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Chapter 236: To Federica’s Sanctuary (3).

Liltara chewed on the jerky absentmindedly, her pace unnaturally fast as if she couldn\'t control it. Ketal watched with amusement.

"Cough! Cough!"

Liltara suddenly started coughing as if the food had gotten stuck in her throat, pounding her chest.

"Here, drink this."

Ketal handed her a cup.

Liltara fumbled to grab it and took a drink.

Her eyes widened in surprise.

The water Ketal gave her wasn\'t just ordinary water.

It was a sweet beverage, infused with fresh fruit juice.

The taste and aroma of the fruit, which she\'d never experienced before, made her dizzy. Even though her throat was clear, she continued to drink eagerly.

Unconsciously, she emptied the cup.

"Aah..."

Liltara let out a soft moan, her expression dazed, almost as if she was on drugs.

They said the addictive nature of sugar was stronger than that of drugs, so the comparison might be apt.

She kept reaching for more jerky, stuffing it into her mouth and suppressing the moans that tried to escape.

But gradually, her hand movements slowed and eventually stopped.

"Are you full?"

"...Yes."

"How do you feel?"

"...I feel full."

"Of course you do."

Ketal chuckled at such an obvious statement.

She had never felt such a sensation before.

"My body feels heavy. And... the suffering is gone."

The constant suffering that had always accompanied her was gone.

Ketal nodded knowingly.

"It was probably the feeling of hunger. It\'s an unpleasant sensation."

"Hunger..."

Liltara murmured absently.

She had lived her entire life with hunger, believing it to be normal.

For the first time, she realized it wasn’t.

‘...Ah, oh no!’

She snapped out of her daze.

‘No, Lady Federica! I haven’t succumbed to temptation!’

She tried to justify herself internally.

She hadn’t indulged mindlessly in the taste.

She was merely trying to keep Ketal from fleeing, doing what was necessary.

But.

But she had definitely let out a moan of pleasure from the taste.

A deep sense of self-loathing enveloped her.

After the meal, they continued on their journey.

A holy knight cautiously approached her and asked,

“Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.”

Liltara bit her lip.

She must not fall into temptation.

The taste had been incredibly alluring and still lingered in her memory, but it was a sensation she didn’t need.

She resolutely steadied her mind.

How long had they been walking?

At some point, Liltara realized something.

‘...My stomach.’

Her stomach was starting to feel empty again.

The ever-present feeling of hunger began to return.

Liltara frowned.

It was only then that she realized how unpleasant hunger really was.

“It’s about time.”

As evening approached, Ketal began preparing a meal.

He took out his cooking tools and ingredients.

“Looks like it’s not just jerky this time.”

“It’s a simple dish.”

Ketal moved his hands skillfully.

A fire was kindled, and the pot heated up.

Liltara watched the scene in a daze.

Numerous ingredients transformed into various forms under the tools.

It was like watching a grand play.

She had never seen cooking before.

Before long, Ketal had made a simple pasta dish.

“I thought something too flavorful might be overwhelming, so I’m starting with a simple dish. It’s pasta. I’m guessing you’ve never had it before.”

“...No.”

It was an oil-based pasta.

The pasta, coated in oil, glistened like jewels.

Ketal offered it to her.

“Go ahead, eat.”

Liltara closed her eyes tightly.

That night, too, she was thoroughly satisfied.

* * *

After dinner, it was about time to sleep.

Liltara and the holy knights began preparing for bed.

But Ketal stopped her.

“What are you doing trying to sleep? You need to wash first.”

Liltara was quite dirty.

She even smelled foul.

If it had been hot, insects would surely have been swarming around her.

“Have you ever bathed?”

“I-I’ve kept myself clean in a simple way.”

At most, she had wiped her body with a cloth.

She had never bathed properly.

Ketal nodded understandingly.

“Then it’s best to clean up properly.”

“But there’s no river nearby. It’s impossible to find enough water to bathe.”

"That doesn\'t matter. Come forth."

Ketal summoned Piego.

With a burst of blazing flames, the spirit appeared.

Liltara\'s eyes widened.

"...A highest-ranking spirit!"

She stared at Piego in astonishment. Piego asked,

[What is it?]

"Can you cleanse this woman of her filth?"

[...So that\'s why you called me. Yes, I can do that.]

"Then please."

With those words, the flames enveloped Liltara.

She instinctively flinched, but soon her eyes widened in surprise.

The flames that wrapped around her body began to remove the dirt clinging to her clothes and skin.

[It is done.]

"Oh, excellent. Thank you. You may return now."

With a short sigh, Piego disappeared.

Liltara stared blankly at her arms.

They were the color of flesh.

"This is..."

"Your skin is dry and your nails are cracked—likely from malnutrition. You need to eat well."

The constant unpleasant sensation that had always dominated her entire body was gone.

It was only then that she realized it wasn\'t a natural human sensation, but one caused by filth.

But Ketal didn\'t stop there.

"Now, a bed. You should sleep here."

He even carried a small bed in his magic pouch, just in case.

The bed, which seemed out of place in this setting, appeared right in front of her.

"Yes..."

She cautiously lay down on the bed.

In that moment, she felt as though she was floating in the air.

She had always slept on hard ground.

There was no pillow, and her blanket had been nothing more than a thin mat of straw.

This was the first time she had ever slept in a proper bed.

"Aah..."

She moaned softly.

It was so comfortable that it was almost uncomfortable.

But her body was honest.

She quickly fell into a deep sleep.

And the next morning.

She opened her eyes.

Seeing the sun already risen, she rose in a daze and groaned.

"...How long did I sleep?"

"Seven hours. You slept soundly."

Until now, she had woken up every two hours.

Because to her, the sensation of a deep sleep was a sin.

And with such an uncomfortable bed, it had been impossible to sleep well.

For the first time, she realized what it meant to sleep deeply.

The exhaustion that had always weighed down her entire body was gone.

She began to realize, one by one, that the things she had taken for granted were not normal.

After that, Ketal continued to introduce her to various sensations.

The aromas and flavors of the food grew even stronger.

It wasn\'t just the food.

A clean body and clothes.

A soft bed.

And a variety of fun games and countless stories of the world.

As time passed, Liltara began to feel a strange sensation.

‘What kind of world was mine?’

Liltara began to question her life.

She knew so little.

She knew so few sensations.

And yet, she believed she was craving hunger.

‘...Have I been misunderstanding the will of God all this time?’

No.

That couldn\'t be.

Absolutely not.

She had grown up in the sanctuary and still lived there.

Not only she, but all the devotees of Federica lived the same life as her.

She had lived the same life as all of Federica’s devotees.

If that were the case, then it would mean that all of them had been misunderstanding the will of God.

That must never be the case.

But this...

This...

Lost in thought, she reached into the pouch she was holding.

She pulled out a piece of jerky.

It was the same jerky she had been eating.

The staple food she consumed in the sanctuary.

She carefully put the jerky into her mouth.

"Ugh."

And then she gagged.

It tasted awful.

It wasn’t just bad; it was revolting.

The rancid smell filled her nostrils.

She managed to swallow it, but she never wanted to eat it again.

She drank water, trying to wash away the taste.

"Ugh."

But instead of cleansing her palate, the taste became even more revolting.

The long-stored water had taken on a foul, leathery smell.

Was she supposed to eat this, and only this, for the rest of her life?

She shuddered at the thought.

And then, she was horrified by that realization.

"A-ah..."

The more Ketal exposed her to new things, the more her beliefs and values crumbled.

She couldn’t bear it anymore.

‘I\'ve had enough.’

She wanted to refuse.

She didn\'t want to know any more about joy or happiness.

But if she did, Ketal would leave.

She had no choice but to succumb to Ketal\'s temptation.

"Ah..."

She was in great pain.

She clutched her head.

The pleasant scent that wafted through the air comforted her slightly.

\'What is that smell?\'

After a brief moment of thought, Liltara realized.

It was the scent of the perfume Ketal had given her.

She let out a small, involuntary chuckle.

During that time, Ketal enjoyed himself and pondered happily.

\'What should I teach her next?\'

He was having a lot of fun.

It was inevitable.

Teaching a child, who knew nothing, about the wonders and greatness of the world—it was impossible not to enjoy it.

She didn\'t know about games.

She didn\'t know about taste.

She didn\'t know about fragrance.

She didn\'t even know what it meant to be clean.

Because all of that is temptation.

He offered sweet fruit to someone who only ever ate dry bread and soup.

So what would happen to a believer?

Could they maintain their faith?

Ketal laughed with pleasure.

* * *

"Are you enjoying yourself?"

"What are you talking about all of a sudden?"

Ketal took a step forward, advancing on the marked ground, claiming more territory.

They were playing a game of hopscotch.

Liltara spoke coldly.

"I\'m asking if you enjoy mocking a believer, tempting them."

"I find it somewhat enjoyable. Watching a child, who knew nothing, gradually realize so many things."

"...It\'s temptation. You are a trial sent to corrupt me."

"That may be true."

Ketal asked with a playful tone.

"So, of all the things I\'ve shown you, did you know any of them?"

"......"

Not a single one.

She knew nothing.

She had grown up in a holy place since childhood and had learned everything there.

"This is the world, Liltara. You weren\'t truly following the values of Federica. You simply believed in them because you knew nothing else."

"...Nonsense. Stop trying to tempt me."

Liltara gritted her teeth.

"I am a follower of Lady Federica. I am one who upholds her values. No matter how much you try to confuse me, that fact will not change."

Liltara took a step forward.

She began to claim the ground, one spot at a time.

"I am grateful for what you\'ve taught me. Because it will only strengthen my faith in her even more."

"Is that so."

Despite realizing so much, she still maintained her faith.

Her belief was indeed remarkable.

"It seems I\'ve won."

"Ah..."

Ketal had won the game of hopscotch.

Liltara\'s eyes wavered.

She stood there, frozen.

Ketal, understanding, asked,

"Would you like to play another round?"

"If you propose it, I cannot refuse. I accept."

She answered quickly.

Her actions made it clear that she was only agreeing because Ketal suggested it, not because she wanted to.

Ketal smiled and drew the lines on the ground again.