The Priest of Complete Dispel ~ Every Time I Save a Cursed Beautiful Girl with My Status Abnormal Cure Skill, For Some Reason Her Dependence on Me Maxes Out ~ - Chapter 71: Saintess Haramaria ※

Chapter 71: Saintess Haramaria ※

I pushed open the double doors—and stepped into a room done mostly in white. Clean, calm, and peaceful.

Even though fancy furniture was lined up everywhere, it didn’t feel flashy or nouveau-riche at all. Instead, a quiet elegance hung in the air.

That atmosphere was probably coming straight from the owner of the room herself.

There was a round table that looked just right for enjoying a cup of tea, plus four chairs. Farther back I could see a canopy bed.

And standing right in the center of the room—a woman. The moment I saw her, I knew she was this country’s Saintess.

“—Haramaria-sama. I’ve returned.”

“Iris… your face looks so much brighter now. Looks like sending you on that journey was the right call.”

The woman had the same platinum-blonde hair as Iris, falling all the way down to her waist.

She wore pure-white holy robes and carried a gentle smile.

But she was taller than Iris, and there was this mature air around her. Probably around 170 cm, same as Dorotheia.

She had that seductive charm Marie carried too, and her chest—man, it was so full I didn’t even know where to look.

Still, the very first thing I felt wasn’t sexiness. It was something holy.

Just standing there, she softened the air itself—like there was this untouched, sacred stillness you weren’t supposed to break.

For some reason, she gave off a vibe kinda similar to Grandma.

And then my eyes caught on the white bandage covering only her left eye.

She had all this pure saintly grace, yet beneath that bandage it felt like unhealed pain and heavy memories were carved in deep.

“There’s a ton I need to report. But first, let me introduce this person—”

Iris glanced my way as she spoke.

Haramaria had actually been watching me with interest from the very start.

“This is Shu Mileister-sama. Currently seventeen years old. —Like I wrote in the letter, he’s someone loved by the Goddess herself.”

“Shu’s fine. I ran into Iris by chance and we’ve been traveling together ever since. Nice to meet you.”

I couldn’t help sounding kinda curt. But that’s just how I talk.

“I already saw your name in the letters. I’ve been wanting to meet you for a long time. I’m Haramaria Astil, the current Saintess overseeing this country and the church.”

Her voice was clear and pure. Just hearing it felt like it washed my heart clean.

…Wait, seriously? Even her voice has a healing effect?

Honestly, she felt way more dangerously bewitching than Dorotheia in a whole different sense.

“Fufu. I’m not a succubus, you know. Even though I may look like this, I’ve taken down quite a lot of them.”

“Ah—no, I didn’t mean it like—”

What the hell is with this woman!?

She shot back like she read my mind, just like Keryneia used to.

This is bad… if just thinking something gives me away… gotta lock down any weird fantasies right now.

“You’re cuter than I pictured. —Shu, come a little closer.”

“Huh? Uh… sure.”

Haramaria held out her hand and beckoned me over.

The closer I got, the more my chest started buzzing.

And then the next instant—

“Ah… just as I thought. Wonderful. I can feel the Goddess’s blessing so strongly.”

“Eh—wha—ugh!?”

All of a sudden she pulled me into a hug.

My face sank right into her chest, and a faint floral scent tickled my nose. Sweet yet refined—somehow really comforting.

The softness and warmth almost made me mutter “Mama…” out loud.

“Haramaria-sama!?”

Iris yelped in a panic. Guess this wasn’t something she expected.

“Sorry, Iris. I just couldn’t hold back. —Someone this deeply loved by the Goddess… you’d want to touch and make sure too, wouldn’t you?”

“Th-that’s… but Shu-sama…!”

“Nn… gu… can’t… breathe…”

“Oh my, sorry. I hugged a bit too tight, didn’t I?”

“Pwah…”

The moment she finally let go, I could feel my face burning up.

And worse—I realized I was reacting down there too, and I screamed inside my head.

This Saintess is seriously no joke…

“Shu. You were raised by Mizette-sama and Ouji-sama, right?”

“Yeah. They were pretty strict, though.”

Looks like Iris already covered that much in her letters.

“It’s from when you were really little. I only saw them a handful of times… but their great achievements are recorded—at least in some of the old documents.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard that much. But they never once told me any of those stories.”

“They were called the ‘Saint Party’ and traveled all over the world, saving countless people, apparently.”

“‘Saint’ instead of ‘Hero,’ huh…”

If a Hero saves the world with courage and a sword, then a Saint saves people with holy power and healing—that’s the feeling I got.

I’d heard of the Sword Saint and the Saintess, but I had no idea what jobs the other two people in those old family photos had.

“By the way, have you heard? A Hero was born in the Zarakia Federation.”

“A Hero? There are people like that?”

“Yes. And unlike what you’d expect, he doesn’t show off his power at all. People say he’s humble and kind. In a country that values martial strength like Zarakia, he’s a bit unusual… but I think he’s wonderful.”

The Zarakia Federation—warm southern country.

Wonder if I’ll ever meet that Hero someday.

But for now I’m gonna be stuck at the church school for a while, so probably not anytime soon.

“Something I’ve been wondering… won’t that lead to war or something? I heard the countries don’t get along.”

“For the last decade or so it’s been a cold war. Actually, though, the churches still interact with each other separately from the countries.”

“…Churches? That can really happen? If they worship different gods, shouldn’t they clash?”

There are four major powers in this world, and each believes in a different god.

That’s why I figured church-to-church exchange was just a fairy tale, but—

“It’s not exactly ‘getting along.’ It’s more that learning about other churches’ activities, teachings, and tactics benefits the Misia Church too. Even at the church school you’ll be attending, there are exchange matches with other churches.”

“Exchange matches? So the schools fight each other?”

“Exactly. It’s an annual event. If you get picked as a representative, you’ll end up crossing magic and swords with apprentice monks and temple knights from the other churches.”

“Huh…”

That actually sounded way more interesting than I expected.

Church school might not just be boring studying after all—it’s got a surprisingly practical side.

“—Iris. While you’re staying in the capital, come to me as much as you can and tell me about your journey.”

“Yes! Of course! There’s so much I couldn’t fit in letters—and when it comes to Shu-sama I could talk forever!”

“Fufu. I’d love to hear lots of other stories too.”

Watching Haramaria and Iris talk felt kinda like a mother and daughter, and kinda like sisters at the same time. They looked more than ten years apart, but their hearts seemed really close.

“—Shu-sama, after this I still have some reports to give Haramaria-sama. Can you make it back to the inn by yourself?”

“Yeah, I’m good.”

“Thank you. For enrollment starting tomorrow, just tell the staff the same way as today and they should guide you to the classroom.”

“Got it. Thanks.”

Iris was staying behind in Haramaria’s room to finish the journey report.

I left alone, walked down the halls of Lumina Palace, and headed for the exit that led out to the capital streets.

◇◇◇

“—Iris. That story… it’s really true?”

Right after I left the room.

Haramaria had just finished brewing tea. She gently set the steaming cup on the table and asked quietly.

“Yes… it’s true. This part of me… it already belongs completely to Shu-sama.”

“No way… meeting your fated person before I did. Iris, aren’t you rushing life a little too fast?”

“I just got lucky. —I was cursed once, and if things had stayed that way I would’ve ended as nothing more than a failed Saintess candidate.”

Iris softly placed her hand over her lower stomach, on top of her holy robes.

Her dreamy expression and that gentle gesture were full of gratitude for the past.

“The previous Saintess is living in seclusion now, I hear. But there’s never been any report of her meeting someone like that. A fated partner is really that rare.”

“Yes… I thought the same. But—Shu-sama is someone whose very soul was blessed by the Goddess. The moment I used Appraisal, I knew. He’s the one destined to break through my holy membrane.”

—Holy membrane.

A Saintess is born without a hymen. Instead, she has something called a holy membrane.

It’s a sacred barrier that can only be broken by a very special person.

“I’ve never felt this jealous of you before.”

“Yes… but I don’t think of Shu-sama as mine alone. I told you a little about his skill already—”

“Yes, Complete Dispel, right? The name stuck with me.”

Iris gave a small nod.

Talking about Shu’s skill had already been cleared with him beforehand.

“Depending on the person, the price is direct bodily contact. Over these last two months, Shu-sama has lifted curses for many people, and each time he’s had to lie with them.”

“…Meaning women come to him, right?”

“Yes. I’m one of them. But strangely, when I think about him… instead of jealousy, I just feel this overflowing affection.”

“If the person himself feels happiness from it, then that price must be right. Especially if it’s something the Goddess gave him.”

“So—”

Iris took a slow breath and got to the main point.

Haramaria was a Saintess just like her.

So she too had a holy membrane—and even after more than thirty years, it was still…

“…Haramaria-sama. I want Shu-sama to break your holy membrane too.”

“Iris…”

Haramaria looked surprised, but she gave a soft, gentle smile.

“A Saintess is someone who guides people. But at the same time, she’s still a woman. I think we can only give true salvation once we’ve felt happiness as women… During the days I spent in that little village with Mizette-sama and her husband, I started thinking that way. That village didn’t have much entertainment—but everyone looked so happy.”

“…I see.”

“So I want you to feel it too, Haramaria-sama. True fulfillment, straight from the bottom of your heart.”

Iris’s voice was straightforward and honest.

The pleasure she’d felt when Shu physically filled her up—it had given her happiness beyond words. And she still felt it even now.

“But… what would that boy think?”

“Unless there’s some reason, he probably won’t accept it right away. Since he only accepts the relationship as the price for dispelling curses, jumping straight in would be hard.”

“…I’m happy you feel that way, Iris.”

Haramaria gave a small shake of her head.

Behind that calm smile, I could see the loneliness she’d carried for years.

Iris bit her lip. She hadn’t brought it up just to make that face.

As fellow Saintesses—fellow candidates—she wanted Haramaria to find happiness too.

“Someday he’ll understand for sure. Shu-sama is kind. He already knows we’re both Saintesses, and that our bodies are built the same way.”

“…Iris. You’ve really changed. You never used to care this much about me before.”

“Yes. It’s all thanks to Shu-sama. —Today, let me talk your ear off, okay?”

“Of course.”

Haramaria quietly lowered her eyes and slid her right hand down toward her lower body.

Lightly touching the heat between her legs, she thought of the person who might one day grant her wish—

(Shu Mileister. Will you ever fill my body too? If that day comes… maybe, for the first time, I’ll truly be glad I was born a Saintess…)

That night, Haramaria pleasured herself for the first time in ages.

The rugged, hard feel of Shu’s body when she hugged him, the manly scent so different from her own, that soul loved by the Goddess—no Appraisal needed.

To her, every single part of him was the one and only.

“Ng… ugh… ah, ah… Shu… Shu… I want you… this burning ache… please release it, soothe it… ah, ah… deep inside, fill me deep with all of you… make me pregnant… ah, no… it’s coming… I’m gonna—… nnnnnnnghhhhhh!!?♡”

Lying alone on a bed that felt way too big was so lonely.

But imagining that empty space someday filled with him, Haramaria couldn’t bring herself to stop.