The Evil God Summoned by the Saintess

Leaving the Divine Hall, Hilia was wondering whether to head back when she suddenly received a message from Phil.

"Hilia, are you in Letes City?"

Hilia asked, "I am, what’s wrong?"

"I ran into something and wanted to ask you for help..."

"What is it? Go on."

"It’s hard to explain over the bracelet. I’d better tell you in person. Where are you?"

"I just came out of the Divine Hall, I’m right outside it."

"Wait for me, I’ll be right there!"

Phil spoke in a great hurry and abruptly cut the connection.

Hilia tilted her head, thinking. She had no idea what problem Phil had run into, so she could only wait where she was.

A moment later, Phil came rushing over in a white long dress, slightly out of breath. Her eyes lit up when she saw Hilia. "Great, you’re still here, Hilia."

Hilia steadied her and said speechlessly, "Slow down, what are you rushing for? It’s not like I’m going to run away."

Phil said, "I want you to come somewhere with me."

"A heretic stronghold?" Hilia asked, while looking Phil over. She wasn’t wearing a convenient Mage Robe, but rather something more like formal attire for some grand ceremony.

Huh?

A formal dress?

A thought popped into Hilia’s mind.

No way?

Phil quickly said, "No, it’s not somewhere dangerous. I just ran into a little trouble and wanted you to help me sort it out."

Hilia’s expression turned odd. "What trouble can’t you just tell me directly? Why all the mystery?"

"Uh, it’s, it’s just..."

Phil hemmed and hawed, unable to get half a sentence out.

Hilia couldn’t help taking a step back. "It’s a banquet, right?"

Phil froze for a moment, surprised. "You knew?"

Hilia was speechless. "I just came out of the Divine Hall. Bishop Helder had just said it—said the City Lord of Letes City, Mr. Pharos, wanted to invite me to some evening banquet, said he had a friend. I turned him down, and then you show up, all mysterious too. Even an idiot could put that together."

Phil lowered her head, embarrassed. "Mm... can you come? Hilia..."

Hilia asked, "Did you invite Benovia and the others?"

Phil nodded. "I did."

Hilia let out a breath. "That’s fine then. Let’s go."

Phil was puzzled. "You’ll only go if everyone else is invited?"

Hilia nodded. "Of course. If you don’t invite anyone else and just call me alone, I’d be scared."

"Scared of what?" Phil blinked.

Obviously scared you’ll end up like Doris.

Hilia muttered inwardly.

If everyone was invited, then it wasn’t a "special invitation."

Then they could all sit at the same table and it wouldn’t be awkward.

Just as Hilia was about to follow Phil over, Rose’s voice sounded in her mind. "Today is Phil’s birthday. Are you going empty-handed?"

"What?!"

Hilia froze, then turned to Phil. "Phil, you go on ahead. I forgot something and need to run back and get it."

Without waiting for Phil to speak, she hurried off.

Only after she got some distance away did Hilia pat her chest and exhale in relief. "That was close. It’d be bad if I showed up without a gift."

Rose chuckled. "So what are you going to give her?"

"No idea."

Hilia frowned, thinking hard.

Last time on her birthday, Phil had given her a Pure Heart, meaning "the most beautiful."

This time, should she also give a Pure Heart?

Obviously not.

Hilia pondered for a long time and still couldn’t think of what she should give.

Rose said, "Give her a Purification Crystal."

"What’s a Purification Crystal?" Hilia asked curiously.

"A Crystal Stone carved from an Advanced Magic Crystal. It can purify Demonic Qi contamination in the body and absorb Divine Power. That’s what she needs most right now."

"But I don’t know how to carve..."

"I do."

"Uh..."

"Go to the Mage Guild and rent a room."

"Okay."

Hilia moved quickly. As a Tier Three Mage, she soon obtained a private room that came with a large number of auxiliary materials and carving tools.

Rose summoned Hilia’s Magic Puppet and took over controlling it for her.

Hilia did have an Advanced Magic Crystal—the Advanced Magic Crystal she’d gotten from Jonathan, which she hadn’t used yet.

This thing was mainly for emergencies; under normal circumstances she still used low-level and mid-level Magic Crystals.

Rose, controlling the Magic Puppet, examined the Advanced Magic Crystal for a moment, then picked up a carving knife and started carving quickly.

Ten minutes later, a completely transformed Crystal Stone appeared.

Rose had carved the Advanced Magic Crystal into the shape of a four-pointed star. Faint rune patterns could be seen on it—those were drawn in using the excess Magic Crystal Powder.

Hilia picked it up and examined it. Even though she was well-versed in runes, she still couldn’t make heads or tails of those densely packed, tiny runes. She could only recognize the part that purified contamination; the rest was completely beyond her.

"The runes Lord Rose carves are even finer than all the ones on Magic Puppets and bracelets. I wonder when I’ll ever be able to do that," the girl said, a little envious.

Rose smiled faintly. "Once you become a god, you can."

Hilia: "..."

Once everything was done, Hilia bought a little box to put it in. The four-pointed-star Purification Crystal was made into a pendant; each point was about the size of a pinky fingertip. It didn’t feel cold at all to the touch; instead it was warm, and there were no sharp edges, so there was no worry about it cutting the skin.

"I’m really giving this to Phil under my name?" Hilia looked at Rose.

Rose said in puzzlement, "If not in your name, then in mine?"

Hilia made a funny face, put the four-pointed-star pendant into the box, left the Mage Guild, and headed toward the City Lord’s Castle.

"Speaking of which, why is Phil holding her birthday banquet at the City Lord’s Mansion?" Hilia tilted her head, thinking.

"What do you think?"

"...It can’t be that much of a coincidence, right?"

Rose said nothing, simply staring at Hilia.

"Alright, alright. Phil’s surname seems to be Pharos, and the City Lord of Letes City is Mr. Pharos. I was being dumb."

Hilia had actually only just now remembered Phil’s surname. She was, like Benovia, a noble’s daughter.

Benovia was completely mysterious, but once you knew Phil’s surname was Pharos, it was easy enough to figure out whose daughter she was.

It was just that Hilia hadn’t thought along those lines at first, and then she’d been busy preparing Phil’s gift. Now that the gift was ready, she finally realized the two of them had an unusual connection.

"No wonder Phil was dressed like a princess just now, all pretty and dolled up."

As the sun slowly set, Hilia arrived outside the City Lord’s Castle.

The guards at the gate didn’t stop her and let her in directly.

Hilia glanced back at the guards and saw them stop others who tried to enter, only letting them through once they produced something like an invitation.

"I don’t have an invitation. Why didn’t they stop me? Did Phil specially tell them?"

Rose chuckled softly. "What if you’re one of tonight’s main characters?"

Hilia shook her head. "Forget it. Tonight’s main character is Phil."

She thought of the Aquatic Parasitic Beast she had encountered during the day.

"Let’s hope nothing happens."