chapter_0113

After Rosalia was chosen as the Saint instead of Aria, not only was the external turmoil quickly settled, but the internal confusion within the academy was also rapidly managed. To the people of this world, the Saint was not just a means to repel demons but a symbol of hope itself. Thus, the public sentiment was that if a Saint had emerged, it was worth believing in once more. As this symbol of hope stayed at the academy, comforting the students and overseeing the reconstruction of the buildings, the anxious nobles and students quickly regained their stability and were able to return to the academy. The fact that there were no fatalities due to the swift response played a significant role. If anyone, be it a student or a professor, had died, it wouldn’t have been easy to restore the atmosphere, even with the Saint present.

As for Roxanna, since it was revealed that the entire Astriere family was created by succubi to invade the human world, she wasn’t even considered a human casualty. The resumption of classes from today, Monday, was largely due to such aspects. The sentiment was that everything would be alright with the Saint guarding the academy.

“Uuugh…”

However, the person revered as the Saint seemed to think quite differently. Rosalia, who had barely gotten a break after pretending to be the Saint all day, collapsed onto the bed with a strange sound. Finding it difficult to lie on her stomach because of her chest, she turned onto her side and looked at me. It was a gaze urging me to start a conversation.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I feel like I’m going to die from exhaustion.”

“You were doing well though. You seemed to have a talent for that kind of role. I almost thought you were the real Saint.”

“Tch. I am the real Saint. And I’m just gritting my teeth and pretending to do well. If I show even a hint of being annoyed, there are a lot of people who would be shocked. Ah, that’s why I didn’t want to play the real Saint role!”

Rosalia buried her face in the bed and flailed about. She didn’t seem to realize that the very thought of doing her best at the role to avoid shocking people was a kind and considerate act in itself.

Rosalia continued to complain in a childish tone. She said her lip muscles felt like they were cramping from smiling all the time, and her throat was sore from talking too much.

When I pointed out that the Saint’s body couldn’t be that easily hurt, she sulked for a moment and then glared at me, spreading her arms wide.

“Why are your arms out?”

“You know why. Do I really have to say it?”

Her arms wiggled up and down impatiently. Her chest, pressed against the side of the bed, jiggled along. When I hugged her and lifted her up, she clung to me as if she had been waiting for it. Our bodies were closely pressed together.

Rosalia let out a deep sigh.

“Haah… this feels nice.”

“Really? I don’t quite get it.”

“It’s about the feeling, you know. The feeling. When I’m like this with you, I feel incredibly relaxed. I told you before, didn’t I? That I understand why Priscilla always tries to stick to you.”

Examples like that didn’t really resonate with me. I could understand Priscilla’s neediness due to her mental instability, and though Laura couldn’t remember her past life, she still retained certain instincts. But Rosalia wasn’t like this from the beginning. It was more like she suddenly started clinging to me at some point. Whether it was intentional or not, I couldn’t fathom the reason.

“Wait a second. Mira, do you really feel nothing? With such a pretty and well-proportioned girl clinging to you like this, you truly don’t feel anything? Your body doesn’t react at all?”

“You’re saying that with your own mouth? How shameless.”

“So what? It’s the truth. If I wasn’t pretty and had a good figure, nobody would say such things.”

Rosalia laughed nonchalantly and wriggled her hips. She moved to sit at the edge of the bed as she wanted, then turned to face me and sat close on my thighs. Her slender thighs stretched out on either side, wrapping around my waist. I felt her ankles and calves crossing near my tailbone, tightening around my waist. She seemed determined to strike a pose.

But it seemed she wasn’t satisfied with just that. Rosalia pulled my wrist, slipping my hand under her armpit and squeezing my forearm.

“This position feels a bit awkward.”

“I know it’s awkward. Do you really feel nothing? Seriously?”

“Well, it does make me think of a lewd position.”

“…Fine, let’s drop it. Just wait. I’ll make sure you react to me out of sheer stubbornness.”

Eventually giving up, Rosalia buried her face into my neck and took a deep breath. Of course, I found the situation erotic, but I could suppress my personal desires if needed. The fact that I could control such urges might imply that I wasn’t normal, though.

“Kissing you right now would feel so good… with tongue and everything…”

Rosalia murmured against my neck, loud enough for me to hear. It seemed she still hadn’t given up. Fortunately, Priscilla and Laura were attending classes, so it was just the two of us in the club room.

It was a scene ripe for misunderstanding if someone were to walk in.

“Mira! Saint! We’re back—”

Like now, for instance.

I sighed internally as I looked at Leona, who had just walked in and froze mid-greeting, and Aria, who peeked in behind her, equally stunned.

After a while, Leona managed to break the silence.

“Uh… Mira. I don’t mean to interfere in your relationships, but… she’s the Saint. Shouldn’t she, um, maintain her chastity? If she loses her power—”

“I’m still chaste.”

“O-Oh… really…?”

Leona, who had just managed to speak, froze again. Rosalia, having said her piece, buried her face back into my neck and nuzzled her cheek against me.

Thinking back, it seemed the goddess considered kissing as within the bounds of chastity. If she were to strip away power for kissing a man, Rosalia wouldn’t have been chosen as the Saint in the first place. After all, Rosalia was the one who kissed me first, asking me not to abandon her.

“It’s not the kind of relationship you think it is. You can come in.”

“Uh… uh, excuse me…”

Both of them hesitated and entered the room sheepishly, much like their first visit. Once inside, they settled on the sofa farthest from us, constantly glancing in our direction. Only after confirming that Rosalia’s nun’s habit wasn’t lifted and my school uniform pants zipper wasn’t down did their faces relax a bit. However, Aria, being particularly timid, still seemed uneasy.

“How was the atmosphere during the lecture?”

“It was similar to the theory classes. Everyone was excited and buzzing about the Saint being here, and the professor was so nervous that he just told us to study on our own because he couldn’t lecture properly.”

Fortunately, it seemed that the past wouldn’t be dug up again. Realizing that the good deeds done here were still effective, Rosalia’s lips curled into a satisfied smile.

“There wasn’t much opposition to the creation of a new religion either. There’s news that the Pope received divine punishment, so that helps.”

The news that the Pope, who had hurled unspeakable insults at Rosalia, and the high-ranking priests who had committed various misdeeds under the cloak of power received divine punishment spread across the continent in no time. The divine punishment was of a mythic nature. All the high-ranking priests and the Pope present at the event reverted to newborns within minutes, only to age back to their original state in another few minutes. This cycle of returning to infancy and aging again was their eternal punishment. Though it seemed like only a few minutes to an observer, to those trapped within, it was a span of decades.

“Until their minds break, right?”

“Right. They never intended to let them live in peace.”

They would endure this forever, until their minds broke from the relentless passage of time.

“By the way, Mira, the theory professor asked me to ask you something. Are you going to attend future lectures? Depending on whether you’re there or not, the grading system might need to be adjusted.”

Aria spoke up suddenly. That was something I had yet to consider.

“I heard from Leona that both you and Leona were given the option to skip classes for three years and still maintain the top positions in the academy rankings?”

“Really?!”

Rosalia’s eyes widened with surprise, and I nodded.

“That’s right. They said that defeating Mahbat together made the academy curriculum meaningless for us. They offered early graduation or whatever we wanted.”

“Although, saying ‘together’ isn’t quite right. You did everything: cutting off the wings and striking the weak point to kill it.”

“I didn’t do it alone. I couldn’t have done it without your help with the holy sword, Leona.”

“…Saying it like that makes me a bit embarrassed.”

Brynhild blushed, squeezed her hands between her thighs, and fidgeted. Rosalia looked at her with a knowing expression.

“I’m not sure about attending lectures. I need to contact my family first.”

“Your family? Can’t you decide on your own?”

“Well, there’s a reason.”

The reason I enrolled here was to prove to my family that I wasn’t as weak as they thought and to gain three years of freedom. If they acknowledged that I was fine and stopped overprotecting me, I wouldn’t need to worry about them anymore. I could even bring Beatrice, who was sulking from being apart from me, here.

“What reason?”

“Well—”

Knock, knock.

The knock at the door interrupted my explanation. If it were a club member, they wouldn’t knock, so it wasn’t Priscilla or Laura. I set Rosalia down on the bed and approached the door.

“Have you been well, young master?”

“Beatrice?”

When I opened the door, there was Beatrice, bowing politely. I was so surprised that I asked again.

“How did you get here?”

“A problem has arisen that only you can solve, young master. I apologize for the intrusion.”

“Alright. What’s the issue?”

For Beatrice, who had the ability and authority to handle almost anything herself, to say there was something only I could resolve meant it was truly significant. I excused myself briefly and followed her to a secluded spot. Only after soundproofing magic was cast did Beatrice cautiously speak.

“It concerns the succubus you took as a maid.”

“Justera? What’s wrong with her? Did she cause trouble?”

“It seems she is in heat.”

“What?”