So.

Kissing feels that good.

I feel like a teenager who can't get my head out of the gutter. My nape feels a bit feverish when I recall what happened just now. I think I've seen a few people on the streets looking at me strangely, and not to my ears but to my... face?

Geh.

What kind of face did I make? Not good, not good. I rub my cheeks and jaw and make sure they're plain again before shaking my head off from distraction. A cool sensation touches the skin of my face, and I take a look at the spatial ring. The emerald green color sparkles under the sunlight. It's pretty, but it's not just pretty, it's useful too. I can put whatever I want into the space inside the gem, as long as it's not full capacity.

Right now, it's still empty, though. I don't know how I can summon my dagger in times of emergency if it's inside, so I left it out. That's about the only thing I'm bringing with me right now. All of my money are gone to buy this thing and the master didn't give back the money pouch either.

In any case, my feet bring me to the direction of the Temple of Saints. It's great, being in Rozenier's capital city. Everything is here. I'm pretty sure if I can recall the other capture targets, they're all already here too.

That...

...is actually scary on its own. If all the main actors are gathered, that means the game plot is running its course. That means I don't have much time left.

I severely hope that I won't meet those other capture targets in the near future. Right now, I don't have enough information to make the moves and stops them from meeting the Saintess, let alone hindering their moves on her.

The crown prince, at least, is highly involved in the endgame. I don't know how influential the other capture targets are, but in the end of the crown prince's route, they were all there, gathered in front of the dimension gate.

Only, not to open the gate.

As soon as the fact that the Saintess was in an adult relationship with one of them, it was clear that she could no longer become the perfect vessel for the archmage's power. So they chose another option, which was to address the direct cause of the world end cataclysm itself.

The dragon.

•°•°•°•°•

It took me about half an hour to reach the Temple of Saints, and I'm not even sweating. I think I'm fully recovered now.

The Temple of Saints reminds me of Greek parthenon in its scale, but instead of pillars from white stone, all of them are made from an ancient tree trunks. Hugeass tree trunks. Even the one that hit me in the middle of the river was a young'un compared to these monstrosities.

In the middle of the hall, there is a living tree, tied with white seal with huge bells, each of them larger than an adult man.

It makes me feel small and solemn. My elven heritage feels completely at ease here.

And it seems that it's not just me. Many people are encircling the tree, walking in clockwise circular motion. I watch for a while and notice that it's like a spiral. You go in, gradually approach the tree in the middle until you can touch it, and then gradually make your way out. All done in slow motion.

The hall isn't packed, but I can't make my way to the center without bumping with someone else in every three steps.

"Hm..."

It's difficult. What I need to find out is how to meet with the Saintess. The otome game setting wasn't isekai; no one was transmigrating or transported into the fantasy world, so the heroine has to be a resident of this world in the first place.

As far as I know about the Saintess, her existence is well kept. Except for the yearly tradition of Seed-Sowing Festival, she never shows her face in public.

"Lost child, how may us help you?"

A calm and serene voice comes from behind me. I jolt, but turning around slowly.

There's someone under a semi-transparent black veil with an intricate white diadem of pearls and white... magic cores.

I'm sure those are magic cores of lower ranks, as they're not too dense. However, in her hand, there's a large scepter from wood, adorned with the largest, most dense magic beast core that I have ever seen. It's also white. How can something be as thick as cream and as translucent as crystal is a mystery to me, but that's how the core looks to me.

"Benevolent teacher, I'm here to seek a way to meet the Saintess," I reply honestly.

"What will you do, once you have met her?"

The calm in her voice doesn't make me feel pushed. On the contrary, I feel like being so much at peace that I can tell her anything. "Talk... I suppose. About things that will happen in the near future."

She pauses. "...Follow me," she says, and I obey.

Am I going to meet the Saintess? This easily?