Chapter 35: The Saintess and the Thug: A Chance Meeting, Part 1

My first visit to the academy was about two years ago.

While I was out fishing, I wanted to look into dormitories for Sia’s safety.

Even if I’m feared in Baiton,

there’s nothing I can do if some creep messes with Sia while I’m away.

So, I looked into the famous academy, where Transcendents are teachers, and the dormitories are protected by ancient magic, and…

“How many monster attacks have there been in three years?”

“Thirty-nine…”

“Holy sh*t.”

I tried to inquire about enrolling her for her safety, and this is what I hear. Why are people so eager to send their children to a place like this?

I almost lost my temper at the employee’s nonchalant expression.

Back then, I didn’t know that some people prioritize prestige and status over their children’s safety.

I just thought it was a difference between people from the capital and those from Baiton, so I left without a plan.

“Sigh. It’s huge.”

Walking around, I realized the capital was definitely different from Baiton.

Towering buildings scraping the sky, under a perpetually overcast sky.

Unlike Baiton, where everyone smiled, here, only the merchants smiled.

And even those were insincere, money-grabbing smiles.

Capitalistic smiles that couldn’t compare to Sia’s pure joy.

Besides,

“Hey, mister. You look like you have deep pockets.”

As soon as I stepped out of the security officers’ sight, all sorts of creeps started following me.

A 193cm tall man, all flab and no muscle, relying on his natural physique.

And then…

“…What’s that?”

Behind him, a woman with a bright smile, pulling money from her pocket.

Ileia. I was shocked when I first met her, not knowing who she was.

I wondered if God created humans just for her.

She was the embodiment of beauty itself.

Clear, deep, ocean-blue eyes, framed by long lashes that fluttered with every blink.

Flawless, porcelain skin and a perfect figure.

Long, silver hair, whiter than seafoam, cascading down to her waist.

Perfect beauty.

Mr. Mafi, an aspiring artist in Baiton, once said after seeing her,

that the reason he’d honed his painting skills for thirty years was to capture even a fraction of her beauty on canvas.

It’s cheesy, but I agree to some extent.

How can a person look like that?

While I was momentarily paralyzed by shock,

trouble began.

[You seem poor? It’s not much, but here.]

Ileia showed a stone tablet with that written on it to the thug.

Then, as expected,

“Ooh, miss. I need help with something more than money. Let’s go to that corner…”

He pointed towards a dark, damp alleyway with a lecherous grin.

Despite the obvious ploy, Ileia smiled brightly and was about to follow him.

“No way. Anyone can see…”

That he’s trying to sleep with her. Crazy.

Of course, I knew his intentions, so I was about to lightly smack him on the head, but

“Don’t try anything funny.”

Slice.

“Aaaaagh!!!”

Someone else beat me to it.

A swordsman with black hair and red eyes suddenly appeared.

A cloak casually draped over his shoulder, armor of silver and iron. Judging by his attire, the man, who seemed to be the Chief of Security, cut off the thug’s arm.

A bit more brutal than I expected.

Is everyone like this in the capital? I wondered, but then,

[Lenas! What are you doing?!]

Flash!

She threw the hastily scribbled stone tablet at him and healed the man’s arm. Seeing that, I knew she was extraordinary.

A brilliant platinum light, the divine power of God, radiated from her hands. The severed arm reattached itself to the man’s shoulder.

Only then did I notice her attire.

A long, white robe, adorned with golden embroidery of branches, covering everything but her hands.

And a golden star on her right sleeve.

The Saintess.

Clothing only those holding that position can wear.

“Saintess, you were supposed to take the designated carriage as soon as you left the academy.”

The man, whose name tag read “Lenas,” said, rubbing his forehead in exasperation.

Ileia, after checking on the unconscious thug for a while, smiled awkwardly and scribbled something on her stone tablet.

[I was helping some people in need and ended up here…]

“Sigh… I understand you’re excited for your vacation, but please be more careful. I was told to minimize the escort, so I’m the only one here.”

*[I was the one who said I wanted to go alone. How can I experience the local atmosphere with an escort?] *

“You haven’t even decided on your destination yet.”

Lenas fiddled with his scabbard, looking troubled.

Then he glanced at me,

his red eyes glinting with scrutiny.

“Are you with her?”

Would it be too pathetic to say I was trying to help?

“No, she just helped me when I was almost robbed.”

*[See! I saved another person!] *

Ileia said, crossing her arms with a triumphant grin.

Oblivious to Lenas’s amused gaze, she approached me.

A fragrant floral scent enveloped me as she drew near.

I didn’t know what it was then, but it was the scent of lilac, her signature fragrance.

“…Well.”

[You don’t seem to be from the capital? I sense a subtle difference.]

Looking back, I should have asked her how she knew I wasn’t from the capital.

Unlike other villagers, my skin wasn’t tanned. In fact, aside from her, I’d never seen anyone in the capital with paler skin than mine.

I even scrubbed myself raw to get rid of the smell of the sea, afraid of being seen as a country bumpkin.

Later, she said she just guessed because she didn’t want Lenas to bother her, but it sounded like a lie.

Considering the certainty in her eyes…

Anyway, at the time, I didn’t notice anything strange and answered honestly,

averting my gaze as she was a bit too close.

“Yes, I’m from a town near the sea, called Baiton.”

After that, there was no need for written words.

Her sparkling, star-like eyes said it all.

“Saintess? Don’t tell me…”

Lenas looked back and forth between the Saintess and me, his expression laced with worry. I understood his concern all too well. Sadly, his worry…

*[Lenas! I’m going to Baiton!] *

…was justified.

And amplified.

“Saintess, ‘I’m going,’ you say? Don’t tell me…”

[This person is enough of an escort! He ‘sees,’ you know.]

Ileia dismissed Lenas’s concerns and looked at me.

Her gaze softened, the suspicion and wariness gone.

Replaced by an infinite trust, as if looking at someone tried and true.

Her small, white hands clasped together in a prayer-like gesture.

Her blue eyes held my gaze.

*[What is your name?] *

The words appeared on the stone tablet, as if written by divine light.

Witnessing such a natural display of miracles, I couldn’t even think of refusing.

My name tumbled out of my open mouth.

“Simon.”

*[Simon, I’ll pay you whatever you want. Would you tell me about the place where you live?] *

Ileia looked at me, her purse dangling from her hand.

“Well, Baiton is a beautiful town, but… there’s been trouble with a giant turtle recently, so I wouldn’t recommend it.”

Back then, a sea monster was still rampaging.

I didn’t want anything to happen to the Saintess in my hometown.

*[It’s alright. I’ve never been to the sea. I really want to go.] *

“Well, I understand what you want to say, but… how can you trust me so easily?”

Ileia’s boundless trust was burdensome.

So much so that it was similar to the trust Sia placed in me.

“The Saintess sometimes has intuitions about strange things. If it were a 90% accuracy rate, I wouldn’t say anything, but they’re always spot on, so I’ve given up.”

It wasn’t Ileia who answered, but Lenas.

Ileia, with another triumphant grin, looked at me and smiled.

[Yes, that’s right. I’m the Saintess of Arina, the Goddess of Wisdom and Life, after all.]

“Hmm, right. Honestly, even I can’t believe I’m that good of a person…”

I glanced at Lenas, scratching the back of my head.

His wariness lessened slightly after hearing Ileia’s words, but he was still suspicious.

To be honest, I couldn’t quite believe the situation myself.

How did I become the escort of one of the most important people in the Empire?

And instead of the Capital Security Chief, no less.

I didn’t think I was inferior in terms of strength, but

in terms of authority and recognition, I was far behind.

Lenas, noticing my gaze, frowned and looked at me, then said,

“Simon, let’s spar.”

His tone was flat,

as if he were asking for a cup of tea.

But I had anticipated this to some extent.

“Hmm, sure. If you don’t trust me, we have to spar.”

[???]

Sensing Ileia’s puzzled gaze on us, we walked to an open space.

I heard he’s the former Hero, Revan?

Even if his power has weakened, I feel honored to have fought against him…

“No, wait a second.”

Ileia interrupted my flashback.

She placed a hand on her head, a confused expression on her face.

“What exactly do I remember?”

…How would I know?