Chapter 8. The Saint and the Knight (3)

I thought I had no choice but to accept the title of Saint Candidate, but that doesn’t mean I completely liked it.

My brain isn’t replaced just because I accept the situation.

“…”

So, I was sitting here in the church with a blank look.

It’s not the church I live in. We were still in the land of the gnomes.

The merits I established are excessively great. To be honest, even I think it might be a bit over the top.

Moreover, because I threw myself into danger to the point of being on the verge of death, both the church people who followed me and the gnomes were flustered.

It was even more so because everyone accepted it as a fact that I could see the future.

…

Actually, I could see it.

However, I don’t think it’s a ‘true’ prophecy. I see it as the being above showing me a warning about something that would definitely happen if I did nothing in the next moment.

After all, if it were truly a prophecy, it would be impossible to avoid it.

If you see a truck with brake failure approaching from afar, and there’s a person crossing the crosswalk, the person who knows about the truck’s approach can warn the person crossing the crosswalk.

Well, to do that, you’d need the ability to see the truck and the ability to warn the person crossing the crosswalk at the same time, so it could be considered amazing in another sense.

“Then- Saint?”

The Gnome Archbishop, who had been reading a speech that was hard to tell if it was a prayer, a thank-you note, or an introduction, called out to me.

…

No, me?

“Yes? Me?”

I asked, startled, as I was almost dozing off.

I wasn’t really going to die, so there wasn’t a big problem in that regard. The reason I was surprised wasn’t that.

“Uh…”

The Archbishop spoke for a moment, as if he didn’t understand why I was looking at him with wide eyes.

“Yes, yes, Saint?”

“…”

I wiped my face with my hand.

“I am not a Saint.”

At those words, the church buzzed.

I don’t know exactly what the religion of the gnomes is. In fact, in Korea, they didn’t teach much about the religions of other races.

However, there is one thing I do know. That the beings worshipped in these different racial religions are the same.

Rather than a different religion branching off from one place, it’s more like they started in different places but ended up believing in the same god. Convergent evolution, perhaps.

So, it’s not strange that the term ‘Saint’ is used here…

The Archbishop’s expression became subtle. It was an expression as if he were gauging whether my statement had any political purpose.

Naturally, my words have no political intent. If someone uses them for such a purpose, it can’t be helped, but at least I have no intention of becoming a Saint for now.

I got up from my seat. Ria, who had been sitting silently beside me, also got up.

They weren’t wearing armor like when we went out to fight, but their posture of standing upright with their hands clasped silently reminded me of a resolute knight.

…For some reason, the church knights mixed in the audience looked at Ria with envy, but I decided to pretend I didn’t see it.

“Is it my turn to speak?”

“Ah, yes.”

The Gnome Archbishop, who had been lost in thought looking at me, moved aside.

“Then, Saint… Candidate will speak. Please welcome with applause the hero who made a great contribution in this incident, showing an example of self-sacrifice.”

Self-sacrifice.

Another word I don’t like.

Light applause ensued. The gazes directed at me all had different degrees of intensity, but the emotion itself was the same.

Curiosity.

The people who came with me from Earth have a little less curiosity. Some people know about me, and even if they don’t know me well, they’ve seen my powers.

The knights are similar. Most of them saw my powers at the oasis.

So, they must be curious. From their perspective, why am I, who is no different from a Saint, so resistant to that title?

As for the gnomes, their eyes are full of curiosity about me as a being. To them, I must be an unknown entity.

The reason they called me here in the first place might also be due to that curiosity. Of course, for the gnomes, there are practical reasons as well. Like global warming, they probably wanted to see if I could solve a problem that would surely bring ruin if left unchecked.

There might also be thoughts about how to repay that debt.

“First, I would like to express my gratitude for arranging this place.”

Actually, I’m not particularly grateful. Standing in front of people is far from my hobby.

“And, before I begin my story, there is one point I would like to clarify first. I am not a Saint.”

At my words, question marks appeared simultaneously above everyone’s heads.

…Of course. To be honest, I know it’s ridiculous to claim I’m not a Saint at this point.

The being above clearly cares for me. When I said I would go in Ria’s place, it was genuinely concerned, but at the same time, it also listened to my prayers.

I still can’t say I trust it one hundred percent, but at least I vaguely understand that what that being wants is the survival of this world, including humans and gnomes.

However, as I said, it’s not ‘one hundred percent.’

And, I still don’t want to completely give up on my dream.

Someday, I want to take off this nun’s habit, go out, and live the way I want to live. If possible, I want to meet someone I like, and, well, get married, and do all sorts of things after that. Obviously, that person won’t be a man.

If I were a ‘Saint,’ there would be many problems that would follow.

“I am still a candidate, and I am only being tested to see if I have the qualifications to ascend to that position. Until my denomination recognizes it, I am merely an ordinary nun. Therefore, I think it is too much to be called by such a title.”

Everyone seemed to understand that a little.

Considering that the power structure within the denomination is not simple, it’s a statement that can be roughly understood.

It means, ‘Don’t mess with my future.’

“…”

I paused for a moment and then opened my mouth.

“And- you don’t need to be so grateful for what I did.”

The audience fell silent.

“What I did was simply exercise the divine power that the being above showed through me at that moment. Therefore, I believe that gratitude should be directed towards the being above, not me.”

My vision turned slightly white.

Light was falling on my face.

Seriously, your taste is bad.

“And, if it weren’t for the many people who allowed me to complete my task there, the holy power that descended through me wouldn’t have been able to exert its full power at the crucial moment.”

I glanced at Ria, who was beside me.

Ria still had no expression. She’s completely professional at times like this.

I also looked at the knights and the gnomes who were introduced as being present. Some lowered their gaze slightly, while others smiled with pleasure.

“Therefore, I believe that the people who were able to achieve truly wonderful things at that moment were not me, but all the people who helped me be there. Gratitude should go to them.”

Having said that, I took a small breath. Seeing that no one refuted my words, I realized I hadn’t stepped on any landmines.

However, the light shining on my face became brighter and brighter.

As I raised my hand slightly, someone moved before I did.

Ria’s hand waved in front of my face. The bright light instantly turned into smoke and scattered.

“…”

I looked at Ria with a slightly dazed expression.

Ria, who had removed the light from in front of my face, returned to her original posture as if nothing had happened and stood there expressionlessly.

What is this, really?

Why has she been so kind since earlier?

No, besides that, what is that power?

Could it be that by receiving too much holy power, Ria has also been able to touch divinity? Although when I asked Ria, she herself said she didn’t know.

…Well, it doesn’t matter.

If Ria finally understands my feelings, well, it’s not bad. It’s like I’ve gained a comrade.

Seeing the audience, who had fallen into silence even more due to Ria’s actions, I smiled slightly.

And then, I continued the speech I had prepared.

My trembling heart at first calmed down a bit after seeing Ria’s actions.

Thanks to that, I was able to get through the situation without trembling any further.

After the speech was over, and I returned to my seat.

I looked at Ria’s face and smiled slightly.

Ria turned her head slightly, avoiding my gaze.

However, in that moment of avoidance, I could see the corners of her lips curling up quite accurately.

Feeling a little satisfied and strangely ticklish, I also had to put in a little effort to keep the corners of my lips from curling up.

Perhaps, like Ria, the corners of my lips were also slightly distorted.