Grand Duke Damian (1)

    Grand Duke Damian (1)

    Bigrind looked up at the blue sky.

    The sky was so clear and blue.

    Unusually warm weather despite it being winter.

    A day in Evian where white clouds played across the clear sky.

    On this day, there was still plenty of time before the promised meeting with Yona.

    She had already heard about the order of events for the relief ceremony, and was told that the leadership of the Evian diocese, including Bishop Povi, would lazily appear at the venue sometime in the afternoon.

    It was deplorable from the start, but anyway, things would only be properly resolved if Yona appeared and caused a commotion after they all showed up.

    It should be called a disgrace to the Celestine Church.

    Bigrind steeled herself with this thought.

    This power and authority that the Celestial God had bestowed upon her must have been given to be used in this way.

    Surely the Celestial God was watching over everything.

    This tragedy where humans living on this land created by the Celestial God, despite His grace, mock and slander each other, and sell the Celestial God’s name to fulfill their own selfish desires.

    Unable to bear this sight, the Celestial God finally closed His mouth, did not show Himself, and did not even bestow His blessing.

    Perhaps He couldn’t bring Himself to punish humans, and wanted them to realize it on their own.

    Now it was time to respond to that will.

    If she could show Him how she wisely navigated through the great calamity that was Yona, and thereby show how she strengthened the Celestine Church once again.

    Then He would once again show Himself to humans with a benevolent smile.

    The people of the back alley had been looking at a small girl with curious eyes for some time now.

    It was a girl who had come to the event a few days ago.

    The sight of that girl, who wasn’t dressed particularly fancy, going around in all directions distributing various necessities to the poor was somewhat strange, but the poor people had just assumed she was some kind of priest and let it go.

    But when that girl appeared today at the relief event riding in a shiny carriage, the poor people couldn’t help but be surprised.

    Moreover, that girl was the Saint — the rumored Saint who had appeared in Evian.

    So their surprise grew even more.

    The back alleys of Evian were entangled with various problems.

    There were issues like city security, but above all, the fact that a dark organization had been active in the community center of this back alley had the greatest impact.

    It was certainly not a good look that a dark organization had been active in the city where the Saint of the Celestine Church had appeared, even though investigations revealed that it wasn’t the residents of the back alley who were the main culprits, but rather they had suffered great damage due to the dark organization that had flowed in from outside.

    It was surprising enough that such a Saint had come to visit such a place in person, but it was even more surprising that this Saint was taking the lead, rolling up her sleeves and distributing various relief supplies to the poor.

    People were busy whispering among themselves.

    From saying she was really brave to saying she was truly saintly.

    And beside such a Saint, standing guard and keenly observing the surroundings to see if any suspicious person was approaching — Ludvic.

    It was a good picture of the Hero and the Saint, but why was the Saint personally handing out relief supplies like this?

    The poor people had a hard time understanding this fact.

    It was difficult to understand why such a high-ranking person as a Saint was doing something that could be sufficiently done by subordinates.

    “Don’t skip meals, make sure to eat something, even if it’s just a little.”

    “If things get really difficult, be sure to come to the cathedral. The Celestial God loves us all.”

    “There, now that your wound has healed completely. Now, let’s start doing some work on our own, even if it’s something small.”

    “The Celestial God loves everyone. Him sending me here like this is also the Celestial God’s will to take care of you all.”

    Not for a single moment does she treat people carelessly.

    Is this what it means to be a Saint?

    The poor people tightly hugged the relief supplies handed to them by Bigrind, and even then, couldn’t immediately return home.

    They wanted to see a little more of that golden radiance emitted by the small girl named Saint.

    They wanted to feel a little more of that holy feeling emanating from that girl.

    ‘…Somehow this feeling…?’

    Feeling something strange, Bigrind frequently looked around.

    It’s not demonic energy — it can’t be.

    If it were demonic energy, she wouldn’t have missed that feeling, so this hair-raising sensation is not demonic energy.

    But clearly, from earlier, a gaze that seemed to be watching her kept following her.

    Even when she looked around, while there were many gazes looking at her, none were as chilling as this one.

    A gaze that makes her shudder even though there’s no such person.

    Just when she thought that feeling had suddenly disappeared —

    Bigrind finally noticed the man standing in front of her.

    He was a middle-aged man of considerable height.

    He had a good build, and although his clothes showed signs of wear, they were clearly high-quality and formal attire.

    His graying hair was long and full, covering his shoulders, and along with his mustache, his well-groomed silver beard had grown to a suitable length, adding a mature charm.

    However, when Bigrind looked at this man, she was inwardly startled by his complexion.

    His face was so pale it seemed as if a corpse was walking around.

    A face without any hint of blood, not even showing signs of life.

    Only his unusually red lips proved that he was a living person.

    “…Saint.”

    “Ah, oh.”

    Bigrind, who had been blankly staring at such a man, was startled and picked up some clothes only to put them back down.

    Judging by the clothes the man was wearing, he didn’t seem to be someone who needed such garments.

    Thinking how poorly he must have eaten to have no color in his face, Bigrind picked up a wooden box full of food supplies.

    “Here, this is food. I think you might need this.”

    “…Is that so?”

    That gloomy voice.

    If melancholy were to be crafted into a voice, it would be like this.

    The man accepted the box with a faint smile.

    “It’s warm…”

    Their hands brushed as he received the box.

    The man, whose hand had brushed against Bigrind’s, quietly looked at his own hand and muttered.

    “Is it because you’re a Saint?”

    “Pardon?”

    “Your hand is so warm.”

    Bigrind awkwardly smiled at the man whose words trailed off.

    How much must he have longed for human warmth to think it’s because she’s a Saint just because her hand is warm?

    “Usually, everyone’s hands are warm.”

    But the man’s hand was not.

    Bigrind only then realized that the man’s hand was very cold.

    Moreover, skin that felt completely devoid of elasticity.

    From there, an ominous feeling of something strange began.

    Along with the coldness, a sense of unease seemed to envelop Bigrind’s body.

    “Um… Is there anything else you need?”

    Even so, she couldn’t turn away someone who came seeking help.

    Bigrind forced a smile and asked the man.

    “No. Not yet… not yet.”

    The man slowly shook his head.

    ‘Not yet…?’

    Feeling something unsettling about those words, Bigrind was about to ask the man again when —

    “The Bishop has arrived—!”

    A loud shout rang out along with the sound of carriage horns.

    And at the same time, an open carriage carrying the choir entered the back alley and began to sing a bright and cheerful hymn.

    A hymn with an atmosphere that didn’t suit this back alley at all.

    And an incredibly luxurious carriage entering the back alley where this hymn was resounding.

    A magical carriage that didn’t even need a coachman entered the square where the event was in full swing and came to a stop.

    A few priests quickly jumped out and spread a wide golden carpet on the ground.

    As they laid out the carpet, pulling it taut without a single wrinkle, the carriage door slowly opened and Bishop Povi appeared.

    “My, what wonderful weather we have. It couldn’t be more fitting for a day when the Celestial God bestows His grace!”

    Povi stepped down from the carriage, his chubby cheeks quivering.

    Around Bishop Povi, clergy led by priests lined up, and intimidated by the presence of these clergy, the poor people of the back alley who should actually be receiving the relief supplies stepped back, watching cautiously.

    And this scene was being witnessed in its entirety by Bigrind.

    “— Bishop Povi, please show some restraint.”

    A sharp voice.

    Bigrind stepped forward to face Povi directly.

    The sight of the poor being pushed aside due to the unnecessarily grand entrance.

    The reality where this relief event, which should be about delivering aid supplies and giving the will to live to these people, had instead become a place for the clergy to polish their own image.

    A scene Bigrind had seen many times during relief events when she was a priest.

    It was something she hadn’t particularly found strange at the time, but looking at it now, it was strange.

    So very strange.

    “Saint, what do you mean? When you say to show restraint, I really don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

    Even as he said this, a look of displeasure rose in Povi’s eyes.

    It was good that the Saint had appeared, but things had turned bad because the apostate had also shown up.

    Moreover, it would have been better if the Saint had just stayed quiet, but she had suddenly started acting up a few days ago, saying she would fulfill her duties as a Saint, so she was truly a thorn in his side.

    “Isn’t the purpose of this relief event to widely bestow the will, teachings, and love of the Celestial God? Not only do you arrive late, but you’re also pushing aside the poor people’s space. I wonder if this is how a bishop should behave.”

    “Oh, is that so? Well, this is quite embarrassing. As one gets older, the eyes grow dim, and this is quite troublesome.”

    As he said this, Povi made eye signals to those around him.

    Following his signal, the clergy scattered as if nothing had happened, forcing smiles as they approached the poor.

    “……”

    Bigrind quietly watched this scene.

    This must be why the Celestial God doesn’t visit the Celestine Church.

    It was an utterly deplorable situation.

    But soon it would be alright.

    The time for Yona to appear was drawing near —

    When Yona appears and exposes the incompetence of the Celestine Church, the faces of the clergy, including Povi, who are only concerned with their own preservation, will contort.

    Bigrind swallowed her irritation.

    Even a Saint can get annoyed.

    It was a moment of realizing a new fact.

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