The Healer Of Light And The Prince Of Darkness

83. Ice And Tenacity

"I wanted to help too."

"But you did bring her here, didn't you?"

Keid's persistence on doing all the work felt a bit out of the place for some reason. Oh, right, it was because...

'...he can't possibly wish to do everything, can he...?'

Yuriel dug herself deep in her mind. Where she had lost herself in her own thoughts. And made a great effort to rake out at least something reasonable.

'Be kind. He probably expects you to...'

And it was then that it dawned on her.

She didn't owe him anything. She was Yuriel, the Lady of the Temple, a completely new person now. Even if there was something her past self owed him, it had nothing to do with her anymore.

"I hope you do not mistake me for the person you used to know."

"But, lady Ta..."

"Yuriel." She snapped.

The girl closed her eyes and sighed deeply.

"Look, I'm..."

"Exhausted? Tired of so much shit? Want your mummy to tell you you'll be perfectl..."

"Shut up!"

Yuriel glared at the direction she had heard Anastasia's annoying remarks.

"I'm damn sure you know, but you are not helping."

"As if you would ask for help."

"I may."

"No, you may not."

"Didn't I tell you to shut up?"

"Wow, who's irritated early in the morning?"

"You..."

"Milady..."

Keid's bewildered voice made part of Yuriel snap a bit to reality.

"Yeah, you are new..." She mumbled as if to herself and then pointed in the air.

"That's my annoying, obnoxious and snappy predecessor, Anastasia. You may have heard about her. She has a damn long street named after her."

'For nothing,' she thought mentally.

"She, she..."

"Yeah, yeah, she's annoyingly dead."

"What a sweetheart you have there, Yuri."

"When did I permit you addressing me like that?"

Keid – overwhelmed by the new-found secret that obviously wasn't known by the public – stared for some seconds, before he dug his consciousness from his messed up thoughts and bowed deeply.

"I'm honored to have met you, Third Great Saintess."

"My pleasure. Hey, Yuri, you heard that? There's someone who knows how to treat me."

"You and I are the same." Yuriel answered with a tone drenched in annoyance.

"Hey, loyal knight. For the time being, I'll have you deal with something extremely important, you hear me?"

Keid nodded sharply as per habit, before her realized she was blind. She couldn't possibly see this, right?

"I..."

"Goddess, I understood. I can discern light and shadows."

She snorted much not lady-like.

"I'm Yuriel. Blessed by Leya and a person who carves her own path in the world. You won't ever see the person you used to know."