Chapter 41: Three Years, and Revelation

Two days later, Vera woke up early. He put on his priest's robes, grabbed his sword, and headed for the Great Hall.

Today, Renee would receive her revelation. Vera already knew what it would be: a "Secret Journey." She had mentioned it to him before—a trip she took to the slums years ago. This journey would take a long time, not just a day or two. He remembered her saying, "There was a time when I secretly ventured out to share my power across the continent."

This wasn't just a guess. He had proof from his past life. He remembered Renee attending public events in different countries while Vargo was still alive. He never met her back then, but news of her travels spread far and wide. She had probably visited the slums while attending a banquet for the Empire’s Founding Day. That day was only six months away.

Snap. Vera's hand tightened on the hilt of his sword, his arm tense. A difficult question filled his mind. 'Should I take her there?'

If she insisted on going to the slums, what should he say?

In his previous life, the young Renee—who had been resentful of the Gods—changed after seeing the slums. The suffering there made her decide to live for others, to become a true Saint. If he thought only of her role as the Saint, taking her there was the right thing to do.

But he was worried. 'Is that really the right thing for Renee, the girl, not the Saint?'

The Renee he knew now was so innocent and fragile. He didn't want to send her to the slums just for his own selfish desire to see her become the perfect Saint. He still clung to the hope that she could blossom on her own, without that difficult experience. Yet, a part of him was afraid she wouldn't. He sighed.

This had been his constant dilemma for three years. He came to a decision. "…Not yet." He would put off the decision for another day, though he knew it was just an excuse.

---

Renee thought to herself. No matter how she looked at it, her outfit was a lot of work. First, they wrapped her in several layers of large cloth over her priest's robes. Then they fastened everything with belts and pins. Finally, they draped a shawl with jewels over her.

And that wasn't all. Her long hair was combed, a few strands braided on the side, and then decorated. They even put makeup on her face.

Even after three years of this, the process still made her head spin. But finally, she heard her favorite words.

"It's done."

"Thank you, everyone. You all worked hard."

"It's our duty."

"Well, I'll go now."

"Yes."

Tap. Tap. Her cane touched the ground. She opened the door, and as always, Vera was waiting.

"I hope you're well?"

"Yes, what about you, Sir Vera?"

"As usual."

After a quick chat, Renee took Vera's hand and started walking. "Will it take long?" she asked.

"From my experience, it wasn't long at all," he said. "Rohan led the ceremony, and I just stood there."

"Oh, that's a relief. I was nervous for no reason…"

For the past two days, ever since she announced her decision, she hadn’t slept well. She wondered what kind of revelation she would receive and what the Gods would ask of her. It was normal to be nervous. A revelation was the only way to communicate with the Gods, and even though it was one-sided, the thought was daunting.

"Huff," she took a deep breath, trying to calm her growing anxiety. "Is it possible I'll get a ridiculous revelation?"

"That won't happen. The Gods would never give you a trial you can't overcome."

"Ah, I'm glad…"

She let out a long breath. Her heart was beating faster.

'Vera is so special,' she thought. He had received a revelation that simply said "Pass," an event Trevor had said was unheard of. He was younger than the other Apostles but strong enough to forge his own path. In Renee's eyes, no one was more special than Vera.

Suddenly, her face felt hot. She took another deep breath and shook her head, trying to clear her mind.

"Is something wrong?"

"Oh, I'm just nervous."

"There's no need to be. Whatever the revelation, the Saint will overcome it."

"…Stop that." Renee scolded him. 'Do you know how often my heart skips a beat when you say things like that?'

"I apologize," Vera said.

'You always apologize without realizing what you did wrong,' she thought.

Vera, seeing her pouting face, began to worry. 'Is she going through a late puberty?' The Renee he knew in her early teens was always so gentle. Lately, she had become obsessed with "maturity," often talking about things like alcohol.

He concluded that she must be going through a delayed puberty. Of course, he was completely wrong. Renee's obsession with maturity was because she wanted him to see her as a woman, not a child. She talked about alcohol because she was worried about him going out at night.

If Renee had known his thoughts, she would have been furious. Luckily for Vera, she couldn’t read his mind.

"…I just meant you don't have to worry too much. Even if a difficult revelation comes, I'll be by your side. Feel free to rely on me…"

"S-stop!"

"…I apologize."

Renee froze, her cheeks burning. "...No. Thank you for your kindness."

"I'm glad to hear that."

Her head drooped. She was thankful that Vera was so oblivious sometimes. The heat spread down her neck and ears, and she felt like a ripe apple. Embarrassed by her reaction, she quickly turned her gaze to her innocent cane.

---

A secret room in the heart of the Grand Hall. The door creaked open, and Renee shivered from the sudden cool air.

"Are you here?" Vargo's voice echoed.

"I apologize. I'm not too late, am I?" Renee said, with a slight smile.

"No, you're right on time. Rohan will be ready soon, so please wait a little longer."

"Oh, yes." Renee nodded.

Vera listened to their conversation while watching Rohan set up the revelation. In the center of the room, a small spring bubbled. Above it, Rohan was drawing an indigo magic circle with divine power, while Trevor reinforced it on the side.

"Why is Trevor here?" Vera asked Vargo.

"I sent him to help Rohan. He's still hungover."

Vera frowned. 'Hungover on a day this important?' He looked at Rohan, his brow furrowed, but then nodded, deciding to give him a final "lesson" before he left.

As the circle was being drawn, the twins approached Renee.

"Saint, you look nervous. You have to relax."

"Right, I get dizzy when I'm nervous."

"Oh, thank you, Sir Krek and Marek."

Renee smiled and took a deep breath. 'It's going to be okay,' she told herself. 'It's just one sentence.' Even if it was difficult, she had Vera and everyone else to help her.

She felt Vera’s hand cover hers, and her heart skipped a beat. "The twins are right. You don't need to be nervous. As I've said, I'll stand by you. You don't need to worry about anything."

His words made her face heat up again. "…Yes." The love she felt for him, which hadn't faded in three years, made her heart pound even now.

The air around them grew tense and awkward. The twins, watching from a distance, whispered. "That's not Vera at all."

"Yeah, he's acting like a playboy." They both nodded in agreement.

Vargo clicked his tongue and shook his head.

Then, Rohan's exhausted voice called out, "All done!"

Renee, startled, nodded and walked toward the spring, holding Vera's hand tightly. About eight steps later, she stopped, feeling the strong divine energy in front of her. She was nervous again.

"Come, Saint. You just need to stand still. It will be over soon," Vargo said.

"Ah, yes." Renee replied.

The circle began to glow. A low hum filled the room as the indigo divine energy pulsed. The geometric shapes that made up the circle moved, fitting together like a puzzle.

This was the second time Vera had seen a revelation. He focused on the spring, remembering that the divine power would flow in and form letters.

The indigo light seeped into the water, twisting and shaping into words.

When the letters were complete, Vera turned to Renee and read them aloud. "The revelation is… 'Moving forward, benefit, do…'"

A single, simple sentence.

"…The revelation has been made," he finished.

Renee, who had been so tense, was startled by the words. Her bewilderment quickly turned into disappointment.

"…Is that it?" she asked.

"Yes."

All the tension drained out of her body, replaced by a deep sense of anticlimax.

'Isn't this too vague?' she thought.