Chapter 6
Chapter 6
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Saintess Rainy (5)
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It had been two weeks since the Saintess took over the church.
The territory had become surprisingly lively.
The residents visited the church every weekend for services, finding peace of mind.
And with the Saintess healing them, their overall health had improved dramatically.
Considering that getting healed by her in the capital required either catching one of her rare charity events or donating 20 gold, she was more than earning her keep.
Since the Saintess was having such a positive impact on the entire territory, I reciprocated by diligently pushing forward with the Saintess Reformation Project.
After all, a healthy mind comes from a healthy body.
At 8 a.m., I snapped my eyes open and immediately barged into the Saintess's room for our workout.
The temporary cloth barrier had been removed, replaced by a brand-new door that greeted me.
I gave a quick nod to the maid who had just arrived for the day and gently knocked on the door.
Knock knock.
"Saintess?"
"Ugh..."
"Saintess? Time for exercise?"
"No... My back hurts..."
"What did you do to hurt your back?"
"Fuck, you tormented me late into the night yesterday!"
The maid, who had been quietly standing by, went wide-eyed at the Saintess's highly misleading words.
Seeing the maid's misunderstanding sparked a bit of mischief in me.
So, to wake everyone up a little, I decided to tease the maid some more.
"The Saintess was too weak, so we couldn't even go until I was satisfied. What torment are you talking about?"
"I was exhausted!"
The maid's face turned beet red.
Ah, delicious.
This kind of fun in a boring rural village.
My stress melted away.
I wanted to tease more, but starting a scandal with the Saintess wouldn't be good, so I revealed the truth.
"Isn't it because the Saintess can't even hold a sword properly?"
"Why the hell would a saintess need to learn swordsmanship?"
"You're as beautiful as you always say you are, so you should at least learn some self-defense sword techniques."
"..."
The Saintess, who had been snapping irritably, went quiet this time.
From the past week, I'd noticed this about her.
She was weaker to compliments than expected.
Her mouth was usually foul-mouthed and crude, but one compliment and she got too embarrassed to speak.
Anyway, with another win today, I knocked on the door once more.
"Saintess, if you skip even one day of exercise, you'll hate going even more. Come on out."
"Aaah... My back really hurts."
"Then I'll escort you personally."
Though the Saintess's condition had improved somewhat, she still had occasional fits.
That's why I always carried a spare key to her room.
And could enter freely.
Click click.
"W-Wait! Hey, stop!"
As the key turned, a frantic voice came from inside.
The Saintess had tried all sorts of excuses to avoid workouts more than once or twice.
So, ignoring her pleas, I boldly swung the door open.
"Fuck. You bastard."
I caught sight of her hastily throwing on clothes.
She must have been sleeping naked and scrambled to dress.
A former saintess, and not the modest type.
No wonder she got excommunicated.
"Waaah... I'm never getting married... Mooommm..."
After hurriedly finishing dressing, she burst into tears.
I wondered if a former saintess should even be thinking about marriage.
Still, she looked a bit pitiful sobbing like that, so I left some simple comfort.
"Nothing to see anyway. I didn't look. Don't worry."
"Go die."
Thwack.
I should fix her habit of throwing pillows whenever she gets the chance.
***
On the outskirts of the Devin Baron's estate.
I was running along the rice paddy paths with the Saintess, her hair tied back.
Over the past two weeks, considering her busy church duties, we'd kept it to light walks, but today we were starting real stamina training.
"Huff huff... Heek heek..."
"Saintess, we're only halfway!"
"C-Crazy... This... Im... Impossible..."
"You're still talking, aren't you? That means you have stamina left to run. Come on, keep going!"
"Kwaaaah... You monster bastard..."
"It's because the Saintess's stamina bottoms out after just ten minutes."
Maybe sweat got in her eyes while running, but she wiped them painfully with her clothes.
Pathetic that a former saintess was struggling this much.
"Heal... Heal... Just once... Okay?"
"No. Then your stamina won't improve."
"..."
"Saintess?"
"..."
Hmm, she really seems wiped out.
Normally she'd spew foul curses, but she couldn't even respond.
I slowed down, having been running slightly ahead.
If we pushed further and she collapsed, it'd be trouble, so I planned to end it here for today.
Keep running steadily, and eventually she'd lap the baron's estate without breaking a sweat.
Even after I stopped, the Saintess staggered on with a soulless expression.
"Saintess?"
"Ueeeh..."
"Saintess? Let's call it here for today?"
"Ueeeh..."
She seemed so exhausted she'd lost her grip on reality.
With a deep sigh, I grabbed her to stop her.
"Huh?"
Only then did she snap back, tilting her head.
Her face was drenched in sweat, shiny and slick.
I pulled a handkerchief from my pocket and wiped her sweat as I said,
"Let's end it here for today."
"R-Really?"
"Yes."
Her face, which had been deathly dark moments ago, lit up instantly.
Her complexion returned so fast I wondered if I'd been played by an act.
But a man's word once given can't be taken back, so without another word, I turned toward the lord's castle.
Then, a shy voice came from behind.
"Hey, can't we rest a bit before going back?"
"Don't you want to get back quick too, Saintess? You're sticky and need a bath."
"Yeah, but... My legs won't move..."
Sure enough, her legs were trembling; she couldn't budge from the spot.
Just ten minutes of running, and her legs were jelly.
Humanity's greatest asset—endurance—seemed absent in her.
With another deep sigh, I turned my back to her and crouched.
"Wh-What's this?"
"Duh? Obviously piggyback."
"Ah... No... That's a bit..."
"What, embarrassed now?"
"Even excommunicated, I'm still a saintess! Can't touch men casually."
"Too late for that; we're already way out here."
"That was unavoidable, so it doesn't count."
We'd even kissed already.
Whatever; forcing her if she says no would be assault.
I didn't push, just sat her on a nearby rock.
I sat beside her.
Whoosh.
Sitting side by side, blankly watching the busy territory folk since morning, a strange scent wafted over.
Hmm... Sweet yet slightly tangy?
Like peaches.
I sniffed and asked,
"Smell any peaches around?"
"Oh, that smell?"
The dazed Saintess perked up at the mention.
"Yeah, some oddly sweet scent."
She pondered briefly, then extended her pale white wrist.
I tilted my head at her baffling action.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Smell it."
Forcing me to sniff her body odor?
I grimaced, signaling refusal.
"Ugh, Saintess, you into that? Sorry, but I don't have a sweat-sniffing fetish."
Slap.
Un-saintess-like violence; she smacked my back and thrust her arm out again.
"Cut the bullshit."
"No, really hate sniffing sweat."
"I don't smell."
"Lesson one: believe half of what women say."
"Aargh, just sniff already."
Grimacing, I reluctantly indulged her perverse hobby.
Sniff sniff.
'Huh?'
I'd expected acrid, unpleasant sweat.
But surprisingly, her arm gave off a sweet peach scent.
Purely sweet would be one thing, but the tangy mix made it addictive.
'How does human sweat smell like peaches?'
Fascinated, I kept sniffing, and she looked triumphant.
"Normal sweat is colorless and odorless, but someone overflowing with holy power like me mixes a bit into the sweat, creating that sweet peach scent."
"Ooh..."
"Usually, the holy power is so faint that only those with keen sensitivity notice, but you must have talent."
"Really?"
"Yeah, you'd have made a Holy Knight in the Church."
Unexpected info, since I'd never been devout.
Pondering briefly, she suddenly grabbed my hand.
"Didn't you say no touching men?"
"Shut up."
I obediently closed my mouth, and holy power began seeping from her body.
"Gonna put holy power in you. Feel it carefully."
"Saintess, that's vulgar."
"Shut that mouth."
She looked serious, so I closed my eyes and heightened my senses.
Warm energy flowed in through her hand.
It climbed up my arm, circulating through my body.
Ticklish, I wanted to squirm, but held still, wiggling my toes instead—didn't want to restart.
After touring my upper body, it descended to my lower half.
Fully circulated, it returned to her hand, and I sensed the end, opening my eyes.
Fwoosh.
What I saw: pure white flames flickering on my hand.
Mouth agape, she couldn't look away, saying,
"Wow, you've got killer talent. Cut it off and aim for saintess."