Chapter 23 - Female Saint
"Not the same?"
Raynare asked, raising an eyebrow with a sardonic smirk.
"What's so special about this saint?"
"Did she flirt her way out of the church with her charms?"
To fallen angels like Raynare, saints were little more than church propaganda—tools to dupe devotees.
In her eyes, they were no better than seductresses.
"She seems genuinely pure," Dohnaseek replied instinctively.
"Tch. The church's old trick—pick some innocent-looking women to play saint and lure in the faithful," Raynare scoffed.
"Centuries pass, and they still recycle the same ploy. I don't need a decorative vase here."
"Lady Raynare, this saint isn't just a figurehead," Mittelt interjected eagerly.
"She wields a Sacred Gear—Twilight Healing."
"Twilight Healing?" Raynare paused, then let out a pitying sigh.
"That's rough. Used up by the church and then discarded?"
As a seasoned fallen angel, Raynare's knowledge was vast.
Twilight Healing had shone in past wars, its wielders perfectly fitting the church's saintly ideal—living propaganda to sway believers.
Typically, such a Sacred Gear host would be a lifelong church asset, paraded to draw crowds and funds, often unaware of their exploitation.
That's why Raynare pitied this expelled saint.
Her usefulness likely exhausted, she'd been cast aside.
"Twilight Healing's healing is unmatched, but it's useless for fallen angels."
"We're not a charity. What good is she to us besides eating our food?" Raynare said coldly.
She had no patience for dead weight.
A saint seeking refuge was dreaming if she expected Raynare's mercy.
"Lady Raynare, this saint was expelled for healing Devils," Mittelt added.
"Healing Devils? You're certain?"
"Exactly. Twilight Healing is rare enough that the church wouldn't expel its host lightly," Dohnaseek confirmed.
"That's the best news I've heard since arriving in the human world," A sly smile spread across her face.
Sacred Gears, crafted by the Biblical God, were designed for humans.
Twilight Healing shouldn't heal Devils nor fallen angels, who betrayed Him.
Yet this saint could heal Devils—implying she could heal fallen angels too.
Whatever glitch allowed this anomaly was a boon for Raynare's group.
"How's Freed's progress? How long until he lures that saint to us?" Raynare asked.
"At least half a month," Kalawarner replied.
"She's been expelled, but she's still naive, clinging to church dogma. She won't easily join fallen angels."
"Naive to a fault," Raynare said, her smile dripping with mockery.
Fallen angels, once devout followers of the Biblical God, now despised His believers.
Corrupting the faithful—like this saint—offered a perverse thrill Raynare relished.
"But expulsion leaves her vulnerable."
"Once she grasps how harsh life is, she'll come to Freed," Kalawarner added.
"Pity Europe's angel territory. Otherwise, we could just snatch her," Dohnaseek said regretfully.
After the Three Factions War, angels, fallen angels, and Devils had reached an uneasy truce.
They could operate in their own domains, but causing trouble in another's territory invited retaliation.
"Half a month? I can wait. I've got a surveillance mission in Kuoh Town anyway," Raynare said with a casual smile.
"Surveillance mission?" Mittelt asked, curious.
"My superior ordered me to monitor some brat," Raynare said, irritation creeping into her voice.
"Supposedly, he's a Mid-Tier Sacred Gear host, at least."
"Mid-Tier? That's nearly as rare as Twilight Healing," Mittelt said, surprised.
Grigori, monitored Sacred Gear hosts to track their awakenings, which could sometimes spiral into uncontrollable rampages, endangering the host and their surroundings.
Grigori classified these threats: Mid-Tier Sacred Gears were potent, surpassed only by Top-Tier and Longinus-class.
"Confirming a Mid-Tier Sacred Gear would be a coup."
"It might even earn a summons from Lord Azazel," Kalawarner said, her eyes gleaming.
"Lady Raynare, if Lord Azazel calls, can you bring us along?" Mittelt asked eagerly.
"Don't get your hopes up," Raynare said, rubbing her forehead.
"I've watched this kid for three days."
"He shows zero signs of a Mid-Tier Sacred Gear host."