I’m a Former Saint Exiled to the Forest, but for some reason, the Cold-hearted Magician keeps visiting me. - Chapter 7.1

When Evelyne woke up, she found herself lying on her bed. She sat up abruptly and scanned the room, but there was no sign of the violet robe or the straight black hair she had come to recognize so well.

Her briefly rising hope deflated almost instantly.

“…How foolish of me,” she muttered.

The sensation of his lips lingered annoyingly on hers. It had to have been a “rational” tactic to distract her, she thought bitterly. Frustration bubbled up as she rubbed her lips harshly with the back of her hand and stood up.

She had no intention of staying in this house any longer.

As she prepared to leave, Evelyne opened the front door—and froze in place.

There, unchanged from last night, stood Serge.
Evelyne gawked at him, unable to process what she was seeing. Serge gave her a thorough once-over before speaking.

“Good morning. I used a sleeping spell and a few other incantations. Have you noticed any changes in your condition?”

“W-What are you doing here!?” Evelyne exclaimed.
“I assumed you would attempt to flee if I returned home. However, as it is inappropriate for an unmarried man to stay in the home of an unmarried woman, I waited outside.”

“Wait, are you telling me you stayed out here all night—after everything that happened!?”

Evelyne’s voice rose in disbelief, but Serge’s composed demeanor remained unshaken.

“I will take your reaction to mean there are no adverse effects. Eve, we don’t have much time. Come with me.”

“Where to? I’m not—ahh!”

Before Evelyne could protest further, Serge swept her into his arms. Suddenly, her body lifted into the air as he carried her effortlessly.

Looking down, she realized they were riding his staff through the sky. The sensation of floating was so unfamiliar and unnerving that Evelyne instinctively clung to Serge.

This was unlike the Serge she knew—the stoic, methodical man who always preferred rationality. Since meeting him in the Forest of Corruption, she had discovered sides of him she never thought existed.

Her disorientation faded as she noticed a group at the edge of the forest.

The group’s ornate attire stood out starkly in the desolate surroundings. Among the knights and soldiers clad in polished armor, there were magicians as well. At the center of the group, a flag bearing the symbol of a saint fluttered in the wind, signaling the presence of one.

Evelyne caught her breath as Serge cast another spell. A magical circle appeared, projecting an image of the group.

The display revealed Leticia Ange, the grand priest of the church, and the prince of the kingdom himself.

Evelyne was stunned by the unexpected gathering of such high-ranking figures. As she tried to make sense of the situation, the voices of the grand priest and the prince echoed through the magical display.

“Your Highness, I must admit I am honored by your interest in witnessing Saint Leticia’s divine powers firsthand. But why, of all places, the Forest of Corruption?” the grand priest asked.
“I heard something intriguing from Serge. I wanted to see it with my own eyes,” the prince replied.

“And what might that be?”

“It’s said that while magic varies from person to person and can be measured, the holy powers of saints are indistinguishable. I wanted to know if that’s true.”

“Indeed, that is a curious notion!” the grand priest chuckled. “But, Your Highness, the divine powers of saints and holy men are gifts from God. Even we cannot discern who performed a miracle. To question such truths is, dare I say, quite eccentric.”

The prince nodded thoughtfully, a faint smile on his lips.

“Yes, that has been the belief throughout history. However, my friend Serge insists there is a way to tell them apart. In fact, he entrusted me with this.”

The prince gestured to a servant, who brought forth a beautiful crystal mounted on an ornate pedestal.

“This is a purified magical crystal,” the prince explained. “It reacts to the holy powers used nearby, changing color depending on the individual. I’ve seen it myself. The change is subtle, but distinct.”

“That’s completely incorrect,” Serge declared, still holding Evelyne in his arms.

Evelyne turned to look at him, startled, as he continued to speak calmly.

“I can always identify the remains purified by you, Evelyne. The magical crystals collected from those sites are different—calmer, more refined, and significantly easier to process. Your powers have a distinct signature.”

“Impossible…”

The grand priest’s face paled on the magical display. It was clear he had never imagined such a device could exist. If proven true, it could expose the church’s years of fabricating the accomplishments of its saints.

The prince, however, showed no sign of addressing the potential scandal. Instead, he spoke cheerfully.

“Well, testing this is merely a side objective. The truth is, I’ve never had the privilege of witnessing the famed Saint Leticia in action, despite her reputation as a once-in-a-millennium prodigy. I thought this would be a good chance to resolve my long-standing doubts and show my gratitude to the grand priest for accommodating my curiosity.”

“The church serves only at the will of God, Your Highness,” the grand priest replied diplomatically. “However, even Saint Leticia cannot purify the entirety of the Forest of Corruption… especially since this area was once under Saint Evelyne’s jurisdiction…”

“No,” came a sharp voice.

It was Leticia, who had stood motionless like a doll until now, who interrupted the bishop and the prince’s conversation.

Her serene, almost detached gaze remained steady as she spoke in the measured, elegant tone befitting a saint.

“As a saint, I have been called to duty. Leaving the Forest of Corruption unattended is a disgrace to the church. I shall fulfill my responsibilities to the best of my abilities.”