After my rebirth, Miss Saint turned evil

Frankly speaking, in order not to be looked down upon, both Mattia and An even thought about taking up guns and swords to raze the city of Philos, and the possibility of taking such an option was very high.

However, it would be a shame to lose Filos, who is at the forefront, in the future confrontation with the Cathedral.

It is easy to burn down a city, but rebuilding it is harder than growing a sapling into a tree.

In this case, in order to prevent the same thing from happening again, it is necessary to turn Philos into a complete puppet city.

Not only did they want to take away Philos Tret, but they also wanted to forcibly transform the city of Philos.

Among those techniques, sometimes part of the city is chosen to be dyed bloody. At least this is not something that can be explained in one sentence.

There was a hint of fatigue in the corners of An's eyes, but her little lips moved up and down, trying not to show any expression.

"In short, the question at hand is how to overcome the era of dead snow."

Chapter 5 The journey decorated with dead snow

——How to overcome the dead snow era.

Looking at Lalge Ann who said this with his lips raised, Murphy put his idle fingers near his chin and narrowed his eyes.

In the Age of Dead Snow, the world will be brutally rewritten in white, and the land will be handed over from humans to monsters.

In this era when the world itself has become demonic, there are very few means that small humans can take. It can even be said that they can do nothing. They can only store food and necessities and shrink in the city.

After all, the monsters that usually don't go deep into the human living circle will show up unscrupulously on the streets and around the city at this time. Even children know what will happen if they go out rashly in such a situation.

Of course, there are exceptions.

For example, greedy merchants travel between cities despite knowing the dangers, selling goods at prices several times higher than usual. Adventurers can also get guard jobs and money from these merchants.

Moreover, since the citizens cannot leave the city, if something happens, they can only pay high commissions to the adventurers. If the dead snow continues, this situation will definitely occur.

Some adventurers might consider the Dead Snow Age, when work and wealth increased, to be the best of times. However, these are exceptions.

Usually at this time of year, no one was willing to leave the city, and the king and lords were reluctant to send troops.

In the snow, if a group of humans tried to forcibly leave footprints, it would be tantamount to a brutal invasion of the monsters' territory.

They will surely roar and pierce the fragile human body with their fangs, decorating the snowy field with blood.

Even humans would not make a fuss if they saw one or two magical beasts, but when faced with groups of magical beasts appearing on the road, even mobilizing the army to eliminate them would be of no avail.

What Ann said in the tent must have been based on this premise. Thinking of this, Murphy listened quietly to Ann's words.

"The time that Dead Snow can gain is our ally. Now we must buy time at all costs. Prepare and resupply supplies with Crossmaria and Gasalia as the main bases—"

An spoke in a calm tone about topics such as exchanging communication methods, predicting the timing of the melting of the dead snow, and maintaining the army.

Sometimes Filia and Eltis would raise questions about this, but neither of them had any objections, so An continued the conversation.

This is understandable. After all, in the Dead Snow Age, both humans and elves have few choices.

In a sense, there is no way around it, because no matter who thinks about it, they can only come to the same conclusion within this big framework.

However, only Murphy felt a vague uneasiness in his chest when he heard what Ann said. There was indeed something heavy lingering in his heart.

After the Battle of Shanio, he understood one thing: the disparity in size between the Church of Heraldry and the Grand Cathedral, as well as the soldiers' training level, the amount of supplies, the number of horses, etc., which would be endless if they were to be listed.

In recent times, he has been thinking about how to fill this gap during the dead snow season.

However, let’s be honest, these gaps are not that easy to fill no matter how you think about it.

Rather, even if I try my best to make up for this gap, I don’t know how much meaning it will have.

Of course, I have already understood these principles in my mind and should have accepted them in my heart. This is how it should be. However, once I confirm it with my own eyes, the reality of the gap will still make me feel a lot of pressure.

During the dead snow, is it really enough to just lock the soldiers in the city and coordinate the supplies?

With such doubts, a neurotic idea even emerged in Murphy's mind: Shouldn't I be prepared to be stupid and send troops at this opportunity?

In any case, those guys in the Cathedral are giants who can easily trample on the Heraldry Cult, but here we have no weapons that can cut off their necks, nor any means to smash their heads.

No matter how he thought about it, the shadow of anxiety still lingered deep in his heart.

——After all, does a method that can destroy the high wall between the Heraldry Cult and the Cathedral really exist?

Accompanied by a sigh, these words quietly emerged in Murphy's mind, and a moment later, white mist danced in the air.

But he didn't want to say this out loud no matter what. After all, everyone present could understand and experience it firsthand. They were all very smart people.

As for Madia and Eltis, they should have already set their sights on the future after the end of the Dead Snow.

Despite this, no one present discussed whether or not they could defeat the Cathedral.

Everyone knows that if you don't succeed in this kind of thing, you will die.

As a result, there is neither a miracle magic that can reverse all disadvantages nor a perfect means to make everything go smoothly in this world.

Whether human or elf, one can only gain something by cutting one's own soul with a knife somewhere and reaching out one's hand forward.

The world is such a cruel thing. It is not gentle enough to lend a helping hand to everything.

But if possible, I really hope to be a little more extravagant and at least give this side one or two scripts full of warmth.

"Then there's the Saint of the Cathedral—or should we follow their example and call her a witch? It seems the witch Ella will continue her pilgrimage even during the Dead Snow. My men have reported that she did so in front of the people of the Kingdom of Leiden."

With these words, An closed his lips, as if he had said most of what he wanted to say. His big eyes looked around the tent tirelessly.

When An said that, everyone in the tent fell into their own thoughts, except for Filia, whose eyes fell on Murphy's face for some reason.

After hearing this familiar name, Murphy's index finger, which had been touching his chin, couldn't help but stop. His thoughts were frozen in an instant, and even his mouth began to drool unconsciously.

After Belphein's mission was completed, he asked An to find out some information about Ella, even if it was just a little bit.

After all, Ella is known as the Saint in the Cathedral, so there would be no harm in investigating.

But to be honest, Murphy certainly had this idea - if he could get some good information, he could catch Ella's hand somewhere.

But according to An, information like where Ella will pass on her final pilgrimage can only be known after she leaves.

And there is no regularity in her destination; it is said that divine revelation directs the journey.

Although this is usually what scammers say, it should not be underestimated in this case.

Unconsciously, a cold, blue anxiety enveloped Murphy's heart.

The person who had a demonic voice and looked like Ella that Belphein encountered was obviously unusual, or rather, the abnormality itself.

What exactly happened there remains unknown, but, since that was Ella's image, did something happen to Ella herself?

As Murphy thought about this, she felt an inexplicable heat hidden in her chest.

At this point, An continued.

"From the perspective of obtaining materials for negotiations with the Cathedral, capturing the witch would be ideal, if possible. However, her itinerary is—"

Noticing that Ann seemed to glance at her a little embarrassedly, Murphy blinked involuntarily.

Is she thinking of me because I asked her to investigate Ella's whereabouts? Is this really a sign of a strong sense of responsibility, or is it just a difficult personality?

After understanding this, Murphy nodded slightly to indicate that it was okay. After all, he did not tell Ann about his intentions.

So, Ann began placing stones on the map, first in Belphein, then in the west, and finally in the southeast.

Murphy stared at the large map, narrowing her eyes slightly.

Although the stones are placed in order, there is no apparent pattern in the destination, the size of the city, and the distance to each location. It even makes people think that the road has always been scattered.

But looking at these places, Murphy was not completely clueless.

This must be an idiotic idea...but, if it's really what I think.

Thinking of this, Murphy's chest couldn't help but palpitate slightly, and he immediately asked An, "Where did she go this time?"

"It seems to be here." An pointed his finger to the north of the Kingdom of Leiden.

Murphy pressed her finger to her lower lip and looked at the map again.

That’s right, what happened next was… Murphy couldn’t help but grit her teeth.

Was it anxiety, or anticipation? I felt something building up deep in my chest, and an uncanny feeling passed through my mind.

—I see. Is this a pilgrimage to give birth to a saint? I really didn't know that.

But, does no one know? Or am I the only one who doesn't know? At this point, it's impossible to figure it out.

Chapter 6: Giant's Bed Flimsrath

Her right hand twitched, her cheeks tensed, and Filia felt a dull pain in her joints. She used all her strength to tie her body, which was about to move, to the ground.

Looking at Murphy's profile as he stretched out his hand towards the big map, his silver eyes, occasionally mixed with dim light, gradually became wet.

His heart was beating wildly, and his sharp canine teeth bit his lips unconsciously.

There has to be a limit to how much annoyance and unbearable something is. If possible, I really want to look away immediately and stop looking at this scene.

But Filia failed to do this, and her sight was still only focused on Murphy.

Look, the warm expression on that guy's face, and even admiration in his eyes, are exactly the same as what appears in his own eyes when he looks in the mirror.

It was an expression of longing for something, of yearning for it, of wanting to reach out and touch it even if it meant giving up everything else.

This kind of feeling alone is not a bad thing. If this longing can be directed towards oneself, how satisfied and happy the heart will be. It cannot be described by such a cheap word as happiness.

But, but, the person who appeared before his eyes now was definitely not himself.

Filia knew this very well, and believed it to the point of disgust.

She knew very well that when Murphy's eyes scanned the map, what appeared in his mind was that unreachable childhood sweetheart.

——Witch Ella

When this word fell from Lalge An's mouth, the first person to react was Murphy.

Filia saw that her eyebrows, which were usually silent, suddenly jumped at that moment.

The other people here probably don't know the reason, no, they probably haven't even thought about it, but Murphy has a deep affection for that witch.

But I know, I knew it a long time ago.

Filia suppressed the pain that distorted her expression, shook her silver hair, bent her fingers one by one, and then clenched her fists tightly.

Knowing the unknown side of Murphy is something to be proud of, and even a strange excitement, but because of this, crazy thoughts run through this heart.

Time has passed since the first time he met that guy, and it is not a short time now. However, Murphy's heart has not turned around yet and is still heading towards Qingmei.

Even if he occasionally turned around on a whim, he would immediately turn the other way. What a selfish, willful and cruel guy.

If he doesn't even turn around and look at me, then I can probably fool myself.

"...There's no way to chase down a missing witch. If you're not prepared, it'll be a waste of time."

Filia couldn't help but interrupt the topic.

In order to prevent her voice from trembling, she pressed her lips hard, otherwise the voice would sound like that of a weak girl.

There was no way she could show herself in such an ugly way in front of Murphy.

An seemed to agree with this statement and nodded slightly. The topic of Witch Ella was just an additional supplement. She didn't even seem to care about what Filia said.

To be honest, Filia felt saved. She never wanted to see Murphy's face that was missing her childhood sweetheart again, and she didn't want to endure it anymore.

If possible, I would even like to scold him and ask him how long he is going to dwell on the past.

Filia's internal organs were trembling until they were almost numb, and her silver eyes caught Murphy who was still looking at the map.

Is Qingmei's face still lingering in my mind? Filia couldn't help but pull her lips.

What did that childhood sweetheart do for you? Wasn't it me who traveled with you and fought alongside you? I held your hand, wielded my sword, and knelt to swear to be your shield. Isn't that enough? What should I do?

I really want to hug Murphy tightly and say this to him. How relieved I would feel if I could do this without shame.

However, Filia's lips remained tightly closed without a word.

Ever since she thought of it in Gasalia, this scene has appeared in her mind over and over again, but she can't do such an action no matter what.

On the one hand, this is because Filia is born with an elegant temperament and it is impossible for her to do such an inappropriate thing. On the other hand, it is also because of another emotion lingering in her heart.

——If, if only, I said, "Please forget everything and look at me," and in the end, what if I was rejected.

When she thought of this, Filia felt as if her brain had frozen and turned cold. Her vision flickered, and something cold crawled up her spine.

The tent seemed to become suddenly uncomfortable. Filia crossed her arms and hugged herself tightly, and her fingertips were filled with fear without her knowing.

"Finally, Master Murphy, regarding the settlement during the Dead Snow—"

Ann said this in a slightly nervous tone, her gaze wandering as if she was lost.