CH 7: White Mana & Scolding

Later that evening, in the grand dining hall of the citadel, the atmosphere was far heavier than the delicate scent of roses wafting from the golden vases.

Grand Saintess Cateleya sat at the head of the table, her calm poise betraying nothing, except for the sharp glint in her eyes as she observed the two sitting before her.

Valerica was stiff in her seat, nervously shoveling food into her mouth and humming tunelessly, trying, and failing, to sound casual.

Across from her, Isla sat quietly, a faint frown on her face as she tried to eat. Her small hands, wrapped in fresh white bandages, trembled slightly as she held her spoon. Every movement was slow and deliberate, her irritation barely masked behind her calm, distant expression. She wore a long white robe that mirrored Lady Cateleya’s own attire, a simple yet regal garment that made her look like a miniature version of the Grand Saintess herself.

“Care to explain something to me, Valerica?” Cateleya asked at last, her voice smooth and kind, but her smile carried a heat that made Valerica freeze mid-bite.

“Haha… ha…” Valerica let out a strained laugh, sweat beading on her forehead. “W-well… you see, Isla… got into a little accident.”

Cateleya’s smile grew even sweeter, but the air in the hall seemed to grow colder. “An accident, you say?” Her tone was gentle, yet her aura pressed down like a heavy blanket. “Continue, please.”

Valerica audibly gulped. “S-Squeak!” she squeaked unintentionally before straightening herself. “E-earlier today, Isla was able to... uh... use the Sky Splitter! I-I know how that sounds, but it’s true! I saw it with my own eyes!”

Cateleya’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“I was very shocked!” Valerica continued quickly. “The power she unleashed was incredible, but it completely drained her mana and aura. That’s why her hands got injured. I took her to Lady Solace for healing, but even her magic didn’t work! Solace said Isla’s own mana seems to… I think... reject external healing! ... or something.”

Silence followed Valerica’s frantic confession. The soft ticking of the dining hall’s clock was the only sound.

Finally, Cateleya leaned back in her chair, crossing one elegant leg over the other. Her gaze drifted from Valerica to Isla, who continued eating quietly despite the tension.

“…Interesting,” Cateleya said softly, the corners of her lips curving into an unreadable smile. “A child who can mimic the Sky Splitter after seeing it once and resists divine healing magic. That’s not something you see every day.” though in her mind, she remembered how Isla's mana rejected her powers before.

Valerica tensed. “S-so… you’re not mad?”

Cateleya’s eyes slid back to her, that dangerous warmth returning to her smile. “Oh, I’m furious, Valerica. But I’m also… intrigued.”

Valerica gulped again, whispering under her breath, “I’d rather you just be intrigued…”

Isla, meanwhile, set down her spoon, her expression calm but distant. “It’s fine. I’ll be more careful next time,” she said softly, unaware, or perhaps uncaring of the pressure filling the room.

Cateleya chuckled lightly. “No, little one… don’t be too careful. Power like yours isn’t something to suppress.” She leaned forward, eyes gleaming with a mix of fascination and something deeper. “It’s something to understand.”

Cateleya then let out a quiet sigh, her golden eyes softening for a brief moment before settling back on Valerica. The weight of her gaze made the younger saint straighten instinctively, sensing that the conversation was about to turn serious.

“Valerica,” Cateleya began, her tone calm but measured, “about Solace’s report regarding Isla’s condition, there’s a reason her healing magic didn’t work.”

Valerica tilted her head in confusion. “A reason?”

Cateleya nodded. “Isla’s mana… is white.” Her voice lowered, almost reverent, as if speaking the words demanded care.

"W-White!? Is there even such mana?" Valerica asked in disbelief.

Cateleya continued, “When I first met her in the village, I touched her head and sensed it. Her mana isn’t ordinary, it’s something that could kill a god.”

Valerica froze. “K-kill a god!?”

Cateleya continued, her tone unwavering. “Our powers, mine, yours, Solace’s, and every other saint’s come from the blessings of the spirits of the good gods who perished in the great war against the evil gods. Technically speaking, all divine power, including ours, carries traces of those deities. And white mana… it rejects divinity itself. It resists the very essence it seeks to destroy. It is obviously divine mana, but in a different way and color.”

Valerica’s eyes went wide as the realization hit her. “Then... then how can Isla be healed if her mana rejects all divine magic!?”

Cateleya leaned back slightly, resting her chin on one hand. “Tell Solace what I told you next time. She’ll know what to do once she understands the nature of Isla’s mana.” Her voice held finality, the kind that didn’t invite further questions.

But before Valerica could sigh in relief, Cateleya’s expression shifted. Her gentle smile remained, but her eyes sharpened dangerously.

“Now,” she said sweetly, “about your recklessness as a mentor.”

Valerica stiffened, a nervous chuckle escaping her lips. “R-recklessness!? ... H-hehe… y-you mean the part where she accidentally copied my ultimate technique and destroyed half the training ground?”

Cateleya’s smile never wavered. “Precisely that part.”

Valerica’s soul left her body for a second. She sat frozen in her seat, her hands neatly folded on the table like a child about to receive divine judgment. Cateleya’s smile was radiant, beautiful, kind, and absolutely terrifying.

“Valerica,” she began sweetly, “do you have any idea how much it costs to repair the wall of the training grounds? Or how long it takes to cleanse the residual mana distortion from a Sky Splitter’s aftershock?”

Valerica gulped. “U-uhh… half a day?”

Cateleya’s smile broadened, a faint glow shimmering in her eyes. “Three weeks—and that’s with five senior priests working eight hours a day. This is exactly why sparring matches between saints are only allowed when I’m present. Otherwise, the citadel would be reduced to rubble. You know very well I’m the only one capable of using domain magic.”

Valerica let out a nervous laugh. “Aha… hahaha… y-you know, at least the dummy’s gone! We can just… uh… make new ones!”

“Indeed,” Cateleya replied sweetly, tapping her chin with one finger. “And do you know who will be funding the new dummies, the wall repairs, and the re-sanctification of the training grounds?”

Valerica blinked. “Uh...The treasury?”

“Oh no, no, no~” Cateleya laughed lightly, waving a delicate hand as if brushing the matter aside. Then, without warning, her expression stilled. “You.”

Valerica nearly fell out of her chair. “W–wait! Hold on! You’re cutting my pay!?”

“Only for the next three months,” Cateleya replied calmly.

“THREE—?!” Valerica’s eyes widened, her jaw dropping as all color drained from her face.

Cateleya tilted her head, that same serene smile now carrying a dangerous edge.
“You should consider yourself fortunate that I’m being merciful, given that you nearly turned my citadel into a crater by not stopping Isla despite seeing she is about to use your skill. Be grateful I’m not ordering you to rebuild the walls yourself…”

She paused, tapping a finger against her chin.

“…Actually, scratch that. You will rebuild the wall. It should help clear your mind, because if you’re going to carry the title of a master, then you need to start thinking like one.”

Valerica slumped forward onto the table, groaning. “But Lady Cateleyaaaa… I’m a Saint! Saints shouldn’t go broke!”

“Oh, don’t worry,” Cateleya said with a giggle. “Holiness doesn’t pay the bills anyway.”

Valerica opened her mouth to protest but suddenly, there was a gentle tug at Cateleya’s robe.

Both women turned.

Isla stood beside the table, her white robe slightly too big for her small frame, her bandaged hands trembling as she held a spoon.

“Lady Cateleya…” Isla said quietly, her expression still aloof but her tone utterly sincere. “Can you feed me? I can’t hold the spoon right.”

The tension shattered instantly.

Cateleya blinked once, twice, then her entire demeanor softened like melting snow. “Oh, sweetheart…” she murmured, taking the spoon gently from Isla’s hand. “Of course.”

Valerica watched the terrifying saint turn into a doting mother in real time, her jaw dropping.

“Wait, what!? You scold me to bankruptcy but melt at a single ‘feed me’!?” she cried.

Cateleya smiled warmly at Isla, completely ignoring Valerica. “Say ‘ah~’.”

Isla obediently opened her mouth. “Ahh~”

Valerica buried her face in her hands. “Unbelievable… I’ve been replaced by an eight-year-old…”