"You can fix my constitution?"
Saintess Olga froze, as if she had heard something completely unexpected.
"To be precise, you've been squeezing out holy power from your body. Rather than changing your constitution, it's more like fixing all the bad parts."
Raon clicked his tongue briefly as he looked at the black lines etched all over Olga's body. Seeing that more lines had appeared since he first arrived here, it was clear she had overexerted her holy power again in this recent war.
"Those black scars will probably disappear too."
"And you say you can do that? How?"
Olga's red lips trembled in disbelief.
"Because my friend knows how."
Wrath had noticed Olga's condition from the first time he saw her, mentioning that demons sometimes had similar cases. With his own transcendent state and Wrath's knowledge and senses, changing Olga's constitution wasn't impossible.
"Hmm..."
Olga bit her lip slightly as she looked at the black lines covering her entire right hand.
"This isn't just a backlash from holy power. It's my past and present."
She ran her trembling hand over the black lines etched on her arm.
"..."
Raon lowered his hand and kept quiet, allowing Olga to explain her situation.
"Did I mention before? That I was born with more holy power than anyone else? That's why I was given the ill-fitting title of Saintess."
Olga clenched her fist with a trembling hand. The black lines etched on her fingers connected, making it look like she was wearing black gloves.
"I had nearly infinite holy power, but my body that had to handle it wasn't much different from others. It's like having an overflowing amount of water, but the bottle to contain it is made of paper."
Olga pressed her blackened, melting skin with her fingernail, saying it was funny.
"When I use high-level priest-grade holy power, it feels like my skin is melting with pain. No, my body is actually melting."
She pointed to the black lines that could no longer be covered even by tattoos and smirked.
"But I enjoyed it. Helping others with my abilities brought me happiness beyond the pain."
Olga gazed out the window at the sea, a faint smile on her face as if recalling old times.
"But people kept wanting more and more. They didn't give a damn about my pain or feelings."
Olga let out a bitter laugh as she took out a cigarette from her pocket and put it in her mouth.
"I wanted to take care of many people, but at some point I ended up only dealing with the rich and powerful."
Perhaps thinking of herself as a patient, she held the unlit cigarette in her hand again.
"So I started acting like a delinquent instead of a saintess, moving as I pleased. I left the rich people who weren't in urgent need and went to the back alleys to help dying children. I left nobles with slightly cut fingers and went to battlefields to use my holy power on dying soldiers."
Olga smiled refreshingly, saying that was much better and made her happier.
"When I used my power as I wanted, it was bearable even though it was painful. At some point, I got the name 'trash saintess', but I actually liked it. Of course, it was a nickname our kingdom tried to hide by all means."
She waved her hand slightly, as if finding it amusing.
"So it's fine. These scars are my badges of honor, and I can live fairly long if I control my holy power. Don't worry."
Olga shook her head calmly, saying she didn't need any treatment.
"That's not true."
Raon shook his head while looking into Olga's eyes.
"Huh? What's not true..."
"Both things."
He raised his finger and shook his head.
"You should know better than anyone. You don't have much time left."
Raon pointed at Olga's tattoos with his finger.
"Your holy power is getting stronger and stronger. It's impossible for your body to withstand a power that melts it just by using it. It's bound to collapse at some point."
Olga herself had said she possessed more holy power than anyone else. However, since her body was ordinary, soon not only her skin but also her bones and muscles would melt away.
"When that happens, you won't be able to fix it even if you want to. You'll die without even being able to lie down for a few months."
"Hmm..."
Olga furrowed her brow, as if she knew this herself.
"Besides, you're concerned about those scars too."
Raon pointed at the black lines that seemed to cover Olga's entire skin, smiling faintly.
"W-what nonsense! I don't care at all!"
Olga shook her head vigorously, insisting it wasn't true.
"You always say women's skin should be free of scars when you treat them. Even two days ago, when you treated Rensia, you took her back to remove her scars."
She always said women's skin should be free of scars and tried her best to erase them. It was both Olga's desire to achieve on others the smooth skin she couldn't have herself, and her consideration for them.
Despite her own skin melting black, she poured holy power to heal others, showing she was kinder than expected.
"N-no! You idiot! Stupid. Dummy!"
Olga shook her head frantically, her face reddening.
"Dummy? I'm not sure what that means."
Raon chuckled at the flustered Olga.
"Anyway, come with me to Zieghart. I'll fix you somehow."
"But..."
Olga didn't answer immediately, biting her lip deeply.
"If there's something to gain, there's also something to lose. To fix me, you'll have to make a lot of sacrifices..."
Even in a situation where her life was at stake, Olga thought of him first. Though she said she wasn't a saintess, she had a more saintly heart than anyone.
"Well, I might get a bit tired, but there won't be much sacrifice. As I said, I have a guide."
With the Ragged Saint Federick in Zieghart and Wrath knowing the way, they should be able to treat Olga without much problem. Though it would be quite tiring.
"Ugh..."
Olga's lips quivered as if she had run out of things to say.
"I'll give you that porcelain skin you want so badly..."
"I don't want it!"
She shouted that it wasn't true and left the hospital room. She seemed very embarrassed about having her true feelings exposed.
"Stay here. Don't go to Suphren."
Judging by the sound of footsteps only after hearing his last words, it seemed Olga would come with him to Zieghart instead of going to Suphren.
-It seems you really want to save her somehow.
'We received a lot of help this time, and I'd like someone like her to live longer.'
Saintess Olga is someone who can play an even bigger role than a transcendent in future wars. But beyond that advantage, he wanted to save her as one person to another. As Raon was smiling at the door of the hospital room that Olga had left slightly open, a pink current fell from the air with a sinister appearance.
[Wrath...]
Lust's sultry voice chilled his ear as it brushed past.
[I know you entered the human world with a special purpose. But I'd prefer if you didn't get too close to other women, okay?]
She revealed her eerie eyes from within the pink current, saying he had made a promise with her.
-Aaaaaah!
Wrath screamed and hid under the bed as soon as he saw Lust's eyes.
-What are we going to do about that stalker! She's already gone mad!
He trembled, saying Lust's
"That is not so."
Raon shook his head calmly as he looked at Lust's seemingly excited eyes.
"How this king thinks of that child is completely different from how I think of you."
He closed his mouth without saying anything more.
[Different? Different...]
Lust repeated the word 'different' with a blank look in her eyes.
[That's right. I am different.]
She seemed satisfied with the word 'different' and disappeared into thin air after blowing an excited breath on his ear.
-Huh?
Wrath blinked blankly.
-Why on earth was that stalker satisfied with just the word 'different'?
He tilted his head, seemingly unable to understand.
'Isn't it exactly as you heard?'
-But why did that stalker react like that!
'People often hear what others say in the way they want to. Lust interpreted the word 'different' in the way she wanted.'
He smiled, saying that's why she was satisfied and withdrew.
-The way she wanted? ...W-wait a minute!
Wrath rolled his eyes and screamed.
-Then doesn't that mean this king will have to deal with all of it later!
'I suppose so?'
-That's bullshit! Are you really insane?
He let out an exasperated sigh, saying it was unbelievable.
-I'm really going crazy! How did this king end up meeting such a lunatic!
Wrath trembled all over as he watched Lust's current flutter away contentedly.
'Patience brings blessings.'
-You're the one making me unable to be patient!
As Wrath was about to pounce with a shriek, urgent footsteps were heard outside the room. The door opened simultaneously as Burren, Martha, Runaan, and the swordsmen of the Light Wind Palace rushed in. However, they weren't the first to enter the room.
"Raon."
Glenn, who had appeared from somewhere, entered the room first and stood in front of his bed.
"Are you alright?"
He was still frowning deeply, as if worried.
"My head is a bit dizzy, but everything else is fine."
Raon raised his arm, saying he was better so Glenn wouldn't worry.
"Hmm, that's a relief."
Glenn nodded, lowering his eyes slightly without meeting Raon's gaze properly.
"..."
Raon tilted his chin slightly as he watched Glenn avoid his eyes. He was so different from when he had hugged him in front of many people that it was disconcerting again.
"Ahem! It's good that you're safe. Now talk among yourselves."
Glenn awkwardly turned around and left the room, as if he had only come to check on his condition.
"Huh? Head of House? Are you leaving already?"
Roenn's voice was heard from outside the door. He seemed surprised that Glenn had come out so quickly.
"I-I've seen that he's awake, so that's enough."
Glenn dragged Roenn out, his voice trembling slightly.
"It seems he's embarrassed."
Martha chuckled as she looked at the door Glenn had left through.
"He seemed embarrassed by the sudden hug and couldn't look us in the face…"
Burren scratched the back of his head and laughed awkwardly.
"I liked it though?"
Runaan smacked her lips, saying it felt like meeting a real grandfather.
"I see..."
Raon smiled faintly as he looked at the floor where Glenn had been standing. As he had expected, Glenn from two days ago must have been too emotional.
"How's it outside?"
"The cleanup is almost done."
Martha nodded.
"There were more people with Black Hearts implanted than we thought, but fortunately the Suphren priests helped with the removal process, so we got rid of them all."
She gave a thumbs up, saying they not only destroyed the Black Tower but also saved the residents of Montiro.
"That's good."
It seemed the priests and clergy of Suphren were a great help not only in the battle against the Black Tower but also in the recovery phase afterward. It was good that he had called them, and he was grateful they came.
"Hearing that the Black Tower has fallen, many people have come out to help. Not just our neutral factions, but also many people who couldn't find their way before."
Burren pointed outside, saying there was more vitality than during the resort days.
"I think it might do even better if it returns to being a resort. People can come to see the fallen Black Tower."
He grinned, saying there was no need to worry about Montiro.
"Ah!"
Runaan raised her hand as if she had remembered something to say.
"There's a rumor about a little kid who's been eating up all the food lately..."
She nodded, saying all the ingredients from every restaurant were disappearing.
"Oh, right. If support hadn't come from all over the continent, everyone would have starved, right? They say a small child has been eating up rice and desserts all day long."
Burren chuckled, saying he had heard that story too.
"Sigh..."
Raon exhaled briefly.
-It must be that damn glutton!
'It must be Gluttony...'
It seemed Gluttony was waiting here, eating up all the food, because he had asked her to wait. He would need to meet her soon and give her money.
'The demon kings are all peculiar, I tell you.'
As he sighed briefly while looking at Lust in the air, the door of the hospital room opened again, and Chamber and Rensia, their entire bodies wrapped in bandages, entered.
"Lord Raon!"
Rensia ran and threw herself into his arms as soon as she saw him.
"I'm so glad you're safe!"
She said she had been worried after hearing he suddenly collapsed, her eyes welling up with tears.
"I just fainted from exhaustion. My head hurts a little, but that's all. Don't worry."
Raon patted Rensia's slightly trembling back.
"A headache is the most dangerous thing. That's why I'm recuperating like this."
Chamber shook her head, rolling a candy in her mouth.
"Are you feeling better, Lady Chamber?"
"How could I be? I feel like I'm dying."
She frowned, saying her head still felt like it was about to split open.
"But if it weren't for you, I wouldn't be on the verge of death, I'd be actually dead. Thank you."
Chamber grabbed his shoulder with her small hand, saying he had fought really well.
"Not at all. If you hadn't stepped in at the end, we absolutely couldn't have won."
He meant it. There was an immense gap between him and the Black Tower Master. If Chamber hadn't used her ultimate technique at the risk of her life, he would have been the one to die.
"You're still as humble as ever."
Chamber smirked as if she had expected this.
"Unlike what your new epithet suggests."
"What new epithet?"
Raon blinked his eyes as if he didn't know what she meant.
"You've been given a new title."
Chamber took the candy out of her mouth and pointed it at him like a sword.
"Unlike before, it's a name close to the absolute rulers of the continent."