“Why didn’t you tell us?” gripping the scroll tightly as Siola follow his eyes.

Colon couldn’t even look at her anymore, “…”

“You know why. It’s a new dungeon, miss Siola. Something very precious that can transform the whole town that is Clearwater into a landmark of trades.”

“Is that what you think or is that just what sir Oklam told you about this expedition?”

“D-Does it matter? Surely you can see it, y-you’re smart and…”

“Colon,” Siola started getting a headache.

She shook her head in disbelief and went to inform the others. Colon grinding his teeth, his brows frowned as he looks to the ground.

A moment after, his back was on it when Pent storm to punch him, “Bastard!” mounting him, “Fuck! Fuck! Fuuuck!”

Despite being attacked, Colon only guarded with a pained look on his face.

“Pent, stop.”

“Why, you’re going to take his side after all of that?! He knew, miss Siola. He knew!”

“I know. But like it or not, we’re together on this.”

“…”

Seeing the grimace on Colon’s face, his eyes has shown him enough, but Pent punches him for one last time.

“Damn it!”

“What do we do now?”

“I thought we’re going somewhere, but we don’t even know where it is?!”

“Yeah! This… this is… BAD!”

“Alright, alright! Calm down, all of you. Let me think.”

Passing the scroll to Pent but he threw it at Colon.

He grabs it, “I’m sorry. It’s just that captain Oklam said the source was strong.”

“It doesn’t matter how strong the source is when rumors in general is fundamentally unreliable, Colon.”

“If we have a battalion worth of soldiers marching towards this dungeon based on those rumors alone, I wouldn’t be against it, but we’re not.”

“…”

Sighing, “Still, we can’t just go back home after coming this far.”

One of the men jolted, “You can’t be serious.”

“Yeah, what if we’re stranded and can’t go back?”

“We’re already stranded.”

Their eyes widened after the sudden realization that none of them including Colon knows the way back home. One fallen on their butt while Pent started to shed a tear.

Siola move away further from them.

‘Now where the fuck am I?’

Looking at the sky, she locates the sun. Her heart started beating uncontrollably. The vision of the doppelganger back home and the vision of the unknown. Not to mention, the people that are now with her. Her mind race, imagining bitter possibilities.

Deep breath. She started praying.

“O Lady of Light, forgive thy servant, for I may have been impudent. I beseech thee, aid thy servant and these poor souls, and guide us toward our destination.”

‘It doesn’t matter if it’s gone unnoticed, as long as I can calm myself down.’

‘People’s lives are at stake.’

“…”

‘I can’t make any more mistake.’

When Colon tries to pat the crying Pent, his hand was slapped away. He can see the hatred in his eye. Even the others, despaired. As men, all of them are young. Too young for such journey.

Then, light comes their way. Golden particles shining towards one of their comrades.

Pent’s eyes stopped moving midway as the world turns black and white.

God rays descend upon the Priest, Siola.

“I recognize you, child.”

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

As if the light is talking to her still body.

“You have done commendable actions most would turn their sight away.”

“You have saved the poor [Guide] with the power I bestowed you. And you have not misused that same power for misdeed.”

“You brought a light to man who has lost it all.”

“You have prayed, day and night. The courtesy and faith you have shown has moved me.”

“And now we’re here, with you asking for my guidance. My favor.”

“A favor I shall grant.”

“However, this land you have stepped into is outside my reach. Seek the temple in the west. There you shall receive my blessing, and the first step to becoming my champion.”

The black white world turns to normal as Pent’s tear continue to shed.

Siola’s eyes widened, ‘What just happened?’

‘Did I hear that right?’

‘It happened the first time I was praying at that shrine too. I thought it was just my stress playing games on me.’

‘Armalia… the goddess herself… actually talked to me?’

‘Heading west, huh.’

She looked up to the sun, facing it.

“It’s setting.”

Siola came back to the group and to her surprise, everyone is looking at her full of life.

“Pack up, we’re going.”

“Y-Yeah, wait! You, ahh uhhh…”

One of her brows raised, “What?”

“Siola, just now, you looked um…” Pent fidgeting, “You look like a Saintess.”

“Huh? You mean praying. Yes. Although I’m a Priest, I’m not a Saint.”

“Eh? You’re a Priest?”

“Yeah! I thought you were a Rogue or something.”

“Shut up, you.”

“Miss Siola,” everyone went quiet when Colon talks, agitated, “We saw light. Golden light with you just now. That’s why…”

“Golden light?”

‘No wonder it feels so bright even though I closed my eyes.’

Shaking her head, “Enough of this. We’re heading west. So, again. Pack up.”

“Y-Yes, ma’am.”

She rolls her eyes when all three men calls her that. But unbeknownst to her, thanks to that light, and under her new leadership, all of her comrades including Colon rejuvenated their hope.

The path towards the temple leads them to a jungle full of dangerous creatures, but Siola’s quick-wittedness allowed them to pass through with ease, even at a cost of one soiling their pants when an enormous panther-like creature almost as tall as a hill passes through.

Although night comes, Siola determined to continue the journey. Silently sneaking away from dark shadowy creatures and stays out of herd path.

“Night-consumed beasts.”

The wolves show up with red eyes and scattered around the area, are shadowy figures.

“S-Shouldn’t we set up a camp?”

“Hrmm, this is not a place you want to close your eyes in.”

“Come on.”

They followed her footsteps, no matter how tired they area. Siola ration her Stamina Potion with the rest and they continue to march onward.

Soon, they arrived to a river with a small hill of which lies a shrine.

“Haa… Haa… W-Water, it’s water!”

Pent tries to reach them, “Wait, you fool!”

He looks at Siola, seeking reassurance, and she urge him to join them. Siola looks at Colon, “You go, too. I’ll join you guys in a sec.”

He looks at her walking towards the shrine, couldn’t even have a word out before she left.

As the men replenish their energy and hygiene, Siola remove her backpack. Kneeling before the shrine, and pray to the entity behind the statue.

The world turns black and white once more.

“Well done, child.”

“I shall grant you the favor you seek and my blessing.”

“However, I now have a task for you. A task for you to become my champion.”

“Seek the location shown by the [Guide]. Save the poor soul trapped within.”

“Do that, and you shall be granted an even greater miracle. By my blessing, as the Ruler of the Divine Order! I command you, become my champion!”

The world turns to normal.

! {Blessing Received}

* Clairvoyance (Limited) / Tier 8 / Chant to conjure vision towards one’s goals / Limited Condition: one-time use, no cost, can Cast without Chant, use Sign

* Turn Lesser Undead / Tier 2 / Chant miracles to set dead beings on fire and blind them

* Turn Greater Undead / Tier 3 / Chant miracles to set dead beings on fire and blind them

* Holy Light / Tier 2 / Cast to conjure a ball of holy light at target location

* Holy Light (Weapon) / Tier 2 / Cast to enchant weapon with holy light

* Sacred Flame (Weapon) / Tier 3 / Chant to enchant weapon with holy-fire

* Dark Protection (Passive) / Tier 3 / Moderately reduced incoming dark magic attack

‘A one-time use Clairvoyance?’

‘I never had the chance to use it because only a handful of players reaches far enough for Armalia to grant this kind of blessing.’

‘The chant is quite a lot.’

“But a sign, huh.”

Pent the others scrub each other’s back with rough stones. And then, he caught a sight of Siola once again doing something weird. Entrance, he stopped scrubbing.

“Oi, it’s a bit itchy down at the bottom.”

“…”

“Huh?”

Colon turns to see Siola as well. She gestures with a sign to her head, and after mumbling something, she has gone limp as if she just passed out.

All of them shudder and rush towards her, but before they can even take a step. Siola’s body floats to the air as golden light particles created an intricate circle of magic as multiple concentrated rays sending something to her forehead it to her forehead.

Her eyes glow up in a bright golden color before she’s gently dropped to ground.

They rushed to assist her.

“Urgh.”

“Siola, ma’am.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah! You’re just suddenly woosh and then pomf.”

“You’re not hurt, are you?”

“Miss Siola.”

She feels discombobulated but not because of the sight of the men’s exposed body, “I have good news and bad news. Which one do you all want to hear first?”

“U-uhh, good news please.”

“Yeah! Good news please!”

“Okay, bad news first then.”

“Nooooo…”

Siola stood and they all assisted her.

“It’s related to our destination, so let’s get it out of the way. The dungeon is a bit… hard.”

Their eyes widened, “What?”

Siola scatter them to move as she walks forward and points to the south, “There is a cliff in that direction over there, and the dungeon’s gate is right at the bottom of it. And worse, it is buried under a massive rubble.”

Pent massage his head as he sits.

The men started to mumbling among themselves.

“Miss Siola, are you certain that the dungeon is there?”

“Yes.”

“Um, ma’am. May I ask, wh-why are you so confident that it’s there?”

“…”

Looking at Pent with a stern confident look, “I’ve seen it.”

Shook to the core, “Y-You’ve… seen it?

Colon, shocked about what he just heard, ‘She… did she just said…’

To his thoughts, ‘If that’s true. She’s ordinary Priest. She holds the power of sight. Which truly makes her…’ Colon kneels down with his forehead on the ground, crying, “Please, guide us.”

The other men were confused by his act, but after glancing back and forth, they look at Siola and see they see hope.

Dropping to Colon’s level, they shouted, “Please, guide us!”

“…”

As she turns to Pent, he quickly fixes his posture to do the same but Siola gestured him to stop, “Raise your head.”

Siola lowered down and pat Colon, “Don’t worry. I’ll get you all back home.”

“I promise.”

A tear in their eye. A relief after an excruciating journey. Hearing those words fill them with a sense of reassurance they desperately need.