It’s Not My Fault, So I Have No Reason to Suffer (9)

“Saint…”

Rudvik put down the spoon he was holding and let out a small sigh.

It had been two days already.

Two days since the chaos in the courtroom, and finally, due to the rampage of the descended Berbaria, not only the courtroom building but also many office buildings were destroyed and collapsed.

The Celestine Church headquarters suffered enormous damage.

The number of injured was still being tallied, and even the estimated numbers were staggering.

Yona, who had retrieved Alec and even Rubina, summoned Berbaria and turned the Celestine Church headquarters into chaos,

In the meantime, nearby cathedral knight orders and priest orders all gathered and poured out holy power, barely managing to force their retreat.

And at the forefront were Rudvik and Bigrind; she had fainted as soon as Yona and Berbaria retreated after pouring out incantations, drawing holy power from the Celestial God to the bottom.

And the next day, Bigrind, who had regained consciousness, was lying in bed with a dazed expression, not eating anything.

“You need to eat something. Isn’t that necessary?”

There was no answer.

Although Rudvik couldn’t fully understand Bigrind’s feelings, knowing that Bigrind actually— liked Yona very much,

She must be suffering a lot right now.

Rudvik could at least think that much.

That’s why he understood skipping one or two meals, but Bigrind had already gone two days without food, so he couldn’t help but worry.

“Just eat this.”

Rudvik stirred the half-cooled corn soup, scooped up plenty of solids, and held it out.

“…I have no appetite.”

Bigrind didn’t even glance at the spoon.

Corn kernels with bacon, finely chopped onions and carrots.

It’s quite lavish for corn soup, but what use is it when the person meant to eat it is stubbornly refusing?

Rudvik silently put the spoon down on the plate.

If Bigrind doesn’t eat by tonight, they might have to take special measures, but now— yes, now.

“…A wanted order has been issued.”

Bigrind, who had been looking out the window, flinched ever so slightly.

Rudvik noticed this too, but deliberately didn’t mention it and continued speaking as if he hadn’t seen.

“Not just in the Kapatia Empire, but a wanted order has been issued everywhere the Celestine Church’s influence reaches. The wanted level is…”

Bigrind’s gaze turned to Rudvik.

More precisely, to Rudvik’s mouth.

As if not wanting to miss a single word he was saying, Bigrind—

“Enemy of the Church.”

At those words, Bigrind’s eyes widened.

Enemy of the Church.

Enemy of the entire church.

It was the highest level of wanted order that had never been issued before.

The highest level of wanted order that considers them an enemy of the entire Celestine Church, and doesn’t hesitate to pour all the church’s resources into annihilating their existence.

Not only the church’s armed forces but the entire church moves to annihilate that existence,

And anyone who brings their head will be treated as an honored guest of the Celestine Church.

“It was to be expected, wasn’t it? Apostasy, demon worship— beyond following to worship, attacking the sacred courtroom and harming many, slaughtering countless people, and finally collapsing the courtroom. Rather, it would be stranger if they weren’t declared an enemy of the church.”

“…I… suppose…”

Bigrind’s voice was deeply hoarse.

She couldn’t understand how on earth things had come to this.

Even at the banquet, when she met Yona— wasn’t Yona fine then?

Rather, they had a warm conversation, and she was about to ask Yona to rejoin and help track down the Dark League.

The corpse tree in Evian, and the evidence that the corpse tree was related to Evian’s back alleys.

And the discovery of traces that those who infiltrated the back alleys came from the Port of Kapatia.

From the Port of Kapatia, to finding Ceres again in the church territory.

With the thought that an increasingly massive whirlpool was about to form,

Bigrind had intended to ask Yona and her group to join in tracking down the Dark League.

“If only I hadn’t healed Yona then…”

“That’s a meaningless assumption, Saint.”

Rudvik immediately denied that assumption and shook his head.

It was truly meaningless.

Bigrind’s healing, that is, the holy power, would have just been a signal flare.

Yona’s condition wasn’t very good even before that,

Originally not feeling well— thinking about it now, she must have been in the process of being consumed by demonic energy.

And then the conflicting power of holy power was poured in, which only hastened the explosion,

Even if left alone, the demonic energy explosion was inevitable.

“Miss Yona— no, that’s not right. Since we’re in church territory… The apostate Yona must have been being consumed by demonic energy anyway. Even if you hadn’t done so, Saint, the explosion would have definitely occurred. So.”

Now, hoping to provide even a small comfort to this little Saint.

“It’s not your fault, Saint.”

“……”

Even hearing those words, Bigrind lowered her head.

Although it was meant to be comforting, hoping to provide even a small consolation.

It seems even that wasn’t achieved.

“…Elder Ceres has already set out to track them.”

“Elder Ceres?”

“Yes. And Sir Scarlet also plans to join the pursuit as soon as her body heals.”

Scarlet was severely injured.

Her limbs were broken and twisted, and even her armor—

“I didn’t know Sir Scarlet was such a small girl.”

“Heheh—” Rudvik laughed, making a deliberate sound.

Right now, even a small bit of laughter was needed, and that small girl who popped out of the broken armor was certainly unexpected, so it was good to talk about now.

“Indeed. How could such a small girl wear that big armor…”

“It seems it was a specially made armor.”

“I see…”

“And, as soon as Sir Scarlet is healed— when the pursuit begins, I was thinking we could go together.”

“We— really?!”

As if nothing had happened, Bigrind, who had been lying in bed, suddenly sat up and looked at Rudvik.

For Bigrind, it was welcome news.

Although Yona had become an enemy of the church, she at least needed to know why.

Why she made such a choice.

Why she abandoned the Celestial God and came to follow evil.

Bigrind wanted to know.

When he blinked his eyes, it was an unfamiliar place.

With each blink, his vision became clearer.

‘…What is this, heaven?’

Alec thought he might have died.

That’s because his body felt so clear and refreshed, and also light.

‘This isn’t the courtroom…’

Right above his field of vision was the sky.

A sky full of gray clouds that looked like it might rain at any moment.

The fact that he could see the sky right in front of him meant he must be lying down.

‘What’s going on…’

Alec, who was trying to grasp the current situation while lying still, slowly raised his body.

The acrid smell characteristic of a bonfire tickled his nose, and above the bonfire, a half-open canteen was hung, emitting steam.

And beside him—

“…Yona.”

A person curled up tightly, hugging their knees.

Although her face wasn’t visible at all, just by that characteristic milky white hair, he could easily tell who it was.

“Yona.”

Flinch.

The curled-up person flinched and trembled at Alec’s voice.

Then slowly, she raised her face that had been buried between her knees and looked at Alec.

Eyes out of focus.

Seeing those eyes, Alec almost laughed without realizing it.

Yona, who takes a long time to wake up from sleep.

Yona, who’s always not in her right mind when she wakes up in the morning.

And then Yona, who suddenly comes back to her senses at some point.

Even this small detail seemed to tell him that she was Yona.

“…Alec?”

“Yes.”

“Alec?”

“Yes.”

“Alec—!”

It was instantaneous.

The moment her eyes seemed to focus, Yona, who confirmed that Alec was sitting up, unconsciously jumped up.

Thank goodness. That Alec didn’t die.

Thank goodness. Although she hadn’t thought he would die.

Thank goodness. Although she had healed everything.

Thank goodness. Although he had been sleeping for two days straight.

Thank goodness. That he woke up like this.

Thank goodness. That he got up fine like this.

Thank goodness. That he didn’t die before she arrived.

Her vision wavered.

Yona didn’t try to hold back the hot something that was welling up from deep in her chest.

Yona didn’t bother trying to understand what this wavering was.

Nothing else mattered.

It didn’t matter that she was wearing a nun’s habit that had turned into rags.

It didn’t matter that they couldn’t go to an inn and had to set up just a bonfire in this mountain clearing.

It didn’t matter if everyone in the world pointed fingers at her.

Because Alec was alive, nothing else mattered.

She didn’t need anything else.

Because Alec was alive, that alone was enough.

“Al, Al… Ale, ugh, uugh, huk, uu…”

Tears finally flowed from her wavering eyes.

Although Alec’s face, which had been puzzled at first but then broke into a smile, was quite annoying,

Why was there not a single feeling of resentment?

“I, thought… I thought… I’d never… see you… again…”

She didn’t even know what she was saying.

She didn’t even know if she needed to know.

Yona was just letting out what was raging in her chest, bit by bit.

“I… I thought… you were… going to… die…”

“Why would I die, you idiot. Why would I die and leave you behind.”

Alec’s voice settled heavily on her chest.

That weight soon melted away, spreading throughout her entire body.

It felt as if a warm heat was warming her whole body.

“You, really… I really thought… you were going to dieeee…”

“There’s no way I would die.”

Alec smiled.

He smiled because he felt he should smile.

“I have the best healer as my companion. There’s no way I would die with that.”

Yona smiled too.

Although her face was streaming with tears, Yona still smiled.

“That’s obvious—”

With her hair fluttering, Yona rushed into Alec’s arms.

The warmth of his body fully embracing her was so grateful, so very grateful, that Yona threw herself into Alec’s arms.

Afraid that this warmth might disappear, she embraced him tightly— with all her might.

Promising herself again and again that she would never let go.

“Uwaaaaaaaang—”

Only Yona’s voice, crying out loudly, echoed through the empty forest.