Chapter 162: Mysterious Saintess

The Cardinal was left completely speechless. He glared at them with a grim expression before muttering with a quiet click of his tongue, "This is why I hate elves."

Viktor had previously told Qiu Nuoya that elves were extremely long-lived, but precisely because of their long lifespans, they were a race with a very small population compared to other species. Come to think of it, Qiu Nuoya had lived in this world for three years and still had not met another elf besides Viktor.

Viktor had also once told him that elven settlements were extremely insular, and that he had left his own because he disliked living there. It was quite possible that elves who left their settlements were rare in the first place. That was probably why the Cardinal had forgotten that elves were long-lived.

Come to think of it, Qiu Nuoya vaguely remembered hearing that Viktor was a half-elf. If a half-elf could live this long, then pure-blooded elves must have even longer lifespans.

"Cardinal Bedros, that is enough. Please mind your words." The Saintess who had been standing silently behind the Cardinal until then finally spoke. "I sincerely apologize for the disrespectful behavior of my subordinate. I admit that our demands have indeed been one sided. However, we no longer have much time left."

"Hm? Time?"

"What I have to tell you from this point onward is not something we should discuss here. Would you please allow us a little time to explain the situation to you?" The Saintess bowed her head toward Qiu Nuoya and the others.

A Saintess was the highest-ranking woman within the Church, and Sherria was the highest-ranking Saintess of all. Seeing someone of her status bow her head caused considerable commotion among the surrounding onlookers.

"There is nothing you could possibly say that is worth listening to..."

"Wait, Viktor." Qiu Nuoya stopped Viktor as he was about to dismiss her outright. "I want to hear what she has to say."

"Nuoya, why?"

When Qiu Nuoya had first arrived in this world, Sherria had tried to force a future onto him that he had never asked for, so he had run away. He had only just begun living a new life, yet she had tried to bind him to a path he had never chosen. He could not help feeling that it was unfair.

However, after living in this world for several years, Qiu Nuoya had also begun to wonder whether Sherria might have had her own reasons for doing what she did.

That did not mean Qiu Nuoya intended to accept everything she said. But if he kept running away without even listening to her, he would remain trapped in a life where he was constantly forced to live cautiously and without freedom. That would defeat the entire purpose of the new life he had chosen for himself.

"If you have something you want to tell me, I’ll listen. But whether or not I accept what you have to say will be up to me."

After Qiu Nuoya made his position clear, Viktor looked slightly dissatisfied, but eventually relented. "If that’s what you wants..."

The Saintess bowed her head again and said, "Thank you."

Having become the complete center of attention, Qiu Nuoya and the others moved to a private reception room in the Adventurer’s Guild.

There were two long benches facing each other across a table. Qiu Nuoya and Viktor sat on one side, while the Saintess and the Cardinal sat on the other. Igor, Warren, and Kinana could not all fit on the benches, so they stood behind their respective companions and watched over the discussion.

Rogue, the Guild Master of the Adventurer’s Guild, sat alone in the single chair positioned between the two benches, maintaining his neutral position. However, he looked rather restless and unable to settle down.

Well, it was obvious that this discussion was unlikely to proceed peacefully. Rogue also had something to feel guilty about on the Church’s side of things, since he had helped keep Qiu Nuoya’s whereabouts hidden. He probably never imagined that the Saintess herself would come all the way here.

The Cardinal made no attempt to hide his irritation.

Still, what exactly is this man’s position?

At the very least, there was no doubt that his rank was lower than Saintess Sherria’s.

"Once again, it is a pleasure to see you, Saintess Sherria. It has been a long time."

"Yes, it has indeed been a long time. Qiu Nuoya, I am very pleased to see how wonderfully you have grown."

Not knowing where else to begin, Qiu Nuoya and the others started the conversation with some harmless pleasantries.

"You have not changed much, Saintess Sherria."

"Hehe, is that so? ... I certainly hope that’s true."

For some reason, Sherria lowered her gaze slightly.

"Where should I even begin...? Qiu Nuoya, are you aware of the conflict between the royal family and the Church?"

"Ah, yes. I do not know the details, but I have heard that their relationship is currently quite strained."

"Do you know what caused it in the first place?"

"No."

When Qiu Nuoya shook his head, the Saintess began by explaining the event that had started it all.

The story went back roughly three years, to shortly before Qiu Nuoya had arrived in this world. It began when a mysterious girl suddenly appeared in the royal capital.

No one knew who she was or where she had come from. She had simply appeared there one day. According to the girl herself, she had come from another world.

Qiu Nuoya was stunned by what Sherria was telling him. He never expected to hear about a girl who had probably been in the same situation as him.

"Her name was Shangguan Wan’er. She was fourteen years old at the time."

Whoa, Shangguan Wan’er? That’s definitely a Chinese name! I already feel a little closer to her!

"She suddenly appeared one day and ingratiated herself with the royal family. At the time, we had no idea how she had arrived or how she had managed to win their favor. However, the First Prince, who had been my fiancé, suddenly broke off his engagement to me, declaring that she was the true Saint and the woman who would become his wife."