Our adorable Kyle.

With his fluffy black fur, round yet perky ears, and golden eyes that shine like coins. How comforting it feels to gently press those soft pink paw pads!

‘Finding Kyle was truly the best thing I’ve ever done in my life.’

I’d heard other priests talk about the benefits of having pets, but I never imagined I’d find such comfort in an animal.

‘I’ll just take care of him until he can return to his rightful place.’

With that thought in mind, I brushed Kyle’s fur every day. I gave him facial massages with my fingertips, played wholeheartedly with feather toys he loved, and prepared his favorite foods for every meal. Every moment with Kyle was precious, and I didn’t want to waste a single second.

But then.

‘What on earth is happening?’

I hunched my shoulders and looked up at the man standing before me. His sculpted, firm body was breathtaking. Long, elegant neck partially covered by slightly disheveled black hair.

The golden eyes that had been staring at my frightened face curved into a gentle smile. With a mesmerizing smile, the man called out to me. His voice was rich like melted chocolate.

“Ran.”

“Uh, I…”

My name isn’t Ran. Why are you using a nickname so casually? No, that’s not even the issue.

‘Who are you?!’

Can someone please explain why my cat suddenly turned into a sexy man?

* * *

Like all working people, my professional life was filled with frustration.

Of course, my workplace happened to be a temple where ordinary people couldn’t even get hired, and my position was Holy Maiden, directly under the Pope.

‘Still, I don’t understand.’

I was now facing the battle of the century.

A fight between the Pope who received divine blessing and the Emperor who wanted to drive out even the temple to bring the entire world under his feet.

Before the war, Pope Incensino addressed all knights of the Holy Nation with a majestic tone.

“We cannot leave Emperor Kailas be. If we do, the rules of the world will crumble, and everyone will live in chaos.”

But even his passionate sermon failed to move my heart. I tilted my head.

‘Is the Emperor really such a bad person?’

Emperor Kailas.

A man who killed his own father and seized the throne at the young age of 20. The main reason the temple wanted to drive out Emperor Kailas was because he was a kinslayer.

‘But the previous emperor was terribly corrupt, indulged in women, and imposed excessive taxes.’

In fact, as soon as Kailas became emperor, he lowered taxes and tried to liberate the beast-folk and fairy-folk who were slaves of the empire.

‘That’s a clever approach. It naturally increases the number of citizens who can pay taxes.’

And it aligned with the teaching of the main deity that all creatures with consciousness are equal.

Anyway, for these reasons, I was skeptical about this conflict between the Empire and the temple. Of course, believing it wasn’t right for the temple’s opinion to be divided, I kept my mouth shut.

As I listened to the Pope’s speech with indifference, Richard, the holy knight standing beside me, poked my side.

“You should manage your expression, Holy Maiden.”

“Ugh, is it that obvious?”

I hunched my shoulders at Richard’s words. He chuckled and replied.

“Yes. A yawn would make it perfect.”

Richard Ferol. He was the most promising holy knight in the temple, also secretly admired by many imperial citizens for his beautiful golden hair and handsome features. He was also my childhood friend who grew up with me in the temple.

With his head fixed forward, Richard skillfully addressed me.

“Anyway, you’re the second-in-command of the temple. You need to manage your expressions well.”

“I know that without you nagging.”

I pouted. Having countless eyes following me was as natural as breathing for me, the Holy Maiden.

I straightened my back and stared intently at the Pope’s face while whispering to Richard.

“Aren’t you also against this, Richard?”

At my question, Richard’s well-defined eyebrows curved slightly.

“Why would you assume that?”

“Because you’re always the one to oppose for the sake of opposing.”

“You’re making me sound like a troublemaker… though it’s true.”

So Richard was also against this fight with the Empire. I smiled slightly. Just then, the Pope’s speech reached its climax.

“In the name of our deity, we shall be victorious!”

“Hurrah!”

Everyone clapped enthusiastically. I too politely tapped my hands together.

After the declaration ceremony ended, Pope Incensino called me as I was about to leave.

“Cioranne.”

“Yes, Your Holiness.”

Pope Incensino had light platinum blonde hair and an angelic, benevolent appearance. And true to his appearance, he had an extremely fastidious personality. The Pope smiled gently and said to me.

“You are at the very center of this plan. You understand that, don’t you?”

The Pope’s plan.

It was to lure the Emperor into battle and trap him.

‘We need to do this so others won’t get involved.’

According to the Pope, the only target that needed to be eliminated in the Empire was Emperor Kailas. To prevent countless people from being sacrificed in the process of eliminating him, they would trap the Emperor and end his life.

And the one who could create that trap was me, the one with the greatest holy power in the temple.

“I’m well aware.”

Pope Incensino held my shoulder and said in a gentle voice.

“This is for the sake of this world. It’s a sacred and special task that only you, born with pure holy power, can accomplish. You should be grateful that you have something you can do for this mission.”

The Pope paused briefly and added in a serious tone.

“And remember that this is also the will of our deity whom we serve.”

At that very moment, a bright yellow window appeared before my eyes with a “ding” sound.

[‘The Dragon Trampler’ says that’s a lie.]

[‘The Dragon Trampler’ says you shouldn’t be deceived.]

The window I had been able to see since birth.

It was a message from our deity, ‘The Dragon Trampler.’

Pope Incensino was able to become the head of the temple at a young age because he could hear the voice of the deity.

That’s why I hid the fact that I too could read the deity’s will.

‘It’s better for the temple to move with one heart and mind.’

I didn’t want the temple’s opinion to be divided because of me. I volunteered to be used as a tool, the Holy Maiden.

‘But this is troublesome.’

Especially when the Pope’s words contradicted those of the deity.

After bowing my head briefly, I couldn’t help but ask the Pope.

“Is there no other way besides killing the Emperor?”

“Cioranne.”

The Pope’s answer was firm.

“He has excessively radical ideas. He will surely endanger this continent.”

“Even so…”

I swallowed my sigh and bowed my head.

“I understand.”

As soon as I bowed my head, various windows popped up before my eyes, creating chaos. They were messages from the deity.

[‘The Dragon Trampler’ says he’s going to die from frustration.]

[‘The Dragon Trampler’ sighs, asking what kind of wealth and glory I expect to gain by witnessing this.]

[‘The Dragon Trampler’ throws another tantrum.]

I understand what the deity means. I smiled bitterly.

“I have no choice.”

For the peace of the continent, it’s better for the Holy Maiden to show that she shares the same intention as the Pope. Even if it doesn’t feel right. I scratched my head.

* * *

Everything went according to the Pope’s plan. The Emperor, unaware that he had fallen into a trap, obediently headed toward it as the Pope directed.

‘Now.’

I infused holy power into the formation the Pope had drawn in advance. But the words appearing on the formation were strange.

<I curse you who stands on this formation.>

‘Curse?’

The corners of my mouth stiffened.

‘Curse? Why am I casting a curse?’

How could one who serves the deity curse the deity’s creation?

‘I’m not trying to curse anyone!’

But the curse that had already been activated couldn’t be stopped. I felt my holy power being helplessly drawn into the formation.

I closed my eyes tightly.

‘Help me, my deity! I don’t want this!’

But before the deity could respond to me…

<The curse has been established.>

At that moment, blood flowed from my lips. It was the side effect of using divine power against the deity’s will.

The deity who had been with me since the moment I was born had been speaking to me incessantly.

[‘The Dragon Trampler’ stomps his feet in frustration.]

[…..]

[‘The Dragon Trampler’ lets out a long sigh.]

The deity’s messages stopped. Was even the deity abandoning me? Just as I smiled weakly, an unfamiliar message appeared.

[A quest has arrived.]

‘Quest?’

It was a word I had never seen before in my life.

I stared at the window with blank eyes. It looked exactly like the message window the deity usually sent, but the formal tone was different from the deity’s usual manner.

[Quest – Become My Servant.

Please take care of a helpless creature that cannot do anything without your help.

Success – Curse lifted

Failure – Death due to curse rebound]