Episode 2
In this world, especially within the Mugilkkot region, many religions existed.
Naturally, this led to conflicts between religious groups.
They all wanted more followers — more followers meant more donations, and they needed those donations to keep the temples running.
For that reason, the Malriant Temple started spreading lies, like:
“The poor Saintess is suffering for the sake of the believers to connect with the gods.”
Once they got the money, they would fake a divine message.
“Everyone! The great god Valiant has sent us a prophecy!”
Just like they were doing right now.
While other priests were collecting money, a priest raised both hands to the sky and shouted,
“In a few months, a great plague will spread across the land!”
“Gasp!”
“A plague?!”
The shocked believers panicked.
“But!”
The High Priest added some dramatic flair.
‘Wow… what a show,’ I thought while clicking my tongue silently.
The High Priest added,
“Those who show their devotion will be protected by the god Malriant!”
“Oh! I’ll give more if it keeps me safe from the plague!”
It was nothing short of a scam.
The priests, including the High Priest, smiled as they eagerly took the believers’ money.
And me?
I sat in a corner, rubbing my sore side.
Just a moment ago, I had cried in front of all the believers.
Why? Because the High Priest kept poking and even pinching my side hard enough to hurt — all to make me cry.
Seeing a thin, innocent-looking girl crying made the believers hand over even more money.
After that, the “prophecy” show began.
“These guys are the worst.”
Not only was I locked in a basement prison, now I was being used for this donation scam too.
The High Priest, Valleo, was especially disgusting.
In the original story, he treated me and Seria as nothing more than “products.”
‘Right, I remember now. In the original story, he dies on Eliasno’s island.’
That was in the future.
But everything I had been through in the past few days was already enough to make me angry.
Stuck in a dark basement for 6 days, and then dragged out for this ridiculous show on the only day I got to see sunlight.
‘At least I have my memories from my past life.’
Seria, or me before I regained my memories, wouldn’t have been able to handle this.
It made me mad. So mad.
I took deep breaths, trying to calm myself down.
When the show ended, the priests dragged me back to the basement, changing me out of the fancy clothes and into rags again.
“Elly! You’re back!”
Seria greeted me with a bright smile.
She must’ve been bored being alone all day.
“You smell nice!”
She hugged me tight and rubbed her face in my soft hair.
“Mm, yeah.”
I replied half-heartedly and gently pushed her away. She looked a bit disappointed but didn’t complain.
Even though the show wasn’t that long, I was really tired — maybe because I was still a kid.
As I sat on the bed, Seria quickly came over.
“How was it today?”
She looked worried, and I didn’t want her to be sad, so I lied a little.
“It was fine.”
“Really? I’m glad.”
She sighed in relief.
She must’ve been worried something bad had happened to me.
“My side was pinched, but it only hurt a bit, and now it’s fine.”
“Are you hungry? I saved some bread from breakfast.”
She split her hard, tasteless bread and gave me half.
Honestly, I hated that bread. But I hadn’t eaten anything all day.
‘Well, hunger is the best seasoning…’
“Thanks.”
I quickly ate the bread, and Seria smiled happily as she watched me.
‘Seria, you fool…’
Even if it meant she’d go hungry, she still gave me her food. She was too kind.
As far back as I could remember, Seria was always sweet and caring toward me. Like a real sister.
I didn’t want to die. But if I could, I wanted to at least help Seria escape this place.
Or maybe… maybe both of us could escape together.
Creak—
At that moment, the heavy basement door opened.
The first thing I saw was a white priest’s robe.
The person who entered was a familiar face — someone I recognized from the original story.
Smooth skin, neatly combed brown hair, warm green eyes, and a young, kind face.
It was Pelles, the only kind priest in the Malriant Temple.
“Elly! It’s Pelles!”
He came close to the bars with a worried look. He even knelt down to our eye level, not caring that his robe would get dirty.
“You okay?” he asked.
I nodded while chewing the bread. Pelles sighed deeply.
“I saw the High Priest pinch your side… Are you really okay?”
Seria gasped in surprise.
“Elly! You weren’t okay?!”
I quickly shook my head.
“I mean, it hurt for a bit, but I’m okay now.”
But Seria’s eyes were already filled with tears.
‘Oops, now she’s crying again…’
“I’m really fine! I’m tough!”
I said cheerfully, and that finally seemed to calm her down.
“Even so… it must’ve hurt.”
She hugged me and gently rubbed my back, even though we were almost the same height.
“Seria, Elly… I’m sorry.”
Now Pelles was tearing up too.
“Geez, I said I’m fine!”
I stood tall and spread my arms. Pelles smiled faintly.
These two are way too emotional.
“Well then… here. Take this.”
Pelles pulled a paper bag from his robe. Inside were two sandwiches, much better than the bread we were used to.
Even though they weren’t expensive sandwiches, they were amazing compared to our usual food.
“Wow! It looks delicious!”
Seria’s eyes sparkled as she split the sandwich and handed one to me.
Without realizing it, I was impressed.
Fresh vegetables and soft bread filled my mouth — it was delicious.
“Wow, I’m full.”
I rubbed my stomach and sat back on the bed.
Then Pelles spoke again, with his eyes slightly red.
“I really want to help you both… but I don’t have the strength. I’m so sorry.”
He was just like us — an orphan brought into the temple at a young age.
Later, he became a priest, but back then, there wasn’t even a Saintess system. Seria and I were the first.
Most others who had similar backgrounds became priests too, but they just copied the abusive behaviors they experienced.
Only Pelles resisted that cycle.
And because of that, the other senior priests didn’t like him.
‘He got beaten again, didn’t he?’
Though his robe covered most of his body, the visible parts — his neck, wrists, and ankles — had bruises.
‘If it’s that bad where I can see, what about the parts I can’t see…?’
He was only nineteen — technically an adult, but still young.
The food he gave us was likely meant for himself.
Even though he only visited once in a while, it was a huge kindness.
Pelles was just a low-level priest, so he didn’t get good food either.
‘He must be hungry too…’
I clicked my tongue quietly.
Both Seria and Pelles were just too kind.
‘Come to think of it, in the original story, Pelles dies too.’
He was the only one who helped Elias and Seria escape the temple.
But he was caught first — and died from a priest’s magical attack.
“I’ll be going now. Rest well, both of you.”
“Thank you, Pelles.”
Seria bowed politely, and I lazily waved my hand.
After he left the basement, I made up my mind.
I originally planned to survive alone.
But now?
Forget it. Let’s save Seria and Pelles too.
I didn’t have a solid plan yet,
But I wasn’t going to let such warm-hearted people die.
And sometime later—
I would miraculously find a way to save both of them.
