"Everyone, move a bit faster. We're supposed to be an elite team," EeDeChi said, jumping down from the central teleportation circle and casting a dissatisfied glance at the others stumbling behind him.
The area was surrounded by towering stone columns, embedded with palm-sized magic crystals. Magic flowed through the grooves carved into the columns, and the faint blue glow shimmered like a starry river. This was the central teleportation hub in the capital of the Baharuth Empire.
They had managed to travel instantly from the neighboring Golden Sheaf City to the capital of the Baharuth Empire thanks to EeDeChi's insistence on using the expensive magic teleportation circle.
Teleportation was the fastest and most costly mode of transportation in this world. Generally, only nobles and high-tier magic casters could afford it. Of course, anyone with enough gold could experience the instant transfer.
EeDeChi had originally wanted to teleport directly from the border of the empire to the area near the Sorcerer Kingdom, but due to insufficient funds, they could only teleport to the capital.
Teleportation involved distorting space with enormous magical power to create a narrow transfer corridor, then squeezing people or objects through the corridor and pushing them out into another space. Ordinary people felt a tearing sensation in both body and soul during teleportation, which was extremely uncomfortable.
However, EeDeChi jumped off the teleportation circle still full of energy, while Barrett, Sean, and Stella stumbled around as if they were drunk.
Stella, who had the weakest constitution, collapsed onto a chair in the teleportation hall, trembling as she cast a 2nd Tier Divine Magic spell, "Gaia's Smile," to finally catch her breath. She then cast blessing spells on Sean and Barrett, and the three of them gradually recovered.
EeDeChi watched Stella, dressed in a short cleric's outfit, singing her Divine Magic spell with interest. She offered her an appreciative smile but shook her head and said, "Stella, your outfit is too frivolous for our team."
"Huh?" Stella, holding her holy symbol, looked a bit confused. "This is the common attire for female clerics and priestesses, isn't it?"
She was dressed in a cleric's uniform of blue and gold stripes, the well-tailored outfit accentuating her shapely figure perfectly. Under her cream-colored cloth hat, chestnut soft shoulder-length hair fell neatly. She wore a pair of white deer leather boots and held a magic wand, looking every bit the pitiable young maiden. No wonder Sean was so attentive to her, constantly fussing over her with warmth and concern.
EeDeChi looked around at the other adventurers and smacked her head, exclaiming, "Right, this is an isekai world, no wonder all the cleric and warrior women dress like they're cosplaying—dressed provocatively and frivolously! What a shame! It would be better if this were Dungeons & Dragons."
"What's isekai, what's cosplay?" Stella asked curiously, her eyes twinkling, while Sean leaned in to catch EeDeChi's half-understood words.
Barrett, however, was used to EeDeChi's odd phrases and continued to check the equipment in his backpack without interruption.
EeDeChi waved her hand dismissively, "Never mind, you wouldn't understand anyway. In any case, you need to ditch these flimsy clothes and pile on some real defense. Full-body armor and a chainmail undergarment are essential, and you should also wear a full great helmet that covers your entire head, with just slits for the eyes."
image [https://i.ytimg.com/vi/cHRhtshjpHs/maxresdefault.jpg]
"Ah! But, I'm a cleric, not a heavy-armored warrior," Stella protested, her face taking on a woeful expression.
"I'm the team leader, and you have to follow my instructions; it's for your own good," EeDeChi stepped forward, closing the distance between her and Stella.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
"Captain! The armor you're talking about is too heavy. Even if Stella puts it on, it'll restrict her movements and slow everyone down!" Sean quickly stepped in front of EeDeChi.
Though Sean was slightly taller than EeDeChi, his nervous demeanor in the face of EeDeChi's imposing presence was like a hen protecting its chicks from a tiger.
For some reason, Barrett seemed to agree with EeDeChi. He indeed disapproved of those teenagers, barely seventeen or eighteen, daring to venture out as heroes and adventurers in skimpy, cool clothing.
EeDeChi then looked past Sean at Stella, instructing sternly, "Can't handle heavy armor? Then you need to train more! Look at you, all skinny arms and legs. Dressed in that frivolous outfit, are you going to a battlefield or starring in a hentai anime?"
"Captain, you can't just use your authority to force Stella into doing something she's unwilling to do. It'll be hard to get everyone to follow you if you do that," Sean, with his clever personality, tried to persuade EeDeChi with a different approach.
EeDeChi's beautiful eyes widened in anger. "Who dares to defy... Hmm…"
She reconsidered and said, "You do make a point. How about this: Stella, we'll make a deal. Teach me a healing Divine Magic spell. If I can learn it within an hour, you'll have to change out of those clothes and put on chainmail. If I can't learn it, you can keep wearing what you're wearing."
Stella's eyes widened. "Is that even possible? But Divine Magic requires a strong faith in the gods to cast."
"Don't worry about that," EeDeChi waved her hand dismissively. "Let me show you the power of a captain with orichalcum-level skills. Then you'll know that defying orders won't end well!"
Stella, somewhat bewildered, accepted the challenge. Divine Magic required one to have loyal faith in a deity. After a long period of devout service, one could receive the deity's blessing and draw upon powerful forces through brief prayers.
Even though EeDeChi had a high aptitude for Arcane Magic, and could immediately profess faith in a deity, she couldn't hope to earn the deity's favor and power in such a short time. Besides, EeDeChi had previously claimed to be an "atheist" who didn't believe in any gods or monsters. Overall, this challenge wasn't in her favor.
The group of four arrived at the wilderness on the outskirts of the capital. Stella closed her eyes, knelt on the ground, and clasped her hands around a golden circular holy symbol, murmuring:
"Gaia, I offer everything to spread your love and glory in the world. Your devoted follower seeks the blessing of your divine light."
On the ground, a few ants that Barrett had just crushed began to show a soft white glow. Some of them waved their antennae and started moving again.
A few ants remained motionless. Stella explained that the ones that didn't move had their bodies too damaged for low-level healing magic to work.
Barrett then carefully crushed the few ants that had miraculously revived, trying to leave their bodies intact.
EeDeChi began her attempt to learn the Divine Magic spell. She held the golden holy symbol and repeated the prayer she had heard, but, as expected, there was no reaction.
EeDeChi silently repeated the spell again, but there was still no reaction.
She tried a third time, with no success.
Stella breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that learning Divine Magic in just an hour was indeed unrealistic. The captain's idea was far-fetched, and she wouldn't have to swap her cleric uniform for heavy chainmail after all.
As a young girl who still cared about her appearance, Stella found it hard to accept the idea of wrapping herself entirely in armor.
EeDeChi, seemingly frustrated, took a deep breath. She stood up, holding the golden holy symbol in her left hand, and picked up her giant sword with her right hand, raising it high towards the sky.
Stella, still kneeling on the ground, looked up at her captain in confusion, unsure of what she intended to do. Barrett and Sean stepped back slightly, watching the oddly behaving, serious-faced EeDeChi with surprise.
EeDeChi planted her feet firmly, standing tall. She held the holy symbol tightly in her left hand and raised the giant sword with her right, her voice strong and clear:
"O great Gaia, lend me your power and respond to my call. Do not be ungrateful! If Gods Deny Salvation's Hand, With Sacred Blade I'll Reprimand!"
As soon as she finished speaking, a golden light spread across an area of nearly twenty meters. Warm energy flowed around, and the ants on the ground, whether whole or crushed, were completely healed. They flipped over, wiggling their antennae, and resumed their movements, happily crawling around.
Sean felt as if he were soaking in a comforting hot spring. A soothing warmth flowed through him, and he noticed his left leg, which had previously been bitten by a desert wolf, was completely healed.
Stella, still kneeling, stared in disbelief at EeDeChi, who stood proudly. Her eyes were filled with awe and reverence for the divine miracle.
She murmured, "This is 4th Tier Healing Magic—NO, it's 5th Tier, maybe even higher-tier magic!"
Barrett, also enveloped in the golden light, experienced a similar sensation to Sean, but even more intensely.
He could feel every cell in his body joyfully growing, moaning, singing, and celebrating new life. As a seasoned adventurer with nearly twenty years of experience, all of his numerous old and hidden wounds were healed in that moment!
Most importantly, he felt the parts of him that had been bitten off by a crocodile in the River Fra—the penis and testicles—had regenerated at this very moment!