"Did it work?"

In the silence, a murmur rose from somewhere.

Those who still had the nerve to remain here stared blankly at the slender figure before the gate, nervously watching the countless motes of light around her slowly disperse.

It was like witnessing a miracle unfold.

As if after a long, long wait.

A long while.

At last the girl stepped back, her hands leaving the gate.

Countless filaments of mana sank back into her fingertips, and the holy radiance vanished completely.

Under the gaze of all, she first regarded the golden gate the way one admires a work of art of their own making, confirming that every potentially threatening element had been disarmed.

Then, as if with the last of her strength, she forced a nod.

"Mm, it worked."

Her voice echoed.

Everyone fell still again.

Then, cheers!

It actually... really worked!

That previously obscure saintess candidate had, with jaw-droppingly powerful means, truly turned the tide and pulled everything that should have collapsed outright back onto its proper track.

Hundreds of magical arrays were constructed in just a few minutes and, using them as a foundation, the progress of the other decryptors was re-linked, and the complex seals and mechanisms laid upon this gate were at last completely undone.

It was nothing short of a miracle.

Before this, almost no one held any expectations for her.

Whereas the one most people had always pinned their hopes on... nearly destroyed everything with his own hands.

Everything was thus so dramatic... and yet so inevitable.

"I..."

Narisji's face was ashen, his hands clenched, his nails digging deep into flesh... only to slacken in dejection.

He couldn't even utter something like "Maybe it was just luck" to save a little face, because having watched the scene up close, he understood deeply that this outcome plainly came from the girl's awe-inspiring depth of knowledge and the solid foundation forged by tireless days and nights of accumulation.

Everything came from the girl's effort.

Effort is irrefutable.

"Pretty impressive."

Anne folded her arms; though she still looked at people with that imperious sidelong gaze, there was clearly more gravity in her eyes, as if seeing for the first time the seemingly delicate girl before her.

Though after an inadvertent glance at the swell on the girl's chest—one she could never hope to match in her lifetime—her expression soured again.

"Admirable." Margarita's expression, rarely soft, relaxed as she smiled and nodded.

"Thank you."

Lea answered shyly; just as she was about to say more, her slender body suddenly swayed and she nearly fell.

The miracle just now had not been achieved lightly: the rapid construction of a great many magical arrays, combined with the intricate deciphering, had nearly drained all her mental strength.

Now even standing was difficult.

Fortunately, at that moment, a pair of familiar, warm hands, as expected, steadied her.

"Are you alright."

Moen's handsome features entered Lea's field of view, and the eyes that had dimmed from overtaxed mind instantly grew bright and lively again.

"I'm fine."

She shook her head lightly:

"Just a little spent, that's all."

"That's good."

Moen nonchalantly handed Lea a handkerchief,

"Wipe off the sweat."

"Mm."

Lea took the handkerchief; just as she was about to wipe her sweat, her small hand suddenly froze.

She lifted her head, those clear, beautiful eyes sweeping over Moen's calm face again and again.

"What is it?"

Moen felt a little self-conscious under her gaze.

But Lea merely pressed her lips into a smile, her eyes shining brighter.

He looked so calm and composed, as if he'd foreseen this outcome.

But in truth... he didn't even notice that his own handkerchief had been damped through with sweat.

Hmph.

...

...

"The gate proved harder to crack than I imagined."

Bryan walked back to Freya's side and respectfully returned to her a small black sphere:

"But fortunately, with that saintess candidate's help, there was no need to use this."

"You've worked hard, Bryan."

Freya took back the black sphere, set it in her palm, and examined it closely.

It was a construct like an eyeball, quite lively, emitting an uncanny, faint light.

Ancient Relics · the Eye of Omniscience.

However, it was a replica.

For the true Eye of Omniscience was at this moment in His Holiness the Pope's hands, used to monitor the dark god and the Abyss.

But even as a replica, this Eye of Omniscience was enough to see through the structure of that golden gate.

Granted, seeing the structure only nudged the success rate higher, but it was indeed the basis for the confidence with which she had dared pat her chest and guarantee things to Moen earlier.

But she hadn't expected...

"As expected of you, the teacher's most favored disciple."

Freya's gaze passed over the Eye of Omniscience, over the crowd that thronged around, and finally settled on that delicate girl.

Her eyes were complicated.

"Do you want me to find a chance to kill her?"

At that, a chill flashed across Bryan's face.

"Do you want me killed here as well?"

Freya shot Bryan a cold glance.

Bryan immediately lowered his head, his expression deferential: "I wouldn't dare."

"My Bryan, you're too hasty."

Freya reached out to caress Bryan's face, her expression returning to its usual sanctity and gentleness:

"It's not time yet, and there's no need to rush. Everything is still under control. All we need to do now is wait."

"Yes."

Bryan nuzzled Freya's palm like a kitten, flames of fanaticism in his eyes.

Freya smiled faintly and lifted her head again.

"Besides."

This time her gaze fell upon the golden gate.

The gentle curve of her lips now faintly carried some inexplicable, eerie undertone.

"Nothing is over yet. Everything... is only just beginning."

...

...

"Oh my, how long are you two going to keep canoodling here?"

Faye's voice suddenly interjected, making Lea, flustered with shyness, hastily pull away from that warmth like a startled fawn retreating into the depths of the forest.

Then she pretended to fix her hair as if nothing had happened, though her cheeks remained tinged with a heart-stirring blush.

Looks like she's recovering quickly.

Meeting a certain someone's nearly murderous glare, Faye didn't continue teasing the girl, but changed the subject:

"Aren't you going to open the door?"

Right, open the door!

Only then did everyone remember what mattered most at the moment; excitement turned into itchy eagerness, and the scene grew restless again.

Yet no one moved first, because by the pact just made, the decryptor held the right of first opening.

However, being the first to open it wasn't necessarily a lovely thing, for what lay beyond was still unknown.

"Who will do it?"

Anne let her gaze sweep around, found no one answering, thought for a moment, and fixed her eyes on a tall, thin figure:

"You go."

"Eh?"

Narisji stared, pointing at himself: "Me?"

"Who else if not you? You're also a decryptor—you have the right!"

"But I..."

Narisji had just begun to speak when Anne's icy look shut his mouth at once.

Redeem myself through merit...

Narisji shook his head in dismay and walked silently up to the gate.

Actually, it's fine. After all, everyone went to all this trouble just to open this door, didn't they?

Let me go first—maybe I can even gain a bit of a head start!

Comforting himself thus, Narisji gradually applied force with both hands and pushed open the golden gate.