In the Name of the Saint (4)

The news that the ancient, famous legendary vampire had appeared in Evian spread to the surrounding areas, carrying proof that the vampire had actually existed.

Not only that, but the news that Bigrind, the Saint of the Celestial God, had summoned the Gate of Heaven and defeated that vampire also spread.

And along with it, the news that Yona—the Saint of the demon realm whom the Celestine Church had declared an apostate—had been involved in the vampire’s final moments.

Isn’t it the kind of news that wandering minstrels might sing about?

Moreover, it’s truly sensational news that people are likely to enjoy.

In Evian, the source of these rumors, along with the buzz about Bigrind and Yona’s story, a strange rumor was also spreading.

What were all those girls with milk-white hair or orange eyes that the Celestine Church had been taking away, claiming they were looking for apostates?

The girls who had been taken away without any evidence had never returned, so this rumor was spreading even more fiercely like a wildfire in midwinter.

Despite the actual apostate appearing, the cathedral knights and priesthood of the Celestine Church were utterly powerless.

Not only that, but they couldn’t even properly counterattack when a demon revealed itself.

If it hadn’t been for the Saint, they would have all died helplessly at the hands of that demon.

As such rumors were spreading with unstoppable momentum—

In the cathedral’s healing room, Ludvik was sitting blankly, lost in thought.

“Hero, you should eat.”

Bigrind, who had been holding a bowl of easily digestible cabbage soup and bringing a spoon to Ludvik’s mouth, sighed and put it down.

A day had passed since Yona’s group left.

Even Bigrind couldn’t break Yona’s stubbornness when she said she would leave, saying that staying longer would only create more gossip.

So Yona left, and now only Bigrind and Ludvik remained in Evian.

“It’s already been a day since you’ve skipped meals. Hero, no matter what, you need to eat to regain your strength.”

“Have I done anything worthy of eating?”

Ludvik’s gaze turned to Bigrind.

What could that look in his clear eyes mean?

Bigrind couldn’t understand.

But now wasn’t the time to worry about such things; the situation called for somehow getting Ludvik to eat.

“Didn’t I tell you that you didn’t do anything wrong, Hero?”

Bigrind wasn’t unaware of the reason for Ludvik’s behavior.

During Damian’s attack, Ludvik was defeated at once by the black giant that appeared, and not only was he defeated, but he was absorbed into it and couldn’t even show himself throughout the entire battle. Only after everything was over, and only after Damian had been struck by others’ hands, was he finally released.

Since learning this fact, Ludvik had become like this.

Ludvik, who seemed to have given up on everything.

“…What is it that troubles you so, Hero? Even if you faltered, did I falter? Did the Celestial God falter? Is it a reason for you to be so disheartened that I, not you, repelled the enemy?”

Bigrind put the plate down beside her and neatly folded her hands together.

Is it so important who defeated the enemy?

Of course, it’s true that Bigrind paid a considerable price.

But that’s a fact only Bigrind knows and hasn’t told anyone.

For that reason, the reason Ludvik was so disheartened must undoubtedly be that he couldn’t do anything during the battle.

Bigrind closed her eyes slightly and organized her thoughts.

He probably needs comfort, but Bigrind is not naturally good at such things.

Only those who have received comfort can give it, and Bigrind has never received such comfort, so she doesn’t know how.

“Then why don’t you get up and practice martial arts instead? Wouldn’t that be better? If you’re blaming yourself for not being able to protect me, the Saint, isn’t it right to get up and hone your martial skills?”

“…Saint?”

Ludvik looked at Bigrind with a slightly surprised expression.

Bigrind had placed the bowl of cabbage soup on the table and was quietly looking at Ludvik.

“What exactly is the problem? Everyone knows that one cannot face a demon alone. Even with the power bestowed by the Celestial God, the demons of today are on a different level. Even I couldn’t have handled it alone. It was only because there were those who helped me that I was barely able to overcome it.”

“But aren’t those people apostates? How can it not be shameful to have won with the help of apostates?”

“Since you said ‘apostates’—I’ll say this.”

Apostates.

What makes them apostates?

Although Yona is said to have turned to the demon realm, didn’t she prove herself when fighting Damian?

At this point, the Hero needs to receive a bit of a shock.

Bigrind took a small breath.

The heavy factual statement that would follow.

That, at least, is one of the areas Bigrind is confident in.

“Did you see Yona fight? You didn’t, did you? Both Yona and Mr. Alec, they stood at the forefront against the demon more than anyone else. They fought more bravely than anyone against the demon trying to scatter death in Evian—no, trying to harm me. Can such people truly be said to have betrayed the Celestial God? It would be more correct to say that they may have abandoned the Celestine Church, but not the Celestial God.”

Bigrind, defending Yona—the apostate—without changing her expression one bit.

Watching her, Ludvik felt conflicted.

“But Saint, even the Celestine Church has declared them apostates. It’s a fact that they committed apostasy, and they summoned demons in a place where the Celestial God looks down upon—”

“Please stop saying that, Hero.”

Bigrind cut in, chopping off Ludvik’s words before he could finish.

Ludvik looked at Bigrind with somewhat surprised eyes.

“Apostate or whatever, isn’t that all defined by the Celestine Church? Well then, let me ask you, Hero. Whose Hero are you truly? Are you the Hero who upholds the will of the Celestial God and carries out His intentions, or are you the Hero—no, the puppet of the current Celestine Church which has rotted to the core, making even the Celestial God sigh? Which is it really?”

Bigrind said this and stood up from her chair.

Then she picked up the plate on the desk and set it down in front of Ludvik, who was sitting on the bed.

“Eat. Think carefully while you eat this. I am the Saint of the Celestial God, and I fought to protect us humans, the creations of the Celestial God. And Yona also fought without retreating to protect humans and repel demons, just like my will. Then is that against the will of the Celestial God, or in accordance with it? I’ll say it again, I fought upholding the will of the Celestial God, not the Celestine Church. I fought without backing down.”

Bigrind placed the spoon on the plate with a clatter and added one more thing.

“—Even though I was afraid.”

At those words, Ludvik’s shoulders twitched.

Scared, afraid—and yet, stood on two feet and fought.

With those final words, Bigrind closed the door and left.

Left alone in the bedroom, Ludvik stared at the plate and fell into deep thought.

*

A little earlier than the conversation between Bigrind and Ludvik.

Two girls facing each other.

“Don’t worry and go. I’ll handle the matter of those girls well. The Pope probably doesn’t know about it either, so if I explain it well, he’ll likely order it to stop immediately.”

The time of farewell.

Standing face to face at that time, Bigrind spoke to Yona.

“Alright, I’m trusting you and leaving then.”

To Yona, who grinned, Bigrind hesitated for a long time before speaking.

Is this something I can say—she worried and worried endlessly, but she didn’t want to regret keeping it inside and not saying it.

“Just stay a bit longer. If you want, you could even come with me to the Church territory.”

“Don’t say such nonsense. Do you want to cause an uproar too?”

Yona flatly rejected Bigrind’s words.

It might sound plausible, but is it even conceivable for Yona to act together with Bigrind?

Bigrind sometimes says such nonsensical things too.

“I’m just saying that because I’ll miss you.”

She had just thought they had finally grown close, that they had finally resolved their grudges.

But now, it’s time to part ways.

Bigrind wanted to hold onto Yona.

She wanted to say, let’s journey together like before.

“…We’ll meet again someday. So don’t worry. I’m trusting you and leaving, I am.”

Bigrind nodded at Yona’s words.

It’s somewhat comforting that they’re no longer running parallel lines like before.

They’ll be able to meet again someday.

Bigrind believed so.

“Then I’m really going now. Take care, Big.”

“Mm. Go safely. Take care of yourself.”

The Saint of the Celestial God and the Saint of the demon realm.

These two who could never stand side by side eventually break their gazes from each other.

“Yona.”

At Bigrind’s call, Yona, who was about to board the carriage, stopped and turned back hesitantly.

“—Was I… Saint-like?”

Yona quietly looked at Bigrind while just turning her head.

A small girl who barely reached Yona’s chest.

Where did such courage come from in someone like that?

If one were to say she wasn’t Saint-like, what does being Saint-like mean anyway?

But Yona turned back to Bigrind and nodded.

“Except for having smaller breasts than the First Saint, you’re a perfect Saint.”

“You brat.”

“I’m going.”

“…Take care.”

Yona grinned at Bigrind, who was about to flare up, and got into the carriage, and Bigrind quietly watched her back.

She’s getting farther away.

The carriage is getting farther away.

A friend is getting farther away.

Until that carriage completely disappeared from view, Bigrind stood still in that spot, quietly watching the carriage.

*

‘It’s a bit awkward to really tell her to just get lost.’

Yona frowned as she looked back through the carriage window.

Where her gaze fell—far above the carriage was a warhorse.

And the cathedral knight in silver armor riding that warhorse was none other than Scarlet, and the healer riding with her was Serad.

When leaving Evian, Yona had thought Scarlet would go back to Bigrind, the Saint, but surprisingly, she followed Yona.

Yona was even more surprised because Scarlet came to her, not to Alec who had been clinging to her calling her “senior, senior,” and asked for permission.

“I was more surprised that you allowed it, though.”

Alec grinned and said to Yona, who kept glancing back at the carriage.

But Yona didn’t answer that and just stared at Alec with a blank face.

“…Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?”

“No. I was just thinking that this guy seems so clueless sometimes that I wonder if he’s really human, but then he’s sharp at times like this.”

“What do you mean?”

“See? Sometimes when you do that, it makes me wonder if you’re doing it on purpose. Be consistent, either be perceptive or not, pick one.”

Yona didn’t answer Alec’s words and just leaned back on the carriage seat holding Rubina, with a snort.

‘…But how can I tell her to get lost when she came all the way here to ask to come along?’

The anger that seemed like it would make her want to kill immediately tends to subside as time passes.

Thinking about those harsh tortures she had inflicted on Alec made her blood boil again, but if he says he didn’t recognize her due to the side effects of the seal, that does make sense.

And it was Scarlet who blocked that sorcery bullet flying towards Yona.

Despite everything, Yona has a soft heart.

She may act tough and fierce and pretend to be all sorts of bad things, but in the end, Yona was the one with a soft heart.

“Alebiang, there won’t be any more trouble now, right?”

“Hm?”

“What do you mean ‘hm’? Did you let your guard down again after I gave you a few days of comfort? Should we start over?”

“Ah, no. That’s not it, pretty one.”

Alebiang closed the book she was reading and put it on the carriage table.

Then she looked out the carriage window and awkwardly nodded.

“Yes, there shouldn’t be any trouble. We just need to keep going like this and enter Katus from Port Lukasia.”

—If only Ceres hasn’t done anything strange.

Alebiang muttered inwardly.