Chapter 497

I momentarily lost myself as I looked at the Lady Virgin Saint’s graceful figure.

Human senses unexpectedly tire rather easily. No matter how much we try to deny it, there’s no way to stop ourselves from getting accustomed to recurring stimuli.

For instance, the sense of smell is quite representative.

Even the most pungent odor becomes hard to notice after a few minutes. Unless one intentionally focuses, you might not even realize the odor exists.

There are no exceptions for each sense. While the level of dullness varies, the sense of touch, too, responds less to repeated stimuli.

The sense of sight is no different.

The Lady Virgin Saint’s beauty was undoubtedly unmatched throughout the continent. It truly lived up to her nickname of “the maiden most beloved by Heavenly Deity,” proving more like a meticulously crafted ornament than the result of mere coincidence.

I had never once observed her without feeling a sense of admiration.

Even so, after seeing her beauty enough times, one inevitably adapts to it.

Today, I realized this inevitable truth.

As I stood before the Lady Virgin Saint dressed in unfamiliar attire.

Her clothing was more divine than ever before. Though it revealed more skin, making it hard to know where to look, the visual impact of her beauty was overwhelmingly powerful.

For a while, I stood speechless, staring at her.

The numerous compliments that arose in my mind remained unsaid—no words could fully convey my emotions at the moment.

And so, the one who felt uneasy was the Lady Virgin Saint.

Her light pink eyes glanced over her own body. She cautiously asked me with a slightly blushed face.

“…What do you think?”

“She’s beautiful.”

It was a reflexive answer.

Anyone, given the situation, would have said the same thing. Here was a woman of incomparable beauty, nervously seeking approval.

Thanks to that, I was able to speak my most primal and pure thoughts. Before she could reply, I hastily added a few more words.

“Too beautiful… I couldn’t even form words for a moment.”

The Lady Virgin Saint didn’t respond right away.

She simply stared at me blankly for a moment, then shyly looked away. She straightened her shoulders as if it were the most natural thing.

The Lady Virgin Saint lightly scolded me as if it didn’t matter at all to her.

“You’ve gotten better at flattery recently, I-an.”

“It’s the truth.”

Though she tried to maintain her composure, she couldn’t hide her grin or the rising corners of her lips.

Just by watching her intentionally turn around to check her outfit, it was clear she was pleased by my compliments.

“These are the ritual garments prepared by the Holy Kingdom. If my previous priest’s robes were attire befitting a ‘Lady Virgin Saint,’ then this is the attire worn as a ‘Holy One.'”

“So from now on, should I refer to you as ‘Lady Luciana’?”

My lighthearted remark seemed to please her. She giggled in response.

“I like it. But, there’s an exception for you.”

While crossing the pond, the Lady Virgin Saint stepped right in front of me. Drops of water fell from her drenched clothes.

The fabric, already thin, clung even more tightly when wet. The curves of her sinful body were clearly outlined. It even seemed as though the inner layers were faintly visible.

Could the attire of a holy person really be this immodest?

Who knew? The Lady Virgin Saint enjoyed teasing me more than I expected.

Perhaps today she decided to give a special variation to the ceremonial robes.

At that moment, a soft warmth tickled my skin.

“You alone should call me ‘Lucia.’”

Before I knew it, her face was just inches from mine. Our breaths mingled, and her light pink irises reflected my face like a mirror.

Unintentionally, my gaze drifted toward her lips.

Should I just kiss her?

I barely managed to suppress my primal instinct as a male. I bit back a hollow laugh.

“…Am I not supposed to address you with honorifics anymore?”

“It’s only natural. Between us, right?”

Exactly what is “between us,” though?

Rumors of our romance had spread across the entire continent, and every day plays based on our supposedly romantic love story were performed.

It was vague. All this was merely the opinion of others, not ours.

I instinctively sensed that today might be the day to define the nature of our relationship.

“You’re quite busy now, so how did you come to the Academy…”

“Because I wanted to spend the Holy Night with you.”

Her honest truth was revealed without hiding.

The Lady Virgin Saint’s straightforwardness was overpowering. I momentarily lost my words, and she finally stepped back with a satisfied smile.

“Do I even need a reason to meet my man?”

With that, she turned around and splashed across the pond.

Between the curtains of moonlight, a goddess stood in the middle of the pond.

Facing me again, the Lady Virgin Saint extended her arms with a gentle smile.

“Come on in.”

What’s her intention here?

I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was at a crucial crossroads of decision-making. In the past, I would have immediately followed her invitation and waded into the pond, but something held me back today.

After hesitating for quite a while, a timid excuse slipped from my lips.

“My clothes might get wet…”

“Come on.”

Of course, my resistance was swiftly subdued by the Lady Virgin Saint’s firm voice.

With a sigh, I stepped into the pond. The season was now autumn after summer, and the cool night air matched the icy cold water.

It seemed that somewhere underground water was springing up.

The pond wasn’t large. I had only taken a few steps, but before I knew it, I was already right in front of the Lady Virgin Saint.

The Lady Virgin Saint was in the midst of prayer with her hands clasped.

After a while, she extended her hands, and I silently placed mine on top.

It was a night with an unusually bright moon.

“Lord, before You today, another pair of lovers seeks to make an unchanging vow of love…”

Her eyes closed, her voice resonated. “Since your eyes are so bright, and the tranquil surface of the water reflects our figures, we swear in this place that everyone present will answer truthfully and without deception.”

The Lady Virgin Saint’s appearance, eyes closed and voice raised, was unrealistically beautiful.

The vow continued like a song. Silver beams of light floated like mist, creating a sacred atmosphere.

For a brief moment, a glowing halo appeared above the Lady Virgin Saint’s head.

“Ian Fercurus, before the moon and water, I ask you this.”

I thought hazily, as if drunk.

I had heard these words somewhere before.

However, the Lady Virgin Saint didn’t give me time to think.

“Do you love me?”

Her tender, light pink irises were filled with my reflection.

The sight alone was enough to make my heart drop with a thud.

A startled reflexive answer escaped my lips.

“Yes, I love you.”

Then the Lady Virgin Saint softly smiled.

It was as if she had been waiting to hear those words.

The gentle, happy question continued.

“Can you love me forever?”

“Of course, yes.”

“Life is long, and human emotions are cowardly. At the sight of a burning heart, deceitful tongues often resort to falsehoods… Even so, can you make a vow?”

“I vow.”

My senses were almost gone.

Each time my answer came, the Lady Virgin Saint’s eyes deepened with affection. I felt that anything was fine as long as I could make the woman in front of me happy.

So I made another promise.

“I vow to love without wavering…”

At that, the Lady Virgin Saint sighed affectionately.

And for a while, she stood silently with her head bowed.

As if wanting to cherish the lingering aftertaste of my oath.

After a while, when she lifted her head, there was a faint tear in her gaze.

Not out of sadness.

“I, too, vow. Lucia will love Ian Fercurus forever…”

“Here, in this place, the eternal pledge of love is made. By the name of our Lord, the Heavenly Deity Arus, I proclaim the eternal union of the two.”

Right afterward.

As my hazy thoughts began to clear, I suddenly felt the awakening of consciousness.

I had heard this declaration somewhere before?

My suddenly awakened mind began to race. Before long, some common knowledge surfaced in my mind.

It was the sacrament of marriage.

One of the seven sacraments granted by the Heavenly Deity to the priests, it was an act of announcing the irreversible union of lovers before God. In simpler terms, it was akin to a religious marriage registration.

Just as I tried to protest after regaining my senses,

“Wait, a moment…!”

There came a soft touch.

Her lips.

Somehow, the Lady Virgin Saint’s hand was pulling my chin. There was barely enough time to blink an eye before our lips met.

Then, lips pressed against lips.

Soon, the soft flesh slipped into the gap between my lips. The moist and sensitive tongue touched my stiff tongue, and as I began to intertwine mine with hers, it melted and blended in a soft manner.

A thrilling and sweet sensation.

The tickling feeling around my waist, the sweet scent of the woman, and the clumsy yet affectionate gestures of her hands all fused into one message.

Finally, the saliva connected us with a silver thread, and the Lady Virgin Saint smiled dreamily.

“… Emmanuel.”

That was all.

On the night bathed in moonlight, golden beams of light danced like fireflies.

It symbolized the Heavenly Deity’s approval of this ceremony.

I was now married to the Lady Virgin Saint. Without official announcement, but before the scariest of witnesses.

If you could imagine the father-in-law being the Heavenly Deity.

Who would have ever thought of it?

The Lady Virgin Saint silently stared at me as if to offer a chance to undo the vow if I desired.

But I couldn’t bring myself to do so.

“… I must be cold.”

I gave a wry smile as I touched her shoulder.

As soon as my hand touched her, the Lady Virgin Saint shivered. It was already chilly after summer had passed, and her clothes were fully soaked, making it a natural concern.

“Let’s return and clean up. You’ve worked hard today… ”

“Then, would you come with me?”

At those words, my mouth went dry.

My bewildered gaze turned toward her. Lucy swallowed, but her face was set with determination.

“I want to be with you tonight.”

“Because it’s the Holy Night.”

No further reason was necessary.

Before I knew it, I had arrived at the Lady Virgin Saint’s palace.

My dormitory didn’t feel appropriate, and during the time she conducted her duties in the Holy Kingdom, only a minimal number of people stayed at the ‘Sunshine’ quarters.

That meant this was the perfect place for a tryst.

After washing my body first, I was standing stiff as a board, repeatedly taking deep breaths. Even someone as insensitive as me could no longer ignore what was about to happen next.

There was no misunderstanding this outcome.

As proof, not long after, the bathroom door opened cautiously, and my blushing bride stepped out in a modest fashion.

Her skin, cloaked in a pristine white towel, radiated with a soft sheen. The curves that couldn’t be hidden by the towel naturally stimulated a man’s hidden desires.

The Lady Virgin Saint forced a casual tone, saying,

“Didn’t I say? Later, when we’d be alone in a place where no one can disturb us… ”

Further excuses followed.

None of them registered with me. I was spellbound by the Lady Virgin Saint’s grace.

She’s too beautiful.

And this was also a perfect chance to correct her critical misunderstanding.

Without hesitation, I stood up and started walking. Seizing the moment of her confusion, I pushed her against the wall.

The Lady Virgin Saint’s voice instinctively rose, unprepared for this confrontation.

“What, what are you doing…!”

“Take it off.”

No further words were needed.

With wide eyes, the Lady Virgin Saint looked at me in astonishment and asked hesitantly.

“N, ne…?”

“Haa, haa.”

The excited woman’s breathing tickled my ear. Deep pink eyes full of anticipation gazed up at me.

That’s the right answer.

My attitude hardened with certainty.

“Take it off.”

There, that’s all.

In an unimaginably obedient manner, the Lady Virgin Saint responded with a sweet voice.

“Yes, yes…!”

“Swish,” the towel covering the woman’s body fell to the floor.

Thus began a sacred night.