Chapter 92 – Saintess Pilgrimage

Gain poked just his head through the door, checking everyone’s faces.

“Good. Everyone’s here?”

With those words, he stepped into the living room, his expression stiff.

“Actually, we’ve received a request for the Saintess Pilgrimage. Departure in five days.”

“Saintess Pilgrimage?”

I couldn’t help blurting it out. Come to think of it, I’d heard about that once before.

Gain looked my way and explained slowly, making it easy to understand.

“Yeah. Basically, it’s a journey to heal people who can’t afford recovery potions or have circumstances preventing them from drinking them. Even in the capital—a good while back now—the Saintess healed folks right before retiring.”

“Where is it?”

When Fernet asked, Gain’s face clouded slightly.

Master noticed and raised one eyebrow.

“We’ve stopped there before. The town beyond the mountains.”

Heart and Fernet’s faces tensed at that.

But that was their only reaction—no one said a word.

Is it that town we first visited after leaving the village? The one where they bought me winter clothes?

Gain ignored them and turned to me with a smile, continuing.

“People from nearby villages and towns will flock in, so expect some panic. This time, we’re bringing the Second Holy Knights for security. Arrangements are already made, so relax.”

Gain forced the corners of his mouth up into a reassuring smile.

But I knew that look. It was the face he made when something was wrong.

“Got it.”

He had to know I’d noticed something.

Still, if he wasn’t saying anything on purpose, I wouldn’t pry.

It must be something he wanted to keep under wraps for security reasons.

I didn’t know what it was, but this was Gain’s call.

“We’ll take the usual route by horse, so if nothing goes wrong, it’ll take a month to cross the mountains.”

“Eh? We can really cross that fast?”

Surprised, I glanced around, and everyone laughed and nodded.

“Don’t be silly. Just us? Two weeks.”

“Ehh… It took half a year before…”

Memories from back then threw off my sense of distance and time completely.

“We took our time deliberately then.”

Gain patted my drooping head and smiled very gently.

“Different route this time, plus pursuers, and Marie kept coming down with fevers.”

Fernet gazed at me nostalgically.

True, we’d stay about five days every time I got a fever. Bad weather held us up two weeks or more sometimes. They even scouted routes to avoid magical beasts.

“Gain.”

Sid led Gain outside.

Watching silently, Grandfather came over and gripped my hand firmly.

“It’s fine.”

Something really was off.

Early in the morning, Holy Knights and White Priests bustled about in the grand plaza before the church’s ornate main gate, preparing for the trip.

Apparently, we’d cross the mountains by horse, not carriage.

So I was riding with Heart.

“I should’ve trained in riding. I don’t want to be a burden.”

Once we were alone atop the horse, I vented to Heart.

Side-saddle in my saintess robes, it might be impossible anyway.

“It’s better this way, even for protection.”

“Still, I want to learn to ride on my own.”

Heart chuckled softly.

“Gotcha.”

No intention of teaching there.

“There you are, missy.”

Master walked over.

“Ah, Master. Come to see us off?”

“Yeah. But first—wind magic.”

“Wind magic?”

Master patted the horse’s neck gently and grinned with a nod.

I frowned at him suspiciously.

“Float a bit with wind magic so it doesn’t burden him.”

“F-float?”

I see. That’s why he had me practice at the cliff.

As expected of Master. Felt a bit tricked, but whatever.

I gradually wrapped wind magic around Heart and myself, bit by bit.

Master eyed the horse seriously, signaling me to steady, steady.

Slowly, over time, we bobbed softly up and down. Each time, hand signals to steady.

Finally, he stopped and signaled to hold a few millimeters afloat.

“Good. Can you maintain it?”

“Yes. Once I get the knack, it’s easy.”

I gave Master a thumbs-up, and he looked up at Heart with a triumphant grin.

“Told you.”

Heart gave a wry smile.

“I surrender.”

Preparations complete, we departed surrounded by Holy Knights.

Not too many companions—just twelve from the Second Holy Knights.

White Priests were already on-site, and a big group would slow the mountain crossing and add strain.

“Not uncomfortable?”

“Actually… more comfy than a carriage. I’m shocked.”

Heart laughed aloud.

“Marie, your instincts never cease to amaze.”

“Heh. Master’s prized pupil, after all.”

“Took me over half a year. Kept falling off at first.”

“Heart did?”

Master had way too much faith in me.

Or maybe because Heart was behind me.

“Yeah. Marie pulling it off on the fly? Impressive.”

“All thanks to Heart holding me steady till it stabilized.”

Being praised so openly by Heart made me uneasy.

I hastily shoved down the thought that sadistic Heart might be preferable.

Dangerous, dangerous. Awakening to something like that would be terrifying.

Please, stay the kind Heart you are.