The moment Olivia confirmed Greg's identity, the scales in Veronica's heart tipped.
Although she maintained her calm, unruffled expression, she began to reevaluate the young man before her.
If even Olivia, a Great Archmage standing at the pinnacle of the world, was willing to testify for him—even staking her own reputation to guarantee it—then the matter was settled.
Everything they said was true.
Veronica fell silent for a moment before raising her final doubt:
“Since you have long known that Lord Greg is the reincarnation of Lady Zeyn Hardy, why didn't you inform the Church of Light sooner? Had we known in advance, we would have welcomed you back with the highest honors and ceremony, Lord Zeyn.”
“Uh, well, that's because...”
Olivia was tongue-tied.
She had only just “learned” that Greg was Zeyn Hardy's reincarnation herself, so she hadn't had any time to think about this question.
She couldn't exactly say, “I only found out five minutes ago myself,” could she?
Fortunately, Greg stepped in just in time.
“I asked Olivia to help me keep it a secret.”
Veronica's gaze fell back on him.
Greg continued, “I once fought countless battles for Lady Serafina, yet I never sought fame or fortune, and my reputation remained spotless.”
He paused slightly, a trace of struggle appearing in his eyes:
“But now, I carry a shackle that even I find hard to accept. Therefore, I hope you can give me a little more time. When the time is right, I will personally show you the reason why I didn't return to the Church immediately.”
Greg's decision to leave things vague and create suspense was deliberate and deeply calculated.
He needed to lay the groundwork so that he could naturally have Veronica lift his curse later on.
The curse on him was triggered because, as the other half of the Goddess of Night, he had given mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to Silvia, a Candidate Saintess of the Goddess of Light, which counted as kissing her.
If he were to suddenly whip out his glowing Excalibur without warning, Veronica would most likely execute him on the spot.
Since he had gained her trust, all he needed to do now was find opportunities to build her favorability. With the right opportunity, he would eventually achieve his goal of getting close to Veronica.
Watching Greg spin this lie without batting an eye, Olivia couldn't help but feel a touch of admiration.
‘This kid's brain always works at warp speed in life-or-death situations. It seems he isn't actually trying to commit suicide after all.’
Veronica accepted Greg's explanation.
She didn't press any further. Her faith in the Goddess of Light was absolute. In her mind, although Greg was currently just a student, his soul was that of a Heroic Spirit who had once fought for Lady Serafina in ancient times, and he deserved the utmost respect.
She nodded slightly. “I understand. I trust your judgment, Lord Zeyn.”
Greg shook his head. “Strictly speaking, I am no longer who I used to be. In this life, I am Greg Sass. So, please, Saintess, you may just call me Greg.”
Veronica readily complied. “I understand, Lord Greg.”
She looked at him with a trace of complexity in her eyes and continued:
“While I am overjoyed by your return, Lord Greg, I must share a regretful piece of news with you. The Goddess of Light, Lady Serafina, has not descended to this world in hundreds of years. Thus, you may not be able to see Her Grace for the time being.”
Having played the original game, Greg was well aware of this.
In fact, it was precisely because he knew this that he dared to claim to be a reincarnated Heroic Spirit.
Since Serafina hadn't descended in centuries, there was no one who could confront him and expose his lie.
Still, he put on a look of disappointment, as if he had only just learned the news. He lowered his head, remaining silent for a moment, before speaking in a tone tinged with soft regret:
“Is that so... It seems many things have indeed transpired while my soul was asleep.”
Seeing his downcast expression, Veronica changed the subject.
“Then, Lord Greg, what do you plan to do next?”
Greg raised his head, his gaze turning firm and bright once more:
“As I said before, the reason I returned at this time is because I sensed that this world is once again falling into crisis. Therefore, what I must do next is naturally what I did before—protect this world that Lady Serafina once guarded, from the shadows.”
He paused, looking at Veronica with earnest eyes:
“Furthermore, I hope you will keep this a secret for now, Lady Saintess. To save this world, someone must walk in the shadows.”
Veronica was slightly stunned.
She had thought Greg would use this opportunity to demand status and resources from the Church. After all, if his identity as a reincarnated Heroic Spirit were made public, it would undoubtedly earn him an incredibly high position.
Yet, she had not expected him to still plan on walking the path of shadows alone, just as he did in his past life, seeking neither fame nor reward.
A deep sense of respect rose in her heart. As expected of a Heroic Spirit, he truly possessed a soul and aspiration as noble as a Holy Spirit.
She nodded solemnly. “I understand. I will keep your secret.”
She then took a step forward, clasped Greg's right hand with both of hers, and gently pressed it against her ample chest. Lowering her head slightly, she offered a blessing in a devout and solemn tone:
“May the Goddess of Light watch over you.”
Greg: “!?”
The soft touch and warm body heat transmitting through his palm caused his brain to short-circuit for a fraction of a second.
Although Greg knew that some of the Church of Light's blessing rituals involved physical contact, did they really not know the concept of boundaries between men and women?
Nightmare's voice rang out in his mind right on cue, dripping with mockery:
“Hah, she really is a bitch. No matter how many generations of Saintesses they go through, their nature never changes.”
Standing on the side and witnessing the entire scene, Olivia's lips twitched as she grumbled inwardly: Do you two have no manners? Flirting right in front of me? A whole living person is still standing right here!
Only when Veronica noticed the unusual expression on Greg's face did she suddenly realize what she had done.
Instantly, a deep blush rushed to her cheeks, spreading all the way to her ears.
Rate on N.U.
