Good Intentions Don’t Always Bring Good Results (4)

“And, before that.”

Yona glared at Arami, who was crammed into the corner of the tent as if she would be shoved in.

Her eyes were glowing strangely.

“We must do what needs to be done. Yes, because I’m a fair Saintess. Right?”

Yona’s steps turned towards Arami again.

One step, another step.

Looking at Yona approaching, Arami was staring at her while letting out meaningless groans of “Heeek—”

Standing in front of Arami like this, Yona reached out without any hesitation and grabbed Arami’s hair.

Even though she grabbed with just one hand, Arami was so surprised she almost fainted, trembling as if she was about to have a seizure.

“How dare you insult the Saintess. You didn’t think you’d be safe after returning my kindness, my good intentions, like this, did you?”

No one in this tent dared to try to stop Yona.

Even Alec couldn’t stop Yona now.

“Come here. You should come here.”

Yona dragged Arami to the center of the tent while grabbing her hair.

Arami’s screams filled the tent like flowing water, but the audience could only watch.

Demonic energy was once again flowing abundantly from Yona’s mouth.

That demonic energy, which scattered into the air, made Yona look like she did before—like when she was in the church territory, just like then.

Yona, who had dragged Arami to the center of the tent, lifted her up while still grabbing her hair.

“Kyaaaah…!”

Arami stood up with a shrill scream through the gag that had come loose at some point.

It was easier than having clumps of hair pulled out.

Yona quietly whispered into Arami’s ear, who she had raised like this.

“You should kneel, shouldn’t you?”

• • Bak!

    Yona kicked the back of Arami’s knee.

    There was a sound like something breaking, but although no bones were broken, Arami knelt with a groan.

“You’re Atilamancha, right? The chief of the Meadow Gill tribe.”

“…Yes, that’s right.”

That large Lizardman—Atilamancha couldn’t dare to say anything to Yona either.

At least in his common sense, he had never seen a creature emitting demonic energy so abundantly from its entire body, even from its mouth, like the Yona before his eyes now. He had only heard that she was the Saintess of the demon realm and believed it in the sense that she commanded gods, but seeing this appearance, she was undoubtedly a Saintess. It was normal not to even dare to challenge her again.

“I didn’t know these damn Azrami snakes would plot such a thing. Well, looking at the circumstances, it seems right that Azrami used some trick to kill those two. In that regard, I made her apologize first.”

Yona’s expression was nonchalant. Perhaps because of this, Atilamancha also didn’t know what kind of answer or expression to make. Clearly that snake was kneeling like this, but it didn’t particularly feel satisfying or anything like that.

“And I should apologize too. As they say, blood is thicker than water, maybe I got a bit close to those snakes and couldn’t judge coldly.”

But Yona didn’t kneel in front of Atilamancha.

She just approached Atilamancha, who was sitting as if he had fallen backwards, and bent her waist slightly to bring her face close to Atilamancha’s.

“You’ll accept my apology, right? Hm?”

“Ah… yes, o-of course.”

For Atilamancha, it was an answer with no choice, just one possible answer.

But even though it was such an answer, Yona seemed satisfied and straightened up, smiling.

“Why is the atmosphere like this? We’ve solved the problem, haven’t we? No? Azrami assassinated two important figures of the Meadow Gill tribe. Well, I don’t know the method, but still?”

As she said this, Yona turned to look at the two bodies laid in the center of the tent.

As if they were watching, Yona smiled at them.

“So from now on, this is my personal matter.”

“Personal… matter, Yona. What do you mean…”

Alec spoke haltingly.

Somehow, it felt like she had become so distant from the Yona he had been with until now.

He couldn’t shake off that feeling.

Her appearance was Yona, but it felt like the one speaking from inside wasn’t Yona.

Perhaps because of this, Alec couldn’t easily speak to Yona.

“Alec, are you pretending not to know? Or do you really not know?”

At Yona’s words, Alec closed his mouth.

• • Good intentions don’t always bring good results… Yes, I knew that too. But that should only happen once or twice. How long do I have to keep doing this? Hm?

 

• • You used my good intentions this time too. Whose doing is it? Who is it? Who, who planned to use those Lizardmen? Assassination would be certain, yes… When lizards and snakes fight. And when I intervened, who would benefit the most.

Yona’s words came to mind.

Looking back, as Alec thought about it, hadn’t it always been like this?

Although Yona grumbled in words, she always made choices she thought were right. She walked the path she thought was right. Yona was a cleric, and she was proud of being a cleric. What a cleric should do, what a cleric ought to do. Everything Yona had done until now was like that.

But what was the reward that actually came back to Yona? There was criticism of her, there was blame, and at worst, even curses. And like this, even though it was something she didn’t have to get involved in, because of those few days of rapport she had shared with Amira—because of that one thing, Yona ended up sticking her head in.

This was the result.

Yona had been used again.

And now Yona has just declared that she will return the favor.

At that thought, Alec hesitated.

Yona, finding it strange that Alec wasn’t answering immediately, slowly approached him.

“Alec.”

“…Yeah.”

Alec couldn’t look directly at Yona’s face.

Yona’s face, strangely overflowing with sensuality, felt alien, and moreover, it was unfamiliar that he felt no contact pain even at this close proximity. Above all, the dark and red energy surging from his lower abdomen was a new feeling for Alec.

Yona, not knowing what Alec was thinking.

Yona looked at Alec’s face for a moment and then slowly opened her mouth.

“Do you think you should stop me?”

“……”

“Do you think I shouldn’t do this?”

“……”

“Alec, look at me.”

Yona put her finger on Alec’s chin.

Forcibly turning Alec’s face towards her as he was avoiding her gaze with his head turned askew, she smiled slightly.

“To you who died once, to me who barely saved you. And to you who lost everything, to me who filled you again. If it brought results that neither of us wanted, I think it’s right to hold the cause responsible, you know.”

“……”

“Besides, you’re not a cathedral knight anymore. You’re my knight. I was insulted, I was used… Yes, I’d like you to be angry about that. I’d like you to get mad about that. The judgment of right and wrong, that standard… from now on, not the Celestial Deity, but the Saintess here… no, Yona. Me. I’d like you to base it on me. Can you do that?”

There was no way he could answer immediately.

Alec kept his mouth shut, unable to answer Yona’s words.

“Don’t be like that, Alec. I shouldn’t be saying this, as the one who took away your everything, your whole life.”

Yona’s fingers caressed Alec’s chest.

Yona’s fingers, which were caressing Alec’s sturdy and firm chest muscles, soon traced up his neckline and caressed his cheek.

“—It was better than you dying. The thought of you disappearing from my side is painful even to think about. I’d like you to understand me, who tried to save you even like that. Can you do that for me?”

What would he have done if Yona was dying?

Alec thought about it like that.

If Yona was dying, and if saving her meant denying her entire being—

Would Alec have had a choice?

Moreover, at the Alensia Flower Festival, Alec had already destroyed Yona’s world once.

Even if it wasn’t exactly the same, at least Alec wasn’t in a position to blame Yona.

“…Yes, Yona. I understand you. Because I would have done the same if it were me.”

“Thank you.”

Yona showed a bright smile.

And at that moment, a huge shadow fell over the tent that had been illuminated by moonlight.

[Saintess, are you here?]

That majestic voice.

That familiar voice.

From around, screams and shouts of Lizardmen to strengthen the guard and prepare for battle could be heard.

Yona, who had been looking at Alec’s face, took a step back and looked up at the sky.

The body of a snake visible through the window cut in the tent ceiling.

But Yona spoke calmly, as if she didn’t care about such things.

“Yes, Berbaria. I’m here.”

[You… …Anyway, I came because the Chief Priest sent me, but the welcoming party is quite substantial.]

The moment the voice seemed to resound, the figure of a small girl appeared inside the tent.

That appearance identical to Rubina.

“What’s going on…”

Berbaria looked around.

Two Lizardman corpses quietly laid out.

And right next to them, Arami kneeling.

Atilamancha, sitting as if he had fallen backwards, with a dazed expression.

“…You’ve finally gotten a knight.”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“What I was worried about, concerned about, has finally happened.”

“Rather than being worried… I’ve just found those who tried to use the Saintess again.”

Berbaria didn’t answer Yona’s words.

After keeping silent for a moment, Berbaria asked Yona back.

“So, what do you intend to do? Is it time for divine punishment?”

“That’s right. It’s time to bring divine punishment to those who dared to insult and mock my Saintess. Before that, I should hear their circumstances, though.”

“Are you saying you’ll give room for consideration?”

“Of course not.”

Yona smiled, curling up the corners of her mouth.

That smile was so twisted somewhere that Alec even felt a bit chilling.

“They should die after confessing their sins in detail so they won’t resent my Saintess. I’ll just make them think they’re dying because they committed sins worthy of death.”

“I see. Understood.”

Berbaria’s figure disappeared.

Once again, a shadow fell over the window where moonlight had been shining in.

[I don’t want to crush the tent, so come outside.]

“Well, shall we go now?”

Yona grabbed Arami’s hair, who was kneeling in a daze.

And then, whistling lightly, she dragged Arami towards the outside of the tent.