Chapter 31: Divine Lessons and Love’s Drama

Facing the Fire

“Relax your face, Saintess Isidora.”

Erdike spoke, looking at me.

Easier said than done.

Every time her red eyes met mine, I instinctively looked down.

Like facing a predator.

My left cheek, slapped last time, ached again.

I touched it with my left hand.

Seeing this, Erdike covered her mouth with a fist, chuckling.

“Don’t worry, I’m not here for that today.”

Today?

So you might come for it later?

“I was told Bishop Dominic sent someone to teach me Divine Descent…”
‘Why the hell are you here?’

Erdike pointed to her chest with both hands.

“That’s me. Your teacher for today.”

“You, Saintess Erdike… know Divine Descent?”
‘You didn’t use it last time, just slapped me.’

“Of course. Want to see?”

She popped the lollipop back in her mouth.

For some reason, her light bite on the stick felt like she was smoking a cigarette.

Like those old Japanese cartoons on TV, where cigs got censored into candy.

Or maybe she’s a former smoker, chewing candy to curb the urge?

[The God of Entertainment says the main heroine smoking is absurd.]

Why not?

People smoke.

I used to go through a pack a day before I got isekai’d.

[The God of Entertainment insists heroines don’t smoke.]

Fine, I’ll grab a pack somewhere later.

With all this Orphe drama, I better smoke half a pack in front of her to stay out of the heroine lineup.

Erdike stood in the training ground’s center, rolling the candy in her mouth.

Her cheeks puffed slightly—kinda cute.

If she hadn’t slapped me, that is.

“Divine Descent.”

She spoke softly, and overwhelming holy energy radiated from her.

The sheer density of her power was staggering.

Thanks to Dominic breaking the training ground’s enchantments yesterday, nothing shattered, but her power felt far stronger.

A dark gray halo appeared behind her head.

Its Celtic knot-like pattern symbolized the God of Jealousy—regret, desolation, obsession.

“See it?”

“Yes. Looks stronger than Bishop Dominic’s.”
‘Surviving a slap from her—am I actually tough?’

“Of course. A saintess chosen by a god outshines a mere bishop.”

She smiled, eyes narrowing, the glow in them briefly dimming before returning.

Erdike drew a small dagger from her waist.

“Saintess, ever used a Healing Blessing?”

Plenty.

It’s why I’m in this mess.

Clerics in the novel are divine messengers.

Support roles, casting blessings or dispelling debuffs.

Unlike typical game or manga clerics, healing spells are rare, and Healing Blessing is the best of them.

“A few times at the Pantheon…”
‘Honestly, it’s super inefficient.’

“Then you know how lacking it is.”

The problem? Healing Blessing’s effect is weak.

It shortens a ten-day recovery to a week, maybe.

No different from modern physical therapy.

You touch the wound, cast the blessing, and a faint warm light appears—basically the same.

“With Divine Descent, that’s not an issue.”

Without warning, Erdike sliced her palm with the dagger.

“Eek?!”

Oh no.

Orphe’s mutilation from last time flashed in my mind, and I looked away.

She didn’t care, casting the blessing.

“Healing Blessing.”

A light several times brighter than usual shone from her.

“Look, Saintess.”

I glanced at her hand.

Her palm was flawless, no trace of a cut.

She waved it gently.

“Even without the blessing, Divine Descent heals wounds like this. I’d love to cut you to show its effect, but…”

“Eep?!”

I instinctively hugged myself.

She pointed the dagger at me, then smirked, tucking it back into her waistband.

“I’ll pass. I’m here as a teacher today, at Dominic’s request.”

“Speaking of, how do you know him?”
‘No way you two are connected.’

Erdike gave a rare soft smile.

“When I was newly chosen as a saintess, Dominic visited the temple. Think he was on an errand for the Pantheon.”

She pulled the candy from her mouth, gazing at it wistfully.

“He’s like a benefactor to me. Back then, he was lean and handsome. When did he get so huge?”

Dominic, a lean pretty boy?

That middle-aged guy?

[The God of Beauty says young Dominic’s looks even impressed them.]

So what happened to turn that pretty boy into a mustached muscle Cocoa Ball?

Too much sun from wandering?

Like those army sergeants who look sixty but are younger than your parents?

Erdike returned to the center of the training ground.

“It’s his request, so I have to teach you with all I’ve got. Don’t look away—pay attention.”

She calmly explained Divine Descent’s effects.

Nullifying or destroying nearby magic, enhancing physical abilities.

Most notable was the unrestricted use of divine powers.

Watching her unleash three or four powers on a training dummy was terrifying.

It’s natural—the god themselves descends.

But for someone like me, stuck with random gacha powers, it was a whole new world.

Like taking a kid who only ate cafeteria food to a buffet.

‘This is a buffet. Eat whatever you want.’

‘No way, that’s a lie!’

Even the time limit felt buffet-like.

After her final power demonstration, she glanced at the wall clock.

Thankfully, it was purely mechanical, unaffected by two Divine Descents.

“Hmm, I can maintain it for another ten minutes. Want to meet the god?”

“Sure.”
‘Why not?’

“Dominic said you talked with the God of Love until Descent ended… Oh, uh, okay?”

Erdike looked puzzled.

“The god says to save the meeting for next time…”

“That’s a shame. I had things to say in person.”
‘Could’ve thrown in a few slaps too.’

“Well, if the god doesn’t want it, what can we do? Manifestation requires both the god and vessel’s consent.”

Good, no random body-snatching by gods.

Relief washed over me when a new question hit.

“Why didn’t you use Divine Descent when you got mad at me last time?”
‘If you had, I’d be minced saintess before Orphe arrived.’

She covered her eyes with her fingers.

Her pupils still glowed from Divine Descent.

“Because of these.”

“Huh?”
‘What?’

“Glowing gray eyes are weird. Especially in front of Orphe—I’d die before letting him see me like this.”

Her face flushed mentioning Orphe.

She’s got it bad.

Lucky bastard. Why do all the big-chested girls fall for him?

“When we were kids, Orphe said my eyes were like rubies, so pretty… I don’t want him seeing me like this.”

“What don’t you want me to see?”

Orphe’s voice came from the entrance.

He’d walked into the training ground, staring at us.

Erdike yelped in surprise.

“Eek! Orphe, don’t come in!”

“Already here.”

She turned away, hiding her face.

“Then get out!”

“I heard you and Saintess Isidora talking.”

Ignoring her, Orphe approached, his voice cold.

“You’re not bullying her again, are you?”

“No!”

Erdike shouted, still turned away.

His gaze shifted to me.

Ugh, damn it.

Why drag me into their lover’s quarrel?

Solo life hurts.

I gave Orphe my kindest smile.

“It’s true. She’s helping with my training.”
‘Take your love spat outside, please.’

“…Really?”

“Of course. Ever seen a saintess lie?”
‘Restrictions won’t let me.’

He stared at me for a while, then sighed and approached Erdike.

“El.”

“What.”

Her reply was curt.

“Sorry.”

“For what?”

“Suspecting you for something you didn’t do.”

Erdike turned to face him.

She’d released Divine Descent; her eyes were back to normal, slightly red—not just from their color.

She wiped her eyes, looking up at him.

“Hmph, just an apology?”

“…Candy? They sell it at the shop.”

“Yeah, tons of it. Too many—go pick some for me.”

She grabbed his arm, dragging him toward the door.

Orphe hesitated but followed.

“Excuse me.”

Erdike paused, turning back to me.

“Sorry, Saintess. Something came up. I covered the important stuff, so practicing on your own will help fastest.”

With a triumphant look, she left.

‘That’s the main heroine for you.’

Even when the male lead shows up at the worst time, forcing a tragic vibe, she snaps back to her place like a ghost.

Awestruck by her heroine moves, I finished the training course Dominic assigned alone.

The next day, a messenger announced classes would resume that afternoon.

The long confinement was over.