Divine Rituals.

In the game's lore, they were one of the more grounded systems tied to the divine hierarchy — not a "skill" or "blessing" you could simply unlock through quests or leveling, but something much more ancient and dangerous.

Rituals were the backbone of the world's divine power structure, shaping the relationship between mortals and gods.

They weren't flashy like spells or blessings, but they carried a weight — a cost that made them both feared and respected.

In essence, Rituals were the systems that bound the hands of deities, preventing them from directly interfering with the mortal realm.

Ironically, the very same process could also be reversed — allowing mortals to draw upon divine, or even demonic, power for a short time.

That duality was why demonic cultists loved them so much.

Through a ritual, even the weakest believer could momentarily reach beyond their mortal limits and touch something… sacred — or profane.

But like everything that defied nature's order, there were rules. Strict ones.

The first was the medium.

A ritual needed something — or someone — to channel through.

The greater the power being invoked, the stronger the medium had to be.

Most rituals failed simply because the vessel couldn't handle the influx of energy and burned out halfway.

The second was time. Unlike normal spells, rituals required meticulous preparation.

Circles had to be drawn, runes properly aligned, chants uttered in precise order — one mistake could mean collapse, or worse, backlash.

And the higher the ritual's purpose, the longer it took.

And lastly… danger.

The stronger the ritual, the greater the risk.

The divine and demonic energies invoked didn't discriminate.

One wrong resonance, one unstable fragment of intent, and the entire ritual could turn against its caster — consuming their body, soul, or even warping the area around them.

Still, no matter how strictly these laws were designed, there were always exceptions — beings capable of bending them, even ignoring them altogether.

One of them was Lucas.

Depending on how you built him in the game, his late-stage stats and blessings could elevate him to the level of a high-ranking Saint of the Church, capable of performing miracle-grade rituals in minutes — things that would normally take weeks of divine preparation.

His synchronization with divine energy made him an anomaly, someone who could stand on the edge of mortal and divine without burning out.

And the other exception… was Saintess Emilia.

While Lucas had the potential to imitate divinity, Emilia was born within its light.

She was the only one in this world capable of safely bridging a mortal's consciousness to a god's will.

If there was anyone who could open a true divine channel — a direct line to the Goddess of Light herself — it was her.

That's why I needed her help.

She was the only one powerful enough to cast a ritual that could completely cleanse Snow — to strip away any trace of Asmodeus or Erebil's influence, even the kind of lingering effects that slipped past my own perception.

And more importantly… I needed to speak with the Goddess of Light herself.

Whether Emilia would agree or not was another story.

But considering how our situations had overlapped lately — and how she tended to listen when it came to anything involving demonic corruption — I doubted she'd refuse.

The night was calm, the academy grounds bathed in the dim glow of floating lanterns.

Most students were already asleep.

My footsteps echoed softly down the marble hallway of Killian Hall, the cold air brushing against my skin as I made my way to the Saintess's dorm.

It might be a little rude visiting her this late… but there wasn't any time to waste.

Deciding on it, I made my way there without hesitation.

Amon and Anna, her ever-present guards, were stationed outside as usual — though this time, they didn't move to block my path.

Instead, they exchanged brief glances and nodded in quiet acknowledgment the moment they recognized me.

Apparently, my reputation with Emilia had earned me more trust than I thought.

Before I could even knock, the door opened.

"Please come inside…!"

Emilia's voice greeted me brightly.

She stood there in her soft white pajamas, her black hair slightly disheveled and her cheeks a faint pink, like she hadn't expected me this soon — but had been waiting anyway.

Her sapphire-blue eyes glimmered with that same mix of excitement and nervousness she always had around me.

I stepped in quietly, glancing back once.

Amon and Anna didn't even react.

No suspicious glares, no warnings — just a silent nod before they resumed their posts.

For two people who'd once threatened to smite me if I even looked at the Saintess the wrong way, they'd grown surprisingly lenient.

Closing the door behind me, I took in the familiar sight of her room.

Nothing much had changed — it was still neat, clean, and faintly glowing with divine warmth.

A small golden lamp flickered beside her bed, and the faint scent of lilies filled the air.

The only real difference was the addition of a few ornate church decorations — a cross-like sigil of the Goddess of Light mounted on the wall, and several scripture-bound tomes neatly stacked by her desk.

"Were you expecting me, Saintess?" I asked with a faint smile, watching as she fidgeted nervously, her hands clasped tightly together.

"Ah—! U-uhm… y-yes?" she stammered, her cheeks quickly turning red. "A-Actually, Senior… the Goddess told me that one day you would come visit me at night… I-I just didn't expect it to be tonight—hehehe~" She laughed awkwardly, her voice trembling between excitement and embarrassment.

I raised a brow. "Is that so? But you said you expected me, right?"

"Ah— t-that's because… I-I felt you getting closer, Senior!" she blurted out, almost as if trying to justify her earlier words. "S-so I immediately woke up from bed and then prepa—ah, I-I mean, I was preparing for bed, yes! And then I noticed your divine p-presence, a-and I thought—th-this was probably the night you'd come visit me, so I just got a little bit excited and all…"

Her voice dwindled into a whisper near the end, her fingers nervously playing with the hem of her sleeve.

I blinked.

She felt my divine presence?

That was new.

I'd always known she was sensitive to divine energy, but to detect it from this far, and even identify it as mine… that level of precision wasn't normal.

Then again, she was the Saintess — perhaps such sensitivity was natural for someone chosen by the Goddess of Light herself.

Still…

"I got you excited?"

Her entire body froze.

"U-U-Uhm! P-please forget I said that—!"

She flailed slightly, her long hair swaying as her face turned an even deeper shade of pink.

"I-I mean, yes! W-well, actually, Vanessa hasn't been visiting me lately so I've been feeling a little lonely, yes…! So, um, having a friend visit me like this got me excited! A-and also the Goddess mentioned your visit would be important, so…"

"I see," I replied with a small chuckle, leaning back on the couch. "Still, I guess I woke you up unnecessarily then. Sorry about that."

She quickly shook her head, waving her hands. "N-no! Don't be! Like I said, Senior, I was expecting you, so… please, make yourself comfortable!"

Her smile was soft, genuine despite the nervousness that still clung to her tone.

I nodded and took the free seat on the sofa near her window, the faint moonlight seeping in and painting her room in silvery hues.

She followed soon after, sitting across from me — her back straight, her hands resting neatly on her lap, and her eyes shyly flickering toward me now and then, as if trying not to stare but failing miserably.

The silence between us lingered for a moment — quiet, yet warm — only broken by the gentle hum of divine energy that seemed to radiate faintly from her.

"So, to what pleasure do I owe your visit tonight, Senior?" Emilia asked softly, her tone polite but tinged with curiosity. "A-ah, that's right—would you like some tea, perhaps? No, maybe… coffee?"

I smiled faintly and shook my head. "There's no need. I actually came here in a bit of a rush, you see."

Her expression faltered for a brief moment — the faint disappointment in her eyes was obvious — but she quickly masked it with a small, composed smile.

"I see… then please, feel free to speak your concerns. It would be my pleasure to help you with them."

I nodded, leaning forward a little, my tone shifting into something more serious. "Saintess… I need your help."

Her brows drew together slightly. "Help?"

"Yes," I said, my voice firm.

She straightened her posture, the gentle air around her fading into something more solemn.

The divine energy that always surrounded her seemed to stir faintly — not threatening, but resolute.

Taking a deep breath, I began to explain what had happened only a few hours ago.

Of course, I couldn't tell her everything exactly as it was — not with the kind of truths that would raise too many questions — but I told her enough.

I spoke of how a powerful demonic entity had manifested within the forest, possessing an elven student and nearly causing the deaths of several others.

I told her how Princess Snow had gotten involved, how the situation had spiraled beyond control, and how, in the end, I'd managed to stop it — barely.

I even mentioned Lucas's involvement, framing the entire ordeal as a chaotic but successful subjugation of a "demon king-level threat."

By the time I finished, Emilia's expression was pale with shock.

"S-so you're saying… you fought, and somehow defeated… a Demon King, Senior?"

"Yes," I said calmly, keeping my expression steady.

Her eyes widened, trembling faintly as she processed the words.

For a moment, she looked as though she couldn't quite believe me — then, seeing the seriousness in my face, she swallowed and spoke again, her tone shaking slightly.

"Then… are you saying there are demonic worshippers… within the academy right now?"

"Highly likely."

She froze. For a Saintess who had been raised under the strict doctrines of the Church of Light, just hearing that was enough to make her blood run cold. Her lips pressed tightly together before she nodded, her divine aura flickering to life in reflex — the faint golden glow outlining her frame.

"I… I see," she murmured, her voice now low but firm. "I'm truly sorry you had to go through something so dangerous alone, Senior. I'll immediately request the Paladins to investigate and deal with them. If there really are demonic followers within these walls… we cannot let them act freely."

Her tone was calm, but there was steel beneath it — that frightening kind of holy resolve she rarely showed.

"Haha, please do," I said, chuckling awkwardly.

'Seriously, when it comes to demons, she turns into a completely different person.'

For a moment, she seemed to drift into deep thought — her expression softened, eyes lowered, fingers fidgeting slightly against her lap as if weighing something heavy in her heart.

But soon, her features hardened again; she straightened her back and looked at me with a rare, firm seriousness.

"And also… regarding your request, Senior," she said quietly at first, then took a deep breath, "I'm sorry… but I can't."

"Hm?" I tilted my head slightly, not expecting that kind of refusal from her.

"I understand your worry and what you're trying to do," she continued, her tone earnest but strained, "but performing a purification ritual of that level… it's far too dangerous. Even for someone like you, Senior—especially if it involves Princess Snow."

Her eyes flickered with genuine concern as she pressed her hand over her heart.

"Divine energy is kind and pure, yes… but it's also overwhelmingly intense. It burns away corruption, but it doesn't distinguish between evil and what it deems tainted. For someone who's already been touched by a being like Asmodeus, the reaction could be… catastrophic."

She bit her lip, her voice softening.

"W-worse, I'm not even capable of performing a complete divine incarnation yet! I know people have been spreading rumors, but even if the Goddess does descend through me… it would only be for a few seconds at best. That wouldn't be enough time for you to have a proper conversation or for her to cleanse something of that scale."

She looked up at me, almost pleadingly.

"H-how about letting me personally examine Princess Snow instead? My natural divine skills should be enough to dispel any lingering corruption without needing to risk a full-scale ritual! Please, Senior, I can guarantee it."

I sighed softly. She wasn't wrong. Everything she said was rational and sound.

But still…

"Hmm," I muttered under my breath, lowering my gaze. "Although what you're saying makes sense, I can't trust anyone else's assurance in this matter. Not when it involves the Demon King's curse."

"Senior…"

"Don't worry, Saintess," I said, raising my eyes to meet hers again with quiet confidence. "As the Goddess's chosen vessel — her mortal incarnation — there's no one more suitable in this world to perform this ritual than you."

Her face flushed faintly, a mix of embarrassment and frustration crossing her expression.

"T-that might be the case theoretically, but… that doesn't mean the ritual itself won't be dangerous! I can protect myself, yes, but for you and Princess Snow—"

"I can handle the consequences."

Her brows furrowed sharply. "No, you can't."

"Yes, I can."

We stared at each other for a tense moment, neither willing to back down.

Emilia stood near her desk, clutching a book filled with runic inscriptions. Her voice trembled as she tried to reason with me.

"S–Senior… I–I really can't do it…! I'm so sorry, but it's too dangerous!"

Her voice trembled as she flipped open a thick, gold-etched tome on her desk — the Divine Scripture, one that only high-ranking saints had access to.

She hurriedly pointed at a section filled with ancient runes and glowing text, her finger shaking as she spoke.

"L-look! It clearly says here — 'When mortal and divinity intertwine beyond limit, the vessel and the chosen shall both face annihilation.' I can't risk that! It's not just theory — the last person who tried this, their soul was burned away!"

When did she even prepare this?

I just smiled faintly, leaning back as if her panic didn't faze me in the slightest. "It's fine. Trust me — nothing will happen."

Her eyes widened. "B-but like I told you—it's too dangerous! One small mistake and you could die! You and the princess both—"

"I trust you."

That stopped her cold.

Her words faltered in her throat as she looked up at me, startled — as if she wasn't used to hearing that kind of faith directed at her.

For a brief moment, she just stood there, blinking in disbelief.

Still, she quickly tried to compose herself, grabbing the divine book again and flipping through more pages, her voice rising.

"B-but… you said this involves a demonic entity, right? I–I can't guarantee a safe ritual just like that! The backlash could— H-hyaah!"

Her sentence broke off into a small squeak as I moved closer — closing the space between us until her back gently hit the wall behind her.

My hand rested there, palm flat against the cold surface beside her shoulder, caging her in without touching her.

Her breath hitched.

"S–senior… w–what are you doing…?" she whispered, voice barely audible, cheeks blooming red under the soft light of her room.

Honestly, she looked like a startled little rabbit — trembling, flustered, completely unsure of what to do.

A part of me wanted to tease her just to see how much redder she could get, but I pushed the thought aside.

"Saintess—" I paused, my tone softening, "No, Emilia. If you do this favor for me…" I leaned in just slightly, enough for my words to brush against her ear, "I'll grant you one wish. Anything you want."

She froze. Her lips parted slightly, eyes darting between mine, trying to gauge if I was serious.

She lowered her gaze, fingers curling tightly around the hem of her nightgown.

"I… a-alright…" she muttered, voice so soft it almost disappeared. "I'll do it… so please, j-just move away now…"

I blinked. Wait… she accepted? That easily?

I couldn't help but chuckle as I stepped back, smiling. "You're the best, Junior."

Before I knew it, I'd pulled her into a quick, warm hug — more instinct than thought.

She stiffened, letting out a tiny sound of surprise, then awkwardly patted my back with both hands.

I could feel her heartbeat pounding through the moment, and despite everything, a small laugh escaped me.

"Thanks, Emilia. Really."

Her entire face turned scarlet as she mumbled under her breath, "Y-yesss…???

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