episode_0037
by fnovelpia“…What did you say?”
Rachel’s hand stiffened upon hearing Gashin’s words.
The pen she had been using stopped, then with a snap, it split in half.
“So, what did you just say?” she asked.
“…Evil forces have appeared where Ian Gongja once visited.”
This was the beginning of the second incident.
….
“Right now, I need to go where Ian is.”
“You can’t.”
Gashin, bewildered, blocked Rachel, who wore gloves covered in fresh white frost.
But instead, the other party frowned as if it were a serious blasphemy.
“…I’ve already concluded discussions with the Holy Kingdom. I also know that their support is lacking. Even if my head were to roll, I cannot abandon my son. Harzen, are you… suggesting that I abandon Ian?”
Rachel carefully placed the torn letter into her treasure-like embrace and stared directly with fiery determination in her eyes.
‘…Damn devils.’
Clearly, the only phrase written at the very top.
It was in a familiar handwriting, unforgettable, especially since it had been seen every day recently.
“I must go.”
Harzen couldn’t conceal his surprise at Rachel’s unusual expression.
‘…Certainly, Lady Rachel has never been swayed by matters of this magnitude.’
At least, rather than gathering more information like a strategist, she was rushing into the situation.
“What’s the problem?”
Once the Ice Queen. She was filled with an indescribable rage.
Moreover, as a Holy Maiden, it would be an issue for Rachel to personally go out, even though the Holy Kingdom would send troops.
No matter how much the Countess had returned, going out almost without any consultation was a problem.
This was not just a matter between a mother and son but a matter of ‘responsibility’ within the family.
“Lady Rachel, this is an excessively emotional judgment. Even if you insist on going, we should first prepare… and besides, there is a Holy Maiden there, isn’t there?”
“It’s too late for that. And I won’t be going alone; I will select special personnel to accompany me.”
Rachel’s tone was resolute.
So meticulous that it’s hard to believe.
The sharpness evident in his eyes remained unchanged, but within those golden irises lay nothing but dark, viscous emotions.
Of course, Rachel was emotional and impatient. If it weren’t for his last request before leaving, he would never have acted so recklessly.
“If the letter doesn’t reach its destination, please come to me without fail.”
Even though it wasn’t his usual demeanor to say such things, recalling how he emphasized those words… yes.
If the person he didn’t love hadn’t made that request, he would have remained confined within the family until the end.
“And just in case, please bring what I’ve prepared with you.”
Rachel, echoing Ian’s voice, fastened gloves constructed through various magical methods.
The bloodstained gloves were distant and worn thin.
Even though they had been imbued with third-level holy magic.
“…the time for him to toy with my mind has passed.”
Even if he anticipates, he will be painting a bigger picture than that.
From the very fact that he hesitated because he knew something was amiss with the saintess, he was aware of this fact.
In that case…
“-Ray, pull yourself together.”
A phrase that had rescued her from endless nightmares.
As she had dreamt every night of him embracing and rescuing her, his firm grip as if to never let go was still felt.
Her hand, which had been tightly grasping her arm as she pondered, relaxed.
“…”
Thinking of Ian’s face as she called out his name, her steps quickened involuntarily.
“…Certainly, I had resolved to fold my heart away.”
Seeing herself being called like this again…
And remembering how flustered she had been at her own warning.
…An opportunity, perhaps.
‘…I should prepare to push it away next time too.’
…
Their warm breaths mingled.
Yuria, who had been brought to mind, pressed against my lower body, teasing her abdomen.
“Haa… haa… Master, master.”
I found myself sprawled beneath Sister Yuria, who was wearing a nun’s habit, drawn to the center of the church before I knew it. If there’s a problem… “My back… feels like it’s going to break.” Truly, this is the second time my back has suffered so much. My cheeks have almost become gaunt as if they’ve been sucked dry. There were various incidents, claiming to fulfill the virginity again after receiving the second token… Many things happened. A lot of things. Everything after that went by quickly. Except for one thing. “…What are you doing to the saint…?” “How could someone come as a guest under the name Gongja…!” When I received the sneering insults and disdainful glances from behind, I felt like crying out in injustice. So, to sum up the situation. The saint. Is no longer a saint. “Ah, Ian Gongja…” Looking at me with earnest eyes, clasping both hands together as if praying, not hesitating to hold my hand or linger by my side, even feeding me food directly…? It wasn’t just one pair of eyes fixed on Ian, who was standing nearby. “You’re not treating the saint like some object…! How dare you treat the saint…!” “All for the sake of the merciful saint…!” Perhaps the villagers’ sentiments toward the saint have soared, even to the extent of shedding blood in front of their eyes to protect the townspeople. There was hardly any reaction to my swift departure. Perhaps only the female knight who had witnessed the scene in front of her quietly knew the truth. Nevertheless, thanks to my noble status, there was no one openly spewing insults. That was. Until it wasn’t. Like a mere servant girl, the woman called a saint entered my quarters, took the adjacent room, and proceeded to do chores, even offering to massage my feet, asking if she should fetch a chair for me. Thanks to the maid who volunteered to help with the chairs, the workload increased.
As the scene unfolded, naturally, the public sentiment toward the saint had risen, and now my image is that of a scoundrel.
Using the saint as if she were a maid, or something like that… Well, that’s it.
“…It’s not like that noble wastrel is treating the saint like a slave!”
“…Undoubtedly, that wastrel is taking advantage of a weakness and wielding it.”
“Sigh… How did our saint end up like this…”
If I were to speak my mind, the reason I’m currently sticking close to the saint is to rid her of the remnants of the demon.
Borrowing her sanctity for a moment, directly placing my hand on her back and infusing magic… well, it’s a simple act.
…The problem is that because I’m the only one who can do this, in the eyes of others, it would seem like the saint is being lured by me into doing strange things, rather than realizing I’m saving their lives.
‘Even if they don’t know that I saved their lives.’
Moreover, I can’t increase the number of women around me from two to three.
…Even for the sake of my own reputation.
“Hmm? How about looking at the saint’s bare skin? To Ian, it doesn’t matter where you look. Perhaps you want to touch… her chest?”
No. Don’t try to read my mind.
After teaching her how to suppress the demon, Isabella, who has recently been recovering her true self little by little, can now easily read the minds of those she touches.
So, now that her image has improved… and even though my trauma has slightly improved and brightened, it’s still embarrassing.
Just by imagining putting my hand on her J-cup chest, the memory of her white skin that was revealed under the white robe comes to mind, and my face turns completely red.
“Still, isn’t Ian always looking at my body after my face? I know everything. Please, touch me. In fact, this is a better act for me. I want to develop a closer relationship with Ian.”
The saint casually speaks with a stern voice.
…A closer relationship, huh.
You call yourself a saint.
-Knock, knock.
Outside the room, a knocking sound could be heard.
In order to ensure that the saint was not left alone anymore, the knight who had been sticking by her side every day called for a trusted individual to teach her how to suppress the curse.
“It seems… I can’t keep staying by the saint’s side until the demon inside her quiets down.”
Spending time with this woman, who had been connected even longer than I had, would bring peace of mind to her spirit, more so than I could.
This method wasn’t in the original work, but it was thanks to this knight sticking by her side that the demon was being suppressed.
“…Well, on the contrary, if this knight were to die in front of her, that might trigger a rampage.”
But that wouldn’t happen right away.
The saint’s complexion brightened slightly as she greeted the knight.
“Laurence, please come in.”
No, at the very least, why would she not let go of my hand when her own knight is coming in? What’s with the clinging to my cheek?
Resisting it would only make her cling tighter.
“So, what reason did you have for calling me here? You didn’t call me just to show me this spectacle, did you?”
The knight shifted her gaze to me and spoke.
It seemed quite uncomfortable for anyone to witness the saint engaging in physical contact.
The cold-hearted master showing a look of love, which she couldn’t possibly be unaware of. Moreover, anyone seeing such a sight would furrow their brows.
The saint, tied to a chair with ropes by a man, and the knight, bound and gently caressing her cheek with pure eyes.
“I won’t interfere with your actions, but please don’t involve others in such a villainous sexual preference.”
“No, it’s not like that.”
“If someone else were to see the saint forcibly restrained…”
“Please.”
The knight, looking at me as if asking for an explanation, glanced at the ropes tightly binding the saint’s body.
“There was no other way.”
“What kind of act is it to tie up a woman who has never been defiled by another with ropes on a chair? I don’t need to ponder that.”
“…”
I have nothing to say.
No, is thinking about the reason for tying up the ropes the only thing that comes to mind…?
Surely, she said she would teach how to suppress the curse.
“…”
However, Isabella, who was fortunately watching, blushed slightly and explained, having roughly grasped the meaning of what her knight, Lawrence, had said.
“Lo… Lawrence, it’s okay. I actually asked to be tied up.”
…Damn, wasn’t she supposed to be explaining?
As Isabella’s trembling voice filled the air, Lawrence shot Ian a darker look, alternating between him and the saint.
I feel unjustly treated.
‘…In order to prevent the demon from interfering with the saint, me, or anything else, at least I have no choice but to tie her up like this.’
Still, there were plenty of excuses agreed upon in advance for why he could not disclose anything about the demon or whatever.
It should be easy enough to smoothly divert the conversation while somehow explaining it as being related to the dragon.
But there was a problem with the saint saying that.
“…Lawrence.”
The saint, who had momentarily released my hand and was looking at the knight, spoke with quivering eyes.
“I, I had no choice if it was for him. This position is much more comfortable for him, and without any resistance, things can proceed quickly…. So I can command him.”
“…”
“I, I was of course startled at first… but when I am close to him, it feels truly warm and comforting… despite being rougher and tougher than others… my heart naturally warms. And Sir Ian… is kind and gentle, considering me slowly… for a long time.”
Hands.
She’s talking about hands.
From the knight’s awe-inspiring expression as she placed her hand on the hilt of her sword, one could sense hostility.
…No, even if we haven’t communicated much, it shouldn’t be like that…! What does she mean by explaining it like that?
Of course, when I first tied the saint with this rope, she seemed somewhat bewildered,
but after doing it once, twice, three times.
How absurd. Isn’t she practically saying, ‘It’s okay to tie me up every day, just don’t touch me?’ while carrying the rope around her waist and following me everywhere?
“Please give me your hand at least.”
The cold sweat poured down like a waterfall, and the saint still had no idea what the problem was.
After a long silence, the lady-in-waiting took a deep breath and spoke.
“…If you had looked happy, that would have been enough. But please, never show this side to others. Perhaps it’s you who instilled such twisted gender norms and engaged in such relationships… If they find out, those people won’t easily let it go. However, take responsibility until the end. I didn’t see any traces of rubber use. If rumors spread that the saint is pregnant, it will cause a big problem… No, at least secure a disguise first…”
First of all,
This wasn’t about impregnating the saint, running away, and living happily ever after.
It was about teaching how to suppress the saint’s demon.
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