Saintess? Not Anymore! I'd Rather be a Destroyer-Chapter 165 - 151: Healing

"She’s here!" a demon exclaimed, and Aurianna materialized in the midst of the crowd, held by Ostusi.

"It’s hard to believe that the person who helped us our escape is a human," a bewildered beast person uttered in surprise.

"Why are you so shocked? Can’t you see human slaves are here too?" another former slave chided, gesturing toward the humans clad in rags with scars on their bodies.

"Damn, it stinks down here. You all need a bath!" Aurianna remarked with a snort.

"How rude!" they collectively thought, glancing at her disapprovingly. However, Ostusi promptly vanished from the crowd, reappearing at another side.

Aurianna surveyed the surroundings, noting the underground setting evidenced by the dirt ceiling, evidently fortified to prevent collapse. Some walls had luminous rocks that provided artificial light for the city. Aurianna also noticed man made streams that flowers through the city and people could be seen happily drinking from it.

The city was filled with numerous stone houses, and people, both non-humans and a few humans, who were walking around.

"This place is enormous!" Aurianna exclaimed, realizing that the underground space resembled a sizable city.

"Well, we can’t house more than 600,000 people in a small place," Ostusi explained.

"I suppose so. But where are the soldiers’ bodies and Queen Shiba?" Aurianna inquired, her primary objective in mind.

"Over there," Ostusi pointed to a spacious open area, leaping to land softly.

"Nicely arranged," Aurianna nodded approvingly at the orderly display of the soldiers’ corpses, observed to be arranged by men and women in Infinite Nation armor.

’She brought back the knights left in her nation to protect it. Smart move. If my father had gone there, he would have ordered for them to be slaughtered,’ Aurianna thought, nodding in approval.

"So, you came after all?" Shiba said, appearing before Aurianna.

"You see, I kept my word, Queen Shiba," Aurianna replied with a smile, eliciting a huff from Shiba.

"So, you’ll revive my men and my son?" Shiba asked nervously.

"I will, but I’m giving them my mark as well. Since they are weaker than you, their heads would explode if they dare betray me," Aurianna stated.

Shiba grew slightly angry, retorting, "Don’t you trust me to let them follow you?"

"I don’t believe in trust, but absolute loyalty and submission," Aurianna replied coldly.

"I suppose I can understand," Queen Shiba chuckled.

"I hope you and your men won’t mistreat the other races here," Aurianna cautioned.

"I’ll ensure that. My country doesn’t tolerate any form of slavery. I detested King Girsal for that, but we couldn’t accommodate other races due to the prevailing racism," Shiba explained.

"That’s acceptable. I can’t allow any form of racism; otherwise, your men might face another slaughter," Aurianna gestured towards Ostusi.

"If I’m correct, you haven’t healed from my attacks. So, if I were you, you’d show some respect," Shiba stated coldly, crossing her arms.

"I saved your life, you know? If not for my charm and charisma, King Girsal himself would have chased after you and killed you," Aurianna asserted, placing her crystal hand on her chest.

"I’m the fastest woman on this continent. I don’t believe I would be easily caught by him," Shiba declared confidently.

"What a frog in a well," Aurianna sneered.

"What did you say?" Shiba asked, offended by Aurianna’s words.

"Do you think King Girsal is so weak? Why do you think the Church of Paige is supporting him?" Aurianna raised an eyebrow.

"What do you know?" Shiba demanded.

"I won’t say," Aurianna shook her head, placing her finger on her lips playfully.

"You..." Shiba seethed.

"I don’t have enough time," Aurianna stated.

"You’re dying?" Shiba asked.

"No! I’ll be going into a coma, so I need to hurry up! And release all this mana," Aurianna clarified, touching her chest and stepping down from Ostusi.

[Wing of Seraphim.] Aurianna activated, manifesting two wings on her back and a halo above her head.

[Heal.] She stretched out her hands, and a brilliant white light enveloped them, healing the bodies and injuries of the dead knights. Even those turned to ashes regained their forms. Aurianna’s healing magic spread throughout the entire underground city, healing the injuries of everyone present.

"Revive!" Aurianna commanded, and the hovering souls descended into the lifeless bodies of the Infinite Nation’s knights. Their eyes fluttered open, and a collective gasp swept through the revived warriors.

"I’m alive!" exclaimed a woman, her initial shock giving way to jubilation. Cheers erupted, and the knights embraced each other and cried happily.

"Men, stand up!" ordered Shiba. The knights rose and knelt, but confusion dawned upon them as they noticed Aurianna by Shiba’s side.

"Why are you standing beside that monster? She killed us!" one knight protested.

"She’s the one who brought you back to life!" Shiba retorted coldly.

Amid the confusion, Vertica approached Shiba with a perplexed expression. "What is going on?"

"I’ll explain later, but I must make an announcement. We lost the war against Sandeph. I am no longer Queen Shiba of the Infinite Nation!" Shiba declared, leaving everyone in shock.

"What about our families?" a concerned voice rang out.

"Princess Aurianna Vanluad has guaranteed the safety of our families, so don’t worry!" Shiba reassured, though she sensed skepticism among the knights.

"You can ask your questions later. For now, just look into my eyes," Aurianna commanded, summoning thousands of eyes around them that blinked, reflecting her crystal eye with a diamond-shaped gemaris at the center.

Screams erupted from the knights as they stared into her eyes.

"What did you do?" Shiba demanded angrily, grabbing Aurianna by the collar of her dress.

"I simply gave them my mark. Their eyes may bleed a bit, but they won’t go blind," Aurianna explained, and the screams subsided. The knights opened their eyes to find crystal gems of various shapes embedded in them.

’I’ve barely exhausted half of the mana in me,’ Aurianna thought, touching her chest as Shiba released her.

"Ugh," Aurianna winced in pain, vomiting more blood, and her vision became dizzy.

"Aurianna," Ostusi cried out, carrying her in his arms.

"Take me back quickly," Aurianna said weakly, and they both vanished and reappeared in her room. The body double disappeared once Aurianna was placed on the bed.

"My body feels like shit," Aurianna frowned.

"Aurianna, your words," Eva pinched her nose.

Ostusi knelt down, expressing gratitude through tears. "Thank you so much, Aurianna. There were zero casualties."

"There’s an uproar," Aurianna grinned, hearing the cries of anger and shock from outside.

"They’ve discovered the slaves have disappeared," Aurianna chuckled.

"Have you taken all the Suckers?" Aurianna asked Ostusi.

"Yes, I have. They are with—"

"Keep them and use them," Aurianna instructed.

"If you ever need my help, just call for me!" Ostusi declared with determination.

"I don’t think I would," Aurianna said mischievously.

"Ehh?" Ostusi looked confused.

"Just go quickly before the healers come," Aurianna dismissed him.

"Thank you once again," Ostusi expressed his gratitude before disappearing.

"My eyes feel so heavy, Eva," Aurianna said, reaching out her hands. Eva took them.

"Don’t worry. Your body is entering a deep sleep to repair itself," Eva reassured, caressing Aurianna’s cheek.

"My eyes feel heavy," Aurianna murmured, and the sound of Eva’s voice faded. Aurianna watched herself descend into a sea of darkness as consciousness slipped away.

_______

"Your Majesty, there’s something important you must know!" A man in pink robes burst into the throne room, where King Girsal gathered with the Dukes and Grand Dukes.

"How dare you barge in here? Even as a messenger of the church, have some respect! Can’t you see we’re dealing with a crisis?" Cecilia scolded.

"This is about Aurianna Vanluad!" the man exclaimed in panic.

"What has happened?" King Girsal demanded, his brow furrowed.

"Her body is trapped in some kind of crystal cocoon! And she isn’t waking up no matter what we do!!" the man explained nervously.

"What?" echoed through the throne room as confusion and concern gripped those present.

_____

King Girsal, along with Amber and the other concubines present, gasped in astonishment at the sight before them. Aurianna lay on the bed, her entire form encased in a glass cocoon bathed in a white crystal liquid. Despite the appearance of drowning, King Girsal discerned that she was indeed breathing.

"What in the world is this?" King Girsal uttered, mirroring the bewilderment shared by Amber and the others. Turning to Hotron for answers, Amber inquired, "What is this?"

"We don’t know," Hotron replied with a shake of his head. "When we arrived, she was already in this state. We tried to break it but it was impossible to."

"Let me see," King Girsal approached Aurianna. His hand crackled with sparks of purple mana, attempting to dispel the cocoon’s magic, yet it was met with immediate resistance as it was dispelled.

"Collapse didn’t work?" King Girsal frowned in displeasure.

"What is this?" he wondered aloud.

Amber reached out to touch the cocoon, only to feel a burning sensation on her palm, prompting a hasty withdrawal. "Ouch, it hurt me!"

"I believe it’s some sort of defense mechanism," King Girsal remarked, his gaze fixed on Aurianna who was asleep.

"Let there be twenty platinum knights stationed here to watch her body until she wakes up. Given the circumstances, others might see this as an opportunity to kidnap her," King Girsal declared, and Momo nervously nodded in agreement.

’This could be a chance to take her to Paige’s church, but given how faith operates, she won’t enter the main church unless she willingly agrees. And she seems to harbor resentment toward the church,’ King Girsal pondered, recalling Aurianna’s animosity towards him and Gray.

"Will she ever wake up?" Momo voiced her concern.

"I hope she does," Amber said, clasping her hands in prayer.

"I hope she doesn’t," Iona whispered quietly.