Banishment is Fine: As a Genius Saint, I Can Shine Anywhere. - Chapter 4

Lionel’s words were completely justified. However, Chuli shrugged her shoulders with a hopeless look.

“I believe… there’s a high possibility that my letters never reached their destination. I always entrusted them to townspeople or villagers, but many of them never returned. I even gave them travel money, so… I suspect they may have pocketed it and disappeared.”

“Ah… yeah, that’s very possible. Frustrating as it is. Our letter, on the other hand, was delivered by one of my knights, so it should have reached its destination without issue…”

Lionel let out a deep sigh. Meteora suddenly remembered today’s date.

“Come to think of it, the knight we sent with the latest letter hasn’t returned yet, has he?”

It had already been several days—she implied as much, and Lionel nodded.

“Even at full speed, it takes four days to reach the Central Temple one way. A round trip would take over a week. He should be back soon… but considering he had no way of knowing we’d still be here, it’s only natural that it takes some time for him to catch up with us.” Lionel said.

“That’s true,” Meteora agreed.

“Not only are the stakes failing, but there aren’t enough Saintesses either. When the Fifth Regional Temple collapsed, the stationed Saintesses and clergy must have fled to the Central Temple, right? Because of that, the Third and Fourth Temples are now overwhelmed with injured and sick people.”

Chuli let out a weary sigh.

“Before everything fell apart, I used to travel between villages and towns, healing people and placing protective charms, but I couldn’t keep up and at my age, my Saintess powers have weakened significantly. If only we had a younger Saintess in her twenties stationed here, even if she wasn’t as powerful as you, Lady Meteora…”

“It’s the same for knights. The best ones always get sent south.”

The nobles, the privileged class, and the wealthy are all flocked to the South. The warm climate played a role, but more importantly, there were fewer monsters, and the land was rich and fertile.

The capital—the so-called royal city—had clean water, while the South had abundant, fertile lands. The East and West had decent population, but the North, being so close to monster territory, had always been neglected first and foremost.

“Right now, there have been an increase in monster sightings even in the South. More knights are being dispatched there, and the Saintesses are overwhelmed treating their injuries. Back when I was at the Central Temple, we were flooded with patients and had no time for rest.”

Meteora spoke with a bitter expression. Chuli furrowed her brows.

“But monsters appearing in the South… that’s rare. There are fewer of them there to begin with, and they have far more stakes protecting the region than the North does. Monsters shouldn’t be able to get close so easily.”

At Chuli’s words, Meteora and Lionel exchanged glances.

“…You’re right. I assumed it was just incompetence among the knights stationed there, but now that you mention it, the South’s defenses should be much stronger thanks to the stakes.”

“If monsters are appearing in the South as well… does that mean their stakes have also been destroyed?”

“If they’re getting in, that must be the case. The stakes don’t just channel the power of the Divine Tree throughout the land—they also create a protective barrier against monsters. If that barrier has been broken…”

Meteora and Lionel fell silent at the same time, turning to look at Chuli. She, too, had a troubled expression as she considered the implications.

“The real mystery is why the stakes have been destroyed in such a way. Each one is filled with the bark of the Divine Tree. Monsters shouldn’t even be able to touch them, let alone break them.”

“Every single one of them was split clean in half, with the insides missing.”

“Exactly! That’s what bothered me as well. I can’t imagine monsters being capable of such precise destruction. What do you think, Lady Meteora?”

Meteora was confused, lost in thought.