The Princess & The Twilight Blade

Lydia

I lurched forward as Leah collapsed to the ground, like a puppet whose strings had just been cut. Lucia caught her immediately, having been at her side already. This moment had been in my thoughts all this time, but I never thought it'd happen like this. Leah looked on the verge of death itself. Her face was pale, her eyes closed, and she was breathing raggedly as sweat rolled down her face. Lucia only looked marginally better, and I could see the strain on the knight's body as she held Leah.

I was frozen in place. W-What do I do? What should I say? Despite the situation, I had no idea what to do. A crowd was gathering around us now, but I ignored the stares. That was when my girlfriend's confident voice cut through the fog.

"Lydia." She must've sensed my turbulent emotions and grabbed my hand. Our eyes met briefly, and I drew on the strength they gave me.

"Chris, we'll be using one of the private rooms," I said to the receptionist, and he nodded. The expression on his face made it clear he had no idea what was happening, but that was fine. Audrey moved and took Leah from Lucia's arms, only a slight nod being exchanged between them.

I hastily led the way to the hall that contained the meeting rooms, finding the first one empty. They often hosted clients who needed a bit of privacy when discussing the details of quests, so the inside was outfitted with comfortable-looking furniture. Two long couches made of soft leather faced each other in the middle of the room, overlooking a low table in the middle. Locking the door, I faced away from the others to calm my breathing for a moment, then turned around. Audrey was lying to Leah on one of the dark leather couches. Lucia helped adjust her, then stood awkwardly to the side, an uncertain expression clouding her face as Audrey used holy magic on Leah.

Moving quietly, I kneeled next to Audrey in front of my sleeping attendant, adding my own holy magic to the mix. I didn't need to look at Lucia to sense her surprise, but all I could focus on was the woman on the couch. Tears filled my vision as color returned to Leah's face, and her breathing evened out to a healthy rhythm. After we were confident Leah was stable, Audrey stood and took Lucia's hand silently, guiding her to the opposing seat and healing her as well. This whole time, not a single word had been spoken. My thoughts raced with things to say, but my voice wouldn't come out. All I could do was grasp Leah's unconscious hand tightly, afraid that the illusion would break if I let go.

Silence filled the room, even after Audrey had finished treating Lucia. It wasn't until a few minutes later that the atmosphere broke.

"We were in Grunde…" She started, and I looked over at her, relieved to see her looking much better as well. "At the auction. We were there." Her words came out haltingly, as if she were struggling to choose the right things to say. Her hand brushed her sky-blue hair behind her ear as her mouth moved. "I guess the specifics don't matter… but we caught wind of adventurers that could be you… Leah refused to rest until we confirmed it."

My mind reeled at her revelations, but my throat refused to move. Luckily, Audrey wasn't as locked up.

"How'd you know we were in Jarno?" she asked quietly. I knew there were other things she wanted to ask. Audrey's lips were trembling as she spoke.

"We didn't," the knight said with a wry smile. "We met with a woman named Cassandra in Grunde… She said you were heading west toward Yamada."

"Cass helped you?" Audrey asked, her blue eyes widening. "But we never told her our route…"

The smile on Lucia's face tightened. "That's what she said. But we had a direction… and Leah was determined to find you. She…" The knight paused, grimacing slightly. "Leah used her magic to fly us to every settlement between here and Grunde, asking after you."

I could no longer stay quiet at that.

"T-That's ridiculous…!" I cried out. "Countless routes are heading west! And dozens of towns and villages! It hasn't even been two weeks since we left Grunde!"

Lucia only nodded grimly. "She wouldn't listen to reason. Even my begging would only make her close her eyes for at most half an hour. She's spent practically every second this last week expending herself."

I turned back to my sleeping lady-in-waiting. "You… fool…idiot…moron…!" I wanted to slap her, then hug her tightly before slapping her again. My hand settled for cupping my sister's cheek gently. "You didn't even know for sure it was us!" I whispered, but Lucia still heard me.

"No… We knew without a doubt it was you, my lady." My heart panged as she addressed me formally, and I bit my lip. "It was all but certain after talking to Cassandra." My thoughts were still jumbled as silence filled the room once again, but I couldn't stop myself from asking the next question.

"What about my brothers? Mother and Father? What… What has become of my family?" Fear constricted my chest as I waited for her answer; her darkening expression did little to alleviate my emotions.

"Prince Luke and Abel—" She caught herself and cleared her throat. "Both princes are alive and well." Relief flooded me, but I didn't have the wherewithal at that moment to read between the lines, but I did notice a small smile grace Audrey's lips, before the following words wiped it away. "I'm sorry, my lady… But the King and Queen were confirmed casualties."

I had expected that. I had thought I was prepared, but having it confirmed felt like my heart was shattering like glass again and again. My stomach lurched, then ached with a dull pain that radiated from where Duke Rose had stabbed me. There had always been a slim hope that at least Mother had survived… She had still been alive last Audrey and I both saw her, so a small, struggling part of me refused to accept it fully. Even if we knew three years had passed, that moment had barely been two months ago for Audrey and me.

But I couldn't even cling to that sliver of hope anymore as the burning tears finally escaped, and I sobbed. Audrey also shook with emotion, her cheeks wet with tears, before Lucia pulled her into an uncertain embrace. My hands refused to leave Leah, so I was glad my knight took my place. I propped my head against our joined hands as I cried pathetically.

Right at that moment, Leah's hand twitched against mine, and her eyes finally fluttered open. "My lady…?" She mumbled, her gaze unfocused at first before it snapped onto me with realization. Leah shot upwards, her arms flying around me so fast it froze the sobs racking my body.

"Is this real…? Have you returned to me?" Her whisper was strained with emotion, and what little dignity remained in me vanished.

"L-Leah… Leah!" I cried like a child as I clung to her, my fingers digging into her back. My wails ignited the other girls in the room, and the air was soon filled with a harmony of relief and sadness as years and months of caged emotion flooded out.

"Lydia… My Lydia…" Leah repeated my name like a mantra, which only served to draw more tears from my eyes. When was the last time I heard her call my name…?

At some point, Audrey and Lucia had joined Leah and me, and the four of us just ended up in a messy pile of tears and limbs. It wasn't until much later that we finally untangled ourselves, but it was apparent reluctance. It's a good thing these rooms are soundproof.

The other girls' faces were stained, eyes swollen, and red. I had no doubt I looked the same, and we did our best to clean ourselves up with handkerchiefs retrieved from Audrey's storage.

Since this room was used for meetings that could take a while, a tea set was available on a nearby counter, and Leah soon placed steaming cups in front of us. She had already resumed her role as my attendant, and the four of us sitting together brought an immeasurable sense of comfort as I sipped at the tea. It soothed my strained throat, and I could taste a hint of honey.

"You grew your hair out…," I observed weakly, causing Leah to smile a bit as she played with the dark brown strands. Her clean-cut bob was now a waterfall that flowed to her waist. The change was a little jarring for me, but I thought she looked beautiful.

"It was a constant reminder of you, my lady." She said, and I also noticed her hair was tied in a way she had often done for me. Wait, she's addressing me formally again… Other than that, my two attendants didn't appear much different than when I'd last seen them, save for the exhaustion still plaguing their features. "Perhaps I should cut it, now that I can return to my duties."

"Don't you dare!" Audrey and I said in unison. We looked at each other in shock before laughing together. The atmosphere finally lightened, even if it wasn't entirely back to the way things had been before this mess.

After recovering for a bit, we slowly caught each other up on what had happened. Audrey and I explained how we ended up in her pocket dimension, how time had passed differently, and how we'd ended up in Elder Salma's village. It didn't take long for us to cover the two months we'd spent as adventurers. At least, not compared to the three years of events Leah and Lucia had gone through.

"Only Hailey and Anthony survived…?" Audrey asked, her voice trembling. "I-It's all my fault! If I hadn't left then—!"

"Stop, Audrey." Lucia cut in, raising her hand. "While it's true that having you there would have delayed events, the outcome wouldn't have changed. Even you have your limits, and you were already exhausted." She looked at my girlfriend in the eyes. "Besides, you wouldn't have been able to save my lady otherwise."

"But all those people… They trusted me. The whole country believed I would show us victory." Audrey said bitterly. "I failed everyone."

My hand found hers, and I squeezed tightly. Our stella connected, and I could acutely sense everything Audrey was feeling once again. Grief, Regret, Doubt… But also relief and gratefulness that those important to her had survived. The strongest was by far the guilt she felt for feeling that way.

"Don't be ashamed, I feel the same," I said, and her sapphire eyes met mine. There was no surprise in them, so I was sure she could also sense my feelings. I directed as much love and reassurance toward her as I could, and felt her negative thoughts lift just a little.

"The blame is not yours to carry alone, my lady," Leah said with a comforting smile directed at Audrey. "You were a child forced to hold the fate of a kingdom in your hands."

"I-I'm not a child!" my girlfriend pouted adorably, and the rest of us giggled at the sight. After a moment, Audrey dropped the act and sighed heavily. "Still… I can't help but believe there had been a better way."

"That's not a burden for us to bear," I replied. "If there's anyone to blame, it would be Duke Rose and… my parents." I pushed the unconscious denial away as I looked at the situation objectively. Even if they had been acting on their advisors words, Mother and Father had still made the final calls. Nobody voiced an objection to my words, and the room fell into silence as I tried to organize my thoughts.

"Where are my brothers now, then?" I finally asked, moving the subject away from the heavier topic.

"Prince Abel was leading an operation in Trazkel's old capital, though I'm sure he has returned to our main base where Prince Luke is by now," Leah explained.

"And where, exactly, is that?" I asked.

"... The outskirts of the Rose Duchy."

"That's reckless!" I exclaimed, before catching myself. "Isn't that taking 'Hiding in plain sight' A bit too far?"

"It's not as dangerous as you think, my lady," my lady-in-waiting said calmly. "When Thomas Rose took over Castle Venyth, he all but abandoned his old territory in favor of ruling over the kingdom."

"Still, does he not have subordinates in charge?" I asked.

"They only care about lining their pockets." Lucia chimed in. "Unless it's a threat to their coffers, the new ruling class couldn't care less what the common folks are up to."

"I… See." I relinquished. It was indeed a bold plan to maintain the heart of the resistance so close to the capital, but if anyone could make it work, it'd be my brothers. "I suppose that's our next destination then." The other girls all nodded in agreement, especially Audrey, but her face had a hint of apprehension as she finally gathered her courage.

"Please tell me about Sasha."

***

Audrey

I waited with bated breath as my friends exchanged a look, then met my gaze.

"I'm sorry, my lady." Leah began. "Sasha Rose has refused any contact with us since the kingdom fell. All we know for sure is she now lives in the castle."

"But she is alive." I sighed with relief. After what Lydia had told me of her encounter with Duke Rose and how he had used Sasha as a shield, I desperately worried about her. I'll see her as soon as we get near the capital, and take her away from that horrible place.

"By the way…" I began as we stood up and made to leave the meeting room. "Neither of you seemed all that surprised at Lydia being a divine guardian now." The attendants shared a quick glance before looking at me in unison.

"I wouldn't say that, my lady," Leah said. "We were surprised, it just wasn't entirely unexpected."

"What does that mean?" Lydia asked with a huff.

"With how you two have always been, there wouldn't be a single person surprised by this outcome," Lucia added with a shrug, and I could only smile wryly at that.

As we walked back to the main hall of the guild, Lydia looked over her shoulder. "Leah. Lucia. You two shouldn't address me so formally. I'd honestly prefer to be treated like anyone else. I'm only a princess in name now." She looked sad as she said it, but it was the painful truth. However, she'll always be my princess.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

"You'll always be my princess, my lady," Leah said, her face a mask of seriousness as she mirrored my thoughts.

"If you're alright with it, I will," Lucia said at the same time, giving the opposite response. Lydia could only shake her head with exasperation, but adventurers now surrounded us, so she couldn't press the issue.

"We'll talk about it later, I suppose." She murmured, and the four of us went back to Chris's counter, where Leah and Lucia apologized for the trouble they had caused. In the middle of this, a woman's sharp voice called out to us from behind, and Lydia and I turned to see guildmaster Hannah coming our way from the second floor.

"Hey girls. I heard there was some trouble. Did you take care of it already?" The woman's orange-brown eyes had dark circles beneath them, with exhaustion written across the rest of her face.

"Good afternoon, Guildmaster," Lydia said pleasantly. "We apologize for the commotion, but it's been resolved."

"I thank you for doing that. I take it you're here for the quest reward?" She handed a sheet of paper to Chris, who disappeared into the back room.

"We are!" I said excitedly. "How much did we earn?" I clapped my hands at the thought of so much ice cream money.

"That much sugar isn't good for you…" Aurora warned.

"It'll be fine! Calories are only real if you count them!" I replied playfully. She only sighed in response, and I refocused on the physical realm.

"Seeing as how you not only uncovered the cause, but also resolved the situation entirely, I upped the reward to three gold." The guildmaster said with a smile.

"Isn't that a bit much?" Lydia asked with concern. I did some mental math and gasped as I realized. One ice cream is one silver and fifty copper… And one gold is a hundred silver… That's like… two hundred ice creams!

"I think it matches the effort you put in, defeating a spider queen." The older woman said with a laugh.

"Excuse me?" Leah asked, suddenly tuning into the conversation. The aura she gave off was chillingly nostalgic. "Did I just hear that correctly?"

Even Lydia swallowed nervously at the tight smile on our friend's face. "I-It wasn't a big deal. There's no need to be so concerned, Leah." Her attempt at damage control proved fruitless.

"Oh? Then you won't mind telling me all about it later." It wasn't a question, but a demand. The exchange drew a large grin onto the guildmaster's face as she laughed.

"And who is this, that can put such fear into the two of you?" She asked. Leah turned toward her and bowed slightly, her maidly instincts taking over.

"Apologies for my rudeness. I am Leah, my lady's—" She suddenly stopped, catching her words. "I am their older sister." Despite her earlier objection, it seemed Leah could swallow her servants' pride when needed.

Lucia also joined the conversation. "I am their friend, Lucia. We'll both be joining their party going forward."

"You two seem much more responsible than the girls." Guildmaster Hannah said with a smile. "They've barely been in my city for a week, and have already caused me plenty of headaches. I hope you'll keep them out of trouble."

"That's the goal, guildmaster," Leah said with a characteristic calm expression, even as she teased us. Lydia looked like she had something to say, but controlled herself. After that, the guildmaster bid us farewell and headed back to her office. Chris returned a moment later, presenting us with three gold coins on a tray that Lydia had me put in storage. I thought we might've needed to wait so Leah and Lucia could get registered as adventurers, but it turned out they already were, and both A-Rank at that. All we had to do was get them registered for our party, and we were all set. We left the building after thanking Chris for his hard work.

"We should head back to the inn. Poor Koyuki is probably hungry," Lydia said, already leading the way through the busy street.

"Who's Koyuki?" Lucia asked curiously.

"She's super cute! You'll love her!" For some reason, Leah and Lucia both looked at me weirdly. "What?"

"It's just… You don't usually say those things if it isn't about Lydia or Sasha." Lucia replied.

"You'll just have to wait and see!" I grinned mischievously.

***

"Ah, you were talking about a pet. That makes more sense." Leah said as the wolf in question jumped into my arms the second we entered our room at the inn.

"Koyuki is a frost wolf; she grew attached to us after what happened at the auction," Lydia explained with a warm smile as Koyuki licked at her face next. Koyuki yipped in agreement and turned her attention to the newcomers. I set her on the ground and crouched before her, gesturing to Leah and Lucia.

"They are friends, they'll be traveling with us from now on, so be nice, alright?" I said in a cute voice while ruffling the fur around her ears. Again, she barked playfully, then walked up to the knight and lady-in-waiting. They both lowered themselves and extended their hands tentatively. The pup sniffed at them with hesitation at first, but she must've liked something about them, because she soon nuzzled her face into their palms with a contented look.

"She is precious!" Lucia said, her cheeks flushing slightly as she fell under Koyuki's spell.

"That she is." Leah seemed less affected, but the slight smile on her face made her feelings obvious.

After giving Koyuki her lunch, we packed her up and left the inn to find food for ourselves.

"Can we get ice cream?" I asked as we evaluated our options.

"That isn't lunch, Audrey." Lydia rolled her eyes at my question.

"It is if you eat enough!" I defended, then we both broke into giggles as Leah and Lucia watched over us from a step behind. It felt like we were still at the academy… as if nothing had changed.

We eventually settled on a nice-looking cafe and enjoyed a lunch of various sandwiches, which we washed down with some cold tea.

"So, Lucia…" I said, propping my chin up with my hands as I smirked at her. "Are you going to tell us what's going on with you and Abel?" The older girl's face immediately flushed crimson, contrasting brightly against her sky-blue hair.

"W-W-What are you talking about?" She asked. Her reaction all but confirmed what I noticed in the meeting room before.

"Audrey? What are you saying?" Lydia asked, her eyes sharpening dramatically at her knight's reaction. Leah just maintained a neutral expression, sipping at her tea.

"Well, should I tell her first?" I asked my flustered friend, enjoying being the one doing the teasing.

"N-No! I'll say it!" Lucia said in defiance before meeting Lydia's gaze, a hint of fear in her confident eyes. "Lydia… My lady." Oh, she switched to formal speech, how cute. "The truth is, I am in a romantic relationship with your brother."

You could hear a pin drop in the silence that followed, and the knight swallowed nervously, waiting for my girlfriend's response. Lydia's face had lowered, her eyes hidden beneath her golden bangs as her body began to shake.

"I understand you're upset with me, my lady, but I love—" Lucia's defense was cut off as Lydia suddenly took her hands, leaning her upper body across the wooden table that separated them. Her emerald eyes sparkled with excitement as she spoke.

"Are you being serious?! Tell me everything from the beginning, right now!" She demanded, her hunger for the details palpable. I also wanted to know how it happened, having been aware of her crush even before the war. The fruition of one of our closest friends' loves would never be something either Lydia or I would be upset about. The rest of the afternoon passed as Lydia and I thoroughly interrogated Lucia, while Leah watched over us with a peaceful smile. This is how things should be. The only thing my heart ached for now was Sasha, but it wouldn't be long before she would be at my side once again.

We spent another two days in Jarno, taking some hunting quests to polish our teamwork with Leah and Lucia. Surprisingly, even though three years had passed, Lucia and I still fought in perfect harmony as we had while defending the border. Lydia and Leah became our backline support, and it only took a few hours before the four of us fought seamlessly together.

Of course, Lydia and I could end just about any fight right away if needed, but it was best to keep such power under wraps for now. Plus, that would take the fun out of it.

"I got it!" Lydia said, her voice amplified directly to our ears via Leah's wind magic. She drew her bow back, taking steady aim at a large deer-like animal that was charging toward Lucia with its head down, intent on skewering the knight on its sharp antlers. White flame spiraled around her arrow as it flew from the string, and there was a small explosion as it struck one of the beast's six legs, blowing it off completely.

The Terrahoof released a pained cry, unlike anything a normal deer would make. It sounded more like a predator than prey, and that's precisely what it was. This magical beast was three times the size of its non-magical counterpart, and sported six powerful legs that enabled it to reach high speeds and trample its prey mercilessly before feasting. It had been killing the cows of the surrounding farms and damaging crop fields in its rampages. We had tracked it through the forest as part of a subjugation quest from the guild. It was our last one before we left the city to move on.

Muscles rippled beneath its dark gray fur as it stumbled to catch itself from Lydia's attack. Lucia and I both rushed the injured creatures, our blades raised, but deadly spikes rose from the earth, forcing us both back. After seeing its magic repel us, the beast cried out again, and I sensed more mana move through the earth, rolling away from the second attack as a hail of stone bullets cut through the trees behind me. Another volley came my way, but a gust of wind redirected the stones back toward the Terrahoof, forcing it to bear its own attack. Leah's as reliable as ever!

It was now bleeding all over its body, not to mention the stump of its missing leg. It fell onto its side as another arrow exploded against its body, and Lucia and I rushed in again. We struck at its thick neck from both sides, and there was a bit of resistance before our bloodied blades came out the other side. Its head fell with a Thump to the grass, before it disappeared into my shadows, along with the carcass. I'll make sure to put those far away from everything else in there…

We'd take the body to a magic butcher for some extra coin after proving we completed the quest at the guild. I sighed and wiped my brow, even though I wasn't that tired… It just seemed fitting.

"You're smiling, Audrey," Lydia said, nudging me with her elbow as she stood beside me.

"I can't help it, it's just so much fun working together like this," I said happily.

"People will give you a weird nickname if you keep that up while hunting." Lucia teased as she drank some water from a canteen. "Though I do understand where you're coming from. It feels like a dream, being all together again."

We all nodded at that, then slowly made our way back to the city. Koyuki whined from Lydia's back sadly, and I patted her head placatingly.

"You can help us next time, alright?" I said as we walked. The pup had wanted to fight too, but with the four of us testing our new formation, we had asked her to hold back today. Koyuki whimpered again, but seemed satisfied.

It took an hour for us to arrive back at the city gates, and we swiftly made our way to the guild to claim our reward, then sold the result of our hunt to the nearest butcher, which netted us seventy-five silvers total.

"Ice cream time?" I asked, giving Lydia and Leah my best pleading look. Right when it looked like they'd give in, a paper bird collided into the side of Leah's head, and she snatched it out of the air. The rest of us smiled in amusement as she unfolded the letter. Why does it do that sometimes? I'd seen Lydia and Simon exchange letters at the academy, and those birds also neatly landed nearby. But I remembered that Abel had also been attacked by one before as well. Maybe it depends on who sends it?

As I thought about it, Leah finished reading the paper, then handed it to Lydia, who looked it over as well.

"Sounds like he almost doesn't believe you." She observed, scowling at the paper. "Brother should know better than to think you'd lie about such a thing." Leah had sent a report the night of our reunion, informing the Princes of our return, and this seemed to be the response.

"Well, they thought you were dead for three years," Leah said. "Even I would've been in disbelief if I wasn't the one who found you."

"That's fair, I guess." Lydia relented. "Just reply that we're leaving Jarno in the morning. How long will it take us to get there?" The paper in her hand ignited into flame, and she dusted the ash from her hands a second later.

"I can get us there in a week," Leah said confidently, but my girlfriend just stared at her.

"How long will it take with proper breaks?" This made the attendant deflate a bit.

"A little less than two weeks?"

"Then that's what we'll do, tell my brother properly."

"Yes, my lady," Leah said, bowing her head.

Lydia patted her on the shoulder with a smile. "You seem to have forgotten how to take care of yourself these last three years. Please remember that before you're my attendant, you're my family."

"Of course, my lady. Sorry for worrying you." The sentiment seemed to revitalize Leah, and I smiled at the sight.

After that was sorted, my thoughts returned to ice cream once again, and I soon led us to the first store we'd stopped at before, and Koyuki was just as excited as I was.

***

Jarno's Sand Mines

"This is the place?" A woman clad in black robes asked one of her followers. Silver vestments hung from her shoulders, giving her an air of authority as she removed her hood. Beautiful, forest-green hair fell down her back, and her blue eyes looked at the man kneeling before her in the dirt. She was flanked on either side by knights in white armor, the crests of the Spirit Church visible on their equipment.

"Yes, this is the reported mine, saintess." The man replied, his voice laced with reverence.

"But I don't sense anything amiss." The saintess said, annoyance infecting her angelic voice. Her eyes left the man before her as movement caught her eye. A different man, one not part of her retinue, walked toward her with a frown from one of the buildings.

"This area is off limits—" he began, but the man kneeling in the dirt stood up hastily, cutting him off.

"Watch your tone. You stand before Saintess Vivian, a cardinal of the Spirit Church!" He shouted. The other man paled in response and quickly bowed his head.

"P-Pardon my rudeness! The name's Randall, and I'am the mine supervisor, Your Holiness!" It was clear the man was unaccustomed to speaking so respectfully.

The saintess just raised her hand, cooling her expression. "Please, speak freely, Randall." She said. "I am here to investigate the mine. The church had received numerous reports of a hazardous gas with an unknown cause, which was preventing work. Is that correct?"

"Er… It was." The holy woman raised a brow at him, and he hurriedly continued. "A pair of young girls—Adventurers, I mean, came through about a week ago. They took care of the spider queen that was causing the mess." He explained, sweat dripping down his face.

So I wasted my time coming all the way out here… There are other people who need my help. Saintess Vivian thought, but then she processed the man's words.

"Only two girls? How is that possible?" she asked curiously.

"I ain't sure myself. They were only B-Rank, and real cute at that. Reminded me of my own daughter." The man said. His taste in women aside, the saintess thought it odd.

"I understand the situation. Would it be alright if I took a look inside the mine? Just to bring my own peace of mind?" She asked sweetly, and no man could ever resist such a display.

"Of course, Your holiness! Please take your time!" The man said, blushing slightly. The Saintess then led her retinue into the dark tunnels of the sand mines, and the deeper they went, the more certain she became.

I can sense it… It's faint, but someone definitely used divine power here. It wasn't until they reached the main cavern that her eyes widened in shock, however.

H-how is it so potent?! It's supposedly been a week, right? For traces of it to be this strong… Saintess Vivian was blessed with more divine power than most of her peers in the church, but even the traces of power she sensed dwarfed her own.

"Let's return. We must meet with the guildmaster immediately. We need to find the adventurers responsible for this." She ordered her men, and they swiftly left the tunnels. Once outside, they practically ignored poor Randall, and she boarded her carriage. As it sped back to the city, she fell into thought.

Such power… Could it be another divine guardian? The church was already aware of the Emperor's power, and there were no other currently active guardians. There was that girl in Venyth before the war started, right? But I thought she was declared dead…? It had been one of the church's greatest failures.

The previous king of Venyth had announced the presence of a Divine Guardian, but just as soon sent her to the front line, where she vanished with the fall of her kingdom. She had been announced dead by the new Grand Duke shortly after coming into power.

If there is a new Divine Guardian… Perhaps the time of chaos will soon come to an end. The Saintess closed her eyes in prayer as the city walls came into view.

May the spirits send this great saintess to guide them.