Seiden’s guess had matched up incredibly well. Finally, he had found a way to save Bellota. Moreover, the fact that Viscount Cadlack had made a replica because he couldn’t even trust his daughter was truly an unexpected victory.

In the end, it was Viscount Cadlack’s devotion and wariness of humans that had saved them. Everything fit together as if perfectly arranged, so all that remained was to expose Geril’s true face. For that, the most important thing for them was to delay Bellota’s curse during the banquet. And Seiden knew how to do that.

“We used herbs that lower holy power. With that, we could fool them for the first full moon, but due to side effects, the temporarily suppressed holy power amplified and instead threatened the Saintess, so we couldn’t use it twice. If we used that method again and something happened to the Saintess, it would be irreversible.”

During the first full moon, the priests had used the clever method of lowering Bellota’s holy power. However, that method was dangerous and was immediately discontinued, though it had been effective nonetheless.

But now no herbs could suppress Bellota’s frighteningly increasing holy power. Moreover, as Felton said, the risk from side effects was too great to rashly try again. However, there was one more method to temporarily lower holy power—transferring it to a living human.

Of course, that was far more difficult and complicated than suppressing Bellota’s holy power with medicine. Holy power was such a vast and enormous force that if the vessel wasn’t sufficient, it would likely break. So finding someone who could receive and endure a saintess like Bellota’s holy power for any length of time was nearly impossible.

Therefore, while the priests had given up on this method early on, surprisingly, someone who could receive and endure her holy power existed within the Grand Temple. Naturally, it was Seiden.

“But even the Commander won’t be able to endure it for long. The magical power already within the Commander is too great and will clash with the Saintess’s. If that happens, I cannot guarantee what dangers might arise.”

On the day of the banquet, learning of this plan just an hour before, Felton said this with a pale face.

“I will endure it.”

That was the end of Seiden’s answer. As it was almost time for the banquet to begin, Felton realized there was no other choice. In the end, just before the banquet began, Felton had no choice but to participate in the plan to transfer Bellota’s holy power to Seiden.

Of course, even the great Seiden couldn’t artificially contain and endure the saintess’s tremendous holy power for long, so he could only last a few hours. This was also why Seiden didn’t show himself at the banquet. Someone might have noticed him enduring such enormous power.

From when the moon rose and the curse’s energy began manifesting until midnight—just a few hours. If they didn’t return Bellota’s holy power to its place within an hour after midnight, both Bellota and Seiden could be in danger—it was a risky method.

There were largely two ways to transfer holy power to a living person. The first was performing a complex ritual at the right time and place, and the second was transfer through physical contact. With little time remaining to them, Seiden naturally chose the second method. Of course, he would have made the same choice even if they had time.

However, to use the second method, they needed a priest with high holy power to connect the two people’s breaths, so Felton was necessary. After completing all preparations, Bellota kissed Seiden.

One more thing was needed to transfer holy power—firm trust in each other. Her holy power flowed into Seiden riding on that trust.

Bellota’s holy power was truly tremendous. It was unbelievable that this fragile body was bearing it all. When the holy power that entered through his throat collided with the demonic energy lurking within Seiden, fierce flames rose throughout his body. Seiden endured these while receiving half of Bellota’s holy power.

However, Bellota’s holy power had now grown much higher than when the curse first manifested, reaching the point where even moving half to Seiden couldn’t prevent the curse from starting.

“Hnng……”

Seiden held Bellota’s small face and kissed her deeply, transferring all of Bellota’s remaining power within him. Finally, when all the holy power contained within him returned to its owner, the curse manifested frighteningly. Now a familiar lust pressed down on Bellota’s entire body.

“Ah……!”

As Bellota groaned painfully, Seiden’s hands became urgent. He lifted her thin skirts with his large hands and raised her slender legs.

“Now, it’s all over.”

Seiden, who whispered tenderly by her heated ear, took out the prepared oil bottle and skillfully opened the cap, pouring its contents liberally over his c*ck without sparing any, rubbing it in. Then with his large hands now slick with oil, he firmly gripped Bellota’s hips as she twisted helplessly. As Seiden slowly pushed in his thick head, her thin body trembled, unable to handle it as always.

The oil quickly took effect, licking and rubbing the walls that tried to contract, making them spread. His thick c*ck made a thorough insertion to the root with that help. However, unlike last time, no protrusions appeared. As those tremendous stimulations clearly made the curse rage more violently, Seiden had demanded Yevar restrict that function.

“Ah, hic……”

But even without things like protrusions, the taut c*ck was sufficiently stimulating. Bellota gripped Seiden’s shoulders firmly, holding him close as she embraced all of him.

“You did well.”

Seiden encouraged her while kissing her lovely cheek.

“Hnng……”

“Don’t worry. I’m by your side.”

Though his voice, sweet enough to melt, comforted Bellota, the sorrow filling her inside didn’t dim at all. Tears fell drop by drop from Bellota’s eyes as she was once again conquered by the curse she could never escape.

“Hic, I don’t…… want this……, no more……”

Bellota shook her head and sobbed. It felt like something she had barely been standing on was collapsing miserably, pulling her into a distant abyss. Struggling not to be pulled down was useless. Soon her feeble resistance would end, and she would be dragged into the hell spread beneath her feet.

Everything surrounding her was overwhelming. Though she pretended to be fine, there was no way she could be. The gazes that turned to despise her in an instant. The countless rumors and malicious criticisms that sharply pierced her back.

Bellota had finally realized it. What situation she would face if this curse was revealed. How people would look at her, how they would point fingers, how they would pull her down.

Though she had shaken off Geril, nothing was resolved. No, rather, he had succeeded in leaving deep scars on her. This horrible curse still bound her, and someone was trying to use this curse to pull her down. She still hadn’t found a way to escape that terrible threat.

“Every time, like this…… hic……”

Seiden’s strong arms embraced Bellota, who had lost her reason in extreme anxiety.

“It’s alright. It’s all over.”

“Hic, mm……!”

Seiden gently cradled that small head and kissed her tear-stained eyes and cheeks, soothing her.

“Look at me.”

When Seiden caressed Bellota’s face as she breathed heavily and made her meet his eyes, her blue eyes, swollen with tears, looked at him with difficulty.

“My body is, more, defiled…… Swallowed by…… the curse……”

Terrible words leaked through Bellota’s lips as she completely broke down.

The criticisms that had flown at her back over the past few days had completely destroyed Bellota’s precariously enduring composure. She cursed her curse. She resented her body that had been conquered by the curse without even managing one proper resistance. Bellota clearly felt the energy climbing up her ankles from the moment she left the banquet hall, no, even before that.

If the curse had manifested in front of everyone…… They would all denounce and condemn her as a filthy woman and throw stones.

If Geril really discovered the true nature of her curse…… Whenever she thought of that, the anxiety she had barely contained would rise to her chin and choke her breath. Next time she wouldn’t be able to avoid it like this.

Bellota had dreamed several times of being stripped n*ked in front of everyone and showing her form conquered by the curse. She had seen people pointing fingers at her and denouncing her as a filthy woman repeated several times.

“This is absolutely not a filthy thing.”

Seiden immediately denied her words and gently cupped Bellota’s face.

“Think of it as healing. That you’re receiving healing.”

Bellota’s wet eyes looked at eyes that were unbelievably tender.

“Do you know what emotions I feel when I receive healing from you, Saintess?”

Seiden asked softly while kissing Bellota’s ear and cheek.

“Hmm? Shall I tell you?”

At that gentle urging, Bellota looked at him while sobbing.

“I feel happiness.”

As that sweet voice leaked into her reddened ear, Bellota’s vision grew dizzy.

“I feel complete.”

The tender whispers that could melt all the anxiety constricting her heart didn’t stop.

“To the point where I need nothing else.”

Each time Seiden’s whispers penetrated her eardrums, his body that firmly supported her also moved ceaselessly, digging deeper inside.

“And when I hold you like this……”