Chapter 98
Chapter 98
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 98
Chapter Title: Didn't You Notice?
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Astra Stigma Freeman.
Lately, she was in a most intriguing state.
Why?
Because a direct descendant of the Valheim family—one she'd only heard about in stories—was staying at the temple.
"To think that man was a Valheim direct descendant."
What was the Valheim family?
The clan of the hero hailed as the strongest in the world.
Their prestige was beyond measure, and everyone in the world bowed their heads at the mere mention of Valheim.
A direct descendant of such a family was currently receiving treatment at the temple.
To Astra, who had lamented her own fate as a caged bird, this was an enormous source of entertainment.
"Still, I have to hold back."
The first thing a patient should see upon waking is their family.
According to Seirang, the pretty girl with white hair was his fiancée.
The way she had cried so heartbrokenly left no doubt they shared a deep bond.
"A fiancée, huh."
Astra gazed quietly out the window.
Outside the temple, she spotted a couple strolling hand in hand.
That was something she could never have in her lifetime.
If a Saintess became lovers with someone, she could be dismembered on the spot for blasphemy against the divine.
"What childish thoughts."
A girl of just fourteen years old this year.
Yet she had to be more mature than anyone, more sacred than anyone.
That was Astra.
"Saintess."
Just then, her guard knight Diona called out to her.
"Krash Valheim is awake."
His presence in the Holy Kingdom was a top secret.
The Valheim side had personally requested utmost discretion.
The Holy Kingdom had gladly cooperated.
There was no reason to make enemies of Valheim.
"How's his condition?"
"He seems perfectly fine."
"Of course. After all, it's my handiwork."
Revealing a boldness unfit for her fourteen years, she flashed a spirited smile.
"He won't mind if I pop in to check on him, right?"
As Astra showed a hint of interest, Diona reluctantly nodded.
"Yes, since it's just confirming the patient's recovery."
No one would question the Saintess's healing powers, after all.
Deep down, Diona hoped she'd live a bit more freely, so she allowed it.
"That's why I love you so much, Diona."
Hearing that, Astra jumped from her chair and hugged Diona tightly.
Watching her, Diona smiled with a touch of pride.
Diona had been with the parentless Astra since childhood, like a lifelong parent to her.
And Diona felt the same.
"I hope it's not rude to ask a bunch of questions. I'm looking forward to it."
What heroic life had a Valheim direct descendant lived?
Astra, confined to the Holy Kingdom her whole life, knew little of the wider world.
Brimming with anticipation, she headed to Krash's room.
"Krash has gone out for training."
Upon arriving, she blinked at the words of the tight-lipped maid assigned specifically to his room.
She'd wondered why the maid was cleaning alone.
But she never imagined he'd head straight to training.
"Training right after waking up?"
She had fully healed his body herself, so there was nothing physically stopping him.
But no matter how much the body recovered, mental fatigue didn't just vanish.
"The memory of passing out from pain must still linger in his body."
Even after complete physical cures, countless people complained of mental anguish.
That's why Astra often bestowed blessings that eased severe mental strain.
They weren't the strongest blessings, but they helped people recover quickly.
And among those she'd treated, Krash's pain had been among the worst.
Even she, who always kept her composure before patients, had nearly winced.
"And yet, training."
As expected of a Valheim.
"Where's the training ground?"
"He's using one of the private rooms in the knights' usual training hall."
He wanted to keep his identity hidden, yet here he was, roaming freely.
"Thank you. You've worked hard today, Ella."
The maid beamed and made the sign of the cross as Astra kindly used her name.
Leaving her behind, Astra strode off purposefully.
What kind of person was he to jump straight into training upon waking?
"I heard he's around my age."
A fourteen-year-old facing an 8-star Erosion Beast.
She wondered what kind of place Valheim was to produce such people.
She arrived at the Holy Knights' training hall, in front of the private room.
Only one room had its door open.
The private rooms in the knights' training hall were for honing one's inner self.
Surrounded by walls on all sides, they were perfect for focus.
She wondered why the door was open, then realized.
Fierce heat billowing from inside scorched her pale skin.
With that much heat, closing the door would have filled the room and melted the walls.
"This is..."
Jet-black Black Flame raging fiercely.
It was unmistakably a flame born of curses.
To Astra, who wielded holy power, it was an utterly repulsive force.
Pushing through the Black Flame and peering in, she saw a boy there.
A boy dripping sweat from his forehead, scattering Black Flame atop a golden-glowing blade.
His blue-tinged black hair whipped about.
At the same time, his sharp-featured face caught her eye.
Staring blankly at the sweat trailing down his cheek, she finally snapped out of it.
"He's handsome, even on a second look."
She'd thought so even when he was asleep.
But with that serious gaze amid the Black Flame, her eyes were drawn despite herself.
Did she have a thing for sharp-featured faces?
She'd seen attendants whispering about handsome Holy Knights before.
But her impression was just that they looked kind.
She hadn't felt anything special.
After all, with skin torn off or burned away, handsome or not, the inside looked the same.
Having seen countless wounded as a Saintess, she'd thought herself immune to appearances.
"But that was a misconception."
She did notice looks, just like any girl her age.
Proof was how she couldn't tear her eyes from Krash right now.
Meanwhile, the Black Flame began to die down.
Krash had finished training.
As he wiped sweat from his brow and turned, their eyes met.
For some reason, Astra looked away.
It was hard to face a sweaty guy who matched her type head-on.
"Lady Astra?"
His voice matched her taste too?
Astra cleared her throat as if coming to her senses.
She was the Saintess.
Taste or no, he was a patient visiting the Holy Kingdom.
A Saintess harboring personal feelings for such a man? Unthinkable.
She regained her Saintess composure.
"I didn't expect you'd head straight to the training hall. How's your body feeling?"
She spoke with a benevolent smile.
For some reason, Krash's brow furrowed slightly.
As if he'd encountered something distasteful, making Astra flinch.
No matter how she tried to maintain her Saintess demeanor, that look from her type stung a little.
"Do I disgust him that much?"
As Astra touched her face, Krash spoke.
"Yes, thanks to you, I'm fully recovered."
He was training, so "fully recovered" fit perfectly.
But from the moment she saw him, something nagged at her.
"May I ask one thing?"
"Go ahead."
"Why does the curse dwelling in your body feel stronger now than when I treated it?"
It had bothered her all along.
Why did he carry such a curse?
From his training just now, he wielded it.
So when Astra asked, Krash just smiled faintly.
As she tilted her head at his reaction,
She caught on.
"...So, your answer?"
When she pressed, Krash continued after his smile.
"I said I'd listen, not that I'd answer."
Astra realized one thing.
His face was definitely her type.
"He's a jerk."
But his personality was not.
Feeling inexplicably annoyed, she forced a smile.
"I see. Everyone has things hard to answer."
"Then may I ask one in return?"
Astra's lips pouted slightly.
"What if I don't answer either?"
"That's fine."
And with a suspicious smile, he spoke.
"How about a date, just the two of us?"
Astra froze at the sudden words.
She hadn't expected it at all.
"A date?"
She gaped blankly.
Meanwhile, Krash casually straightened his clothes.
"Ah, after I clean up, of course."
A rude, completely self-centered guy.
With a fiancée, no less.
For such a man to suggest a date to an unrelated woman.
To the Saintess, no less.
No scoundrel could top this.
Her usually quick mind blanked in bewilderment.
"I-I'm the Saintess, you know?"
A date with the Saintess? Was that even possible?
Even Diona, following behind, stared at Krash in disbelief.
But Krash shrugged nonchalantly.
"What's the problem? We can chat about the world while on a date."
He clearly didn't care that she was the Saintess.
Astra's eyes darted around.
Then, meeting Krash's gaze again, she whipped her head away.
"Lord Krash Valheim..."
As Diona started to say he was going too far with the joke,
"Sure. I'm curious about the world too."
Astra accepted outright.
As Diona looked at her in shock, Astra hid her flushed ears with her side hair.
"A Valheim direct descendant wouldn't be so rude, right?"
"I'll stake the Valheim name on it."
Before Diona could stop her, the date was set.
Diona gave her a troubled look, but Astra turned on her heel.
"I'll be in my room. Come find me when you're ready."
Maintaining a calm expression as best she could, she walked away.
Diona glanced at Krash, sighed, and followed Astra.
Thinking the capricious Saintess had taken another whim.
In the meantime, after Astra left,
Krash let out a short breath.
Fortunately, she'd astutely accepted his suggestion to talk alone.
A Valheim direct descendant acting rude and suddenly proposing a date.
Naturally, she'd sensed something off in their conversation.
"She's always been quick on the uptake."
His behavior was blatantly strange, and Astra had picked up that there was a reason.
So she'd take the date proposal as code for "we need to talk privately."
Back in the Generation of the Sky days, he and Astra were always at the rear.
He could confidently say he knew her well.
"She used to pull that on me often for important talks."
"Let's go on a date, just you and me."
Words a Saintess would never say.
It meant "let's talk alone."
Indeed, when he'd followed her out before, she'd shared vital info on the Generation of the Sky or the world.
Saying she wanted his input.
Of course, the fact that she later actually meant a date was a minor flaw.
But that came after they'd grown close through Generation of the Sky matters—not now.
"She didn't like me much at first anyway."
Back when they first met,
Astra bristled whenever she saw Krash.
She'd even turn her head away like she hated meeting his eyes.
And it wasn't much different this time.
Today, when their eyes met as he left the training hall, she'd looked away immediately.
"What was it she said? My face was exactly her type, but she hated it."
He recalled her response when he'd snapped at her for always avoiding his gaze.
Beauty is subjective, after all.
So he'd let it slide.
Of course, even people you don't like at first can grow on you over time together.
Especially sharing life-and-death moments—that tendency intensified.
Krash knew that well from the Generation of the Sky.
Plenty of them had hooked up.
So even Saintess Astra had unwittingly developed feelings.
Since he spent the most time beside her at the rear.
Which meant the current Astra probably didn't like him much.
Plus, he was sweaty from training, which she'd hate even more.
She used to turn beet red yelling at him to dress properly and bathe.
That's why he'd added that he'd clean up.
"She accepted, so that's good."
He had no desire for bad blood with her.
He owed her big, and rebuilding ties was worth it given her abilities.
"I can bring up the fake Saintess thing now. Just a heads-up, and she'll handle it fine on her own."
As Krash thought that and moved to wash up and change before their talk,
At the entrance around the corner into the training hall.
A head of snow-white hair appeared.
It was a girl staring right at him.
Seeing her, Krash instinctively stiffened.
"Lord Krash, you were training?"
But hearing her words, he relaxed briefly.
While exhausted Bianca slept after crying, he'd slipped out to scout Thousand-Faced Ghost and train.
Bianca would be mad about this too.
But not as mad as about Astra.
All misunderstandings, of course.
However, unlike Krash's relief, Bianca's eyes cooled for the first time.
"And a date with the Saintess?"
Ah, she heard everything.