"..."
Kurose Akira found himself admiring Lucia as she put on the thin, gold-rimmed glasses. They added a unique charm to her already icy presence, lending her a scholarly elegance that subtly softened her frostbound aura. Yet with the glasses on, the white veil seemed strangely unnecessary—so much so that a dangerous impulse stirred within him, urging him to lift it away…
Cough.Better restrain myself…
"There are indeed a few things I don't quite understand," Kurose Akira said honestly. "There are several obscure terms here that I don't recognize at all."
Although the written language of the magic continent was automatically translated for players, some characters carried meanings that even translation systems couldn't fully convey. Those symbols were presented in their rawest, most original form.
For Kurose Akira, all of this was completely unfamiliar. There was no way he could intuitively grasp words he'd never encountered before.
"That's because some of those symbols require reference to the annotations of the Holy Scripture to be understood," Lucia explained softly, adjusting her gold-rimmed glasses with a gentle push. "For priests and nuns who have studied the scriptures thoroughly, those annotations are second nature. But for you, it truly will take some time to learn."
"So… do I need to read the entire Bible?"Kurose Akira asked curiously.
"That won't be necessary."
Lucia gently shook her head, then extended her slender fingers and lightly touched his forehead.
In the next instant, particles of golden light gathered at her fingertips and slowly flowed into Kurose Akira's consciousness.
"?"
A flash of surprise crossed his face. He clearly hadn't expected Lucia to do this—she was directly imprinting memories into his mind.
This was different from the way Idis had poured Abyssal power straight into his body and soul. What Lucia was transferring was purely memory. No tentacle-monster transformation involved.
"All done,"Lucia said softly as she withdrew her fingers. A complete stream of knowledge flowed gently into Kurose Akira's mind like a quiet current.
"..."
For a brief moment, his thoughts felt hazy. But he quickly recovered. When he looked back at the words in the holy text, they no longer felt foreign. Instead, it was as if they were bound to him by some unseen connection.
"That's… really incredible magic,"Kurose Akira murmured.
Those strange characters now felt as natural and familiar as his mother tongue.
"To increase one's strength, it's not enough to merely learn magic," Lucia continued. "You must also gain mastery over the elements—and cultivate faith in the God of Light."
As her words fell, golden light shimmered in her palm. A bottle of radiant golden liquid appeared before Kurose Akira.
"What's this?"He stared at the golden vial in her hand. The brilliant holy glow seemed to contain boundless mystery, sending a tremor through his heart.
"Is that… a Holy Light Elixir?"Ivsha had been closely following the exchange. The moment she saw the golden vial, shock flashed across her face.
"Not bad, little nun—you're quite knowledgeable,"Lucia glanced at Ivsha indifferently, then produced another identical vial and handed it to her. "This one's yours."
"I get one too? Thank you~!"Ivsha accepted it excitedly. She clearly hadn't expected Lucia to bring her share as well, and the surprise left her visibly delighted.
Kurose Akira glanced at the Holy Light Elixir in his hand. A string of vague information surfaced in his vision.
[Holy Light Elixir (?): Drink it to receive the baptism of Light.]
"Is this… really that rare?"He asked Ivsha.
"Mhm!"Ivsha nodded vigorously, smiling. "I heard about it from Sister Kelli. Holy Light Elixirs are exclusive sacred medicines of the Church of Light. Only a small number of believers ever get the chance to use one—sometimes not even purple-robed priests can obtain a bottle. And they're absolutely forbidden from leaving the Sun Theocracy. Exporting them violates church law!"
"So valuable…?"Kurose Akira stared at the elixir in his hand, astonished. He couldn't help but wonder how such a precious item was even mass-produced.
"Kurose Akira~ I also heard there are even rarer sacred elixirs!" Ivsha added eagerly. "But only Saintesses are qualified to use those!"
"Oh~?"
A powerful sense of anticipation rose within Kurose Akira. His curiosity—and desire—were immediately piqued at the thought of elixirs reserved solely for Saintesses.
Just then, he opened the Holy Light Elixir, preparing to drink it.
"Wait! Kurose Akira!"Ivsha hurriedly stopped him.
"What is it?"He looked at her, puzzled.
"The Holy Light Elixir isn't meant to be drunk," Ivsha explained. "It's supposed to be poured into bathwater to cleanse the body. Of course, some people do drink it directly—but with our physical constitution, we probably wouldn't be able to withstand the power inside. That said… the effect seems to be the same either way."
"I see…"Kurose Akira frowned slightly. He'd almost followed the system prompt and downed it.
Even if it was technically drinkable, his body might not survive the experience.
After opening the vial, a refreshing fragrance filled the air—one he couldn't quite describe. It wasn't floral or herbal, but something entirely unfamiliar, yet deeply soothing.
"You should begin the Holy Light baptism now," Lucia suggested calmly. "There is a certain level of risk involved. I'll stay here to ensure your safety."
"Now? That works."Kurose Akira nodded. Lucia might not have time later in the evening—now was indeed the best option.
"Remember," Lucia reminded him, "you must not carry anything on your body during the baptism."
"…"
Kurose Akira frowned slightly.
That meant… stripping naked in front of Lucia?
"Kurose Akira~ let's hurry~ I can't wait to bathe in the holy elixir~"Ivsha clung to his arm, her pale lavender eyes brimming with anticipation.
"Alright. I'll go buy two bathtubs."Kurose Akira immediately prepared to purchase the bathing containers.
"Wouldn't a… double one be better?"Ivsha suggested softly, her brows knitting slightly.
"?"
"Just use a double tub,"Lucia said coolly. "Ivsha can help you share some of the elixir's burden."
Kurose Akira fell silent for a moment, then nodded."…Alright."
If Lucia herself recommended it, there was no reason to refuse.
He quickly purchased a double bathtub—but soon ran into another problem. The guild's bathroom space was too small to accommodate it.
Since the guild area was already fully occupied, Kurose Akira decided to expand the guild's base.
He spent fifty silver coins to add two more bedrooms and two additional empty rooms.
One of those rooms he planned to convert into a bathroom. While browsing the renovation options, one choice immediately caught his attention—
A hot spring.
For just twenty silver coins, the bathroom could be upgraded into a constant-temperature, self-renewing hot spring. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough time today. He'd consider it after the baptism.
Soon, following Lucia's instructions, Kurose Akira filled the tub with hot water and poured both Holy Light Elixirs into it.
The moment the elixirs touched the water, golden mist surged upward, releasing a rich, intoxicating fragrance.
"Take off your clothes and get in,"Lucia said softly from the side.
The instant her words fell, Ivsha's nun outfit scattered like falling petals. She stepped lightly into the tub.
As her body touched the bathwater, her skin flushed crimson almost immediately.
"Ah~"
A soft moan escaped her lips. Even for Ivsha, the potency of the Holy Light Elixir carried a trace of pain.
"Kurose Akira, come in~ It feels really good!"She beckoned him eagerly.
"Don't try to trick me…"Kurose Akira frowned. He wasn't about to be fooled by a cunning succubus.
Still, for the sake of the elixir's power, he stripped off his clothes and stepped into the bath.
The fleeting glimpse of his bare form caught Lucia's eye. She glanced at him briefly, a subtle gleam flickering in her gaze—as if some quiet thought had just begun to stir deep within her mind.
"Hah—"
The moment his body submerged, an intense electric sensation surged through every cell.
Then came searing pain, forcing him to grit his teeth.
"Gah—! It hurts!"
The pain from the Holy Light Elixir was overwhelming, his entire body trembling uncontrollably.
"Hold him!"Lucia's voice rang out—clear, calm, decisive.
"Mm."Ivsha moved instantly, wrapping her arms tightly around Kurose Akira.
In that moment, her succubus traits fully manifested. Her mischievous heart-tipped tail curled lightly around his wrist as their bare skin pressed firmly together.
"…It really does feel better?"Kurose Akira was genuinely surprised. Ivsha's embrace actually eased the pain—reducing it by at least sixty percent.
"Close your eyes. Don't speak. Feel the power of the elixir,"Lucia instructed.
He followed her words, slowly closing his eyes.
As his consciousness drifted, he felt himself pulled into a mysterious space.
Golden clouds stretched endlessly around him, seemingly formed from pure light-element particles, glowing softly. In the distance, a golden sun hovered only a few kilometers away, radiating warmth and brilliance.
"Where… is this?"
Kurose Akira looked around in confusion. Was this an illusion created by the elixir?
Just then, he noticed something flying toward him from the golden sun.
A group of figures?
The sunlight was too dazzling to see clearly—but he could vaguely make out several pairs of wings behind them…
"Wake up!"
A sharp command rang in his ears.
The voice was like clear spring water striking stone—crisp, powerful, shattering the silence.
He opened his eyes to see Lucia's icy face right before him. Her golden-red eyes stared at him unblinkingly, cold intent shimmering within them.
Only Kurose Akira had been awakened.
Ivsha was still holding him tightly, immersed in absorbing the Holy Light Elixir.
"Just now… that was—"
His thoughts felt disordered, confusion lingering from the vision he'd seen.
At that moment, a snow-white jade foot gently lifted his chin.
Lucia's voice was cold as ice as she demanded—
"You. What did you see just now?"