Chapter 293

Volume 2 Ch 33: He Hissed

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍sudden, almost fairy-tale-like scene before him made the tension in Ryan’s body and the Magic poised to erupt instantly collapse.

The ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍destructive energy at Ryan’s fingertips vanished without a sound. Layer upon layer of luminous array patterns receded beneath his skin like a falling tide, so quickly that the suffocating surge of Mana from a moment ago felt like nothing more than an illusion.

He ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍drew a quiet breath and forced down the racing beat of his heart.

Vera’s ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍warning, Cecilia’s worried gaze, even Iruya’s rare, solemn caution… they echoed in his ears again and again, keeping his nerves drawn tight as a bowstring throughout this seemingly glittering banquet.

I ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍really am being too jumpy, he realized. But there was no helping it. There truly were people who wanted to see him disgraced—or gone forever. If some desperate, deadly expert had really slipped in… then that brief eruption just now had been nothing more than his body making an extreme response before his mind could catch up, the moment it sensed movement in the shadows.

Put ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍simply, he had hissed.

All the sharp, outwardly displayed menace vanished in an instant.

A flawless, courteous smile returned to Ryan’s face, as though the dangerous man who had nearly flattened half the garden a moment ago had nothing to do with him at all.

He inclined himself slightly toward the darkness and apologized in a steady voice, even though he felt that he was the one who had been badly startled.

“My deepest apologies, miss. I was the one who caused the disturbance. I overreacted. Please forgive me.”

Ryan did not consider himself a timid man. After being tempered again and again, his perception had long since surpassed that of ordinary people.

Even with his eyes closed, nothing within ten meters could escape his notice—not the rustle of grass and leaves, not even the crawling of insects. That exceptionally powerful, almost instinctive intuition had become the foundation of his unique combat style.

And yet just now… that presence which had let out a soft sigh from the shadows had clearly been within ten meters of him, and he had sensed almost nothing before that. It was only when she revealed the slightest trace of her presence while watching him beneath the moon that he suddenly became aware of her.

That could mean only two things. Either the other party was vastly stronger than he was, or she was a top-tier assassin skilled in concealment.

Thinking of the dark currents hidden beneath tonight’s banquet, he had almost instantly concluded it was the latter. One of the people after him had finally sent a truly lethal killer. That was why he had reacted so violently, almost beyond his own control, lashing out with everything he had.

And yet, once the Mana dispersed and his vision cleared, the anticipated attack never came.

Under the moonlight, beside the ornamental rockery, a young woman in a pure white gown stood there in visible confusion, her hands unconsciously gripping the fabric over her chest.

She truly seemed to have been frightened. A few strands of pale golden hair had fallen loose against her cheeks, and her crimson eyes were slightly widened, still reflecting the last remnants of elemental light, like those of a startled fawn.

At her chest, a gemstone pendant as red as fresh blood rose and fell gently with her quickened breathing.

At the same time, before Ryan’s eyes, that familiar translucent prompt with its faintly cold texture appeared without warning:

【Action: Launch an attack on Saintess Alicia】

【Result: Probability of being relentlessly hunted by the Holy Church and the Theocratic Empire together: 97%】

As expected.

She was not an assassin, but in a sense, she was even more troublesome than one.

That all but confirmed his suspicion. The girl standing before him was none other than Alicia, the central heroine of the original plot of Holy Light and the Seven Sins, revered by all as the Saintess.

Only she, with that legendary purity and her unique gift of drawing close to all living things in nature, could merge so seamlessly with her surroundings and even dull his razor-sharp perception to some extent. And only she would appear at a court banquet of the Empire’s highest rank, only to hide herself away in such a secluded corner of the garden.

This Saintess was completely different from the nobles in his mind who delighted in social maneuvering.

She had grown up within the innermost circle of the Holy Capital Church, and because of her astonishing gift for Holy Arts and her ability to soothe people’s hearts, she had been elevated as the Saintess.

Holy Arts were, in essence, healing applications of the light, water, and natural life elements. That was also the foundation that allowed the faith to take root so firmly among the common people.

Alicia was kind by nature. She traveled throughout the Empire year-round, treating the poor, soothing the wounded, and had earned immense popularity among the people.

And yet one of the core teachings of the holy faith was an absolute rejection of Witches and hostility toward them, regarding them as omens of calamity and disaster.

Ironically, according to the original plot Ryan knew, it was precisely a Witch who hid her identity and gave her life to protect Alicia in childhood who drove the first crack through Alicia’s once unshakable worldview.

The incident had been deliberately concealed and softened by the higher-ups of the Church, yet it made the Saintess question for the first time the doctrine that Witches were synonymous with evil. It also planted the seed for her future encounters with the Witches, her understanding of them, and eventually her opposition to the rigid dogma within the Church itself.

At this point, Alicia was perhaps still suspended in that delicate balance between confusion and conviction.

But at this moment, all of that background knowledge merely flashed through Ryan’s mind in an instant.

Alicia still seemed trapped in the lingering shock of the terrifying Mana eruption from a moment ago and did not answer at once.

She had only wanted to avoid the exhausting small talk and attention in the banquet hall. People were forever approaching her because of her status—some respectful, some overly eager—and it always left her feeling awkward and somewhat overwhelmed.

This familiar corner of the garden was a secret place she had discovered during her repeated visits to imperial ceremonies. Only here, in the company of little squirrels and the occasional passing bird, could she find a few moments of peace.

Tonight, she had hidden herself here again, gazing absentmindedly at the stars, only to unexpectedly catch sight of the young man standing alone beneath the moon.

The lines of his profile were beautiful, his expression more relaxed than usual, as though he had become one with the cold moonlight itself. He was so handsome he scarcely seemed human, and before she knew it, she had stared a little too long and let out that faint sigh.

She had never expected that sigh to provoke such a terrifying reaction from him…

For that single instant, she had truly thought she was about to be swallowed by that destructive light.

Only when Ryan apologized again did she suddenly come back to herself. She realized she had lost her composure, and also that he did not seem to harbor any malice. And from the way he was dressed, he was clearly a guest invited by His Majesty the Emperor. Besides… there was something inexplicably familiar about him.

“N-no! I should be the one apologizing!” Alicia hurriedly shook her head. Her cheeks were faintly flushed with embarrassment and the remnants of fright, and she rose awkwardly to her feet, the hem of her pale yellow dress stained with grass and dust. “I-I was the one peeking without permission… I interrupted your solitude. I am terribly sorry!”

Her voice was soft and lovely. Though she spoke with obvious nervousness, it carried a strange power that seemed to soothe agitation itself. Her manner was so sincere that it was almost endearing, subtly different from the lofty, sacred image people held of the Saintess. It gave her a touch of living warmth and girlish awkwardness.

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