Upon entering the room, she happily rolled around on the bed.
'Wait, then what should I do with the holy relic now?'
Unlike her initial plan, Rellia had intended to use the holy relic to treat Calyx's eyes.
She thought that was more important than breaking the curse magic.
But Calyx's eyes could be treated by making a cure from the final quest reward.
'Probably the ingredients for that cure are in the Special Shop, or there's another way to obtain them.'
In other words.
This meant there was no major problem with using the holy relic according to the original plan.
'I can break the curse magic!'
Rellia's mouth tickled, wanting to tell someone right this moment.
'…First, calm down.'
First, she quelled her excitement and rummaged through the storage cabinet inside her room.
It was to retrieve the original half of the holy relic she had kept since childhood. She had brought it along just in case.
Then she took out the holy relic she received from Root and placed them side by side on the table.
The two pieces were each halves, shaped to fit together perfectly when overlapped.
"……."
Her fingertips trembled from tension.
With shaking hands, Rellia slowly fitted the two holy relic pieces together.
At that moment, tremendous light poured forth from the holy relic. Rellia reflexively turned her head away.
Good thing she had drawn the curtains beforehand. If a passing guard had seen it, they might have thought she was casting forbidden magic.
As the light gradually faded, Rellia opened her eyes slightly and turned to look.
Above the holy relic placed on the table, a soft glow spread upward like lighting made of gathered moonlight.
And floating above it was an unidentified form.
That form felt like a mirage, like mist that would scatter if touched.
"……."
Rellia could remember what the form floating above the holy relic was.
It was a statue she had seen when living at the Kreuz Temple in the past.
That form was one of the seven angels who guarded the main god Herna, a half-cursed angel who had been cursed by a demon.
So one half of its wings were black demon wings, and the other half were white angel wings.
He was the strongest among the seven archangels but held the role of 'Punisher' who dealt heavy punishments to humans. Therefore, humans feared that form.
That angel appeared to be the guardian of the holy relic.
'So it really is the temple's holy relic….'
Rellia stared blankly at the form in detail.
Then soon, a low voice reached her ears.
"Human who has retrieved the holy relic. If you pay the price, I shall grant you one wish."
Though the tone was arrogant, it didn't feel that way at all.
It was a voice that made one feel devout even without believing in the Kreuz religion.
The sound seemed to come to her ear, or resonate in her head, or perhaps come from her chest—it was strange.
"However, you must pay a price commensurate with the wish. Also, you must endure the thoughts and memories of those who have possessed the holy relic until now, as they may become intermingled."
Rellia thought deeply about those words.
'I don't understand what that means.'
For now, the important thing was that the price for the wish was equivalent exchange.
She didn't know what price was needed, but… she should ask first.
"I want to… break the curse magic that was placed on me when I was young."
"To break magic entwined with death, a life is required as the price. Will you proceed?"
"Just a moment!"
Rellia blinked.
A life as the price? Then… does that mean I have to die?
What is this? It was absurd.
No, she sought the holy relic and made a wish because she didn't want to die even though she had to confess the truth to her friends!
Ask for my life? Is this a joke?
She was so dumbfounded she couldn't speak and only exhaled empty breaths.
"Will you proceed."
The angel's form urged her, not waiting even for that brief moment.
"Just a moment! Please wait. What do you mean, a life…."
A human life isn't some fly. At this rate, it would be better to use the 'Philosopher's Stone' rather than the holy relic.
Then it happened.
Suddenly, a selection window popped up before Rellia's eyes with a poof!
[Just a moment!∑(;°Д°) You're in dire need of Help Mode? ◔ᴗ◔ All transactions must be careful! Alchemie will become your exclusive broker right now! (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧₊˚]
※Brokerage fee: 800,000 Crystals
"Uh…."
She was so surprised she could only blink, then finally came to her senses.
She had heard Help Mode helps with daily life in general. She realized the truth of those words once again.
'But 800,000 Crystals.'
That meant 800 million Shillings… an enormous amount of money.
That was exactly the amount she had charged into the 'Alchemy Lottery' game. It was practically her entire fortune….
Rellia conflicted, only opening and closing her mouth.
'Still, money can be earned again, and if it's instead of my life, even a large sum isn't that much.'
And she had extra money left in the Superion Territory just in case.
Right. Rellia made up her mind firmly and pressed the 'Accept' button.
Immediately, the angel's form that had been floating above the holy relic disappeared.
Rellia paced around the room for a long time with an anxious heart.
When her anxiety had risen so high she felt an impulse to run outside like a crazy person, Help Mode appeared again.
[Tada!✧⁺⸜(･ ᗜ ･ )⸝⁺✧ Alchemie has completed the brokerage!]
"So? What about my wish? My life?"
[If you give the reward to Alchemie instead, you can safely achieve your wish without the price of 'life'!(*•̀ᴗ•́*)و ̑̑]
"Well done! Good kid!"
Rellia clapped her hands in joy. Indeed, she was glad she had wished for the 'Alchemy Lottery' before dying in her previous life.
She was so happy she wanted to kiss Alchemie if possible.
[ꉂꉂ◟(˃᷄ꇴ˂᷅๑)༡]
So what's the reward?
"Then what reward do I need to give you?"
[Required reward is 100 million Crystals.]
Wait… what?
100 million Crystals meant… 100 billion Shillings?
[◔3◔…]
100 billion….
100 billion?
Rellia was so absurd and dumbfounded she could only blink.
[When the required reward is prepared, please give it to Alchemie.ପ(๑•̀ᴗ•̀)* Then your wish will be granted immediately!]
"……."
Rellia slumped listlessly on the sofa.
Where could she get 100 billion? Not 10 billion, not 1 billion, but 100 billion Shillings….
Just moments ago she was so happy she felt like she could fly to the sky. Now her body felt heavy as a thousand pounds.
After a while.
'No, this isn't the time.'
There was no time to feel depressed. Rellia immediately thought about what to do.
First, to get that large sum of money, she had no choice but to do business properly again.
For that, she needed to return to the territory.
Anyway, she had obtained the holy relic and the ingredients for the medicine to treat her grandmother, so she needed to return.
'Griffith said he'll arrive soon….'
Oscar would also arrive by the originally promised date.
'Then when the kids come, I'll just see their faces and return to the territory.'
For Calyx, she would give him plenty of painkillers and sedatives for now, handle territory business, and go back to meet him again.
Then when she receives the final reward and Calyx's eyes are healed, she could raise money while working on the others' favorability….
"Ha…."
It was so distant and hopeless that a sigh escaped her.
But thinking about it another way, it was fortunate.
It would take time, but everything could be resolved.
Rellia steadied her wavering heart again and again. Though her heart felt like a candle flame shaking in the wind, her will remained firm.