Amelia, who had locked herself in her room and grieved for a whole day, came out to the living room the next morning with messy hair, not bothering to tidy up.
“Amelia, you’re up.”
“Paulen…”
In Amelia’s eyes, she saw Paulen sitting on the living room sofa.
Paulen smiled at Amelia.
But Amelia could tell right away.
It wasn’t his usual cheerful smile, but rather a smile meant to hide his negative emotions.
She could tell that the kidnapping of the slime wasn’t just a shock to her, but had also deeply affected Paulen.
Amelia sat down next to Paulen.
After a moment of silence, Amelia spoke.
“I’m so powerless. I couldn’t do anything while the lich took Jiggly away… I’m supposed to be a saintess, but even my holy magic was easily blocked by the lich.”
“That’s not true. You did your best, Amelia. The pathetic one is me. I’m sure there was more I could have done at that moment. All I did was watch.”
“No! Paulen, you were trying to protect me. If only I had been stronger… strong enough for you to rely on me and act more freely…”
The two of them blamed themselves while insisting it wasn’t the other’s fault, and then fell silent again.
Just then, Gracie came by and said she also wanted to help find the slime and asked if she could go to the Holy Capital with them.
Her words gave the two a big realization.
That nothing would be solved if they just sat still.
Now was the time to move to get the slime back.
They felt so foolish for doing nothing and wallowing in sadness until Gracie, who had spent even less time with the slime than they had, was the first to speak up.
“Miss Gracie! Let’s go to the Holy Capital together! We must find Jiggly!”
“Miss Gracie! I look forward to working with you!”
“Huh? Ah… yes, okay!”
Gracie was flustered as the two suddenly looked at her with such strong trust in their eyes.
And a few days later, Gracie headed to the Holy Capital with Amelia and Paulen.
Before leaving, she returned home to explain the situation and tell them she would be heading to the Holy Capital.
Her family was worried and told her not to push herself too hard, but upon hearing that a reward was involved, they gave her their full support and encouragement.
As soon as they arrived at the Holy Capital—
“Welcome, Saintess Amelia, Paladin Paulen. The High Priests and Saintess Presia are waiting for you.”
The Holy Knights were already waiting for them.
News of the lich’s appearance had reached the Holy Capital first.
Thus, they were waiting to hear a detailed account from the two of them.
“And who is the person behind you?”
“She is Mage Gracie, who was with us at the scene. She will be participating as a witness.”
“Understood.”
Gracie also followed the two into the conference room where the High Priests and Saintess Presia were waiting.
The eight High Priests of the Grand Cathedral and Saintess Presia, who had once defeated the Calamity Black Dragon, turned their gaze toward the three.
“We’ve heard the news. Saintess Amelia, Paladin Paulen. Please tell us the details.”
“Yes. I will speak on our behalf.”
Paulen explained the events to the High Priests and Presia.
First, Mage Gracie, who had accompanied them, noticed the slime’s unusual traits and proposed writing a thesis.
After accepting the proposal, they completed a draft and had it reviewed by Brooks Vessilja, the owner of the Magic Tower.
The Tower Master also became intrigued and expressed interest in learning more about the slime.
While the Tower Master was examining the slime, a magical accident nearly occurred.
At that moment—
“The lich appeared.”
The lich completely destroyed the protective barriers and magic circles, expressed interest in the slime’s unusual mana, and approached it.
It then complained about the Tower Master’s beard, blasted it off with magic, and took the slime away.
After hearing the full account, the conference room fell into a brief silence.
“Paladin Paulen.”
It was High Priest David who first broke the silence.
“Did the lich really leave after doing only that? Did it say nothing to you or the Saintess?”
“No. It only mentioned that it was curious about the strange mana and was surprised to find a saintess and a paladin there.”
“Huh…”
“How could that be?”
“Is it really a lich?”
The High Priests were flustered.
After all, how could a lich simply walk away after seeing a saintess and a paladin?
A lich is undeniably an undead.
And what are the undead?
They are the very embodiment of the Church’s most hostile enemies—one could say they are its natural foes.
Yet this undead—
An undead that could even speak human language, essentially a corrupted mage—showed no extreme reaction upon seeing a saintess and a paladin?
It made no sense.
If it did make sense—
“Could it be that the lich judged a saintess to be no match for it?”
“Is there really such a powerful lich?”
“But if not, there’s no other reason for that kind of reaction…”
“Saintess Amelia, what was its aura like? Was it that overwhelming?”
In response to the High Priest’s question, Amelia recalled the moment and spoke.
“It was definitely the most intense aura of death I’ve ever felt. But as for its exact level of strength... I’m sorry, I can’t say.”
“No, Saintess, there’s nothing to apologize for.”
“There’s only so much one can tell just by looking.”
“Was there anything else that might help gauge its power?”
“I launched a Holy Sword at the lich, but it was easily blocked.”
“For it to deflect your Holy Sword so easily…”
“That proves it is indeed a lich.”
Even though Amelia was known to have little real combat experience, the High Priests knew what kind of saintess she was.
A saintess with low self-esteem who avoided going out except for her routine duties, but who never neglected her efforts.
A saintess whose holy power was worthy of the title, and whose holy techniques could channel that power.
The fact that her Holy Sword had been blocked was proof enough that it was a powerful lich.
As the High Priests discussed among themselves, Saintess Presia gently raised her hand, causing their conversation to stop.
“Amelia, Paladin Paulen. Could you first tell us what the lich looked like? We need to confirm whether it was the same one that appeared before or if it had different features.”
“Yes! Of course, Saintess Presia!”
Amelia immediately tried to recall the image of the lich.
“It wore a robe… had a skull for a head…”
Even though she wanted to remember every detail, it had already been about a month.
Trying to recall it perfectly without making mistakes caused her answer to be delayed.
At that moment, Gracie, who had been silent until then, raised her hand and spoke.
“Um, I remember its appearance well. If you give me some paper and a pen, I can draw it right away.”
“Is that true?”
“Someone, bring paper and a pen.”
“Yes, sir.”
Soon after, an attendant returned to the conference room with paper and a pen and handed them to Gracie.
Gracie immediately began drawing the lich from her memory.
She hadn’t forgotten the lich that had taken away the proof for her thesis.
Nor the support money for her family that had been lost because of it.
Also, as a mage accustomed to drawing magic circles, Gracie’s drawing skills were quite good.
Scratch, scratch.
Gracie quickly sketched the image on the paper on the conference table.
A few minutes later, a rough but accurate montage of the lich was complete.
“It’s finished!”
Gracie held up the montage for everyone to see.
“Yes! That’s exactly what it looked like!”
“It’s very accurate.”
Amelia and Paulen also vividly recalled the lich they had seen a month ago when they looked at Gracie’s drawing.
A tattered blue robe that looked aged.
Blue flames glowing where its eyes should have been.
A skull wearing a crude headpiece that resembled a crown.
There was no doubt—it was the same lich they had seen a month ago.
“That’s a lich…?”
“It certainly looks evil.”
The High Priests frowned and grew wary as they looked at the montage.
But Saintess Presia widened her eyes in shock when she saw the drawing.
That…!
“Saintess Presia? Is something wrong?”
“Ah? No… it’s nothing. I was just a little surprised.”
“Well, it’s understandable that Saintess Presia would be surprised.”
“It’s the first time a lich has appeared in centuries.”
“Look at that sinister face. Even someone like Saintess Presia would naturally be startled.”
The High Priests didn’t think much of Presia’s reaction.
***
Not long after Gracie finished the montage of the lich, the meeting was adjourned.
Amelia, Paulen, and Gracie were in need of rest after traveling all the way from the Magic Tower to the Holy Capital.
The High Priests also needed time to return to their regular duties and prepare for the next official meeting.
As the High Priests returned to their work and the three travelers rested in the Holy Capital—
Saintess Presia was deep in thought in her room.
She took out the montage of the lich from the meeting and stared at it.
She had been able to take it because Gracie had planned to make more detailed copies later using a magical device.
Presia couldn’t take her eyes off the headpiece drawn in the montage.
This is…
Presia began to retrace her memories.
It was during the days of their journey to defeat the Black Dragon.
By then, they had become trusted comrades through many shared experiences.
One night—
They were all sitting around a campfire, chatting casually.
“What will you all do after the hunt is over?”
The human warrior who led the vanguard—who would later be known as the Iron Wall Shield, Aldor Meyer—asked everyone.
The dwarf Katshal Demft, who would later be known as the Mighty Warrior, snorted.
“Hmph. I’ll go back home and help the young smiths with their weapons.”
Presia, already known as the Saintess of Healing at the time, smiled kindly.
“I’ll return to my hometown in the Holy Capital and help those in need.”
Nellin, who would later be known as the Star Archer, cleaned her ear with her pinky and said:
“It’s all the same. I’ll go back to the forest where my granny is. Can’t wait to hear her nagging again.”
And lastly, the human who would be known as the Sage of Magic—
Ventus Frail giggled and said:
“I’ll return to the Magic Tower. I can’t become the Tower Master yet because of my age… but if I manage to, I’ve been thinking about something I want to try. Here, take a look.”
Ventus used magic on the spot to create a headpiece and placed it on his head.
“How is it? Don’t I look like a Tower Master now?”
“Pwahaha! Tower Master? You just look pretentious! Oh, my sides hurt!”
Nellin burst out laughing.
“Nellin! Is it really that funny?”
“Can’t help it if it is!”
“Hmph. The design is a bit crude. Aren’t you going to add any jewels?”
In response to Kachal Demft’s question, Ventus averted his gaze.
“No… if I add jewels, it’ll look too much like a crown, and I might get in trouble with the royal family…”
“I’ve met the King in person. You don’t need to worry about that. His Majesty’s crown is far more refined. He won’t care about a few jewels.”
“Aldor! I put a lot of thought into this, you know! Calling it crude is just mean!”
“What can I say? It’s true.”
“Pwahaha!”
“Nellin! Stop laughing!”
“Hehe.”
Presia fondly recalled the sight of her cheerful comrades.
She especially remembered her gaze lingering on Ventus Frail, whose face had turned red.
The headpiece the lich wore was identical to the one Ventus Frail had created back then.
Presia traced the drawing of the headpiece with her hand.
‘Ventus… could it really be you?’