How to survive in the Romance Fantasy Game - Chapter 615

Chapter 615: Ritual of Light 6

“W-Welcome, Senior—ah! A-and Princess—no wait, I mean President—n-no, I mean S-senior Princess President—hnn??”

Snow chuckled softly behind me, her voice calm and graceful as always. “Fufu, please, just call me Snow if you so wish, Saintess.”

“N-No, there’s no way I can do that!” Emilia stammered, her face turning red all the way to her ears.

“But I’m giving you special consent,” Snow said with that teasingly serene smile of hers. “So don’t think too much about it. In exchange, please allow me to call you Emilia casually.”

“E-Ehh… I… uh…” Emilia fidgeted on the spot, twisting her fingers together as she looked away. “I-I guess that’s fine…”

“Yes,” Snow said gently.

I couldn’t help but smile at the sight.

As planned, after our short morning date, Snow and I made our way straight to Killian Hall and headed for Emilia’s room.

Since both of them were already fairly acquainted, Emilia didn’t have to pretend or hide her identity anymore.

The moment we entered, a faint warmth brushed against my skin—a soft, divine pressure that hummed in the air.

White and golden light shimmered faintly beneath the runes carved across the floor, pulsing gently like the heartbeat of a sleeping god.

The entire room glowed with layers of sacred symbols, each rune carved and interwoven with delicate precision.

Even at a glance, I could tell how much divine energy she had poured into them.

“I guess you prepared quite a bit, Saintess…” I said, looking around.

Emilia puffed her cheeks slightly and looked away with a shy smile. “Hehe~ well… it did take me an all-nighter to get everything perfect, you know!”

Snow’s brow raised slightly. “An all-nighter?”

“Ah! B-But don’t worry!” Emilia quickly waved her hands, panicking. “I did get enough sleep after! Amon and Anna took over the rest before my curfew came, so everything’s fine!” she said proudly, placing her hands on her hips as if she’d just accomplished something divine.

Well, knowing Amon and Anna, it wasn’t surprising.

Being Emilia’s personal guards wasn’t exactly their only job.

They acted more like her maid and butler half the time—making sure she ate properly, slept when she was supposed to, and didn’t overwork herself to death with her saintly responsibilities.

Even if Emilia insisted on doing everything by herself, those two would never just let her be.

I could practically imagine them standing right outside her door all night, arguing about who’d get to take over when she finally passed out.

“By the way, Saintess…” I began, narrowing my eyes slightly as I looked at her. “Why are you wearing that cloak?”

The large white cloak she had on almost swallowed her entire figure. It was layered, embroidered with faint golden threads along the hem, but it hung awkwardly, as if she’d thrown it on in a hurry.

“Eh—ah—t-that!” she stammered, clearly startled by the question.

She fumbled with the edge of her sleeve, straightening her posture in an exaggeratedly formal way while avoiding my gaze.

“W-Well, this is a… necessary process for the ritual, so… yes! Don’t mind it for now!”

Her voice cracked halfway through her excuse, and Snow’s lips curved into an amused smile.

I tilted my head slightly. “Necessary process, huh?”

She nodded too quickly—almost suspiciously so.

…Did the ritual really need a cloak?

I wondered silently, watching her tug the hood a little tighter around her shoulders.

But after a brief moment, I decided to let it go.

“I see,” I said finally, shrugging.

If she says it’s important, then it probably is.

Emilia visibly relaxed, though her nervous smile didn’t fade. She clapped her hands together softly, as if to shift our attention. “A-Alright then! P-Please, come this way!”

She turned and hurried toward the center of the living hall, where the massive ritual circle was spread across the floor like a glowing tapestry.

Layers of intricate runes and sigils interwove with geometric precision, each faintly pulsing with divine light.

The air was thick with the scent of holy incense—soft, sweet, and strangely soothing.

Snow followed gracefully beside me, her curious eyes scanning the patterns on the ground.

“P-Please step inside!” Emilia called, waving us over enthusiastically. “It’s a bit messy right now, and it may look strange or suspicious, b-but I assure you it’s… um, rather comfy once you’re in!”

Snow giggled softly, covering her mouth with a hand. “Comfy, you say? That’s quite the description for a divine ritual.”

“W-Well! I wanted to make sure everyone felt relaxed!” Emilia protested, cheeks puffing slightly in embarrassment.

The two of us nodded, exchanging a knowing glance. Neither of us doubted her sincerity—or her skill. Despite her flustered demeanor, Emilia’s divine craft was among the best in the continent.

Standing at the center of the wide glowing circle, Snow and I quietly took in the sight around us.

The entire room was bathed in soft gold and white light, runes flickering faintly across the walls like living veins.

The air carried a light hum — the kind of vibration that prickled faintly against the skin, like a soft pulse of divinity.

Emilia paced gently around us, the hem of her cloak brushing against the floor as she inspected each rune with care.

Her steps were slow, deliberate, as though she was both focused and nervous at the same time.

“U-Uhm, Senior Riley…” she finally spoke, her voice breaking the stillness.

“Yes?” I replied, turning toward her.

Her eyes darted between me and Snow, then quickly down to her notes in hand. “About your request… the ritual of purification—it only involves Princess Snow, correct?”

“Well, in a sense, yes, is it a problem if I take part in it too?”

“N-No! Not at all!” she waved her hands frantically, her hood almost slipping back. “It’s just that—uhm—in order for me to perform your other request, the one about communing with the Goddess… it seems I’ll need to prepare a separate ritual for that.”

Her tone grew quieter near the end, almost embarrassed. “A-Although I hate to admit it, due to… certain recent events, my divine power has been a little… unstable. Low, even.”

I nodded, not really bothered. “I see. It’s fine, really. Take your time.”

Snow nodded too, her soft blue gaze landing on Emilia with a reassuring smile. She seemed to understand the situation without needing me to explain.

Honestly, it didn’t matter much to me whether the rituals were done together or separately — as long as I could speak to the Goddess, it was fine.

“D-Don’t worry, Senior,” Emilia said quickly, her energy returning as she straightened up. “It’s a sequential ritual, so right after Princess Snow’s purification, it’ll be your turn immediately!”

She smiled brightly, trying to sound confident. Then, turning toward Snow, her expression grew gentler, more formal.

“P-Princess,” she began carefully, “I know this may feel a bit… sensitive, especially for someone of the imperial royal family, but before we begin, I’ll need you to kneel down on both knees in front of me. It’s just a requirement for the proper transmission of the true blessing—”

Snow chuckled softly before Emilia could finish, lifting a hand to her lips. “Fufu, there’s no need to explain, Emilia.”

Her calm, mature voice filled the room, steady yet warm. “I may not look like it, but I’m quite familiar with the procedures of divine rituals such as this one. Don’t worry—whatever you’re about to do now won’t even reach the Emperor’s ear.”

Emilia blinked, clearly flustered by the princess’s easy understanding. “Ah—r-right, of course!” she stammered.

Snow’s smile deepened slightly as she gracefully knelt within the glowing circle, her silver hair catching the divine light like threads of moonlight.

The moment her knees touched the rune-carved floor, the markings beneath her feet shimmered brighter, reacting to her presence.

Watching her, I quietly stepped aside, giving them space.

Emilia stood silently in front of Snow, the faint trembling of her hands fading as she steadied her breath.

The air around her shimmered faintly, threads of divine energy coiling and pulsing along the lines of the glowing runes beneath her feet.

“Please… close your eyes, Princess,” she said softly.

Snow nodded, her expression calm, serene.

Her long lashes fluttered shut as she clasped her hands together in quiet prayer, her silver hair falling gently across her shoulders like flowing silk.

Emilia followed suit — fingers interlaced, her palms pressed together until a faint hum began to echo from between them.

Golden light gathered slowly at her fingertips, spreading out and swirling like gentle embers in a breeze.

Then she began to chant.

“Oh, dear Mother of Light,

guiding radiance that cleanses the weary,

pure flame that burns away the stains of sin—

hear now the prayer of your child.”

Her voice deepened, the warmth in it resonating across the room.

The divine light around her brightened, painting the walls in soft gold.

“Through your sacred name, I beseech you,

wash away the lingering shadows that cling to this soul.

Let the light of dawn cleanse her spirit,

let her heart be renewed,

let her path be clear once more beneath your blessing.”

The markings on the floor blazed, golden and white intertwining like living fire.

A low hum filled the air, and the divine pressure thickened, heavy yet strangely soothing.

Snow knelt in perfect stillness, her eyes closed as the radiant flames wrapped around her form.

The light seemed to pulse in rhythm with her heartbeat — each beat brighter, purer.

Even from where I stood, I could feel it — the warmth brushing against my skin, a faint resonance tugging at the divine power within me.

Emilia’s cloak fluttered behind her as her chanting grew stronger, her voice carrying both grace and strain:

“By the covenant of light eternal,

by the grace that binds heaven and earth—

purify, restore, and awaken!

Let no darkness remain before your gaze,

O holy mother who guards the dawn!”

In a final burst, a ring of pure golden energy surged outward, bathing the entire room in light.

[DIVINE RITUAL]

[PURIFICATION]

And then—silence.

The glow lingered softly around Snow like a halo, her breathing calm and peaceful.

All of that divine power — every ounce of it — had come directly from Emilia.