episode_0024

The two walked down the hill carefully.

Without speaking, respecting the silence, the two people, holding hands, approached the beach below the cliff.

Even in his dazed state, Glenn instinctively prioritized the safety of the saintess. He glanced around. Was the area under his feet safe? Was there anyone else on the shore? Was the saintess’ beautiful skin not getting tanned by the seaside sun?

Oh, no. Now that I think about it, even a slightly tanned saint would be beautiful with a healthy glow.

‘What are you thinking? No delusions, no delusions!

After shaking his head, Glenn arrived at the beach with the saint. The white beach had sand that was tinged with light, seashells and crabs, and waves that washed over it all and then returned to the shore.

Looking closely, the sound of the waves echoed as if calming the mind. The feet of the two people walking cautiously met the waves.

“Wow. It’s cold.”

As she spoke of her appreciation of the waves, the saint smiled.

Wow, I can’t believe I can see this with my mind set. I can’t help but admire my own extraordinary mental strength.

Glenn had that thought while unconsciously taking the hand the saint had extended just a moment ago, and looking at the saint’s noble appearance again.

The waves crashed against her feet, but she didn’t feel them because she was wearing sturdy shoes. The saintess’s sandals touched her feet, though.

Then, suddenly, something splashed onto Glenn’s face as he was admiring the sea.

I slowly turned my head. Milicia had a playful expression on her face.

Wow, another noble sight! She knelt down, scooped up some water from the waves that had come crashing down, and sprinkled it on him.

At that moment, Glen opened his mouth with a feeling of being hit.

“Oh my, launching a preemptive strike. How cowardly, Militia.”

“Haha. In a sea like this, playing in the water, isn’t it a bit like a rite of passage? I think you should be prepared to get splashed, but not get splashed.”

“I’m not saying you’re wrong…but, ugh!”

Meanwhile, the saint splashed water once more. A few drops landed on her face, and a few more on her suit.

However, he didn’t feel bad. No, he felt strange. Something, he wanted to fit in more. So he knelt down and received water from the waves.

“Haha. There is no third time.”

“Oh my, I’m not easy either?”

As she said that, the saintess walked along the beach as if to avoid Glenn’s attacks, gaining some distance. However, even at that distance, she felt like she could hit Glenn. No, she had been practicing throwing like that, but this was nothing.

But the saintess was drawing near again. She seemed to be holding water in her hand again, indicating that she was about to attack for the third time. Then!

‘Oh. Wait.’

In that moment, the thought stopped and Glenn was hit by the saint’s attack. The salt water that the saint had been holding in his hand touched Glenn’s face. However, despite this, Glenn did not fight back, with a hardened expression.

At that sight, even the saintess who was waiting for a counterattack was bewildered.

“Excuse me, Glenn? Why are you doing that?”

Glenn was about to say something, but felt terribly embarrassed.

No, but I still have to tell you. Why did you stop trying to fight back?

So, he raised his left hand, scratched his cheek with his index finger, and opened his mouth cautiously as if it were rough.

“Oh, no. That’s…I was going to do that too, but that…”

“Huh?”

“Look, your outfit…isn’t right.”

“Clothes, you say?”

The saintess asked in confusion. Glenn carefully pointed to the saintess’s attire. Following his finger, the saintess’ gaze also went down.

“Ah…”

A one-piece dress of pure white light. Only then did the saint realize her own problem. Her face turned bright red.

The two people, who had little experience in dating and were green, turned their heads away from each other and remained silent for a while.

After a while, the saintess, who had tightly closed her eyes and then opened them, spoke first.

“Well, I’m the one who started it first, so I should say something, but…Well, should I stop?”

“Yes, yes. Welcome, Militia.”

And the two of them walked slowly, quietly, carefully, along the white sand beach.

Once again, Glenn and Milishia enjoyed a walk along the shoreline, watching the waves wash over the sand, seashells, and seagulls.

Trying to ignore their racing hearts. Trying not to look at each other. Every time our glances met, we would startle each other and turn our heads away.

So, the two people who were new to love walked aimlessly along the white sand beach. While admiring the beautiful scenery, they were worried about what to say.

Eventually, not a word is exchanged until Deacon Douglas announces that lunch is ready.

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“What a beautiful sunset.”

“That’s true. It’s a scene that’s hard to see again.”

A delicious meal and conversation touched by Butler Douglas’s hands.

Time flew by like an arrow. The two of them forgot about what had happened on the white sand beach and were lost in conversation for a long time. Finally, as the sun began to set, the saint finally came to her senses and suggested to Glenn that they go back down to the beach.

In the eyes of the two people who came down again, the red sunset was dyeing the sea beyond. Dusk was approaching.

The two of them sat down carefully, on a short mat spread out underneath them. And without saying much, they admired the natural scenery created by the sun slowly setting in the distance.

In that romantic situation, it was Glenn who was sitting with his knees crossed and glancing at the person next to him.

‘Dreamlike time really passes quickly.’

Come to think of it, 40 days had already passed. No, if you include the time he met the saint, it had been 42 days.

In the meantime, there were small but unforgettable incidents, such as the saint’s candid confession and training, and Glenn revealing his inner thoughts. Since training was mostly done, and the two approached everything with a serious attitude, after the training, there was nothing much to do other than chatting on the way back.

And then, today, he’s having a fantastic day. Glenn is having a beach date with a saint, the kind of time anyone would wish for.

“Mr. Glen.”

It was Milicia who pulled Glenn out of his deep thoughts. Glenn quickly came to his senses and answered Milicia’s call.

“Yes, Militia.”

“Did you have fun today? Did you enjoy your walk on the beach… no, your date?”

“Huh? Oh, um, of course.”

“Thank goodness.”

Still, unable to take her eyes off the sunset, the saint smiled.

The sight of the saint bathed in beautiful sunset light, with her complex expression of both sadness and joy, really hit Glenn in the head.

I wanted to ask her. Why she came here today. I wanted to know. What she was thinking.

Just as Glenn was about to ask his question, the saintess opened her mouth again.

“I had fun too. In fact, it’s been three years since I’ve walked along the beach like today. The last time I did, I was part of a group of warriors and walked along the beach in the Northern Kingdom. It wasn’t the same atmosphere back then, though.”

“The shores of the Northern Kingdom, you mean?”

“Yes. There was someone who asked for the help of the warriors. They said that there was a demon hiding on the coast. So, we walked along the coast day and night, searching for the demon. When we somehow found them, we had to fight a tough battle.”

“That beach must have been beautiful.”

Because you were here. Glenn unconsciously tried to spit out the words, but barely managed to swallow them. What are you doing? Don’t forget to keep your wits about you, you idiot Glenn! While Glenn urged himself, the saint nodded and continued his story.

“Maybe. I didn’t realize it at the time because I was so nervous… But I definitely remember the beach in the night sky. The warrior also said that he wanted me to come and play comfortably next time. And Sylvia recommended this place in the kingdom.”

“If you say Sylvia, are you referring to Sylvia de Orsanthe who uses a bow?”

“Yes. He is a good person. He is the most calm and easygoing person in the group…and he was also very friendly with me. He helped me a lot when I didn’t know much about the world. I am always grateful.”

“Later, I hope you tell me more about your adventures together. During the training period, we only talked about books and duels.”

“Later, La…”

At Glenn’s words, which held anticipation, the saintess’s face became troubled. Glenn felt something was wrong as Milicia’s appearance, calm but gradually falling into thought, became even more intense.

Again, silence reigned. The sea breeze was gradually becoming colder. The sun was not even showing its reddening appearance. Night was coming.

It was time for the moon to slowly appear overhead.

“Mr. Glenn. Did you know? It is said that being a noblewoman often means that it is difficult to show up outside of certain places. Especially if you are not a young lady of a high family, but a woman brought in from outside.”

“Huh?”

Glenn was puzzled by such an unexpected statement. Why was the story of a nobleman’s wife suddenly being brought up?

The saint continued speaking with a calm face.

“That wasn’t all there was to Operspelle’s proposal. Even when he was busy with the warriors, he made many offers to me. Things like, ‘If you become a member of our family, you will be able to obtain much more beautiful things than other women. If you conceive an heir, your child will definitely become the head of this family.’ At the time, I didn’t pay much attention to it because defeating the Demon King was the priority… But now that I think about it, I think that man had been planning on fulfilling those offers all along. Even challenging me to a duel. And causing trouble. ”

It was a shocking statement. The Saintess, Milicia Airgrants, had only one reason for saying such things.

Anxiety.

The pressure of fear of defeat pushed her to think that way.

Yes. That would be so. She had only completed 40 days of training. The difference in skill between her and professional fighters was obvious. The power of the saint would soon completely leave her. It was an unchangeable fate. On top of that, she openly provoked her opponent and declared war, confident of victory.

Because the stakes have been set so high, that’s why she can’t let go of her anxiety. It’s a matter of either winning or losing. It’s clear that there are still a lot of stakes on the losing side.

“Perhaps, if I become Opperspelle’s wife, he will have no problem becoming his mistress since he has already lost his ex-wife. Even so, it would be absolutely impossible for me to escape to fulfill my wish of ‘going to the beach’ like now. Considering his obsession and desire for me…my appearance. ”

“Mr. Milishia.”

Milishia, who still hadn’t lost her smile, turned her head to Glenn, who was calling her name in pity.

“I’m sorry, Glenn. I spoke to you so confidently, and trusted you…but I’m a weak person who feels this anxious.”

Ah. Tears were welling up in her eyes, drop by drop. Gradually, loneliness, sadness, and resignation were taking over her expression.

I hate it. I hate seeing the saintess like this even if it means dying.

Yeah, I didn’t want to see you in the future. No, I don’t want to make you do something that will make you look like this in the future.

I want to protect this beautiful person, always, so that she doesn’t get sad.

So, I opened my mouth without thinking.

“Mr. Milishia, have you read that novel? ‘The Great Sea’.”

Although a look of doubt spread across Milishia’s face at the sudden question, she answered calmly.

“Huh? Oh… Are you talking about the famous novel related to the sea? ”

“Yes. Have you read it?”

“Yes. I read it once. Clearly…”

The saintess tilted her head as if thinking for a moment, trailing off her words before continuing.

“I remember it as a story about an old man who jumped into a boat to save his nephew who was drifting in the sea. The ending, where the old man’s journey itself was like the sea, left a lasting impression and was touching. However, other parts of the ending were a little strange. ”

‘The Great Sea’ was one of the novels published in the Northern Kingdom, which was famous for producing great writers.

It was a book that contained the story of an old man overcoming tremendous adversity and ultimately surviving despite losing much, along with a preface from the author saying that he wanted to express the unbreakable, indomitable will of man.

“That’s right. The ending was a bit absurd. I actually liked that ending. But more than anything, I still can’t forget the phrase from that novel. ‘Even if they break, people don’t lose. They weren’t created to lose in the first place.’ I thought it was a really good saying when you want to feel frustrated, when things are so hard that you just don’t want to get up. Well, I couldn’t think of that phrase for a year and three months. ”

“Mr. Glen…”

This time, Glenn was rather embarrassed by Milishia’s appearance, which was filled with pity and compassion for him. So, Glenn quickly continued speaking.

“Ah, no. I didn’t mean to reproach myself. What I meant was…the god who made you a saint would not think that you would be defeated. Didn’t you accomplish a difficult task that ordinary people could not even fathom? Purifying the corrupted land, and finally eradicating the great evil known as the Demon King from this land. It is clear that your own power, as well as your power as a saint, contributed to that result. Not only your power as a representative of God, but also your power as a human Militia Airgrants. ”

“…”

At those words, the saintess seemed shocked and did not speak. Glenn almost lost his mind for a moment at the sight of the saintess staring at him with a blank expression, but he managed to pull himself together and continued speaking.

“Militia, I understand why you’re anxious. There’s nothing wrong with that. Even if someone believes in you, no, even if you have hundreds of people supporting you who believe in you, there’s a possibility that you could lose, and there’s a feeling of anxiety that you could betray them. That’s a natural feeling. As long as you’re human, it’s unavoidable. ”

Glenn remembered the past. He recalled the story with Briwen.

He believed she would overcome it. Not simply because she was a half-elf, more mentally mature than a human. It was because he had an unfounded belief that she could do it. It was a belief he had as someone who had watched her from the side for a long time.

Now, in a shorter time, he could feel that faith in the saint.

“I will never forget the moments I spent with you. I will never forget the times when we talked about the request, decided the training plan, and constantly thought about how to act on the day. Your clarity. Your efforts. Your desire to improve. And your will. I wanted to tell you again that when I said that I would unconditionally trust you, it was not without reason. Yes, I unconditionally trust you. I believe that Milicia Airgrants will definitely not abandon me, no, itself. There is not a single person in my life whom I have felt I can trust as much as you. Before. And in the future. ”

Glenn, who had barely finished speaking, felt a mixture of regret and satisfaction.

The regret was that I had confessed all of my intentions at once.

The satisfaction came from being able to give her the last bit of encouragement I could.

After saying that, Glenn looked at Milicia with a serious expression, his face filled with all the respect he could muster.

Milicia shed tears.

They weren’t tears of sadness. They weren’t the kind of tears that came from crying.

No, that would be okay. She was strong. She was a strong person. She was a strong saint.

She opened her mouth, smiling a smile that was so genuine and full of joy, making Glenn lose his senses once again.

“Thank you, Glenn. Really, I appreciate everything. I, these memories with you… I will never forget. I will never forget, believing that all these things were not in vain. Your heart, and mine… will never break. We will definitely achieve a future where we can all smile and move forward. ”

With that declaration, the saint rose from her seat. Slowly, through her increasingly darkening vision, she approached the waves. As if drawn by them, Glenn also rose from his seat.

Gradually, the sunlight disappeared and moonlight began to arrive on the beach. And then, as if by magic, the moonlight illuminated the saintess.

For a moment, it seemed as if wings had grown behind her back. For a moment, it seemed as if a calm light was emanating from her.

Oh, is this the kind of person you call a goddess?

Glenn felt that it was not strange for him to have such a delusion. The goddess, no, Milicia Airgrants, who had been looking at the waves, turned her gaze to him with a bright face, relieved of her burden.

“Mr. Glenn? A week from now, when everything is over… if by any chance, I don’t lose… will you promise? ”

“Please exchange greetings with me. Please exchange greetings with me, a new born me who is no longer a saint.”

“And…please join hands with the new me.”

Glenn, completely captivated by the angel-like appearance in the old temple, answered naturally without considering anything else.

“I won’t make any promises, Milishia. It will definitely happen.”

A confident, unhesitating answer to the saint.

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And so, the day that seemed to be under a spell came to an end.

The date ended. The two people shared their feelings and returned to the carriage.

I waited quietly for my return in the carriage led by Douglas, just as I had when I came.

No, it wasn’t the same.

They sat in the same seat.

Naturally, Glenn’s left hand overlapped with the saint’s right hand.

I closed my eyes quietly and softly.

I wasn’t embarrassed or burdened by it at all.

Thump thump.

The sound of a carriage moving at a slower pace than before.

The sound of insects crying on the roadside.

The sound of night blind people crying can be heard occasionally.

Everyone surrounded the carriage.

That was all there was to it.

Besides that, no one, no situation, no matter what, interrupted the time spent just with the two of them.

And even after arriving at the destination after a wait that seemed like it would never end, Glenn naturally got off first without letting go of the saint’s hand, and helped her out of the carriage.

As Butler Douglas led the carriage away from the mansion, the two stood motionless in front of the mansion, looking at each other.

“Militia. Here…”

“Ah. This is…”

Only then did Glenn take out the object he had been keeping in his bosom.

When I opened the packaging, what came out was a headband.

It was an item that showed considerable thought as she was trying to buy something that would match her long silver hair.

“You’ll need it in a duel, obviously. ”

“Yes. Thank you. I will treasure it. Definitely.”

The saintess thanked him with impressed eyes, holding the object in her arms as if it were a jewel. Glenn couldn’t help but laugh at that expression, even though he should have.

Ugh.

It was strange. Why did I feel sad?

An impulse came over me. I wanted to move my body.

Silence fell. The time had come.

But I didn’t want to leave like this.

“Then… I’ll see you on the day of the duel, Glenn.”

And as if possessed, quietly, whispering, the saint spoke first.

Glenn nodded.

Hello. The words suddenly stopped coming out of my mouth.

No, now is not the time to put it into words.

Glenn moved.

“Ah…”

Inside the carefully wrapped arms, I felt an incomparable softness. I felt a warmth that no one in this world could contain. The sound of breathing in my ears felt like the flow of all things in the world was expressed in sound.

The person in his arms, who was surprised by Glenn’s sudden behavior but did not feel any resistance, soon put his hand on the back of the one who had committed the rudeness. He wrapped his arms around his back with his right hand that was not holding the gift.

So, Milishia and Glen embraced each other.

Under the moonlight. In front of the mansion. With no one watching.

A short but very long time together.

“Hello. Milicia…”

“Ah, well…”

And then, as if he had returned to reality, Glenn turned around, leaving only those words in Milishia’s ear.

Without even being able to sigh in regret, one person disappeared into the darkness and the other just stood there in front of his house.

‘It was a hug.’

That was it. If I had to describe that action, that was the only way.

Arms and body wrapped around oneself.

Although he was slightly smaller than me, I couldn’t feel the height difference thanks to the shoes.

That was obviously something that would be difficult for an ordinary friend to do.

It might be okay if it was the same sex, but it was an impossible contact with the opposite sex. Still…

‘I’ve never done it with a warrior before…’

This is my first time hugging someone of the opposite sex. Thinking so, the saintess, Milicia Airgrants, unconsciously touched her lips with her hand.

Carefully. A sigh of regret escaped from the corner of his mouth.

Just a little bit. If only we had met a little bit earlier.

If only we had met a little longer, for a longer time. Maybe…

So, the morning of the day started with cheerfulness and happiness,

After a night filled with sadness and regret, the ending was announced.