The Rib-Breaking Saintess and a Dragon's Shadow
Hardship always strikes without warning, like flipping on the lights in a pitch-black room. That's how I woke up.
The ceiling I'd been staring at before blacking out had been the clear, open sky. Now, a strange one filled my vision. Right as I was about to unconsciously deliver that one line I'd always wanted to try—
"Ah, Brother. You're awake."
A voice noticed me stirring and spoke up, clamping my mouth shut before the words could escape. I'd nearly swapped my "line I've always wanted to say" ranking for "most embarrassing memory of my life."
"...Where is this?"
I patted my chest inwardly and settled for asking about my location instead.
"This is the academy's infirmary. You were out for about two hours before waking up."
The voice gave a concise rundown of where I was and what had happened up to that point. I sat up lightly to look around. In the process, I instinctively used my arm, but the one that should have been broken bore my upper body's weight without issue.
"Ahh, you'd best avoid using your arm if possible. We reconnected the broken bone with a miracle of healing, but rough handling could snap it again."
"Ah, got it. I'll be careful."
The owner of that voice approached, gently laying my upper body back on the bed while advising against arm use. He was a man with a kind, gentle impression, wrapped in pristine white robes—likely a priest.
I followed his advice, lying obediently with both arms folded across my chest and relaxing. With my broken arm mostly healed, lounging in bed like this pricked at my conscience a bit.
"By the way, why am I in the academy infirmary...? I was in the forest when I passed out..."
That was just a feeling, though. Fact was, I was a patient who'd passed out with both arms broken. So I stayed put and asked how I'd ended up here. Unless I'd teleported in my unconscious state, someone must have carried me.
Sidus might've done it, but the academy consensus put those odds near zero.
"You should hear that from the one who brought you here."
"So who was..."
At least it definitely wasn't Sidus, but he wouldn't even explain who it was. Then—
Creak.
The infirmary door opened slowly amid the frustration.
"Ah, perfect timing."
"Sorry, Brother Pierre. Explaining the situation took longer than expected."
The figure entering was a girl with white hair and black eyes. Dressed in priestly robes like the man's, she seemed from the same order.
'...White hair, black eyes. Evan mentioned those features once...?'
As she stepped in and chatted with the priest called Pierre, I realized her appearance matched one of Triam Academy's main heroines Evan had described. White hair, black eyes, priestess—definitely Asia, the saintess of the Mitra Church.
That meant she was the one who'd brought me here and the voice I'd heard just before passing out.
"You've worked hard, Saintess. The Lord must surely be moved by your good deed."
"It was just what any saintess serving His will would do. Ah, has this brother shown any signs of waking yet—"
Asia, mid pious exchange with Pierre, naturally turned toward me—and locked eyes with my awake self. Her obsidian eyes widened the instant she registered it.
"Ah, you're already awake! The head wound was severe; I thought it'd take longer... What a relief."
She beamed like my waking was a once-in-centuries miracle and grabbed my hand. Even that simple gesture carried an inexplicable grace, a holiness—befitting her title.
Anyway, now that we'd made eye contact and held hands, lying there felt awkward. I propped up my upper body without using my arms.
Asia insisted I didn't need to get up, but honestly, my condition felt no different from normal, so it was no strain.
"Whoa. Can't give thanks lying down, right?"
"St-still... Y-you need rest..."
She looked at my risen form like I was a terminally ill patient who'd collapse if touched, her face brimming with unmistakable compassion. Unlike some people I knew.
"I'm fine, see? Arms are good as new—"
"Eek...!"
To prove it, I raised both arms to flail them wildly. But the moment I did, Asia let out a sharp squeak and thrust out her hands.
Her pale, slender palms hit my chest—crack—something shattered, and my vision flipped backward.
My altered view now showed the same ceiling I'd seen upon opening my eyes. Her light touch had toppled my upper body, forcing me back onto the bed.
"Patients should stay lying down like patients...!"
Whether timid or resolute, she said it in a panicked voice, oblivious to what she'd just done.
But I couldn't react—or even respond.
To be precise, it wasn't "couldn't," but "shouldn't."
"Um... Saintess. I think that just broke Brother's ribs."
"Pardon...? ...Kyaaak! Brother!"
With my ribs utterly pulverized, barely able to breathe, one detail about Asia popped into my head.
-Oh, by the way, Asia's constantly blessed with high-level physical enhancement, so if she touches you wrong, you will die!
Perfect timing. No wonder she'd managed to carry me here with that slender frame.
*
Thankfully, my shattered ribs were restored by Asia's healing miracle—far beyond overkill. Not just the ribs; my iffy arm fully recovered too, leaving no need to stay in the infirmary.
As I left, Asia bowed repeatedly in apology. Yet she didn't forget to ask about the incident's details—impressively dutiful.
"I'm not sure if this atones, but...! I'll handle the inquiry for this case! Just go about your day as usual, Brother...!"
Thanks to that excessive kindness, I returned to the dorm without worries.
"Oh, right—I'm Asia. I hold the saintess title, recipient of the Lord's excessive grace. I'd love for you to visit the church anytime and invoke my name for proper treatment... May I have your name, Brother?"
"Brother Lerven... Yes, I'll etch it firmly in my mind...!"
A name exchange with the saintess and a free pass for church perks. For one broken-and-fixed rib, it was quite the haul.
'Not that I'd want to go through it again.'
Shaking off the horrific pain memory, I stepped out and glanced skyward. The sun, high at midday, had begun its descent. The whole morning gone, afternoon now. Half the day vanished pointlessly—but clearing the first main story and gaining church goodwill via the saintess was a huge win.
"Maybe I can enjoy some peace for a while...?"
Days like today were the last thing I wanted consecutively, so I fervently wished for at least a week of nothing happening to me.
**
In the end, my wish came true. Sort of.
Exactly one week after the chimera fight, nothing happened to me.
But the price—or reason—for that peace?
"......"
Snap.
Sidus had started stalking me. For that entire week.
"...Did I wish on a monkey's paw or something...?"
"Given the situation, maybe the devil's."
"That's so convincing it pisses me off more..."
"Right? Who skips the main story just for you? That's karma."
"You think I wanted it that way...?"
I confessed Sidus's stalking and its cause to Evan, but got only her grumpy response—salty at missing the main story firsthand.
Thus, I failed to resolve the stalking.
If I'd known it'd drag on like this, I'd have stopped Sidus's stalking by any means then.
Hardship always strikes without warning, after all.