The Saint Disappeared with Her Memories — Her Broken Engagement Decided the Kingdom’s Destiny - Chapter 8

That girl possessed extraordinary talent from the moment she was born.

From the time I first saw her in the temple training grounds as a child, Noella’s eyes held a different light from other children. It was as if thousands of years of wisdom were packed into that small body.

While it’s said the temple discovered her talent and took her in to hone her abilities, the truth is she essentially raised herself. To begin with, someone of her caliber was extremely rare in the temple’s entire history.

No one knew how to properly guide such immense talent. We elder sages pretended to be her instructors on the surface, but in reality, we could only watch her growth in stunned silence.

“Master Jamel, I don’t understand the meaning of this ancient text.”

It was when Noella had just turned ten that she came to me, carrying ancient documents from the temple’s deepest chambers in her small arms. She was trying to decipher ancient languages through self-study that most priests couldn’t decode in their entire lifetimes. Holding the dust-covered ancient texts carefully in both hands, her eyes were filled with pure curiosity and a thirst for knowledge.

“This is difficult, Noella. This is literature that would be challenging enough to tackle even as an adult,” I said, intending to gently advise her.

But she shook her head with a serious expression. “But I feel like this document contains something important. Could you teach me?”

I surrendered to the determination in her eyes. After that, she acquired incredible abilities in the blink of an eye. And even now, she continues to grow without ever slacking off.

She had become so powerful that even all the temple priests combined couldn’t rival her.

That’s precisely why she was chosen as the Saintess. There was no one else with the talent to be selected as Saintess. They say she’s the greatest Saintess in history, and that’s undoubtedly true.

Probably no one will ever be able to match that girl from now on. Ironically, the temple officials let go of such a once-in-a-generation powerhouse with their own hands. They probably never expected things to turn out like this.

I myself never expected Noella would go this far.

After rediscovering lost ancient magic, Noella brilliantly reproduced it. The feat of reviving ancient magic alone was astonishing enough, but she went further by adapting it and perfecting it for modern use.

One day, Noella consulted me about her plan.

“Are you really going to go through with this?” I couldn’t help but ask when she told me the details of her plan.

We sat facing each other across a carved desk, me in an old wooden chair. The flickering light from the candlestick illuminated her dignified profile. Noella nodded with a gaze filled with unwavering determination.

“Most likely, I will execute it. Lord Eric seems enamored with another woman rather than me. I’m not needed. In that case, I thought I should do as he wishes.”

Her words were quietly spoken, but her voice contained strong willpower. Piled up near her hands were massive amounts of ancient texts and research notes she had written herself.

She had conceived something no one had ever thought of before and was making preparations to carry it out. The fact that she could do this undoubtedly made her a genius.

I was truly fortunate to have earned her trust. That’s why she consulted me about her plan beforehand and agreed to take me along. If not, I might have been left behind at the temple like the others, forgetting everything and living in blissful ignorance.

Just imagining such an empty future still sends chills of terror down my spine. I’m genuinely grateful for my current circumstances.

“Master Jamel, are you really coming with me? You’ll have to abandon your position at the temple and everything else.”

She asked me anxiously, with an expression full of guilt as if she were causing me trouble. Even while bearing the heavy responsibility of Saintess on her shoulders, she never lost her kindness in caring for others—that’s what a true Saintess should be.

“Saintess Noella, there’s no need to worry. I don’t need my temple position. I want to go with you and witness your truly radiant talent.”

The truth was I was going with her because I was worried about her. My desire to witness her talent wasn’t false either, but above all, I didn’t want to leave her alone.

Then I made one suggestion to her.

What about bringing Alexis, the temple’s young sage, along with us? When I proposed this, she refused with unusual firmness. Her cheeks flushed slightly, and her eyes showed panic.

“No! That won’t do. If he leaves the temple, there will be no one to protect the priests.”

What she said was certainly correct. Alexis’s influence could protect the young priestesses. If he were to disappear without anyone knowing, the balance within the temple would be greatly disrupted. But…

“Are you sure? I think he would become a reliable companion if he joined us.”

When I said this, her profile showed an indescribable sadness.

“…It’s still no good. It would be selfish of me to take him along just for my own convenience.”

Thus, the plan to bring Alexis with us was rejected. She tends to endure too much. No, this isn’t endurance, she’s probably afraid. Deep in her heart, there’s fear that the person she’s come to care for might reject her.

I shouldn’t say anything more. This is something she should decide for herself. If she’s already decided, there’s no turning back now. She’ll probably regret it eventually. That’s precisely why I can’t take my eyes off her. I need to keep watching over her to ensure she doesn’t become desperate and do something even more drastic.

All to ensure such wonderful talent isn’t lost.

The morning after the plan was executed. During breakfast, as I watched Noella chatting with her companions with a radiant smile, I secretly renewed my determination. The morning sun streaming through the mountain villa’s window gently illuminated her golden hair. Laughing at Emily’s jokes and enjoying casual conversation with Nadine, she seemed more vibrant than when she was at the temple.

This brief moment of peace. I’ll do everything I can to ensure she doesn’t regret this choice, and to ensure her talent isn’t lost to the world.

The days to come will surely be more valuable than the long years I spent as the temple’s elder sage.