I Was The Hero, But I Woke Up as a Phoenix Princess! – Chapter 966

“You have misremembered. My name is Clement…”
Looking at the girl’s lightly fluttering eyelashes and surprised expression in the carriage, the young priest coughed awkwardly. However, when he saw the girl’s clear and beautiful eyes, his expression quickly became enthusiastic:
“That’s right, Miss, the potion that the Knight Lord gave to the villagers, was it prepared by you? Please forgive my shock, that was completely a work of genius, no, a work of divine miracle!”
“Your beauty and kindness, yes, that is a gift bestowed upon you by the Goddess of Life, yet you willingly use it to heal the ugly plague…”
Verafia wasn’t very interested in the priest’s effusive and exaggerated praise, which was as flamboyant as a bard’s. She slightly turned her head, looked at the priest blocking the carriage, and interrupted:
“It was just a small effort. You are blocking me, is there something you need?”
Clement was taken aback. Seeing a hint of impatience in the girl’s brows, he quickly said:
“Ahem, yes, Divine Official Miss, you have healed the plague in this village, and such kindness makes us feel ashamed. However, according to my deductions, this plague did not appear solely due to the war, but was more likely sown by an evil presence in the shadows.”
Ig was sitting beside the girl. Hearing the priest’s voice, he couldn’t help but show a hint of surprise.
The plague was spread by Sariel, a fallen holy angel from the demon realm. Ig knew this. However, after all, the girl beside him was a deity, and along with Anrijel, Andes, and others, they could determine the source of the plague.
This priest named Clement, although considered decent in Ig’s eyes, was only at the Platinum realm. He was still far from the Sacred Domain, let alone comparable to Sariel, who was behind the plague.
Yet, he was able to deduce that the plague was intentionally sown, which made Ig show surprise.
“You don’t need to be surprised… In fact, the plague did not appear here; the eastern part of the Empire has already been swept by it. My teacher has been working for months to eliminate the spreading plague, and he has already made some deductions. I wish to go to the holy city to beg the clerics of the Holy See for assistance.”
Clement showed a pleading expression. He clasped the Holy Light Cross on his chest, a symbol of faith in the God of Light, and bowed deeply to the girl.
“Please believe me, the source of the plague must be related to the city of Arnoal Colon. You are the spokesperson of the Goddess of Life—Divine Official Miss. I beg you, in the name of the Goddess’s mercy, to bestow the Goddess’s grace upon the suffering people of the land again. Countless souls plagued by illness and pain will surely be grateful to you and Lord Shilsolys.”
“Arnoal Colon?”
Verafia’s golden eyelashes fluttered slightly as she murmured the name. She was not from the Empire, but the name of this city was very familiar to her.
Arnoal Colon was the ancestral territory of a long-standing ducal family in the Empire, and also a world-renowned famous city.
A hundred years ago, facing the invasion of the Demon King’s army, as the last line of defense against the demon race’s advance towards the holy city, Verafia, along with countless warriors including Moon, engaged in a fierce battle in Arnoal Colon.
In the end, they paid the price of over a hundred thousand sacrifices and the destruction of half the city, barely managing to repel the demon attack and defend the last inch of pure land before the light.
Verafia was astonished that Sariel’s Heretic Wing Church had taken control of such a famous city, yet at the same time, she felt a sense of mockery.
Moon, who fought alongside her in that city a hundred years ago and unleashed Divine Light Arts to kill countless demons, had actually handed over the city they once defended to a demon monarch?
“Thank you for the information. I will go and take a look.”
“Divine Official Miss, may I accompany you and witness your feat of dispelling the plague for the God of Light?” asked Priest Clement.
Verafia’s golden pupils flickered slightly, as if in thought. Suddenly, she smiled and nodded: “Alright. Going to Arnoal Colon together is no problem for this young lady.”
Ig, sitting beside her, heard her voice and looked at her with a confused expression: “Veer?”
“Does Ig think there’s a problem?”
Verafia turned her head, her jewel-like beautiful eyes blinking her long lashes. She tilted her head charmingly and said, “This young lady’s carriage is very large. It can accommodate a passing priest without any problem.”
Well, one must know that she was the Goddess of Life. Even when traveling, she wouldn’t use an ordinary carriage.
As the Goddess Princess’s chariot, it not only needed to be driven by magic, but could also soar through the sky and cross rivers. Moreover, for the comfort of travel, she could rest on a soft large bed every night. Verafia had packed an entire small castle within the carriage’s space.
It was only called a carriage out of Verafia’s habitual naming.
“This…” Hearing the girl’s answer, Ig’s gaze faltered.
He was only worried that the girl would agree to let Clement travel with them, but he hadn’t expected that Verafia would even let the priest into her carriage.
Ig was certainly not worried about anything special happening between Verafia and Clement. Furthermore, Clement presented himself as a selfless healer, a rare priest in the Empire who still harbored compassion. Such character should have earned Ig’s respect.
However, perhaps it was because the first time he saw the priest, Ig vaguely sensed a misty obscurity that made him harbor some reservations.
Ig shifted his gaze slightly, and seeing Verafia’s clear and crystalline beautiful eyes, he suddenly thought that since this young lady felt there was no problem and was willing to let Clement board her carriage, then perhaps he had misjudged him initially.
With that thought, Ig’s mood relaxed. He reached out and ruffled her little head, then, as per the young lady’s request, got up to make her some fruit tea.
…
“Unbelievable, unbelievable, Miss Verafia, your carriage actually contains such a magnificent palace!”
Allowed by the girl, Clement, who approached the carriage, exclaimed in shock at the opulent scene that unfolded before his eyes. He turned his head and looked at Verafia, who was wearing an exquisite evening gown. In the palace, she was as beautiful and moving as a noble princess, possessing both holiness and charm. His gaze was filled with awe.
“Even my teacher, even the strong individuals in the Sacred Domain, cannot afford such extravagant expenses. Please forgive my offense, Divine Official Miss. In the land of the elves, you must also be a noble Saintess, right?”
“This is nothing.”
In Ig’s eyes, Verafia’s small body leaned against a soft sofa, casually scratching her delicate golden hair. She raised her little head and replied lightly.
The space inside the carriage was actually created by Verafia using her life divine power, built according to her will as a castle, and could be displayed at Verafia’s whim.
What appeared before Clement at this moment was only a small part of the castle, intentionally hidden were the rooms of Ophi, Anrijel, and a few other girls.
The priest’s gaze still lingered incredulously in the palace: “God of Light above, it’s unbelievable…”
Seeing Clement’s expression, Verafia’s slender long lashes twitched slightly, and her beautiful eyes sparkled with interest.
She rustled her slender white silk-clad legs under her skirt, her jade hands, covered by delicate sheer long gloves, supporting her snow-white cheeks. She slightly raised a pair of golden moon-like beautiful eyes and asked with great interest:
“By the way, Clement, you just said the plague originated from Arnoal Colon. Can you tell me more about it?”
“Oh, of course. Miss Verafia, please listen to my account.”
Seeing the girl’s luxurious and magnificent golden eyes fixed on him, Clement raised his head and quickly replied.
“It happened about seven or eight months ago, in the Duchy of Upper Rhinelan. It wasn’t a battlefield for the imperial feudal lords and the Pope, but the nobles there, driven by their own ambitions, also erupted in war.”
“I accompanied my teacher to the banks of the Rhine, intending to treat the wounded and civilians from the war, but I accidentally encountered the black plague…”
Verafia held her chin with her small hand, listening to the priest’s narration.
According to Clement, at first, he and the archbishops of the monastery did not realize that the plague appearing in the Duchy of Upper Rhinelan was unusual. They merely treated it as a common disease that arose from corpses due to the war and was left unchecked.
However, as the plague spread more, Clement and his disciples gradually discovered anomalies, finally realizing that there was another hand behind this plague, which even Divine Light Arts could hardly cure.
One of those shadows came from the Duke of Upper Rhinelan in Arnoal Colon.
“The Bishop was worried that the Duke of Arnoal Colon was sowing this plague to gain heretical power and possess a demon’s body, so he sent me to seek help everywhere. However, the Empire was in chaos everywhere, and those great nobles were also sharpening their swords and horses. No one believed the words of a mere priest.”
Clement showed a mournful expression, clasped the Holy Light Cross on his chest, and looked at the girl again with gratitude.
“Inevitably, I had to return and choose to go to the holy city to persuade the priests in the holy city, but I happened to encounter you.”
“God Lord above, Miss Verafia, it is truly wonderful that you are willing to help the innocent suffering from the plague and thwart the vile conspiracy of the Duke of Upper Rhinelan.”
“Is that so…”
Verafia’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, and she nodded. She then stood up from the sofa, her delicate feet landing on the soft velvet carpet: “Alright, this young lady will naturally go to Arnoal Colon. Hmm, how about Clement rests for a while now?”
Without waiting for his reply, Verafia turned her small face and said to Ig by her side, “I have already arranged a room for you. Ig, take this priest sir there!”
Ig nodded in agreement, got up, and led Clement the way.
However, he still knew that it was most likely the little girl’s whim, and perhaps the room she prepared for this priest was also temporarily shaped by her divine power.
Until Ig and the priest disappeared from view, Verafia’s lips curved into an interesting arc. Her long lashes blinked, and she turned her little face again.
“Such an interesting priest. Andes, do you think the Arnoal Colon that this priest Mr. mentioned is really the hiding place of the Heretic Wing Church and that Holy Angel.”
The girl’s soft voice rang out. The air touched by her bright eyes slightly distorted, and a tall young figure emerged from it. Beneath his dark blue hair was a handsome face.
The youth’s eyes were as deep as the ocean. Although the radiant cross representing holy light had long since dimmed, the brilliant golden sword edge still indicated his identity.
“Your Highness, most likely.”
Andes bowed to the girl and then said, “I have investigated many traces, and the source of the plague is indeed Arnoal Colon in the Duchy of Upper Rhinelan.”
Verafia nodded, gently stroking her soft side hair with her jade hand. Her golden eyes sparkled with amusement again: “Then, in Andes’s opinion, what about this priest named Clement?”