Thiendavis – For The Perfect Salvation

Chapter 7. The Most Prominent Saintess Candidate

The sanctuary, which had been filled with laughter and warmth, turned silent with the appearance of Evie Ariate.

The six existing purifiers looked somewhat awkwardly at the newly arrived purifier.

Though it was an overt act of exclusion, Evie didn’t mind and stepped into the sanctuary.

At that moment, a purifier with lustrous brown hair, named Rio Tuha, broke the silence and approached Evie.

“It’s late, Miss Ariate. You didn’t intentionally plan to arrive so close to the time, did you?”

Rio asked in an overbearing voice.

Evie responded only with a troubled smile instead of an answer.

Frustrated by Evie’s lukewarm reaction, Rio insisted further.

“Don’t you think you should explain yourself? Do you have any idea how much your actions have diminished the tower’s prestige?”

“…I’m sorry for being late, Miss Tuha. We can discuss this further later, as we are out of time now.”

Evie replied with a poised smile, despite Rio’s sharp questioning.

Still, Evie left these words behind and hurried to her spot, and Rio, having no choice, returned to her place.

However, unable to shake off her irritation, Rio continued to glare at Evie’s back for quite some time.

During this time, Evie Ariate, the unfortunate girl cursed to answer all truthfully, secretly smiled to herself.

The truth was, Evie barely understood what Rio had just said.

It was because soundproof earplugs fit snugly in her ears.

Yesterday, when Diez inquired about her plans for the purification ceremony, Evie confidently assured him not to worry.

She then showcased something she had painstakingly carved for days to the curious butler.

― What is this?

― It’s made of cork, and they’re earplugs.

― Hey, this use of innovation…?

Though his comments were laced with subtle mockery, Evie basked in Diez’ surprise.

In the few days that Diez had been away, Evie had pondered hard, looking for a way to survive the treacherous landscape of Thienda with her curse.

The curse placed on Evie manifested through questions, so if she wasn’t asked anything, there would be no problem.

However, her meeting with Zion Laurel had confirmed that predicting and countering all the questions of another was near impossible.

Thus, Evie devised a simpler strategy.

To not listen to her opponent’s words at all, instead trying to decipher their meaning through facial expressions or lip movements.

If known, this could be derided as a shallow trick, but Evie cared little.

After all, she didn’t deny that her quick wit always saved her in moments of crisis.

‘Just finish the purification ceremony quickly and run away.’

Evie resolved.

As if in response to her resolution, the sound of bells marking noon echoed.

At that sound, the purifiers lined up.

At the forefront stood Evie.

Though she felt the piercing gazes of her peers, Evie welcomed them joyfully.

The scrutiny and jealousy were proof that Evie Ariate remained the strongest candidate for becoming the saintess.

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Thienda has the nickname ‘The God’s Vessel’.

The enormous lake occupied most of Thienda’s area, making it look like a water bowl from a high vantage point.

Moreover, this lake was the only water source for Thiendavis.

Thus, all life in Thiendavis depended on it, and the nickname contained reverence and gratitude.

“It seems like it’s about to begin. I’m looking forward to it again today.”

said a man clad in lavish attire from the terrace of Manyanya Tower, which overlooked the lake.

His name was Cassel Montera, the master of the Marquis House of Montera, a grand noble family.

Sitting beside him, the old woman in uniform, Duchess Bayen, nodded arrogantly.

“Recent purification ceremonies have become quite the spectacle compared to those of the past. Ah, it must be the Count’s first time watching this.”

Said the Duchess, looking at the blonde youth sitting next to her.

He was Zion Laurel, participating in the purification ceremony alongside his brother, the Grand Duke Laurel.

The Duchess had amiably struck up a conversation, yet Zion Laurel acted as though he hadn’t heard her words.

His dismissive demeanor furrowed the Duchess’s brow.

At seventy this year, the Duchess was herself a grand noble and had commanded tens of thousands as a general before retirement.

And here was this blonde Laurel, acting like a monarch, disregarding her presence entirely.

Furious at this disrespect, Duchess Bayen lamented with a contorted face.

“Evie Ariate wasn’t entirely wrong!”

Yet Zion still didn’t deign to glance at her.

Instead, the young Grand Duke Laurel sharply intervened.

“What do you mean by that?”

At the grand duke’s grave expression, the old duchess replied sarcastically.

“I heard by chance. During the last banquet, Evie Ariate lectured the Count, didn’t she?”

“Who dares to lecture a Laurel?”

The Grand Duke Laurel rebuked the duchess in a stern voice, causing her to clench her jaw.

At her blatant displeasure, as the grand duke opened his mouth again, the smiling Marquis of Montera interjected to mediate.

“Come on now, settle down. There are many eyes watching.”

Marquis Montera gestured towards other terraces installed along the tower’s exterior.

They were also filled with Thienda’s nobility, among whom some sneaked glances toward the special seats where the grand nobles sat.

Reluctantly, Grand Duke Laurel and Duchess Bayen turned away, due to Marquis Montera’s intervention.

Yet Zion was swallowing his disdain, ignoring everything around him.

Laurel, Bayen, Montera.

All called noble grand houses, but their demeanor was akin to the rabble at a cheap tavern.

Zion’s insides churned simply from sharing the same space with them.

Despite this, Zion had one reason to be glued to this suffocating seat.

Evie Ariate was his long-standing debt.

“Ah, it seems to be beginning,”

At that moment, the sleek Marquis Montera, pointing towards the lake, eased the atmosphere.

As asserted, the purifiers appeared on a stage a level below the terrace.

The purification ceremony stage extended directly over the lake, causing the splashing waves to wash over it, thus all the purifiers stood barefoot.

“There she is, our Evie.”

Marquis Montera said, spotting Evie among the purifiers with a grin.

He then familiarly addressed Zion.

“You can only witness the true worth of Evie Ariate during a purification ceremony. You might find your ill spirits lifted.”

It was obvious he was being purposefully vague to garner interest.

However, Zion did not fall for it and remained silent.

As the purifiers took their positions, boys holding cups appeared around them.

They scooped up lake water with their cups, then placed them into baskets attached to ropes hanging from each terrace.

The baskets, akin to a pulley system, hoisted the lake-water-filled cups up to the nobles seated in the terraces.

Cups also rose to where the grand nobles sat.

Marquis Montera retrieved one and handed it to Grand Duke Laurel.

Still slightly annoyed, the duke reluctantly dipped a finger into the murky water and licked it.

Duchess Bayen and Marquis Montera followed suit.

“It’s salty.”

“Hmm.”

After tasting the lake water, the Duchess and Marquis slightly grimaced.

As Marquis Montera pointed out, the water was salty and bitter since it was seawater.

“If this water were released straightaway into Vis, it would cause chaos.”

“Quite a number of people and animals would perish.”

“Such incidents used to occur. Failing to properly purify the salty water before led to the fields of Vis entirely drying up.”

Marquis Montera laughed lightly and leaned on the railing as he whispered conspiratorially, glancing toward Evie.

“In comparison, things are much smoother these days, thanks to dear Evie.”

While the Marquis’s frivolity narrowed Zion’s brow, something akin to a gentle breeze of a song reached from below.

It was the purifiers opening their mouths to sing to Manyanya.

As the purification ceremony commenced, the chatter among the nobles ceased, and they began to listen to the girls’ voices.

However, the song didn’t have lyrics.

It was imitative of the cries of Manyanya.

Manyanya was the name of the dragon resting at the lake’s bottom.

Rain rarely fell on the lofty heights of Thiendavis.

Additionally, because it was suspended in mid-air, the water would evaporate rapidly, leaving the land parched in less than half a year.

Thiendavis bore the burden of imperfection for deviating from the laws of nature.

For this flawed world, God created Manyanya to be reminiscent of Clear Morning.

Manyanya, ruling the morning, a dragon of purification washing away all impurities.

This beautiful dragon used its God-given ability to transform murky seawater into clear fresh water, then sent it across the land to quench its thirst.

Though benevolent Manyanya governed Thiendavis, like other dragon blessings, its purification was severed 300 years prior.

Having exhausted all its power in the war against the rebel dragon Noche, Manyanya fell into a deep slumber.

Fortunately, before falling asleep, Manyanya promised to lend its power to the forlorn humans.

There was only one condition.

To sing in the same voice and resonate with the deeply slumbering Manyanya.

Thus, through song, those borrowing the boon of purification were the purifiers of Manyanya Tower.

The clear voices of the purifiers echoed over the still lake.

And Zion found the song rather monotonous.

‘Is that all there is?’

They had promised to witness Evie Ariate’s true worth, yet the scene before Zion barely differed from the purification ceremonies he’d seen in his youth.

Daughters elegantly adorned, singing, though mediocre, wasn’t an entirely unpleasant spectacle.

Hence, with a dubious mind, Zion looked toward Evie and noticed an unexpected sight.

Standing towards the lake, Evie still had her lips closed.

Unlike the other purifiers who had already begun to sing, Evie neither sang nor merely gazed at the lake.

As if seeking or longing for something.

For quite a while, as the singing purifiers paused to catch their breaths, Evie Ariate finally opened her mouth.

Simultaneously, an incredibly clear voice permeated the other purifiers’ songs.

At that moment, Zion instinctively held his breath.

A deep and pure timbre, difficult to believe as a human’s voice, overpowered Zion.

And Zion wasn’t the only one captivated by that voice.

Even the other nobles, who had witnessed Evie’s purification several times, were utterly entranced.

Even Grand Duke Laurel, who disliked Evie, was clutching the armrest of his chair, suppressing a shiver.

Captivating the nobles with a single note, Evie spread her song across the serene and murky lake.

As Evie sang, other purifiers added their tones to hers.

However, Evie’s voice did not get buried and instead grew more prominent.

The purifiers sang in support of Evie, while she gathered those sounds and fashioned them into her song.

Mimicking the sorrowful cries of Manyanya, the lake’s surface began to ripple.

Sensing the movement, Evie raised her voice.

As her melody cut through the air, the lake surged with large waves.

And with it, Evie Ariate’s dark hair transformed into a mesmerizing shade of water.

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