Chapter 4. Escape and Service (2)

“Why?”

I muttered to myself, not directed at anyone in particular, and paced around the dormitory room.

“How did so many people gather like that? People who weren’t even interested before?”

Today’s worship service was a great success.

Well, in a world where the existence of God is accepted as common sense, of course, many people attend worship services. Even if it’s not the weekend, that’s the case. Those who already had faith would have deepened it, and some who didn’t have faith would have gained it.

However, today was very different from usual.

Even with faith, it’s difficult for people to come to church on weekdays. Many people would prefer to lounge around at home even on weekends, so coming to church right after work on a weekday is something that can only be done with incredible passion, isn’t it?

“It’s not because of me, is it?”

“Of course, it’s because of you. They say you’re pretty, don’t they? There must be people who want to see you! Why don’t you have an autograph session?”

Ria replied very casually, flipping through a book while lying on the bed.

“…….”

When I glared at Ria, she chuckled.

“Well, think of it as an opening boost. You’re a Saint Candidate whose apology was accepted by the Cardinal himself. To people’s eyes, you’ll look like a certified candidate! Even though you’re a Saint Candidate, this has never happened before.”

“……Kyaa.”

I clutched my head and crouched down.

“Tsk, my stubborn one.”

Ria said, patting my head with her hand. I lifted my head and glared at Ria, but she didn’t look scared at all.

Of course. Damn it, I can never beat Ria in strength. Unless she performs a suplex on me from afar.

It’s only been three days since I went to Myeongdong, and although I’ve received training in the meantime, my skills obviously haven’t improved that much.

At best, I received a mock firearm-a pink rubber blob shaped like a pistol-from Ria and received posture training, so my shooting stance is somewhat decent.

“Am I like a pet hamster you’re raising?”

“Well, you do eat what I give you like a hamster.”

“…….”

I opened and closed my mouth a few times, then decided to change the subject.

Standing up again, I paced from one end of the dormitory room to the other, resting my chin on my hand and pondering.

“……Perhaps, will they permit me to go for volunteer work outside the gate?”

“Now you’re thinking of escaping to a completely different world?”

Since I also came from another world, wouldn’t it be okay to escape a little?

Still, I know there’s no paradise. For an atheist, there’s no heaven or hell.

Even beyond the gate, it’s just ‘another world.’

Of course, it could be ‘heavenly,’ or it could be ‘hellish.’ And statistically, the probability of it being ‘hellish’ is overwhelmingly higher than ‘heavenly.’

Nature is like that, I guess.

Still, wouldn’t it be a little better if it were a place where people live? Many hunters seem to view me favorably.

“Probably not.”

However, my hope was shattered by Ria’s very next words.

“People know how important talented individuals are. If someone like you, who can be reassuring just by being nearby, goes to another world and can’t return, would they want to put such a talent in danger?”

That was a rather plausible opinion.

If there’s a gate, they have to look around beyond it, which is why Hunters exist. And regardless of the Hunter’s abilities, there needs to be someone to take on such tasks, which is why they do it-but there’s no need to deliberately send someone who doesn’t have to go and put them in danger.

But, in the original work, the Saint went across without question?

However, I can’t mention the ‘original work’ in front of Ria like this.

Perhaps something happened before the original work began, allowing the Saint to cross over.

So…

“Right. That’s it.”

“Huh?”

When I said something as if I had realized it, Ria blinked.

“There are cases where there are other civilizations beyond the gate, right?”

“There are.”

“And they also have exchanges with this country.”

“They do. Although it’s limited.”

“Then, wouldn’t it be possible for me to slip in among those exchanges?”

“…….”

Ria looked at me with the most bewildered expression she had ever shown.

“Are you trying to illegally immigrate?”

“Ah.”

Does it become like that?

“It’s not that the space beyond the gate is just empty, and even if the technological capabilities of the countries beyond are somewhat inferior, we are not in a relationship where we unilaterally invade. We have to consider the opinions of other countries.”

That… I know. I learned that in school as common sense here, and more importantly, I read it in the original work.

“If one country starts invading another, other countries will also start invading beyond the gate. But after invading like that, who knows what will happen next? For now, most countries beyond the gate have inferior technology to ours, but who knows when a gate might open near a country in the 26th century.”

The logic of power can sometimes completely override the logic of justification, but conversely, if there are many places where relationships are maintained well, we might be able to receive help at such moments.

And, in fact, there’s no need to usurp a country. Most of the areas beyond the gate are empty.

“And the beings beyond aren’t necessarily only humans.”

“I heard there are races like elves.”

And I also heard that elves generally don’t have very good personalities. They have a very powerful monarchical system, and their nobles are typically like the arrogant nobles in cartoons.

Modern society, strictly speaking, is a ‘society where there are no lower people.’ Well, legally speaking, that’s the case, even if it’s not fully observed.

But it seems the elves think, ‘Then these guys live in a society without nobles.’

So, they see it as ‘everyone is commoner because there are no nobles.’

Although there are overwhelmingly more of them by number, and their technology is good, so they don’t openly condescend.

“Hmm.”

……It might be a bit problematic to go there carelessly.

“Then what should I do…?”

“……Don’t you have the option to just accept it?”

Ria asked.

I slumped onto the bed again.

Perhaps feeling a little pity for my complete dejection, Ria crawled towards her desk and opened a drawer.

Then she took out a chocolate.

“Want some?”

“Yes.”

“You really need to learn how to refuse things.”

*

Ironically, an opportunity found me a while later.

Fortunately, the people who came to worship were believers, so although they glanced at me, no one spoke to me directly.

More importantly, Ria was always glaring at me from near me.

Ria was already famous, as much as I am now, and Ria’s father was even more famous than that. Since she’s also known for her skill, people naturally wouldn’t approach her easily.

So, that wasn’t a big problem-

“Someone important?”

Ria tilted her head and asked.

The Nun Superior and the priest nodded.

We were not in the usual interview room at the convent but were out in the chapel. While it wasn’t strictly forbidden for a priest and a nun to be alone together, it was more comfortable to talk in a way that didn’t arouse suspicion.

“……Is the important person perhaps suffering from cancer?”

When Ria asked again, the priest shook his head.

“If it were such a request, we would have refused it from the beginning. If we start accommodating one person, there’s no end to it. Moreover, such an illness can be treated without Sister Anna’s power.”

We both nodded.

And we tilted our heads in unison.

“Then, perhaps a traffic accident…?”

“Rather, it was an assassination attempt.”

“Assassination attempt.”

I immediately felt that this probably wasn’t about our world.

“Yes. A princess from some country… apparently, she drank poison.”

“Poison.”

It’s very, how should I say it, classic.

Not that suicide by poisoning or murder doesn’t exist in this world, though.

“How critical is she?”

I asked.

“I heard she’s in a condition too dangerous to be treated conventionally. Fortunately, we have a few bottles of holy water that we sent over, so her life is being maintained without ending.”

“It seems holy water can’t fully cure it.”

“That’s right.”

The priest nodded at my question.

However, it still felt a bit strange.

“If it’s an assassination, isn’t there no reason to attempt it? There would have been more certain methods than poison. If they knew about holy water or holy power, they would have known it would fail, wouldn’t they?”

At my words, the priest and the Nun Superior looked at each other.

And then they looked at me simultaneously.

“That’s why such a separate request came. In that world, the existence of a world like this is not ‘common sense.'”

Ah.

“Perhaps the person who attempted the assassination is someone far removed from that royal family, or perhaps they are from another country.”

“…….”

Ria and I remained silent.

“They said she wouldn’t last a week. What will you do?”

I tilted my head again.

“Is there really a need to ask?”

“Because there’s someone dying, and if I can save them with my own power, and if I’ve heard the news, what else can I do? Not helping at that point is no different from letting them die.”

At my words, Ria sighed lightly, and the priest and Nun Superior exchanged cautious glances.

……Why?

Didn’t they bring me here anyway? I just need to go and use my holy power.

Seeing that subtle atmosphere, I tilted my head to the other side.