The Saintess’s abrupt arrival caused the already delicate atmosphere to solidify instantly.
She seemed not to notice the sword-drawn tension within the shop.
Her gaze swept past everyone else and landed on Lin Gui once again.
She gently repeated her question, her tone mild yet possessing an undeniable, piercing weight.
“Excuse me, Holy Saint Lin Gui, are you here?”
Lin Gui’s mind raced as he spoke up first.
A somewhat exaggerated smile was plastered onto his face.
“Oh? Are you talking about that handsome-looking mage who specializes in delivering letters?”
The Saintess’s clear purple eyes watched him as she nodded.
Lin Gui immediately pointed out toward the shop door and began spinning a lie on the spot.
“Him? He went to the Royal Garden in the First Ring to feed the ravens! Why don’t you go look for him there?”
Standing behind the Saintess, Elvia heard this and felt her mouth twitch violently.
She couldn’t help but reach up to cover her face.
My god! She came looking for you by name—how could she not know what you look like?
This lie was just too poorly crafted!
A momentary look of daze appeared on the Saintess’s face as well.
A clear flash of astonishment crossed that exquisite face that usually wore an expression of sacred tranquility.
She seemed entirely unprepared for such an... off-the-wall answer.
Back when Elvia had been desperately signaling him with her eyes, Lin Gui had already made up his mind: he would adamantly deny being the Lin Gui she was looking for.
The Saintess suddenly showing up at his door meant she had undoubtedly seen his future through Prophecy.
Or rather, a fragment of his future.
Regardless of what she intended to do, Lin Gui did not want to take any risks.
The last time he had been involved with someone who could use Prophecy, he had nearly died in that revolution.
This time, no matter what, Lin Gui was going to stay as far away as possible from these riddle-speaking riddlers.
There were only a few days left before he would depart the Royal Capital; he did not want any complications.
He was just a messenger.
On the other hand, appearance could indeed anchor an identity.
However, he had a “theoretical basis” that could, to some extent, overturn that conclusion.
The Magic Exclusion Theory.
In the world of mages, there was almost no one who simultaneously mastered both light and darkness magic.
Except for an anomaly like him, who didn't rely on conventional meditation and instead depended entirely on skills bestowed by the system.
Right in front of the Saintess and the Disciplinary Knight, Lin Gui explained in a “sincere” tone.
“Miss Saintess, I think you might have the wrong person.”
“Though my name is also Lin Gui, I truly am not the Holy Saint you are seeking.”
“I cannot use Light Magic because I am a darkness mage.”
Before his voice had even faded, he rapidly chanted a short and obscure incantation.
In the next instant, several sharp spikes condensed purely from shadows manifested in thin air.
They swirled and darted around him, radiating a cold and sinister aura!
High Rank darkness magic—【Shadow Pierce】.
Disciplinary Knight Daniel’s brow twitched almost imperceptibly.
Darkness magic was diametrically opposed to Light Magic.
To the Holy Church of Light, it was a heretical and dangerous power to be guarded against.
After demonstrating the darkness magic, Lin Gui dispersed the 【Shadow Pierce】.
He threw up his hands and offered a helpless smile.
“So, Miss Saintess, you truly have found the wrong person.”
“As for that Lin Gui you mentioned, I know him too; he is the husband of Princess Elvia and a Holy Saint from the Central City-States.”
“He does look very much like me, but we simply cannot be the same person.”
“By all common logic, a person who knows Light Magic while also being proficient in darkness magic does not exist.”
“Is that so...?”
Saintess Eve let the end of her sentence trail off as a faint smile touched the corners of her lips.
Those purple eyes opened fully, as if capable of seeing through a person's heart to glimpse their future.
“Then... could I ask you to take me to find him?”
“Lord Saintess, I apologize, but I must leave the city shortly for a trip to Modo City; the transport team is already waiting for me.”
“Why don't you let Lin Gui's wife, Her Highness the Seventh Princess, take you? She must know very well where her beloved would be fooling around at this hour.”
Pointing at Elvia, Lin Gui offered his sincere suggestion.
Elvia’s mouth twitched slightly.
Lin Gui’s blunt refusal, showing no regard for status, made Daniel very dissatisfied.
He took a large stride forward, seemingly intending to use force.
Alarm bells rang in Lin Gui’s heart.
He backed away subtly toward the Legendary shopkeeper behind the counter.
He believed that this Legendary shopkeeper would definitely protect him.
Because he was the only one who knew the location where the Hero’s remains were kept.
Lin Gui decided that as soon as he escaped the Disciplinary Knight’s line of sight, he would immediately activate the 【Shroud of the Gloomy Night】 and slip away.
Then he would rush back to the post office, grab all the return letters that had been received, find Theia, and set off for Shield City immediately.
However, just as he was calculating his getaway plan, a system notification abruptly rang out in his mind.
【Host, be reminded: the current Weekly Commission—Deliver 4,867 letters to the Carter Royal Capital—has not yet been completed.】
【As a side note, nobody has signed for letters at the post office for three days.】
【Current sign-off progress is stuck at 69.8%; there are still 133 letters that have not been successfully delivered.】
【If the Host chooses to abandon the mission and leave the Royal Capital at this time, the mission will be deemed a failure, and all rewards will be voided.】
【Note: The time limit for the Weekly Commission expires in three days.】
What little false smile Lin Gui had on his face froze instantly, and his mind was filled with a flurry of question marks.
Wait, I finished more than half of it on the first day!
It’s already the sixth day, and you’re telling me it’s stuck?!
【The Host must investigate the cause themselves. In short, please do your best, Host,】 the system responded dryly.
Lin Gui felt a wave of helplessness.
Counting the time, there were indeed only three days left.
The post office manager had been so professional that he had almost forgotten about the Weekly Commission.
Three days, 133 letters...
An unprecedented sense of urgency surged in his heart.
Lin Gui stopped hesitating and stepped back behind the shopkeeper.
He whispered into his ear.
“The Hero's remains will be placed in the Seventh Ring post office.”
“I have also transcribed his final words and placed them with the bones.”
“I’ll leave them in the top attic of the post office; go retrieve them yourself.”
“His soul is fading; he has less than three days left.”
“His greatest wish was to see Queen Catriona one last time.”
“I have to make tracks now; hold them off for me.”
Caleb’s pupils shrank. He hadn’t expected Lin Gui to just tell him the location of the Hero’s remains like that.
Taking a deep look at Lin Gui, he whispered back.
“Kid, I owe you a favor.”
“There is a secret door behind the counter. I’ll create an opening in a moment; get out through there immediately.”
“Use that magic of yours that makes you vanish and get out of here fast!”
Lin Gui was shocked, and he reacted instantly, snapping his gaze toward Caleb.
“That assassin last night... was sent by you?!”
Caleb neither admitted nor denied it.
He simply kept his sharp gaze fixed on the Saintess and the Disciplinary Knight at the door.
Saintess Eve saw that Lin Gui seemed about to leave.
Her originally placid expression still didn't change much, but she gently uttered a single word:
“Avalon.”
That word seemed to possess a magical power.
Lin Gui, who was just preparing to slip away, froze in place and whipped his head around to look at the Saintess.
Beside them, Elvia’s heart gave a jolt as well, sensing that things were taking a turn for the worse.
The Saintess smiled softly as she looked at Lin Gui’s suddenly changed expression.
“There is no need to be so guarded, nor do you need to worry.”
Her voice remained clear and refined, yet it carried a strange, soothing power.
“Actually, Mr. Lin Gui, our interests... are aligned.”
She took a few steps forward, looking directly at Lin Gui as she said clearly:
“Mr. Lin Gui wishes to know the route to Avalon.”
“Mr. Caleb does not want anyone to peer into or attempt to change this Royal Capital’s established future again.”
“And as for me...”
She paused for a moment.
A fleeting spark of extremely complex and indiscernible light flashed in her purple eyes.
Finally, she spoke softly:
“I just want to live.”
Rate on N.U.
