[: Daniel POV :]
I couldn’t believe the overwhelming strength she possessed.
It was a force that surpassed any physical resistance I could muster.
However, I knew that she was drawing this strength from her original form, the Moon Goddess, Luna.
Amid this surreal struggle, I found myself powerless against the celestial might she wielded.
With no chance of resisting, the Saintess persisted in pushing me towards her until our lips met in an involuntary and intense union.
I widened my eyes in surprise as I didn’t expect the Saintess to make such a daring move.
At the same time, the moment our lips met, it felt like there was a collision of emotions.
It was as if, her emotions of grief, possessiveness, and a lingering love that defied the boundaries of time had been transmitted to me.
Our lips quivered in unison as we collided.
Her tongue toyed with mine till she had seized control, and I was helplessly swept away into her sweet embrace.
Our connection felt like an eternity of desire, and I knew I would never be able to look away from her.
As I went limp in her arms, I felt myself succumbing to her powerful kiss, consumed by the raging fire of passion that burned between us.
Time seemed to stand still, the air suddenly heavy and thick.
I felt an eerie presence, like an invisible force around me.
A strange energy filled the room as if a hundred eyes were watching me intently.
A chill crept down my spine and I looked around, my eyes widening in surprise.
The Saintess was smiling eerily at me – or rather, it seemed as if she was almost sneering.
My instincts took over and I instinctively reached out for her but my hands came up empty.
Despite all of the power that had coursed through me, I was utterly helpless at this moment.
“W…What did you do to me…?”, I stuttered out in confusion.
“I did nothing but plant a seed,”
She whispered near my ears with her smile taking on an unsettling, almost like an evil entity.
“But don’t worry, it’s a seed that won’t harm you” She comforted.
“Instead, it will make you and our connection stronger.”
The crescent within her eyes brightened, casting an eerie glow.
“From now on, we won’t separate again, my dear Sun,”
She declared with an obsessively possessive expression.
Her words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of an otherworldly promise.
However, her elation was short-lived.
“Tch. It seems that I have taken over her body for far too long,”
She muttered, a hint of frustration creasing her features.
Despite the momentary lapse in her triumphant demeanour, she quickly resumed her eerie smile.
“But don’t worry, my dear Sun. From now on, I will be following you,”
She vowed, her voice carrying a haunting undertone.
Even though I had no idea what she was talking about, an unsettling mix of relief and uncertainty settled within me.
At this point, the boundary between the mortal and the divine blurred.
It seems that many things were still unknown to me and this moment humbled me down.
As if governed by some unknown restriction, the Goddess of the Moon began to fade from the Saintess’s form.
The ethereal glow in her crescent eyes dimmed, and for a moment, the room was enveloped in an eerie silence.
Before completely dissipating, the Goddess managed to summon a final, haunting smile.
It wasn’t the expression of departure, instead, it carried a cryptic weight that left a chill down my spine.
Once her presence vanished, the Saintess, now free from the divine possession, regained consciousness.
Her eyes, once again reflecting the innocence of the Saintess, met mine with a questioning gaze.
“What… happened? Did the Goddess take over me once more?”
She inquired, her tone devoid of surprise.
It was as if this peculiar occurrence had become a routine, leaving her unfazed by the transient interludes when she was no longer herself.
“It seems like the Goddess took some of her time talking to you,”
She said, smiling sweetly and innocently as if her previous demeanour hadn’t disappeared.
However, a subtle hint of regret lingered in her eyes.
“But it seems like what the Goddess left behind is far too heavy for the both of us,”
She continued, her voice carrying the weight of a burden I had yet to comprehend.
Her words left me puzzled, and the sense of unease deepened.
Before I could grasp the meaning behind her words, a notification appeared before me.
[: You have been given Stigma of the Moon :]
[: You have received the advantages of the Stigma and the disadvantages of it :]
[: From now on, the Saintess of the Moon will have to follow you everywhere in Modern Fantasia or else, all of your stats will be sealed :]
Looking at the notification, there were dozens of questions flooded my mind.
Why did the Saintess require her to follow me?
When did I receive this stigma?
I didn’t know when I received the stigma, but recalling the memory of the Saintess’s kiss explains everything.
Moreover, why would my stats be sealed without the Saintess being by my side?
This was the first time I had ever heard of stigma and even though I tried to Inspect, it failed.
The result of the failure greatly shocked me and I didn’t what benefits this stigma gave me.
It felt more like a curse rather than being blessed.
All of this realization had left me with mixed feelings.
While it wasn’t difficult to fulfil the stigma, it would still be a drag and a hassle to bring the Saintess around with me.
“I’m sorry that things turned out to be like this, but I know that the Goddess wouldn’t do such a thing without any reason,”
The Saintess said, her voice carrying a soothing tone as she tried to comfort me.
However, I could see the apologetic expression in her eyes.
I couldn’t blame her since this wasn’t her fault,t to begin with.
“No, this isn’t your fault, so don’t apologize. Rather, we should think about ourselves in the future,”
I reassured her, sensing the weight of responsibility she felt.
Her eyes, filled with a mix of gratitude and determination, reflected the complex emotions entwined in our newfound connection.
“Even though I might seem weak, I won’t be a deadweight in your journey”
“You can rely on me that much,”
She declared, offering assurances of her worthiness.
The sincerity in her voice echoed a determination to contribute meaningfully to our shared path.
“Alright then, I should tell you my plans for the next hours, and it’s quite simple, actually,”
I continued, observing her interest and keenness.
As she listened attentively, I shared the outline of my strategy.
“I plan to visit the remaining three Templars and acquire the treasure inside each,”
I disclosed, watching as the gravity of our quest settled in her eyes.
“Visiting the three Holy Templars?”
She raised her eyebrow with genuine interest as if the prospect of the journey was an exciting adventure unfolding before her.
“I never thought that one day, I would be setting foot on the other Templars since we, Saintess, are forbidden to set a foot in each other’s Templar,”
She explained, her expression carrying a tinge of melancholy, revealing the unspoken restrictions that governed her existence.
“But why?”
I couldn’t help but question, curious about the intricacies that shaped the rules of the Saintesses.
“I have no idea, but we do know that it has something to do with the Goddesses that we believe in,”
She revealed, her voice holding a mix of uncertainty and acceptance.
“I see, but before we can go onto the next Templar, there’s something that I want to acquire”
I said and I didn’t forget my other goal of coming here.
“And what is that?” She was curious about it.
“Have you heard of the Longinus Weapon?” I questioned.
“Longinus… Weapon?” She tried her best trying to recall every piece of information that she had about this name.
However, she couldn’t.
“I’m not sure. I don’t I have ever heard of such a term” She said while still trying to guess the identity of the term.
“Well, it’s alright if you have never heard about it. After all, the Longinus Weapon was known to be a myth” I said yet I held one of the 13 Longinus Weapons.
“Anyway, as I was saying, the thing that I wanted to acquire was none other than the Longinus Weapon, and it’s located in this region,” I said.
“Really? Then, do you have any idea where it is?” She questioned and I shook my head to her question.
“Unfortunately I don’t but I don’t think I can’t find its location” I declared while being confident in my abilities.
“But come to think of it, I still had yet to know your name?” I just realized that all this time, I didn’t know her name.
“Gladly. My name’s Katie” She answered with a sweet smile.
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