Weekly Seong Saniso – 3

Maria returned to the waiting room and removed the armor from her shoulders, elbows, and knees.

The leather straps had been fastened so tightly that clear red marks remained where they had been.

The discarded armor lay scattered haphazardly on the floor, and she leaned the greatsword she couldn’t quite let go of against the wall.

Maria sat on the long bench in the center of the waiting room and wiped the sweat from her forehead with her hand.

“I lost.”

The very brief words, acknowledging reality, escaped her lips.

Her voice was filled with deep dismay.

When she won the first match, she had felt a glimmer of hope.

She had believed that she, who had gained enlightenment through the Saint’s guidance, would confidently win the tournament.

She had thought that she, guided by the Divine Doctor, would be like the saints before her.

But, from the very start of the second match, she was forced to her knees by a flying sword.

It was such a poor showing that it was hardly even a fight.

Throughout the second match, she had rolled on the floor, unable to hide her groans.

Maria was displeased that she, who had received the Saint’s teachings, she, who was an attendant assisting the Saint, had lost.

“In the end, I guess I’m not qualified.”

If she had at least made it to the finals, she would have had an excuse that she had proven her worth to be by the Saint’s side…

Maria covered her face with her hands, a look of grief on her face.

-Clunk

The wooden door opened, and Lumen entered.

“Chief Inquisitor!”

Maria hurriedly stood up when she saw Lumen, who should have been in the VIP seats, enter the waiting room.

“Sit down.”

Lumen calmly told her to sit.

Maria hesitated for a moment in an awkward posture, then sat back down on the bench.

Lumen quietly took a seat next to Maria.

“Good work, Sister Maria.”

“Thank you. But… I was eliminated in the second match.”

“Indeed. You had a tough opponent. Someone the Saint himself predicted would win.”

Ah, so the Saint didn’t even think I would win from the start.

Maria felt both disappointed and resentful.

“Was the Saint… disappointed?”

She didn’t want to hear the answer, but Maria asked nonetheless.

Lumen didn’t answer Maria’s question.

“…I see.”

Maria, taking it as a silent affirmation, slumped her shoulders.

“Don’t jump to conclusions. The Saint didn’t even utter the ‘d’ of disappointment.”

Lumen sighed softly, watching her subordinate, whose emotions fluctuated wildly.

When Maria looked at her with wide eyes, Lumen continued.

“The Saint said directly that what he expected from Sister Maria was ‘the potential to become better than you are now.'”

Lumen swallowed and paused.

“In my opinion, Sister Maria, you showed that potential this time. It would have been better if you had gone further, though.”

“So, the Saint… didn’t have much expectation for me?”

“You’re thinking negatively. No one said anything like that.”

Lumen glared at her.

“The Saint said, ‘You lost, but you fought well.’ Daring to fathom the Saint’s heart… I wouldn’t be surprised if he was quite satisfied with Sister Maria….”

“……..”

As Lumen finished speaking, Maria felt something welling up from deep within her chest.

“Do you remember what I told Sister Maria before? ‘The Saint will definitely be a great help to Sister Maria’s stagnant faith.'”

“Yes, I remember.”

Lumen stood up.

“Today, I am convinced that what I thought was not wrong. So, Sister Maria… please show the Saint an even better version of yourself.”

The Chief Inquisitor’s black robes looked utterly dignified.

[Wash up and come slowly.]

Lumen conveyed the message to Maria and then returned to the VIP seats.

“……”

Maria remained seated in the waiting room for a long time after Lumen left.

She buried her face in her hands.

“The Saint acknowledged me.”

The tension and frustration that had built up from all the hard work vanished without a trace, like snow melting in the spring sunshine.

And the indescribable elation filled the void.

“Heu….”

A laugh escaped from Maria’s mouth, her face buried in her hands.

“Hehehe… Acknowledged… I’ve been acknowledged.”

“I’ve been acknowledged…. Hehehe… The Saint has finally acknowledged me.”

“I’m so glad.”

A slightly frivolous sound, a mixture of tears and laughter, spread gently through the waiting room.

The tournament was won by the person Inho had chosen.

The Pope and the Holy Knight Commander looked at Inho with surprised faces, and he saved his words by shrugging his shoulders.

“Saint, shall we have the awards ceremony?”

“No, no. The Pope has always done the awards ceremony, so I would like the Pope to do it this time as well.”

Inho declined the Pope’s offer.

“Saint.”

Maria, who had already returned to her daily routine, approached Inho from behind like a shadow.

“Sister Maria, you worked hard.”

Knowing how hard she had worked in her training, Inho looked up at her and smiled.

“…Thank you.”

Maria turned her face slightly away from Inho’s flawless smile.

“Sister Maria, you fought well, but it’s a shame,”

said the Holy Knight Commander, who was sitting next to Inho, and Maria smiled as if to say she was okay.

“I think I can show you better results next time.”

Her answer was directed at the Knight Commander, but her eyes were fixed on the Saint’s back.

“So, you can look forward to it.”

As if making a pledge to the Saint, Maria said.

‘It’s reaching me…’

Inho seriously began to consider whether or not to say something about the feeling of something huge pressing down on the back of his head from Maria, who was stuck right behind him.