Ch.43The Slightly Strange Saint (2)

The girl pushed her hair back and lowered her head. Her lips were drawing closer.

Ruide stared blankly before blocking her mouth with his index finger.

Poke.

With a moist sensation, the girl’s head stopped moving. Ruide spoke with bewilderment.

“Who are you?”

“Who are you?”

‘She must be crazy.’

Ruide removed his hand.

“I’m Ruide.”

The girl answered immediately.

“I’m Lydia.”

“This is my spot, so could you move?”

Ruide demanded confidently. Lydia shook her head.

“This has been my spot for 50 years.”

“Mine for 100 years.”

Ruide said that just because he didn’t want to lose. The girl narrowed her eyes.

“That’s ridiculous.”

“I’m the one who should be saying that.”

“Do you know who I am?”

“Who are you?”

Despite asking, there was no answer. The girl finally responded after a delay.

“…A commoner.”

“You look like one.”

In truth, she didn’t look like one at all.

Her speech patterns were those of someone who had studied etiquette for years. Above all, her skin was fair, and the robe she wore was clearly high quality.

He just didn’t want to pry any further.

“Don’t you want to kiss me?”

“Why would I kiss you?”

“Because I want to.”

“I don’t want to.”

Despite his cold answer, Lydia didn’t even blink as she said:

“Then let’s sleep together.”

“Fine. But get off me. It’s hot.”

Lydia slid off Ruide’s body and lay down beside him. She burrowed into his space and shared his pillow.

The pillow was wide enough, but Lydia was taller than Ruide. Feeling somehow disadvantaged, Ruide said:

“That’s my pillow.”

“I know. It’s a nice pillow. Warm and fluffy.”

“Would you move?”

“Can I hug you?”

“No.”

Ruide gave up on the conversation. So did Lydia.

They both closed their eyes and thought:

‘She’s definitely not in her right mind.’

‘What a strange kid.’

They fell asleep thinking the same thing about each other.

**

[This way.]

Hersy followed Miho’s guidance.

“So he really did need a place to sleep.”

Hersy was disappointed that Ruide had left the Academy, but she was satisfied that she could still see him.

Normally, even close nobles would only see each other once a week at most. That was because of the distance between their territories.

Seeing each other daily was only possible between married couples.

‘…Married?’

Hersy’s cheeks turned pink. But she soon shook her head and smiled bitterly.

‘Why would Ruide choose someone like me? What would he find lacking elsewhere? Besides, you have to lead your family, Hersy.’

Ruide still had no marriage partner.

Usually, nobles who weren’t heirs would have marriages arranged, so this was quite unusual.

When she asked Amelia, she said she wanted Ruide to marry for love.

“Knowing Ruide’s personality, it will probably take a very long time. And who would dare marry Ruide? Not a chance. I won’t allow it.”

It wasn’t just about status. They would need to be naturally dignified, have enough strength so Ruide wouldn’t find them bothersome, and intelligence was a given.

‘Wait, does that mean someone like me would be suitable…?’

Hersy continued her fantasies as she walked. Just then, Miho made a “kyaeng” sound and pointed her white fur forward.

[It’s over there.]

“That’s the cathedral?”

It was the grand cathedral located on the island.

“Was Ruide particularly religious? That can’t be right.”

Hersy wore a serious expression.

The relationship between clergy and mages wasn’t good. More precisely, they made each other uncomfortable.

This was because if a cleric lost faith, they became a mage, and if a mage gained faith, they became a cleric.

Having magical power itself was a symbol of disbelief. Beyond that, clerics and mages instinctively felt aversion toward each other.

That’s why they avoided facing each other. Life is unpredictable, and it would be awkward to meet someone you once despised as a colleague in the same profession later.

“If Ruide became a cleric…”

Hersy blankly imagined Ruide wearing clerical robes.

He was already a perfect young nobleman, but if he became a cleric, Hersy felt she wouldn’t even be able to look at him properly. He would surely be too sacred.

Above all, considering Ruide’s formidable magical power…

‘Would he grow wings or something?’

Hersy shook off her fantasies and entered the cathedral.

“What brings you here?”

Anyone from the island would recognize the Academy uniform. The nun recognized Hersy’s clothes and looked displeased.

Hersy also felt instinctively averse to the nun.

“Could I go up to the rooftop?”

“That’s not possible.”

Hersy thought the nun was discriminating against her for being a mage.

“I understand you’re wary because I’m a mage, but I just need to check something quickly. Is that not allowed?”

The nun shook her head.

“No, that’s not it. It’s an internal church matter. Currently, there’s a noble person on the rooftop. Not only ordinary people but even I cannot enter.”

‘C-could he have already become a cleric??’

Hersy was flustered. She bowed her head and left the cathedral. She looked at Miho, who was wagging her tail while looking at the sky.

[My master is definitely up there. And it’s not what you’re thinking. If he had really converted to become a cleric, our familiar contract would have been broken.]

“Ahem, I didn’t really think Ruide had become a cleric… But what should we do? The nun doesn’t seem like she’ll let us in.”

[Don’t worry about that, Hersy.]

Miho climbed onto Hersy’s shoulder and wrote something in the air with her cotton-like paw.

Blue magical energy formed letters, and Hersy’s body began to float.

“Eek.”

Startled, Hersy almost lost her balance but quickly regained it.

“I-is this okay? This is a cathedral. We’ll be in trouble if we’re caught.”

[It’s fine because I’m a spirit!]

‘That’s true…’

Using magic around the cathedral was forbidden.

But strictly speaking, Miho’s power wasn’t magical energy, so they shouldn’t get in trouble.

Hersy landed on the rooftop. Miho quickly went ahead.

They found Ruide right away.

He was arguing over a pillow with a girl wearing pure white clerical robes.

“This is my pillow.”

“This is my spot.”

Hersy blinked in bewilderment.

“This is the best napping spot on the island, and I won’t give it up.”

“So if we’re sharing the spot, we should share the pillow too.”

“I don’t like it. It’s uncomfortable.”

“I don’t like having someone in my spot either.”

“This place is wide, but the pillow is narrow. Do you know how much effort I put into making this pillow?”

“I also put a lot of effort into making this cathedral.”

Lydia let go of the pillow.

Ruide, who had been pulling with all his weight, fell back into place.

Lydia looked down at Ruide and said:

“Then let’s settle this with a kiss. Whoever pulls away first loses.”

Hersy snapped back to reality at those words.

‘W-what’s with that sudden suggestion?!’

“R-Ruide is only 12 years old.”

She stepped in front of Ruide with a determined look.

“He’s not old enough for such things.”

Hersy glanced at Lydia.

A girl with silver hair and silver eyes. Perhaps because she was a cleric, she had a somewhat mysterious aura.

She looked young but not as young as Ruide. Her build was petite. Bigger than Nia but smaller than herself.

Hersy didn’t know much about the church, but she could distinguish rank.

The method was to count the number of crosses on the clerical robes.

This girl’s robes had one golden cross on the chest and countless crosses drawn on the long shoulder straps.

‘…At least a cardinal.’

Gulp.

Hersy swallowed nervously.

The phrase “noble person” made sense if she was a cardinal. If that was true, she far outranked Hersy, who hadn’t even received a title yet.

“12 years old? You lied to me. You clearly said earlier that you’ve been here for 100 years.”

Lydia said this while placing her hand on her waist.

“As punishment for lying, sleep with me.”

“I don’t listen to commoners.”

Ruide threw back Lydia’s earlier lie about being a commoner.

“Are you a noble?”

But he didn’t want to reveal his own status to someone who hadn’t revealed theirs first.

“No, I’m a commoner too.”

“I see.”

Hersy didn’t know what to do and kept looking back and forth between Ruide and Lydia.

Ruide decided to reach a conclusion, feeling this would never end otherwise.

‘…It’s a bit annoying, but I could use a minimal interference spell or something.’

That’s because he liked this spot enough to endure some discomfort. It truly was a perfect space for sleeping.

“Fine. Let’s sleep together. But don’t complain about me using this spot. I like it here.”

Lydia nodded obediently and said:

“I like you too.”

“……”

‘How did she reach that conclusion?’

Ruide thought he might have discovered someone even crazier than Irene.

This girl was even more unpredictable than Irene.

Lydia grabbed Ruide’s arm.

“So let’s get married. I’ll treat you well.”

An earthquake occurred in Hersy’s pupils.

**

Amelia entered the room of the mansion with sad eyes.

She was usually alone, but thinking that Ruide would never come to this mansion again left a deep emptiness in her heart.

She picked up the crystal ball placed on the table beside the bed. It was a disposable communication device. An expensive item costing 100,000 gold each.

It seemed like the time had come to use it. Amelia activated the crystal ball.

“Mom.”

Sitting on the bed, Amelia called out with a gloomy face. The crystal ball soon glowed, and a quiet voice was heard.

-What’s with the childish behavior?

Usually, she would call her “Head of Family.” But sometimes she would directly call her “Mom” like this. It meant she wanted to act spoiled and have a strictly private conversation.

That’s why the Duchess of Windsor’s voice had softened.

“You know, Ruide left the Academy.”

-…What?

“He’s probably heading home by now… That heartless boy didn’t even say goodbye to me.”

Amelia sniffled.

She felt truly hurt.

“After all I’ve done for him…”

-Yes, Ame. I’ll contact you later.

“…What?”

Amelia had wanted at least some words of comfort.

But instead of comfort…

-Irene! Irene! Prepare a celebration party…

Click.

The crystal ball disconnected.

Amelia stared at the darkened crystal ball with a hollow expression.

“Really… everyone is so mean.”

Amelia collapsed onto the bed in that position and sobbed.

The thought of spending the next two years alone on the island brought tears to her eyes.