episode_0058

Horses don’t run forever. Even if they wanted to, long runs require rest and healing.

Knowing this well, the Benedict monk suggested that the group rest for a day at the first post station they found. At the same time, he reminded them that their first destination, Teldam, the largest city in the northern part of the kingdom, was not far away.

“The bird is smaller than I thought.”

“Well, it wasn’t this small when I first got there…”

And as they approached the post station, the group could not hide their disappointment at the size of the post station, which was much smaller than they had expected. Glenn, in particular, was wide-eyed because he had visited here before. It seemed to be a fifth smaller than the post station he remembered. From the stables to the tents, there were noticeably fewer people.

“Recently, bandits have been running wild, and this post station has been attacked many times. Because of this, some of the people who were running it couldn’t stand it anymore and went down south. If business hadn’t been good, I would have quit and gone down too.”

The handsome old man who managed the post station told us the truth in a grumbling tone. It was only natural that the Benedictine monks would treat us well, as they had taken good care of us.

Glenn was really bothered by that part. Rogue, Ira. So…

“Hey Briwen. This is not normal, is it?”

“Of course. Don’t let your guard down either. Don’t act like an idiot and pretend to ignore me like you usually do.”

This guy, he was the one who paid the most attention to me.

Glenn nodded, frowning at Briwen’s harsh advice.

The party was guaranteed the largest and most luxurious tent among the tents. The saintess expressed her displeasure. She argued that it was not right for a ‘pilgrimage’ to be treated so extravagantly. However, surprisingly, the two members of the Air Grants Church expressed their approval.

“I know your feelings, my lady. However, I believe it is right to follow the advice of the two adventurers and stay in this tent. It is clear that a small tent will not be even a shield in the sharp night. ”

Since Glenn and Briwen had given him advance warning, Benedict made a fairly realistic argument.

“Wheat…Saint, I agree with Benedict’s opinion. If you get hurt or harmed, everything will go down the drain, right? So…”

Sister Esther spoke to the saint with a worried tone, while also muttering something. The saint listened to Sister Esther’s whispers and soon blushed slightly. At this moment, Sister Esther glared at Glenn for a moment.

What, all of a sudden? However, Saint Milicia shook her head and said to Sister Esther, ‘It’s not that I don’t know what you’re thinking, Sister. But I have a hard time accepting that statement.’, expressing her refusal to whisper.

However, in the end, they decided to stay in the luxurious large tent. However, Glenn had to endure the disgruntled gaze of Sister Esther behind him the whole time.

So, while the party was having a little squabble at the post station, the sun was setting and darkness was beginning to creep in. The sound of carriages passing by became more frequent. The voices of disgruntled people were also heard more often. Those with bad attitudes shared a drink and bragged about the events of the day.

However, there was no fool who dared approach the tent where the saints were staying.

“Then the people inside the tent will also have trouble sleeping, hey.”

“Don’t let your guard down. You.”

“I didn’t tell you to spew murderous intent at every single person passing by.”

“Huh.”

The little man had placed a comfortable chair in front of the tent, lit a fire to protect himself from the cold, and was looking around with a murderous gaze. He had taken off his glasses and thrown them inside the tent a long time ago. His clothes were the same, and his physique had not changed much. However, the ominous murderousness that was emanating from his small body was especially focused on the idiots who were walking around with a rough attitude.

Among those staying at the post station, there were not only sane people. I had seen many times that people with bad attitudes were indistinguishable from thieves and openly caused trouble to other passengers. And there was no way that such fools would pass by a tent like this. Four women, an old man, and a young-looking boy. In the end, drunk and tempted by the luxurious tent, and hearing the rumor that a ‘saint was staying at the post station’, these idiots approached the tent without thinking.

It wasn’t that the party didn’t prepare. Alina took special care to hide her black hair and eyes from those around her by wearing a robe that was too revealing. Saint Militia also tried to hide her face from those around her by wearing a rather luxurious hooded coat, and Sister Esther did the same. However, despite all that, there was a fairly high rate of idiots who would approach her with a blatantly unpleasant gaze, sizing up her body, and then slurping.

Of course, most people would quickly run away, scared by the murderous intent of the small man standing like a huge iron wall in front of the tent entrance. It certainly looked like nothing special on the outside, but every nerve in his body was sending out a warning.

If you go forward, you’ll go to hell, he said.

‘What the heck, you little brat. Hey, get out of the way… Oh, oh, oh!’

‘Oh my god!’

‘What kind of strength is this… That little guy can easily twist a big man’s arm!’

‘If you want to be treated the same way, come here. I’ll give you a nice touch.’

‘Heeek!’

There were a couple of incidents like this after nightfall. Since the post station was located in an area where the capital guard could not approach, those staying there had to actively take measures to protect themselves. So no one dared to stop Glenn’s actions, and no one came near the tent after that.

The tent had one entrance and two windows. The rear of the tent was protected by a log fence that marked the area of the post station. The interior was prepared to a degree that was incomparable to other tents, as befitting the most luxurious tent in the post station.

‘Wow, this tent is better than my house! I could live here for a week!’

‘How bad was the house?’

‘So much so that Sister Briwen’s room looked like a palace?’

‘Oh, really…’

Of course, even though Briwen was a girl who took great care of her room, Glenn felt uncomfortable when Alina’s situation was proven in words like this.

If I had known this would happen, I would have actively tried to find my family, and I even had strange fantasies. Of course, the sound of cicadas crying at night, the clinking of glasses from the tents where I was staying at the post station, and so on, filled the place with noise, so Alina immediately said, “I’d rather be home,” and covered her head with a pillow. It was worse than the bar where she worked, or something.

It was a fairly peaceful time. This was entirely due to the vigilant surveillance and guarding of the two adventurers. As a result, the two guards were still feeling uneasy.

And at some point…Glen felt his fighter’s senses subtly alert him.

“Briwen, slowly…”

“I know. Then just bear with it for a moment.”

“What’s the hardship?”

As Briwen spoke, she slowly faded into the darkness, eventually disappearing from Glenn’s sight.

It was a stealth technique that only elves, called the Daughters of Night and the Children of Silence, could use. It was a privilege granted only to elves, so much so that Glenn was proud that he could never imitate it. In particular, Briwen, who could use wind magic, boasted of a near-perfect stealth technique that even blocked out sound. With that, she was able to perfectly complete dozens of infiltration requests, so there’s nothing to say.

So, if it were Briwen, she would be able to silently scout out this post station, the plain where it is located, and the small forest beyond it without being recognized by her surroundings. Unless the opponent is equipped with equipment to detect magic, it would be impossible to detect this.

So Glenn decided to take a leisurely position for now. There happened to be a rock nearby that was easy to sit on or lie down on. However, it looked more like the base of an altar pillar than a rock. He covered himself with a leather blanket that he had prepared in advance and sat down as if he were lying down.

Of course, he didn’t stop breathing life into him. Glenn, who was determined to properly fulfill his role as an adventurer, showed no weaknesses.

“Glen, are you cold?”

“…”

“Glen?”

“Wow! Oh, yes, yes! Sir, no, Militia…”

Except for one person.

Glenn, who had been so focused that he failed to notice the voice coming from right behind him, was startled. And then he was shocked. A stunningly beautiful woman was leaning her face close to Glenn’s ear, as if lying on the rock.

Glenn, who had been startled and almost stood up from his seat, let his guard down without realizing it. The terrifying murderous aura that had been lurking around him gradually subsided. The people nearby who had been suffocating felt relieved and left their seats. Some were so captivated by the face of a beautiful woman that they happened to catch a glimpse of that they left their seats at the hands of their colleagues nearby.

“Ah, I’m sorry. Seong, no, Militia…sama…I was so focused on the guard…”

“Hehe, no. Here, I brought a blanket from inside in case you’re cold. Okay. ”

Wow, the saintess smiled kindly and handed Glenn a blanket. Well, Glenn felt like he was jumping for joy at this kind consideration. But at the same time, he felt a little bitter. The bitterness he felt could be proven by the voices around him.

“Wow, wow…”

“Wow, she’s such a beauty… Is she really a saint? ”

“Hey, someone go and talk to me.”

“Didn’t you feel that killing intent just now? If you get close, it looks like it’ll tear you to pieces.”

“Hey, what’s that little guy doing…”

“Then you should go and see…”

Buzz. Those who were busy drinking from their bottles, those who were chattering and talking amongst themselves, and those who were just passing by all stopped and looked this way.

So I’ve been spreading warnings around properly. I want to breathe life into it again, but I can’t do it now. Unless you’re crazy, you wouldn’t show hostility when someone precious is right in front of you. What if they come and harm you?

“Thank you very much, Milicia…sama…”

“Glen? It’s just the two of us, so what did you decide to call me?”

“Ah, that, to be exact, there aren’t just the two of them…”

“Glen?”

The saintess came closer to Glenn, almost holding him close, calling his name out loud. His heart rate increased in an instant.

If someone were to point out, “Wow, this mugwort. Aren’t you used to it yet?” Glenn would protest. “You should try being here for a while.”

Those beautiful emerald eyes, silver hair that shined in the moonlight, and a smile that was more beautiful and mischievous than anyone else in the world. I wanted to tell her that if she saw this in person, she would act in a similar way.

Of course, I have no intention of giving you a chance.

“Mi, Millie…”

“Okay, okay. Again, one more time?”

“Milli…?”

“Good job. Haha…”

Before he knew it, the saintess sat down next to Glenn, very naturally. And then suddenly, he felt teeth gnashing, fists cracking, and a sinister aura around him. When Glenn rolled his eyes, he saw that the guys who had been surprised by the saintess’s appearance when she first appeared were instantly expressing feelings of jealousy toward Glenn.

Wow, they’re not even the size of a fist, so I don’t even feel the sting. While assessing their gazes coldly, Glenn was also racking his brain about how to react to the saint’s sudden contact.

First, let’s talk. As calmly as possible.

“Ah, is it comfortable inside? ”

What is this calmness! I’m shaking so much that I’m comparable to someone with a cold. I’m thankful that my body isn’t shaking.

“You mean inside the tent? As someone from the Air Grants Church, it may be a bit presumptuous, but…I feel as comfortable as if I were at my own home. Hehe, your little sister, who had a hard time with the noise, has already fallen asleep, probably because she got used to it.”

Well, he came from a tough place. Glenn thought about his sister for a moment, then quickly forgot about it.

On her right hand, she felt a touch. This softness, it was the saint’s left hand. On her shoulder, someone’s collar was attached. It was the saint’s going-out clothes. Someone was looking at her from very close, with affectionate eyes. They were touching her without hesitation.

There was no need to describe it. It was the sight of Glen sitting with the saint and admiring the moonlight, something that anyone in the world would envy.

“Glen, after all…we’re definitely in danger, right?”

“Ah…”

The silence was broken for a moment, and the words that came out of the saintess’ mouth cautiously made Glenn’s heart cool down in an instant.

“Did you notice?”

“Yes. Princess Josefina also gave me some advice. The other party, after all, is it Count Bronkhorst?”

“There is a very high possibility of that.”

“As expected…”

With a slightly subdued tone, the saintess trailed off. Glenn felt his moist emotions calming down and becoming more complicated. The atmosphere became heavy. Under the moonlight, the two sat down and remained silent again.

And then, thud, something touched Glenn’s shoulder. It wasn’t the saint’s shoulder. It didn’t have this much mass and weight. Yes. It was the saint’s head. The head of the saint, with its attractive silver hair like silk, was leaning against Glenn’s shoulder.

“Mi, Millie?”

“Sometimes…sometimes I’ve thought that way.”

Whether Glenn was flustered or not, the saintess buried her head in Glenn’s shoulder and whispered something very quietly.

Ugh, it tickles. My body and my mind. I felt like I was going to break out in a cold sweat, but Glenn thought that it just wasn’t right. I didn’t want to be in contact with Milicia while covered in sweat! My pride wouldn’t allow that!

No matter what Glenn thought, the saint continued telling her story.

“Sometimes…I wish we were just ordinary people who met on the street one day, not as saints and adventurers. We greeted each other, exchanged names, walked down the street together, shared our favorite books, and…”

I felt like my heart was freezing.

The saintess moved her right hand without realizing it and grabbed Glenn’s right hand. It was gentle, but at the same time, there was a slight trembling.

Ah, I felt it from the saint. Regret and pity. It seemed like two emotions were shared.

“Milli…”

“I’ve thought that it would be nice to be like ordinary lovers, like this… without caring about what others think, and just leaning on each other like lovers. And…especially today, when someone is after me, even more so…”

Like a baby bird burrowing into its mother’s arms, the saint entrusted herself to Glenn. Without realizing it, Glenn moved his left arm. Now, he carefully embraced the saint, who was leaning against his chest instead of his shoulder.

At that moment, a whistling sound was heard from nearby. Glenn immediately focused his gaze and looked around.

“Eek!”

“Hey, let’s run away!”

Those who had intended to ruin the mood quickly left their seats. Glenn sighed. With his left arm, he simply focused on protecting Milicia.

Since I wasn’t particularly gifted with words, I had no choice but to comfort her through my actions.

There were not only advantages to staying in a noble position, especially for someone like the saint who suddenly rose to the enormous position of saint without any connections or background.

However, unlike the saints of the past, Milicia was rumored to have been born under an incredibly lucky star. During her time, the Demon King’s rule ended.

“But,”

He felt a little bit of strength in his voice. Suddenly, Glenn wanted to see her expression, bathed in the cold moonlight.

So I rolled my eyes. I moved my head slightly.

And I saw. Even in the midst of the sadness, the determined, will-filled appearance of Milicia Airgrants.

Glenn had seen this sight before.

“At the same time, if I wasn’t a saint…I wouldn’t have had the chance to meet you like this. Even though my life as a saint was difficult, I won’t regret it. Because…”

The saintess moved her head. Ah, she came close to Glenn’s face. Glenn closed his eyelids on his own. It was a natural action. A little touch, and then she moved away little by little.

“Because I was able to meet you. My Glen…”