I'll Smash Everything with Passive Skills-Chapter 69: 0. Guest from the South (3)

The commercial district welcomes guests, and students enjoy the return of their holiday.

Unfortunately, the priests who had registered with the Church of Light were having a busy day.

Conducting worship for the churchgoers who visited and going out to serve those who groaned at the bottom of society, the holiday would pass as if it never existed.

"Oh my, Saintess! You look even more beautiful today."

"Hehe, really?"

"You've truly become a proper woman now."

"Oh, sister!"

Moreover, since Saintess Cecilia enrolled in the academy, the number of visitors and church members had exploded.

Cecilia, who was practically the mascot of the academy church, was a bona fide idol. Naturally, the attention directed at her was also extraordinary.

"By the way, I heard a guest from the Holy Kingdom is coming?"

"Hmm? A guest?"

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Cecilia tilted her head at her fellow priest's words.

Guests, guests. Based on her experience, most guests from the Holy Kingdom had ill intentions.

"Yes, they said Lady Yunafint is coming."

"Hmm, I see. That's the first I've heard of it."

The young priestess revealed the fact with an innocent face. However, Cecilia couldn't help but smile wryly at her words.

Priestess Yunafint Lunaciel.

One of the candidates for sainthood chosen by God, «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» just like Cecilia.

For some reason, she had given up on becoming a Saintess herself, and Cecilia couldn't even begin to guess what purpose she had in coming to the academy.

After pondering for a moment, Cecilia suddenly jumped up from her seat. Setting aside the fact that a rival from the old Holy Kingdom was coming, something more important came to mind.

"Ah!"

"Hmm? What's wrong, Saintess?"

"I completely forgot! I have to attend a lunch meeting!"

"Is it that person again?"

"...Yes? I'll be going now! Goodbye!"

"Hoho, you really are adorable."

Cecilia's face turned as red as an explosion. After that, as Cecilia hurriedly left her seat, the priestess watched her retreating figure with a satisfied smile.

*

"Get the information. No useless chatter."

"My dear, information is not something that can be obtained so easily."

"Isn't your purpose for coming to the academy also to gather information? Then why can't you find their hideout?"

"Hmm."

The Grand Duchess subtly averted her gaze at Veris's words, which were filled with frustration.

The place where the Grand Duchess and Veris were sitting was the upscale restaurant where Arwen and Cecilia had once dined together.

Although their conversation was rather loud for a secret meeting held on the rarely visited third floor.

"What a frustrating person, all enthusiasm and no results."

"F-frustrating?"

"Isn't it? I thought you'd start working right away since you wanted to borrow my strength, but look at this."

At Veris's scolding, Grand Duchess Evangeline sealed her lips tightly.

Well, even if she had ten mouths, there was nothing to say in this situation.

Securing Veris's cooperation was undoubtedly a significant achievement, but they still didn't know the most crucial thing: the location of the enemy's meeting place!

"And something feels off."

"...What do you mean?"

"The information you've obtained. How could those who can't even be traced manage to leak information to you? Could it be a trap set by the Demon Cult?"

"...."

"Don't tell me you rushed here out of a desire for revenge without even considering the possibility of suspicion?"

Veris's question hit the mark once again. With no appropriate response coming to mind, she simply stared out at the clouds drifting by outside the window.

"It might be strange."

"Only now did you think of that?"

"Hmm, I admit it. I was too focused on the desire to exterminate them."

"Ha."

A sigh of exasperation escaped Veris's lips. Arwen, who had been silently observing their conversation, finally spoke up.

"Wouldn't it be faster for Veris to find them?"

"That might be the case. However, the problem is that the city is too vast to search for each individual harboring dark mana."

Arwen nodded in agreement with Veris's response.

The academy was comparable in scale to a city with tens of thousands of residents.

In this vast academic city, it was not efficient to simply wander around scattering mana to find the Demon Cult's minions.

"I have a good idea."

"What is it?"

"If I remember correctly, the followers of the Demon Cult have mastered dark mana."

"That's right. It's likely true."

"The mana that is extremely antagonistic to dark mana is the holy mana mastered by priests. Isn't there someone by your side who has trained that holy mana to an extreme degree?"

"Oh."

Veris stroked his chin as he grasped what Arwen was getting at.

Cecilia de Frey. If that girl were to roam the city, emitting holy mana, there was a possibility that those who reacted to it would show themselves.

In other words, Arwen was suggesting using Cecilia as a radar. Or perhaps like a drug detection dog, something along those lines.

"...Where is Cecilia?"

"She's probably at the church. She is indeed a priestess with a truly upright heart."

"Let's go."

Since sitting idly wouldn't help their plans, Veris immediately stood up.

Their destination was the church located in the eastern part of the academy. The goal was to secure Cecilia.

*

"Lulu, hmm? Veris!"

Basking in the warm summer sunlight while walking down the street, Cecilia spotted a familiar face.

Veris and Arwen, along with the Grand Duchess of the Galia Kingdom, who had been strangely hovering around Veris lately.

Cecilia rushed over to Veris, her large emerald-like eyes blinking as she asked.

"What brings you all the way here? You rarely come to the eastern district."

"I came to take you with me."

"Really? Cecilia is so touched!"

"Yeah, yeah. That aside, what should we do...?"

For now, Veris thought it was a good idea to take Cecilia with him.

The problem was the method.

Simply picking Cecilia up or carrying her around would certainly draw too much attention from the people.

"What do you mean, how?"

Whether she knew Veris's hidden intentions or not, Cecilia asked him cheerfully.

If she had a tail, it seemed like she would be spinning around joyfully. Seeing her like that, Veris decided to abandon his bad thoughts.

After all, she was a person; carrying her around like a burden would be inappropriate.

"Ah."

"...?"

But then, a good idea suddenly struck Veris, and he clapped his hands. Why hadn't he thought of this sooner?

"Um, Cecilia?"

"Yes! Please tell me anytime!"

"Would you like to go on a date...?"

Boom.

Cecilia de Frey, the Saintess of Mercy, was struck down.

*

"Hehe."

"That's quite a strange laugh."

"Arwen, have you ever been on a date with Veris?"

"Surprisingly, on the first day I came to the academy, I slept in the 'same room' as Veris."

Cecilia pouted her lips at Arwen's straightforward response, as if she had no intention of engaging in a verbal spar.

"Nothing happened, though."

However, her face soon began to brighten again, as if she had decided it didn't matter.

"Date, date."

"...."

Cecilia, dressed in casual clothes instead of her priestly robe, was indeed a rare sight.

To evaluate her coldly... Cecilia was a girl with beautiful looks. However, the priestly robe, which concealed her from head to toe, had a way of diminishing that beauty.

But today was different.

Even though it wasn't yet noon, the outfit Cecilia wore, filled with determination, would be recognizable to anyone.

A flowing black skirt and a white blouse adorned with red droplets gave off a strong vibe of an academy girl of her age.

Finally, she draped a light green shawl over her shoulders, a color strikingly similar to her hair, which served as a strangely appealing point that stimulated protective instincts.

Was that all?

Her hair, which was usually hidden under a hood, was now neatly arranged and shimmering.

"I wonder when he will come."

Cecilia was anxiously tapping her feet, waiting for Veris, who had briefly left the mansion to attend a meeting.

And that was... strangely enough, becoming a point that stimulated Cecilia's romantic feelings.

'It feels just like being in love.'

Yes, she was a lover who had promised a date. Waiting for her beloved man to come and pick her up on the promised day, just like a protagonist in a romance novel.

They would enjoy a cozy lunch at the reserved steakhouse. Each would order a different cut of steak... and feed each other large pieces of meat...

Just imagining that made her feel good, and her lips naturally curled up. But it might be too rude to think about that in front of Arwen, who was watching the house alone.

Cecilia made an effort to compose her expression while continuing to paint on the canvas of her imagination.

At night, they would go to a restaurant in the commercial district that couples often visit. They would enjoy a light meal together, sipping on the finest wine grown in the vineyards of Galia.

And the two intoxicated lovers would...

Boom!

Cecilia's face turned bright red in an instant. The intensity of her blush was so extreme that sparks flew from Arwen's eyes as she quietly watched Cecilia.

"Are you having impure thoughts again? 'Saintess' Cecilia."

"Wh-what are you talking about? I'm not thinking anything lewd!"

"Lewd thoughts? I never mentioned anything about lewd thoughts. It's quite peculiar."

Knock, knock.

At that moment, a knock sounded at the mansion door, and Cecilia stuck out her tongue.

"I'm going. Today is truly a happy day."

Thinking Arwen's somewhat dissatisfied expression was amusing, Cecilia opened the mansion door wide.