"I-I an, it's not like that! I just need to perform a purification spell, and your clothes, u- um... b-because they might get in the way!?"
Emilia's voice was trembling as she stamred out the explanation.
Her cheeks flushed, and she couldn't et my eyes, her nervousness radiating off her in waves.
As I stood there, trying to process the absurdity of her request, my mind montarily blanked.
I searched through my mories, trying to recall if there was ever any ntion of a purification ritual that involved... stripping.
Nothing ca to mind.
In the ga, wasn't it as simple as standing in the center of the circle and basking in the light for a few minutes?
I distinctly rembered Lucas going through this exact sa ritual as well, and I definitely didn't recall him having to take off his clothes.
Was this a different spell?
No, judging from the intricate designs carved into the glowing magic circle on the floor, it was clear she was preparing to use [Luminous Cleanse], the sa sacred spell.
It was unmistakable.
A divine purification ritual, designed to cleanse darkness and evil from a person's soul.
But even so, why would I need to remove my clothes?
I glanced at Emilia, her face still flushed with embarrassnt, her eyes darting around the room as though she were second-guessing her own request.
Her uncertainty was certain.
She wasn't even sure if this was necessary, was she?
There was doubt in her expression. Was this the first ti she was performing the spell on soone?
No, that couldn't be right.
As the Saintess of the Holy Church of Light, she'd have perford this purification ritual countless tis already, especially considering her role as a glorified inquisitor for the church.
She had probably conducted this spell more than a hundred tis, cleansing heretics or those touched by darkness.
"S-Senior, I know it sounds absurd, b-but it's for your own safety, so... uh, what I an is that, um, please j-just don't question it for now...."
Emilia's voice wavered, and she quickly averted her gaze, her cheeks flushed a soft pink as she stumbled through her explanation.
I couldn't help but sigh, watching her cute and flustered reaction.
She wasn't exactly a master of deception-her awkwardness made that clear.
There was no malice or ill intent behind her words, just a genuine, albeit clumsy, concern for my well-being.
Knowing Emilia, her request might not even have any solid reasoning behind it. She was just the type to say things impulsively when she got nervous.
"Alright," I said, suppressing a small smile as I glanced at the glowing magic circle on the floor. "How much should I take off?"
Her eyes widened in shock, and she looked up at , blinking rapidly. "Y-you'll do it?"
I shrugged, giving her a reassuring nod. "Yeah. You don't seem like the type to harm soone, junior, and you certainly don't strike as soone who'd take advantage of the situation."
Emilia blinked, her mouth opening and closing as if she were searching for the right words. The blush on her cheeks deepened, and I could tell she was flustered by how easily I'd agreed. I continued, trying to put her at ease.
"Judging from the magic circle you've placed here; it looks like you're using so kind of divine magic. And I don't think people of the clergy would use the power of divinity to cause harm."
"S-So you realized I'm connected to the church...."
I smiled lightly. "Well, it isn't that hard to put two and two together."
Even if I didn't have knowledge from the ga, distinguishing between mana, aura, and divinity was fairly simple.
Mana was loose and free-flowing, aura was dense and oppressive, but divinity carried a different presence altogether-it felt warm, pure, and almost sacred, usually accompanied by a faint holy light.
The divine magic in the room, even now, had an unmistakable glow that set it apart from any other form of energy.
Emilia nodded, fidgeting with her fingers nervously. "I-It's true... I'm using a holy spell. A very powerful one... And the reason I asked you to, um, take off your clothes is because..." she trailed off, her voice dropping to a whisper "I didn't want the mana inside you to interfere with the ritual's effects, I-I won't lie to you, Senior... the spell isn't exactly in its 100 percent state right now," she admitted, glancing nervously at the glowing magic circle. "But that doesn't an it's incomplete. Its intended effects can still be achieved, if you get what I an..."
I nodded, trying to put her at ease. "I see."
Her gaze flickered back to , and I could see the anxiety in her eyes.
"B-But aren't you going to question , Senior?"
She was clearly worried.
I could tell she expected to dig deeper, maybe even to confront her about the hidden aspects of her identity.
After all, it wasn't every day soone used divine magic in a private room, especially when their background seed so ordinary.
Her connection to the Holy Church was becoming harder to hide, and it was only a matter of ti before I fully uncovered her true ide
well.
I an a young woman clearly capable of handling high level divine ritual magic with almost zero repercussions, in such a short amount of ti, despite the fact that such high-level divine magic requires a couple dozen paladins and priests to perform... it was clear as day of
who she could possibly be in the holy see.
I sighed, not wanting to put her on the spot.
"I won't lie and say I'm not curious, but you must have your reasons for keeping certain things a secret." I paused, watching her expression closely. "Like I said earlier, I don't think you an any harm. Although I'm not well-versed in the holy arts, I can tell this spell you're using is one of purification, and I don't think you'd purify without good reason. You must've noticed sothing within earlier-sothing dark or dangerous enough to make a move like this. A curse, perhaps?"
Her reaction was imdiate-her wide-open eyes showed genuine astonishnt.
The embarrassnt that had painted her cheeks monts ago faded, replaced by a look of
sheer disbelief.
It was as if I had just hit the nail on the head, much to her surprise.
"Y-Yes..." she stamred, nodding, her voice softer now, as though the admission was
difficult for her.
"Were you perhaps aware that you were cursed, Senior?"
Emilia asked, her eyes wide with curiosity as she studied my reaction.
"Not exactly... but I could just tell?"
She laughed lightly, the sound brightening the tension in the room.
"Fufu- That's exactly the sa thing, Senior."
It was nice to see her mood lift, and the warmth in her gaze made the air feel lighter.
She stepped closer, her expression turning earnest as she t my gaze.
"Hehe... I guess I can't lie to you now, can I, Senior? Just as you've suspected, I'm a clergy mber of the Holy Church of Light. You might be wondering what my position is and who I truly am... but for your own safety, can you please forget about this matter after everything is
over?"
"Don't worry, my lips are sealed,"
"Then I'll take your word for it, Senior..."
She walked closer, her eyes shimring faintly with divine energy, as if reflecting the power
that was about to envelop us.
"Just as you've deduced, I'm here to clear the darkness lingering within you. You might not feel its intended effects right now, but you are cursed... extrely cursed, Senior. To the point that I can't even fathom who could put such a wicked curse on you."
"Do you know what type of curse it is?"
Emilia shook her head, her expression grave.
"Unfortunately, no... Although I can tell it's a curse, any details beyond that remain a mystery to . In all honesty, I'm actually surprised you're still alive, Senior. Right now, clashing within your very soul are two forces of darkness, both wanting to claim the light within you..."
"Are you saying there are two curses within ?"
"Yes and no. There are indeed two forces of darkness, but one is rely an influence while the
other is the curse itself."
"I see..."
Could these two forces be Liyana and Erebil?
Erebil's attempts to mark her influence within through blessings made sense, considering
the power she wielded.
It was entirely plausible that the lingering darkness was a remnant of her intentions.
And as for the curse It's pretty obvious it has sothing to do with Liyana...
Emilia stepped closer, her focus intensifying.
She placed a hand gently on my chest, her touch warm and reassuring, as if trying to establish
a deeper connection.
"Let see if I can sense anything more,"
Her fingers traced a path from my chest down to my stomach, and I could feel the energy
humming between us.
The light from the magic circle flickered around us, casting ethereal shadows as she
concentrated.
"The darkness within you doesn't seem to respond to my divinity, Senior," Emilia explained,
her voice steady but tinged with urgency.
"Which ans it isn't parasitic in nature. That's a relief, as parasitic curses tend to reject purification rituals. Anyway, we should hurry and cleanse you now. Please stand at the center of the circle and... p-please take off your clothes. Y-Your top will suffice..."
The words hung in the air, and I noticed her cheeks flush a deep crimson as she averted her
gaze.
Nodding at her request, I slowly approached the center of the magic circle.
As I stepped onto the intricate design, I felt the energy emanating from it start to seep into
my skin.
It was an oddly comforting sensation, one that wrapped around like a warm embrace. Despite clearly being on the floor, I had the strange feeling of floating, as if the circle was lifting off the ground, a gentle warmth radiating through my entire body. Taking off the coat I was wearing, I tossed it aside, glancing at Emilia for reassurance.
She nodded, her eyes wide with a mix of curiosity and embarrassnt, giving the unspoken permission to proceed.
I then began unbuttoning my shirt, each button releasing a bit of tension that had been
building inside the warmth in .
As the fabric fell away, I could feel the light within the circle intensifying, the glow becoming
almost blinding.
Suddenly, I noticed the light deepening and brightening in a way that felt heavy, as if a weight settled on that wasn't really there.
It was a strange paradox-light and weightlessness all at once.
My heart thudded in my chest as I took off the last of my shirt, exposing my torso to the air.
When I looked at Emilia, I found her staring blankly at , her expression a mixture of awe
and shock.
"Enna,"
I called her na, my voice echoing slightly.
She didn't seem to hear at first, lost in her own thoughts, her face as red as an apple, a
vivid contrast against the ethereal glow of the magic circle.
"Enna!"
I raised my voice a little more urgently, noticing the way she squinted, scrambling as if a child
caught doing sothing mischievous.
"Y-Yes, Senior!?" she stuttered, finally acknowledging , her eyes wide with surprise.
"What should I do next?"
"U-Uhm... stay there for now. I-I'm going to activate the spell..." she replied, her voice trembling slightly as she tried to gather herself.
I nodded, remaining still as I watched her intently.
Suddenly, she walked closer, her hand raised as she concentrated, her brow furrowing in
determination.
I could see the light within the circle flickering, swirling with renewed intensity as she
focused her energy.
And as she did so, the vibrant glow returned to its normal hue, bathing us in a gentle warmth that felt soothing against the tension of the mont.
The oppressive weight I had felt earlier lifted, replaced by a sense of calm.
"I-It seems the spell is activating properly, Senior..." she stamred, her voice regaining a
touch of confidence. "We should proceed to the second phase now..."
"Second phase?" I asked, curiosity piqued. I distinctly recalled there being no ntion of a
second phase in the ga.
She nodded nervously, glancing up at as if gauging my reaction. "Yes... but it's a bit different from what you might expect. I'll need to enter the circle as well."
Before I could process her words fully, she stepped into the circle, drawing closer until we were just a few inches apart.
I could feel the warmth radiating from her, a comforting contrast to the intensity of the ritual surrounding us. "I-I told you that the spell isn't in a hundred percent state right now, Senior..." Emilia gasped, her voice a mix of urgency and anxiety. Her hands found their way to my chest, her touch surprisingly soft, but I could feel them trembling slightly. "T-That's why... I have to directly intervene with the flow of divinity inside you for your own safety... Until the spell is
done, I-I can't let go of you."
"Is that so?"
"Your body is so hard..."
"Did you say sothing?"
"N-Nothing a-anyways... Y-You have to hold onto as well, Senior..."
"Why?"
"You need to release your mana onto in order for my divinity to have space inside you..."
she explained, her gaze steady yet vulnerable.
There was a sincerity in her eyes that made want to trust her, despite the increasingly
bizarre nature of the situation.
But....
Is that really necessary?
My mind raced with doubts, wondering if this was truly the sa spell I'd encountered in the
ga.
Still, considering all her reasoning and the urgency in her tone, I found myself inclined to trust her for now.
"Once I release my divinity within you, the spell will work its magic, S-Senior, so ti it with
and release your mana inside as well," Emilia instructed, her voice trembling with a
mix of excitent and nerves.
"Okay..."
"One, two, three, go..."
Her countdown resonated through the charged atmosphere, and with that, light surged from
her arms.
It expanded like a radiant wave, enveloping in warmth as I felt her energy gush over .
The magic circle brightened, filling the room with a blinding luminescence that felt almost
alive.
But since it was my first ti transferring mana directly to another person, I had no idea how
much to give.
"Is this enough?" I asked, trying to gauge her reaction. "Ah-Ahng~... S-Senior, please be gentle! Ah! Ngh~!" "E-Enna...?" I stamred, confusion gripping as her body flexed and convulsed.
'Why the hell is she moaning?'
She pressed her head against my chest, arcing her body slightly as if struggling to maintain
her balance.
"Hngh~! S-Senior, y-you're being too rough-! P-please go a little more slowly! Ah-!" she gasped, the sound of her voice twisting into sothing softer, more intimate, the deep blush
on her face along with the slight tears on her eyes as she looked at didn't help with the
situation at all....
...
Back outside Emilia's door...
Anna and Amon exchanged nervous glances, their skin crawling with an unsettling sensation
that neither of them had ever experienced before.
The goosebumps on their arms were almost painful, as though an invisible force was pressing
down on them, suffocating the air around them.
The two looked at each other in silent fear, but before they could utter a word, a figure appeared right at the center of the door.
A woman—or at least, sothing that resembled one-stood there, cloaked entirely in
darkness.
The blackness wrapped around her like a solid veil, concealing every detail of her form except
for a pair of vertical eyes glowing eerily from within the shadows.
The creature exuded an energy so terrifying, so suffocating, that it felt like a cold hand had
wrapped around their throats, squeezing tighter with every second. Neither Anna nor Amon could move.
They were frozen in place, as if their bodies no longer belonged to them.
Every instinct scread at them to run, to flee from the overwhelming presence, but they couldn't lift a finger.
It was as if the very air had turned to stone, trapping them in place with no escape.
Their hearts hamred in their chests, beating faster and faster as the oppressive energy grew heavier.
It felt like they were standing at the edge of an abyss, staring into the face of annihilation
itself.
The cold grip of fear tightened around their hearts, and they both felt, with sinking dread,
that this was the end.
The entity before them emanated nothing but destruction.
But then, sothing changed.
Despite the overwhelming threat, despite the suffocating aura, Anna noticed that the
creature's gaze wasn't focused on them-it was fixed firmly on the door, where Emilia, the Saintess, was.
A flicker of hope ignited in Anna's chest.
If this thing was here for Emilia, then she couldn't afford to let it harm her... Gritting her teeth and fighting against the crippling fear, Anna tried to speak, her voice barely
a whisper.
"W-Who...?"
But before she could finish, the dark figure vanished-gone as suddenly as it had appeared.
The oppressive energy, the bone-chilling bloodlust, the suffocating darkness-all of it
disappeared in an instant.
All they saw was a flash of white, a bright light that blinked out of existence as quickly as it
had
co.
Huff...! Huff...!
Free from the paralyzing fear, the two siblings collapsed to the floor, their chests heaving as they gasped for air. Sweat dripped from their brows, their limbs trembling from the aftershocks of terror.
The only thing left that might prove the sudden creature's existence was the broken red
crystal of where it once stood, the very sa red crystal that Anna bought...
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