Chapter 69

“A bad day”

“What did you say?” Darla’s heart skipped three beats when she heard that nonsense.

No! It’s impossible! She thought. However, her hands began to sweat and the slight tremor in her hand forced her to put the glass on the table so as not to spill her drink.

“A new saintess has been brought to the temple!” repeated the other priestess, whose name Darla had never bothered to learn.

“I am the only saintess there has been in the last hundred years on the continent!” Darla protested, frightened at the sudden thought of losing her status. The one thing she had that set her apart from the rest.

I’m not going back to being a simple peasant starving to death! She decided, terrified at the prospect. Still, she tried hard not to show her fear on her face. I am the saintess and the others owe me respect and admiration. It is they who must shake in my presence, not the other way around. They are the ones who need me in order to not die from the plague or the monsters. She said to herself to console herself.

“The great cardinal has just returned from his journey and claims that the woman he brought with him is a new saintess chosen by the goddess Mhiralla," the young woman replied, full of confidence.

Darla, on the other hand, felt her world fall apart as she heard those words, betrayed by the goddess who, until recently, had been on her side.

“Wasn’t he supposed to have gone to Vatha’s kingdom, to personally investigate what happened there and see if he could sense any trace of the pope?” Darla questioned with annoyance as she rose from her seat and stood in front of the intimidated young woman.

“Uh...” the other priestess avoided her gaze,”...well...he’s back.”

“Just what I was missing," she growled under her breath as she passed the newcomer and walked to the door of her room. “Can’t you get some peace in this place?”

What kind of fucked up luck is this? She wanted to growl out loud, but restrained herself. Keeping up appearances both inside and outside the temple was important, especially now that Berkeley was back and without another high-ranking priest here, he was the one who was now in power. Couldn’t he do the world a favor and die on the way?

“Take me to him!” she ordered in an authoritative voice.

With a determined step, Darla reached the office of Alim Berkeley, the great cardinal of the temple of light in the kingdom of Balsac, and knocked on the door.

“Come in," said the voice on the other side of the door, and as soon as Darla opened it and entered the spacious office filled with books and ancient manuscripts, she saw Berkeley standing there, browsing through some documents near his personal library. “Ah, I wondered how long it would take you to come in here and make a fuss. But it seems to have taken you a little longer than I expected." A twisted smile of superiority lit up the face of the man in his mid-forties.

Darla could not help but frown at his mockery.

“Great cardinal," she replied, bowing. “I thought you had gone to investigate what had happened in the capital of Vatha in the hope of finding good news from the Supreme Pontiff.”

“Nonsense!” he scoffed. “We both know that the temple was completely destroyed, as well as most of the capital. If indeed the pope were among the few survivors, someone would have warned us by now. However, I found something much more precious on my way. A gift from the goddess," said the man with a sly smile. “Too bad you were a little late to meet her. I just sent her to her new room.”

“So it’s true then," Darla whispered and her voice trembled, but still the great cardinal heard her and left the documents he was reviewing on his desk.

Giving the former saintess his full attention.

“That is right. The goddess has chosen a new saintess," he said, standing in front of her. “Perhaps she got tired of waiting for the previous one to fulfill her sacred duty instead of going around wasting her time, wandering around the royal palace and sullying her name.”

Despite the overt provocation, Darla did not respond. Instead, she clenched her fists, trying to hide them with the long sleeves of her elegant dress, yet she could not hide the fear in her gaze.

“How the mighty fall, don’t you think so, Darla?” Berkeley whispered with a sneer. “I think that fear-filled look looks wonderful on you," he rejoiced, reminding her that until now she had been the one looking at him as if he were an insect that dared to soil her food.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Darla’s face distorted, hatred bathing every corner of her youthful, smooth face despite being twenty-seven years old.

Someday I’m going to destroy you! And I’m going to have full control of the temple, then you’ll be on your knees in front of me, begging for your life! She thought spitefully.

“Since I have also been chosen by the goddess for such a function , it would be ideal if I myself would be in charge of the education of the new saintess.”

“Nonsense!” mocked the cardinal. “Do you think I am so stupid as to leave her under your care and then she dies in an accident? Do you think I don’t know what you are capable of in spite of your angelic face?”

“And I would never...!” Darla tried to refute, but he wouldn’t let her.

“Since ancient times, the temple has been in charge of raising the saintesses. It will be no different this time. And unlike you, the new saintess can actually level up. Besides, why would we let the king’s whore raise the new saintess?”

“Because the goddess has chosen me again to show me a second prophecy! A huge tower full of monsters will rise to the west of the kingdom! It is our duty to prevent the demon king from getting his hands on a treasure hidden deep inside that tower or the darkness will corrupt the kingdom!”

“Ah! What another prophecy. And tell me, Darla, why was I not informed of this?”

“I have already informed the relevant people about this fact,” she assured him.

“Don’t tell me you are talking about the king?“ He questioned and seeing the way she averted her gaze, anger flooded him. “So now, instead of informing the temple and following the proper order of action, you think you have the authority to choose who you tell first? What impudence!” he scolded her.

“But Cardinal Eshus was the one who ordered last time that the king be informed of the first prophecy, so I decided to inform him of the second one as well," Darla defended herself.

“You still don’t seem to understand the situation," sighed the great cardinal. “That’s the problem when you bring uneducated people from the countryside to the temple," he lamented.

“What? But prophecies are a big deal. The goddess hasn’t given one in hundreds of years! Besides, I think I’ve found out who the prophecy was talking about," she said, but her nervousness under Berkeley’s relentless gaze gave her away.

“There is a reason why prophecies are studied before they are released to the public. It’s irresponsible the way you’ve handled the situation, Darla. And the fact that you now claim you know who it is just shows your immaturity.”

“ But one of the women who came with the heroes...!” Again, the cardinal did not allow her to finish her words.

“This was not the only kingdom to perform a summoning ritual. Bhallys succeeded in summoning three heroes. The ones the prophecy spoke of could well be them.”

“A hero to save us all! A hero to destroy us! That’s what the prophecy says. I’m not so stupid as not to understand it, and I’m sure that woman is the one who will kill us all," she shouted, annoyed.

“So a woman, huh? Could it be that you are jealous because she is more beautiful than you and you want to get rid of the competition now that you have been forbidden to enter the palace?” Darla’s face paled when she heard those words, “HAHA! Did you think I wouldn’t notice that you were in prison on the queen’s orders?”

“I...”

“There is no reason to worry about heroes. Haven’t you taken history classes? “He mocked her. “Ever since eight hundred years ago when one of the heroes tried to steal the crown, the royal family, and the kings of other kingdoms, have always been in charge of poisoning them after using them. It is well known that those who come from another world are allergic to the zhalem flower. That’s why both the temple and the royal family have a small crop of them” Darla’s face paled at the veiled threat. “So instead of worrying about them, why don’t you worry about yourself?” He leaned closer to her and whispered softly. “You should be careful too, Darla. It’s not going to be that when the king gets tired of you, he will also expose you to the flower.”

A mischievous smile shone on Berkeley’s careful face as fear flooded Darla’s features. Before anger took its place.

“ Besides, I would like to know what drove Cardinal Eshus to personally go after a dangerous dragon from another world and accompany the royal guard on such a suicide mission?”

“The king ordered it.”

“And just because a mere king of a small kingdom barks we are supposed to jump to do his bidding?” Darla wanted to refute, but her lips remained closed. “Just because you are the king’s whore does not give you the right to dispose of my men and order them as you please! Guards take the high priestess to her quarters! From this moment on, the former saintess will be indisposed and will not leave her quarters for any reason! Anyone who violates this order will be severely punished!”

Five armed guards entered the office, and despite Darla’s protests, she could do nothing to stop them.

****

A deep darkness engulfed Kalysto.

And as pain flooded her body, she was slowly able to regain control of her senses.

<> Growled that voice in her head.

The murmur of a distant conversation reached her ears. And by the time she could finally open her eyes, she realized she was inside a brightly lit room.

The breeze from the open window hit her face as the chill of the floor crept under her white dress.

I’ll never wear this color again. She thought, feeling dazed. Her mind seemed to process everything too slowly. And she had to blink a couple of times to get a clear view of the studio she was in. And the figures of the three elves, one seated and two standing in front of her.

The elf who was sitting seemed to be around forty-five years old and, by the expensive appearance of his clothes, looked like an important merchant. Who handed the fire wizard a brown bag. By the metallic sound it made when the wizard picked it up with a smile full of greed on his face, Kalysto deduced that they were gold coins.

“She really is a saintess,” said the old elf, standing in front of her with his face full of admiration as he watched the wounds on Kalysto’s body heal. He interpreted the effect of the holy water as her own skill.

“Who...who are you?” she asked, feeling her throat dry and her tongue heavy. The old elf in front of her gave her a grin laden with malice that darkened his face.

“Your new owner.”