CHAPTER 91: CH 91: THE TRIAL - PART 3

Dust still hung in the air, curling lazily around the jagged stones and broken marble of the corridor.

Serin stood with her arms loosely folded, her golden eyes tracking the last few falling fragments from the shattered wall.

The faint gleam of dragon scales shimmered along her temple whenever the light caught her just right, a quiet reminder of her heritage.

Irielle, having regained some composure, straightened and asked.

"Serin... are you going to stay and help?"

The dragon princess gave her a long, almost incredulous look before letting out a soft huff of air.

"Stay? No."

Her voice carried the unshakable tone of someone whose decisions were final.

"I’ve already stayed longer than I ever intended. I would much rather go home now and collect the reward I was promised—one full day with my beloved elder sister. The affairs of other lands..."

She made a vague, dismissive gesture to the ruined hallway.

"...do not concern a dragon born like me."

Her words were casual, but there was no malice in them—just the clear, unapologetic truth.

Irielle’s shoulders relaxed, and a faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

"That’s fine. Then please, when you see your sister, tell her not to worry about Kana. I’ll take care of her... and have fun with her."

Serin didn’t respond immediately.

Her gaze swept over both of them, calm and unreadable, as if weighing something unspoken.

Then, without another word, she turned and began walking away, her footsteps soft but carrying the confidence of someone who had no need to look back.

Kana watched her retreating figure until it disappeared into the haze.

"Who’s her sister? Do I... know her?"

She asked, glancing at Irielle.

"No. Don’t worry about it. Just focus on enjoying yourself again now that you’re free."

Irielle said quickly, perhaps a little too quickly.

Kana gave a small, tired sigh.

"If you say so."

She wasn’t convinced, but she decided to let it go. For now.

The two began making their way toward the open corridor where light spilled in through the collapsed wall.

Freedom was only a few steps away when a sudden, guttural roar tore through the quiet.

Kana’s blood ran cold.

From the shadows of the ruined courtroom, the monster emerged—a twisted, half-charred mass of muscle and claws.

It had been the same abomination that attacked her earlier, the same one High Priestess Jenna had wounded.

But it was still very much alive, its furious eyes locking directly on Kana the moment it spotted her.

It lunged forward with terrifying speed.

"Kana—!"

Irielle’s voice was sharp, but even she couldn’t react in time.

The air warped for a fraction of a second, and then Kana’s skill, [Divine Shield: Beloved Form], burst to life.

A translucent barrier shimmered into existence around her, etched with faint, shifting patterns of light.

The monster slammed into it headfirst, the impact ringing like a struck bell. The force sent it reeling backward, stunned by the collision.

Kana stood frozen, her heart pounding. She hadn’t consciously activated the skill—it had moved on its own, like a reflex.

Before the monster could recover, heavy footsteps echoed through the hall. High Priestess Jenna strode into view, her robes singed but her presence radiating command. Evaya was at her side, blade already drawn.

"Evaya. Take care of the traitor."

Jenna said coolly, her eyes briefly flicking toward the downed beast before settling on someone else behind it.

Evaya moved without hesitation. There was no cry, no struggle—only the clean, swift sound of steel meeting flesh. The corrupt priest collapsed silently to the ground.

The monster, perhaps sensing the shift in the air, turned and tried to retreat, but it didn’t get far.

Jenna’s magic flared, a single arc of light piercing through its skull, and the body hit the floor with a heavy thud.

Silence returned, though it felt tense and brittle, like a rope pulled too tight.

Kana exhaled shakily, her shield fading from view.

"So... what now?"

Jenna glanced at her, then at the ruined courtroom behind them. Her sigh was quiet but heavy.

"Now? The temple will be in an uproar for quite some time after this. I’ll need to return and handle the cleanup. Fortunately, you and the others won’t be affected by what happened here."

She straightened, brushing debris from her sleeve.

Kana wasn’t sure if she believed that. But for now, she decided not to press. In this place, sometimes silence was safer than questions.

The sharp scent of dust and scorched stone still lingered in the air as the crowd dispersed in uneven ripples, voices low and nervous after the chaos that had erupted.

Irielle’s hand found Kana’s wrist with sudden firmness, her tone leaving no room for debate.

"We should get going now. This place will turn into an investigation spot before long. The less we’re seen near it, the better for us."

She said quietly, scanning the wreckage-strewn courtyard with quick, wary eyes.

Kana hesitated, her gaze flicking back toward the collapsed courtroom.

Bits of rubble still shifted under the weight of settling debris, and the metallic tang of magic hung heavy, as though the very air had yet to recover from the earlier clash.

The image of High Priest Rudy’s monstrous form—twisted beyond recognition—still lingered vividly in her mind.

She drew a slow breath before nodding.

"Alright... let’s go."

Irielle didn’t waste another second.

She tugged Kana along, the pair weaving through the cracked stone path and past overturned benches, slipping into the quieter streets beyond the main square.

The murmurs of onlookers faded with each step, replaced by the steady sound of their hurried footfalls.

Behind them, High Priestess Jenna remained, her white robes marred with ash and faint traces of blood.

She stood still for a moment, gaze sweeping the ruins with a shadowed expression.

The battle’s end had brought no triumph—only more work, more questions, and the burden of holding the temple together after such a public disgrace.

With a quiet sigh, she turned back toward the shattered doorway, the weight of duty settling on her shoulders once again.

The clean-up awaited, and there was no time to dwell on what had just been lost.