episode_0006

“Are you saying that you are stepping down from the position of saint?”

It was a strange statement. Even after thinking about it again, I still had a hard time understanding it.

What do you mean? Resigning from the position of saint? Glenn recalled the rumor he had heard by chance. Clearly, the position of saint is not one that the Air Grants Church can give or take away at will. A special omen appears to a candidate for sainthood, and members of the church who recognize it invite her to the position of sainthood.

In other words, the appointment is clearly done by the God of the Church of Air Grants, and it is the role of the church members to only carry out the appointment process. The same principle applies to the renunciation of a saint.

“Yes, that would be a strange story. To turn away from the destiny chosen by God.”

“I’m not familiar with the doctrines of the Air Grants Church, so I don’t know. Please…”

What should I do? Glenn hesitated, even though the explanation was what he had been asked to give. It was because his trained senses warned him. If he listened any further, if he delved further into the saintess’s inner workings, there would be no turning back. There was no way back. He had to keep moving forward. That was the warning message that was coming to his mind.

But… the thought of wondering why the saint had made the request did not go away.

“Can you explain?”

“Yes. First of all, I manifested signs of being a saint when I was 5 years old. According to the doctrine, those who are chosen to be saints unconsciously manifest signs at a very young age. And it is said that anyone who is a member of the church can sense those signs. ”

“What kind of sign is that?”

“I don’t know exactly because it only happened once. However, I heard that if you are a member of the church and are very close to the person who manifested the sign, you will definitely be able to sense and witness it. That’s how I manifested the sign, and at the young age of 5, I entered the Holy Land and received education as a saint. After 10 years of education, I was finally able to fulfill the role of a saint. Although it was only for a very short period of time. ”

“You said it was a very short period of time?”

“The power of the saint is not eternal. It was originally meant to purify the land that was corrupted by the Demon King. If it fulfills its role, the power of the saint will return to its original place. Yes, it will return to the god who graciously bestowed that power upon humans. When I checked the records of the past saints, it was written that the power usually leaves a person exactly 15 years after it manifested. The bishop said that the day my saint’s power will return is not far off. I even know the exact date. My birthday… It will be 48 days from today. ”

“Just a moment, Saint. Then what will happen to you?”

“First of all, I will no longer be a saint after that day. I will return to being an ordinary Airgrants cult member called Milicia Airgrants. The bishop said that as the grace that God gave me disappears, some of my abilities will also be taken away. It will be different for each saint, but he said that some of the divine powers and protections will disappear. He said that if you check the status, you will definitely see the difference. ”

“What do you mean by data?”

Status? What is that? It was a word I had never heard before. It was very unfamiliar. Saintess, Milishia seemed to hesitate a little. Isn’t that something that can be easily explained? She opened her mouth a little later.

“Status is…a kind of record that quantifies a person’s abilities, you said. Only a very select few, the highest priests or the most experienced monks, can look into it with great insight…and, maybe…no, no. As far as I know, that’s all. ”

Now, it seems like the saintess is slightly evasive. It seems like it might be something that is really hard to talk about. Of course, being able to quantify someone’s abilities would be quite a sensitive topic for anyone to hear. It’s like seeing through someone’s talent.

“Then, you are saying that the bishop will notice a change in the saint’s status on that day.”

“Yes. In my status… You said that aside from the abilities I’ve gained through experience and some innate ones, there will be many changes in my intelligence, magic power, charisma, etc. You said that these will mostly be negative changes where my abilities will decrease. You also said that there will be changes in my strength, agility, and endurance. You said that the latter will only decrease slightly due to the experiences I’ve gained, but the former will change tremendously, and that I can notice it myself. ”

“Is that so?”

I used a slightly unfamiliar word, but now I think I understand a little. That’s right. The source of the saint’s power is ultimately the saint herself. If that power were to disappear, only beautiful women would exist there. She asked me to teach her martial arts because she wanted to protect herself and become strong even without the saint’s power.

…That must be it? That must be the reason, right? There can’t be any more complicated and subtle circumstances, right? Please tell me so, Saintess (D-48)!

However, ignoring Glenn’s earnest heart and eyes, Milishia opened her mouth as if she had more to say.

“Originally, this kind of information was kept as a top secret even within the church. The only people who should be aware of it are the bishops and the monks with great experience. There are not even ten of them in total. If my power were to return to God as it was, as planned, I would have donated all my property, returned to the monastery, and devoted the rest of my life to God. So I sent away all my employees except Douglas, who had taken care of me since I was young.”

Oh, so there was only one Douglas. But, would that have worked?

Glenn felt a cold sweat run down his face. Does that mean that he no longer has that option?

No, that’s not it. You’re just thinking about learning martial arts because you want to travel and have an adventurous spirit? Glenn tried to calm his mind by imagining positive things, but the saint’s next words shattered his expectations.

“However, someone found out the secret while the warrior who helped me was absent.”

“You figured out the secret…how on earth?”

“He was a man who usually donated a lot to the church. He was considered the most faithful of the nobles. Glenn, you may have heard of him. He was the Bronkhorst family, a count who had a close relationship with the fallen Duke of Arkwright 15 months ago. ”

…that name is unfamiliar.

Glen nodded in agreement. If it was a family that was familiar with the ‘Arklight’ author, who was ingrained in his experience, then it was clear that they were people who would never be able to say the word ‘clean’. No, he was sure of it.

“The eldest son of the Bronkhorst family is Operspiel de Bronkhorst, and he is 29 years old this year. He was married, but coincidentally, he recently experienced a bereavement. He went to church to overcome his grief… but it seems he listened to the saint’s secret. ”

Of course, the name was familiar. He was quite a man, but he was rumored to have a bad personality and to have committed many unexpected crimes. In particular, it was said that he was a man who would not hesitate to use dirty methods to get what he wanted. It was said that such a man knew the secret of the saintess…

“Ah, wait a minute. Sir…Militia. No way, no way…”

It was clear that this was a story I did not want to hear. This was because I could predict with painful precision what words would come out of the saint’s lips next.

“Yes. Lady Operschpel asked to remarry. She said that she would take me as her bride in 48 days, when I would lose my saintly powers and become a normal woman. ”

This son of a thief! Glenn bit his tongue hard to keep himself from shouting that. No blood came out. That level of control was quite possible.

“In church…what did the bishops and monks say?”

“Of course, you were strongly opposed to it. You said it was nonsense. First of all, there was no case of a person who served as a saint being married to a nobleman. There were more cases of people losing their lives or naturalizing to a monastery due to the power of the Demon King. In addition, their daily behavior was also a problem. ”

“Your usual behavior?”

“Yes. I know it’s presumptuous of you, but Mr. Operschaffel…talked to me a lot even while you were married. Asked if I wanted to be a part of Bronkhost.”

Judging by the slight hesitation, the actual content must have been even more miserable and rude.

What a truly unfunny person. Remarrying right after a divorce, and proposing to a saint, he has no conscience. And he still flirts with the saint while married? Isn’t he crazy? Why on earth did the church leave him alone until now? Why did she say she wanted to learn martial arts? The saint continued her story, not knowing whether or not she knew that Glenn’s expression revealed his thoughts.

“Of course, I refused. If I fulfilled my duties as a saint, I had set my goal to enter a monastery. Then, coincidentally, Lady Opperspelle threatened to cut off all future support for the church if I was not handed over. So…”

As the story continued to become more miserable, the saint hesitated once more. What the heck, the saint’s beautiful eyes were furrowed, and for some reason, it seemed as if both her hands were clenched tightly. Perhaps, this was definitely the first time Glenn had seen the saint’s anger. And, with a slightly stronger tone, the saint spoke the following.

“My patience ran out there and I ended up saying something out of the blue.”

“Huh? Is that a slip of the tongue?”

“Yes. Even now that I think about it, it was a terrible slip of the tongue. I said, ‘In this country, there is no way to claim that someone is your property. Unless you make them a slave. But you said you would take me as your wife. And yet you perceive me as your property. Was your ex-wife your slave?’ Then, he looked flustered and, as if he had been waiting, suddenly shouted at me. ”

The title suddenly changed from “Opershpel” to “that”. Now that I think about it, it seems like it was the first time I saw the saintess’s usually kind expression crumble and frown to show her dislike. Ah, the saintess is also a person. Glenn asked a question with that understanding.

“What did he say?”

“‘How could you insult your dead wife? This is a duel! I respect the Church of Airgrants, so I will fight with my bare hands, not with weapons! If I win, I will receive you!’ He said. He had cleverly set a trap. However, the trap seemed to have been prepared not for me, but for the bishops and monks. However, when I got angry, he delighted in it and challenged me to a duel. Of course, I tried to refuse. Even though it was an unarmed fight, I was at a disadvantage since I had not learned any martial arts. Then, as if he were being considerate of me, he set a condition. ‘If you don’t go out yourself, it’s okay if you use a proxy.’ He said that. He even set a long date for the duel under the pretext of being considerate of me. ”

“Surely not 48 days later?”

“That’s correct.”

“Oh my god……”

Yes, Operschpell had taken precise aim. He had chosen the exact date of the duel to be the day when the Saintess’s power would leave her, so that the Saintess would not be able to intervene herself.

Above all, the fact that the deadline was set so long probably meant that there were other countermeasures prepared. As expected, Glenn was able to hear the answer he had expected.

“In the end, I had no choice but to find a proxy for the duel. First, I asked the monks who excelled in martial arts. And they all refused. ”

“I think I know why, but is it okay if I tell you? You must have been threatened.”

“That’s correct. The young and capable monks who were fit to duel all declined, fearing that there might be trouble. The older monks were furious and asked to be their proxy, but I refused. They were too old, and if something went wrong during the duel, it would be a serious inconvenience, so I couldn’t do that. I had no choice but to contact outside martial arts experts… but it was too late. ”

“Operspiel has it all.”

“Yes. I tried every possible way, like saying it was impossible because I had already received the money and decided not to participate in the duel, or just disappearing when I went to see him. In the end, I couldn’t find a way, so I thought about it and… I thought of Glenn. ”

“Are you talking about me?”

“Yes. I told you when we first met. I was there too. When Lord Glenn defeated the two high-ranking captains of the Demon King’s army that invaded the Northern Kingdom and received praise, I could barely remember you, who stood as the most proud representative among the many adventurers. ”

The reason she remembered him was because of a memory that came to her in a really dramatic situation. That memory that remained so intensely was what saved her hope in a critical situation.

Three years ago, the Demon King’s army, determined to swallow up the Northern Kingdom, destroyed the Northern Kingdom’s fortresses and advanced toward the capital. In response, the Southern Kingdom decided to send reinforcements and attack the Demon King’s army’s rear. Glenn was among the special forces that decided to launch a surprise attack on the Demon King’s army’s headquarters.

In this way, the Southern Kingdom army and adventurers who completely blocked the Demon King’s advance northward were invited to the palace and received utmost praise and rewards.

In particular, five adventurers who had been particularly active were given the opportunity to meet the king, whom they had never seen before, dressed in luxurious attire and received a reward. Among them, Glenn, who was the smallest and most dwarf-looking among the large and rugged adventurers, really stood out.

And it was the same for the saint. At that time, the saint had a lot to do as a member of the warrior party and was very busy. However, as a representative of the church, she could not miss the event to celebrate the improving army and adventurers, so she had to show her face even in the midst of her busy schedule. More than that, she was desperate to save the people who were suffering, so she attended the event without feeling any emotion, just hoping that it would end quickly.

In the meantime, she discovered.

‘Hey. A little boy?’

Among the five adventurers who received the congratulatory speech as a representative, there was the smallest and most dwarf-looking one. He had black hair with a bushy hairstyle and impressive red eyes.

Milishia witnessed Glenn kneeling and receiving praise from the king with a confident expression. She saw Glenn at his most brilliant time, when everything was different from now except for his height.

Oh, how can someone so small look so confident? How can he shine so brightly?

Even in the midst of the boring events, only he caught the saint’s attention and remained in her memory. Only later did she become shocked and almost fell over when she realized that he was seven years older than her.

Of course, Glenn himself was blinded by the reward at the time and only thought about ‘what can I eat with this money?’, but that was a story that would never be told to the saint.

“Excuse me, wait a minute. Milishia. There is something I didn’t understand in the explanation just now. ”

“Yes, Glenn. What part is it?”

The expression that had hardened while talking gradually became better as the story was almost over. Perhaps because of this, Glenn, who had been silently listening to the saintess’s story until now, was able to boldly ask her a question. No, it was right to ask her a question. Because he had discovered a serious contradiction.

“I understand that the reason Operschpel was able to propose to you and ask you to a duel was because of the ‘absence of the hero’. I’ve also heard many rumors that the hero cares deeply for his comrades. ”

“Yes. In reality, the warrior is that kind of person. He is someone who really cares for his comrades. Although sometimes he goes too far. ”

“But that’s why it’s strange.”

Yes. I have heard many stories of the warrior who defeated the Demon King, and I have actually witnessed him from a distance. He was a tall man with brown hair. Black eyes. He looked around with pure eyes and waved his hand innocently even in the crowd.

He had about ten companions beside him, including a saint, a magician, an archer, a thief, etc. By the way, most of them were women, so it was easy to understand why they cared for their companions.

“Everyone knows how big a role Milishia plays in the group of warriors. That’s why I have a question about the story from earlier. I don’t understand why you, the warrior who cares for Milishia more than anyone else, don’t appear in the latter half of the story. You could have stepped forward as your representative, or you could have taken care of everything so that this wouldn’t happen in the first place. ”

It was a question that contained a bit of a grudge. It could be interpreted as, “Where the hell is that bastard running around, leaving such a beauty alone?”

In fact, Glenn had a rough idea of what the saint would say. But, he had to ask the question anyway. He had to. Because…

“As Glenn knows, the warrior cares for us, but at the same time, he is precious to the people of the world. Even now, he travels the continent, defeating the remnants of the demon tribe, and appears to many people, providing them with the driving force to live a life after defeating the demon king.”

“So…you’re saying that you’re not here and that you won’t be coming back until the day Milishia’s power disappears?”

“Sadly, yes. I heard that you sent a letter from the elven village in the eastern part of the continent a month ago, and arrived in the Northern Kingdom a fortnight later, staying for nearly two months. After that, you said you would return to the Southern Kingdom via the western mountain range, so it would take at least 90 days at the most. ”

“Well, the timing doesn’t match. But it’s still strange. ”

“What do you mean it’s strange…?”

“Because, if the warrior cares about his comrades…”

For a moment, Glenn hesitated whether he should really say this. For some reason, he felt like he was just throwing firewood onto an already extinguished fire.

Oh, no. Glenn tried not to think much of it. Even though he knew his senses, his keen senses, were saying, ‘I don’t know anymore,’ he just said it.

“No matter how busy he is, he will come running to help you.”

“…….”

At those words, the saint, who had never lost confidence in her kind explanations, remained silent. She closed her eyes and maintained a faint smile, as if she was deeply contemplating something.

Glenn swallowed helplessly. It was an act of nervousness. Absolutely not, it wasn’t because of some evil intention. Absolutely. It couldn’t be. Absolutely…

“That’s right…”

For a moment, but the silence that had lasted a long time was broken. The saint slowly opened her mouth. Her closed eyes slowly opened, and emotions swirled in her pupils.

For a moment, Glenn felt as if he had seen the saintess, regretting and lamenting, and at the same time jealous. Was it just his imagination? Or was the saintess really harboring such feelings?

“The warrior is truly a kind person. Even though he came from that distant world, he never complained to us, and he always took the lead in defeating the monsters and ultimately even the Demon King. ”

“You always said encouraging words to us. Even in difficult situations, you were the first to stand up, and you were the one who never gave up or gave up. ”

“Once, I was completely surrounded by a horde of demons and I thought it was over. There were only ten of us against an army of hundreds. Everyone felt that death was approaching and we were in despair and sad. However, there was one person who never lost his smile. In the end, he was the man who broke through the desperate situation and gave us hope. ”

“That was the warrior. A dazzling, hopeful man. Our warrior. ”

That wasn’t a story that could be easily heard. It wasn’t a story that could easily come out of a person’s mouth as a personal experience. It was a story that only the group of warriors, the group of warriors who had achieved the feat of defeating the Demon King, and among them, only the saintess who was in charge of the central core could tell.

“I admired that shining appearance.”

“I wanted to be with you. Beside you. Beside you. Not just as a saint, not just as a colleague… but in a more special relationship. ”

What the hell.

Glenn bitterly regretted not heeding the warning.

This… really was a story that should not have been heard. It was not a story that Glenn should have heard. It was a story that even a saint should not have said so carelessly. The person listening was wrong. The person who should have heard this story was not Glenn…

“But, the warrior wasn’t the type of person who could do that.”

But she didn’t stop. She shouldn’t have. Glenn felt a new warning in his head that he shouldn’t interfere any further.

‘Make it stop’

A brief warning. But it was impossible to stop her. She had to be. That was the only way to avoid sinking into the swamp.

“Because he is a warrior. He is not just a warrior of the saint, no, not just me, but a warrior of all people. ”

No matter how resignedly she confessed her feelings.

“When a woman like me, who has no experience in dating, hesitates, there is always someone by her side. Because I was never a priority. Because I thought deep down that it wasn’t wrong.”

No matter how much you reflect on yourself and belittle yourself.

“But, despite that, I harbored such a wish deep inside. A sinful wish, a desire that I shouldn’t harbor. I’m a saint. I shouldn’t do that. I… I’m a person who shouldn’t harbor such things. ”

“I shouldn’t have had that wish…that you would look at me first. I…”

No matter how much… she sheds tears and pours out her heart.

“Huh?”

It was an impulsive act. I knew full well that it was not an act that would be forgiven.

But he couldn’t stand it. Glenn, the beliefs that made up Glenn the human being, couldn’t stand it. So…

Glenn picks up the handkerchief he had in his bosom, stretches it out, and hands it to her as she sheds tears.

With a gloomy face, his eyes hidden behind his large glasses, he offered her comfort in that way.

“Don’t cry, Milishia.”

No. Don’t say it.

“It’s not your fault.”

Stop it. Stop it!

“That feeling is never wrong.”

The highest level warning is sounded.

However, it is no longer a state where you can listen to warnings. The road of no return has been crossed a long time ago.

“Don’t judge the feelings that shook you as wrong.”

“Don’t deny the you who liked him, the you who was like that.”

So, just say it out loud.

“You, the noble saint, you, who loved the warrior, were always beautiful.”