Chapter Thirty-Eight: No Car, No House, No Savings—And Still Dreaming of a Wife?

His Holiness the Pope knelt before the statue of the God of Light, praying for world peace and for the well-being of that poor child, Mayuna, hoping she might find happiness and perhaps meet someone who would truly cherish her. Though he knew the hope was faint, he believed the God of Light would surely watch over such a gentle soul.

“Alicia, what’s wrong?”

Just as the Pope was sincerely praying, he suddenly noticed the staff in the statue’s hand trembling violently. Rising quickly, he flew to the staff, reaching out to touch it, only for it to shoot through the air with a sharp whistle, landing instead in the hands of a young girl who had just appeared within the church.

“Alicia, it’s been a long time.”

Mayuna gently caressed her long-lost companion. For various reasons, she had not come to find her immediately after her recovery, but she had missed her deeply all the same. This staff had been the first gift given to her by Yura, and in her loneliness, it had been her confidant and friend.

“Ah, ah…”

The Pope stared at Mayuna, mouth agape, his usual holiness and dignity before his followers utterly forgotten. After a long moment, tears welled in his aged eyes, and he found himself speechless.

“Your Holiness, I’ve returned.”

Mayuna knew the Pope was one of the few people in the world who truly cared for her. She held deep respect for this teacher and friend, offering him a gentle, warm smile as she spoke.

“As long as you’re back, that’s all that matters,” the Pope said, wiping the moisture from his eyes. If Yura were here, perhaps she would have teased him for crying again. Now that Mayuna was alive and well, he felt he could face Yura with a clear conscience when his own time came.

“And who might this be?”

Once the Pope had composed himself, his gaze shifted to the man who had been curiously examining the church—a man with twigs sticking from his hair. A man… Mayuna had brought a man. The Pope felt a sense of crisis he had never known.

“This is Ruby. As you can see, he’s someone very ordinary, in both name and appearance.”

At the mention of her companion, Mayuna’s expression became livelier, her words sharp but her face tinged with pride, as though she could not help but show off.

“Could it be… he’s the one who saved you?”

The Pope grew even more vigilant. Never before had he seen such an array of emotions on Mayuna’s face. The Archmage had always been cool and distant, even toward her female friends, yet here she was, showing such expression for a man—a most dangerous sign.

“Yes. Without him, I wouldn’t be standing here now.”

“Divine Art: True Word.”

Upon her confirmation, the Pope wasted no words, casting a spell upon Ruby to test the truthfulness of his answers.

“Young man, what rank of mage are you? Is your house large enough for three? Are you a citizen of the Holy Empire? How much do you have in savings?”

“Well, let’s see. I have no magical power. The house belongs to Mayuna; for now, I’m technically a vagrant. I have a little in savings, but I still owe a hundred and fifty thousand gold coins.”

Ruby answered honestly—he wasn’t one to lie, making the Pope’s spell entirely unnecessary.

“What? No, I cannot agree to this!”

The Pope was stunned. He had imagined that anyone chosen by Mayuna would be exceptional—a genius in magic, or a renowned scholar. But Ruby was so far from his expectations that he could not even consider entrusting his friend’s beloved disciple to him.

“Your Holiness, what do you mean you don’t agree? I only came to ask you to vouch for Ruby,” Mayuna said, puzzled by the Pope’s barrage of questions and actions.

“In any case, I don’t agree!” The Pope, seeing Mayuna’s confusion, breathed a sigh of relief. Clearly, she was not yet lost to this, and he could still save her from this pit, guiding her back to the proper path.

“Mayuna, you’ve suffered so much. I’m truly sorry I wasn’t by your side in your darkest hour… I’m an unworthy companion. I’m ashamed to face you.”

At last, the staff in Mayuna’s hand spoke. The crystalline voice of a young girl was tinged with bitterness and guilt, apologizing to Mayuna again and again.

“Speaking of which, Alicia, you can sense my location, can’t you? Why didn’t you come find me? I thought you’d found a new companion.” Mayuna was confused—this was why she hadn’t sought out her companion. After all, when she’d left, she’d told Alicia to find herself a new friend.

“No, in my heart, Mayuna, you’ve always been my only companion. But…”

“If you didn’t come looking for her, it’s probably because of me,” a mocking voice interrupted. The twig in Ruby’s hair slowly opened a strange, bewitching eye, casting a teasing glance at the staff. “It’s been a while, Alicia—or perhaps I should call you Pride.”

“Silence, Dragon. I haven’t used that name in ages. I am Mayuna’s best companion now.”

“Well, it’s one thing to loiter among the fallen angels, but to take up residence in the hand of the God of Light—doesn’t that give you the chills?” Dragon had long suspected something unusual in Mayuna’s company; otherwise, she couldn’t have known his identity as Lust just from his name. Still, he hadn’t expected it to be Pride herself, and seemingly tamed by Mayuna at that.

“Hmph, as long as I can stay with Mayuna, I’ll endure anything.”

“Alicia, are you afraid of Dragon?” Mayuna asked.

“No, listen to me. When I learned you’d been rescued, I was overjoyed. I even tried to get close to you, but I could sense Dragon’s presence. He’s Lust, after all! Can anything good come of his master? I was sure he was threatening you, forcing you to do all sorts of things. I couldn’t possibly defeat Dragon, and I couldn’t bear to watch you suffer, so I chose to run away. I’m sorry.”

Alicia’s voice grew quieter and quieter until it was barely audible. “Mayuna… are you still… pure?” she finally whispered.

If only she had eyes, she might have wept then and there.

“Is it true? Did he do anything to you?” The Pope was aghast, grabbing Mayuna’s shoulders and anxiously checking her for injuries, circling her in a panic.

“No… not really…” Mayuna, bewildered by their questions, suddenly recalled Ruby giving her a lesson on personal hygiene, and hesitated a little as she spoke. But just that trace of hesitation was enough—both the Pope and Alicia understood that something had happened that could never be undone.

“I’m so sorry, Mayuna! I wasn’t there for you! Forget those things, we’ll never speak of them again!” Alicia’s voice was choked with tears. If she’d had the power of Dragon, perhaps she would have gathered Mayuna into her arms and comforted her for a long while.

“You’re mistaken—Ruby didn’t do anything to me. Where are you going, Your Holiness?”

Mayuna consoled Alicia, then saw the Pope, red-faced with rage, storming toward the door. She quickly used her plant magic to bind him, just as her teacher once had.

“I’m going to have the Church’s million holy knights tear him to pieces!”

“You’re the Pope! Don’t say such dreadful things! Ruby, why don’t you go explore the city for a bit? I’ll find you later.”

Mayuna was utterly exhausted. She simply couldn’t understand why everyone who met Ruby seemed to go berserk, as if under some wild enchantment. Surely, this man must have some special ability. For now, before the Pope could “purify” him, she had to let him escape and stay behind to explain everything herself.

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P.S. Please add to your library and recommend!

Ruby: Um…

The Pope: No, get out!

P.S. Many thanks to reader Kerou the Untidy for the 1000-coin reward, and to Azure Meteor Shower and Big Bubble Sky for their 100-coin rewards.