Ch.14549. To the Village of the Snow Woman (2)

Saint Arin. There wasn’t a single hunter who didn’t know her name in the recent battle of Nagoya.

A young nun, only twenty years old.

Many had doubted whether she was truly a saint, but what Arin showed in this battle left no room for any description other than “saint.”

The holy power of Ayel—the kind of high-level divine power that only the Pope of the Vatican might wield—she used continuously for four days without stopping even once.

Moreover, Arin didn’t sleep at all during those four days. She saved hunters who were on the brink of death with her holy incantations.

And for hunters whose minds were about to collapse upon reaching their limits, she instantly stabilized their MCIs with blessing spells.

So while names like Madman Tae-hyun and other accomplished hunters were mentioned among those who participated in the battle…

The person who truly became the center for all hunters was none other than Arin.

And Arin was my dear junior and a precious benefactor to whom I could never fully repay my gratitude.

When Arin asked to talk for a bit, I responded casually.

“Why aren’t you sleeping at this late hour? The archbishops who accompanied the allied forces would be horrified if they knew the saint was wandering around just anywhere.”

Arin chuckled and replied.

“The archbishops probably don’t even know I’ve slipped out. I’m a saint, after all. If I don’t want anyone to see me leaving, they won’t.”

“That sounds incredibly convenient. I wish I could become a saint too.”

“That can’t happen! If you became a woman, I wouldn’t be able to have your child!”

I quickly looked around, worried someone might have heard.

“Don’t joke like that. You’re a saint now.”

“So what? If you want, I could become a different kind of saint for you.”

“What other kind of saint?”

“You know, the kind of saint you want. Holy, but closer to R-rated than divine!”

Arin declared proudly, placing both palms on her hips.

Since her awakening as a saint, she seemed a bit distant as people couldn’t approach her casually anymore. But she was still the same playful Arin as always.

However, the moment I saw her eyes, I realized my assumption was wrong.

Arin’s eyes looked as if she might cry at any moment.

Her hair had grown much longer, making her appear more composed than when she had short hair before. But I wasn’t mistaken.

Having regained consciousness and entrusted all aspects of my daily life to her, I knew her just as well as she knew me.

Afraid that the moment of silence might make things awkward between us, I quickly changed the subject.

“Anyway, it’s hard for us to talk often these days. Instead of dirty jokes, maybe we should catch up…”

“It’s not a joke. I’m always serious when it comes to you, senior.”

Arin met my gaze directly.

As she said, I had always been well aware of her feelings toward me.

“You already know that my mind is always filled with thoughts of you, don’t you?”

It was true. Arin had never hidden her feelings. I was the one who didn’t accept them, pretending they were just jokes.

It’s not that I disliked her. On the contrary, I depended on her greatly, both physically and emotionally—I couldn’t have completed rehabilitation without her.

I still felt the same way. If I weren’t terminally ill, I would have accepted her feelings long ago and become her lover.

But I couldn’t do that as someone who would die soon. And there was also the justification that Arin had become a saint and couldn’t be close to men right now.

However, after defeating the evil god, if Arin herself chose to give up being a saint, she could eventually find a new relationship.

‘I just want Arin… to be happy.’

She could certainly find another man who would stay by her side much longer than I, who would soon die.

Arin was only twenty years old, after all.

Unlike Yuri or Soso, who were deeply entangled with me in intense emotions, I didn’t want to accept her feelings and leave an indelible wound on Arin that would last her entire life.

“Is that really what you think?”

At that moment, Arin approached me as I stood there without answering.

Then she embraced me.

***

Arin’s soft body enveloped mine.

Then she nestled deeper into my arms.

“My happiness is thinking about you and loving you. Loving someone other than you is impossible in my life. No one else could ever replace you.”

Arin spoke as if she had read my mind. I was flustered and tried to push her away.

“Wait! If you get close to a man, you as a saint will…”

“No? I’m perfectly fine.”

In response to my words, Arin created holy power. As she said, despite physical contact with me, a man, her holy power hadn’t diminished at all.

“See? You and I are a match made by heaven… no, by Ayel. So there’s no problem!”

It really seemed like Arin was telling the truth. I suddenly realized my body had a unique constitution.

‘They called it a holy body. My body.’

A unique constitution with an MCI of 0. That’s why I could possess the White Cross Society’s sacred artifact, the Sacred Fire of Parma.

Anyway, I was relieved that I wouldn’t taint Arin as a saint. Still, I tried to separate from her in case someone saw us, but Arin wouldn’t leave my embrace.

“What if someone sees us! You’re a saint.”

“It’s fine. Ayel is blessing us both. Even if there were intruders, they wouldn’t be able to see us.”

Arin hugged me tighter. She seemed to have a lot she wanted to tell me, but instead of speaking, she just buried her face in my chest.

“So let me stay like this, just for a moment. I can’t keep you for long anyway.”

Arin’s voice sounded choked. Like the sad expression I had seen earlier, her voice seemed immersed in sorrow.

“Arin…”

“As a saint, I can tell. Even if you don’t say it. Your emotions and thoughts are flowing into me.”

I was right.

It seemed Arin could sense my emotions and thoughts through the powers she received from Ayel as a saint.

Arin looked up at me. Her pink eyes glistened with tears.

“You’re in pain right now. Terribly so.”

But that statement was strange.

While I was with Soso, I had used Seongru to hide my deteriorating physical condition.

Its effects still lingered, so although normally I would be suffering from severe withdrawal symptoms and burning pain, I wasn’t at the moment.

“What are you talking about? My body is fine…”

“I’m not talking about your physical condition. I’m talking about your heart.”

“My heart is in pain?”

I couldn’t understand Arin’s words. I had already accepted my fate as someone with limited time. Death doesn’t frighten me.

I only fear not being able to end my bitter connection with the Red Lake. Arin shook her head.

“That’s not it either. I know your resolve is firm. I know that now you wouldn’t fear death even before an arch-demon or… even before a resurrected evil god…”

“Then what are you saying?”

“You’re not the type of person who’s cunning enough to play with multiple people’s hearts.”

“……”

“You know that what you’re doing now will eventually cause great pain to two people. Don’t you?”

At that moment, I realized what Arin was talking about.

“Acting like a playboy between Yuri and Soso doesn’t suit you.”

“Don’t say such nonsense…”

“And your feelings toward me too. Even Ancient Gear… Sigh… You must be either a very sinful man or a blessed one? So many women have fallen for you.”

Her words were playful, but her expression was serious. Arin was reading the deepest concerns in my heart.

My terminal fate. And the tightrope I was walking between those who had feelings for me, all for the sake of revenge.

It wasn’t that I had no feelings for any of them. No, I was terribly entangled emotionally.

So between Yuri and Soso, pretending to be both their lovers and lying to the other—it was actually a terrible self-deception.

“No. It’s not self-deception. Don’t torment yourself, senior. If that’s the only way to save the world…”

But as if reading my mind again, Arin immediately denied this fact on my behalf.

Looking up at me, she continued.

“Rather than closing your heart because you can’t love everyone, rather than pretending, it would be easier for you to just love them all. Because you’re a kind person. Don’t act like some femme fatale that doesn’t suit you.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“No. Be honest with your heart. If you truly need all these women—Yuri, Soso, and even me—and can’t abandon any of them, then choose them all. Then your heart won’t be in pain.”

“What kind of sophistry is that?”

Arin was saying something absurd.

As she said, I was indeed pretending to be a playboy.

Yuri, who had gone half-mad because of me. And Soso, who could become a blood demon at any time if I didn’t love her.

But both are Sages of the East.

I can’t choose one and abandon the other. So as the Colorless Key responsible for their awakening, I was pretending to like them both, acting as if I were both their lovers.

“No. You don’t need to think of it as pretending. If it eases your mind, if you can do so, then accept both their hearts. Don’t hurt yourself by thinking you’re deceiving them. Loving everyone isn’t a bad thing, is it?”

But I knew that even Arin, who was speaking such sophistry, liked me too. Reading my mind, Arin continued.

“Yes. Actually, I’m just like those two. I want you to look only at me, love only me, and open your heart completely to me.”

Arin pressed her lips against mine. A very brief kiss followed. Then, withdrawing her tongue from my mouth, Arin spoke.

“Whew… but if my possessiveness causes you pain, I don’t want that. And I will never let you disappear from this world.”

At that moment, Arin’s body glowed with green holy power.

“For you and me. And for our child who will be born in the future.”

I sensed that Arin’s words were close to an oracle or prophecy.

‘A child… between Arin and me?’

But soon the holy power disappeared from her body. Arin pulled away from my embrace.

“I should go back now. If we stay here any longer, someone might discover our tryst.”

And turning away, she said:

“So have a good time with Yuri. Just this once, I’ll forgive you no matter what happens. Because I’ll be your first wife anyway.”

With those incomprehensible words, Arin walked away from me.

***

I pondered Arin’s puzzling words for a long time.

But I had more pressing matters to attend to, so I simply concluded that she meant I shouldn’t feel guilty, and headed to my meeting place with Yuri.

‘Accept everyone’s feelings?’

Arin had spoken to me like a wife from ancient times who permitted polygamy.

Of course, in nations like Ailetan where kings and nobles still exist, taking concubines is still possible. But as someone born on Earth, especially as a Korean, I couldn’t easily accept such a notion.

“What nonsense is she talking about…”

But the fact was, I couldn’t simply dismiss the words of Arin, who was a saint.

I had arrived at the meeting place. And Yuri, who was already there, seemed to have overheard my muttering.

“Hm? Who said what? Did someone say something unpleasant to you, Minsu?”

Her blue eyes turned cold.

If someone had truly done so, I could feel her determination not to let it slide. I waved my hand to calm Yuri down.

“Ah, no. Nothing happened. Let’s get going. That’s why we specifically set the time at night.”

Yuri had already borrowed a car from headquarters. We both got in.

As I sat in the driver’s seat and briefly placed my hand on the car’s gear shift, Yuri gently laid her hand over mine. Then she said:

“Anyway… we’ll be alone together for a few days now, won’t we?”

Yuri’s voice was filled with sweet anticipation.