On the vast altar, aside from some symbols Elise could not understand, only a massive boulder stood.
Most importantly, at the center of the boulder was a faint, shadowy human figure.
"Who is she? Why is she inside the Demon King Solomon's tomb?"
Elise thought carefully—she seemed to have seen her somewhere before.
"Wait, could it be…?"
Before leaving the caravan, Elise had bought several books related to Demon King Solomon from Allen, the caravan leader.
She seemed to have seen this woman in one of those books!
"Let me see…"
Elise pulled an ancient tome from her pack, searching for information about the figure. But what she failed to notice was Est's increasingly unsettled expression as she stared at the boulder.
"Could it be… that she's the saintess?"
Elise found the illustration in the book—it was a statue of Saintess Areishia. Comparing it with the figure before her, the resemblance was striking.
"Yes. She was my former master."
A complicated voice came from Est beside her, drawing Elise's attention.
"But this is just a distraction. My former master… she is beneath that thing."
Though the boulder showed the phantom of Areishia, Est could not be deceived.
After all, it had been Areishia who suffered Est's backlash, turning into a spirit crystal. How could Est possibly mistake her?
"The energy here is truly chaotic—it even interferes with the sensing of faith power…"
Though she didn't know why, Elise indeed felt uncomfortable here.
Approaching the massive crystal, Elise could finally confirm through her senses that beneath it pressed something rectangular in shape.
"A coffin?"
After careful confirmation, Elise was sure there was indeed a coffin beneath the crystal. And within it resided a vast power—she could faintly make out the presence of a woman.
If she wasn't mistaken, the one within the coffin was none other than the former Salvation Saintess Areishia.
"What an interesting story this is!"
Within Demon King Solomon's tomb, the coffin did not hold Solomon himself—but the Saintess who defeated him?
"Could it be that, before dying, Solomon cast some curse on the saintess, sealing her here forever?"
The woman inside the coffin was not dead—Elise could tell. Most likely, it was a seal.
"This really is the kind of plot only a harem anime would dare to write!"
"For example: a saintess from a thousand years ago, sealed after defeating the Demon King. Then, a thousand years later, the protagonist comes here and breaks the seal, leading to romance and harem antics with this centuries-old saintess…"
Elise didn't know the exact story, but since Blade Dance of the Elementalers was a harem series, it probably wasn't far off.
After all, this was a saintess! And an exceptionally beautiful one at that. Would the author really not let the protagonist take her into the harem?
"Although I didn't find any real treasures, I'll take these at least."
With a sweep of faith power, the gemstones embedded in the murals fell from the walls and flew into Elise's pouch.
No reason to leave them behind, right?
Besides, these gems held elemental power. Who knew when they might come in handy?
"Well then, after taking these, only this remains…"
Elise turned her gaze toward the massive crystal—and the coffin hidden beneath.
How should she handle this matter?
After all, the one sealed within was a saintess.
And by Elise's guess, she was highly likely to be one of the heroines.
"Hmm, I did promise Kamito Kazehaya that I'd help him."
"If this is a sealed heroine, then I'll give him a hand!"
Elise planned to break the saintess' seal inside the coffin—not only out of respect for Saintess Areishia herself, but also as a way of resolving the karmic ties of Kamito Kazehaya.
After all, Elise had taken Est, the Sacred Sword that was originally his. Helping to lift the saintess' seal in advance could be considered returning him a favor.
With that thought, Elise prepared to act. Though faith power felt sluggish here, its strength was still unquestionable!
Sacred Speech!
"Unseal!"
Elise wielded her immense power, directing it toward the boulder and the coffin.
So far, there had been nothing faith power could not achieve! Elise felt confident.
As long as she didn't face the Elemental Lords, she could act recklessly.
And even if she did face them, she still wasn't afraid.
"Sister, what are you doing?"
Elise's actions caught Est off guard. She hurried to Elise's side, grabbing her hand.
"She was your former master, wasn't she?"
Elise did not look back. With a faint smile, she kept her eyes on the boulder.
"Because the Sacred Sword's ability turned against its wielder, you must have felt terrible, didn't you?"
Est's little face fell. Though she had never spoken of it, Elise knew she had carried guilt over this all along.
"Now, I intend to undo the curse binding the saintess. That way, you won't need to blame yourself anymore."
"And this will also prove something!"
"Prove that I absolutely will not be affected by your curse, Est!"
That was also part of the reason.
Elise understood Est's feelings toward her former master. If releasing Areishia's seal could ease Est's heart, then Elise would do it!
As for the possibility of Est leaving after Areishia's return?
Don't be ridiculous!
Elise and Est were bound not only by a spirit contract, but also by a blood pact! The double bond was far stronger than most imagined.
In short, Est could never leave!
"Sister…"
Perhaps moved by Elise's words, the petite girl hugged Elise tightly around the waist.
"In that case, let me help you too!"
—I will always, forever and ever, be Sister's contracted spirit.
—I will never part from you!
Est's will flowed through their contract, reaching Elise. The girl and spirit exchanged a knowing smile, reinforcing the power they unleashed together.
Sacred Speech!
"Amplify! Unseal!"
Strega ability: Purification!
And Est's ability: Dispel!
Layer upon layer of power struck the boulder and coffin, shaking the surroundings violently as they collided.
But…
To Elise's surprise, her faith power didn't seem to be unsealing anything at all.
Instead, it felt like…
It was being absorbed?