After That
"Hahaha! Incredible!" The moment our eyes met, Gion Cruise burst into hearty laughter and showered me with praise. His entire body was covered in the scars of battle against the undead legion. He had quite a few wounds, but none were fatal, and he still radiated the unyielding presence of an iron wall that seemed like it would never crumble.
I simply bowed my head with a calm expression.
"Thanks to you, we successfully repelled the Dark Church's offensive. Without you, they might have seized Levios's Heart."
"You're too kind."
"No! I mean every word. But may I ask you one thing?"
His expression grew serious, as though this were a matter of great importance. I had a bad feeling about it.
"Of course. Ask me anything."
"Thank you. Ahem! Are you... by any chance a transmigrator?"
My eyes flew wide with shock. I hadn't expected him to ask so bluntly. But I quickly understood. Someone of Gion Cruise's caliber would surely have received information about transmigrators, and my sudden appearance must have struck him as distinctly out of place.
As I pondered how to respond, Kain cut in from the side.
"Transmigrator? What does that mean?"
"Don't you remember? Didn't I tell you before? I said there are invaders from another world, so we must identify them at all costs. You clearly weren't listening to a word I said."
"That can't be. Luan Priulri. Is what he said true?"
Kain casually ignored Gion's dumbfounded look and turned his gaze on me. His eyes were still as dull and rotten as ever. Even after hearing Gion's explanation that I might be an otherworldly invader, he remained completely unfazed. It was unreliable, yet somehow trustworthy.
"Sigh... It's true."
"I see. Hmm... General. Didn't you say back then that transmigrators would bring harm?"
"I did. However... the Church may have been mistaken. If he were truly harmful, he wouldn't have helped stop Huscular. But you weren't completely ignoring me after all?"
"Luan, did you catch that? The general doesn't seem inclined to report you to the Church."
"You're still not listening. And I'm no longer a general. Address me as Headmaster from now on."
Despite his stern and serious appearance, Gion Cruise had quite the comedic personality. I watched their back-and-forth routine for a moment before bowing my head and making my request.
"Headmaster. Could you keep my true identity a secret?"
"Because of the Church?"
"Yes. If it's revealed that I'm a transmigrator, it'll cause problems."
I couldn't know the Church's exact intentions, but the words "invaders" and "identify" didn't exactly inspire positive associations. Gion, however, seemed to think differently.
"Is that really necessary? With your achievements, the Church would surely believe in your innocence. You might even receive their support. Do you still wish to hide it?"
"...Yes. I'm sorry, but I cannot trust the Church."
"Well, I understand. After all, you don't know the Church. Still, I cannot grant that particular request."
I jerked my bowed head up sharply.
"What do you..."
Not understanding his reasoning, I pressed for an answer. Gion grinned and clapped me on the shoulder.
"The debt I owe you is enormous. I can't brush it aside with something so trivial. Keeping your secret is only natural. So ask me for something else instead."
"Headmaster..."
"No need to look so touched. Hahaha! It's all calculated on my part."
Gion Cruise was a truly admirable man. Without hesitation, I gladly accepted his goodwill.
"Then, may I ask for one favor later on?"
"Later? Is it difficult to say right now?"
"Yes. Situations can change at any moment, can't they?"
"Hmm... That's true enough. In that case, visit my office whenever you wish. I'll leave word for you."
"Thank you."
With this, I'd secured one final insurance policy.
'Can I breathe easy for now?'
Having shed one of my worries, the wave of exhaustion hit me hard. I slumped down onto the floor. Digesting the Phoenix Egg and completing Taeguk Hwasin-gong had consumed far too much mental energy.
"Then, Kain. I'll leave the rest to you."
"What?"
"I'm pretty worn out. Move me somewhere without drawing attention."
With those final words, I lost consciousness.
*
"Luan! Are you alright? You're not hurt anywhere, are you?"
The day after the attack, Isis came to visit me in the recovery room while I was pretending to be a patient. Ignoring the Saintess's watchful gaze from behind, she rushed over and began running her hands all over my body. She touched my face, rubbed my firm chest, and continued downward until her hand rested on my muscular lower body.
Witnessing this, the Saintess suffered a violent case of pupil tremors and quickly warned her.
"L-Lady Isis! Young Master Luan needs rest right now, so please refrain from touching him so carelessly!"
"Huh? ...Ah!"
Isis had been gripping the increasingly hardening pillar before she belatedly jumped back in surprise.
"L-Luan. I'm sorry. That was rude of me."
"...Not at all. I'm fine. Please calm down."
"Y-yeah! I'm so glad you're not hurt."
An awkward atmosphere settled over us. Both Isis and the Saintess seemed at a loss, their eyes darting around uncertainly. It was up to me to step in.
"More importantly, sister. How did you get here so quickly? News shouldn't have reached Priouli Territory yet."
Even if she had run at full speed by herself, crossing the snowy mountains alone would take a full day. I couldn't understand how she'd arrived so fast.
In response to my question, Isis pulled a letter from her bosom.
"Actually, Her Highness the Princess informed me."
"She did?"
"Yes. It's a magic letter—they come in pairs. Whatever you write on one instantly appears on the other. Thanks to that, I learned right away and rushed over."
"So such a magic tool exists."
I didn't know what the princess had been thinking, but thanks to it, I'd received Isis's affectionate touch. Not a bad outcome at all.
Nodding to myself, I glanced at the Saintess, who was practically glued to the side of the door.
"But how long do you plan to stand there, Saintess?"
"W-why? Am I not allowed to be here?"
"No, it's just burdensome having you peeking the whole time. Come inside if you're going to stay."
The Saintess herself wasn't an issue, but her strange behavior was drawing the eyes of other priests and patients alike.
She looked dejected at the word "burdensome," but brightened at the latter part and smiled.
"Really? Then excuse me!"
She slipped inside with nimble movements, as if afraid I'd change my mind. I shook my head with a sigh.
'Still, this is unexpected.'
Until I'd been brought to the recovery room, I'd planned to receive treatment from an ordinary priest and slip away quietly. I never imagined the Saintess would intervene personally. She should have been away at the Holy Land for the break, yet here she was, back so quickly. Of course, the Dark Church's attack must have been the main reason for her return, but it was strange that treating me was her priority. There were plenty of critically injured patients—assigning the Saintess to a malingerer seemed questionable. Well, it wasn't my problem to worry about.
As the Saintess approached, Isis stood and bowed.
"Saintess. Thank you for treating Luan."
"What are you saying! It's only natural. By the way, Luan, shall I examine you again? Your condition might have worsened."
"Huh? Um... Alright."
"Stay still."
There were no wounds to begin with, so I doubted anything could worsen, but I wasn't the type of bad patient to refuse a doctor's orders. When I gave permission, the Saintess cupped my face with both hands and pressed her forehead against mine. My gaze drifted past her lovely features to her sacred, enormous breasts.
'It's healing.'
With her arms drawn together, her emphasized cleavage looked ready to burst through the loose nun's habit at any moment. The urge to bury my face between them and suck greedily surged within me. I glanced at Isis, who was fidgeting awkwardly, and waited for the examination to end.
The Saintess finally released my face after taking twice as long as a normal checkup.
"There, all done! No abnormalities whatsoever!"
"As expected. There weren't any injuries to begin with."
My casual tone made the Saintess frown. She wagged her index finger back and forth.
"Tsk tsk! The body isn't everything! There could be mental trauma, you know!"
"But I'm perfectly fine. So it's alright, isn't it?"
"You're being way too sloppy!"
Apparently offended by my attitude, the Saintess planted her hands on her hips and scolded me. I felt bad for thinking it, but she really did seem like a mother.
'Though I was an orphan.'
Just as I was about to sink into sentimentality, Isis suddenly pushed me down onto the bed, separating me from the Saintess.
"Like the Saintess said, you never know! Stay lying down!"
"I'm really fine."
"Still! I'll stay right here and watch over you, so don't worry. Saintess, since the examination is finished, you may go see the other patients now."
Isis subtly glanced toward the door. Even if someone had no intention of leaving, that kind of gesture was bound to pressure them. However, when the other party was the Saintess, the story changed.
"No! I can't do that. Once I take charge of a patient, I make sure they're fully recovered! Rather, Lady Isis, are you sure it's alright for you to stay here the whole time? Don't you have plenty of work at the student council?"
"There's no problem. The approval has to come from His Highness the Crown Prince anyway."
"Is that so? Then you'll have to leave once His Highness arrives, correct? In preparation for that, I should remain here!"
Was it just my imagination? It felt like intense sparks were flying between the two women. I tilted my head, but a small chuckle escaped me.
'Still, it's fortunate they're both here.'
After this incident, my relationship with Sara had been ruined as well, leaving me somewhat depressed. But there were still so many good people around me. I prayed I wouldn't lose any more precious connections.
*
Meanwhile, at that same moment, Sara and Verdan were continuing their unfinished date in the garden. They had just arrived at the fountain.
"The weather is truly lovely."
"...Yes. It is."
"It feels like a dream that the Dark Church attacked only yesterday. Hahaha!"
At Verdan's words, Sara's face darkened. The memory of being violated by Luan brought with it a powerful wave of guilt that stabbed at her conscience.
As she maintained her heavy silence, Verdan stopped before the fountain, turned to face her, and began.
"Sara."
"......Yes? What did you just..."
Sara was startled by Verdan, who had always been meticulously polite with honorifics. When she asked cautiously, he gently took her hand.
"From the moment I regained consciousness yesterday until this morning, I thought long and hard. And I realized something clearly. I need you."
"Professor Verdan. That's..."
"Yes. I love you, Sara. At first, I simply thought you were impressive and beautiful. But as we spent more time together, those feelings blossomed into love. I want to share every future moment with you. ...Will you go out with me?"
Verdan's orange eyes gazed straight into hers, filled with affection.
Sara felt both joy and sorrow at the same time.
'What should I do?'
She fell deep into thought. Even though it had been to save Verdan, she had given her body to another man. Even if he said it was alright, she could never forgive herself.
Beyond his gentle smile, she kept seeing the image of herself stained with semen and love juices. What had she been like back then?
'Vulgar.'
Impaled on Luan's cock, drowning in pleasure, she had howled like a bitch in heat. Though her mouth had said no, her body had trembled with ecstasy at every stimulus he gave her. If Luan hadn't lifted her and brought her right before Verdan's eyes, she might have forgotten him entirely.
She had been that pathetic.
Hiding this truth and dating Verdan would be no different from toying with him. Yet she lacked the courage to reveal everything. She couldn't bear to watch that affection turn into hatred and betrayal.
Therefore, it would be better for him if they never started at all.
Sara bowed her head deeply.
"Thank you for thinking so highly of me. But I cannot date you, Professor Verdan."
"...Is it because I already had a wife who passed away?"
Verdan had married at a relatively young age. He had begun dating his wife during their academy days and married at twenty-three. Five years ago, he had lost her.
His voice carried a bitter undertone. Sara suppressed the urge to deny it and gave a tiny nod.
"Yes. I'm sorry. You'll surely meet someone better."
"No. There is no woman better than you, Sara. I'm certain. Really... is it impossible?"
"...I'm sorry. I should be going now."
Sara turned away quickly. If she lingered any longer, the tears would surely burst free.
But Verdan's hand was faster than her feet.
"Wait."
He grabbed her arm, pulled her back with gentle force, then carefully lifted her chin. Tears glistened in Sara's eyes.
"Then why do you look so sad?"
"It's... because dust got in my eye. Let go."
Sara tried to wipe her tears with her sleeve and pull his hand away. But Verdan gripped her firmly and refused to release her.
"That's a lie. Tell me. Is there some circumstance you're hiding?"
"......"
"Speak! I can't let you leave like this."
Faced with his expression full of unyielding determination, Sara shook her head with a tearful face.
"I can't tell you. Absolutely not!"
"Why not? I... any secret is fine with me. It doesn't matter!"
"...No. Please, just leave me alone."
When Sara finally broke down in tears and begged, Verdan slowly released her arm. He took a step back and spoke.
"I can't give up like this. No matter what your circumstances are, I will stay by your side, Sara. Don't even think about pushing me away."
"Why go so far? What am I to you!"
Sara shouted as if in a frenzy. Verdan answered with a sad smile.
"The woman I love. Is any other reason necessary?"
"...You fool."
"You can call me a fool if you like. So, I'll see you tomorrow."
With that promise, Verdan vanished from sight.
Sara pounded her chest in frustration.
"Idiot! Moron!"
She was speaking to herself. She resented her inability to even reject him properly, and felt boundless affection for Verdan, who refused to give up. In equal measure, the soaring guilt made tears stream endlessly from her eyes.
"Sob! Hic... Waaaaah!"
For the next five minutes, the garden echoed with a woman's heartbroken cries.