episode_0049

Exactly three days after receiving the summons letter for the warrior candidates.

I dressed up as the Phantom, the playwright, as usual and headed to the cathedral.

With the help of his assistant Morris, he chose a route that would not attract outside attention.

And when we arrived at the Cathedral of Eseldro and met with the bishop.

“Come here, Phantom, candidate for the warrior of the pen.”

The old priest solemnly led me towards the lodgings behind the cathedral.

A large gate reached through an arched walkway lined with statues of saints of the Catholic Church.

The bishop yanks the doorknob, which is decorated with jewels and precious metals, as befits the capital’s largest cathedral.

And when I entered, what I encountered was… …

“I guess this is our first meeting. Please say hello. I am Maya, the Sword Hero candidate who recently came to Seoul.”

“The Sword Warrior candidate? That girl?”

… … A blue-haired woman sitting on a sofa in a spacious and cozy meeting room, holding a sword in her arms.

With sharp eyes like a falcon, he glanced at me, a candidate for the warrior of the same generation.

Sitting motionless, silently waiting for the next situation to occur.

“Please wait here for 10 minutes, warrior candidates. It won’t take long.”

Rattling!

Bishop Eseldro left us behind, and I was left behind with a cold-looking girl I had never met before.

Because of that, the surrounding atmosphere became awkward in an instant.

‘So this is the guy that’s been rumored to be the Hero of the Sword for the past three days?’

Are you saying that you got to visit Brondey in the middle of the semester as a special case? That’s obvious just by looking at the neatly worn academy uniforms.

You said you were busy processing the paperwork for three days, is it finally finished?

‘But I didn’t know she would be such a pretty girl with such a delicate appearance.’

Even though I heard a rough explanation from Senior Rosalind, it was so different from what I had imagined.

Anyway, since she’s a warrior, I expected her to be a muscular woman with a lot of body like an athlete.

“Hello, Maya.”

First, to break the awkwardness, I extended my hand and asked for a brief greeting.

“My name is Phantom the Playwright. I am a candidate for the Warrior of the Pen.”

“Maya.”

“… … ”

“… … ”

… … Is that the end?

I finally extended my hand to shake hands, but there was no response.

What is it? Are you ignoring me? Or are you expecting me to be a gentleman and kiss the back of your hand?

That was when.

“Ah.”

Maya opened her eyes slightly as if she realized something. Then she finally grabbed my hand.

“Sorry. I’m not used to shaking hands. I’ve been a wanderer for a long time.”

“A wandering life? Are you talking about the wandering training you’ve been doing?”

“There was almost no chance of shaking hands comfortably. We always talked with swords.”

“Dialogue of swords… … huh?”

“When you’re dead, you can’t shake hands or anything. Of course, you can’t even say hello.”

… … Is it because he is a warrior of weapons? Why is every single word he blurts out so creepy?

Should I say that it’s fortunate that he doesn’t seem to be a rude or arrogant person?

“You’re the candidate for the hero of the pen, Phantom? You wrote Farewell My Concubine and showed Xiang Yu’s martial arts on stage?”

“Oh? That’s right. I see you know me well, so I guess Maya is a fan of mine too?”

“No.”

“Ah… … Is that so?”

It’s embarrassing. Everyone I meet is a huge fan of mine so I used to pass them by. This time, I just became self-conscious.

Maya revealed her feelings as she stared blankly at the dull day.

“Still, I like Xiang Yu. I was also impressed by Farewell My Concubine.”

As she spoke, she pointed to the orichalcum medal on her chest.

I opened my eyes wide as I looked at the letters written on the surface.

Evil is the real deal, the king of defeat

Maya, the warrior of the ‘sword’ (candidate)

Even if we leave out the evil spirit that reminds us of some samurai anime, what on earth is the little slayer next to him?

“The phrase “Ak-jjeok-cham” was originally there. The Little Prince was given a new phrase after seeing the King’s Farewell Concubine. It means to become strong like the King, but not become corrupt like the King. ”

“Oh, really?”

This person also seems to be extremely immersed in .

‘But what exactly does not being corrupted have to do with being small?’

And why did you choose the name Little King? From what I know, even the words of the person who called himself Little King weren’t very peaceful.

Maybe he went hunting and ran into some assassins he had a grudge with before… … Ah, that’s enough.

What does the end of the Sopaewang matter? As long as I am satisfied, that’s all that matters.

A more important issue is… …

“Excuse me, why are you looking at me like that?”

A candidate for the Sword Hero who has been observing my face and physique intently for a moment.

I felt a little embarrassed because the gaze was so direct and I felt like I was being watched.

Of course, there was no reply from Maya. She just kept looking at me with eyes that had no meaning.

“Phantom.”

After a while, Maya’s lips finally opened.

“You, by any chance… … ”

At that moment, she was about to say something with a subtle expression on her face.

Crunch! Creak!

The door to the meeting room opened again, and someone walked in with a start.

What appeared along with the fragrant scent of acacia floating in the air was… …

“Huh? Your Majesty?”

“Hello, Phantom. How have you been?”

… … Surprisingly, it was the blind saint, Beatrice, whom we met during the production of .

“Hello, Maya, candidate for the Sword Warrior. Is this the first time we’ve met in person? I’m Beatrice, the Saint of the Vatican.”

“… … ”

Bow. A candidate for the Sword Warrior who nods his head with moderate politeness.

Although he was cold and blunt, he seemed to be polite to the other person.

Then the saint’s face, with her eyelids closed, turned towards me.

“It’s been a while, Phantom. How have you been?”

“Your Majesty, you seem to be quite intelligent. I hope you’ve been doing well since I last saw you.”

Saint Beatrice, who became much more beautiful than when she performed .

Her skin had become much whiter and smoother, and her silver hair had a sheen to it.

What should I say? It feels like you’ve been taking good care of your health by eating well and sleeping well?

“Huh, right? I’ve been paying attention to skin care these days.”

“Skin care? Does the saint do that too?”

“Oh my? Even a saint is a woman. Isn’t it natural that she doesn’t want to become wrinkled and flabby?”

The saint playfully pinched her own soft cheek and giggled.

“Regardless of age and status, everyone has a woman’s heart. Keeping that in mind will help you build a family later on, Phantom.”

“Yeah, well. Thanks for the advice.”

It’s not a wrong statement, but it’s a bit strange for a saint of the Vatican to make such a statement.

Do the nuns in this world not have any particular restrictions on their appearance?

“By the way, what brings you to the capital all of a sudden? Why did you suddenly summon us?”

“… … I’m sorry to bother you when you’re busy, everyone. But this is too important to convey in writing. ”

The expression on the saint’s face, which had been teasing me with her question, suddenly became serious.

She hummed, sitting on the sofa, her hands clasped together in a somewhat reserved manner.

“Do you two happen to know why, when the Vatican discovers a new superhuman, they give him the title of ‘candidate’ warrior instead of a full warrior title?”

“Why are you awarding the position of candidate? Well, it must be because of the importance of the position of warrior. Strict screening is essential to select the right person.”

“On the surface, yes, Phantom.”

But the saint shook her head and added:

“But there is another real reason. The real reason why the Vatican has become so picky about the formal appointment of warriors. Do you know what that is, Maya?”

“… … Traitor Warrior.”

The Sword Warrior candidate who just listened to our conversation without saying anything.

Her eyes, sharp like a beast’s, narrow even more sharply.

“Alchemist’s warrior, Asenas.”

The traitor warrior. And the warrior of alchemy, Asenas.

The moment I heard that name, I felt a chill down my spine for a moment.

If you are a child born and raised in another world, this is a name you will have encountered at least once.

About a century ago. A war of subjugation against evil demon worshippers and demons.

He was once a madman and murderer who stood at the forefront, but suddenly turned his back on humanity and joined hands with the Demon Tribe.

“That’s right. That’s because there was a precedent for that traitorous warrior.”

At that moment, the saint quietly folded her hands and delivered shocking news.

“And a few days ago, unfortunately, traces of Asenas were found again. His survival was confirmed during the process of tracing the network of devil worshippers.”

“Huh? Didn’t the traitor warrior die during the punitive war? I heard he was captured by the imperial army and executed by hanging.”

“I thought so too. But in reality, it seems he escaped death in some way. He reappeared, killed many people, and disappeared.”

“That’s… … ”

“Asenas is an ancient person from at least a century ago. We do not know how he has survived since the war of subjugation.”

The saint bit her lips slightly, sensing the shock on this side.

She continued her explanation in an unusually reserved manner.

“The only thing that is certain is that he is still going strong and active. It is also unclear what exactly he is plotting.”

“… … ”

“So, I was sent to the imperial capital for a short while.”

A basket of fruit placed on the table in front of the sofa.

The saintess explained while biting into the cherry seeds she had taken out from there.

“Both of the official candidates for the warrior are staying in the capital. I will assist you in your activities until the whereabouts of the traitor warrior are revealed.”

“Activity assistance?”

“I’m not specifically going to touch you. I’m just going to keep a close eye on you to make sure you don’t get into trouble. It’s hard to tell what Asenas is thinking and how he’s going to move.”

“Hey. So, does that mean the saintess is protecting us? Shouldn’t we, the candidates for warriors, be protecting the saintess?”

“Oh my? Even though you’re like this, you’re still pretty strong. Even though you’ve never learned martial arts, your divine powers are amazing. You have the ability to protect others.”

“Oh, I see.”

I answered with an awkward smile and muddled through.

I don’t know how great it is because I haven’t had a chance to see it in person, but he said it was like that.

“For your information, this story is top secret. To avoid confusion, it has not been leaked to the public.”

Shh. The saintess solemnly cautioned, putting her index finger to her lips.

“The conversation we had today should only be known to the two candidates for the warrior. Please keep that in mind.”

Of course. It’s like Voldemort from the Harry Potter series suddenly returning.

As for the Holy See, it will likely be in the position of controlling information for a while.

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

“… … ”

The candidate for the Sword Warrior, who responds with a nod while I respond with a quick response.

On this day, the three of us ended up sharing a secret.

“So, will you stay in the capital from now on, Saintess?”

“Why? You don’t like me staying? Are you doing something blasphemous that a saint shouldn’t see?”

“No, absolutely not. Haha.”

After a brief meeting with the saint, the Sword Hero candidate returned straight to the Academy.

She is a cadet who is studying abroad at Bronde. She probably still has some academic matters to sort out.

On the other hand, I, who had relatively more free time, instead of returning right away, spent some more time exchanging greetings with the saintess in the meeting room.

“By the way, I also enjoyed the Cthulhu Mythos that was produced this time. Wasn’t it quite a sight to see the Lovecraft Foundation employees falling one by one?”

“Hmm? Did you see that too, Your Majesty? Your Majesty, so… … ”

“You’re blind, right? It’s a bit uncomfortable to keep emphasizing that you’re disabled.”

“Ugh. Sorry. It wasn’t my intention.”

“Fuck, I know. I’m kidding.”

Saint Beatrice lifting her eyelids with a natural and innocent look.

He speaks while tapping the area under his eye with his right index finger, his pupil cloudy.

“Even though both eyes are blind, my ears are still fine. I can infer images just by hearing sounds. My intuition is so good that I can detect everything from simple noises to subtle vibrations.”

… … Crazy. Is this really the reclusive master from a martial arts novel?

When your eyes are closed, are all your other senses opened up to a transcendental level? Suddenly, it seems understandable that you came to protect the warrior candidate with that frail body.

The saintess suddenly changed the subject while glancing at me who was secretly admiring her.

“So, when do you think your next work will premiere?”

“Are you talking about the premiere date?”

“Yes. I also want to see Phantom’s new work. Since you’re the one who pushed him as a candidate for the hero, wouldn’t it be okay to tell him that much?”

The saintess, who seems to like cherries, eats a few more cherries with a dainty expression. She said, wiping the sweet juice off her lips.

“Besides, if you know in advance, it’s easier to keep your schedule clear that day. The work of a saint is harder than it looks.”

“Um, the premiere date? It’s not set in stone, but I’d like to release it around Teacher’s Day, which is coming up soon.”

Teacher’s Day. A commemorative day that can be called another world’s version of Teacher’s Day.

This day was a time-honored annual event where friendly exchanges took place between students and teachers.

Academy professors also open their wallets to treat students to dinner, and students respond with small gifts.

Anyway, the theme was probably melodrama.

Wouldn’t it be more effective if it were released on such a meaningful day? Just like Korean films target holiday specials by releasing on Lunar New Year’s Day or Chuseok.

“Teacher’s Day?”

Then the saintess rested her chin on her clasped hand and spat out:

“I’m lucky. I don’t know about other days, but I tend to take a vacation that day.”

Huh? You say ‘that day’ is a vacation?

“You don’t really have any days off in a year, do you?”

“Of course, she is a saint. She should not be complacent while living a life of luxury with the taxes she collects from the people.”

The saintess brushed my words away with an expression of indifference. She waved her hand as if it was nothing.

“I was so busy that I didn’t have a chance to see Phantom’s play, but it turned out well. Since I’m on a mission to the capital, I’d like to start reading the great writers’ masterpieces starting with their new works. Is that okay?”

“… … ”

“Huh? Phantom? Why are you like that?”

There was something a little sad about the indifferent attitude of the saint who was still in her early twenties.

Because in my previous life, Ha Eun-seong also lived while maintaining a similar attitude to some extent.

Always surrounded by a sense of responsibility, with only hard work as a motto, struggling to live up to others’ expectations.

If you push yourself like that, you won’t even realize that your inner energy will be discharged and you will collapse.

And at the moment when that salty emotion touched my heart, a flash of inspiration flashed through my head.

“I can promise you one thing. This new work will touch the heart of the saintess.”

“Huh, really? Then I’ll look forward to it this time too, Phantom. I hope to see the genius you showed in Exodus again.”

Saint Beatrice tilts her head in amusement at my boast.

I am half in doubt as to what exactly he has conceived to be so confident.

In fact, there was no such thing as something that was ‘planned’ in advance.

I only decided on the specific genre of melodrama, but I haven’t decided whose story I’ll write about.

But just now, while I was having a conversation with a blind saint,

And while reflecting on the anniversary of Teacher’s Day, which was planned as the premiere day without much thought.

Only then did I decide whose story would be best suited to be written.

‘Keep on starting and failing.’

Every time you fail, you will achieve something.

Even if you are unlucky and don’t achieve anything, you will gain something valuable, so never give up.

A woman who can be called the greatest tutor in history and a true example of a teacher.

I smiled as I recalled the famous words of a great man who saved a young girl who had lost her light with his love and devotion.

A person who performs miracles, also known as a ‘miracle worker’.

The time has come to showcase her amazing achievements on stage.