Why Am I a Priestess When I Reach the Maximum Level? - [Vol. 5] Chapter 213

[Vol. 5] Chapter 213: “Natural Disaster” Strikes

At first, Philomena was very anxious, worried that Xiaoqi, who had seen her in such a state, would report it to her grandfather, the Pope, August Lambert.

As the head of their family, he had been training Philomena from a young age to follow the path of becoming a Redemption Saintess. He repeatedly warned and urged her to always remain dignified and graceful, so as not to disgrace the reputation of both the Saintess and their divine family.

Because of this, Philomena was able to display a noble demeanor filled with charisma at a very young age, even being called a “natural Saintess” by others.

But in reality, there is no such thing as a “natural Saintess.” The expectations from others and her family placed immense pressure on her at such a young age. Occasionally, in private, she would let her guard down and show an even more lazy and decadent side.

This was the kind of “ugly behavior” that would make her grandfather put on a stern face and lecture her for at least half an hour.

Yet, despite several instances where Xiaoqi happened to witness such behavior, she never acted differently, and neither her grandfather nor the teachers responsible for instructing her in Saintess etiquette ever came to confront her.

This could only mean that Xiaoqi had kept everything she saw a secret and had not told anyone else.

Surprised by this discovery and thinking about Xiaoqi’s true identity, Philomena began to relax more around this doll maid who was responsible for her personal care. She started showing a more laid-back and casual side in front of her.

And Xiaoqi did not disappoint her. Though she would sometimes mercilessly quip things like, “The way you are now is too lazy, not fitting for the Saintess,” or “If you keep acting like this, it’ll be really hard for me to clean up the room,” it still felt more like casual banter between friends rather than the pressure her grandfather and others placed on her.

Being with Xiaoqi made her feel happy and relaxed.

She was the only friend who, despite knowing Philomena’s true nature, was still willing to accept her.

Gradually, the Saintess began to take things a step further, trying to share some of her deepest secrets, things she couldn’t tell anyone else with Xiaoqi. The latter would simply listen quietly or occasionally object with remarks like, “You shouldn’t be telling me this. I’m just a maid.” Yet in reality, she still remained expressionless, accepting all of Philomena’s flaws.

This made Philomena, who had been strictly educated and held to high expectations since childhood, feel a sense of warmth and care that was somewhere between that of a friend and a mother.

Their relationship had now developed to the point where even the major secret of the heirloom artifact’s hidden legacy was something the Saintess was willing to confide in Xiaoqi.

Because in this world, only Xiaoqi would never betray her.

“Alright, alright, you’re right. A short rest like this is enough. Luckily, those people outside haven’t been infected with the plague, otherwise it would’ve been a lot harder to handle. Let’s get ready to move on. We must reach Sacchino City by tomorrow morning to rendezvous with Her Highness Yuna and the main force.”

The Redemption Saintess sat up and gave her pink cheeks a few energetic slaps, as if trying to summon the strength to continue. Understanding her perfectly, the maid Xiaoqi nodded in agreement.

“Yes, Your Highness. I will go relay your order now and have the army…?!”

Before she could finish, the girl in the black-and-white maid uniform suddenly froze, turning her head slightly to one side. Her eyes, almost indistinguishable from a human’s, contracted unnaturally like mechanical gears winding tightly. Her body tensed.

It was as though she had encountered some kind of natural enemy, instinctively adopting the alert posture of a wild creature sensing danger.

“…Xiaoqi?”

Although the doll maid’s face was always expressionless, after nearly ten years of companionship, Philomena could already sense any subtle changes in her maid’s behavior and deduce the relevant information from them.

“Is there an enemy?”

A flash of light appeared, and in an instant, the Redemption Saintess was gripping a strange short staff, less than half a meter long, with a golden gem at the top that resembled a blooming flower. Her gaze became sharp and serious.

“Detected high-energy response, values cannot be determined… Detected demonic presence, but differs from recorded data, species identification failed, combat strength evaluation in progress… evaluation failed, values exceed standard limits.”

The gears in Xiaoqi’s mechanical-like pupils spun rapidly. Although her face remained emotionless, the urgency in her voice and her reaction to the threat were enough for the Saintess to grasp the severity of the situation.

Despite her slender arms and legs, making her appear no different from an ordinary human girl, this doll maid, a gift from her grandfather, was actually a super-strong protector capable of guarding the Redemption Saintess, who was not skilled in direct combat.

If evaluated according to those popular rumors, Xiaoqi would be equivalent to a legendary level top-tier warrior. She had already saved Philomena from danger several times, and to this day, the Saintess still didn’t know the full extent of her maid’s combat abilities.

But for Xiaoqi to say that… the combat power was beyond the upper limit?

“Crisis level: Catastrophe. Highest-level response plan—Your Highness Philomena, please retreat immediately. I will buy you time.”

Though her voice remained calm and emotionless, the Saintess could somehow sense a firm resolve in Xiaoqi’s words. The kind of determination to protect her master, even at the cost of her own life.

This triggered an intense moment of panic in Philomena, as if she were about to lose her closest companion.

Almost reflexively, words of refusal burst from her lips.

“No!”

Philomena stood up abruptly and grabbed the hand of the doll maid, who was about to turn and leave. Feeling the warmth and softness under her fingertips, indistinguishable from that of an ordinary girl, she almost seemed to be convincing herself as she argued firmly.

“At the very least, let’s meet the enemy first before we decide! With the priests and the accompanying Knight Templars protecting us, even an enemy at the catastrophe level might not be unstoppable. Besides, I am the Redemption Saintess, after all.”

“……”

Xiaoqi’s mechanical, gear-like eyes spun rapidly, locking with the Saintess’s soft golden gaze. After a brief silence, just as Philomena expected, Xiaoqi nodded expressionlessly in agreement.

“Misjudged the power levels of both sides. Estimated survival rate after conflict is less than one percent. A foolish decision. But if it’s an order from Her Highness Philomena… I will obey.”

The high-speed spinning gears, indicating an emergency mode, gradually disappeared from the doll maid’s eyes, returning to their usual lifelike appearance. Gently freeing her hand from the Saintess’s grasp, she blended into the surroundings like a chameleon, quickly vanishing from sight.

Though Philomena couldn’t see her, she knew this was just one of Xiaoqi’s ways of concealing herself. She had always stayed by her side like this, serving as the Saintess’s final line of defense.

“Sigh…”

Taking a deep breath, the girl suppressed her feelings of dread and the urge to flee, regaining her composure as the capable Redemption Saintess. After quickly tidying up her appearance, she confidently stepped out of the carriage.

Outside, in the temporary camp set up by the army, at least several hundred fully armored Knight Templars and priests had formed a human barricade, surrounding something that Philomena couldn’t see.

The noise was constant, and while no actual fighting had broken out based on the energy in the air, both sides, or rather, the Saintess’s personal guards were clearly on high alert. Golden light flickered between staves and weapons, as if a battle could erupt at any moment.

Philomena felt a surge of anxiety.

Had the enemy already bypassed the outer forces and gotten this close?

Such a targeted action could only mean one thing. Their goal was none other than her, the Redemption Saintess.