”

So that was it.

That’s why she came to discuss this with me so early?

Under my silent gaze, Norelle smiled gently.

“But don’t feel pressured. If it proves impossible, the Holy Light will not let Its Saintess take risks.”

“What do you say? Are you willing to accept?”

Though I was the Saintess, this position was not set in stone.

Many candidates were waiting for me to falter, ready to replace me.

The church’s members were not, as outsiders might think, pure innocents who only served the Holy Light and cared for nothing else.

Of course, such people existed, but most still had worldly ambitions.

If I refused, under the instigation of those with motives, my status and reputation would be shaken.

Even if Norelle had no such intentions, others would seize the opportunity to attack me.

“Of course.” I knelt halfway again, raising my hands high.

“Saintess Sophia is willing to accept the guidance of the Holy Light.”

The Holy Light descended from above my head.

It shimmered brilliantly.

The platinum glow bathed me in an aura of utmost sanctity.

Norelle looked at me with satisfaction. “Good child, I will pray for you.”

====

That night, I disguised myself again and arrived at the mansion of Baron Kanis.

Well-practiced, I soon stood outside the boudoir of the Baroness—Rona Kanis.

Since Baron Kanis passed away, the Baroness had withdrawn from worldly affairs, rarely leaving the mansion.

She sat alone by the window all day, gazing blankly at the sky, a sight that stirred pity.

At thirty-five, Rona Kanis showed no signs of middle age, blooming instead like a young maiden.

Her delicate features and sorrowful loneliness only added to her charm.

Prolonged lack of nourishment gave her a frail, almost otherworldly air of austerity.

At that moment, Rona Kanis leaned against the window, lost in thought, gazing at the moon outside.

“What a pity,”I sighed inwardly.

Rona Kanis would have been a fine target for Joyful Magic.

But tonight, I had come for her daughter, Verna Kanis.

Verna’s room was next door, and I moved deftly to her window.

The window was slightly ajar, as if deliberately left open for me.

But I wasn’t so vain as to think one night of pleasure had won Verna’s complete devotion.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have gone to the church in broad daylight to confess her sins to Saintess Sophia, seeking purification.

I glanced down and, as expected, spotted two fire-based magical traps behind the window.

If I stepped on them, I’d be incinerated instantly, not to mention alerting Verna, who was pretending to sleep, to launch a surprise attack.

Moreover, for extra security, Verna had set up several mechanical traps inside the room.

Since no one else lived in the house, and Rona Kanis rarely entered her room, Verna had no qualms about setting these up.

I marveled inwardly.

As expected of the Baron’s daughter, she knew quite a few tricks.

To prevent me from entering and plucking her tender petals again, she had gone to great lengths to set traps.

But alas…Having cultivated spiritual energy, I bent down, picked up a pebble from the ground, and hurled it toward Rona Kanis’s window in the darkness.

Crack—

“Ah!!”

In the silent baron’s mansion, her cry of pain rang clear.

“Mother!”

Verna, who had been on edge all night, fearing I’d come to pluck her again, naturally heard it.

She leapt out of bed, carefully avoiding her own traps, and pushed open the door.

As she hurried toward Rona Kanis’s room, she ran straight into a girl wearing a Silver Mask.

“You!!”

Before her anger and shock could form words, Verna was silenced by the girl who pressed close.

As everyone knew, once a mage was approached, they were at the mercy of their foe.