Savior – 1

I was finally able to free myself from my anguish only when the sun disappeared beyond the horizon, the moon rose, and darkness settled.

Actually, I felt like my patience would reach its limit if I watched any longer, so I tried to subtly slip away in the middle, but Stella and Selene grabbed me, begging me not to leave and to stay with them.

Floretta and Luna, who had been crying and hugging each other for a long time, seemed to come to their senses only after their surroundings became completely dark. They wiped away their tear stains and approached me with slightly reddened faces.

“……Thank you for waiting for us, Honored Guest-nim.”

“I am sorry. It’s just, I was so happy…….”

Even though they had been sitting on the dirt floor for so long, their clothes were miraculously still pristine. There was no sign of them being soiled or disheveled at all. Their calves and thighs were also spotless.

It wouldn’t have been awkward at all if they had said they were standing somewhere and just came directly. At this point, I became extremely curious about what material those clothes were made of.

Outwardly, the outfits looked like they would immediately reveal nipples or private parts with even the slightest movement, but in reality, that had never happened even once. Moreover, they had just been directly dragged on the dirt floor, yet they were perfectly fine.

“I…… have something to say to Honored Guest-nim……”

Luna stepped forward. She hesitated for a moment in that position, then clasped her hands in front of her lower abdomen and bowed her head very respectfully.

“Thank you for saving me…… for allowing me not to die and leave my sister behind…… Truly, truly, thank you.”

“I also thank you, Honored Guest-nim. For saving my sister, and…… for allowing me not to live alone without my sister.”

Floretta also smiled brightly and followed Luna’s lead. The center of gravity of her chest shifted sharply downwards, causing it to greatly undulate. Due to the posture, her almost bare cleavage came fully into view.

‘Thank you for saving me, huh……’

Even in the game, the Pope of the Moon and the Pope of the Sun were siblings, but their relationship was simply distant. So, if one died, the other wouldn’t genuinely grieve.

More importantly, they didn’t desperately search for a way to twist the revelation like Floretta did. Both of them simply believed they had to die because God had given a revelation for them to die, and they took that for granted.

Since they didn’t take death very seriously, naturally, even if the protagonist saved them, they wouldn’t show an intense reaction like Floretta and Luna.

Still, they always gave their greetings, and the destruction of the Holy Nation left a rather bitter taste, so I diligently defeated bosses in each playthrough…… but a situation like this, where I was genuinely thanked by the Popes, was a first in my life.

‘Well, this isn’t bad either.’

A moment later, Luna, who had raised her head again, looked at me and gave a shyly smiling, silly grin. Her appearance was such that she looked like not a drop of blood would come out even if pricked with a needle, so it was quite unexpected.

“Is it strange to you that my sister smiles like that, Honored Guest-nim?”

As if she had read my inner thoughts, Floretta subtly posed a question. Luna’s cheeks flushed slightly. I nodded silently. Floretta had an expression that showed she understood everything.

“Although it may not suit her appearance, Sister Seraphica had a much more affectionate personality than I. However, she firmly closed the door to her heart due to the belief that she had to sacrifice herself.”

“……Hmph.”

“Even her showing such a cold demeanor was an action stemming from the mindset that if she made us hate her, those of us left behind might suffer a little less. I understood her true intentions, so I silently accepted it. What do you think, Honored Guest-nim? Isn’t she a very cute sister?”

“I’m embarrassed, Evangelina…….”

The Pope of the Moon covered her face by cupping her cheeks with both hands and pulling her hair forward. Her flushed cheeks were hidden by her silvery-gray hair. It was a world of difference from her previous, utterly blunt demeanor.

Floretta chuckled at her sister, then gently took my hand. The hand she held was pulled right up to her chest. My hand was, at some point, placed between two ample mounds.

“Honored Guest-nim. This is a very shameless request, but may I ask you for one favor?”

Squeeze, Floretta buried my hand between her breasts. While I was dumbfounded, Floretta continued speaking.

“It would be impossible in front of the Holy Nation’s citizens…… but in a sacred situation like this, would you be able to call me ‘Floretta’ or ‘Evangelina’? Either one is fine.”

“You want me to directly call His Holiness the Pope by name?”

“Yes, that’s right. You may also call my sister ‘Luna’ or ‘Seraphica’ as much as you like. Honored Guest-nim, you are more than qualified to do so. That is why I dare to make such a request.”

I glanced back at Luna. Still not entirely over her embarrassment, Luna, who had been covering her face with her hair, peeked out with only her eyes to look at me, then shyly nodded.

I turned my eyes to the Inquisitor and the Interrogator. Both had expressions as if I should naturally do so. Since the parties themselves had directly requested it, I obediently opened my mouth.

“I understand. Your Holiness the Pope. No…… Floretta……-nim?”

“Thank you, Honored Guest-nim.”

Floretta gave a bright smile. I thought, ‘Now that you understand, can’t you first release my hand from between your breasts before speaking?’

It wasn’t that I felt bad, but if things continued like this, I would be in an awkward position in many ways. Surely, she didn’t intentionally wedge it there to reduce the chance of being rejected, did she?

The Pope of the Sun certainly didn’t seem to have such a sly personality.

“However, you don’t need to attach honorifics. Would you please call me comfortably?”

“……Yes. I will. Floretta.”

As her name was called, the palm gripping my hand tightened even more. My fingertips touched something soft and squishy. I desperately tried to divert my senses elsewhere.

“It’s a very pleasant sound to hear…… but it’s a pity.”

“A pity, you say? In what way?”

“You’re calling me by my family name, not my given name, aren’t you? You could have called me Evangelina.”

“Then, does that mean Evangelina is your given name?”

A slight doubt arose. The naming convention in the ‘Burdock 4’ world should be like real-world Western countries, where the given name comes first and the family name follows. After all, the game’s setting itself is a medieval-esque Western world.

However, the Pope of the Sun had introduced herself as Floretta Evangelina. If her words were true, then Floretta, which comes first, would be the family name, and Evangelina, which comes after, would be the given name, wouldn’t it?

“You have pointed it out precisely, Honored Guest-nim.”

With those words, my hand was finally released. I could still feel the warmth that had been emanating from between her breasts lingering on my hand.

“We sisters, upon ascending to the position of Pope, relinquished our human family names. And we inherited the family names Floretta and Luna from the previous Popes. They are words meaning ‘Sun’ and ‘Moon’ respectively in the ancient language of the Holy Nation.”

Floretta, having released my hand, now extended her arm towards Luna. She carefully brushed aside the hair covering Luna’s face and gently removed the hand that was concealing her lower jaw.

Luna flinched, yet she let Floretta do as she pleased. Her shyly flushed face reappeared. She still looked utterly at a loss, as if she was so embarrassed.

“Before we are human, we are the Pope of the Sun and the Pope of the Moon. Therefore, it is natural for the family names Floretta and Luna to come first.”

Floretta removed the stray strands of hair clinging to Luna’s cheek with a beaming smile.

“However, because Honored Guest-nim wished to see us as Evangelina and Seraphica, rather than the Pope of the Sun and the Pope of the Moon, I dared to make this request. Do you have any more questions, Honored Guest-nim?”

“I understand completely. Floretta.”

“……You still won’t call me Evangelina, will you?”

Floretta pouted cutely. Perhaps because she had already shown herself openly weeping while hugging her sister, the dignified appearance she had when they first met was nowhere to be found.

But her pout was brief; Floretta soon wore a benevolent smile on her face again and offered me a greeting.

“It can’t be helped, can it? I will wait for the day when Honored Guest-nim completely opens their heart to us sisters.”

Having finished her greeting, Floretta turned and departed. Luna also bowed politely, following her sister, then turned around.

It was fortunate, at least, that their backs were not visible due to their abundantly flowing hair. Because, aside from the sheer fabric, the Popes’ backs would truly be wearing not a single thread.

Just as they seemed to be moving a little further away, the two figures vanished instantly. It seemed they had used a divine spell.

As soon as the Popes’ farewells were over, Stella and Selene, who had been standing back a distance, approached. They stood side by side in front of me and bowed respectfully, just as the Popes had done.

“Taking this opportunity, we also thank you once again. For protecting His Holiness the Popes, and for saving the Holy Nation. We thank you in the name of the Inquisitor.”

“I, I also thank you, Honored Guest-nim. I thank you in the name of the Interrogator for protecting His Holiness the Popes and for saving the Holy Nation.”

Even after finishing her greeting, Selene hesitated for a moment by herself, then added a remark.

“……And, I would like to apologize for what happened at the Temple of the Moon. I am sorry, Honored Guest-nim.”

“The Temple of the Moon?”

“When Honored Guest-nim mentioned the monster beneath the Holy Nation to me…… that is what I mean.”

‘Ah. So that’s what she was talking about.’

I wondered why she was being so considerate of my feelings.

“Why would Interrogator-nim apologize for that? Anyone could see that I was acting unreasonably. On the contrary, since you believed such an unreasonable claim, I should be the one to thank you more.”

From Selene’s perspective, it was naturally something she had to do.

Who wouldn’t be dumbfounded seeing someone claim they would deal with a monster that even the Popes couldn’t handle, with no particular evidence, just stubbornly insisting that they trust their own abilities?

Moreover, since she ultimately followed my words, there was no reason for Selene to apologize. I waved my hand, saying there was no need.

“And, please call us by our names now too.”

“Huh?”

“We don’t have family names, so you can just call us Stella and Selene. Please omit honorifics too. His Holiness the Pope told you to call them comfortably, so it would be strange for you to use formal language with us, wouldn’t it? Though in front of other people, if Honored Guest-nim wishes, you may call us by our titles.”

“That’s…… true.”

Indeed, it would be a strange picture to speak formally to these two when I was speaking comfortably to the Popes.

“Honored Guest-nim. How long do you intend to stay in the Holy Nation?”

“Well, I can’t decide that alone.”

I gave a vague answer to Selene’s question.

Somehow, the situation had taken a strange turn, to the point where even Iris and Claudia were following my opinion, but it felt a bit awkward to answer without consulting the Knight Captains.

If I were to suddenly make a decision on my own without even asking them, that would be insubordination. Even if they were to let it slide without a word, I didn’t want to act arrogantly based on that assumption.

“I understand. Honored Guest-nim. Please stay in the Holy Nation for as long as you wish. I promise you the best treatment.”

Selene said that, and her purple pupils shimmered slightly. Stella was also directing a similar gaze at me. Seeing that, I suddenly felt uneasy.

What are they trying to do this time?