The battle ended with the dragon's pitiful death.
They shoved the dragon's corpse into Merlin's subspace, then immediately exited the rift.
As Kim Dojin was the last to emerge, the rift at the summit of the Matterhorn vanished without a trace.
Since the dragon, which had supplied all the mana necessary to maintain the rift, was dead, this was a natural progression.
"Good work, everyone."
Kim Dojin encouraged those standing there in their miserable state.
Then he bowed respectfully and apologized.
"I'm sorry you all needlessly almost died because of me."
He thought he had made thorough preparations, but they were lacking in many ways.
He had believed he could counter any move the young dragon made, but even that proved insufficient.
If he hadn't taken the Dragon Word meant for Irina, and if he hadn't awakened his Word Spirit, at least two of them would not have escaped death there.
Of course, he had acted at the Pope's request, but it was ultimately a choice he made himself because their interests aligned.
On the other hand, those who accompanied him had rushed to his aid solely in response to his request.
So he believed it was right to offer both thanks and a respectful apology, and he bowed.
And fortunately, they readily accepted his apology.
"Lift your head, kid. A dungeon is just this kind of place to begin with, so what good would accepting your apology do?" Merlin, whom he had expected to rage the most, was the first to comfort him.
It was true.
Because a dungeon is a place where even if humans consider 100 possibilities before entering, the 101st possibility will drive them to their deaths.
Knowing that better than anyone, Merlin didn't blame him in the slightest.
Irina grabbed his shoulder, pulling him up from his bow, and said,
"You may have led it, but ultimately, accepting it was my choice. So you have no reason to bow before me."
She, too, used sound reasoning to tell him his apology was unnecessary.
Angela and Han Juyeon were the same.
"We're in the same boat, aren't we? So you don't need to apologize to me."
"Me too. In fact, I'd be disappointed if you didn't call me to places like this."
With the outpouring of comfort, Kim Dojin changed his words.
Instead of saying he was sorry.
"Thank you, everyone." He conveyed his overflowing emotions with words of gratitude.
*
After exiting the rift, we returned to the Vatican without delay.
Soon after arriving in the skies above the Vatican via Old Man Merlin's spatial transfer, the Saintess hurried out to greet us.
"Is everyone alright? If anyone is hurt, please tell me—!"
"We're all fine, Saintess."
"Ah… that's such a relief. You can't imagine how anxious I was while you were gone…"
Though we looked disheveled, with no visible injuries, the Saintess smiled and continued.
"Now that you've returned safely, I can finally sleep soundly tonight."
It didn't seem like a mere lie.
Her face was still hidden by her veil, but the aura around her felt a little weaker than usual.
I don't know for certain, but she must have spent days and nights praying for our safe return.
Given her personality, that was likely.
"I'll take care of the minor matters, so please rest for now."
At her recommendation, which bordered on a command, we scattered and returned to our quarters.
There, we thoroughly washed our bodies, dirty from days without bathing, and not only devoured the delicious meal brought by the servants but asked for two more servings and completely emptied them.
Finally, after lying down in a cozy bed and sleeping for a solid twelve hours, we awoke.
"The Saintess is looking for you."
We gathered once again at the Saintess's summons.
The gathering place was a large reception room attached to the Saintess's residence.
The Saintess, who had arrived first and was seated at a large table, rose to greet us.
"Did you all rest well last night?"
"Thanks to you."
"I feel like I've had a truly deep sleep for the first time in ages."
"It was pure bliss, I tell you."
It seemed not just I, but everyone, felt similarly.
Well, of course.
After sleeping for days on snow-covered ground, then finally in a cozy place.
"As much as I'd like to let you rest for a few more days, I had to reluctantly call you all together because we need to quickly sort out the situation."
As she spoke, the Saintess's gaze turned to Old Man Merlin.
"Before coming here, I asked Merlin to transfer the dragon's corpse to me, and then I requested a trustworthy company to dismantle it. They said it would take about three days."
Only three days to dismantle that colossal corpse.
Of course, since it was a place connected to the Saintess, we didn't need to worry about their skill, but even considering that, it was an incredibly fast pace.
"I plan to fairly distribute the shares among the five of you who participated in the raid… Does anyone have a specific part they'd like to have, or does anyone object to this?"
"……."
"……."
Everyone remained silent.
It was a rhetorical question to begin with.
Because the distribution itself had already been discussed and finalized before the raid began.
"Then we'll proceed with the distribution as planned…" The Saintess, trailing off, rose from her seat and bowed respectfully to us.
"I thank you from the bottom of my heart for eliminating His Holiness the Pope's last concern."
Her words didn't end there.
"If there's anything you need, please say so. If it's something I possess or can acquire, I'll gladly provide it."
An extraordinary offer.
To think she was willing to give even more, after handing over the entire dragon corpse.
At this point, I wondered about the Saintess's heart.
I didn't know for sure, but her heart was certainly as vast and grand as her presence, which didn't diminish in the slightest despite her utterly modest attire, and perhaps even as her… chest.
Glances were exchanged at the Saintess's words.
They seemed to want something, but were too self-conscious to speak first, their eyes hoping someone else would step forward.
Just then, Irina raised her hand.
"I have one thing I need."
"Please tell me."
"No, unfortunately, the person who can grant my wish isn't the Saintess, but that person over there."
The tip of Irina's extended index finger pointed directly at me.
To think she had a request for me, not the Saintess.
I nodded at her, waiting silently for my answer, and said,
"If it's something I can do, I will."
I felt a little uneasy, but there was nothing I could do.
After all, she was a grateful person who had flown all the way from Russia to participate in the dragon raid.
"I'd like to borrow your strength sometime in the future."
"…My strength?"
"Yes. I'd like you to come to Russia when I call… Is that too difficult a request?"
Borrow my strength, huh.
I didn't know.
What she hoped to gain with my assistance.
It felt unsettling to simply agree.
Therefore, I added a precondition.
"Coming to you isn't difficult. But I'll decide whether to lend my strength after hearing the details then."
There was nothing else I could do.
It would be awkward if she suddenly called me to dispose of someone, wouldn't it?
She stroked her chin, pondered for a moment, then nodded.
"Very well."
As we concluded our conversation with smiles, her having readily conceded a step, suddenly, I felt an intense gaze from the Saintess.
What was that?
Did I say something wrong?
Puzzled, I met her gaze from beyond the veil, a silent tug-of-war, for a brief moment.
"I have a request too."
Angela raised her hand and asked the Saintess in a cautious tone.
"Um… could you perhaps get me some Mithril?"
"Mithril?"
"Yeah. I think I'll need some this time, but I don't have enough time to get it myself."
The Saintess nodded.
"There should be some left in my vault, so please use that for now. If that's not enough, I'll get you more."
"Thanks."
Angela winked one eye, expressing her gratitude.
Having received Angela's request, the Saintess's gaze moved to her next target, Old Man Merlin.
"Do you have any, Sir Merlin? Any materials you desire, or any favors to ask?"
"Hmm…"
The old man muttered thoughtfully for a moment, then shook his head.
"I don't have anything I particularly want right now, but may I tell you later?"
"Yes, of course."
"Hahaha! Thank you, Saintess!"
Old Man Merlin laughed loudly with joy, forgetting the dignity of a patriarch of a prestigious family.
Incurring a debt from a woman young enough to be his daughter—not quite his granddaughter, but close—what was he doing, really.
Anyway, with Old Man Merlin also saving his wish, only one person remained.
"Juyeon?"
"Ah, yes."
"If there's anything you want, please don't feel burdened to say so."
The Saintess's gentle tone alleviated the burden that had settled on Juyeon's shoulders.
Perhaps it was thanks to the slight encouragement she received.
Juyeon, who had been mumbling and hesitating, finally opened her mouth.
"Um… could I perhaps receive guidance from you, Saintess?"
"Guidance, you say…?"
Juyeon, who had drawn everyone's gaze, then, as if having made up her mind, concluded her words in a firmer tone.
"I want to learn Divine Magic from you, Saintess."
It was a request that could never be easily made, one that clearly showed traces of deep thought.
Upon hearing this, the air around the Saintess grew noticeably heavier.