Chapter 78

‘I heard that Saint Veronica, like Gabriel, was later revealed to have divine power.’

But now, it hasn’t manifested. Rather, it was from killing and stealing.

At first, the ‘maybe?’ conspiracy theory was gradually being constructed closer to the truth. Circumstances and evidence were gathering one by one.

‘Nonsense. I can not believe it.’

Aria was in shock.

‘But the situation fits it well this far?’

Veronica was actually a murderer. She wasn’t a saint, contrary to what Veronica was actually known for. She had been blinded by power enough to kill people, taking away their divine power and making it appear as her own, earning the respect and praise of the people.

If this premise was true.

‘What about the rest?’

She somehow felt nervous and restless. Aria suddenly stood up from her seat. Then, she followed his curious gaze.

‘This is not the time.’

She quickly tried to get out of the room but paused and glanced back at Gabriel for a moment.

She had something to ask.

[What do you think about killing innocent people?]

“I guess it’s because I asked for the jewel. I’ll fully reflect on it.”

No, she was not being sarcastic. Aria shook her head and told him more clearly.

[I just wanted to ask your beliefs.]

“You’re asking the obvious. There’s no reason an innocent person should die.”

Gabriel answered straight away. It didn’t sound like a lie.

Above all, Aria had already met Gabriel once in the lowest place. He jumped in to save her from peril, even when he was so weak that he couldn’t even beat the vagrants.

‘He is an undeniable good man.’

He had an upright personality that was closer to a paladin than anyone else. Gabriel was like a straight river. A river that rushes towards the sea.

She thought that if she had met him without knowing his future, they might have been good friends.

‘I can’t believe he’ll change like that in the future.’

If the reason for such a change was to make the saint’s wish come true. Aria had something she wanted to say in advance.

[Even if the saint wants it?]

“…please don’t insult the saint. There is no way she would want an innocent death.”

Gabriel said with a hard expression on his face as if he had been insulted.

[I’m asking if you’re going to follow the saint even if it goes against your beliefs.]

“As a test of my faith?”

[No, to ask what is the path for the saint.]

Will he follow her will or lead her on the right path?

‘You in your previous life chose the former.’

Aria hoped that in this life it would be different. Because she liked Gabriel before he fell for Veronica’s beliefs.

[Gabriel, I told you not to doubt the path you walk.]

She wrote with all her heart. Not by the title of angel, but with his real name. She hoped this young man would make the right choice in the future. Taking the path he had dreamed of.

Then, reading the card, Gabriel’s eyes widened.

He didn’t know what unpleasant things happened to the saint, but it was as if he had forgotten his essence for a while because of it.

“Ah…….”

[I will keep this necklace a secret. It has no effect when I’m wearing it. Not even the angel should tell this to anyone.]

“……I understand.”

Gabriel paused for a moment, then nodded slowly.

[Don’t even tell the saint.]

“I’m not going to say anything. But… I hope you don’t speak of the saint like a bad person.”

Gabriel nodded in displeasure.

Looking at that situation, it seems that he already believed in Veronica as if he had faith in her, so Aria became infinitely anxious.

[People will do anything if they can get what they desperately want.]

“What do you mean by that?”

[It means that even the saint is a human being.]

Just like him who kicked his beliefs and became Veronica’s dog, killing innocent people.

Aria did not write down her following thoughts. Instead, she wrote something else.

[I want to tell you that your saint is not a god but a human being.]

And shrugged her shoulders.

“…..I didn’t know you’d say that.”

It was an insult to the gentle and almost divine character of the saint.

‘The Grand Princess must be saying that because she doesn’t know her very well.’

On the one hand, Gabriel was a little disappointed in her, though just a little bit, for judging someone she didn’t even know.

But Aria knew.

‘It must be the first time someone had said this to him.’

Gabriel could not even imagine doubting Veronica.

Aria planted in him the buds of doubts.

‘Go and ask secretly.’

Even if he wants to confirm that this was never going to happen, he will definitely think about Veronica.

Aria was sure.

‘And I hope the results don’t go the way I expected.’

Aria wished so.

***

Aria was dreaming.

The reason she was convinced it was a dream was because she was breathing underwater. Had it been real, she would have drowned as she had never learned to swim.

‘Wow…….’

The muffled sound of being submerged in water. Bubbles that rise with every breath. Wherever Aria’s eyes could reach, there was only pure blue water.

She waved her hand. A blue wave rippled between her fingers and moved forward in front of her. Like swimming.

‘Is this a place called the sea?’

She was seeing in her dreams a sea she has never seen before. It was a wonderful experience.

‘So pretty.’

Although it was in a dream, she didn’t feel it.

Aria patted the fish passing by her.

Then she felt the touch of a fish that had swam leisurely in the sea until then, and ran away when they felt her touch.

‘Hmm? I can touch it.’

This is the first time she had ever had such a vivid dream.

Aria went a little deeper. She of course thought there would be something like seaweed or deep-sea fish down there.

‘A city?’

To her surprise, she saw a building that had been eroded over time.

A submerged coastal city.

‘Atlantis?’

Siren’s hometown.

A legendary city that was said to have sunk and disappeared 1500 years ago was unfolding before her eyes.

‘A very strange dream.’

As soon as she got used to the sea, she swam more proficiently than the first time and headed for the largest building.

As she entered the glassless window sill, she saw a chandelier that had nothing but the frame left.

‘It is…… silver.’

If this was Atlantis, this building must have been the lord’s castle.

‘It has been preserved almost as is.’

Aria thought so, and she looked around the inside of the castle. Fortunately, the building was submerged in the sea and nothing collapsed, so it was easy to see.

Then something shiny caught her eye.

It was when she was looking around at what was supposed to be the study.

‘This…….’

It was a small storage box in a cylindrical shape.

It has a structure that opens when she turns the dial to set the password.

‘It seems to have been enchanted by preservation magic.’

Does it contain any important documents? Aria picked up the box without any doubt.

But at that moment, the sound of cracks in the building was heard.

Boomboomboom-

‘What…….’

Aria hurriedly turned her head and looked around.

There were cracks in the pillars that seemed to support the center of the building. In real time.

‘No way.’

An ominous feeling ran through her head.

It’s just a dream anyway. Why was her survival instinct suddenly sounding the alarm? She felt an eerie glint across her spine.

‘Run, run away.’

Aria quickly tried to get out of the window. At that moment, there was a sound of something breaking. She was very nervous and looked up.

A huge building rubble was about to fall towards her head.

‘Aack!’

She barely escaped. The wreckage brushed against her shoulder. She thought it was just a dream, but she was struck with a distinct pain she hadn’t thought of.

‘Isn’t, isn’t this a dream?’

She didn’t even have time to think deeply.

In the midst of the pain, she had to stay as far away as possible from the collapsing building. Aria grabbed her arm, where something was obviously wrong, and she swam desperately.

And at that moment,

‘Gasp!’

She woke up from her dream.

“…!”

Aria bit her lips tightly.

A terrible pain rose through her left arm. It was the first time since her return that she has felt pain to this extent. She felt like screams would come out if she let her guard down.

She bit her lip until blood oozed out, examining her immobile arm.

‘Why?’

The wounds in her dreams were carried over into reality.

‘Then this is not a dream.’

But Aria obviously got up from the bed. Like waking up from a dream.

She had never experienced or heard of such a case in her life.

‘Furthermore…….’

She brought this too.

Aria looked down at the cylindrical box in her right hand, making her even more confused.

‘Ah.’

Aria realized it later.

She put her hand in her arms and stuttered. And pulled out what was caught on her fingertips.

‘Conch Pearl.’

It was the map to Atlantis.