AOSBM 15

When Litia turned around, Seri held out what looked like a letter sent from the temple. As Litia opened it to check the contents, Seri continued speaking.

“I’ve been told that the other candidate young ladies have already chosen their Temes to accompany them on the journey. In your case, Miss, His Grace was concerned and only had a pool of candidates prepared separately. The pilgrimage will begin in half a month, so it would be best for you to choose soon.”

“Ah, right.”

She had completely forgotten in all the chaos.

The existence of Temes.

They were just as important as the Saintess candidates themselves. Especially for a Tenia candidate, they were indispensable.

Temes were holy knights. More precisely, they were an elite group of holy knights formed to protect the prospective Tenias.

“So everyone else has already chosen?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Usually, Temes consisted of about three to five members, and once chosen, those members would continue to serve even after their master officially became a Tenia.

Young ladies who were not chosen by the Tenia oracle would have their Temes withdrawn and return to their original lives.

The other four young ladies had already been assigned their Temes, and only Litia—who had caused issues—had none assigned yet.

Fortunately, Duke Mont had only delayed the assignment. He could not interfere with the holy knights provided by the temple. In other words, he could not control them as he pleased.

The power of the temple—namely the High Priest and the Tenia—was said to rival even the imperial authority of Atheon.

If the pilgrimage was to begin in half a month, it would last anywhere from one month to over three months. It was the period where Tenia candidates could be the most active.

Unlike the others, who had prepared at their leisure, Litia was already months behind, making her schedule extremely tight.

‘They said there was screaming, fainting, and complete chaos.’

Most Tenia candidates came from high-ranking noble families. Many had never left their family estates, let alone slept in tents outdoors. Some gave up in less than a week.

On top of that, all kinds of schemes were common—for example, sending candidates to especially underdeveloped regions or areas where monsters appeared daily. Childish, yet dangerous tricks.

‘That’s the part about Roa that worries me a little. Though even if she tries to bully me again, I won’t just sit still.’

Usually, instead of giving up, some candidates would push all the work onto their assigned holy knights and then take the credit themselves.

The temple preached that all of this was service as seeds of the god, and that the god would lovingly observe every act and grant the oracle accordingly. But to Litia, it felt like the influence of the High Priest and the current Tenias was far stronger.

In reality, she knew many candidates wore down the temple’s threshold, visiting endlessly—not for service or donations, but to curry favor with the High Priest and the current Tenias.

‘It’s all pointless anyway.’

Even if there were Tenia candidates, once Kamiya appeared, they would have to hand over the position without complaint.

Litia herself was growing curious. With the original story already twisted, how would Kamiya appear this time?

At first, she had wondered what would happen to her, but upon thinking it over, Kamiya had no risk of disappearing like Litia did. She would surely appear, just as in the original story.

“So, His Grace said that if you’re not feeling unwell, it might be better to first receive your Temes assignment and then proceed with donation activities.”

“…You’re right. I can’t delay any longer. I should go today.”

“Yes. I’ll prepare right away.”

There was just one problem.

It was said that the more actively one participated in donation activities before being assigned Temes, the more capable holy knights one would receive. Litia had neither chosen Temes nor done much activity beyond giving blessings at the temple. Any outstanding holy knights were likely already assigned to other candidates.

Donation activities could involve monster appearances or unexpected incidents due to crowds, so the ability of the Temes was important. Still, since they were chosen from among holy knights, there shouldn’t be serious issues.

‘Then I’ll just make the best use of whatever cards I’m dealt.’

After thinking for a moment, Litia lifted her head.

“Could you hurry the preparations a bit?”

“Pardon? Yes! Understood, Miss. We’re almost done!”

Was she really about to face everyone properly now?

With half fear and half anticipation, Litia absentmindedly touched the letter from the temple once more.

As soon as she finished preparing to go out, Litia headed to the temple.

Even on the way, she repeatedly checked her condition, worried her power might suddenly block again. Just as Caliph had said, she could feel her holy power circulating smoothly.

Was it cruel, or just mischievous?

“I suppose I should be relieved…”

“Yes, Miss?”

“Huh? Oh, nothing. I was just saying the weather is nice.”

Soon, the carriage reached the temple gates.

As she stepped down and was about to enter the temple, she encountered an unwelcome visitor.

“Oh my, Lady Mont. It’s been so long. Have you come to the temple?”

Roa stood in front of Litia with a bright smile.

She stepped close, as if trying to press her down.

Behind her stood five Temes, fully assembled. As if she had already received the oracle, Roa wore a pure white dress adorned with gold accessories.

“Yes. We meet here.”

“I heard you weren’t well. How did you manage to come all the way here…?”

Litia faced her without hesitation.

This was the first time Roa and Litia had met since Litia entered this body. Their last meeting had been before Litia fell into the lake.

Roa was someone who rarely missed banquets, yet by chance, they hadn’t crossed paths until now.

Still, according to the original story, Roa was sensitive to rumors. She must have already known that Litia had been attending banquets diligently, yet she wore an expression as if she knew nothing.

“I’ve been better for quite a while.”

“Really? That’s a relief. I was very worried.”

Roa’s gaze lingered over Litia, scanning her without pause.

Litia smiled softly.

“Was it really concern?”

“…What?”

Roa blinked, her eyelashes trembling.

“What did you just say?”

She asked again.

“If you didn’t hear it, never mind. I’m truly fine now.”

“Ahem, really? Are you sure? Shouldn’t you rest a bit more?”

Roa smiled behind her fan, showing no trace of guilt. Even as she smiled gently, her eyes continued to examine Litia.

Normally, Litia would have already been frightened and watching Roa’s mood carefully.

She had wondered just how terrifying Roa was—but seeing her now, aside from being dressed extravagantly, she didn’t seem like someone to fear.

“Of course. Why? Were you secretly hoping I wouldn’t recover, Lady Cavendish?”

Roa’s eyes widened. She doubted her own ears. She stared at Litia as if wondering what she had eaten wrong—someone who should have been trembling before her.

“No…? Of course not. I was just worried.”

“I see. Thank you. But I’m also a Tenia candidate, so I need to start moving diligently now. Don’t you agree? Everyone has such high expectations.”

The shock on Roa’s face quickly disappeared. In its place surfaced faint hostility.

“Well… yes, I suppose. But it looks like you still don’t have Temes.”

As Roa answered stiffly, the corners of her lips lifted again. She fluttered her fan as if showing off her Temes.

When the holy knights’ eyes met Litia’s, they bowed briefly. Litia returned the greeting with a slight nod.

“Yes. That’s why I came today—to meet my Temes.”

Holy knights could be nobles or commoners; as long as they believed in the god, they could enter through proper examinations. Those with stronger holy power usually held higher ranks, but above all, swordsmanship was essential.

Depending on skill and experience, the insignia on their shoulders differed. All of Roa’s knights bore the highest rank—a sharp diamond-shaped five-star insignia.

‘So far, things are proceeding just like before.’

Though she had only read descriptions, Litia could guess who the knights were: one with wavy blond bobbed hair, and another with short dark green hair.

The remaining three were likely also the same members Roa had chosen in the original story.

The two Litia remembered clearly were Aro and Colos.

After becoming holy knights, or when assigned as Temes, they were also called Aro Temes and Pecolos Temes.

They were considered the greatest among holy knights, exceptional in both swordsmanship and holy power.

Litia remembered reading that Roa Cavendish had secured them first, earning the envy of the other candidates. But there was one problem Roa didn’t yet know.

Though things seemed smooth now, those two knights were also famous for their pride. At first they worked well together, but later they clashed constantly, eventually causing issues such as desertion.

‘Especially the blond one. Aro.’

What was worse was that the blond knight would later publicly ask another candidate to take him in, humiliating Roa beyond repair. The reason was simple—Roa Cavendish’s holy power was abysmally weak.

Unlike ordinary holy knights, Temes relied not only on their own strength and holy power, but also on the holy power of the Tenia they served.

The more holy power a Tenia candidate could wield, the more effectively the holy knights could act and protect them. It was considered the most important factor.

Later, Kamiya—who awakened her holy power late—would become active, draw all attention to herself, and rise as the female lead… but that was still far away.

Unaware of any of this, Roa’s face was filled with happiness, accomplishment, and superiority.

Which meant that even if Litia lived, if things continued this way, she would eventually witness that scene herself.

Litia held back her words and simply replied with a gentle smile.

“The pilgrimage starts in half a month. Will you be alright? Even the Mont family can’t make His Grace omnipotent, it seems.”

At Roa’s words, Litia stopped her train of thought.

“Since I’m late, I’ll just have to work harder. And my father isn’t the Tenia candidate.”

“Why not just give up? You’ve accomplished nothing. Do you really think you can meet expectations? That’s greed.”

“Give up? No. I plan to do my best. I realized I’d been living too cautiously for no reason. From now on, I’ll try everything without worrying so much. Thanks to you, Lady Cavendish.”

“Th-thanks to me?”

Roa frowned, but Litia nodded innocently.

“Yes, thanks to you. That day you deliberately spilled wine on me. When I went home and thought about it, I wondered why I endured it. It was nothing.”

“Nothing…? Deliberately? That was clearly an accident—”

“An accident. Even though you came over and poured it on me. Either way, thank you. If it weren’t for you, I’d still be acting like a fool.”

Roa’s face twisted even further.