Natalija and Eloise's gazes met.
'She hates me again.'
Natalija wanted to become Gerard's exclusive healer.
'No, she wanted to marry him.'
Everyone except Gerard wanted the two of them to get married.
「In these chaotic times, the gods shall punish depraved humanity.
But the goddess looked upon humanity with mercy and bestowed a golden sword and a blue shield. Salvation shall come on the day those two truly become one.」
Interpretations of the prophecy handed down through generations had long been divided.
However, after the Rainbow Hole incident erupted and time passed, they converged on one conclusion.
The sword was the black mage, and the shield was the healer.
The two complemented each other and overcame disaster situations, which made it seem plausible.
But the problem lay in the final sentence.
Opinions split over the interpretation of "become one."
Some said it meant simple physical union, others that their hearts needed to connect, and still others that something more was required.
Vice Pope Cervan Bandes, praised as the one closest to the gods, obsessed over interpreting the oracle.
Cervan Bandes reached this singular conclusion:
The sword and shield bestowed by the goddess were unique existences. The sword was Gerard, but the shield had yet to appear.
"Please wait. Until your fated partner appears."
"Vice Pope Bandes, how am I supposed to recognize that person?"
"The gods will guide you as well."
Contrary to Bandes's interpretation, rumors circulated strongly among the people that the protagonist of the long-standing oracle's blue shield was Natalija.
It was because the symbol of Duke Duna's house was a bluebird.
However, Gerard rejected Natalija and kept his distance from all other healers.
'Then, at some point, I showed up.'
At the time, Eloise becoming Gerard's exclusive healer was a closely guarded secret.
But to Natalija, Eloise's sudden closeness to him must have been grating.
Gerard hadn't been overtly seen traveling with Eloise.
Yet as the saying goes, if you have a long tail, it will eventually get stepped on—witnesses to the two meeting began to appear.
Those rumors naturally reached Natalija's ears.
After that, Natalija had visited the Support Team where Eloise worked multiple times, making absurd demands.
Back then, complaints poured in from both healers and mages, making things tough. Later, she found out they were people sent by Natalija.
'It was straight-up interference with duties.'
Eloise truly felt that personality and skill were separate matters when it came to Natalija.
But she was beautiful, and her healing abilities were exceptionally outstanding.
Mages lined up just to hold her hand once.
According to rumors Merlin had shared, there was even a harem of mages devoted solely to her.
'Ugh...'
While other healers were exhausted from endlessly treating mages without rest.
She doled out healing like charity from the harem she'd built herself.
The world was truly unfair.
In any case, due to this past bad blood, Eloise didn't exactly feel comfortable around Natalija either.
'At least we're mutual, so that's a relief, I guess.'
As Eloise recalled the past, Natalija approached right up to her face.
Because Natalija was wearing heels, Eloise had to tilt her head up.
Their actual heights were similar.
Eloise briefly rose onto her tiptoes, then felt her pride sting unnecessarily and planted her feet back down.
"Don't you know how to greet people?"
"Miss Duna, let's do greetings inside."
Gerard blocked Natalija's line of sight.
Natalija's eyes narrowed sharply upward.
Seeing her venomous expression, Eloise tugged lightly at Gerard's robe.
Gerard turned his head to look at Eloise.
'I'm fine.'
Eloise mouthed the words.
Whether he understood or not, a faint crease formed between Gerard's brows.
"Fine, let's go in. We can't just stand here during Support Team working hours. We're here to protect her, but blocking the door so we can't even enter is pointless."
It was Morgana who ended the standoff that wasn't quite a standoff. She tapped her wristwatch.
"I'm busy too. Miss Rubelia, let's have a chat with us."
Unlike her businesslike voice, Morgana's eyes gleamed like a predator eyeing prey.
Sweat beaded in Eloise's palms.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
In front of a small private room in the Support Team office.
The room's owner, Support Team Leader Collin, panted while holding a tray laden with drinks.
"Merlin, you prepared the drinks properly, right?"
"Yes."
"No stains on the tray or cups?"
"I told you, no."
"How do I look? Neat enough?"
It was already the tenth time hearing that question.
"Should I carry it instead?"
"No way! I can't do that. This is something Lord Gerard personally assigned to me! There must be a reason Gerard entrusted it to me. He doesn't trust you."
Merlin let out a faint sigh.
"More importantly, what did Eloise do wrong?"
Collin thought the insolent Eloise must have committed some grave sin.
Otherwise, why would heavyweights from Disaster Response Headquarters chase after her to punish her?
Sin or merit.
Punishment or reward.
His binary thinking completely erased the possibility that Eloise had earned merit and was receiving a reward.
"I'll knock."
Merlin disagreed with Collin's thoughts but knocked on the door instead of arguing.
"W-Wait a second!"
Collin shouted belatedly, but permission to enter had already come from inside.
Collin glared at Merlin with bulging eyes.
By then, the door had opened, and he had no choice but to plaster on a wide smile.
Collin carefully entered.
"Hahaha, that's quite an amusing claim. So, you're saying you made a major contribution to destroying the Green Hole?"
"If that's true, it's impressive. What do you want?"
Following Noah Norvark, Morgana Raven spoke.
Collin gripped the tray tightly.
The atmosphere inside was a complete 180 from what he'd imagined outside.
And no one paid him any mind.
"I brought the drinks."
Ah, there was one person looking.
The insolent Eloise, who had claimed the seat next to Gerard.
By rights, she should have been the one carrying this tray.
Yet Eloise was sprawled comfortably on the ultra-luxury sofa that Collin had wheedled from the budget team like a tongue in his mouth.
As Collin glared at Eloise, Gerard spoke.
"Set it down and leave."
"Y-Yes. Understood."
Collin bowed hastily, placed the drinks on the table, and left.
While no one else so much as glanced at the glasses packed with ice, only Eloise eyed the beverage desperately.
She couldn't take the first glass since the VIPs hadn't touched theirs, and her throat was parched.
Cold sweat broke out from her anxiety.
That was when it happened. A thick, long arm stretched out.
"It's refreshing."
Gerard brought the glass to his lips and looked at Eloise.
His golden eyes sparkled as if he knew everything.
Her dry mouth, how badly she needed that cool drink.
But it was all just Eloise's guess.
"It is."
Morgana picked up a glass after Gerard.
Only then did Eloise quench her thirst.
"Everyone seems to have some free time. Continue the conversation."
Noah Norvark looked at Eloise and asked.
"So, you can predict Rainbow Holes?"
Eloise nearly spat out her drink.
For a split second, Gerard's eyes sharpened, but no one noticed.
"Ah, predict... I never said I could predict them."
Eloise hurriedly set down her glass and wiped the drink from her lips.
"You knew the Green Hole was going to appear?"
"Yes."
"Not from an oracle. You said you're not religious, right?"
"...Yes."
Instead of Noah, who had asked the question, Eloise glanced at Cervan.
The vice pope and representative of the temple added his piece.
"The house of the gods stands wide open even to wandering lambs, Miss Rubelia."
Cervan seized the opening to proselytize.
Haha, Eloise smiled awkwardly as Noah pressed on regardless.
"Not from a prophetic dream either? No fortune-telling?"
"No, nothing like that."
"Then how did you predict the Green Hole would appear in Windfield?"
Read More Chapter on Our Website:
- noveldex.io
New chapters released daily —don't miss out!