Saint (8)

1.

I heard from Louis about the cause of his missing arm.

The Hero Party.

Overcoming many hardships, they reached the Demon King.

The final battle.

All they had to do was defeat the Demon King.

…Easier said than done.

The Demon King had made a contract with an evil god and become a demigod.

I know very well how strong he is.

Because I faced him directly and tasted it myself.

However, I never imagined that the Hero Party, made up of those called heroes, would be so miserably defeated.

The Hero, Louis.

The East Magic Tower Lord, Eirene.

The Ruler of the Canyon, Raven.

The Daughter of the World Tree, Tia.

And the Saintess, Aris.

This party of five was annihilated by the Demon King. Except for one hero.

Just before the Demon King’s sword was about to cut Louis.

Thanks to the Saintess’s sacrifice, Louis barely managed to save his life.

But he is not in perfect condition either.

He paid the price of defeat with his left arm.

While escaping from the Demon King’s Castle, his left arm was hit by the Demon King’s magic and turned to ashes.

“But I’m used to it now. I can live with one arm.”

Louis smiled and wiggled his right hand.

You fool.

He’s used two-handed swords his whole life.

Both swords he’s carrying at his waist are two-handed swords.

It’s not that he can’t use them with one hand, but they were basically made to be used with two hands.

And my teachings are also focused on that.

By losing one arm, he must have lost some of his original swordsmanship skills.

My mouth feels bitter.

Seeing my disciple like that makes me sigh.

I felt like saying he was a pathetic guy.

Even though it’s not his fault, I’m upset that he turned out like that.

“Does your arm… not hurt?”

“Huh?”

I was startled and waved my hands.

“Ah, no, does your arm not hurt?”Living in the convent, I had settled into the nun’s speech, but because I was thinking about the old days for the first time in a while, I unknowingly blurted out my old speech.”

“I’m fine now. No, I guess I’m not fine?”

Louis shook his empty left sleeve and laughed heartily.

Like master, like disciple, I guess?

Somehow, I see myself overlapping with him.

I used to be like that too.

I used to make self-deprecating jokes so as not to worry others.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

I put my hand on Louis’s left shoulder.

“I don’t know how much this will help, but…”

I closed my eyes and prayed.

Divinity bloomed.

The golden light flickering from my palm seeped into Louis.

“I’ve cast a prayer to alleviate the aftereffects.”

I know him well.

This guy is like family to me.

I was with him from when he was a snot-nosed kid until I died.

He’s the type to hide even small hardships.

“You’re lying when you say you’re okay, aren’t you?”

Louis is just smiling with the corners of his mouth turned up.

He’s the same now as he was then.

He always smiles like that when he lies.

I ruffled Louis’s hair.

“It looks stupid to hide the pain, but it’s cool.”

Louis’s expression, which had been smiling brightly, gradually relaxed, and he looked up at me with dazed eyes.

Oops!

A mistake!

Before I knew it, I acted like I used to.

“Ah, anyway. Did I win the match?”

I took my hand off his head and quickly walked into the convent.

2.

It’s really strange.

I keep seeing my master’s appearance overlapping with that girl.

‘You fool.’

My master, who would say harsh words but also gently stroke my head.

‘But it was cool.’

It’s a nostalgic feeling.

Louis put his hand on his left shoulder.

Warmth remained.

The terrible pain had completely disappeared.

It was a pain that remained like a Curse no matter how much treatment he received.

It was cured with just one prayer.

Leaving aside swordsmanship, that girl is by no means an ordinary girl, even with Divinity.

Is she really the Saintess in the Divine Revelation?

She became even more necessary.

Even if she’s not the Saintess, she’s necessary.

If she has such abilities, she will definitely be a great help.

To the next Hero…

Louis was wrong.

He can go to the battlefield, but he’s not in a state to defeat the Demon King.

He is now training the Hero who will succeed him.

That girl will be a strong support for the new Hero.

“Should I recommend it one more time?”

There is something we promised through the duel.

If it’s Elia, she will definitely ask to be put in the Imperial Army.

Even if she joins the Imperial Army and becomes a knight, she will be a great force.

Her swordsmanship skills are already outstanding.

It was only for a moment, but I could feel that Elia’s skills surpassed those of ordinary knights.

She is also skilled in Body Enhancement using Magical power.

She might even be able to use Sword Aura.

It’s not unreasonable for her to go to the battlefield right away.

But it’s too wasteful to let that sacred power rot in the army.

To put it bluntly.

There are plenty of people who can become Sword Saints.

But only those chosen by God can become Saintesses.

Louis decided to persuade Elia one more time.

Being persistent.

That’s Louis’s specialty.

When learning swordsmanship, he practices persistently until he masters it perfectly.

If he is rejected ten times, he can recommend it eleven times.

3.

I returned to my room.

“Haa…”

I sighed deeply and lay down on the bed.

My heart is complicated.

I felt depressed after hearing the story of the Hero Party.

…So the Saintess really died.

That mysterious atmosphere of the girl still lingers vividly in my mind.

She was a young but mature child.

Before she became an adult, she used to follow me around, calling me “Sword Saint Grandfather!”

“Tsk…”

The Papal State has not yet officially announced the Saintess’s death and has kept it as if she is recuperating due to deteriorating health.

This is because the existence of the Saintess is a great symbol in the Celestial God Church.

They were worried about the sadness and anger that the believers would experience when they learned that the daughter of the Celestial God had died at the hands of the Demon King.

A new Saintess is needed to stabilize that even a little.

So that the absence of Saintess Aris is not felt.

Of course, besides that, the Saintess is a necessary existence for the Holy Nation for political reasons as well.

I hope that child can rest in peace…

If it was her, who sacrificed herself for others until her death, she would not be able to close her eyes comfortably even after death because she was worried about the church.

‘Now, rest in peace.’

Saintess Aris said that to me.

She was sorry to me until the end and worried about me.

She made a sad face as if it was her fault, even though it wasn’t her fault.

“Ha… shit…!”

I ruffled my hair wildly.

I will go back to the battlefield again.

This time, I will achieve the dream I couldn’t achieve.

But.

For that child.

To repay that child even a little.

“Should I go to the Holy Nation once?”

It’s not yet confirmed that I’m the Saintess.

I may be the Saintess.

But I may not be the Saintess.

“Ugh…”

I’m worried.

Should I join the Imperial Army as it is?

Or should I stop by the Holy Nation once to check?

Then, what if I really am the Saintess?

I won’t be able to escape, and the Papal State will try to hold me back.

I really hate it.

If I didn’t have the memories of my previous life, it would have been something I would have accepted with joy.

But because the memories of when I was a Sword Saint have returned, it’s difficult to choose.

I myself know that I am not an ordinary girl.

The innate Divinity was clearly given by God.

Would he have given me this ability for no reason?

There must be a reason.

It’s the same as saying, ‘You are the next Saintess.’

Why!

I can only think, ‘Why?’

“What happens if I become a Saintess…?”

Like all the Saintesses, considering my age now, there is a high possibility that I will enter the Divinity Department of the Imperial Academy to study Divinity Studies.

After graduating from the academy, I will train again at the Papal State.

It doesn’t suit my temperament.

I wouldn’t mind entering the academy if I were entering the Swordsmanship Department.

I study to some extent now, but when I was young, I was far from studying.

Born as the son of a serf, I helped with farm work instead of learning to read, and when I grew up a little, I joined the Imperial Army and became a knight.

Using my body suits me.

“I can’t come to a conclusion.”

My worries deepened.

“…Okay.”

After worrying for a long time while holding a pillow in my arms, I made a decision.

“Let’s go once.”

I sighed, “Ehyo.”

I’m just going to the Holy Nation to check.

I decided to do the next thing after confirming whether I am the Saintess or not.

Even if I join the Imperial Army, the Holy Nation will not give up and will continue to contact me.

It’s better to settle things neatly than to deal with those annoying guys every time.

I got up from the bed.

I left the room and walked down the hallway with heavy steps.

Where is Louis?

I was able to meet him after a few steps.

Louis was lingering near my room.

“Ah! What a coincidence!”

You’re kidding me.

“I know.”

“Huh? What?”

“I’ll follow you to the Holy Nation once.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Anyway, whether it was you or a Holy Knight, you would have clung to me persistently until I came to the Holy Nation.”

“Thank you!”

Louis put his hand on my head.

“You thought well.”

And he patted my head.

“Eek…!”

I got goosebumps.

A master being patted by her disciple.

I pushed Louis away.

“Don’t touch my body!”

I glared at Louis with a contemptuous look.

I was genuinely disgusted.

I’m sure I had goosebumps all over my arms.

“Ah… I, I’m sorry.”