Don’t Be Holy! - Chapter 202

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“Wake up, Eir.”

It was an ordinary day. A gentle voice roused her from shallow sleep.

Eir rubbed her eyes with her hands and gathered her senses. Rubel stood before her, backlit by the light streaming into the dark room.

The brightness made her squint, preventing her from clearly seeing his face, but Eir could tell he was pleased. His voice carried the satisfaction of someone who had solved a difficult problem.

“What’s going on?”

“Put this on. There’s somewhere we need to go together.”

“Where at this hour?”

“Nowhere dangerous.”

Her question was reflexive, not born of genuine suspicion. After all, Rubel would never take her somewhere questionable. Even if she worried he might engage in risky behavior, the fact remained that Rubel Shinote was the most trustworthy person in her life.

So Eir dressed hastily as he handed her clothes, took his outstretched hand, and let him lead the way.

Having been confined to her room lately, she thought he might be taking her outside—perhaps to see the beautiful moon or gaze at the stars.

But contrary to her naive expectations, Rubel didn’t head outside. Instead, they went deeper inside.

“Where exactly are we going?”

When Eir realized they were heading toward the underground prison, she stopped and demanded an explanation.

Rubel, who had been walking ahead, turned back at her question. He was fully dressed in his uniform, and the heavy armor he wore now seemed ominously significant.

However busy he might be, he wouldn’t normally be working at this hour.

“What’s this about?”

“You said you were afraid the curse on you might break, didn’t you? I’ve discovered a way to reinforce it.”

“Really?”

“Yes. It’s simple. They say it’s possible by casting the spell once more before the curse completely fades.”

“But how? Granny…… she’s already gone.”

“Of course I know that. I found another method. Just trust me and follow.”

What could this “other method” be? An ominous feeling crept up her spine, but she took his hand when he extended it toward her insistently.

Still drowsy and dazed, she was also frightened by the cold, eerie atmosphere around them.

When Eir instinctively moved closer, Rubel rubbed her shoulders reassuringly.

“It’s alright. There’s nothing to fear.”

Eir hunched her shoulders slightly but followed him nonetheless.

Soon, however, she understood what he meant. Lined up between rows of holy knights, under a radiant light brimming with divine power, stood a woman.

Her disheveled purple-streaked hair was a tangled mess, and she curled into herself as if trying to hide from the light. Her tattered dress bore bloodstains from torture that had never been washed away, and glimpses of her calves and feet showed them filthy with blood and pus.

The moment Eir saw her, she froze.

Though they had never met, she knew exactly who this was.

‘A friend of mine is imprisoned in the Central Temple. I was going to rescue her.’

Chrome’s words surfaced in her mind at just the right moment. More than affection, it was as if the weight of his plea had pressed down on him—his voice strained as he made his request.

‘Then help me save Uldir.’

“Uldir…….”

When Eir unconsciously uttered the name, the face hidden behind the tangled hair suddenly lifted. The distinctive red eyes of a witch flashed, followed by the loud clang of hands gripping prison bars. But the knights quickly subdued her erratic movements.

The moment they approached the cell, Uldir shrank back like a frightened dog.

Unable to bear the sight any longer, Eir turned to Rubel. But his expression remained detached, as though he were examining an object rather than a person.

There would be no mercy from him.

Eir bit her lip. She thought she understood why he had brought her here.

‘He said Uldir was a witch who specializes in mind control.’

Having been tormented by witches who read her memories, she could easily guess Rubel’s intentions.

Then, as if reading her thoughts, Rubel voiced them aloud.

“I intend to have that witch delve into your mind, uncover Hecate’s curse, and then force her to cast it again.”

A wave of dizziness hit Eir, forcing her to shut her eyes tightly. Rubel, still focused on the witch, didn’t notice her reaction and continued:

“It seems God have blessed us. This witch specializes in mind control—second only to Alphadem among their kind. She should have no trouble accomplishing this.”

He took her hand and gave it a comforting squeeze.

As if telling her not to worry.

Eir smacked his hand away with a sharp sound.

“I don’t want to.”

Her eyes burned with stubborn defiance, her face flushed with misplaced righteousness. Rubel tilted his head slightly, unfazed by her firm refusal, and calmly asked:

“Why not?”

“‘What do you mean, why?”

“Are you afraid? Of entrusting your mind to a witch like that? That’s understandable. But you needn’t worry. The knights and priests will ensure she behaves.”

Eir struggled to catch her breath.

It felt impossible to get through to him. She glanced at the shadowy figures of the knights before turning sharply and heading back upstairs.

Rubel lowered his head with a quiet sigh, ran a hand through his hair, and followed.

Only when they were alone did she spin around to face him. The cold air seemed to soothe the feverish turmoil in her mind.

Before she could speak, Rubel spoke first, his tone placating.

“I understand why you’re acting this way.”

His sigh carried a strange mix of exasperation and affection, as though he found her frustrating yet relatable.

“Seeing the witch in that state has softened your heart. But not all dealings can be so noble. Just as you suffered at the witches’ hands, it’s only fair that she endures the same here.”

“That witch is Chrome’s friend—the one who saved my life.”

“Then it must be even harder for you. The weight of that debt. I understand. It’s painful.”

Eir inhaled sharply.

Rubel’s habit of claiming to “understand” everything only confused her further.

She raised her hands to her temples, massaging them as if to untangle her thoughts. Her hair, disheveled, tangled around her fingers.

Rubel stepped closer, smoothing her hair and tilting her chin up. When her eyes met his handsome face, the words slipped out before she could stop them.

“Then shouldn’t you hold yourself to the same standard? If you, as a knight, tortured her, isn’t it wrong to now use her to strengthen my curse? This is an abuse of your power.”

“Are you lecturing me?”

“I just—”

“You’re right. Everything you say is correct. To keep you, I’m committing immoral acts. But aren’t you being hypocritical as well?”

“What—”

“You claim it pains you because this witch is the friend of Chrome, who saved you. If that’s how you feel, isn’t it contradictory to insist she should only be tortured ‘properly’?”

“I’m just afraid you’ll be ruined because of me!”

At that, the corner of his mouth twisted upward.

He looked down at her with an inscrutable expression—as if he had been waiting for those words, yet not.

“So you’re saying I come first for you too. But the same is true for me. You take precedence over my reputation or morality. Not out of selfish desire to possess you. If you were captured for betraying God, do you think you could live peacefully? How could I not worry about such a future?”