The Saint and Maria – 5

Inho’s face, after finishing his meal with the Pope, was as pale as if he had seen moving corpses.

He didn’t say a word during the twenty-minute walk back to his room.

He had been chatty throughout the day, but his sudden silence made Maria, who was walking beside him, anxious.

She followed Inho about half a step behind and spoke to him, worried.

“Was there perhaps a problem with the meal?”

At Maria’s question, Inho shook his head.

But even that gesture seemed listless.

“Then…”

The Saint mustn’t feel uncomfortable. Maria asked him again.

“I’m really alright.”

Seeing the Saint smile as he said he was alright, Maria couldn’t bring herself to say anything more.

In the hallway, where the sun had set, apprentice priests had lit lamps, and moonlight streamed in from outside.

The bluish moonlight and the orange lamps mixed together, eerily illuminating the hallway.

They soon arrived in front of the room.

Whether it was someone’s consideration or an order, the room where the Saint was staying was located in a very quiet place.

The room, which hadn’t been properly tidied up because of the hasty departure in the morning, greeted them.

While Inho sat at the table, lost in thought, Maria quickly tidied up the messy room.

“Here is tomorrow’s schedule.”

Maria took a piece of paper from her bosom and handed it to Inho.

Inho glanced at the paper she handed him, then gently pushed it away with his hand, saying,

“I can’t read. Sister Maria, please read it for me.”

“Ah…! I’m sorry.”

Maria reproached herself for her carelessness and picked up the paper.

“After the morning service, there is lunch, and then a visit to the Holy Knight’s training at Sollaqucia.”

“I saw the training yesterday, didn’t I?”

“I believe that was the training of the apprentice knights. Tomorrow is the training of the Holy Knights.”

Maria said, answering Inho’s question.

“Dinner… do I have to eat with the Pope every day?”

“No. Since there’s nothing written separately, it seems you can eat in the dining hall.”

“I see.”

Inho leaned back in his chair.

His expression seemed more relaxed than before, and Maria, who had been watching him, also let out a small sigh of relief.

Silence fell.

Maria was unsure whether to leave the room or not, so she fidgeted with her hands, watching Inho’s face.

Inho looked out the window of his room.

Even though it was night after the sun had set, there were many people walking around with lamps.

“Is there some kind of event even at night?”

Inho asked, looking at the scenery outside.

“It seems they are people going to the library.”

Maria said, looking at the direction the group was heading.

“The library?”

“Yes, after their daily work, they go to study separately until bedtime.”

“It’s not mandatory, then.”

“No, most people finish their day by reading the Bible in their own rooms. People go to the library when they want to browse records other than the Bible or read books in which someone has interpreted the Bible.”

“Everyone is so diligent.”

As Inho muttered, Maria nodded with a proud look on her face.

She thought that this sight of people devoted to the Bible would surely please the Saint.

“Then, how does Sister Maria usually spend her time?”

“Recently, I’ve been transcribing the Bible in my room.”

“I see.”

Inho looked at Maria’s face for a moment, as if thinking about something.

Feeling that she might have done something wrong because of his gaze, Maria carefully asked Inho.

“Um… Saint? Is there perhaps something…”

“Ah, it’s nothing much… Ah, is it nothing? Could you perhaps stay in my room until bedtime for the time being?”

The Saint made a bold request without changing his expression.

Maria’s face slowly flushed.

“Yes? But, why…”

Inho said to Maria, who was hesitating, stammering.

“…Ah.”

Inho, who had been tilting his head at Maria’s reaction, finally realized that what he had said had caused a misunderstanding, and he slightly opened his mouth.

“I would like you to do your Bible study in my room.”

“C-Could I ask why?”

Maria said, finding it difficult to understand the Saint’s intentions.

At Maria’s question, the Saint rolled his lips inward and lightly moistened them, which had become dry.

“I want to check how well Sister Maria, who will be acting with me… understands the Bible.”

Unlike Inho, who smiled gently, Maria’s face turned pale.

“Ah… ha….”

Maria replied listlessly.

Inho smiled even more brightly and said to Maria again.

“Please bring your Bible with you from tomorrow.”

“……”

“It’s late. Sister Maria, thank you for today. I look forward to working with you tomorrow as well.”

Inho, who had risen from his seat, opened the door himself. It was a sign that he wanted her to leave.

Maria slowly walked out of the room, and the two looked at each other with the door as a boundary.

“Then, see you tomorrow.”

“S-Saint.”

Maria’s voice was heard from outside the half-closed door.

Inho opened the door again and looked at her.

He saw Maria’s stiff face, full of tension.

“C-Could I ask which parts you will be checking?”

She swallowed several times and asked Inho.

Like a student asking about the scope of a suddenly decided exam, Maria seemed to have no confidence at all.

“You don’t have to be so nervous.”

Inho, wearing a kind smile, said to her, hiding his apologetic feelings.

“The scope is the entire Bible.”

-Thud

With Inho’s words, Maria’s legs gave way, and she collapsed to the ground.

‘What am I going to do, I feel so sorry.’

Inho, who was trying to grasp the Bible under the guise of ‘testing’ Maria, smiled bitterly at the sight of Maria visibly despairing.