At Last, The Saint

“Isn’t it Lord Alistain?”

“Yes, High Priest. May I come in?”

It seemed asking if he could enter was just a courtesy, as Alistain strode into Eize’s room before hearing her answer.

“I didn’t say you could come in, why are you entering?”

Despite Eize’s thorny words, Alistain didn’t seem to care much.

Rather, he seemed surprised only upon seeing Bigrind sitting in Eize’s room.

“I didn’t know the Saint would be here too.”

“As she’s also my former teacher, I was having a conversation with her since it’s been a while since I’ve seen her.”

In fact, Bigrind also felt uncomfortable with the man before her eyes, Alistain.

It was understandable, as even when Bigrind was not yet a saint and not even a priest, Alistain was already working in Evian as the branch head of the Inquisition, and there was nothing about his appearance or personality that could give them a favorable impression.

His tone was dry and concise.

He tended to say only what needed to be said, and his intonation, which often lacked context before and after his statements, often caused misunderstandings for listeners.

Although it’s said to be a tone deliberately cultivated to interrogate heretics and avoid being caught by word traps, the young Yona and Bigrind at that time had no way of knowing such circumstances.

With such an Alistain standing before her eyes, Bigrind had done her best just by calming her face that was about to frown involuntarily.

“How come you’re here alone without the Hero?”

“The Hero is conversing with the Bishop. I came separately to see my teacher.”

“I see…”

Alistain stroked his beard-covered chin with a somewhat troubled expression.

But Bigrind didn’t miss the faint smile hidden in that expression.

A feeling that was both uneasy and uncomfortable.

“So, what’s your business? You wouldn’t have come to my room for no reason.”

At Eize’s words, Alistain turned to look at her.

It was not a particularly pleasant gaze.

That gaze that even gave a somewhat disgusting feeling.

Just as Eize was about to tell him to stop beating around the bush and say what he had to say, Alistain spoke.

“High Priest Eize. I’m arresting you on suspicion of concealing an apostate.”

“…What did you say?”

Silence instantly fell over the room.

“As I said, High Priest. There was a report that you met the apostate Yona and even helped her leave Evian safely.”

Eize clenched her fists tightly.

Yona’s words were right.

Someone must have been watching their reunion.

Yona, who had been constantly chased until she returned to Evian and met Eize, must have been sensitive to such things.

“As you’d expect, the informant’s identity must be kept absolutely secret. So even if you ask, I can’t tell you.”

“…Is that so?”

“Huh. You’re not denying it?”

Alistain smacked his lips while shrugging his shoulders.

It was true that a report had come in, and a scout belonging to the Inquisition had even witnessed it directly.

Yona embracing Eize.

Yona boarding a carriage after parting with Eize.

And Eize waving endlessly as she watched the carriage disappear.

Having watched every detail without missing anything, it was more than enough for Eize to be suspected of meeting the apostate and helping her escape.

“Even if I deny it, the fact that I met Yona won’t change.”

“Is that so? Then this will be quicker. So choose. Will you resist? Or will you be arrested quietly and go to the Inquisition branch?”

“With my own feet—”

Bigrind was quietly watching this exchange.

Yona, who could be called her only friend, had become an apostate and an enemy of the Celestine Church.

The teacher she followed deeply in her heart was now in a situation to be arrested on charges of concealing that apostate.

If arrested like that, she would surely not meet a good fate.

‘What should I…’

Suddenly, Bigrind realized.

She realized that until now, she had moved according to someone else’s instructions.

Where was her own will?

What had she done according to her own will?

Hadn’t she always only moved belatedly after things had already happened?

If she had spoken earlier, if she had moved earlier, things that could have been fine, hadn’t she always just stood still and then cried out screaming?

Would she do that now too?

If Teacher Eize is arrested on charges of concealing an apostate, who will remain by her side?

The Hero.

The Hero who rages that apostates must be killed, saying it’s the way for the Celestial God, fueled by anger and hatred towards Yona?

— Impossible.

Bishop Pobi.

Bishop Pobi who is no different from the Hero.

Bishop Pobi who was fuming about why it had to be this healer girl from Evian who apostatized?

— Not a chance.

No one.

Other than Teacher Eize, there is no one in the world who will unconditionally take her side now.

Why is this painful realization only coming now—

Bigrind looked at Alistain who was taking out a rope.

Teacher Eize seemed to be waiting for that rope to wrap around her wrists, holding out both hands as if resigned.

Why, why do the people around me become unhappy?

Am I bringing misfortune?

That couldn’t be.

Bigrind, the Saint of the Celestine Church.

The earthly agent of the will of the Celestial God who descended to this land and directly appointed her.

The one who spreads that will on this earth and shines the light of peace on the whole world.

That’s why she’s a saint,

That’s why she’s the Saint of the Celestine Church.

Bigrind took a deep breath.

Most of the things that had happened until now were like that.

If she had moved first, if she had stood up and firmly resisted saying is this what the Celestial God wants, most of them could have been prevented.

Her will had been too weak, and she had only been swept along.

She had only been swept along regardless of her own will, and did as someone told her to do.

She didn’t act according to her own will, and therefore this turn of events couldn’t be the Celestial God’s will either.

Losing Yona was enough.

Now she didn’t want to lose anyone else anymore.

So, she couldn’t lose Eize.

“Put down that hand.”

Alistain, who was gleefully about to put the rope on Eize’s wrists, stopped his hand.

A chilling coldness was felt from the Saint whom he had paid little attention to.

“…Saint?”

“Lord Alistain, I said put down that hand. Teacher Ei— the High Priest did not conceal anything.”

“What do you mean?”

For now, as it was the Saint’s words, Alistain rolled back the rope.

However, inwardly he was full of thoughts of refuting the Saint’s words nicely and then arresting Eize again.

“I said the High Priest Eize did not conceal anything.”

“I understand that. But didn’t she admit it herself, Saint?”

“Because High Priest Eize reported to me first that she met the apostate Yona.”

“…Pardon?”

Not a single lie was mixed in.

Eize had told Bigrind everything about meeting Yona while talking with her.

“I said she told me everything. She met the apostate Yona, urged her to turn herself in, and when she didn’t accept even after being urged to turn herself in, she even saw her off personally to ascertain her intended destination. She reported all of this to me. Is there still a charge of concealing an apostate?”

“However, Saint. Even so, that it wasn’t reported to me, an inquisitor…”

Alistain was about to argue why it wasn’t reported to him, an inquisitor—

The tracking and judgment of apostates is originally the duty of inquisitors like himself.

“I wonder why it wasn’t reported to me, an inquisitor, first. Saint, are you perhaps trying to protect her out of personal feelings?”

“Then it sounds like you’re saying I’m lying.”

Bigrind, who was wearing a robe due to the midwinter, slowly stood up from her seat.

The robe that fell like snow glittered in the sunlight, adding to its radiance, and a golden light slowly revealed itself from Bigrind’s halo.

“Are you, an inquisitor, trying to apply your standards to me, who acts on behalf of the Celestial God’s will?”

Alistain hurriedly knelt down.

She had such a small frame, and moreover, she didn’t have a particularly strong will — an extremely fragile saint.

That’s why he had unknowingly looked down on her, it’s true.

“An apostate is the most serious crime in this Celestine Church. For such a crime, how is it not natural to first speak to me, who is closest to the Celestial God’s will? Perhaps Lord Alistain, do you consider yourself more important than me, who continues the Celestial God’s will—”

“No—!”

Alistain shouted, banging his forehead on the ground repeatedly.

The Saint is a being in the same position as the Pope.

Unlike the elected Pope, the Saint is born through direct appointment by the Celestial God, so it would be fair to say that no one could ignore her existence.

If one were to insist that an inquisitor’s duty is more important than such a Saint, this too would be a serious crime.

“Rather, even though it’s said to be the Pope’s order, isn’t it more problematic that you’re causing trouble by capturing innocent white-haired girls? Shouldn’t you be ashamed that despite going to such lengths, you’re not even able to track the actual apostate?”

“Your words… are most just.”

“I will prove High Priest Eize’s innocence. From this moment on, if you wish to suspect High Priest Eize of any connection with the apostate Yona, come to me and say so. As I too grew up as High Priest Eize’s disciple, it would be more proper to suspect my connection with the apostate first. Do you understand, Lord Alistain?”

The radiance rising behind Bigrind shone even more brilliantly golden.

“I didn’t lie.”

“Y-Yes, that’s right.”

Eize, stroking her wrists that were almost tightly bound with rope, looked at Bigrind with a bewildered expression.

Bigrind, who was drinking tea with an incomparably more dignified appearance than just moments ago.

“…Because I realized that standing still and doing what others ask doesn’t change the situation.”

Looking at Eize who was staring at her in confusion, Bigrind showed a fresh smile.