“I didn’t know this was on my back at first… Initially, after feeling the earthquake, I thought of my father still inside, so I went back to find him…” Amy kept her back to Ciel, arms crossed over her chest, trembling as she spoke, “When I saw my father, he saw the chandelier above my head about to fall, so he ran over to save me… After he pushed me down and shielded me, I saw the chandelier stop in mid-air…”
“It was a ghost… a white ghost holding the chandelier!”
“I can’t remember its appearance at all anymore, but I’m sure it was a ghost…”
Amy sniffled and continued:
“Finally, my father and I inexplicably appeared beside a cornfield at the foot of the mountain. Father fainted, but he was too heavy, I couldn’t drag him. Just as I was about to find help, I encountered two robbers…”
“Just as they stabbed at me with knives, then… then instantly… they instantly…”
As she spoke of this, Amy’s voice trembled even more, as if the scene was still vivid in her mind.
“Later, I flagged down a carriage that had just finished delivering goods, gave the worker some money, and he brought father and me back to the city… Then… when I was changing clothes, I saw the ghost curse on my back.”
Ciel, however, looked at the strange white marking on Amy’s back and fell somewhat silent.
Ten pairs of white, translucent insect wing markings were clearly imprinted on her back.
Ciel had indeed given that spiritual being one last command to protect Amy.
But why did this spiritual being create a ritual formation?
It looked very much like a seal.
It seemed this ritual formation still contained a considerable amount of the spiritual being’s power… Even as Ciel stared at the marking, it flickered slightly, as if responding to Ciel, seeking credit.
I told you to protect her, not become her bodyguard…
Great, another person’s peaceful life shattered by me.
However, judging from Amy’s account, Amy did indeed see the spiritual being and suffered no harm… Why?
Spiritual beings possessed some intelligence, though not high, enough to understand Ciel’s commands.
What made it act beyond its orders, sealing itself onto Amy’s back?
If the people from the Divine Advent Church saw this, they would definitely consider it some holy mark left by the Mother Goddess, and elevate Amy to Saintess status.
No… this was just Ciel’s speculation.
Perhaps that spiritual being really wasn’t very bright and did it unintentionally?
“Besides this mark, is there anything else strange?” Ciel asked calmly.
Amy initially felt like the sky was falling, but hearing Ciel’s tone now, it seemed like it wasn’t such a big deal.
Perhaps it was Ciel’s largely unperturbed emotions and composed demeanor that slightly calmed Amy’s panicked heart.
“There’s one more thing… wait.” Amy bent down and pulled the slip dress that had fallen to her ankles back on.
Ciel turned sideways to look elsewhere, only turning back towards Amy after the rustling sound of changing clothes stopped and Amy’s voice sounded again.
“It’s this bag… I didn’t dare throw it away, afraid a ghost was sealed inside and might kill someone else. I didn’t dare open it either…” Amy handed a delicate black velvet pouch to Ciel. After Ciel took the pouch, Amy, seeing Ciel looking sideways, seemed to realize how unladylike her previous actions were.
Amy lowered her head, her face blushing red to the ears, nervously fidgeting with the hem of her dress.
Ciel, after taking the pouch, gently squeezed it.
After carefully checking it was just an ordinary bag, Ciel slowly opened it, revealing three potion bottles lying inside, along with a parchment scroll.
Ciel took out the parchment, unfolded a corner, confirmed it was just ordinary Ansu script, then slowly unrolled the scroll.
On the parchment, crooked Ansu words were written in blood, resembling a baby’s writing.
It was hard to say who wrote it, but the writer was definitely not a native Ansu speaker; the writing felt like it had been run through a translation machine and back again.
【Respected Proxy, Holy Lady, Messenger of the Supreme God】
【I shall protect you according to the Great One’s will】
【Offerings are from me, “Ascetic” “Missionary” “Radiance Bishop”】
【I have informed the most loyal follower, to aid you】
【May you follow Him/Her forever, and awaken Him/Her soon】
【—His/Her servant, your guardian, “Faceless Weakling”】
After reading it, Ciel was almost certain the writer was that spiritual being.
Ciel was very sure that when she first encountered that spiritual being, which strongly pointed towards the Divine Advent Church, its intelligence was definitely not high enough to write.
Could it be that consuming the “Radiance Bishop” caused its intelligence to transform?
Recalling how it called her Mother Goddess every time it appeared, and left Amy potions ranging from “Ascetic” all the way to “Radiance Bishop,” Ciel fell silent again.
First, due to the existence of the system skills 【Charm】 and 【Spiritual Summoning】, it mistook her for the Mother Goddess.
Then, because she told it to protect Amy, and Amy could see it without harm, it mistook Amy for the Saintess.
Now, it sealed itself onto Amy’s back to protect her, and incidentally…
“Informed” some most loyal follower of the Divine Advent Church about this?
Wait, let me get this straight.
Ciel put down the parchment, rubbed her temples, feeling a bit confused.
Wait, who’s the real cult here?
Now the Mother Goddess, Saintess, and Divine Servant are all gathered. Does this mean with just one command, the Divine Advent Church could be renamed the Ciel Church?
Besides, she wasn’t any Mother Goddess. It was just that 【Charm Lv.2】 made the spiritual being have a favorable impression of her. It definitely misunderstood something.
But Amy… might very well be special, the kind who would be raised as a Saintess even if thrown into the Church of the Savior Goddess.