Ch.61Chapter 61 – The Repairman Meets the Saint (2)

“Excuse me, would it be alright if I joined you since you’re alone?”

With silver hair that shone white in the sunlight streaming through the window, the beautiful woman unexpectedly approached me and asked to share my table.

“Share your table?”

I found her request strange and looked around.

While sunlight did illuminate the inner part of the café, it was still darker than the window seats.

Most people were gathered near the windows, while the relatively darker interior of the café was nearly empty.

And right now, the only window seat remaining in this café was the one I was sitting at.

The seat facing me—that spot was vacant.

“Well, I don’t mind. Please sit if this place is acceptable.”

I allowed her to join me since she didn’t seem to harbor any ill intentions.

In truth, I felt an inexplicable attraction to her that made me curious about who she was.

What was this feeling—strange yet somehow familiar?

“Ah…! Thank you. I dislike dark places. I really appreciate your consideration.”

She expressed relief as she thanked me.

As soon as she sat down, as if on cue, my drink and what appeared to be her order were placed on the table.

“Your drinks are served.”

“Thank you.”

“Thank you.”

The silver-haired woman carefully took her drink with both hands and brought it to her lips.

I too picked up my glass, curious about the taste of the drink the employee had recommended.

“…?”

The moment I took a sip, memories from the past surfaced.

That time in training camp when sweets and carbonated drinks were strictly forbidden.

The cola that the military chaplain brought when introducing religious events.

I couldn’t quite remember if it was a blue can or a red one since the label had been removed.

But that intense sweetness and the distinctive tingling sensation of carbonation was unforgettable.

‘Could this be… cola?’

The drink in my glass strongly evoked the feeling of that cola I had in training camp.

Of course, it didn’t have cola’s distinctive flavor, but the tingling carbonation combined perfectly with the tartness and sweetness of fruit.

This was my first time drinking carbonated water since coming to this world.

I once read online that Chojeong mineral water was a naturally carbonated water found in our country.

Perhaps what was used here was also naturally carbonated water?

‘I asked for a drink that would wake me up, and it really does wake me up.’

The carbonation was so intense that my throat was still complaining about the burning sensation.

“Hehe. Is this your first time having carbonated water?”

“Oh? No. I used to drink it often, but it’s been a while since I last had some. My throat feels a bit raw from the carbonation though.”

“Hehehe… That’s to be expected. This shop uses carbonation concentrators made by dwarves to create more stimulating carbonated water.”

Hmm. Dwarves made carbonation concentrators? And they use them to produce carbonated water?

‘It’s not entirely implausible.’

When you think of dwarves, what comes to mind? Fire, hammers, beer, and meat.

In most fictional works, dwarves are portrayed as a race obsessed with alcoholic beverages like beer.

It seems the dwarves of this world are also fond of beer.

Otherwise, there would be no reason to create a machine that concentrates carbonation.

“Dwarves say that ordinary carbonation doesn’t give them enough refreshment, so they make it very strong. That’s why first-timers often hurt their throats. And when your throat hurts…”

As she was explaining about the shop’s carbonated water, she suddenly straightened up and placed her hand on my throat.

A soft white light appeared from her hand, and gradually the burning sensation in my esophagus began to fade.

“Using holy power like this helps reduce the discomfort.”

“Holy power…?”

As soon as she mentioned holy power, I recalled a certain figure.

Silver hair that shone white in the sunlight.

Eyes that appeared closed but seemed to see through everything.

Someone possessing immense holy power who loves window seats where sunlight streams in.

“The Saint of the Solar Order…”

The heroine of Erasto Chronicle, a 6-star character who serves as both a healer and buffer with wide-area buffs, healing, and resurrection skills.

“Eterna Lumio Sol?”

None other than the Saint of the Solar Order, the religious organization with the strongest influence in this world apart from the Great Goddess Order.

The Saint known as the Apostle of the Sun, “Eterna Lumio Sol.”

“Oh my? Do you know me? How strange. Even among the Solar Order’s followers, very few know me, unless…”

When her name left my lips, Eterna was pleased but simultaneously began to question my identity.

‘Damn, I made a mistake.’

And I realized I had made a grave error.

Eterna Lumio Sol. Her official appearance in the main story doesn’t happen until the incident where the Demon Order attacks the Imperial Palace.

And that incident was still two years away.

Because the Demon Order’s attack occurs just before the Foundation Festival in the year when Mina becomes a third-year student at the Academy.

Until then, Eterna’s identity as the Saint of the Solar Order was kept strictly confidential, precisely because she possessed solar holy power that was antithetical to demon gods.

‘At this point, only the high archbishops of the Solar Order or national leaders would know her identity.’

In other words, the fact that I knew her identity made no sense.

Even within the Gelebrio Empire, only His Majesty the Emperor and the Chancellor would likely know her identity.

So my knowing her identity meant…

‘In the worst case, I could be seen as an agent of the Demon Order or similar entities.’

It suggested I had connections with forces hostile to the Solar Order.

Logically, would someone investigate thoroughly about a person who poses no harm, or about someone who is most likely to cause harm?

The answer is obvious.

People investigate most diligently those who might pose a threat to them.

“Are you someone who opposes me?”

That’s why Eterna was now displaying a slight hostility toward me.

Usually, she goes around with a “hehe” and squinted eyes, appearing somewhat scatterbrained.

However, as the Saint of the Solar Order and the Apostle of the Sun… she was also highly skilled in martial arts.

As such, she could exert pressure through her aura to restrict people’s actions.

“N-no, I’m not.”

“Then please explain. How do you know who I am?”

Eterna continued to exert pressure on me with her aura.

“The… Great… Goddess…”

“Pardon?”

“The Great Goddess… Epitrina told me. That if I came here today… I would meet the Saint of the Solar Order…”

I’m sorry, Epitrina. I need to use your name to survive.

Please don’t smite me.

“…Seeing that divine punishment hasn’t befallen you for mentioning the Great Goddess’s name, your words must be true.”

Fortunately, although I mentioned Epitrina’s name, no divine punishment came.

“Now, it’s time I heard your name. What is it?”

“My name is…”

For a moment, I wondered if it was okay to tell her my name.

But what choice did I have? After all, I had officially received the title of Demon Sword Destroyer from the Great Goddess Order.

Revealing my identity might actually add credibility to my words.

“I’m Pathos. I was recently honored with the title of Demon Sword Destroyer by the Great Goddess Order.”

“Demon… Sword Destroyer?”

When I mentioned “Demon Sword Destroyer,” Eterna’s mouth fell open in surprise.

At the same time, the pressure emanating from her disappeared, and I regained my freedom.

“A-are you really Pathos, who received the title of Demon Sword Destroyer from the Great Goddess Order?”

“I am.”

Technically, I haven’t received it yet.

But since the Great Goddess Order was planning to officially bestow the title soon, it would become fact in the near future.

“I knew it! My eyes weren’t wrong! There was something different about your aura! Of course, someone worthy of being called the Demon Sword Destroyer would naturally learn about my identity from the Great Goddess!”

After hearing my introduction, Eterna suddenly began speaking to me with sparkling eyes, as if she had met someone extraordinary.

Of course, her seemingly closed eyes didn’t appear to open at all.

It was the atmosphere that conveyed her excitement.

“Actually, I came here specifically to find you.”

And then, she suddenly dropped a bombshell statement.

What’s going on? How did the situation suddenly develop like this?