Becoming The Strongest Angel With A Saintess System-Chapter 19: Mysterious Ways

"Good... good. Feel it building inside you... Let it rise... That's it, just like that... Don't fight it. Let it flow naturally... Let it build until you can't hold it anymore..."

Mara's voice was honey-sweet in Grace's ear as her hands rested on Grace's shoulders.

Grace tried to focus. She really did.

But it was very hard to concentrate on manifesting healing energy when Mara's absolutely criminal chest was pressed against her back, and those hands were so warm, and that perfume was making her head spin...

[Focus! Come on, farmer, focus!]

Divine light flickered between her fingers, weak but steady. Grace could feel it – that warm, golden power that Mara talked about. The same power she used to heal that girl from her excursion with Celestia. If she could just maintain her concentration for a few more seconds...

Then Mara shifted slightly. Her chest pressed harder against Grace. Grace's brain turned off.

The light fizzled out like a doused candle.

"Excellent progress!" Mara's praise definitely shouldn't have made Grace's knees weak, but here we were. "You managed to hold it for almost a minute that time."

Grace wiped sweat from her forehead, trying very hard not to lean back into Mara's softness.

"It's... harder than it looks," she managed, proud that her voice only squeaked a little.

"Oh, precious thing," Mara's laugh was rich and warm. "Everything worth doing is hard at first. But don't worry..." Her hands slid from Grace's shoulders down her arms. "I'll make sure you get plenty of hands-on practice."

Grace had a feeling she wasn't going to survive this class with her heart intact.

Or her sanity.

But at least she'd die happy.

---

Grace practically floated out of the classroom, her head still spinning from Mara's "lesson." The way Mara's hands had felt on her shoulders, the press of her soft chest against Grace's back, the honeyed purr of her voice in Grace's ear...

It was a miracle Grace had managed to produce any divine light at all with those distractions.

She was so lost in the memory that she almost didn't notice the healer falling into step beside her. Almost.

"You did wonderfully today, Grace," Mara purred, her voice warm. "I'm so proud of your progress."

Grace's cheeks heated up.

Mara had a way of making everything sound so... intimate.

"T-thanks," she stammered, trying to match Mara's graceful strides and mostly succeeding. It wasn't fair how the healer could glide along like she was walking on air. "I had a good teacher."

Mara's laugh was a melody that Grace wanted to get stuck in her head.

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"Oh, you flatterer."

She reached out, tucking a stray lock of white hair behind Grace's ear. Her fingers brushed Grace's cheek and lingered just a heartbeat too long to be entirely innocent.

Grace's breath hitched.

[Does she have any idea what she does to me?]

They walked in comfortable silence for a moment, Mara's perfume a heady cloud around them. It smelled like lavender.

But as pleasant as the moment was, Grace's mind kept drifting to the conversation - well, more like confrontation - she'd witnessed yesterday between Celestia and that fallen angel.

"Hey, Mara?" Grace ventured, her voice sounding small even to her own ears. "Can I ask you something?"

Mara's smile was warm, inviting. Like a cozy blanket on a cold day.

"Of course, darling. What's on your mind?"

Grace took a breath, steeling herself.

"How... how can angels stop believing in Eternia? I mean, we're made by her, empowered by her... right?"

Mara's steps faltered for a heartbeat. Just a slight hitch, but Grace caught it. She winced internally.

[Uhm... Is this a heavy topic? Okay, note to self: don't ask about this or you'll ruin the mood.]

But Mara recovered quickly, her serene mask slipping back into place like it had never left.

"It's... complicated," she sighed, and there was a weight to her words that Grace could almost feel. "The world is in such turmoil. War, suffering, despair, and it's been going through this for so many years. So many have lived and died without ever receiving a sign from our Goddess... It's only natural that some angels might lose faith in the face of all that."

Grace frowned, a little furrow appearing between her brows.

"But... do you really think Eternia isn't going to do anything about it?"

Of course, Grace was well aware of the fact that literally was what Eternia was doing about it. But, she wanted to know Mara's perspective.

Mara paused, turning to face Grace fully.

"Eternia... works in mysterious ways, darling," she said softly, reaching out to cup Grace's cheek. Her palm was warm, so warm. "I'm sure she probably has a plan. We just have to have faith."

Grace had to fight to not lean into that touch. But, even as she had this moment, she couldn't help but notice...

Mara didn't say she believed Eternia had a plan. Just that she probably had a plan.

Mara's thumb stroked Grace's cheekbone, a soothing motion that made Grace's eyelids flutter.

"That's what faith is, isn't it? Believing in something even when it's hard. Trusting in a higher power."

"I guess so."

Grace swallowed hard.

Mara was a bit too close right now.

"There she is! Our little newbie!"

The giddy voices shattered the moment like a hammer through glass. Grace barely had time to blink before a gaggle of Love Sisters descended upon her.

"Come on, sweetie! You're going to be late for your next lesson~"

"W-wait, I was just-!" Grace's protest fell on deaf ears as she was swept up in a tangle of warm arms and ample bosoms, the Love Sisters literally carrying her away. She shot Mara a helpless look over her shoulder.

Mara just waved with a knowing smirk.

"Have fun, darling!"

As Grace was spirited away to goddess-knows-what torments the Love Sisters had planned, she couldn't shake the feeling that Mara hadn't shared her true feelings. That there was some secret she was keeping close to her chest.

[... Well, it's not really my right to know what that secret is, right? I mean, she can have her own beliefs. That's fine.]

But that mystery would have to wait. Grace had more pressing concerns.

Like surviving her next "lesson" with her enthusiastic "classmates".

[Eternia, give me strength.]

Grace was going to need all the help she could get. And Mara was more than happy to provide it.

In more ways than one.

---

{Celestia}

Reports materialized in front of Celestia's eyes like falling stars, each one detailing another prayer answered, another soul saved. She processed them at divine speed, rainbow wings shifting colors with each new piece of information.

"Three successful healings in the northern realm... two couples united in the western plains... one very enthusiastic knight captain who apparently can't stop talking about the 'goddess-sent beauty' who saved her village..." Celestia's lips curved into a smirk. "Venus's Sisters have been busy."

"As have the Ascended Choir."

A new presence materialized beside her desk – an angel with brown wings and a blindfold covered in shifting eyes. One of her most trusted scouts.

"Oh?" Celestia leaned back, crossing one leg over the other. "Do tell, Sister Iris."

"They've been... attentive since Grace's arrival." Iris's blindfold rippled, eyes blinking in sequence. "Their scholars have barely left their archives. Something about searching for precedents of triple-affinity angels."

[Ah, of course they found out about that. I mean, I knew they would, but I was hoping it would be a while. The less snooping they do around here the better.]

"Precious of them to think they'll find any." Celestia's smile held secrets. "Keep me posted on their activities. And Grace?"

Iris's lips curved upward.

"Improving. Her healing abilities have already grown stronger, though Mara's... teaching methods might be partially responsible for her elevated heart rate during lessons."

"And the Love Path training?"

"Still recovering from Venus's last demonstration of 'proper technique.'"

Celestia chuckled. She'd have to ask Venus for details later.

"What about that little... expedition Seraph and Diana are planning?"

"Nothing new. Are you not going to step in, ma'am?" Iris's blindfold rippled with surprise.

"I have to admit... I'm curious to see how it plays out. Keep an eye on Grace's combat training. If she doesn't improve quickly enough..." Her rainbow wings flared. "I'll intervene."

"And if she does improve?"

Celestia's smile turned dangerous.

"Then I want to see it for myself. This power of hers, this ability to permanently destroy demons..." Her eyes gleamed. "I want to watch her in action. Eternia gave us Grace for a reason." Celestia cut her off smoothly. "And I intend to find out exactly what she expects out of our newest arrival."

Iris's blindfold rippled again, all eyes blinking in unison.

"As you wish, my lady."

As her scout vanished, Celestia materialized a screen where she could watch the training grounds where Grace was currently trying (and adorably failing) to maintain a proper sword stance while Diana circled her like a particularly attractive shark.

"Show me what you can do, little one," she murmured. "Show me why she chose you."