God-Tier Enhancement: My Upgrades Never Fail-Chapter 209: Episode _Our Saintess (1)

1.

The Specialists departed to find the Black Magic Order.

"But where do we even look?" Seolah wondered.

"Don’t worry, Seolah. I got a quest," Yeseul replied.

It would be a very long and distant journey, but Kang Yeseul was more excited than ever. She was the type to be more interested in a game where she was the protagonist than in the tedious, repetitive grind of daily hunting. Her motivation was overflowing, especially since Simin had thoroughly brainwashed her during their drinking session about the numerous advantages she would gain by taking over the Black Magic Order.

"I want my own castle."

Hyeonsu and Seolah were unmoved.

And Jeong Hyeonsu and Jeong Seolah supported her dream. It wasn’t a bad hope, after all. They weren’t the types to always strive to be on the side of justice. They had played many games and made many choices, often opting for plays that pursued their own fun over righteousness. It was something only possible in a game where anonymity was guaranteed. There had been times they’d ruined an entire server, and times they’d created a massive clan and ruled as dictators. They had faced countless arrows of criticism, but they had no regrets because they had found it interesting.

Fantastic World was no different. It was a game they had started with a clear goal in mind. Even if it was another version of themselves, there was no need to project their real-life selves and be kind to others. To become the strongest player—no, the strongest on the continent—they didn’t care if they had to side with the continent or the demons. Of course, the choice had to be made carefully.

For now, they decided to focus on finding the Black Magic Order.

"Leveling up will be fast, too," Seolah noted.

It was profitable. The quest level was high, and the party members sharing it could also gain experience. While it was generally accepted that quest experience was less efficient than grinding, that wasn’t the case for Unique-grade quests and above. The risk was also low. On the surface, they were just adventurers roaming the continent. The black magic mages they needed to meet to find the order would surely be hiding stealthily after the failed attack, so there was no risk of their meeting being caught by paparazzi.

Low risk, high return. As children of business executives, how could they pass up such a lucrative opportunity? And so, the Specialists’ own journey began.

*

With the failure of the attack on the Rich Territory, the black magic mages vanished as if they were ghosts. Of course, the people of the continent didn’t miss the opportunity and did their utmost to capture them, achieving some results. But the black magic mages who suffered losses and escaped were not seen again. It was as if the situation from a few months ago, before the black magic mages had emerged, had returned. No matter how hard they looked, they couldn’t be found. It was so quiet it felt like a dream. The captured black magic mages either committed suicide in unison or died under torture, leaving no trail to follow. They were that meticulous. The Temple was said to be as cruel and vicious as the demons when it came to evil, but even they couldn’t get much out of the black magic mages.

Just a few pieces of information. "The end of the continent is not far off."

They couldn’t say more due to a restriction. With only a sense of foreboding that something big would happen soon, the continent prepared for the coming crisis. No, they only pretended to prepare.

"Your Majesty, territory wars are breaking out all across the continent."

"Foolish things."

The current situation was more tense than at any other time in history. He should have known something was amiss when the nobles, usually busy looking out for themselves, all started investing everything in the continent’s safety. Perhaps it was natural. The black magic mages had just appeared, hinting at a demonic invasion, but how could that possibly feel real to nobles who had never experienced such a thing in their lives? Even the Emperor, who had read in vivid detail about the suffering in the historical records passed down only to him, still found it hard to grasp the reality of it. What did demons look like? How strong were they? Did they really eat human hearts?

Compared to such unrealistic future tales, the current situation, where they had an excuse to raise soldiers and a good pretext in the form of black magic mages to wage territory wars with neighboring domains, might have been a welcome development for the nobles.

"Hmph."

In the end, it was self-destruction. But the Emperor said nothing. It was a tradition passed down from his ancestors, a law of survival that he most encouraged and acknowledged. Their forces would be diminished, but the tension would not ease. With the black magic mages having vanished without a trace again, and no telling how long this silence would last, it was perhaps better for the future to have them maintain a constant, sharp tension by fighting amongst themselves, rather than growing exhausted chasing an unseen entity and letting their guard down completely. He decided to think of it that way.

He also included one small wish. ’I hope someone manages to destroy that Rich Territory.’ It was a small wish not as an Emperor, but as an individual.

2.

Han Simin was playing in his territory. It was a long-overdue rest. Lounging around within the territory even while in the game was a form of laziness uncharacteristic of him. Though he normally wouldn’t forgive himself for it, this time he was relaxed.

There was one reason.

"Good job, Squeaker."

Screeeech!

"A very good job. Even though you ate another 100,000 GP."

Unexpected rewards! He had acted in a rush, thinking only of protecting the Rich Territory, but after defeating the black magic mages, he found a surprisingly large pile of items. He had even gained two levels at once.

"They’re almost all black magic mage-exclusive items, so I should be able to sell them for a high price."

How could he not rest in a situation like this? A full stomach leads to a warm back, which naturally leads to sleepy eyes. He became generous.

"Hey, Kardian, even though we had one casualty, your advice was a big help. I’ll give you up to 20 Praise Points."

"Praise Points?"

"You know, the thing where you get a heart if you fill it up."

"...Thank you."

Her fine brow furrowed, but she didn’t refuse. She knew well how unfair and arbitrary a score given by an individual’s whim could be, but protesting wouldn’t change anything. It was better to just play along and somehow fill up the 100 points.

While Kardian meticulously recorded the points and Simin played with Squeaker, a visitor arrived.

"My lord, you have a visitor," his aide announced.

"A visitor? What kind of visitor?"

Having entrusted all territory affairs to his aide, he couldn’t help but be curious. If it were about the territory, the aide wouldn’t have come to him directly. No matter how big the matter—even investing over 200,000 gold in the Temple to receive a Sanctuary was something the aide reported after the fact.

Curiosity made him rise from his seat. He didn’t know what it was, but it smelled of money. The smell of money was enough to move Han Simin, who had planned to laze around and enjoy his theme park for a whole week.

"A Grand Priest from the Temple has arrived. What should I do?"

"Of course, you should let him in."

The moment he confirmed the visitor’s identity, Simin’s heart began to pound. The smell grew stronger.

*

"I am Saint, one of the eight elders who serve the divine."

"Welcome."

A young Grand Priest dressed in pure white holy robes entered the lord’s office. Simin cautiously guided him to a seat.

’Why is he here?’

From the Temple, and the Grand Temple in the imperial capital at that. Why? It couldn’t be because he was the Emperor’s son-in-law. Everyone on the continent was under the Emperor, but the Temple, which served the gods, did not bow to such authority.

"What brings you here?"

A few things came to mind. Matters related to the Temple. An important matter that would warrant the Grand Temple of the Empire to dispatch a Grand Priest directly, and one who was an elder at that.

’The Sanctuary? Or Sacrifice?’

He didn’t think a spell used so loudly wouldn’t have reached their ears. Were they here to ask if he had captured any black magic mages in connection with their extermination? Or had it become known that one of the adventurers he worked with was the Disciple of the Great Black Mage?

He didn’t ponder for long. His personal speculations wouldn’t be the answer anyway. Since the man had come in person, he would tell him. The Grand Priest fulfilled Simin’s wish.

"I came because I heard the Saintess is here."

"Pardon?"

And the words that came out of his mouth were something Simin had not expected.

*

"The Saintess?"

"Yes. Sacrifice is a magic that only His Holiness the Pope and the Saintess can use. On that day, His Holiness was offering prayers at the Grand Temple."

"Hmm."

"And he said he received an oracle. A premonition of the Saintess’s birth."

He fell silent. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

’Is that so?’ He wanted to ask, but he held back. He had to save every word until he understood the situation. His mind was spinning faster than ever. How should he take this? Where on earth was a Saintess coming from?

His gaze momentarily shifted to Squeaker, who had returned to its small bird form and was rubbing its head against his shoulder. In truth, he didn’t need to think for long. If he just accepted the situation as it was, everything fit. The Sacrifice that had struck the black magic mages. The traces left behind. And the Temple’s misunderstanding. The Saintess they were demanding was none other than Squeaker, who had cast the spell.

’...This thing?’

He wondered for a moment if he had ever checked its gender after taming the dragon. Male? Female? Looking at Kardian, it seemed dragons had genders, but when he asked how they had children, she said they were made through a communion of mana. Since it was something they could do alone, gender seemed meaningless.

As Simin was lost in such useless thoughts, the Grand Priest continued. "The Saintess is desperately needed in this time of chaos. If she is with you, I earnestly ask that you have her show herself at the Temple. It is fine even if she is an adventurer. If she would just show herself at the Temple and, as the Saintess, receive God’s blessing for the continent..."

These words, to Han Simin, were the sound of a wallet opening itself! His mind snapped to attention. ’What was I thinking!’

Simin, you’ve gotten complacent. To be having such idle thoughts in a situation like this! At the same time, he thought of Kang Yeseul heading for the Black Magic Order. This could be...

"Yes. I will ask her and give you an answer by tomorrow. The Saintess, unfortunately, is one who dislikes being involved in worldly affairs."

"I beg of you."

Han Simin, having regained his focus, bowed even deeper than the bowing Grand Priest. ’Thank you for coming to me on your own.’

As he watched the Grand Priest leave the office, saying he would depart tomorrow, Simin looked at Squeaker.

"Hey, Squeaker. Transform. I don’t care how much it costs. Polymorph."

"Squeak!"

*