|| ᴀ ꜱᴀɪɴᴛ ᴡʜᴏ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴀᴅᴏᴘᴛᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴜᴋᴇ || ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴇᴛᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ꜱɪᴅᴇ ꜱᴛᴏʀɪᴇꜱ ||

Chapters 146-150

Episode 146: Rabienne's Invitation (VII)

"The elders are waiting for you. The saint will be tested."

The paladin calmly replied.

For fairness, it was customary to notify just before the qualification test.

It was actually against the rules for Lucas to inform her of the scheduled date, so Rabienne couldn't even refute why they brought up the test date.

"...We are receiving important guests right now, so please wait until it is over."

"It can't be. Since there is no official schedule, we were told to bring you right away."

Rabienne tried to delay it, but she instantly realized it wouldn't work. Gripping the skirt of her dress, she replied,

"I get it. Take the lead."

In the end, for Rabienne, who could not come up with any countermeasures, only resentment for Esther grew.

There was really no choice but to follow the paladins. Right as she took a stop forward, Lucas hurriedly grabbed her hand.

"The saint will do well. I will be waiting for you to come out."

Something was pressed against her palm.

Surprised, Rabienne was about to ask what this was, but then bit her mouth shut.

She believed there must be a deep significance if he was trying to deliver it in this situation, so she only thanked him with her eyes.

Following the paladin without even having time to settle down for her tea party, she turned her hand over as she exited the room.

And she sneakily confirmed what Lucas had given her.

'A seed?'

The size was particularly small, but it was a seed that could sprout a holy flower.

There might be a test to see if she could grow a holy flower, so it seemed that he prepared for it.

'Maybe it's possible to cheat.'

The confidence of Rabienne, who, due to her distraught and hectic schedule hadn't even thought of hiding some seeds beforehand, returned a little.

But that was for a mere while.

Rabienne had to gnaw her teeth at the gazes she felt from all sides.

The saint, the unrivaled presence of the temple, always attracted attention wherever she went, even in normal times.

The sight of Rabienne surrounded by paladins-more specifically, the paladins of the Council of Elders-was perfect to go in and out of wandering mouths.

"To see the paladins of the elders walking around the temple in broad daylight. What in the world is going on?"

"I just heard about it, but it seems that the saint's qualification test will be held again soon."

"What? It doesn't make sense."

The maids, priests, and junior saint candidates who saw this all began to whisper.

"I think it's a bit strange too. Is it because her divine power is so weak compared to the saints of the past?"

"Well... There was a lot of talk because of the epidemic."

Their conversation was not overheard by Rabienne, but this situation itself was a disgrace already.

Rabienne, her face turning red, walked more confidently so as not to be looked down upon by the people.

However, words moved faster than feet, and by the time Rabienne arrived at the test hall, there was no one inside the temple who didn't know.