The next day, just after dawn, Ria smiled and nodded as she watched her younger brothers and sisters already hard at work training. Then she tidied the house and prepared to head out.
After preparing the day's food, Ria set off for Meli's Clinics, not wanting anything to happen if she arrived too late.
Meli opened the Clinics early that morning. Looking at the rising sun, she recalled the leering eyes and crude words of the thug who had come yesterday. Her mood grew heavy, her slender brows drawing together. When she saw the townspeople already waiting outside, she sighed, rubbed between her brows, and put on her usual gentle smile. "Sorry for the wait, everyone. Come inside so I can see you! It's still a little chilly this morning. Don't catch a cold!"
The townspeople greeted Meli and filed into the Clinics. Having calmed herself, she gently took each patient's pulse, occasionally reminding them of things they needed to watch out for. Once she got busy, she lost track of time.
The midday sun brought a little warmth.
A burst of hurried footsteps sounded outside the Clinics.
"Hahaha! Meli, I've come to see you again!"
The smile vanished from Meli's face, and a stir ran through the crowd.
Several burly men shoved their way through the patients. Scarface, the man leading them, laughed brazenly.
"Hahaha! Meli, look what I've brought you!"
Two men came forward carrying a white wedding dress.
"Let's have our wedding today! From now on, your Clinics will be under my protection!" Wearing a lecherous grin, Scarface reached for Meli's hand.
"Leave, Scarface! I won't marry you!" Meli quickly dodged him and stared at him coldly. "You filthy bitch! Do you think your Chunin father is still around? Let me tell you, you're marrying me whether you like it or not!" Ignoring her fierce struggles, Scarface seized her hand and tried to pull her into his arms.
"Let Miss Meli go!" a boy shouted, unable to contain himself. An elderly man beside him held tightly to his hand, stopping him from rushing forward.
Scarface shot the boy a vicious look. "You little brat want to ruin my fun too?"
"Sir, please! The boy doesn't know any better. Don't hold it against him!" The old man hurriedly pulled the boy behind him, casting an apologetic glance at Meli.
Meli looked around in despair. Everyone her gaze fell upon lowered their head in shame, too guilty to meet her eyes.
Scarface turned back, lifted Meli's chin, and squeezed her mouth. "Hahaha! See? These are the worms you're always so kind to, always saving! Now not a single one dares stand up for you!" His arrogant words left the crowd furious, but none dared speak. Against ordinary thugs, they would have dared help this kind young woman. Against a ninja, they were powerless.
"Let her go!" A cool voice rang out. Scarface narrowed his eyes and looked viciously toward its source. "Oh... where did this little worm crawl out from?" he jeered, shoving aside the still-struggling Meli.
"Ah!" Meli cried out and collapsed onto the floor. Scarface swiftly drew a kunai from his ninja pouch and spun it casually. "You really think I won't kill anyone?" With a quick turn, he hurled it hard at Ria, his eyes filled with cruelty and excitement.
Ria watched the kunai hurtle toward her, standing motionless in the doorway as though frozen in fear. "Run! Don't worry about me!" Meli shouted anxiously toward the entrance. Before she could say more, two snow-white fingers emerged from the loose feathered robe. With a soft sound, the speeding kunai was caught firmly between those faintly glowing fingers. Everyone around them stared in astonishment.
Scarface's gaze sharpened, and he abandoned his contempt. "Didn't expect a little worm to have some skill. How about this, then?" He swiftly drew more kunai. Whoosh... whoosh, whoosh! Seven or eight blades flew toward Ria from different directions.
"Is that all you've got?" Ria asked in an icy voice. "Don't get cocky, worm!" Scarface's strained voice rose. "Holy Light Shield!" Clang, clang... Scarface watched a halo of light surround Ria like an eggshell. His face darkened. "You're a ninja too!"
"Hah. Don't lump me in with killing tools like ninjas!" Ria said scornfully. "Damn brat! You think a little strength means you can look down on your betters? Water Shield! Water Dragon Technique!" Scarface rapidly formed several hand seals. A water dragon raised its head and soared toward the roof before roaring down at Ria. "Sword of Light! Cross Light Slash!" A cross-shaped wave of light slashed toward the plunging dragon's head. Water splashed everywhere as the dragon was quartered, collapsing into shapeless water. The people around them fled outside.
What a troublesome brat! Scarface thought, curling his lip as he surveyed the Clinics' hall, now empty except for the three of them.
"Hah. This boring game ends here! Go repent for your sins in hell!" A dazzling light flashed. Scarface instinctively shut his eyes, his heart jolting as he realized he had been careless. He was about to defend himself when a piercing pain struck. Thud!
"You thought you were strong, but before someone stronger, you're nothing more than a worm yourself!" Ria leaned close to Scarface's ear and murmured.
"You think... you've won? The captain will avenge me! That woman will always... always be just a plaything. It's me now, but later it'll be the captain. Ha... hahaha!" Scarface spoke in broken gasps, glaring savagely at Ria, who had never once revealed her face.
"You talk too much. One day, I'll make vermin like you disappear, one by one! The holy light will illuminate everything. This woman is under my protection—Artoria's protection! It doesn't matter who comes!" Ria shoved him hard and smoothly withdrew her Lightsaber. Scarface clutched his chest and fell backward, his eyes full of bitter resentment.
Meli sat trembling on the floor. The few minutes that had just passed felt like a century to her.
Watching the mysterious figure in the gray feathered robe search Scarface's body and pull out a stack of banknotes, Meli had a sudden thought. Gathering her courage, she asked shakily, "M-my lord, are you short of money?"
Ria stared blankly at the banknotes, a large portion of them stained red with blood, agonizing over whether they were still usable. Never stab the chest again! Twenty thousand ryo in banknotes! She was even tempted to use Greater Resurrection on Scarface and cut him somewhere else. Why was there so much blood?
"M-my lord!" Seeing that the mysterious figure had not responded, Meli raised her voice and called again. Ria finally snapped out of her tangled thoughts and looked at Meli, still sitting on the floor. She had been so busy worrying about whether the money was usable that she had neglected this gentle, kind woman! Ria hurriedly turned toward her and asked guiltily, "Are you all right? Are you hurt?"
The unexpected concern eased Meli's nerves a little. At least this seemed to be a decent person! "I'm fine. Do you need money, my lord? I still have some savings at home. I'd be willing to give them to you as thanks!"
Hearing this, Ria hurriedly shook her head. "I can't take your money!" Meli's brow creased slightly. If it wasn't money, did this person want her body instead? Could a beautiful woman in this world never escape the fate of being an ornament? Her heart ached, and she found herself missing her father, who had spent his days on missions, rarely paying much attention to her, until one day he never returned. She could only blame her own lack of talent as a ninja.
Seeing Meli's expression grow increasingly gloomy, Ria pulled back the hood concealing her face. "Meli, what's wrong?" she asked, puzzled by her unhappiness.
Meli reluctantly raised her head, then froze. "R-Ria? How could it be you?" she stammered. She still remembered a group of young street children bringing a little girl to her Clinics for treatment more than ten days earlier. The girl leading them had looked just like this! Though her face was a little fuller now, that girl had left a particularly deep impression on her.
"It's me, Meli!" Ria said with a smile, reaching out to help her up.
"Ria, you actually became a ninja? That's incredible!" Since this was someone she knew, Meli finally relaxed. "Haha! I'm not a ninja, Meli! I'm an archbishop of the holy light!"
"What's an archbishop?" Meli asked in confusion.
"You could say I put my faith in a deity, and that deity granted me the power to protect everything!" Seeing Ria's reverent expression, Meli felt envious. With a hint of apprehension, she asked, "Ria, can I put my faith in the holy light too?" She clenched her fists. She wanted the power to protect herself as well.
"Of course!" Ria answered firmly, without hesitation. "The holy light is merciful. You're so kind, Meli. I'm sure the holy light will bless you!"
"Then what do I need to do?" Meli looked at Ria eagerly. "Close your eyes, Meli!" Without thinking further, Meli gently closed them. Light flashed, and when she awoke from the long darkness, she felt as though a great deal of time had passed. Feeling the changes the Holy Light Seed had brought her, she finally understood what the holy light was. Was that enormous ball of light the holy light? It really was just as Ria had said—so merciful and gentle!
Watching Meli complete the holy light's trial and become a priest, Ria smiled softly. She had another companion now!
"By the way, Ria, I saw you taking Scarface's banknotes earlier. Do you really need money?"
At the reminder, Ria's spirits immediately sank again. "Yes, Meli. I need to build a church for the holy light in the center of town, but I'm still short a lot of money!" Seeing Ria's dejected expression, Meli's eyes shifted as an idea suddenly came to her. "Ria, why don't we turn my Clinics into a church? It's right in the center of town!"
"Would that really be all right?" Ria asked hesitantly.
"Why wouldn't it? You know I'm a believer in the holy light now too. Surely it's only right for me to do my part for its great cause!" Meli looked firmly at the still-hesitant Ria. In truth, she had wanted to take the children in from the beginning, but Scarface had kept harassing her then. Afraid of putting them in danger, she had reluctantly abandoned the idea. Though she had given them some food and money for medicine, she had not dared get too involved, fearing Scarface would find out and use the children to threaten her.
Ria hesitated for a long time. Then Meli mentioned that she already had her first priest skill, Healing Technique. Ria was astonished, and in the end, unable to sway this stubborn woman, she could only agree.
After all, gaining a skill as soon as her Holy Light Seed awakened showed how deeply Meli believed in the holy light!
The two cleaned up the blood and traces of the fight in the Clinics, and by the time they finished, it was nearly evening. Ria prepared to fetch her younger brothers and sisters. From now on, this would be the starting point from which they spread the holy light. As for Scarface's corpse, Ria had already burned it to nothing with a single Holy Light Judgment, leaving not even a scrap behind!
Before you continue