Saintess Ione
The roof of the grand cathedral, overlooking the landscape of the Holy City. On this precarious spot, Ian asked the newly befriended Sugar that question.
“But why can't you go out? I know you're a special constitution, but what's the specific reason?”
Sugar replied, “My mana is a bit too pure, you see.”
“What? What do you mean by that?”
“Well, um...”
“Is it something you have to keep secret? Then, swearing on the name of the great ancestor, I’ll keep it a secret. Just tell me.”
Ian, growing more curious because the other kept hesitating, urged her.
But Sugar had no intention of keeping it a secret. She just found it awkward to watch the fierce people approaching from behind.
“It’s because the magnificent knights from the land where the ancestor is sleeping have come.”
“... What?”
Following Sugar’s gaze, Ian turned around and saw the holy knights standing there.
“Kyaaak!”
“Chunja-nim!”
“Persistent!”
“Chunja-nim is even more persistent! Come quickly!”
“I don’t want to! I don’t want to be locked in the tower!”
“It’s not locking, it’s protection!”
While the commotion ensued, Sugar secretly slipped away. Being in the middle of it would be no good. Ryly, who had been watching the situation from behind, also hid behind a pillar.
That was when Ian was about to throw herself off the roof.
A beautiful voice echoed in her mind.
[Ione.]
“...!”
The holy knights knelt as if they had made a promise. Should I do it too? Should I? Even Sugar awkwardly followed the adults beside her.
[Return.]
Then the voice uttered just one word and fell silent.
The only child who did not kneel was shouting towards the sky, or rather, the tower that rose the highest in the Holy City.
“Un... noona! Why do you always say only that?! Could you explain why I can't leave the tower?! What are you thinking by locking me up?! The other descendants said they could walk freely even within the Holy City! I don't understand your intentions at all!”
[ ... ]
“Please... say something, anything.”
[ ... ]
“Noona!”
That cry echoed hollowly.
As always, there was no response.
Ian bit her lip, staring at the tower with a face that looked like she was about to cry. The holy knights, who had risen from their seats, carried her down to the roof. It was a natural action, as if nothing had happened.
“...”
Sugar, who had been watching the whole scene with a displeased expression, stood there for a long time.
***
When she listened carefully, the sound of sobbing could be heard.
It was the sound of someone who couldn't stand the sadness.
That was the emotion a sad person feels. That was the action.
Why?
Saintess Ione was quietly tilting her head inside the high tower.
Her younger sister, who had been escaping more frequently lately, was incomprehensible. The younger sister who only asked back “Why do you always do that?” was also hard to understand.
If she kept hearing the incessant sobbing, she didn't know what to do.
Since Ione had never cried since she had a self, seeing her sister with such rich emotions made her unsure of what was what.
“...”
The atmosphere was cold. The air was warm, but inside the tower, only the sound of the child crying made it cold.
If only Guardian Nova were here, it would be better. But she had gone out for morning exercise. The hearts of the priestesses there were fluttering.
She wanted to somehow calm the situation, but she couldn't say anything to the precious, hard-hearted Saintess. She was worried that if she touched the wrong nerve, she might get scolded. Still, she needed some means.
At that moment, the priestesses with their faces veiled by veils were exchanging glances with each other.
The youngest priestess timidly raised her hand.
When Ione nodded, she began to speak.
“Ah, there was a child with the Chunja-nim earlier... If we bring that child, wouldn't the Chunja-nim's mood improve a bit?”
A bold statement. Silence filled the room.
The atmosphere was so tense that swallowing was hard.
“...”
After a long while, Ione simply flicked one finger.
Yes! The priestesses secretly clenched their fists or nodded in joy. Little one, I'll let you off cleaning later.
And immediately, they rushed out of the tower to carry out the command. It was good to be able to come out of the place that was filled with heavy silence and take a breath. It couldn't be happier.
...
At the same time.
Sugar was lying in the grass after coming down from the cathedral roof.
She was gazing at the sky as if pondering something deeply.
Then, somewhere, a presence was felt. Slightly rolling her eyes, a blond-haired boy was standing there.
“Hey.”
“...”
Sugar turned her head with a cheeky expression without answering. Then Ryly sighed.
“... Why are you doing this? You've been out of it since morning.”
“Are you asking because you don't know?”
“I don't know.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
“You here... me...!”
She was about to spew something but closed her mouth. What would telling do? That was her attitude.
Then Ryly also became cheeky and muttered one word.
“Even if I wasn't here, you'd be fine...”
She had swallowed the rest of the sentence about how she was getting along too well with the boy she just met.
What was it? Whenever she was down, but from the look of it, she was precious. It would be really nice to befriend such a boy.
Annoyed by the internal grumbling, Sugar shot up.
“Yeah! You'll be fine.”
“What?”
“You don't need me. Go out freely as you like.”
Ryly frowned, anger rising at the unfairness, about to say something, but eventually stopped.
That's right. She was like me. In the end, not more or less than a close little sister or a friend to tease. It was obvious she'd be fine without me.
“... Idiot.”
“What...”
Then this time, Sugar frowned. It was because Ryly had a hurt face.
It didn't make sense.
She was the one leaving. She was the one leaving her behind. She was the one going to do what she wanted, leaving someone like her.
Yet the boy making that expression was annoying and somehow sorry. Because she didn't want to see that, Sugar turned her head.
“...”
“...”
That was just how it was between people. Even a slight mismatch could turn things around.
Misunderstandings bred misunderstandings and wounds accumulated.
They were the two children who didn't understand each other's hearts, annoying kids.
At that time.
There were women surrounding the two children. The priestesses with their faces veiled by veils.
Ryly immediately blocked Sugar's front. Sugar watched it with a strange look.
“... What is it?”
“The Saintess is looking for you.”
“Who?”
“...”
-A girl? A white-haired girl? A boy? No? Yes? Should we just take them together? If there are many friends, the Chunja-nim would be happy too.
They were chatting among themselves, then one came out again.
“Both of you come along.”
Confused, the priests were dragging the two children almost to the tower.
While they were arguing, what was this? The two kids kept floating question marks, and suddenly they were in front of a large door. One of the priests knocked on the door, and a response came to enter.
“Enter.”
“No, what is this–”
“It is the Saintess's command.”
And they were forcibly pushed into the room.
A white room with a pentagonal structure. Large windows on each wall, so the Holy City was visible below.
With mouth open at the strange sight, the woman sitting like a stone in the middle stood up. Platinum hair down to her waist. A body that was slightly curved, looking both young and mature. The white robe with gold thread was much more complex in style than the priestesses she had seen earlier.
Immediately, the two children bowed their heads in that atmosphere.
“Rise.”
When she slightly raised her head, the woman who had approached was looking down at the children. Probably because her face was covered by the veil, the gaze couldn't be seen.
A slender white finger pointed to Sugar.
“Pure.”
Then to Ryly.
“Book.”
It was as if those were their names. Named after their characteristics.
“Pure” was Sugar's pure mana. And “Book” was... what? Book?
Sugar stepped in front of Ryly.
“Wait a minute. Saintess. That, this child also has circumstances.”
Thinking that the grimoire had been discovered by the most dangerous person, and being more rambling than the owner, Ione raised her index finger.
Then her mouth closed on its own. As if someone forcibly gagged it.
She could resist, but since it would be useless, Sugar stepped back beside Ryly as Ione wanted. Ryly's gaze watching that was strange.
“Command.”
The Saintess, after sorting it out, uttered just one word as if it wasn't a big deal. It was a word expressing a command.
And what came out was absurd.
“Comfort my younger brother.”
While Ryly had an expression meaning “what is this...”, Sugar calmly raised her hand. It was a gesture asking if she could speak.
Ione nodded.
“If it's a younger brother, you mean the Chunja-nim, right?”
She had vaguely heard sobbing since earlier. It was probably the sound of Ian being taken away crying.
“Then, is there a better way than us comforting him? Is it okay to say?”
Sugar recalled what happened earlier.
This woman's extremely arrogant attitude. No matter how much the younger brother requested answers, no matter how much she wanted emotional exchange, the attitude of a stone without a word.
That bothered Sugar, so when she asked, Ione flicked her finger. The bold girl opened her mouth as if waiting.
“Please comfort the Chunja-nim yourself.”
“...”
Is it okay to keep saying this? Ryly's body twitched. But since she was the one who closed her eyes to the grimoire, it should be fine, right? But she was the descendant of the legendary Saint?
With her head in a mess, Ryly just let go of his hand. Sugar's mouth was already open, what could he do?
Then Sugar lowered her head and continued the story.
“The Chunja-nim... is feeling hurt towards the Saintess right now. That cannot be resolved by others. We can stop the immediate crying, but the emotions accumulated in the heart won't be resolved. No matter who comes, they can't resolve it. The Saintess must do it.”
Extremely logical.
But in this world, many people get irritated when they hear logic.
What would be the reaction of Ione hearing that?
“...”
She stood still for a long time.
Without saying anything with her face veiled, it was impossible to know what she was thinking. It didn't seem like Ian jumping was for nothing.
In the long silence.
Finally, Ione's mouth opened.
“How?”
A question that drained the energy somewhere. Sugar smiled slightly and answered the question.
“Go and apologize directly or give a gift... various ways.”
“A gift?”
“The Saintess herself chooses a gift that the Chunja-nim would like.”
Ione's head tilted endlessly to the side.
Then it returned to its original position.
And then she flicked her finger, and in an instant, a woman with black hair in a nun's clothes appeared. Her face was also covered by the hood, but anyway, no one would think she was the Saintess.
“... Impressive execution...”
An unpredictable person. At the moment when Sugar was stunned by her own opinion and how she immediately acted on it, Ione turned towards the door and looked back at the two children.
“Accompany.”
“Th-that, Saintess... Just in case, I want to say, meeting the Chunja-nim was only yesterday...”
“I have never met them in person.”
It seemed like she thought they were close to Ian and wanted to go together. To choose a gift together.
So when Sugar and Ryly explained their situations, Ione's head tilted.
“Nevertheless! Let's just go.”
Building relations with high-ups isn't bad. If I refuse here, it won't be good.
At the sudden strange situation, Sugar couldn't help but smile wryly. Then, looking aside, Ryly was also smiling wryly at the absurdity.
The two laughed, but when their eyes met, they stiffened their expressions and turned their heads away.