The Tempter

Although Mina's divine spell had failed to have its intended effect, the paladins locked in battle had no time to worry about such a small matter. Under Duncan's command, they had launched one coordinated attack after another against the Abomination. Even though its rotting, stinking legs possessed no life in the true sense, they could hardly keep their balance after enduring so many blows.

Mina froze for a moment and instinctively raised her hands, preparing to cast another divine spell. But just then, Li Lin placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't waste your divine power."

He spoke in a low voice.

"We still have a long way to go, and Miss Fina's aura won't last much longer. If you exhaust all your strength now, those terrible poisonous mists won't spare a single one of us when the aura fades."

Li Lin's voice sounded so pleasant now, and it carried tremendous persuasive power. Even his hand gave Mina a strong sense that she could rely on him. For one moment, she even wanted to give up everything and let that hand lead her into the arms of the man before her, leaving his broad chest to bear everything for her...

What am I thinking?

Startled, Mina hurried forward two steps, freeing herself from Li Lin's hand. She composed herself and gave him a cold nod.

"Thank you for your advice, Mr. Li Lin."

"You're welcome."

Li Lin smiled faintly and withdrew his hand.

"Besides, our paladins have nearly succeeded."

As if confirming Li Lin's words, the Abomination's furious, unwilling roar rang out alongside the thunderous crash of its body hitting the ground. Its legs could no longer hold out against the paladins' attacks, leaving its enormous body without the last of its support and sending it crashing to the ground. What followed was much simpler: they only had to cut off its head to silence the fearsome creature for good.

And that was exactly what the paladins did.

"We'd better leave here quickly."

Duncan returned to Li Lin's side, his armor still clean and neat, as if none of the Abomination's foul, rotting blood had touched it.

"Otherwise, sooner or later we'll attract even stronger monsters."

So the group had no choice but to gather their things quickly and continue onward. Fina had not left the carriage throughout the fight. Her sole task now was to maintain the aura and keep the terrible, evil poisonous gas at bay. Leaving aside the fact that Li Lin and Angela did not possess power like the paladins'-though they did not actually need it-even the holy power the paladins had obtained for themselves could not be used endlessly to drive away the gas.

This time, Li Lin fell behind. He followed the carriage at an unhurried pace, studying the map closely as he tried to recall what exactly could be found in this place.

The great library, the square, the archives, the summoning hall, the portal...

Li Lin carefully recalled each thing in the area, but could not think of anything the temple might need.

Ancient magic books? Leaving aside whether even a speck of ash remains of those books after a thousand years, what use would they be to the temple, even if the magic protecting them is still working? There isn't a single person there who can read the language of the Magic Empire. The summoning hall? Arcane Mages did deal with quite a few gods there, but if these people wanted to see a god, they could just pray and ask in their own temple. Why go so far when they have what they need close at hand?

Or perhaps...

Sensing an armored figure approaching, Li Lin stopped thinking and looked up at the young paladin before him.

"Hello, honorable knight."

Li Lin did not know his name, so that was all he could call him.

"Is something the matter?"

"What did you do just now?"

The young knight lowered his voice, but suspicion showed in his eyes.

"Just now?"

Li Lin frowned, seemingly unsure what the young knight meant.

"Do you mean..."

"I saw it."

The young knight stepped closer to him. Though he looked as if he were protecting the rear of the convoy from attack, Li Lin was clearly displeased.

"You put your hand on our sacred Divine Chosen! Who gave you the right to do something so blasphemous?!"

"Oh, that?"

Li Lin was slightly startled, but inwardly he was laughing. He had been worried about what the paladin had seen, but now it seemed he was only facing a young, hot-blooded paladin who admired and adored the Divine Chosen. He was also relieved: since the paladin dared speak to him this way, Duncan surely had not noticed anything wrong. Otherwise, he would never have questioned him so bluntly, like this fool.

With that thought, Li Lin made up his mind.

"So that's what you meant. If my behavior was improper, then I apologize."

He spoke softly, like a noble gentleman.

"I was only a little worried. It seems the way I expressed it wasn't very polite."

"...I'll be watching you!"

Faced with Li Lin's apology, the young knight seemed to have nothing to say. He stood there blankly for a moment, then muttered those words viciously before continuing forward and returning to his position. Li Lin looked around, making sure no one had noticed the exchange-especially Duncan, whose attention was entirely focused on the endless mist, watching for more enemies like the Abomination they had just encountered.

A fluctuation came from the banshee in the ring: greedy and hungry.

She had found the first target she liked, and was wagging her tail like a begging puppy as she waited for her master's gift.

"Don't worry."

Li Lin glanced again at the knight walking ahead of him.

"You'll get the food you want."

Their surroundings remained unchanged. If the differently shaped ruins appearing in the thick fog had not shown the group that they were indeed moving forward rather than walking in place, the paladins might already have collapsed from exhaustion. Even so, they could not keep going much longer. When Li Lin pointed out their current position on the map, showing that a third of the journey still lay ahead, even Duncan had to give up on pressing onward.

"We can only rest here today."

He made the announcement helplessly, though no one knew whether it was the afternoon or evening of the first day, or already dawn on the second. Even the paladins, who were known for their fine physical condition, were tired, showing just how far they had traveled.

The carriages stopped again, and the paladins built a fire. They did not need light in this place, but the flames could keep those loathsome undead creatures away. Mina took over control of the aura from Fina and continued to dispel the poisonous gas. Fina, naturally, could not keep going any longer. After hastily eating a few bites of dry rations, the little priestess lay down in the carriage and fell into a deep sleep.

She did not notice at all that Angela, who had been nestled in her arms the whole time, had opened her eyes and was secretly watching her. The evil red light in those eyes grew brighter and brighter.

Time slowly passed.

The young paladin watched the carriage beside him and took a cautious drink from his waterskin. The cool sensation drove away his chill. Duncan and the others were resting in another carriage, fast asleep. They needed to seize the time to recover their strength; otherwise, if they continued traveling like this, they might not have the strength to do anything even after reaching their destination.

Although the young paladin alone was unable to rest and even had to force himself to stay alert on patrol, he did not feel discouraged in the least. Once everyone set out again, he could stay in the carriage by himself and sleep comfortably. Perhaps the beautiful young priestess might even look after him... At the thought, the young paladin blushed. Though he had dedicated his life and youth to the God of Justice, that did not mean he could put aside his feelings of love. After all, he was still young.

Just as the paladin turned his gaze away from the endless fog and ruins, he suddenly saw the carriage door slowly open. Mina poked her head out, then slipped away without a sound. Her suspicious behavior startled the paladin, who had been about to greet her. Wasn't Miss Mina supposed to maintain the aura? How could she leave? And why would she leave at a time like this?

Anxiety quickly overwhelmed the young knight, and he hurried after her without another thought. In a dangerous place like this, a priestess might have good healing abilities, but she had no offensive power to speak of. Though he did not know what Miss Mina intended to do, the young paladin meant to bring her back at once to prevent anything from going wrong.

Mina did not go far. She paused in front of a ruin, then seemed to hear something and turned to walk around its side. A remaining broken wall hid her from view, and the young knight could see nothing. But faint voices came from there, so he grew more alert and quietly followed.

Soon, the young knight reached a spot not far from the voices and secretly peered around. What he saw left him astonished and unable to believe his eyes. The girl he held sacred and inviolable in his heart was speaking intimately with the man who called himself a scholar. Her face was flushed, full of happiness and joy, utterly unlike the coldness she usually showed. The discovery was a crushing blow to the paladin, but before he could react, what happened next astonished him even more.

That filthy man actually reached out and lustfully touched the young priestess's breasts. Not only did Mina not refuse, she giggled and pressed herself against him. Soft pants escaped her lips, and she seemed almost unable to wait for his hand to lustfully touch and violate her body. She even pulled open her priestess's robe herself, revealing the fair, delicate body beneath.

How could this be?!

The young knight was completely stunned. He had no idea what to say. How could that sacred, beautiful, dignified girl have become a wanton whore? And when had they developed this kind of relationship? What had that man done to Miss Mina?!

What happened next made it impossible for the paladin to endure any longer-Mina actually knelt before the man, preparing to service him!!

"Stop!!"

The paladin roared, drew his longsword, and leaped out of hiding.

"You evil soul, I command you to stop!!"

"Stop?"

Li Lin looked at the paladin in surprise, then gave a mocking smile.

"I haven't done anything. I don't think I'm the one who should stop."

As he spoke, he looked down, gazing meaningfully at Mina kneeling before him.

"Miss Mina, please have some dignity!!"

The paladin almost wanted to turn his head away from the filthy, obscene act, but he had to shout in grief and indignation, trying to bring the priestess to her senses.

"Dignity?"

Mina turned around and stood up. Her fair body was still faintly visible inside her priestess's robe, which had yet to be closed.

"Why should I have any dignity?"

"Your behavior is blasphemy against the gods!!"

The priestess he admired and loved had now become a completely wanton woman. She even ran her tongue over her lips and asked such a shameless question. Watching her, the paladin felt as though his heart would break.

"You're a priestess who serves the God of Justice. You shouldn't do this!!"

"But now, I only want to be Master's slave..."

An alluring flush appeared on the beautiful priestess's face. She knelt again, facing away from Li Lin like a dog.

"Master, please enter my body and give me pleasure again. And you, young knight... I understand how you feel. I won't refuse you. Come... I'll show you what true pleasure is."

"Th-this..."

The young knight had almost fallen into the depths of despair. He had never imagined Mina would become such a woman!

"I-I can't do that..."

"Why not, my child..."

Mina stood up and slowly approached the knight. For an instant, her face became cold and holy again, but paired with her alluring, half-naked pose and the wanton words she had just spoken, it was even more enticing.

"The God of Justice chose me precisely so that I could serve and reward children like you, who have dedicated yourselves to him..."

As she spoke, Mina stretched out her arms and wrapped them around the knight.

"Come, take me. Do what you want to do, and what you should do."

She whispered, paying no heed to the sorrow on the knight's face, and kissed him on the lips.

"Clink."

The longsword slipped from the paladin's hand. His eyes widened in an instant, filled with despair, unwillingness, and pain.

Then the paladin's body collapsed to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut.

There was no one before him but Li Lin. The indecent priestess from moments ago seemed never to have appeared.

"Love is the best illusion."

Li Lin smiled faintly at the banshee in his hand, satisfied after devouring the despairing soul. Then he turned and vanished into the thin mist.