Saintess Summons Skeletons

Sofia had not said a word when she returned, but two groups were already formed. Saria, Alith and Pareth stood at the front lines while Sofia returned to the city with Astelia, Zerei and Ihuarah.

Everyone was at a level where they had all seen and heard what had happened, no matter how far they stood from Sofia and that knight.

They landed in front of Zerei’s school.

“You all heard, right? What do you guys think?” Sofia asked, clear displeasure on her face, the others looked tense, especially Zerei.

“They were sounding highly desperate,” Ihuarah was first to comment, “Assuming they are being truthful about the oracle, of course, to come with their army instead of a softer approach clearly shows how dire their situation must be.”

“Do you think they will really attack?” Sofia asked him.

“A cornered beast may very well bite. They are also much easier to manipulate. Ultimately the outcome predominantly rests upon the child, as that is your will.”

Sofia nodded. “Zerei?”

“Hmmmmg. Those are not pleasant news, no. Not pleasant at all… A belligerent theocracy, can they be trusted with my apprentice? The brightest children always get poached like this…”

“It sounds as though you speak from experience,” Ihuarah noted.

“Indeed, yes… I was once that child myself. Avian politics were messy, even within a singular clan… Sometimes a change of mentor is really what is best for the child, however…” she answered with a frown.

Sofia shook her head. “Well they said nothing about teaching her anything. Oracle this oracle that. Sometimes it works out, sometimes you end up like scripture’s.”

Astelia, who had been standing a few steps away, walked back into the group, “I called Marina.”

“The Queen?!” Zerei reacted.

“Hmmhmm. She was the one who dealt with Moon over my selection as her Oracle, she knows a lot more than I do. Plus Laudell is right next door to Vasperia too, what happens here today will– ah.”

A svelte figure in crimson robes appeared right behind Astelia, lunging forward with open arms and catching thin air.

“Tssk. I’ll let you get away this time. What do you need my help with? Is it about the people up north?” the queen of vampires asked Astelia, casually fixing her hair.

“They claim one of the kids here is to be Hope’s Oracle, they want her and will not take no for an answer.”

“Oh. Well you can ignore them,” the queen answered with a shrug, “Rules around Oracles are pretty strict. You were a special case because of our race’s relation with Moon, so unless the kid here agrees by themselves, they just can’t do shit.”

“Wait, really?” Sofia reacted, “And if they capture and force her?”

“Not possible. Not for a system-upheld Oracle position, at least.”

“So the army would be here for intimidation purposes only?”

“Most likely,” Marina answered with another shrug, “Well, this is a bit entertaining. You kids stay here, and I… will be back in a few minutes, alright?”

Marina disappeared as abruptly as she had arrived.

Astelia sighed, a hand on her forehead, “I should have called Velenir instead…”

A few moments later, in the basement of Zerei’s school.

“Eeeeeh????! M– Me?” Eleonore asked, pointing at herself.

The thirteen year old girl looked absolutely flabbergasted at the idea that the emergency state in the city was because of people looking for her in particular.

Zerei nodded, bending over to be eye level with her student. “Yes, you. You remember how I explained I have a contract with the god of curses, right?”

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“Y- yes?”

“Well, their god is the god of Hope, and they say it wants a contract with you, yes.”

“EEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHH?????!”

“About the reaction I expected, yes,” Zerei said with a chuckle, patting the top of Eleonore’s head, “Are you interested? You would have to change your class.”

“Am I going to look like you?!”

“No.”

“EEEEEH?! But why not?!”

“It’s a different type of god,” Zerei briefly explained.

“EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHHHH???????”

“I think you broke her,” Sofia commented, watching Eleonore acting like a golem about to run out of power.

“Aaaaah!” Eleonore yelped out of nowhere, “I got a system ding! Whaaaaaaa… What should I do?!”

“Can you show us, yes?” Zerei asked.

Eleonore nodded, and swiftly shared the system window for everyone else to see.

[You have received a class change proposal!

Available class: Oracle of Hope (Lv.199)

This class change is irreversible.

The goddess of Hope, who was just roused from her sleep and is crying begging for her life is pleading strongly for your support with teary eyes. Under direct threats from a bloodthirsty malevolent entity, she promises a lot of money and power and whatever your heart desires for.

Under the Oracle system, this class change comes with the following clauses that both parties must respect:

Oracle duties:

Diligently work toward any reasonable quest issued by the contractor godPass on the contractor god’s will to its followers and or subjects(Custom) Absorb and cleanse a portion of Hope’s cursed mana that has gone out of control daily until full recovery is achieved. (probably painful)(Custom) Save Hope from the clutches of the bloodthirsty beast!!!Oracle benefits:

1 Divine essence of HopePowerful class with divine blessing(Custom) Hope cannot deny activation of divine power skills as long as the custom Oracle duties are being respected. (A completed or impossible custom duty is always considered as being respected.) (Custom) Hope cannot restrict the Oracle’s freedom of action in any way as long as the custom Oracle duties are being respected.(Custom) Anything Hope can reasonably provide. (she is destitute)Should you accept, you will need to commune with the god at a shrine or temple to complete the class change.

Other effects:

Current class (Hexer) will be lost, and the relevant class skills will no longer receive system casting support.Current level will change to 199.Severe system punishments will be issued if either side does not respect the contract clauses.This offer is valid until level 200 or upon your next class change. (But Hope strongly urges you to accept right away)]

The room was quiet for a moment, Ihuarah eventually breaking the silence.

“My initial assessment has been validated, they are, in fact, desperate. Quite strongly so, with how advantageous the clauses are to our side. It appears that Miss Glacier’s call also bore very fruitful results,” he noted, giving Astelia a commending nod.

Astelia, on her side, only felt a strong headache from Marina’s antics.

“It makes it clear why Eleonore was chosen as well, yes.”

“Nobody better than the student of Curse’s apostle to cleanse a curse,” Sofia agreed, “though I find it strange a god would need any help with that to begin with. Any news from Curse himself?”

Zerei shook her head, “No, he must be busy.”

“D- do I accept, then?” Eleonore asked, having been left out of the conversation thus far.

Initially Sofia and Zerei were both quite opposed to the idea, but having read the very unusual system prompt, they were both at a loss.

“Feel free to refuse if you don’t want to,” Astelia told her, “I am an Oracle myself. There is some good and some bad. You have to understand in advance that accepting means that Hope will be able to spy on you and more or less talk to you no matter where and when which can be a bit disquieting. But you can similarly pester them for help when really needed.”

“Pester a god????” Eleonore repeated, looking like she was barely managing to stay upright.

“Exactly right,” Astelia seriously confirmed, ”For other Oracles it could be risky but your clauses here should make it work just fine. Though it highly depends on Hope’s personality in the end.”

“I- I think I need to sit down…”

In the swamp, just north of Ser’Extra. A young man in priest robes rushed out of the army ranks to come to the side of the level 409 man Sofia had spoken with.

“First Eye, sir! Urgent news!”

“Hmm? Speak, Leo.”

The priest came closer, whispering in the ears of the knight. “Message from the Third Eye, sir, ‘the cat has left the cage’.”

“What?! Again?! By the heavens, this brat! Now is not the time… What is the situation, is that all?”

“The Second and Third Eye have been mobilized, sir, that is all the information I received. What are your orders?”

After being silent a moment, the man sighed, wiping off the sweat from his forehead with two fingers slid into his helmet. “No change of plans. Her condition is critical, we need the Oracle, today. She cannot have gotten far. Stay here with me, relay anything you hear.”

“Yes sir!”

“Why does she always have to make everything so difficult…”