episode_0036

Helena was lost in the rushing current like a gust of wind.

Suddenly, Ian from the first party appeared and seemed interested in him.

Abbot Miriam and other officials gathered together and moved up the date of the public examination.

Protests poured in, but everyone fell silent when they saw the gold coins in Miriam’s hand.

Apostle’s gold coin.

Anyone who engages in Seonghwaism cannot dare to rebel against it.

Miriam never revealed who the apostle was.

However, it is said that the apostle placed a lockdown on the monastery and ordered that a public examination be held today.

The public examination of Eoyeongbuyeong has really taken place.

And now.

“Hero, you said you wanted to do it, right?”

“Yes… ?”

“Let’s go with me.”

“Yes… ?”

I’ll upload “. To the desired point.”

“… … .”

As if I had dipped my face into water, the surrounding sounds became distant and muffled.

What is it?

Why is Ian making this suggestion to him?

Why is the former manager of the first party looking at him with such shining eyes?

As the sense of reality faded, Helena’s consciousness was sucked into the past.

*

It has been quite a while since Helena became a superhuman.

It was a time when the empire did not yet have a warrior training system.

Helena recalled the starting point of her memory.

Even though I wasn’t born that day, that day is as vivid as the beginning of my life.

The day when I was unable to protect my family despite being a superhuman.

The day I couldn’t even watch my family die.

The sensations of that moment when I was hiding alone in a safe place are painfully clear.

It wasn’t Helena’s fault.

At the time, Helena was a novice at a church in the center of town.

His father was a shepherd and his mother was a laundress.

Because of the nature of their jobs, both of them lived mainly on the outskirts of town, and their homes were also on the outskirts.

So, it was physically impossible for Helena, who was helping with mass at the village center church, to save her parents who were attacked by demons on the outskirts of the village.

The raid ended in vain.

There were only a few human-sized mini golems.

The village youth joined together and were able to defeat them with farming tools.

There were quite a few injuries, but the number of deaths was low.

The problem is that Helena’s parents were included in the small number of deaths.

‘He died because of me. No, I killed it… .’

Guilt came regardless of logic.

The fact that she was the only superhuman in the village made her feel even more guilty.

Directionless anger and futility took over her body, and Helena committed herself to a monastery.

I wanted to sharpen my faith and take revenge.

Then, the ‘warrior’ appeared in earnest in the empire, and Helena also hoped to become one.

the problem is.

‘Helena… . ‘This is not the only way.’

Helena had no talent.

It was to the point where I wondered if it was true that they were both superhumans.

Even the miracle of the defense system, which we were confident about, was also an obstacle.

It’s too big, so it only disturbs my colleagues.

I received countless comments that it would be a hindrance when shooting a bow or using magic from behind.

Still, Helena couldn’t dislike that only advantage.

‘I know how you feel, but you’d better give up.’

That couldn’t be possible.

Helena’s life had already reached inertia.

It is impossible to stop arbitrarily.

Helena knew that if she stopped, her life itself would stop.

I also used the story of ‘Aria’, which I learned one day, as a driving force.

Aria’s growing up story was decorated like a delightful comedy.

The story of Aria, who is lazy and lazy, and Philip, who consoles and soothes Aria.

It was one of the oral fairy tales that arose around the members of the first party, centered around Shupevia.

Among them, Helena liked Aria’s story the best.

It was a light story, but it contained a hopeful lesson that effort is rewarded in the end.

And on the other hand, just as Philip came to Aria.

He also had a selfish and double expectation that someone would come and guide him.

Around that time, he moved to MacDerlin Abbey and met Rachel.

The child with a calm expression was just as clumsy as himself.

That created a sense of kinship.

While helping Rachel, Helena also leaned on her.

I felt joy just by being able to help someone, and I felt like I discovered my own value in a new way.

Rachel, who was clumsy, learned quickly and quickly surpassed Helena.

Helena was not jealous of that again.

I just accepted my situation.

Sometimes, life was all about being vicariously satisfied with Aria’s stories.

Then I heard that a public examination was being held at MacDerlin Abbey, and then Salome appeared.

She was an overwhelming talent that made me wonder if she was a superhuman in a different sense than Helena.

He was someone who had already come in from somewhere else while preparing for the temporary warrior exam, and even had actual combat experience.

“What, are you putting me on the same level as these kids?”

The arrogant Salome reigned supreme among the novice nuns and committed violent acts.

The main target was Rachel.

The reason was simple.

This is because Rachel did not particularly support Salome and was in second place, just below Salome.

“Stop it!”

It was the day that Helena stood in the way of Salome on behalf of Rachel.

Salome’s reaction was colder than anything else.

“… Who is this?”

The response was that they had no idea who Helena was.

“Helena? Who is that? … 30th place?”

Salome frowned as if looking at a ridiculous insect.

After that, the target changed from Rachel to Helena.

Helena gladly accepted.

It was an expression of guilt.

An unreasonable sacrifice to punish myself for not being able to protect my family in the past.

Salome chewed persistently on Helena’s only organ, the defense system miracle.

“Hey, hell. They say you shouldn’t do it like that. How many times do I have to tell you? Or are you doing this on purpose to make me annoyed?”

If there was one thing that was disappointing about Salome, who was excellent in all aspects, it was her defense output.

It was the average skill level within the monastery.

It wasn’t that he was lacking, but his other abilities were so outstanding that he stood out.

That’s why Salome hated Helena even more, whose defense miracles were superior to hers, and at that point, she was strangely superior.

“From today onwards, just hope there is a bastard who makes Bangho bigger than me.”

It has reached a level where the skills of trainee nuns are suppressed.

At the center was Helena.

Everyone hated Helena.

‘If it weren’t for you.’

Salome wouldn’t have been so pushy.

Because he could not hate Salome, he hated Helena.

I complained to Lydia, the person in charge of administering the public exam, but she only said she would take action.

I deliberately distanced myself from Rachel, my only friend, for fear of being a nuisance.

Rachel also couldn’t overcome Salome’s glare and Helena’s turning away and ended up ignoring Helena.

Helena did not particularly hate or blame Rachel.

It was just that he replaced Rachel.

Day by day, I become more isolated from the crowd.

Even the only organ he trusted was disparaged, calling it trash.

One day, I thought that even praying to God was meaningless, and my faith was diminishing.

Again, Helena returned to the present.

A meeting room with just two people.

Ian in front was calm, matching his fresh expression that day, but his eyes were sincere.

“Let’s go with me.”

“I… .”

Ian didn’t give Helena a chance to speak.

“I was confident after taking the test today. Helena, you are exactly what I was looking for.”

“That… .”

“In particular, there was a time when each person showed off their skills individually before the exam, right? I felt it right then.”

Regardless of the test, each of the 30 nuns performed three miracles in front of the test officials.

The purpose was to check conditions before a surprise test.

In fact, Ian’s identification was the goal.

‘A sense of discomfort prevailed not only among the trainee nuns but also throughout the monastery. If it’s a problem that arises between people, it will be easier to show my skills if there are fewer people’s eyes.’

In fact, compared to the last time I saw it, the level of the protection miracle has risen by one level.

Among them, Helena was overwhelming.

“I… .”

“I think you said it as if you respected Aria. Is that right?”

Ian continued to not give Helena a say.

I don’t mean to ignore her.

‘I think he’s obsessed with being ranked 30th, so he’s the type of person who deliberately pushes himself in a bad direction. ‘You shouldn’t give them room to think or speak.’

People addicted to despair ignore happiness or hope.

We commit ourselves to sinking endlessly into the abyss of self-consciousness.

From Ian’s perspective, Helena was also that type.

You shouldn’t give yourself time to beat yourself up.

“Yes, that’s right… .”

“I am the one who has watched that Aria for a long time. You said you knew me, right?”

“Yes… . but… .”

“You must be curious. The reason why the person who was with Aria, whom he admired, wants him now. You won’t believe it.”

Think ahead and steal what the other person has to say.

“Well, hmm… . How should I describe this feeling?”

He spoke briefly and strongly to shake Helena’s thoughts.

“I am obsessed with Helena.”

-thud!

Helena, shivering, put her knees on the desk.

“What, Ma, Words, Lee Shin, Ah, in Seonghwagyo, that, dating, of course, is allowed, but, but, I still… .”

I shook it, but I shook it too much.

“… No, I don’t mean that. Do you remember I said I was looking for someone who specializes in protection miracles?”

“I remember… .”

“It’s right in front of me. And you keep dwelling on 30th place… . Helena, even if we leave here, are you still ranked 30th?”

“Yes… ?”

“What happens to Helena when we get out of here? What happens after you become a temporary hero? What happens after you become an official warrior?”

“… … .”

“No. 30 cannot represent you. In other words, Helena is Helena even if she is not ranked 30th.”

Helena closed her mouth.

The words I was trying to deny entered.

Ian also felt conflicted feelings.

This time, I was given some time to think about it.

Ian suddenly remembered the time he first met Aria.

She was the one who made absurd excuses, saying that she wanted to do it but didn’t want to do it.

Compared to that bad boy, persuading Helena is like playing with children.

“Follow me.”

Just the degree and texture are different.

Same as Vivian.

This is a person who cannot trust himself.

Ian will re-form that trust through himself.

However, I had a gut feeling that I would need to be more proactive than Vivian.

Helena, who saw the hand that Ian gave her, held it as if fascinated.

“Yes… .”

Without missing a beat, Ian pulled his hand slightly and said.

“Let’s do well in the future.”

“Yes, yes… . Please take care of me too… .”

Helena blushed slightly and answered in a hushed voice.

*

Helena had no idea how the day was going.

It may be an ungodly thought for a believer, but it feels like being possessed by a ghost.

First of all, I couldn’t leave the monastery until the test results were released, so I waited until the next day.

Aside from Ian taking over Helena, Helena did not do well on the test.

“From now on, we will announce the 15 successful candidates for the MacDerlin Abbey public examination.”

Miriam declared.

“15th place, Unias. 14th place… .”

The order is reverse from 15th to 1st.

Three people are called by name.

“6th place Veronica, 5th place Naomi, 4th place… .”

The names of the top two, Salome and Rachel, were not mentioned.

Helena would have fallen outside of the top 15, so of course she will not be called up.

The final announcement remains.

Top ranking in public exams.

A talent that everyone here will covet.

People who may have an impact on the position of Seonghwa Bridge in the future.

At Miriam’s next name.

“3rd place, … Salome.”

The place became noisy.

Everyone here predicted that Salome would end up in first place.

Even in the sudden test, Salome showed excellent skills.

But that Salome took third place.

Salome stepped forward with a puzzled look on her face.

Miriam calmly announced the next order.

“2nd place, Rachel.”

The place was agitated.

Rachel is superior, but is she better than Salome?

Not everyone was that confident.

“Ugh… ?”

Rachel stood next to the hesitant Salome.

Salome glared at Rachel with a frown.

“Next. 1st place.”

In a noisy atmosphere, Miriam herself hesitated a bit and called first place.

“… Helena.”

… … .

silence.

The unpleasant silence focused on Helena.

“… Huh?”

Helena came to her senses late, and the crowd became excited again.

The situation was far beyond expectations.

Ian was equally embarrassed.

‘… what?’

It was my choice, but honestly, I don’t think Helena was first.

Yesterday’s test surprised people with an unexpected miracle in the field of protection, but that was it.

‘What happened?’

“Wow, I’m getting goosebumps! What’s this! This is the Helena that Ian said he would take! Wow, is there really something I can’t see?!”

Marie, who was watching from the side, slapped Ian on the arm.

Ian told Marie about some good-looking nuns, including Helena and Rachel.

Naturally, Marie had promised not to touch the nun that Ian coveted.

For reference, the person she currently covets the most is Rachel.

“Ian didn’t do something?!”

“How do I do that?”

If you want to do it, you can do it.

But this time it wasn’t real.

Vivian, who followed along with excitement when she heard that she might see a new colleague today, just couldn’t understand the situation and ended up laughing.

The person who was most surprised in this situation was Salome, who naturally predicted that she would come in first place.

“Now, wait a minute… ! This is ridiculous! Those bastards did better on the test than me?”

She was so shocked that she cursed in front of others.

But the audience also had similar thoughts as her.

“What are these bitches doing behind your back? .”

Salome approached menacingly, and Helena blocked Rachel’s path.

“I don’t know, but don’t mess with Rachel… !”

“Fuck you! Hey, can’t you understand the situation? Does it make sense for you two to be 1st and 2nd above me? What did you guys do! They must have been doing something behind my back! Isn’t that right?!”

Salome said, looking around the crowd.

It was an atmosphere of subtle sympathy.

‘What a dirty bitch… .’

I was planning to leave it alone since the Holy Knights under the direct control of the Holy Emperor would soon arrive, but the tormenting of Helena was a bit severe.

“Did you take a bribe behind my back? No, beggars like you don’t have the money for that. Why, are there people out there who want to buy your body? Yes, that apostle… .”

“Stop!”

The moment Miriam intervenes.

At the same time as Ian got up.

“You’re a fucking bitch.”

Marie also stood up.

Without even noticing that Ian had woken up, Marie walked in front of Salome with a fierce look on her face as if she was going to kill everything that got in her way.