"I had to listen to Cardinal Hildred or else I would have also ended up dead like all the others."
Priestess Helena said.
Listening to Priestess Helena, it was certain that she was just soone who got dragged into everything by circumstances. That is if she was telling the truth.
One could even sympathize with Priestess Helena as her situation was really not good. A girl who didn't know anything got dragged into one of the biggest conspiracies and she tried to stay alive by just listening to Cardinal Hildred.
Even so, Zero didn't have ti to feel pity for her. She was one of the unfortunate and she was one the luckiest as she had at least managed to stay alive. Rather than pitying soone, Zero had to concentrate on the new information that he obtained.
He didn't think that Cardinal Hildred was in cahoots with the Devils for so long. If so, the information that the Devils got from her wouldn't be small.
Cardinal Hildred was fairly in a high position and had access to much sensitive information. If so, it was certain that Devils had access to those information.
Moreover, according to Priestess Helena, it also seed that the reason behind many of the high-ranking people from the Church disappearing was all her responsibility.
( Anyway, The Lord should be a scheming person. )
He had soone spy on The Church and even have her kill Saintess. Even so, he never showed himself. Moreover, from the fact that such a Devil was not ntioned in the novel, Zero was sure that he was soone who would just stay back and have others do his job.
He was very cautious despite being very strong. A coward one might say or you could call him smart.
Anyway, such people were difficult to deal with. They would never show themselves until the end.
[ "Luminescent Aurorisea" ]
Just when he was in deep thought, Saintess Alia began healing his body.
"Saintess Alia!"
He was startled by her.
"Stay still. I will heal you."
Alia said.
"I am okay. You should heal other people first."
Zero said. While his body was not in great condition, he could manage it.
"I have healed most of the priests. They will help others. Now just stay still and let do my job."
Alia insisted, her voice trembling with emotion as she reached out to touch Zero's wounds. Alia considers this wound to be all her fault.
Zero could only give up and let Saintess heal him. He looked around to see that many people had regained their consciousness and even started helping others.
Zero sat there and started to recover with the help of Saintess Alia's healing skills. His pain was gradually decreasing.
"Zero, thank you! Thank you!"
Alia said, her voice filled with overwhelming gratitude and relief.
Tears stread down her face as she thought about the danger Zero had to face, and how he had risked everything to keep them safe.
Alia reached out and took Zero's hand, holding it tightly as she looked into his eyes with deep gratitude.
"Thank you, Zero! You have given us all a second chance at life, and I will never forget the sacrifice you made for us," she said, her voice filled with sincerity and reverence.
Others might not know, but she knew the full truth about Zero's sacrifices. How much he had to suffer because of her. It was to the point that she knew that he could have been controlled by Cardinal Hildred.
Alia's gratitude and emotion made Zero feel uneasy, as he wasn't used to receiving such heartfelt thanks. He quickly tried to downplay his actions, not wanting to be in this situation any longer.
"It's fine, Saintess Alia," he said, trying to ease the tension. "As I said, I owe you one. Take it as paying you back for saving my life before."
He hoped that his words would be enough to shift the focus away from himself, but Alia wasn't about to let it go so easily. She looked at him with sincere appreciation, unwilling to let him off the hook so easily.
"Zero, what you did today was more than just paying back. You risked your life to save us all. You are a true hero," she said, her voice filled with conviction.
Zero felt a sense of embarrassnt wash over him as he heard her words. He didn't consider himself to be a hero.
( This title should be given to soone like Hiro! )
Zero thought. He didn't think of himself as a hero nor did he want to beco one. The title was reserved for soone like Hiro, who had a selfless spirit and a natural inclination to help others in need.
If it wasn't for his life being saved by Saintess Alia, Zero doubted whether he would have taken the risk to save her. Unlike Hiro, who would have gone to the aid of anyone in trouble without hesitation, Zero didn't have the sa innate heroism.
But he knew that Alia's words ca from the heart, and he couldn't help but feel sowhat happy to hear her say that.
As they sat in silence, Alia couldn't help but steal glances at Zero every so often. But every ti Zero caught her looking, she would quickly avert her gaze and pretend she hadn't been staring.
Zero couldn't help but feel confused by Saintess Alia's behavior. He even began to wonder if there was sothing on his face that was causing her to act so strangely.
Desperately, he reached up and wiped his hand across his face, hoping to remove whatever it was that was causing Alia to act so oddly. But to his disappointnt, he found nothing.
Zero couldn't understand Alia's behavior. He wondered if she was still worried about him or if there was sothing else on her mind.
( Maybe she is still in shock finding found out about Cardinal Hildred and others betraying the Church. )
Zero thought.
He thought that perhaps Alia was still processing the news and trying to co to terms with the fact that those she had trusted and looked up to had turned out to be traitors. It was understandable that she might be a bit distracted and distant as a result.
Zero decided to give her so space and not push the issue any further. He believed that she would beco normal after so ti.
But anyway, he didn't think assuming things were good and for clarification decided to ask her directly.
"Saintess Alia, is everything alright?" he asked, breaking the silence.
Alia looked up at him.
"Yes, everything is alright!"
Zero didn't believe that as she was obviously acting weird. But he didn't say anything as he thought that they were not close enough for her to share her problem with him.
Saintess Alia glanced at Zero again and couldn't contain herself any longer. She turned to Zero and asked, her voice fraught with emotion, "Zero, you said that Mia is just your teacher right?"
???
Zero was confused as to why she brought this up now.
Zero nodded. "Yes, she is just my teacher. Why do you ask?"
Alia hesitated for a mont before speaking. "It's just that... I thought maybe there was sothing more between you two. The way Mia cared for you seed more than what a teacher would for a student. I thought that maybe you two are dating or sothing."
Zero was startled by what Saintess Alia said. Then he quickly cald down and answered.
"No, there's nothing like that between us. Professor Mia is a very kind and caring teacher. She may an more to than just a teacher, but we are definitely not dating. How could soone like her ever be interested in soone like ?"
Zero's words were tinged with a mixture of sadness and self-deprecation, as he couldn't help but feel inferior when compared to the stunningly beautiful and accomplished Professor Mia.
He didn't think of himself as very ugly but he was talking about that when compared to the most beautiful won in the world. Despite having sowhat good looks, he totally looked like an NPC when placed near Professor Mia.
Alia nodded, seeming relieved. She even appeared a little happy.
"I see. I'm sorry for assuming things."
"It's alright," Zero said, smiling. He didn't think much about what she said and only thought that she was worried about Professor Mia just like when he first t her.
They fell into a comfortable silence, both lost in their own thoughts. Zero couldn't help but think about Professor Mia after Saintess Alia ntioned her. Last ti, he didn't have the opportunity to talk to her but maybe he thought that he should talk to her.
He got a headache thinking about the explanation that he might need to co up with after being gone for 2 years. anwhile, Alia seed lost in her own happy and excited thoughts, oblivious to the pain and turmoil that Zero was going through.
After a while, Alia stood up. "I should go check on the others. Thank you again for everything, Zero."
"Anyti," Zero said, nodding in acknowledgnt.
He just sat there and looked at the destruction that had been brought about by the conflict between Cardinal Hildred and him.
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