The Second Saintess
“I’m seriously going to die from how sleepy I am……”
“Didn’t get any sleep?”
“I stayed up all night finishing an assignment.”
“You should have started it earlier.”
“It’s not like I didn’t want to—”
Another day had begun at the Academy. Amid the ordinary chatter of students on the grounds, one of them suddenly fell silent.
His friend turned to him with a puzzled look. “Hey, what’s wrong?”
No answer came. The friend reached out and nudged him, but the boy remained completely unresponsive. Frowning, the first student followed his friend’s frozen gaze, wondering what could possibly have captured his attention so completely.
“What the hell are you staring at…?”
He turned his head—and froze in exactly the same way.
His eyes widened, his mouth fell open, and he stood there like a statue, staring blankly in one direction.
A woman was walking toward them.
She was of average height, but nothing else about her was ordinary. Soft, wavy green hair cascaded down to her waist. Warm, light-green eyes that seemed to draw every gaze like a magnet. Features so flawless they looked as if a god had sculpted them with painstaking care. She was beauty beyond words—perfect, transcendent, the kind of woman who defied description.
That alone would have been enough to seize everyone’s attention. Yet her true charm went far deeper.
People with such flawless looks often seemed unapproachable. But not her. Despite her breathtaking, almost otherworldly beauty, she radiated no coldness, no distance. The reason was clear: the smile on that perfect face.
It was impossibly gentle, the kind of smile one might imagine on the Goddess of Mercy herself. It held an embrace wide enough to accept any darkness in the world. That smile softened her entire presence, turning perfection into something warm and inviting. The aura she gave off captivated everyone around her.
Every person in the area had their eyes glued to her.
“Wow, so this is the Academy!”
Her voice rang out, bright with wonder. Her eyes sparkled with genuine interest as she looked around at the campus scenery.
At that moment, a young man approached her.
“Ah, is this your first time visiting the Academy?”
He was a student wearing the school uniform. He tried to maintain a gentle, relaxed smile, but his eyes betrayed him. They were fixed on her face as if nailed there. His intentions were obvious to anyone watching.
“Oh, yes, it is,” she answered.
She smiled softly, apparently unaware of his ulterior motives. Once again, the onlookers lost their breath. The young man recovered quickly, however. He couldn’t afford to waste this golden opportunity.
He had approached her on impulse. Even knowing the chances were slim—practically nonexistent—he had wanted to speak to her. He had expected to be ignored, even brushed off. Yet her response was far better than he had anticipated.
This was his chance.
“I see. In that case, I’d be happy to show you around the Academy—”
Before he could finish, another woman slipped between them.
She wore beige priestess robes. Her face was all smiles, yet somehow the warmth never reached her eyes.
“Um… who are you?” the young man asked, startled by her sudden appearance.
The priestess ignored his confusion. Still smiling without a single wrinkle in her expression, she spoke to him brightly.
“Could you please not come any closer?”
“Pardon?”
While the young man stood there, stunned by her blunt words, the beautiful woman scolded her companion.
“Anne, you can’t speak to people that way. It’s rude.”
The woman called Anne tilted her head.
“Hmm? But his sleazy intentions are so obvious~.”
“Anne!”
“Sigh. Can’t be helped, I suppose.”
Anne shook her head as if truly regretful, then turned back to the young man with the same flawless smile.
“Stop being a nuisance and get lost, would you?”
By now the young man’s face had hardened.
“I don’t know who you think you are, but this is an insult—”
“Hey.”
Anne’s voice dropped noticeably.
“I’m asking you nicely. Get lost.”
Her tone and aura sent chills down his spine. Without realizing it, the young man took a step back.
“I-I’m sorry.”
Obeying his instincts, he fled.
Watching his retreating figure, Anne smiled.
“Fucking trash. Who the hell does he think he is?”
The words spilling from her lips were shockingly crude compared to her gentle smile.
“Anne!”
“Oh dear, my apologies.”
Anne covered her mouth as if she had committed a small faux pas. The green-haired woman let out a soft sigh at the sight.
“You’re too aggressive, Anne.”
“It’s not that I’m aggressive. It’s that you’re too soft, Saintess.”
The exchange had been casual, but the people eavesdropping on the conversation gasped at the title.
Saintess.
That single word revealed her identity. No one affiliated with the church would utter it lightly. Doing so was a grave sin in itself. Which meant this woman truly was a Saintess.
“Hello, everyone.”
As if sensing the crowd’s attention, the green-haired woman smiled gently and greeted them. She was the representative personally chosen by Lure, the Goddess of Mercy and Abundance, and the second Saintess the Goddess Church had sent to the Academy.
Lana Flor had arrived.
Unlike the first Saintess, Julia, Lana’s entrance was modest. There had been no special event prepared, no grand welcome. She had simply walked quietly onto the campus. Even so, her presence drew every eye. Merely walking through the Academy caused people to gather. Before long, a massive crowd had formed around her.
When her steps slowed because of the throng, a man appeared before her.
“It is an honor to meet you, Saintess.”
The handsome man who greeted her with a brilliant smile was Ernen. As student council president and prince of the empire, he had come to welcome her personally.
“It’s nice to meet you too, Your Highness.”
Lana returned his greeting with a soft smile. Ernen smiled back, thinking to himself, …She’s different.
She was nothing like the first Saintess, Julia. Both possessed beauty that seemed almost unreal, but their auras were nothing alike.
Julia had been cold and rigid. It wasn’t just her appearance—her entire presence, her speech, her behavior had been sharp. She rarely spoke first, and she wouldn’t even look at anyone who approached without her interest. She was like a blade, beautiful but impossible to approach.
Lana, on the other hand, was every bit as stunning, yet she carried no trace of that icy distance. Instead, she radiated warmth and gentleness. There was nothing intimidating about her. Despite her overwhelming beauty, she somehow felt approachable—almost friendly.
For Ernen, it was a welcome difference. His goal was to grow close to the Saintesses and make them his own. With Julia, he had made zero progress. She had refused to let anyone near her. But this Saintess showed promise.
It wasn’t just her aura. Before coming here, he had already received reports from his subordinates about how kindly and warmly Lana had treated everyone she met since arriving. At the very least, conversation was possible.
That fact pleased Ernen greatly.
“If you had contacted us in advance, I would have come to greet you properly,” he said, his smile sincere.
“There’s no need. I didn’t want to cause any trouble.”
Lana shook her head as if the very idea was ridiculous. Ernen’s smile deepened. Just as I was told.
Originally, Lana had been scheduled to hold a formal welcome ceremony. She had declined, saying such events made her uncomfortable. She had even arrived without notice so the Academy wouldn’t prepare anything extravagant. Everything matched the reports.
A Saintess who disliked formalities and empty authority. A Saintess who was kind and gentle to everyone. A Saintess whom no one had ever seen angry. A Saintess who never lost her smile. A Saintess of boundless mercy.
She was said to be the living incarnation of Lure, the Goddess of Mercy.
That was the evaluation of Saintess Lana Flor.
I like her.
After dealing with Julia, Ernen found Lana’s personality even more appealing. And her appearance… it needed no words. She was breathtaking. More than simply divine, her body carried distinctly feminine curves that seemed to embody Lure’s aspect as the Goddess of Abundance as well.
Perfect.
Her ability, her looks, her personality—everything about her was flawless. She would make a fitting consort for an emperor.
Ernen smiled with satisfaction.
This time, things will be different.
He imagined a golden future stretching out before him.