They trudged through the woods, the heat from the sun beating down on them. The sweat soaked into their clothes, making everything feel even more miserable. When Serafine glanced at herself, she realized she was still in her priestess outfit. A long, white robe with intricate golden designs. How was she supposed to survive in this outfit? She looked like a walking target!
"Honestly, how did you even carry me?"
"I didn't need to," Calix shrugged, looking like he was about to break into a nervous sweat. "They just dumped you outside on the cliff, trying to burn you. But as soon as they left, I instantly healed you."
"WAIT…" Her eyes widened in horror. "If I was being burned, that means…" Her mind started racing. "You saw me naked, didn't you?!"
Calix' face turned bright red. "I-I-I—"
"I'm going to murder you right here, right now..." Serafine growled, raising her fist.
"E-Eh?! Why?!" Calix sputtered, backing away in panic.
"You saw it, didn't you?!" she demanded, her eyes narrowing dangerously.
"Ah, don't worry, Lady Saintess! You're not even my type..."
A deep silence followed, with only the sound of the wind rustling through the trees.
"...You're not my type either, okay?!" Calix blurted out suddenly, his face beet-red. "I mean, to be honest, I don't even have a type, really! I just—"
Honestly, Serafine didn't know whether to feel relieved or hurt. She was the priestess, sure, but everyone just couldn't stop drooling over her mystical beauty. Her golden wavy hair, those enchanting dark purple eyes, and the way she carried herself with poise. It was like she was made for a painting, or a cult, or something... but then came Calix, with his odd blend of androgynous charm.
"I always knew you were gay..." She sighed to herself, turning away dramatically.
"E-Excuse me?! I'm not gay!"
She had to admit, he did have that feminine vibe. Sure, he had boyish hair, but the rest? That 5'6" height, those big, doe-like eyes, and the overall nervous energy? Totally giving off the "is this a girl or a boy?" vibe. It was honestly hard to tell if he was more likely to bake cookies or save a village from a fire.
As they continued to banter, a sudden rustle from the bushes startled them both.
"Wha?..." Serafine whipped around, her hand instinctively reaching for something she didn't have. "Who's there?!"
"U-uh... is it a monster?!" Calix's voice squeaked in panic, eyes wide as he fumbled to find his own courage.
They both stood frozen, staring at the source of the noise like it was a wild beast ready to pounce.
"...I bet it's a squirrel," Serafine said with a cocky grin, striding forward, "and if it is, I'm giving it a talking-to."
"Lady Saintess, I don't think squirrels normally rustle like that…"
Just as he said that, a small figure leapt out of the bushes. It wasn't a squirrel.
It was a tiny, confused rabbit with a leaf stuck to its ear.
"...Well, this is embarrassing." Serafine raised an eyebrow, turning back to Calix, who looked ready to faint.
"Y-you didn't even get scared?" Calix whispered in awe, still trying to compose himself.
"Of course not. I'm too fabulous to be afraid of rabbits."
"Who's there?!" A man shouted from behind.
Both of them turned around in perfect unison. And there, in front of them, stood a man pointing a crossbow straight at them. He had a long, unruly beard, a rather sizable stomach that made it look like he was smuggling a few extra meals under his shirt, and a double chin that wobbled when he looked at them. He looked absolutely furious, like they had just snatched the last piece of pie from his dinner table.
"Hold it right there! You stealin' my hunt?" The man growled, pointing the crossbow at the poor, confused rabbit.
As the man took a second look at them, his angry scowl melted away into a more confused expression. His eyes scanned them up and down like they were some rare species in the wild. Then, with a grunt, he shrugged and lowered the crossbow.
"Oh, it's just a bunch of women..." he muttered, his tone softening as he ogled them both, his gaze lingering just a bit too long.
Serafine straightened, eyes narrowing. "See? Even the man thinks you're a woman."
"L-Lady Saintess..." Calix whispered, looking at her with wide eyes, clearly torn between embarrassment and concern.
The man seemed to be practically drooling now, his face lighting up like he'd stumbled upon a treasure chest. It was like he'd never seen a woman before or like he had, but only in his most wild and inappropriate fantasies.
'At least I know my target now… Wait, no… There's no way I'm looking like that!'
"Who are those people, Petro?" Another voice piped up. It belonged to a leaner, teenage boy, who looked at Serafine and Calix and instantly found himself drooling. Classic.
"Calix?" Serafine turned to him with a raised brow.
"Understood," Calix replied, clearly unsure of what was about to happen.
Without hesitation, Serafine threw a rock at the group.
"What the hell?!" the fat man yelped, narrowly dodging the projectile.
"I thought you'd be smarter than this!"
"What? Rocks are totally underrated!" Serafine shot back, hands on her hips, totally unbothered.
The teenage boy, now feeling a bit angered, unsheathed a dagger and charged at them.
"Why are you not attacking?!" Serafine demanded, dodging another clumsy swing.
"I only know how to heal, Lady Saintess!" Calix cried, sweat dripping down his forehead as he blocked another wild attack with his wooden staff. It wasn't exactly the best weapon for a fight, but at least he was trying.
Serafine sighed dramatically, thinking to herself. What was her Soul Sigil again? She recalled it was some kind of enhancer for her Ethos. It wasn't a physical thing, but she remembered Soul Sigils worked like giving a swordsman a sword, enhancing the wielder's natural talents.
The fat man ran towards her from behind, his oily hands feeling disgusting against her skin. "Oh, you're not going anywhere, lady… You're gonna be my side dish..." He licked his lips, making Serafine want to barf.
Then, he stopped mid-sentence. His eyes widened as he finally took in her appearance. The blonde hair, purple eyes, the cloak and realized who she was.
"What the f—?!" he gasped. "The fake Saintess?! How are you alive?!"
Serafine didn't have time for his questions. As she struggled, something appeared before her—was that… a card? It was a casino card, with a laughing golden joker in the center.
[Your Soul Sigil Has Been Summoned]
[Description: To Trigger It, Press It Against Your Lips]
Without thinking twice, Serafine pressed the card to her lips. She immediately felt a surge of power, a golden tear appearing under her right eye. She didn't notice, too focused on the wild energy filling her.
"B-But how?!"
Before he could react, Serafine's eyes flashed a brilliant gold, and in an instant, a blinding light erupted from her. It burned everyone's eyes, weakening them. The fat man, clutching his face, lost his balance and stumbled backward, hitting his head against a rock with a sickening thud.
"Petro! Petro! Where are you?!" The boy screamed in panic.
Calix, looking surprisingly calm for once, didn't waste a second. He swiped the dagger from the boy's hand and drove it straight into his heart. The boy collapsed, lifeless, with a final, gurgled breath.