It's been quite a while since she started preparing for her plan.
She hasn't revealed the plan to anyone, not because she doesn't have any connections, but because the more she thinks about it, the worse outcomes she could imagine happened.
…So what could the plan be?
Well it was…
—
"Kya!!!!!"
"Somebody call the Knights Order!"
"Healer! Any healer nearby!?"
Yup. That was her plan.
Fake a homicide in the slums to meet up with the Saintess.
Red dye and slimes were used to create a ton of fake blood.
In order to get the consistency right, she had to mix in the dead slime's body along with water just so that it'll move the same way.
She tried to make them smell as similar to blood as possible but… how could she?
She doesn't even remember what blood smells like, there's almost no way she could possibly recreate them.
All she knows is that maybe it smelled like iron, so she mixed some iron powder in them.
Was that enough?
Well, everyone around her seemed to believe it, so maybe the doctors would too?
Though she wishes that the Saintess would come forward already as the longer this plan goes on, the more embarrassed she feels.
She's not used to being in public attention, not especially as a severely injured individual.
Now it was a race of time, either she's caught by the Knights Order or meets The Blind Saintess…
Though no matter how many times she thinks about this plan again, she found out there were too many plot holes.
Maybe she was a bit too excited when she first thought of it…
Worse case scenario, she doesn't meet the Saintess and becomes disabled in 2 months.
…
…
…No actually, wouldn't the worse outcome be her being detained for faking her own death?
What was the term again…?
Pheside?
Pursided?
Ugh, it was something along those lines but she doesn't really study the law. It was quite a miracle she even remembered the way the term is called.
Suddenly, Aria's getting cold feet.
She thought of the jail time and decided it was not worth the risk anymore even though she had spent like a week collecting materials for this plan.
So while everyone was distracted with calling for help, she bolted away.
"The dead body disappeared!?" One of the many bystanders finally noticed the blue haired victim's disappearance.
—
"Hah…"
Aria laid her head on the table as she let out a long sigh.
'A week worth of effort wasted… at the very least, I should've tried waiting for help. Maybe the Saintess would be there to heal me.'
Thinking back on everything else she could've done, she did regret putting in so much time into something she didn't even fully commit herself into doing.
Her canine ears twitched as the sound of footsteps echoed.
"Rachel? Ah right, let me return the items. Thanks for lending them to me."
Just as Aria was about to head towards her room, Rachel's voice was heard.
"It is alright, you can keep them. They have only been collecting dust in the storage room, it's great that they could find some uses again."
Rachel sat down across Aria who had also sat back down.
"Do you prefer tea or coffee?"
"Neither, I like something sweet."
This has been their daily routine for the past week.
Aria would sit down on the chair and Rachel would follow soon after and ask about her preferences.
It just so happens that this morning she'd ask about her preferred morning drinks.
Of course, it was not actually every morning when she would ask a question, but they had done it enough times to actually make it feel like a routine.
"I heard you sighing, is there something bothering you recently?" The nun asked in concern.
"It's nothing. I just got scared of finishing what I started."
It's true. She did pull back last second right as her plan was about to show results.
Aria watched intently as Rachel stood and walked to the kitchen smoothly, as if she still had her sights.
No matter how many times she observed the nun, she still felt flabbergasted at how simple she made walking seem with no visual stimulation.
Could she do the same if she lost her sight?
Most definitely not.
Even with the so-called 'Echolocation' that she uses, it was definitely not comparable to a normal eye sight, Aria was almost certain of that.
"Rachel, how long ago did you lose your sight?" She decided to ask after contemplating.
While preparing their breakfast, Rachel answered as a matter of fact, "It's been 15 years."
"15 years…"
It has been quite a long time since then.
Does that mean it'll be weirder for her if she suddenly got sight back?
Since her task was to 'Cure' the Blind Saint, does that mean there's also a way to help Rachel gain her sight back?
But would she even want them back?
"..." Aria watched as Rachel served their breakfast, smooth as a normal person.
If Rachel had noticed her stare, she didn't point it out.
'...I'll put those thoughts on hold for now. I need to find this Saint first.'
If she could cure the Saint, then curing Rachel wouldn't be such a dream.
But how?
Faking a homicide would definitely not work now that she could think logically…
Ask her guardian?
The Pope?
Does she need to ask the Pope of the Saint's location?
It is an idea, at least much better than her previous one.
As she watched Rachel sips on her own tea, she remembered their previous conversation.
"Rachel, since a meeting can't be arranged between me and the Saintess, how about letting me meet the Pope?"
It sounds plausible. As the Pope, monitoring the Saintess' location at all times was practically essential since he was the one that had placed her under house arrest.
Otherwise, how would he know she's following orders and is not wandering outside the border?
"It is possible."
Aria's eyes twinkled.
"So there's a chance!?" She excitedly stood up and slammed both her palms on the table.
Rachel, not fazed, simply continued her sentence, "Yes. Every Sunday, the Church would hold a prayer for all Noble of the Empire. It is possible for you to meet the Pope but you would need to be from a Noble background."
It felt like she's been poured cold water on. All excitement vanished almost as if it didn't exist and she turned listless as she laid her head on the table.
"Hah… so it was false hope after all…"
"...I apologize for getting your hopes up."
"Don't worry, I'm not blaming you. Speaking of which, why is the prayer only held for the noble birth?"
Why is a religion only held for those with power?
"When the Church was first founded, a Coup was actually happening, led by the common people. In protest, all the nobles fought back and successfully stopped the coup, leading to the tradition that held the common people liable for what had happened then."
Ah. So in other words… the commoners used to be evil and the nobility used to be good people.
How long ago was this?
"200 years."
…!
What the- why is that tradition still going on if 200 years had already passed!?
"Because of the prophecy bestowed upon us from a thousand years ago that includes, 'When the end comes, may the common be blessed for a Noble Birth shall prevent it at the cost of their life.' or so it had been written."
Ah… so it was this kind of prophecy…
Speaking of which,
"Are you reading my mind?" She had been responding to her thoughts even though she did not verbally express them.
"No, it was quite easy to guess what you would be curious about based on the micro movements of your facial muscle. I just deduced them based on my own experiences."
"Ah…"
So it was my fault then for not managing my facial features.
Still, she can't meet the pope because she's not a noble? What a drag.
Trying to become a noble in and of itself would bring enough trouble to herself, moreover doing it in under 2 months.
After all, she doesn't even know how to cure blindness.
Maybe the 'Occurences' have an answer?
That guy hasn't appeared for a while.
Clicks
Speak of the devil and they shall appear.
[0.41%]
[Rewards available, please report to the Administrator to claim rewards]
The numbers haven't changed, which means she hasn't made any progress yet.
And the second text…
Seems like a good lead. The only questions I have remaining would be the location of this individual called 'Administrator'.
Clicks
As if responding to her, the panel changed.
[Please report to the Administrator in 'Lucifer's Castle' to claim rewards.]
"...Lucifer's castle?"
After looking at the panel for a while, she closed them and the colors of the world returned.
Lucifer, another person she doesn't recognize.
But that guy's castle is the only lead I have to stop this stagnation…
"Sigh…"
Rachel simply tilts her head while drinking tea, savoring the taste.
"Rachel… Do you know who Lucifer is?"
"Puffff!"