What should I say.
If I think about what's coming next, giving it is the right move, but the way it's being so blatantly demanded makes me not want to give it.
Is this what they call contrarian instinct?
【Offering Box】
Maybe it felt my gaze, because the words on the offering box quickly changed into a more docile form.
Well, I'm kind, so I'll let it slide.
I shoved the whole pouch containing 2,000 gold into the offering box.
I saw Ruthe's eyes go wide as the pouch vanished into thin air, but I didn’t have the time to worry about that.
With the sound of hundreds, thousands of coins clinking and falling, a stream of system messages unfolded before my eyes.
【2,000 gold has been deposited into the Offering Box of the ‘Sun that Crawled Back from Death’.】
【With the devotion of a faithful believer, the ‘Sun that Crawled Back from Death’ recovers a portion of its power.】
【The ‘Sun that Crawled Back from Death’ bestows a blessing upon the Saintess who devoted herself for its sake. The user’s divine power increases.】
【Current Divine Power: 10%】
My divine power had increased by 2% thanks to the god’s blessing.
I soon realized why the Sun God had demanded I reach 10%.
【The user’s divine power has reached 10%. The Saintess-exclusive skill ‘Blessing’ is now unlocked.】
【Skill: ‘Blessing’】
1. You can now use healing power through blessings.
2. You can bestow new blessings upon already existing sacred items.
Blessing! And I can even bestow it on sacred relics!
So that’s why. There was a reason the Sun God went out of its way to tell me this, even at the cost of precious power.
With this, I can definitely turn Ruthe Sheary into a full ally!
“Dimensional magic? But priests aren’t supposed to be able to use magic…”
In response to his question about the disappearing pouch, I shook my head.
“It’s not magic. Let’s just say it’s a power only the Saintess of the Sun God can use.”
After giving that vague explanation, I immediately stood up.
“All necessary procedures are complete. I’ll bring the sacred relic right now. Please wait a moment.”
Ruthe’s face brightened noticeably. I guess he was worried I’d run off after just taking the money.
“What about the High Priest?”
Once I left the parlor, I asked Seth who was waiting outside.
“He hasn’t arrived yet.”
Good. I need to finish this before he gets back.
“Let’s head to the sanctuary. I need to retrieve the sacred relic.”
The underground of the Grand Temple.
A sanctuary that no one could enter freely—there, sacred items and holy relics were kept.
The sacred relic of light that Ruthe was looking for was also there.
“Wow…”
After descending deep underground with Seth, we finally reached the sanctuary’s entrance.
The moment I stood before it, a gasp escaped my lips.
A massive marble door covered in unintelligible geometric patterns—just looking at it made my chest tighten from the overwhelming presence.
Were those divine characters like the ones in the Sacred Text, or were they other symbols beyond our understanding?
One thing was certain—it radiated holiness like the Sacred Text.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve come here, but it still makes me feel afraid.”
“You too, Captain? I feel the same way. It’s like there’s a pressure that presses down on you.”
Seth nodded and placed his hand on the door, slowly channeling divine power into it.
The intricate patterns carved into the door glowed gold, and with a heavy rumble, the door slowly began to open.
From the gap, a radiant light and unbelievably clean air rushed out, enveloping us entirely.
“Goodness. How can a place like this exist underground?”
Though there were no light fixtures, a soft glow poured from the ceiling above.
It was similar to sunlight but subtly different—it was the light of the Sun God.
Even in its weakened state, the Sun God still maintained the light that protected the sanctuary.
Thanks to divine blessing, grass and trees had grown so vibrantly it was hard to believe we were underground.
It stood in stark contrast to the temple garden above, which had been abandoned due to poverty.
“Does this place stay like this without any maintenance?”
“Yes. It’s because this is where the hand of the god touches most directly.”
Thank goodness. Unlike the ruined garden above, this place is eternal.
If such a beautiful place had also been ruined by poverty, it would’ve been heartbreaking.
I’ll definitely earn money and restore that ruined garden too.
“But where exactly is the sacred relic of light? Since this is managed by the High Priest, I barely know anything about it…”
Seth looked embarrassed as he spoke.
I patted his shoulder, telling him it was fine.
Alright, get to work, AI System. Show me where the sacred relic of light is.
【The AI System is scanning for the ‘Sacred Relic of Light’ at the user’s request.】
Soon, a map of the sanctuary appeared before my eyes. I slowly moved, following the red dots marked on it.
Normally, sacred items imbued with the Sun God’s power are kept where light reaches.
But the map led me further and further into the shadows where not a single ray of light touched.
Eventually, we reached a corner choked with trees where no divine light illuminated the underground space.
In that gloomy spot—unsuitable to be called a sanctuary—a jewel-covered box sat alone.
“The god says this is the sacred relic of light.”
“As expected of you, Saintess.”
That innocent admiration for such a blatant lie made me feel slightly guilty…
I cleared my throat and opened the box.
Inside, laid neatly on a silk cloth, was a golden necklace adorned with a brilliant red gem.
It looked like it belonged to the Empress of an empire—dazzling enough to entrance anyone—but…
It feels really out of place to call this a sacred relic. Far from feeling holy, its excessive extravagance makes it feel downright ominous.
I already knew from the original novel, but seeing it in person made me feel even more repulsed.
“This… is the sacred relic of light…?”
Seth also seemed to feel the unease and responded with visible discomfort.
“How should I put it, it feels more like…”
“...a sacred relic of darkness, right?”
He trailed off, so I finished the sentence for him.
His startled reaction made me laugh.
“Isn’t it strange? It’s so fancy and beautiful, yet it feels dark and dreary.”
“Saintess…”
“Is it really right to give something this unsettling to Duke Sheary?”
Seth didn’t answer. But I didn’t need his response anyway.
【Activating skill: ‘Physical Enhancement’.】
Crack!
With divine power filling both hands, I completely crushed the necklace I was holding.
I’ve wanted to smash it since I first saw it. That felt so satisfying.
“Sa-Saintess! Why did you destroy the sacred relic…?!”
Seth’s face went pale at my sudden action.
I clearly explained my reason.
“This isn’t a sacred relic imbued with the Sun God’s power.”
“……What?”
“As a Saintess, I can feel it. The vile energy overflowing from this necklace.”
When I opened my hand, the shattered pieces dropped to the floor with a soft thud, thunk.
The “Sacred Relic of Light,” a major item in the novel Holy Idella.
This item, wrongly believed to be the only cure for Ruthe Sheary’s illness, was not a true sacred relic of the Sun God.
Rather, it was a core of evil that absolutely had to be destroyed.
【The ‘Sacred Relic of Light’ has been destroyed by the divine power of the ‘Sun that Crawled Back from Death’.】
I looked down at the fragments of the necklace on the floor instead of the system message.
Far from curing Ruthe Sheary, this thing was actually the main cause of his worsening condition.
At first, it would significantly ease the pain, which kept Ruthe from realizing the truth and made him carry it like a sacred treasure.
But the sinister energy within would gradually worsen the disease, eating away at him.
And once the relic’s power completely overtook him, he’d lose his freedom and become a puppet to the one who created it.
That was how Ruthe became a villain in the original novel.
The creator of the Sacred Relic of Light—he was the ancient enemy of the Sun God and the final boss the protagonists would eventually face.
“Vi… vile energy? But that relic was said to be made by a High Priest two generations ago…”
I revealed the truth to the shocked Seth.
“He was either a traitor—or perhaps never a real believer of the Sun God to begin with.”
Actually, both.
Though he was born with the Sun God’s divine power, he betrayed the god and began to worship its enemy.
In return for his worship, he was granted power—and with that power, he created the so-called “Sacred Relic of Light.”
Truly, nothing could be more blasphemous against the Sun God.
“How… how could such a betrayal happen…? And to place a relic made by another force in the sanctuary as if it were real…”
As the most faithful in the Grand Temple, Seth couldn’t fathom such a thing.
“If we had taken this to Duke Sheary without knowing the truth… who knows what would’ve happened. It’s all thanks to you, Saintess. We’re so fortunate that you checked it first.”
“But we can’t exactly tell the Duke everything. I already accepted his offering, after all.”
“Ah! Then what should we do?”
“He doesn’t know what the sacred relic looks like anyway. So there’s only one option.”
“What is it…?”
What else?
“We’ll switch it.”
I’ll give him a real one—a true relic filled with my blessing and the Sun God’s divine power!
One so full of ‘blessing’ that evil wouldn’t dare even approach it.