Why Am I a Priestess When I Reach the Maximum Level? - [Vol. 5] Chapter 214

[Vol. 5] Chapter 214: Departing After the Deed

Although filled with anxiety, once Philomena stood before the crowd, there was no place for her to show any hint of fear or laziness. She moved gracefully, stepping forward through her subordinates, who instinctively made way, and directly faced the mysterious visitors.

Soon, their appearance was clear before the Saintess’s eyes.

They were a seemingly ordinary pair, their appearance resembling that of humans.

One of them was a handsome young man, appearing to be in his early twenties, with a jade-like face. He wore simple gray clothes, and his unbound short hair gently fluttered in the breeze. Although he carried no weapons, his otherworldly aura left a deep impression with just a glance.

From this man, Philomena detected a faint, demon-like presence, though it wasn’t as overt as that of a true demon. It was enough to trigger a sense of warning within her, yet she couldn’t fully grasp its nature.

The key issue was… Philomena couldn’t gauge his strength at all. It was as if she were staring into a veil of mountain mist or an abyss beneath the turbulent waves of the Eastern Sea, utterly unfathomable.

Extremely dangerous.

Philomena’s experience in judging people immediately gave her that conclusion.

As for his companion, a man with slightly grayish-black hair, wearing an elegant long robe, with his long hair tied up behind him and a luxurious sword on his back, he appeared to be a middle-aged man in his thirties. Compared to his companion, he seemed much more unremarkable.

As the Redemption Saintess, the only one among the Three Saintesses who is fully focused on support, Philomena was particularly sensitive to the various auras emitted by living beings. With just a glance, she could tell that the swordsman-looking man was an ordinary human.

However, the natural flow of his aura, as elusive as a gentle breeze, suggested that this person was likely a legendary-level warrior as well. His unique presence reminded the Saintess of someone, or rather, a particular martial arts sect.

Philomena quickly contemplated this in her mind, but as a well-trained Saintess, she didn’t show any of it on her face. Instead, she raised her hand to signal her subordinates not to act rashly, and without hesitation or fear, she looked directly at the two individuals and spoke clearly.

“I am Philomena Lambert, the 23rd Redemption Saintess of the Holy Empire and the temporary leader of this army. Who are you, and how dare you intrude upon the sacred grounds of our military camp?”

Although she felt a bit nervous after delivering these authoritative words, she was slightly surprised by the two mysterious visitors’ demeanor. They seemed to have proper manners and respect, as both of them politely bowed their heads slightly to her before the young man in the gray robe, whose strength she couldn’t discern, smiled and spoke.

“Greetings, Your Highness the Saintess. My name is Minchen. I am a simple traveler without any notable background or status. This is… well, my traveling companion, Nicholas.”

“We have no intention of causing offense. However, your army is well-disciplined and heavily guarded, especially during this time of war. It has been difficult to meet you, so we had no choice but to take this unconventional approach. I hope Your Highness can forgive our rudeness.”

Is… is that so? Whew, thank goodness…

Though she wasn’t ready to completely lower her guard, Philomena felt a slight relief hearing their explanation and seeing their display of friendliness.

If this person had truly been sent by demons to assassinate her, it would have been far more dangerous.

In the end, ever since she succeeded as the Saintess, this was the first time Philomena had seen the seemingly omnipotent Xiaoqi show such a nervous attitude. Although she spoke confidently to get her maid to comply, Philomena knew very well that if a fight did break out, this vast army would likely be of little use against a truly powerful individual.

As the Redemption Saintess, Philomena was, after all, the weakest in direct combat among the Three Saintesses, and also the one with the highest non-natural mortality rate, aside from natural succession.

In assassination attempts or large-scale battles, any intelligent enemy would know to prioritize eliminating the support figure who could continuously bolster her allies but was extremely fragile herself.

Hadn’t Philomena already become the 23rd Redemption Saintess, while the Bright Light Saintess next door was only on her 8th successor?

Of course, even though the other party had said such things, in front of everyone, Philomena couldn’t just casually respond with something like, “No problem! As long as you’re not an assassin, we can talk!” Even though she didn’t want to, she had to put on the demeanor of a Saintess, pretending to shake her head in a dignified manner.

“Intruding into the military camp is a serious crime, and you should be well aware of your own situation, right? During a time of war, I do not wish to create unnecessary conflict. If you are not our enemy, then show it through your actions… Now, tell me, what is it you seek?”

“Your Highness is wise~”

The gray-haired man who called himself Minchen raised his hand with a smile. Even this small gesture immediately put the surrounding Holy Knights on high alert, as they instinctively raised their swords and shields, ready to strike if he made any suspicious moves.

After all, they were standing before the Saintess herself.

Philomena did not stop her subordinates’ actions. Everything so far had been based solely on Minchen’s words. Though his unfathomable strength made her uneasy, she wouldn’t simply give up resisting or place all her hopes on him having no ill intent.

Just as the Saintess waited nervously and her personal guards gripped their weapons in vigilance, the young man named Minchen suddenly tossed something out from his sleeve. It spun in the air and fell straight toward the pink-gold-haired girl!

“How dare you!”

“Your Highness, be careful!”

Several of the Holy Knights cried out in alarm, preparing to block it, but a short-haired girl in a black-and-white maid’s uniform moved faster than them. She instantly appeared in front of the Saintess, raised her hand, and with a light tug, the object, wrapped in black cloth, was pulled by some unseen force and redirected into her palm.

“Stand down, all of you.”

Philomena, turning toward her maid who had quietly come to her side without concealing herself this time, ordered her guards, who were enraged and about to attack the pair, to stop.

“Xiaoqi…”

“Based on the force carried and the trajectory, I can rule out any intent to attack. No signs of unstable explosive energy were detected either. Your Highness Philomena, this is a safe object.”

“I see…”

Listening to the maid’s emotionless analysis, the Redemption Saintess finally nodded. With a subtle glance, she signaled her, and Xiaoqi immediately understood. In front of her, she unwrapped the black cloth from the object.

Inside was a silver gemstone, slightly marred with dark spots, only a bit larger than the maid’s delicate hand.

Judging by the remarkable energy it emitted, Philomena, as both a Saintess and a divine descendant, could immediately tell that this was at least a fifth-tier magic crystal.

No… considering the faint and distorted energy emanating from it, resembling an unstable spatial fluctuation… could it be a sixth-tier magic crystal?

A sixth-tier magic crystal, which is equivalent to a rare spiritual treasure… this…

Moreover, Philomena was certain she had never seen a high-tier magic crystal with this shape and aura before.

“What is the meaning of this?”

Seemingly unaffected by the hostility of the surrounding Knight Templars, the young man who called himself Minchen smiled lightly, as if it were all a breeze.

“Several days ago, I happened to pass by a city that was on the brink of collapse, beset by both internal and external crises… Out of compassion and due to certain circumstances, I decided to lend a hand and help them escape the danger, leading more than 100,000 residents to safety.

“However, the city was plagued by a deadly disease. While I wished to help, I have no expertise in this field and was unable to eradicate it completely. After much thought, I realized that only the Redeemer Saintess, Philomena, the most skilled healer in the world, could resolve this. Entrusting them to your renowned kindness gives me peace of mind.”

“…?”

With a cheerful laugh, the young man waved his sleeve.

“Having completed my task, I shall depart quietly, leaving no trace of my deeds! Haha! We bid you farewell, Saintess!”

As soon as he finished speaking, the middle-aged swordsman named Nicholas, who hadn’t said a word until now, abruptly raised his hand.

A fierce wind arose.

The sudden gale sent the soldiers stumbling, making it difficult for them to even open their eyes. Gasps and hurried footsteps echoed all around.

When the windstorm finally subsided after a dozen seconds, and they looked again…

The two mysterious figures had already vanished without a trace.