Morning

The pouring sunlight was blinding. Without being told, I strained my facial muscles and rubbed my eyes.

The unbearable amount of light brought pain rather than the freshness of the morning. I wanted to pull the covers over my head to shut out the morning, but a voice near my head startled me awake.

“Saint, it’s time to wake up.”

The sound resonated in my ears and stirred my heart, prompting me to sit up, but I felt a dull thud.

“Eek!”

Rubbing my throbbing forehead, I opened my eyes to see a blonde nun sprawled on the floor, clutching her forehead.

“Maria?”

It felt like a long time since I had spoken that name.

“Yes, Saint. I am here.”

Sister Maria quickly got up and smoothed out her wrinkled clothes.

But the shock seemed to linger, as her eyes twitched slightly.

“Saint?”

Perhaps because I was staring at her silently, Sister Maria tilted her head.

“……..”

Even in my half-awake state, my eyes were drawn to her swaying, ample chest. I cleared my throat and looked away.

“Saint?”

Sister Maria called out to me, as if urging a response.

Me… how did I used to speak?

I didn’t know what to say or how to say it.

“I don’t think I’m fully recovered yet.”

Sister Maria placed her hand on my forehead.

“Recovered?”

“Don’t you remember? You’ve been suffering from a severe flu recently.”

Sister Maria asked, as if questioning my memory.

“Was I…”

Sister Maria’s eyes narrowed at my uncertain murmur.

“It’s clear you haven’t fully recovered. I will report to the superiors to cancel today’s schedule.”

As I felt an inexplicable sense of relief watching Sister Maria clench her fist, she seemed to remember something, her face hardening as she crossed her arms.

This made her chest stand out even more, forcing me to look away again.

“Saint, there’s something I want to ask you.”

“Yes, please do.”

I tried to speak as saintly as possible. I think that’s how I used to talk.

“Did you perhaps have a dream?”

“A dream?”

“Yes, you were talking in your sleep.”

“Talking in my sleep…”

I touched my chin and tried to recall, but it was all hazy, obscured by a thick fog. Nothing came to mind clearly.

When I shook my head, indicating that I didn’t remember anything, Sister Maria’s arms tightened.

“You were being very… very lewd with your words and gestures.”

Sister Maria’s face was as cold as if she had seen a cockroach hiding behind the curtain.

It was a natural reaction, as the Saint’s lewd behavior had crossed the line of Sister Maria’s common sense.

“Ah… I see. I must reflect on my actions.”

I tried to slip away like an eel, but Sister Maria had no intention of letting me off easily.

“Who were you with?”

However, the question was a bit strange.

“Pardon?”

Still with her arms crossed, Sister Maria approached me. Her mysterious green eyes focused on me.

“Who were you being lewd with? What pleasure did you experience in your dream that made you look so happy?”

It was clear that she hadn’t earned the title of Inquisitor by chance; her interrogation skills were excellent.

I built a barrier with the blanket, blocking her persistent green eyes.

“Saint? I am about to lose my reason.”

Why did Sister Maria’s warm voice sound so eerie? I squeezed my eyes shut.

Faced with Sister Maria’s boldness in pulling down the blanket, I took a gamble.

“Sister Maria appeared in my dream. I’m sorry.”

And then, silence.

“Sister Maria?”

Slowly lowering the blanket barrier and peeking out, I saw a carrot covering her face with both hands.

“Me, me and lewd… that is an act strictly forbidden by doctrine… but if it’s the Saint, you are above doctrine, so it might be alright…”

Sister Maria glanced at my face through the gaps in her fingers, fidgeting her legs.

“Saint!”

“Yes? Yes?”

“Was… was I attractive in the dream?”

Uh… this feels dangerous.

“Sister Maria, please calm down first…!”

Before I could finish speaking, Sister Maria grabbed both of my wrists and pinned me to the bed. I twisted and turned, trying to resist the shackles-like grip, but I couldn’t escape.

Sister Maria, with a face flushed as if she were drunk, brought her nose to my neck.

And she took a deep breath in and out. Sister Maria’s breath tickled my neck.

“…Saint.”

Sister Maria’s voice was subdued.

“…What is it?”

What, what is she going to do next that she’s calling me like that?

“Now… you must wake up.”

With Sister Maria’s last words, my eyes snapped open.

Morning. It was early morning, with the sunlight gently knocking on the door.

“……..”

I checked the face of the person who was buried in my neck, sleeping.

It was Chunhyang. Chunhyang was sleeping, breathing evenly.

I recalled the passionate night we had spent. Well, it was only natural that she would be exhausted after doing it for so long.

Looking at Chunhyang’s snoring face, I thought so.

I carefully left the room, making sure not to wake Chunhyang.

The cool breeze chilled my body, as the sunlight was not yet strong enough to warm the night’s chill.

I rinsed my mouth with cold water and sat on the porch, clearing my hazy mind.

“……..”

It was around the time I spat out the mouthwash that I realized I was being watched.

I picked up a rolling stone and started tossing and catching it.

When I felt my shoulder was loose enough, I grabbed the stone and threw it into the bushes beyond the fence.

The stone flew quickly, but unfortunately, it missed its target.

That was because something hidden in the bushes quickly darted out and ran into the mountains.

“Ha….”

Watching the receding figure, I had to calm my racing heart.

The owner of the gaze that had been watching me without permission had rather long ears.

Jang tribe.

It was the moment when it became certain that I would eventually become entangled with the Jang tribe.