The Forgotten Temple VII Lady Vina IV

He failed! All of this could have been ended without 'any' loss of life if only he had considered it!

And judging from Vina now he could have simply cuddled her and played with the Priestesses instead of committing such acts! She even gave him a choice and he refused it!

These mistakes would no doubt become permanent painful reminders that'll stay with him, and he'll try not to make the same mistakes again future..

Unfortunately despite swearing to himself to do just that he was still emotionally broken and immensely guilty for everything that happened causing Jade to then reassure him.

"You did the best you could with so little experience, bestie! Through doing so you gained something much more than any normal experience? You've realized those mistakes and learned how to prevent them!"

"You've spared and even saved the lives of a few during battles when any ordinary mage would have chosen to simply kill them if given the chance!"

"And you're still yourself despite all of this when ordinary people would have simply broken under the pressure! All of this makes me so proud of you bestie!"

Jade proudly reassured surprising the young prince causing him to then hesitantly nod before then putting the core away and looking to Lady Vinny who was remarkably still alive?

Albeit not very? Barely? Causing the young prince to then adorably picking up Vina surprising everyone.

Causing the young prince to then shake his head and signaling Yunari and the others to follow before then finally walking over to the broke Lady Vinny causing him to then give her the antidote and a healing potion?

Albeit he had Commander Gospel pour it down her throat?

And even then she was resisting resulting in after she was barely stable the young prince had soon adorably looked around.

Before then gently tapping her with his boot essentially forcing her to revert to her humanoid form something not even Vina had seen before?

However, Vina was now unconscious so she really wouldn't know causing him to quickly cover her with a White Temple Guard's Cloak before then having Yunari carefully carry her.

Having not really paid attention during this time and only wanting to take these two to the infirmary?

Something everyone had forgot this temple had.. albeit it was because no one had asked Gospel? Causing the young prince to then nod.

"Objective complete.. Infim-Infirmary next"

The young prince adorably whispered resulting in Yunari nodding having apparently won this wager while Gospel led the way and Void simply following along?

As for the others, The Eight Command Puppets along with more or less one hundred Archmage Puppets went to work?

Be it cleaning up the mess, patrolling, or simply repairing themselves?

All the while after entering the massive infirmary the young prince saw several hundred beds and seventy of which were full while the female dragon was forced into a humanoid form?

Albeit through holy relics but the young prince didn't really pay much attention to her at the moment?

Resulting in everything being quite awkward while another forty or so Priestesses who were apparently The Infirmary Staff ran back and forth between the seventy patients be it using healing magic to potions and even relics?

Causing one to then finally stop and the young prince to then revert himself back to how he entered the Altar causing the veiled Priestess to then frown having known they were responsible for so many patients.

"Commander Gospel and His Holiness can stay, for the others see yourselves out unless you're truly injured, my apologies but we are already understaffed and are unable to work properly with such distractions, this isn't a waiting room after all?"

The Priestess gently explained causing the young prince to then nod and Yunari to then carefully hand Lady Vinny to Gospel resulting in both leaving while Yunari went ahead to claim his winnings!

All the while after finding two suitable infirmary bed away from the noise and in close proximity both Vina and Lady Vinny were placed in bed to begin their healing.

Causing the young prince to then sit aside from both and Gospel to then curiously examine the Priestesses?

Having found them all quite odd.

"To what Goddess do you serve Priestess?"

Commander Gospel asked since he knew all The Priestesses of Selphine before the departure and none remained.

And yet despite the strange explanation that Vina had created cocoons this still didn't explain why any of them had Holy Aura, know spells strictly for Priestesses of Selphine and wear their robes all in accordance to that of a Priestess of Selphine?

Causing the very much busy Priestess to then gently nod.

"I am Lady Austine a devout follower of Lady Selphine, and we are Priestesses of Selphine, we follow the same guidelines, teachings, and faith"

"All in accordance with the teachings of both Lady Selphine, The Gospel of Selphine, and The Former Head Priestess?"

"It appears our numbers had greatly 'decreased' as of late? Leaving only one hundred and twenty currently here and eight more in The Holy Archives-"

Lady Austine gently explained surprising the young prince and infuriating Commander Gospel to no end.

"Heresy! To attack both members of The Temple Guards of Selphines and The First Holy Prince of The Temple of Selphine is in no way in accordance with any of Lady Selphine's teachings!"

Commander Gospel coldy retorted, causing Lady Austine to then gently frown before then continuing with the treatment of both Lady Vinny and Vina causing the young prince to then adorably shake his head.

"I-I'm to blame big brother Gospel.. don't bully Priestesses, they had no choice.. I'm sorry big sister Austine"

The young prince gently restored himself causing Commander Gospel to then remain silent having already voiced out the little frustration he had and Lady Austine to then gently shake her head.

"If you are truly unable to make mistakes then you already have, and if you do and don't truly attempt to fix them then you're doomed to repeat the same mistakes until finally you're truly unable to?"

"Life is filled with both the 'same' mistakes and the same solutions, you need only look to them and ask yourself if life could truly exist without them?"

"If your mistakes truly pain you, you must leave them in the past where they still exist, however you mustn't ever forget them? Unless you truly wish to repeat them?"

Lady Austine gently reassured while cleaning up Vina's face with an advanced healing potion.

After what felt like thirty or so minutes had passed Yunari had soon returned before then taking a seat next to the young prince and removing his helmet surprising everyone!

Yunari was finally a person again! Albeit an Elf now? He looked to be around seventeen.

And he still wore his white Starlight Silver Temple Guard Armor matching that of his appearance which was surprisingly feminine but not overtly?

In truth, he resembled a male version of Inari! To put it plainly he was in fact a dreamy prince himself!

Complimenting his recently dried short pristine white hair, eyes with iris's similar to that of Mai's, and snow-like white skin giving him a strangely gentle yet majestically handsome charm?

Surprising the young prince and even some of The Priestesses!

Causing him after feeling his ears to then place his helmet between his right arm and pull out a starlight silver space ring before then playfully twirling it around.

"I'd say that wager was truly worth it? Lady Sephy had told me to send word to you that you need only visit her to claim yours? As for Commander Gospel, I'd highly suggest you ask Lady Sephy to become an Elf as well?"

"Despite the convenience of switching those parts around, the pros outweigh the cons one hundredfold? Lady Sephy had even given me a blessing of youth as a bonus! To be able to take a bath after so long was truly pleasant!"

Yunari playfully exhaled causing the young prince to then excitedly look to Gospel before then simply leaving without a word causing both Yunari and the young prince to then look to each other before then simply shrugging.

All the while the young prince curiously looked at Yunari's face with some curiosity causing Yunari to then playfully nod.

"I am my mother's son after all? Mother was a Princess of The Kingdom of Vulpes after all? The Inari women are truly blessed! She used to tell me all the time I had inherited her beauty among other things? I suspect the same goes for you as well?"

Yunari playfully teased causing the young prince to then happily nod before being cut off causing Selphie to then finally appear.

Before then racing to the young prince and wrapping her arms around him after sealing the main entrance to the temple leading outside.

Surprising everyone and Selphie to then tearily smile.

"I'm so proud of you Aurel! You're the best celestial teddy bear a goddess could ask for! I'm so sorry for not getting involved or coming sooner-"

Selphie tearily apologized having seen what the young prince went through and hated that she had simply rushed him into it, especially at such a young age.

Before then immediately being cut off by the young prince burying his head into her chest.

"N-No! It's Aurel's fault! No blaming Selphie! I-I failed Selphie! Aurel made so many mistakes an-and it hurts and won't go away! I-I was so scared and allowed fear to scare Aurel even more! I'm so sorry! I'm the worst holy prince!"

The young prince quietly cried surprising everyone causing Selphie to then immediately shake her head.

"My celestial teddy bear made the best of a bad situation, and none of it was your fault! You couldn't have known or had the experience to truly handle that situation!"

"But when my celestial teddy bear did you still spared those that you could and rather than simply killing them you suppressed them with your Dragon Menace to prevent any more unnecessary deaths even when your life was in peril!"

"My celestial teddy bear had chosen to show compassion rather than anger! And when it was all over you even spared both Lady Vinny and Lady Vina in your last act of compassion! My celestial teddy bear-no 'my' Holy Prince stayed a good boy and went beyond what any other could have done! I made the right choice!"

Selphie proudly reassured causing the young prince to then adorably nod and Yunari to then reassuringly nod as well.

"Lady Selphine said it best! Thinking of Selphine becoming a Temple Guard now that I'm an Elf would be an entertaining thought? From what I suspect and the not-so-subtle hints from Miss Holy Spirit I highly doubt The Kingdom of Vulpes still exists since even then there were talks about ending the Imperial Hierarchy?"

"As for the celestials, apparently they've finally returned to The Kingdom of The Celestial Vale? So chances are everyone I loved either disappeared or left for their Ancestral Worlds?"

"And being both an Imperial Prince of The Celestial Empire and a Prince of Vulpes might not truly mean anything anymore?"

Yunari reassuringly explained before then gently shaking his head having realized he might not see mother again let alone his sisters? Causing Selphie to then reassuringly shake her head while still gently rubbing the young prince's back.

"I'd imagine I 'might' have need of a 'familiar' Temple Guard to be used as an Emissary and even join that of my Holy Prince's Personal Guard? However, you'll have to meet both the criteria and attend my military Academy In The Kingdom of The Elves first?"

"A Temple Guard of Selphine is considered even more Elite than the average royal guard who is already quite considered elite themselves? So if you truly want to serve my celestial teddy bear I'll support your decision!"

"As for your title situation, I'd imagine The Title of The Prince of Vulpes still exists and is even considered quite unique and honorary while for its Celestial Imperial Counterpart the same could be said? Thinking of Vulpes, Inari has been looking for you for quite a while so I should send you her way first!"

Selphie gently explained with an adorably gentle yet reassuring expression surprising Yunari causing him to then playfully nod having quite literally prayed to Lady Inari more than he had done for Lady Celestia funny enough?

In truth, he had hoped to become an Inari once more however there was never a good time, and thanks to the hectic time he simply gave up while still praying to Lady Inari on occasion?

Which was even funnier since he was still a Celestial Mage Command puppet?

However, he had already revealed that and explained his situation to many of the shrines and temples of Inari.

Resulting in word getting around? Unfortunately even then during such a hectic time by the time he finally got a response he was sent on his last mission.