CHAPTER 133: PRIEST’S BLESSING

Chapter 131: Priest’s Blessing

The three of them moved through the quieter streets, the bustle of the market fading into the hum of wagons and distant chatter. The afternoon light slanted low, gilding the cobblestones.

Ethan’s voice broke the silence, calm but cutting. "You’re a healer, right?"

Sylvie stiffened. Her lips parted soundlessly before she managed a whisper. "Y-yes, Master."

"And how good can you heal?"

The question struck her like a thunderclap. Her chest tightened, her steps faltered. It was the one thing she dreaded being asked.

"I-I’m... not a good healer," she stammered, clutching at the hem of her worn dress. "I cannot heal much..."

Ethan’s eyes narrowed. "How much, exactly?"

"S-small cuts," she admitted, her voice trembling. "And at most... three, maybe five big wounds. Then I..." Her throat closed around the last words. "Then I faint."

"Hoh? That little, huh." Ethan’s tone wasn’t mocking—just analytical, as if turning a puzzle piece in his mind. "And your class? I heard you gained one."

The words hollowed her chest. This is it... it’s over. Her lips quivered as tears blurred her vision. They’ll think I deceived them. They’ll sell me back. Just like before.

Ethan pressed again, his tone sharper. "What’s your class, Sylvie?"

Her breath came in shallow gasps. "I-it says... S-Saintess..." She winced, expecting his anger, his disbelief. "I’m sorry, Master, but—"

"Saintess, huh." Ethan’s gaze sharpened, studying her. "So why do you think you can’t perform like one?"

Sylvie blinked at him, stunned. "H-huh? M-master believes me? No one ever believed I was—"

"I didn’t ask that," Ethan cut in coolly. "I asked why you think you can’t perform like one."

She swallowed, heart hammering. "I-I don’t know... I always had low mana. I can’t even increase it."

"Why not?" His voice was relentless, each question like a hammer blow. "Do you know a reason?"

"I-I don’t..."

"Was it always like this? From birth?"

She shook her head rapidly. "N-no... I could increase it before... slowly. When I was in the orphanage."

"Orphanage?"

"My family..." Her voice cracked. "My family died in a beast attack. I was sent to an orphanage."

Ethan hummed, his eyes narrowing in thought. "And? From when did you feel you couldn’t grow stronger anymore?"

"I... I don’t remember..."

"What about the temple?" he pressed. "Were you able to increase your mana there? And when were you taken in—and why?"

Sylvie’s head spun. The questions piled one over another until her voice broke into sobs. Still, she forced herself to answer, terrified of disappointing him.

"I... I was taken when a priest visited the orphanage. He saw I could heal and blessed me. He said my talent could only blossom in his temple. But I told him I wanted to stay with Nanny a little longer. He said I could come anytime. Before I could... another temple came. They were... forceful." Her tears spilled freely now, her words tripping over themselves. "I went with them... but there, too, I couldn’t grow. My mana stayed small. And then..." She hiccuped, trembling. "Then something broke—b-but it wasn’t even my fault. Another girl did it... but I was punished. They said I was useless, that I brought shame. They... they sold me as a slave." Her voice collapsed into a whisper. "I-I’m sorry if you were deceived, Master. If you thought I was a good healer. I will... I will take whatever punishment you give me."

Her small frame trembled like a leaf.

Before Ethan could reply, Lirael was already there. She stepped in front of Sylvie, pulling the girl into a firm embrace. "Enough," she whispered, her voice steady as she stroked Sylvie’s back. "No one will punish you. You’re safe with us. Do you hear me?" She tilted Sylvie’s chin gently, forcing her teary eyes to meet hers. "We already knew. We knew before we bought you that you couldn’t heal properly. So don’t worry."

Sylvie’s sobs softened, muffled against Lirael’s shoulder, but her eyes still darted to Ethan. She couldn’t help it. In the end, it wasn’t Lirael’s comfort that sealed her fate—it was the man watching her with unreadable eyes.

Would he still keep her? Or cast her aside as all the others had?

Ethan’s smirk was gone, replaced with something colder, sharper. He didn’t speak immediately, only folded his arms, lost in thought. But his silence alone pressed heavier on Sylvie’s heart than any insult.

Ethan’s eyes gleamed, piecing the story together. His voice carried the weight of certainty.

"From what I can make of it... that priest who blessed you at the orphanage—he didn’t bless you at all. He cursed you. A leash, hidden in plain sight. When you came to his temple, he’d lift it, and the Saintess would belong to him. Pathetic bastard."

Sylvie’s breath hitched. Her eyes went wide as if the ground had vanished beneath her. "C-curse? M-master, I... I don’t understand..."

"Yes, a curse," Ethan said bluntly. "Something woven into you that hinders your growth—locking your class abilities, bleeding your strength. That’s why you’re weak." His gaze bore into hers, calm yet unyielding. "Now... do you want to remove it?"

The words hung in the air like a lifeline. Sylvie’s knees nearly gave out. A curse... all this time? The betrayal twisted in her chest. Why would a priest do such a thing? Why condemn her?

She barely heard Lirael step in, her hand resting warmly on Sylvie’s shoulder. "Trust us, Sylvie," she said with a faint smile. "This man here... he’s a walking cheat. If he says he can, then he can."

Sylvie’s tearful gaze shifted back to Ethan. His expression was steady, certain, his hand half-extended as though waiting for her to decide.

"I can remove it," Ethan continued. "But it will take time. After the beast tide, or in the midst of it, maybe. That’s not the question." His eyes sharpened. "The question is—do you want to stay with us? Because we... would definitely want a Saintess in our party."

His raised hand lingered between them, an invitation.

Sylvie’s throat worked as she tried to speak, but only broken words came. "B-but... I don’t have Saintess power. I’m useless. I—" Her voice cracked, tears spilling again.

Before the despair could take her, Ethan stepped forward, closing the gap. His arms wrapped around her trembling frame, pulling her against his chest. His hand came down to pat her head, firm and grounding. His voice, softer now but unshakable, rumbled against her ear.

"You are not useless. Remember that. We will keep you with us. But it’s not just about us—do you want to be with us?"

The dam inside her broke. Her small hands gripped his tunic tightly as she buried her face against him, sobbing openly. "I... I want to stay! Please, Master... don’t leave me... I’ll do anything, just don’t throw me away..."

Ethan’s arm tightened around her, the faintest smile tugging his lips. "Then it’s done."

He lifted his head and beckoned Lirael closer with a tilt. She didn’t hesitate, sliding in beside them and wrapping both Sylvie and Ethan in her embrace.

The three of them stood there, bound together, Sylvie’s muffled cries softening under the warmth of their shared hold. The street they’d wandered into was quiet, tucked between high stone walls, the distant sounds of the town muted. No one came to disturb them.

For the first time in years, Sylvie wasn’t alone, wasn’t abandoned, wasn’t unwanted.

And for the first time, she dared to believe she was home.

----

A/N:

This world uses ranks to describes one power level, strength level and artifact level, F for lowest and progressively... E, D, C, B, A, S, SS, SSS, and Supreme for highest.

But equipments and weapons were based on different system, Lowest - Junk then progressively Common, Uncommon, Rare, Super Rare, Epic, Legendary, Mythic, Mythical, and Godly for highest.

There even is Unique type...but they have varied range...they can even be junk and even legendary...in what they are capable of.

There even unofficial ranks in between like in Rank A there can be A-(low), A(mid), A+(high), A++(peak) ...though they may seem one they are not...a A+ can literarily play with multiple A- and A...this disparity increases with higher power levels.