Don’t Be Holy! - Chapter 126

“I’m telling you, he’s seriously weird.”

Eir muttered this with flushed cheeks as she fled from Rubel. Only after putting considerable distance between them could she escape the lingering effects of his presence.

She couldn’t comprehend how he did it, but whenever Rubel was near, she felt endlessly flustered and swept along—even when she wasn’t in the mood, she’d either accommodate his whims or unconsciously sync with his desires.

Was this the power of sheer audacity?

Perhaps this was what it meant to have one’s initiative completely seized. And here she was, spacing out when she absolutely shouldn’t be.

‘Get a grip. Don’t you know you’re being transported as a criminal?’

Eir lightly slapped both cheeks with her hands.

Being physically comfortable and under Rubel’s protection kept lulling her into complacency. But how long could Rubel Shinote’s favor truly last?

Right now, he was clearly in that phase men talked about—the euphoric two-week period after losing his virginity where he’d promise the moon and stars.

‘Men only act sweet for two weeks after getting laid for the first time.’

Eir vividly remembered the neighborhood women complaining with irritation. She also remembered how quickly those same men would turn cold and abandon them.

Even if Rubel Shinote was more tenacious than most, she had to remember these fleeting emotions couldn’t be trusted.

‘So I need to find my own way to survive.’

Eir clenched her fists with determination.

She couldn’t even rely on Chrome now.

Not that Chrome was untrustworthy, but his assistance would become increasingly difficult to obtain.

They’d soon reach the capital, where Chrome, as a witch, couldn’t follow. Moreover, since Rubel was on official duty, he’d first head to the Central Temple to report—at which point she might be better off acting alone.

The temple would ironically offer more freedom… if she could use divine power.

‘The problem is I need that power back to escape…….’

Taking a deep breath, Eir locked both door and window before sitting cross-legged on the bed.

Being constantly shadowed by Carrie the doctor these past days had left no opportunity to check if her divine energy had returned. But after behaving so meekly, she’d finally convinced Carrie to go enjoy the inn’s famous honey wine tonight.

The knights had raved about it, and Carrie—who’d been making longing faces each time they drank—had finally caved on their last night here, promising to have just one glass.

Sitting on the wide bed, Eir turned her palms upward, closed her eyes, and began reciting prayers in the sacred tongue.

Thin silver threads of divine power started coiling around her hands—until a wave of pain made her brows furrow deeply as her body curled forward.

“Cough! Cough!”

Unable to suppress the rising nausea, Eir collapsed forward, hacking up several clumps of black darkness.

The darkness squirmed unnaturally before slithering away into the shadows. Stunned by what just emerged from her body, Eir sat frozen before suddenly dashing to the bathroom to vomit up her dinner.

Only after crouching in the bathroom and praying did she regain her composure.

Despite being a former priestess, the physiological revulsion at expelling witch-like darkness overwhelmed her.

Her body now drenched in cold sweat, Eir washed her trembling hands and face.

What just happened?