Chapter 9 : Chapter 9
Chapter 9: Final Preparations
As evening approached, lights had already begun to glow throughout the Church.
Maintaining stealth, Fia carefully avoided the guards and slipped back into her room.
Then a realization suddenly struck her.
Wait… what exactly was she afraid of?
Would it not have been simpler to just put on her outer robe and walk back openly through the corridors?
But it was too late to think about that now.
Lorinna’s expression had clearly been off earlier. If Fia returned and knocked on the window now, she would probably walk straight into the line of fire.
Her thin dress had still not completely dried, so Fia changed out of it entirely, put on fresh sleepwear, and settled down at her desk.
First, she used several different methods to confirm the authenticity of the red fragment.
Although Lorinna had not looked like she was lying, it was always better to be cautious.
If the fragment turned out to be fake, then not only would all her sacrifices have been in vain, she might also end up in an even more dangerous situation.
She should have taken more photos with a magic crystal.
At least then she would have something to use as leverage.
After all, it had been the first time in her life that she had personally told another girl, “I like you.”
And yet she had been kicked out before even getting a sip of hot soup.
Ding.
The analysis results appeared.
The magical fluctuation similarity between this red fragment and the yellow fragment she already possessed was over ninety percent.
It was genuine.
Fia felt a heavy weight lift from her chest.
At this point, the most difficult part of her plan could be considered complete.
There were still two days remaining before the ceremony officially began.
Meanwhile, the system notifications she had previously ignored brought another surprise.
【Morality -10】
【Evaluation: Nothing excites this system more than forcefully pushing down a red-haired beauty. However, you only pushed her down without deeper interaction. The system is very dissatisfied.】
【Special Retractable Sleeve Blade Unlocked: You think I am hard, but I am actually soft.】
Fia ignored the usual nonsense in the evaluation and focused instead on the reward.
This time it had not granted ability fragments.
Instead, it provided a weapon.
A gray tubular icon floated within her field of vision. When Fia touched it with her consciousness, it materialized and attached itself to her right arm.
She experimented by swinging the blade, which resembled the weapon used by the protagonist in another game about throwing people off tall buildings.
Her movements showed no stiffness despite her low physique stat.
It appeared to automatically adapt to her attributes.
She continued reading.
【Morality -15】
【Evaluation: Who taught you to push someone down first and confess afterward?】
【Title Unlocked: “Red and White Collector”
Physique +1
When forming an embrace posture with a qualifying character for ten seconds, there is a 20% chance to gain Physique +1】
This time the reward was a title.
Judging by the evaluation, it was clearly the system’s calculation of the moment when she confessed to Lorinna in desperation.
At that time, she had truly gambled everything.
She had relied entirely on the setting that said Lorinna possessed “special feelings for the Saintess.”
It turned out she had succeeded.
Yet even now she still did not fully understand what that feeling actually was.
Calling it love did not seem accurate.
Calling it admiration did not seem correct either.
Fia tilted her head.
When she could not figure something out, she simply stopped thinking about it.
After all, she had not suffered any loss, right?
What a fulfilling day.
Fia pulled the blanket over herself.
The lights in the Saintess’s residence gradually went out.
But in the residence located symmetrically on the opposite side of the palace, the lights remained on all night.
The next day.
“Lady Lorinna, you look radiant as always.”
The believers carefully chosen to accompany Lorinna praised her repeatedly.
Of course they could see that her makeup was heavier than usual, and her clothes did not quite fit properly.
But that hardly mattered.
Finding faults was not part of their duties.
The red-haired Candidate Saintess merely smiled calmly.
Her demeanor was elegant and composed, as though the arrogant and sharp-tongued girl she displayed in front of Fia had been nothing but an illusion.
“What a large commotion. Are they carrying out construction work?”
She looked toward the inner palace.
The sound of collapsing walls echoed continuously. Dust rose into the air, and under the sunlight it was possible to see numerous workers from the construction teams wearing bright yellow robes while using magic to lift freshly cut bricks.
“I heard it was requested by Saintess Fia. Lady Lorinna, shouldn’t you go and ask about it?”
Someone offered the suggestion.
They would enjoy seeing Lorinna storm off to confront Fia.
After all, information often emerged through conflict.
“No… no. The Saintess must have her own reasons for doing things.”
Lorinna tightened the edge of her robe and looked at the girls gathered around her.
“It is time for prayer. Let us thank the God of Love and Justice for granting us…”
She began reciting the prayer.
The others exchanged puzzled glances, unsure what exactly she was trying to do.
The scene shifted back to Fia.
“Yes, connect that road to here. Then install a hollow wall here.”
Fia directed the construction work while turning to the ritual officer waiting nearby.
“How is the magic circle modification progressing?”
The young official in a long robe bowed respectfully to the Saintess and presented the revised blueprint of the magic circle.
“It has been completed. According to your instructions and the wishes of His Holiness the Pontiff, part of the magical circuit originally flowing toward Lady Lorinna has been removed and redirected to the node where you will stand.”
The Saintess was far kinder than he had imagined.
And she was truly as beautiful as the legends claimed.
No—she was even more beautiful.
Her golden hair shone like warm sunlight.
Her clear eyes resembled finely polished magical crystals.
Even the gentle curve of her hair as the breeze lifted it while she gazed into the distance surpassed the elegant lines of carefully drawn magical formations.
Her existence itself was like a miracle of divine magic.
When she personally bypassed his superior to request his help, his colleagues had been filled with envy.
He had originally thought it would take years before he could achieve any recognition.
Yet now his career already had a brilliant achievement to record.
As he thought about it, the young man who had spent countless days revising blueprints in the workshop looked at Fia with even greater reverence.
If the Saintess would sign her name on his face, he would gladly never wash it again.
“You have done well. This was additional work, so your salary will be raised by one rank. After the ceremony is complete, you may serve as the deputy assistant to the Chief Ritual Officer.”
Fia accepted the blueprint and carefully checked it.
The details had been handled extremely well, and the main functions of the formation were fully preserved.
Very satisfied, she granted the reward.
Originally, the Chief Ritual Officer had been too stubborn.
The old man insisted that any changes required approval from the upper council and refused to make modifications.
Left with no choice, Fia had chosen a young man who looked inexperienced to help her.
But now it seemed that young people were perfectly reliable.
The work before her was also nearing completion.
The connecting routes between the major halls had been modified according to Fia’s instructions.
The Pontiff had raised no objections.
In fact, he preferred staying outside the city in the training grounds and exercising every day rather than wearing impractical ceremonial robes and acting as a decorative symbol inside the palace.
No wonder his level was so high.
The final preparations were complete.
Next, the ceremony would officially begin.
And she would finally face the useless former protagonist of the old game—The green-haired Hero who had existed only to provide a camera perspective.