Chapter 6
Chapter 6
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: The Saint's Inner Thoughts Are Heard
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“…She’s asleep.”
The sound of crickets chirping filled the summer night. I waited until Victoria had fallen asleep before quietly sitting up.
Now that I could no longer hear her inner thoughts, she must truly be asleep.
Seeing the myriad of sinister fantasies she concocted while merely holding my hand made me question if she was really a saint.
“Ignition.”
I sat back in the chair and secretly lit a cigarette made of magic leaves. Acrid smoke curled upward, the familiar burning sensation washing over me.
“She’d never let me smoke this normally.”
I took a drag and checked the letter that had arrived for me. I had previously written to my master, describing Victoria’s symptoms in hopes of finding a way to remove the flowers blooming on her body, and had been awaiting a reply.
- [To my dear disciple, Astal.]
- [My little crybaby. Is the Demon King subjugation going well?]
Blue Tower Master, Charlotte Snowrain.
Opening the letter stamped with the seal of my benefactor, who took me in after I lost my parents and set me on the path of a mage, I saw the familiar handwriting.
- [You wanted to remove the flowers blooming on the Saint’s body, you said.]
- [The idea of connecting the phenomenon of the body transforming into flowers through Miracle usage to this world’s Law of Causality was brilliant. Thanks to you, I was able to find a hint in ancient texts.]
As if snowflakes were falling, letters drifted onto the blank parchment, forming sentences. It was a magic my master, an expert in matters related to eyes, was fond of using.
- [In fact, there were apparently several Saints like Victoria in the past, they say.]
“But, more detailed records are all in the Holy Kingdom of Aurelium….”
Flick, flick.
As the cigarette slowly burned down, my heart couldn’t help but grow restless. I had just received news that there was no immediate way to save Victoria.
- [More than anything, the fact that you, whom others call the ‘Harmless Mage,’ asked me for help because there’s someone you can’t save… This master was quite surprised.]
The Harmless Mage, Astal Caisaros.
The Flame Hero, Kyle Dragonica.
The Noble Spirit Mage, Anima Silverbloom.
The Flora Divine Archer, Taryon Gladwood.
And finally, the Flower Saint, Victoria Everhart.
Our hero party, each bearing our own epithets, had been wandering and living in this Demon Realm for the past year to slay the Demon King.
Among them, my epithet was the Harmless Mage. It signified that absolutely no one could be harmed in my presence.
The unique skill of reading an opponent’s magic in advance and colliding it with an identical spell to Dispel it was something only I, with my special eyes, could do.
[Is it true your Dispel Magic didn’t work? Creating new, higher-order magic by combining existing spells is your secret weapon, after all.]
“…If that had worked, I wouldn’t have asked for your help, Master.”
I let out a deep sigh as I looked at the list of spells written below. They were all things I had already tried on Victoria. None had any effect, and I recalled awkwardly trying to gloss over it.
- [If none of these work, perhaps you could transform the Miracle anew with the power of love?]
“……?”
- [Why, there’s always the tale the bards sing about, you know? The classic but incredible story of a Miracle occurring through the love of the Hero and the Saint.]
“…That’s all just nonsense spouted by money-grubbing fools. You know I don’t believe in illusions like love or gods.”
I muttered softly to myself while reading the letter. If a Miracle could happen through mere love, then why do magic and Divine Power exist in this world?
Truthfully, the Hero and Saint of this generation didn’t get along that well. One was from a dragon-slaying lineage, the other had dragon blood—they were practically opposites.
Mostly, the reason I was assigned as Victoria’s guard was because of this, so the folktale of the Hero and Saint falling in love and causing a Miracle was unlikely.
- [Actually, I was just teasing you a bit! Seeing you, who normally pays no mind to women, send a letter like this made me think, ‘My little one is finally experiencing love!’]
Maybe with someone else, but never with Victoria. Wasn’t she the one who, until just a moment ago, was spewing all sorts of venomous words about hating me?
- [You never paid much attention to the people around you at the Magic Tower either, did you? Even when my female disciples were clamoring for a chance to meet you.]
“Rather than concerning myself with that, it was right to research magic that could save even one more person.”
It was more important than dealing with shallow people who looked at my appearance, fame, or status, not my true self.
Having survived alone in a village where everything burned, I initially eked out a living as a janitor at the Magic Tower.
It was disgusting how the mages who once looked down on me with contemptuous eyes later changed their attitudes.
- [You don’t still believe that nonsense about becoming a Grand Mage if you’re a virgin until 30, do you? I’d be absolutely thrilled if it were the Flower Saint. She’s beautiful on the inside to begin with.]
“…Beautiful on the inside.”
I let out a hollow laugh, thinking of the vulgar inner thoughts that kept flowing from Victoria. I suppressed the urge to write a rebuttal letter immediately.
To the point I couldn’t be sure if those were her true inner thoughts, Victoria’s inner self was sinister and brutally honest.
- [Anyway, if you have a chance to visit the Holy Kingdom, try asking the newly enthroned Pope. Information on previous Saints would require his permission to access.]
With my master’s advice, the letter ended. Immediately after, as if snow were melting, the letters on the paper dissolved until they were unrecognizable.
It was to avoid any potential tracking or eavesdropping. Having read the entire letter, I leaned back in the chair and looked up at the ceiling.
“…The Holy Kingdom. The rumors about the newly enthroned Pope aren’t good.”
The previous Pope, much like Victoria, had a foul-mouthed, sarcastic side, but his piety was second to none.
But,
“I hear he’s obsessed with money and women, covets clergy members, and even sells Paladin titles.”
No wonder Victoria had such a headache with the massive influx of men applying to become Paladins—it was largely the current Pope’s fault.
“Maybe I should have a drink and sleep.”
My head was throbbing, and sleep wouldn’t come. No matter how much I insisted I had no romantic feelings for Victoria, she kept intruding on my thoughts.
It grated on me to see Victoria pretend to be fine while suffering excruciating pain from the Miracle’s side effects.
- Ah… Ahhh… Ugh…
Once, while camping outside, I was standing guard in front of Victoria’s tent when I heard muffled, sobbing moans.
- Victoria, are you okay?!
Startled, I opened her tent flap. Inside, the girl was in agony, flowers blooming on her body, bleeding, biting down on cloth to stifle her cries of pain.
“How did an idiot like that become a Saint…? It’s no different from grabbing some naive, innocent girl and telling her to save the world.”
I drank the beer I’d hidden with an invisibility spell, my expression bitter. It had gone flat, leaving a dull taste on my tongue.
From the start, I had guessed the probability of those chosen by the gods—whether Hero or Saint—to slay the Demon King and save the world being proper individuals was extremely low.
They were the kind of people who followed orders without question, not knowing how dangerous that was.
“…This is why I don’t believe in gods.”
The Hero, Kyle, fought demons and monsters as if his own life were worthless. Even though he had a childhood friend who loved him back home, he was the type to willingly burn his life away if it meant saving the world.
The Saint, Victoria, was the same. Knowing full well how much she suffered, she recklessly abused her Miracles to heal as many people as possible.
It was utterly foolish. What are the people left behind supposed to do if you die?
‘If anyone has to die here, it should only be me.’
I closed my eyes tightly as I emptied the beer mug. The hand that had been trembling slightly earlier calmed down a bit, and my ragged breathing began to stabilize.
In my case, I had no family to return to, no hometown, no friends, no lover. This journey was one I embarked on to find a place to die in the first place.
“Mmm… Astal-niiim….”
“Coming, coming.”
Seeing Victoria calling for me even in her dreams, I chuckled wryly and had no choice but to head back to the bed. How did she notice I was gone so quickly?
Since I had sternly advised her not to use her Miracle, she could sleep comfortably now, free from the need to endure pain.
I was about to go back to just holding Victoria’s hand and sleeping again, but…
“Teddy bear….”
“……”
Squeeze.
Victoria was hugging me tightly and wouldn’t let go. The soft, pliant sensation against my back was awakening all my senses.
‘This woman has the worst sleeping habits…!’
I gritted my teeth, straining not to focus my consciousness on my back. I didn’t want to end up on the guillotine for the crime of molesting the Saint’s body.
Come to think of it, I’d heard from Anima that Victoria had the cute habit of sleeping while hugging a teddy bear as big as a person. She must be using me as a substitute since it wasn’t here.
I struggled, trying to escape without waking her, but there was no way I could overcome a dragon’s inherent brute strength without using magic.
‘Well… Let’s consider this payback for secretly drinking and smoking….’
After several minutes of realizing there was no escape from Victoria’s grasp, I eventually closed my eyes and waited for the night to pass quickly.
This childish farce would be over in just one more month.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Morning came. Victoria awoke and, seeing Astal sleeping soundly right in front of her face, screamed internally.
‘Aaaaah…! I must be crazy…!!’
She clearly remembered intending to just hold Astal’s hand and sleep last night. At first, she’d been anxious, wondering if he might cross a line, and had stayed awake with eyes wide open.
‘I had no idea I’d end up hugging him like this…!!’
It seemed she had succumbed to drowsiness at some point and fallen asleep. Now, sprawled before her eyes, was the sight of her hugging Astal like a doll with both arms and legs.
‘If only I had my usual teddy bear…, this wouldn’t have happened…!’
Even her close friend and comrade Anima teased her for this cute habit. Not bringing the bear because she was sharing a room with the man she liked was the root cause of this entire situation.
‘Ah, that’s right…! While Astal-nim is sleeping, I can sneak out of the bedroom and act like nothing happened!’
A plan suddenly sprang to Victoria’s mind, and a smile spread across her lips. It was a perfect plan by anyone’s standards.
‘And then, I’ll show a relaxed demeanor, saying, “Did you sleep well? How was sharing a bed with the Saint? Was it nice?”!’
Even in that moment, Victoria was only thinking of ways to mess with Astal. If she accused him of being a pervert who groped her chest while she slept, mixing in a bit of a lie, his face would surely turn as red as a tomato.
Just as Victoria slowly lifted the blanket, trying to slip out of bed…
“…Victoria, your sleeping habits are really something.”
Astal opened his eyes and spoke to her. Having woken up earlier, he had been pretending to sleep with his eyes closed just to tease her.
“Y-You’re awake? Since when…?”
Victoria could only gape at him. The two of them were tangled together like one body—a situation ripe for misunderstanding.
“Since you hugged me in your sleep at dawn? It was so uncomfortable I couldn’t sleep a wink. How does a woman with the epithet ‘Flower Saint’ end up calling me ‘teddy bear’ and hugging me….”
“Hyahyaaaah…!!! I would never do such a thing!!”
Victoria let out a cute shriek, embarrassed by the current situation.
“It’s a misunderstanding! This is Astal-nim hugging me! Yes, let’s go with that! You’re the one who broke the promise of just holding hands!”
Their breaths were close. She felt like even their pounding heartbeats could be heard. The illusion that they had become one made Victoria’s ears burn red.
That was when it happened.
Whoosh. The sensation of being hugged from behind.
“Who was it that hugged me like this in their sleep last night? Do you really not remember? How about now?”
Astal hugged Victoria and skillfully feigned sleepiness, even letting out a practiced yawn.
This kind of mutual teasing had become part of their daily routine.
“I-It was me….”
“Can’t quite hear you? Who was it?”
“Me! Me! The Flower Saint, Victoria!”
“Good, that’s all I needed.”
A look of deep satisfaction spread across Astal’s face as he released Victoria. Experiences where she conceded to him like this were precious to him.
“I’m going to tell all our comrades that you tried to violate the Saint’s body last night!”
Victoria blurted out words she didn’t mean, flustered by her shame. Her heart, which kept thumping wildly from the mere hug, was just too embarrassing.
“Go ahead. Did you think I’d sleep with you without any preparation? I prepared a Recording Magic spell, you know.”
Astal responded with a ‘bring it on’ attitude. Anticipating something like this might happen, he had used the clever trick of magically recording the entire previous night.
“Y-You are truly the worst kind of man! How dare you invade a woman’s privacy…!”
“I clearly said we’d just hold hands. You’re the one who broke that, right?”
“I don’t want to hear your excuses! You must have controlled me with magic! You wicked mage…!”
“Magic that controls a person’s heart doesn’t exist in this world, Victoria. Didn’t you know Love Potions are all just lies too?”
“I-I don’t know about that! Don’t ever show your face before me again!”
At Astal’s remark, Victoria shrieked and fled the inn room as if she never wanted to see him again.
Even though they would have to see each other again soon, as they needed to depart for the Village of Liars.