A Saintess's Companion
“What do you mean by that?”
I immediately asked Rita after hearing her words. In response to my question, she answered with her usual gentle smile.
“I simply wish for the Saintess to find meaning in her life as well.”
At that answer, I gazed into her eyes for a moment before asking again.
“You mean in her position as a Saintess?”
“No.” Rita shook her head. Then she continued.
“In life itself.”
“……”
“How should I put it… The Saintess always looks as if she’s forcing herself to keep living. I want her to find true purpose and joy in her existence.”
“……”
I stared at Rita in silence. What she desired was, in essence, exactly what I wanted as well. Various thoughts flashed through my mind. Among them, the most prominent were joy and gratitude. I was thankful that someone existed who thought of Alice this way, and I was grateful to Rita for genuinely caring about her.
It was right then, as I mulled over those mixed emotions, that Rita spoke again.
“Actually, that’s also why I brought you along.”
“…Pardon?”
Rita had said something completely unexpected. Honestly, it was difficult to understand. What connection could there possibly be between Alice finding meaning in life and Rita dragging me around like this?
Perhaps my confusion showed clearly on my face, because Rita immediately began to explain.
“I heard you’re acquainted with the other two Saintesses.”
While wondering why she was suddenly bringing up those two, I answered.
“I simply happened to spend a bit of time near them. That’s all.”
It had been the same with Julia and with Lana. There were clear reasons why I had ended up staying by their sides. With Julia, it was because I had been assigned to show her around the Academy. With Lana, it was to treat my injuries. Of course, our relationships hadn’t ended there. Both Julia and Lana had promised to meet again in the future.
Looking at it that way, calling it an acquaintance might not be entirely wrong… but in my view, it wasn’t anything particularly deep.
However.
“That’s actually quite significant.”
It seemed Rita saw it differently.
“Pardon?”
“From what I’ve heard, those two rarely allow people to stay close to them. Of course, I was told it’s not to the same extent as our Saintess.”
“…Hmm.”
After hearing that, I thought for a moment before replying.
“It’s true that Saintess Julia tends to be that way…”
Julia was certainly a child who didn’t easily keep others by her side. From what I had seen, she allowed no one near her except for her assistant priestess, Iona. It felt less like she outright rejected people’s approach and more like she simply had no interest in them… Still, that didn’t mean she welcomed those who came near. So, at least where Julia was concerned, Rita’s words were accurate.
However.
“Saintess Lana had excellent interpersonal skills, though.”
On the other hand, Lana had been kind to everyone. She conversed with people regardless of who they were, and there was rarely a moment when someone wasn’t around her. So the phrase “doesn’t keep people close” didn’t seem to fit Lana at all. That was my opinion, at least.
“It’s true that the Saintess of Lur is known for being very kind. However, I’ve never heard of her allowing anyone outside the clergy to get truly close to her.”
“……”
When put that way, it did make sense. I had never heard of Lana having any personal meetings or building friendships with anyone at the Academy besides me. At the time, I had simply assumed she was too busy, but it seemed that wasn’t limited to the Academy. There was no way the information Rita had received was completely baseless.
“That’s why you’re so remarkable, Sir Kyle.”
Rita pointed at me with her finger. Her expression was so triumphant that it made the already young-looking Rita appear even more youthful… but anyway.
“Both Saintesses, who rarely permit even members of the clergy to get close and never allow personal approaches, have permitted you to stand by their sides.”
“……”
All sorts of thoughts raced through my head. Could those words really be true? If so, why had those girls kept me near them? Had they sensed something special in me? The emotions swirling in my mind were complicated. I felt both happy and sad. I was glad that I received special treatment from them, yet at the same time, it saddened me that they normally kept people at such a distance.
To me, who felt that way, Rita said,
“So, I decided to keep you by her side as well.”
“……”
I could guess the rest without needing to hear it. I now understood why she had been dragging me around like this. There was no need for me to say it out loud.
“I thought you might be able to bring some kind of change to our Saintess as well.”
Rita soon said it herself. As expected, her reason was exactly what I had anticipated. I had guessed correctly, yet I didn’t feel particularly happy about it. Instead, I felt a bitter taste in my mouth. Because—
“I’m sorry to disappoint your expectations, but it will probably be difficult.”
—I likely wouldn’t be able to fulfill her wish.
“After all, I didn’t do anything special to become close to the Saintesses.”
It might be as Rita said. If it was true that Julia and Lana normally kept people at a distance, then becoming close to them was indeed an unusual occurrence. However, I had done absolutely nothing to make that happen. It wasn’t humility; it was simply the truth. I hadn’t done anything noteworthy. Yet for some reason, they had taken an interest in me. Even I found it puzzling. Why had those girls developed such interest in me that they even promised to meet again? That was why I couldn’t live up to Rita’s expectations. That was my honest situation.
“Oh come on, there must be something special about you for that to happen. After all, you’re the only one who has built a relationship with both of them, Sir Kyle.”
However, it seemed Rita thought differently.
“……”
…Hmm. Hearing her say that made even me wonder for a moment. Maybe there really was something special about me. But I soon shook my head.
“Even if that’s true, I’m afraid I won’t be able to meet your expectations, Priestess.”
Even if that were the case. Even if there was something special about me, there was nothing I could do right now. Because—
“The Saintess herself refuses to allow anyone to approach her.”
Alice’s attitude was the problem. She clearly harbored hostility toward me. For whatever reason, she hadn’t driven me away yet, but if I crossed the line, she would immediately punish me. Approaching Alice in her current state? Well… it definitely wouldn’t be easy.
“You’re right. As things stand now, it would be difficult.”
Rita accepted my words more readily than I expected. Then, smiling, she added,
“So, we just need to create a situation where it becomes possible.”
“…Pardon?”
“…What did you just say?”
Alice frowned. It was something one could see from her on any given day, but today the intensity was particularly severe.
“What do you mean by that?”
Alice stared at Rita standing before her. No, she was practically glaring. Displeasure dripped heavily from her eyes. If a timid person saw her right now, they might tremble just from the atmosphere and that gaze alone.
However, the person actually receiving that gaze—Rita—showed not the slightest sign of shrinking back.
“Something urgent came up for me! I’ll need to step away for a little while!”
She spoke with an innocent, bright smile.
“Not that part.”
Apparently displeased, Alice frowned even more deeply.
“What you said after that.”
“Ah!”
Rita clapped her hands theatrically, as if she had only just remembered, and continued.
“So, starting today, Sir Kyle will be assisting the Saintess in my place!”
Her voice was utterly cheerful, yet—
“……”
Alice’s reaction was, of course, far from positive. In fact, it went beyond that. Her expression didn’t change, but the atmosphere in the room grew heavy in an instant. It was a change that made it obvious to anyone that Alice was angry.
“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but you stepping away for a while… fine, I’ll allow that. But you’re saying this guy is going to assist me instead?”
Alice’s razor-sharp gaze landed on me. My heart sank, but I didn’t let it show.
“Do you really think that makes sense?”
Alice glared at Rita with piercing eyes.
“Don’t talk nonsense. I’d rather go alone.”
“That won’t do! The Saintess walking around by herself? That is absolutely not allowed!”
Yet Rita shook her head vigorously, completely unfazed by that fierce glare.
“…Haa.”
Perhaps feeling deep exhaustion at the sight, Alice let out a soft sigh.
“Even if I concede a hundred steps and agree to have someone with me, it can’t be him. Bring someone else.”
She declared this in a subdued voice.
“Hmm… If the Saintess says so, then I suppose there’s no helping it.”
Rita muttered with a slightly downcast expression. But then she added,
“But… are you sure that’s alright? If we request personnel from the church, it won’t end with just one or two people……”
Alice’s body twitched slightly at Rita’s words.
“After all, the reason you only had a single assistant priestess was because it was me, wasn’t it? If we request someone else, they’ll send at least five… No, considering the special circumstances, wouldn’t they send more than twice that?”
“……”
“It will probably become very noisy around you, Saintess. As you know, the other priests besides me are quite strict. They’ll interfere with everything and pay close attention to your every action… That would be very bothersome for you……”
Alice furrowed her brow deeply. Looking at her, Rita asked with a bright smile,
“So… shall we proceed that way?”