Why Am I a Priestess When I Reach the Maximum Level? - [Vol. 5] Chapter 160

[Vol. 5] Chapter 160: Reunion, the Priestess, and the Holy Knight

A golden sword of light shot into the sky, stopping precisely just a few centimeters from the forehead of another girl.

The sound of falling leaves filled the air, while the sword’s sharp intent left a distinct, empty mark on the ground, as if a long blade had sliced through it.

“Sigh…”

The Holy Knight girl holding the holy sword, Edwina Cecilia, let out a soft sigh, dispelled her attack with clear reluctance, and sheathed her blade. The heavy holy cross shield was once again strapped to her back as she shook her head in dissatisfaction.

“We hadn’t even started fighting yet, why are you so quick to call it off?”

“Whoa! Big sis, you almost killed me! If I hadn’t called it off, I’d be sliced in half by now!”

Edwina glanced at the holy cross shield lying on the ground. She bent down, picked it up, and leaned it against a tree. Like a patient teacher, she spoke in a gentle tone.

“In battle, no matter what, you must never discard your weapon. That’s almost the same as giving up and handing your life over to your opponent. For someone of legendary rank, you shouldn’t be defeated so easily.”

“Besides, I remember you have that ability to hide in shadows. You could have used it just now to find a new opportunity… and when blocking with your shield, you didn’t use the deflection technique I taught you. Collapsing so easily—how are you supposed to serve as a substitute?”

“In any case, back when we were in the Human United Kingdom, didn’t you survive multiple times after being killed? Could an attack like that really pose a threat to you?”

The girl, who was leaning against the tree, still trembling in her legs, looked almost identical to Edwina in both appearance and attire. She lowered her raised hands in a sign of surrender and sat down on the ground, completely exasperated as she loudly complained.

“Big sis, come on! A substitute is meant to confuse others, only occasionally stepping in to imitate someone’s behavior and aura. Who ever heard of a substitute having to fight just like the real person, be a tactician, and carry around a hundred-kilogram shield and armor all day?!”

“Even though I have some special life-saving abilities, they’re basically just tricks that make use of my undead traits. If I really get killed, you’d have to carry my corpse and beg that lord to revive me again!”

“Huh? Is that so?”

The Holy Knight girl sitting on the ground looked up and caught a glimpse of Miss Edwina, who had an expression of “Why didn’t you tell me this sooner?” on her face. She took off her heavy helmet, and several visible black lines of frustration seemed to appear on her forehead.

“Huh? What are you talking about? I’ve emphasized the same thing at least three times already! Every time you say, ‘Okay, okay, I get it,’ but when we start sparring, you forget everything and aim to kill me with every strike! Do you have some grudge against me or what?!”

The more the girl spoke, the angrier she got. By the end, she lay flat on the ground, flailing her arms and legs, throwing a full-blown tantrum. Meanwhile, Miss Edwina, who stood upright with the same face but now wearing a troubled and embarrassed expression, was the complete opposite.

No matter who witnessed this scene, they would undoubtedly find it baffling.

After all, in such a vast world, how could there be two people who look so alike that even standing face-to-face, it’s nearly impossible to tell them apart? Even identical twins, shaped by their environment and growth, would still show subtle differences to the trained eye.

“Alright, alright, don’t be mad. I just thought that after practicing for so long, you should at least be able to handle about ten moves… Okay, okay, I get it! But… even if I don’t expect you to have similar combat skills, you still need to memorize those documents and regulations. After all, we’re about to go to battle soon…”

With a face full of exasperation, Edwina tried to calm her substitute down. But the latter seemed to be venting all her frustrations at once, rolling around on the ground, loudly shouting things like, “I quit! I’m done with this! I’m resigning! This is labor abuse! I’m going to complain to that lord!” and other nonsensical outbursts.

To be honest, this wasn’t the first time the Holy Knight had encountered such difficult behavior from her counterpart since she had been entrusted with her. As the second lady of the Cecilia family, she was wondering whether she should further lower her employment standards when…

Suddenly, a third voice, distinct from theirs, echoed through the small forest by the quiet pond.

“Oh my, what an interesting sight~”

“Who’s there!?”

Almost instinctively, the Holy Knight swiftly drew the holy sword she had just sheathed, grabbed her holy shield, and instantly assumed a fully armed defensive stance.

The other “substitute,” who had been making a loud fuss moments earlier, also immediately fell silent. Her entire body, including her armor, melted into the shadows and disappeared without a trace.

This was not a place where just anyone could casually enter.

The Cecilia family had invested a fortune to build this secluded, secret location, exclusively for the direct descendants to train and retreat. Though it appeared ordinary, it hid countless mysteries.

Every tree in this forest had been meticulously planted and arranged using ancient methods. Not only could they absorb and gather the flowing energy within, but they also effectively enhanced the concentration of magical power in the air. The trees themselves formed an extraordinarily complex maze-like formation.

Unless someone had prior knowledge of its secrets or was guided by a family-provided map, only a master skilled in formations would have a chance of reaching the deepest part near the secluded pond and waterfall—and even then, it would take considerable time to decipher the maze.

In addition, the edges of the forest were equipped with high-level magical barriers that warded off intruders and further concealed the internal scenery and aura. With such multiple layers of protection, Edwina could train and fight freely here without restraint.

However, today, Edwina had not received any notice or message about an outsider coming to visit.

As she grew more vigilant, she exchanged simple hand signals with her substitute, who was hidden in the shadows behind her, preparing for a potential battle…

Then, along with some familiar laughter, light footsteps could be heard approaching, leaves rustling softly underfoot.

A girl in a white robe emerged from the lush greenery, appearing before the Holy Knight with a bright, charming smile.

“Hi, long time no see! Of course, I mean… face to face like this~ Have you missed me?”

*Clang.*

The golden-haired girl, who had just been lecturing someone about never letting their weapon leave their side, suddenly dropped her holy sword to the ground. Her clear, beautiful eyes widened in disbelief.

“M-Miss Violet?!”

The priestess leisurely took a few steps forward and, with a smile, gave a quick glance at the shadow behind the Holy Knight, where the sunlight filtering through the trees reflected her substitute. She nodded, still smiling.

“Relax, I’m not some illusion or impostor. Is there really any need to be so shocked? Didn’t I tell you before that I would come along with the Expeditionary Army? You should’ve heard about the western army arriving at the Holy Capital by now, right?”

Hearing this from the black-haired, white-robed girl, Edwina finally snapped out of her overwhelming shock and joy. Realizing her awkwardness, she hurriedly bent down to pick up her fallen holy sword, sheathed it, and reattached her shield to her back. She instinctively tidied her hair and straightened her battle dress, scratching her head with an embarrassed smile.

“I did know that the army led by the Bright Light Saintess was approaching the Holy Capital, but that shouldn’t mean that…”

Violet understood what she was trying to say and why Edwina didn’t finish her sentence.

“Yes, about that, I’ll explain it to you later. By the way, Cromancia… how much longer are you planning to hide there?”

As soon as she finished speaking, the “shadow” behind Edwina visibly wriggled in an eerie way, separating itself from the real shadow. Eventually, it transformed into a young woman with long brown hair, entirely different from her earlier form, who stepped out from behind the Holy Knight. She let out a few awkward chuckles, nervously meeting the priestess’s silver-blue gaze.

“Ahaha… L-Lady Violet, what an honor to see you here! It’s such a… delightful surprise… hahaha…”

At those words, the smile on Violet’s lips grew even more pronounced, but her tone remained teasingly ambiguous.

“Surprise? Or shock? Did you think that just because I’m not in the Holy Empire and my whereabouts are uncertain, you could do as you please? I spared your life and even granted you a new one so you could assist Edwina properly, not so you could slack off, raise prices, and bargain with your employer.”

“I heard you wanted to file a complaint. Well, here I am. Go ahead, tell me all about it~”