"Umm... Saintess Lumina... please don’t touch that part."
In a bedroom, a silver-haired youth with a black blindfold sat stiffly in his chair.
Before him, a girl in a holy white dress with hair like burning crimson sat far too close, far too long, for this to be simple treatment.
Is this normal?... why has the Saintess been holding my chest this whole time instead of my injured back?
It’s a little ticklish.
"Relax, Lucian...The wound’s healed over on the surface, but I’m still checking what’s going on underneath—the part you can’t see. So don’t move too much."
The wound on Lucian’s back hadn’t fully closed yet—a scar from a training "accident" three days ago, one that everyone in House Sarnel knew wasn’t an accident at all.
"Lucian, why did you accept your brother’s challenge? You already knew they never intended to duel you fairly, even though you can’t see them."
Though Lucian lacked the fighting talent his family expected of him, the blood of a Swordmaster still ran through his veins. In its place, his hearing had sharpened far beyond that of an ordinary person—sharp enough to read an opponent’s movements from nothing but the shift of wind and the sound of footsteps.
But that day, his older brother had cheated, using a suppression Relic to dull Lucian’s hearing. The use of Relics in internal family training was strictly forbidden—yet the number-one Swordmaster family in the Bravenheart Empire had let it happen, simply because the victim was a boy they’d long since cast aside.
Oh noo... why is she moving lower... Lucian muttered under his breath, unease creeping through him.
"Saintess, shouldn’t you be examining my back shoulder? Why—"
"Lucian." Lumina’s voice cut in, soft but sharp. "Why have you become so stiff around me? We used to spend so much time together. Do you hate me now?" She stared intently at him.
Lucian fell silent. He could feel that gaze—even without seeing it—something faintly suffocating.
But stiffness wasn’t his intention. It was that, as the "failure" of House Sarnel, he feared that being close to a Saintess of Lumielle would hurt her standing.
"It’s not like that, Saintess! How could anyone possibly hate you?" he answered quickly, almost panicked. "Even though I can’t see your face, I’m certain you’re someone kind-hearted and beautiful—the Goddess Lumielle’s Chosen."
Silence.
Too much silence.
Did I say something wrong again? Lucian worried inwardly, remembering that when Lumina got angry, she could dent thick armor plate with a single punch.
He had no idea that behind that silence, his innocent compliment had just ignited something far more dangerous than anger.
A few drops of warm liquid fell onto his arm.
"Wait—what is this liquid?" Lucian reached quickly to touch it, but—
"I-It’s nothing. Just Holy Water," Lumina said hastily, wiping it away herself. "Let me clean it up."
"Holy Water...?" Lucian’s face filled with emotion. "That’s precious, Saintess! It usually takes a full bottle for a healing ritual. Are you sure it’s alright to use it on me?"
A single bottle of Holy Water could cost hundreds of gold coins depending on quality, while the Lucian household’s coffers held only a handful of silver, having long since been cut off from the main Sarnel estate’s support.
Lumina’s already been kind enough healing me with light magic without asking for payment, and now she wants to give me Holy Water too—how could I ever repay this kindness?
Lucian was genuinely moved by the Saintess’s generosity.
He had no idea that what had dripped onto him wasn’t Holy Water at all—it was something far more personal, something Lumina herself hadn’t been able to hold back.
Ngh... you think the water in my mouth is worth that much, Lucian...? Lumina screamed internally, hardly able to believe it.
Still unaware of the truth, Lucian remained oblivious.
"In that case, Lucian, would you like something purer? I could feed it to you directly." Her voice trembled. "Open your mouth."
Lucian could hear how loudly Lumina’s heart was pounding—could even hear the sound of sweat beading on her skin. The feeling made him deeply uneasy.
This has to be some kind of joke. She’s too flustered over something this valuable. And for some reason, my instincts are screaming at me not to accept this "Holy Water."
His guard shot up instantly. He pressed his lips shut tight.
"T-that won’t be necessary, Saintess! Those few drops were already more than enough." He hurried to rise from his chair.
"Today’s treatment is finished. I should get dressed. Thank you very much, Saintess Lumina."
Before he could take a step, a force shoved him back down into the chair.
THUD!
"Why do you always try to avoid me, Lucian?" Lumina’s voice changed—cold and sharp in his ears. "Don’t you want to accept my love? Do you intend to leave me again?"
A chill crawled up Lucian’s neck. His face flushed with something between embarrassment and outright fear.
Eh, is she angry?... If I make the Saintess angry, I won’t get to attend my Blessing Awakening ceremony tomorrow. Cold sweat broke out across his skin—tomorrow was an incredibly important day for him.
He knew his position all too well. As the "failed" child of House Sarnel, provoking the wrath of the Order of Lumielle—especially its revered Saintess—was as good as digging his own grave.
He answered quickly.
"O-of course I accept your love, Saintess Lumina!" he blurted reflexively—though the "love" Lucian meant and the "love" Lumina meant were worlds apart.
If I refuse the Saintess’s love, wouldn’t that be the same as refusing Goddess Lumielle’s blessing? His reasoning arrived a little too late—and it wouldn’t have mattered anyway.
"Really...?! You’ll finally accept my love." Her voice dropped to nearly a whisper, filled with an unnatural relief.
"My love will be with you forever, Lucian." Lumina wrapped her arms tightly around him from behind.
Hmm... why is she hugging me so tightly...
Is it just me, or is my whole body getting hotter...
Then, without warning, every muscle in Lucian’s body locked up. His body went completely rigid—not from the touch itself, but from something far harder to explain.
Maybe this is what the Goddess Lumielle’s kind of love feels like? But then why does my body feel paralyzed?
"You don’t need to fear, Lucian. Though the world may cast you aside... I will never leave your side." Lumina’s voice dropped to a whisper, gentle and unsettling all at once.
"Even though you’re blind and powerless, I will never abandon you. You protected me once. Now, your grudge and mine—we’ll settle them together."
Lucian’s heart slammed against his ribs like a hammer strike. He realized something deeply dangerous was happening—and it wasn’t about the embrace. It was about what Lumina had just said.
Still blind to what exactly Lumina was doing, Lucian could only feel it.
"A-Ah... Saintess, I think the treatment is done..." he whispered hoarsely.
No answer. Only a crushing silence, as if his words had evaporated before they could be heard.
His breath grew thin. With what strength remained, he murmured weakly, "Stop... Lumina..."
BANG!
The door slammed open with tremendous force, striking the wall.
"Young Master!"
Rumelia burst in, breathless.
Lumina startled, reflexively pulling away and releasing her hold on Lucian.
Fresh air rushed back into Lucian’s lungs, slowly restoring his senses.
"Huff." He could finally breathe normally again.
"Rumelia—don’t you know how to knock?" Lumina scolded coldly, her beautiful face betraying deep irritation. This girl always interrupted at the worst possible moments.
"Forgive me, Saintess. But this is my Young Master’s room." Rumelia’s eyes went wide at the sight of Lucian’s condition. "Young Master! Are you alright? Saintess, what exactly were you doing to him?"
Lucian slumped back, drenched in cold sweat.
"I-I’m fine, Rumelia... the Saintess was just helping me. This is love’s treatment from Goddess Lumielle," he mumbled weakly. Despite his suspicions, his rational mind refused to believe that a childhood friend—someone revered across the whole continent—would ever harm him.
"But Young Master, your condition—"
"Are you questioning my methods of healing, servant?" Lumina cut in, her low tone thick with menace.
That tone... she’s really angry. Damn it, Rumelia and I could both be in danger.
Sensing the danger looming over his servant, Lucian quickly bowed his head and took hold of Lumina’s hand. "P-please forgive her, Saintess. She meant no disrespect."
Lumina flinched slightly at the gentle grip, her cheeks flushing—though she quickly composed herself in front of Rumelia and let out a sigh.
"You’re too kind to others, Lucian. Lucky for you, your servant looks after you well. I’ll forgive her, this once. For your sake."
"Thank you for your generosity, Saintess." Lucian bowed deeply.
"Rumelia, what business brings you here?"
"I wanted to tell you something, but..." Rumelia glanced at the Saintess with clear reluctance.
Sensing she was no longer welcome, Lumina leaned close to Lucian’s ear and whispered, "Lucian, we’ll see each other again at tomorrow’s ceremony..."
" Since you’ve already accepted my love—from this moment on, you belong to me, Lucian."
The whisper pressed against his chest like an invisible, cold weight.
With a thin, mocking smile aimed at Rumelia, Lumina turned and walked out gracefully.
"Haa... haa..." Lucian clutched his chest, trying to stand despite his trembling legs. "What... what did the Saintess mean by that?"
"Young Master! Don’t push yourself!" Rumelia rushed forward just as Lucian’s body collapsed to the floor.
A brilliant flash of light suddenly burst from his eyes.
Reflexively, his fingers reached to grasp at it. The white light surrounding him shifted into a deep obsidian blue, piercing through his blindfold and projecting glowing lines of text into the darkness before him.
✦ [HARMONY CONFIRMED: CONDUCTOR FOUND]
✦ [VERIFICATION COMPLETE: SON OF █████]
✦[QUEST COMPLETED! Objective: Maintain Conductor’s Purity from the Villain Saintess. Status: SUCCESS]
✦ [Reward Special Talent Awakened: {GOD-EYE} TIER ???]
✦ [WOULD YOU LIKE TO ACCEPT THE TALENT NOW?]
Lucian froze. Though his eyes were blind, the sensory memory of braille let him read the string of words with perfect clarity.
One line in particular made him go still.
Maintain the purity of... the Villain Saintess? What does that mean?