episode_0021

Episode 21

It didn’t matter how these guys thought. Even if their actions were driven by a pathetic sense of justice or deemed hypocritical, it wouldn’t bother me.

I was just annoyed at being ridiculed and taken advantage of despite putting in all my efforts, knowing clearly what they didn’t want.

“If you want to reach His Majesty the Law King, make sure you do.”

“Eek…!”

As I threw the blood-stained dagger to the ground, the priestesses made sounds of suppressed screams. It was a statement made knowing that it wouldn’t reach anyway.

It’s fine even if it’s real.

“Well, in that case… Dewer will move, but you should handle it if you can.”

Coming from a background where I only wielded weapons to fight monsters, unable to even attend school, I didn’t consider myself a fool.

The prophecy from Her Majesty the Queen Mother before I left meant that the Law Kingdom was to be led into making a mistake.

Her Majesty must have been very angry at the Law Kingdom for opposing the alliance. However, it is not their place to pressure human nations without justification or start a war leaving the threat of demons behind.

They needed justification. Saying that anything goes was probably for that reason as well.

“Get lost. If I see your faces here again—”

Before the sentence could finish, the priestesses rushed out of the building in a panic. The Holy Knights who were eavesdropping outside quickly shut the door when our eyes met.

This wasn’t planned, but it feels refreshing after doing it. With no worries about repercussions, it’s even better. Truly, long live Her Majesty the Queen.

“Well, then… why are you standing in that corner?”

After chasing away the priestesses and turning my head, I noticed the saint cowering in the kitchen corner.

She looked like a small frightened animal cornered on a dead-end path, ready to flee but blocked.

“Uh, um, sorry…!”

“If you haven’t done anything wrong, apologizing will only make me angry.”

Her self-esteem seemed incredibly low. When told not to apologize, she seemed unsure of what to say.

“I, I mean…!”

“It might be better to talk after you get some rest. You seem like you haven’t slept a wink.”

“Oh, no! I’m fine!”

Watching her face, which seemed like it would collapse any moment but stubbornly holding on, I felt it was getting unbearable.

I wanted to forcibly put her to sleep, but aside from knocking her out in bed, I didn’t know a proper way.

While pondering what to do, I asked the saint, “Could you spare a moment if you’re not busy?”

“What?! T-time…?”

Since someone could overhear outside, I asked the saint to come up to my room and rummaged through the kitchen to fetch and heat up some milk.

Carrying it upstairs, I found the saint sitting rigidly in a chair, looking tense.

“Drink this. It’ll help you calm down a bit.”

“T-thank you…?”

Taking the cup cautiously, the saint sipped the milk and bowed deeply. Not long after, she began to cry.

I didn’t panic or offer words of comfort. I simply waited quietly until the saint could release some of her pent-up emotions.

After some time, with swollen eyes from crying, the saint spoke to me.

“I-I’m sorry… Since becoming a saint, it’s always been difficult, so… being treated warmly like this is a first…”

“I told you not to apologize. Wipe your tears and blow your nose.”

Handing her a tissue, the blushing saint wiped her eyes and blew her nose. Since I had intervened, might as well listen to her story properly.

“It doesn’t make sense to me. I heard that the role of a saint in the Law Kingdom is very important, so why is she being treated like this?”

The presence of a saint in the Law Kingdom is not just a simple symbol. If we were to compare it to our territory, it could be said that they are knights fighting on the front lines.

From the beginning, I heard that this country is an environment where undead monsters are born and proliferate easily. I don’t know much about the magical aspect, but it’s said that mana itself has a nature that attracts the undead.

I understand that the background of those in the Law Kingdom who possess what is called “sacred power” was born out of fighting against the undead and resisting them.

I heard that even demons were treated as undead in the past.

“Therefore, your role and position can only be important. Many people in the Law Kingdom are born with sacred power, but those who have exceptional sacred power to ascend to the position of a saint are rare.”

Even the Law King himself has lower sacred power than the saint of the era. The position of the Law King is inherited, and the saint is chosen as the one with the strongest sacred power of that era, so it’s not strange.

In response to my doubts, Saint Maria cautiously spoke up.

“I’m just lacking…”

“If you say that kind of thing one more time, I’ll really get angry.”

It hasn’t been long since I found out, but my eyes aren’t blind.

Maria was a wonderful woman. Truly surprising. I don’t want to compare, but such a wonderful woman could only be compared to our Leilana Rumaniel.

“I understand that you became a saint unwillingly. Yet, despite that, you didn’t run away.”

“I-I couldn’t run away. There was no one else to do it, and the undead are dangerous…”

That’s the difference between not being able to run away and not running away.

“I don’t know about the people here, but our Dweer or even the demons wouldn’t blame you for running away. However, you didn’t run away; instead, you continued to fight. I’ve seen you quietly fulfilling the role of a saint every day, struggling under pressure and even vomiting.”

To clarify, I am not someone who says that you must work hard even if you have taken on an unwanted position.

Rather, I detest those who force others to work hard on topics they arbitrarily assign.

Therefore, while I may support running away, I do not mock those who try to fulfill the tasks they have been given.

If the effort is based on responsibility and altruism, I would want to support it as much as someone who wants to escape.

“That’s why I…”

“W-wait a minute! W-when did you see me vomit…?”

“Ah, I heard it by chance while passing through the corridor after finishing treatment.”

“Ah?!”

Maria looked like she wanted to die at my words, but I don’t think there’s anything to be ashamed of personally. Sympathy might be another matter.

“Anyway, I don’t want to just watch a wonderful woman like you belittle herself and be taken advantage of by others just because she is kind-hearted.”

“A w-wonderful woman…!”

I know too. This is just overstepping boundaries. Perhaps due to my actions, there might be a delay in my treatment.

But so what? Whether the horn can be removed or not has always been unclear. At worst, it’s just not being able to remove the horn, not death.

If the horn cannot be removed, I will likely be confined to Leilana for the rest of my life, but such a life might not be too bad.

It will undoubtedly be frustrating and boring, but I didn’t think it would be unbearable.

“So you can do as you please to some extent. I won’t say abuse, but it seems better to have a proper understanding of the authority and power of a saint.”

“…Is it really okay for me to do that?”

“It’s okay. I guarantee it.”

I do not know how long I will be in the kingdom because there is no set period. If it’s on a monthly basis, I might come and go with Diwer, but I could also return within a few weeks.

It doesn’t seem like I can remove the horns on my head during that time. However, it would be enough time to instill confidence in one timid woman.

From that day on, I had time to talk with the saint every day.

—

There is a saying that once is difficult, but from the second time, it becomes easy.

Lately, Maria was feeling with her whole body that the saying was true.

“It’s real. If I speak strongly as Edward said, no one could oppose me…!”

At first, she hesitated. Due to the attitudes towards her around her, Maria couldn’t tell if it was okay for someone like her to express her opinions confidently.

Until recently, she would have hesitated and it would have ended. She would have just vomited in the bathroom as usual and then returned to her room, falling into self-loathing.

But this time was different. She summoned the courage.

She dared, and she received a response.

“Wow, we are going to guard the royal road, but the number of paladins is too low. At this rate, the paladins won’t be able to withstand while I muster my strength to drive out the undead. Increase the numbers twofold.”

It should be noted that Maria was definitely not forcing anything. The number of paladins actually needed to be at that level.

By subtly reducing the numbers with various excuses, relying solely on Maria’s strength, the current number was the result.

Some reacted with skepticism to Maria’s changed attitude, while others tried to ignore it altogether.

Whenever that happened, Maria would seek advice from Edward, and thanks to that advice, she gradually learned how to speak more assertively.

More accurately, one could say she learned how to express her anger when she was angry.

“Lady, if you continue like this, there won’t be enough forces to protect the royal road in case something happens.”

Maria was now able to express her anger more specifically.

“Don’t make funny noises. Is there a threatening presence in our kingdom more than the undead, even though there is a separate defense force guarding the royal road? If other countries or demons attack, should we, who are nearby, fight first, or should you, who were safe inside the secure walls, fight first?”

“That, that’s…”

Those who had mocked Maria and those who had ignored her gradually had to admit that she was no longer an easy target to handle.

Up to this point, it could be said to be according to Edward’s plan. Was his mistake unfolding too smoothly?

“Uh, Lord Edward. Is there anything you need…?”

“No.”

“…Really?”

“Yes.”

“…For real?”

“Yes.”

“…Why? Am I still incompetent…?”

“No.”

Maria, who had never received unconditional kindness in her life, became anxious when Edward did not ask for anything from her.

After following his words, Maria thought that her world had changed, and now she couldn’t bear to lose him.

Of course, Edward never thought of irresponsibly abandoning her, and he even said so directly, but it didn’t seem to get through to her.

Repeatedly troubled by worries, Maria one day made this proposal to Edward.

“Oh, do you have anything you wish the Kingdom of Law would move in this way…?”