Chapter 10
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: Saintess
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Saintess.
Saintess Lena was born in a rundown orphanage.
Genos Orphanage.
Rumor had it that it was founded by a hero named Genos, a man from hundreds of years ago.
Lena had no idea who he was, but she lived her life filled with gratitude toward that faceless hero.
To her, this place was the foundation of her life and a space brimming with cherished memories.
She considered the orphanage children and the director nun her family, and she loved them dearly.
When she turned fifteen, it was time for her to leave the orphanage and strike out on her own.
She could have taken on odd jobs, but her beauty was like a pearl blooming from the mud—stunning and captivating, drawing people in.
Her pure yet mysteriously alluring aura and radiant looks even tempted noblemen to court her as a concubine.
But she chose the orphanage.
Even if she didn't sell herself, she could have lived comfortably doing the cooking she'd learned there... but she decided to stay.
The director nun was very old.
If she passed away, these children would end up out on the streets.
So, Lena chose to remain.
"Waaah—Lena sis!! Read this book!!"
"...Okay... What book is it? Ah..."
She smiled brightly and slowly opened the book.
As the pages rustled softly in the lantern light, the children gathered one by one, ears perked up.
They shouted at the tales of the heroes, some even bouncing around wildly.
Lena watched them with a gentle smile.
This book was over twenty years old, an ancient relic.
The stories of the heroes dated back more than a century.
In truth, public opinion often scorned them as failures who had thrown their lives away against the Demon King.
...But not her. Not these orphanage children.
They would never think that way.
"And so, the final hero met his end at the hands of Lilith, the Succubus Queen, the Demon King's top executive."
"...Ah..."
Sighs spread among the children who had been listening raptly to Lena's story.
"...Sis, I wanna meet a hero for real someday."
"Me too...!!"
Lena nodded warmly at their innocent words and gently stroked Karin's hair.
"Yeah, you'll definitely meet heroes someday. Hmm... Hmm. Now that all the good kids have heard the story, time for bed?"
"...Yeees—"
"Waaah!! War in the blankets!!!"
"Eeeek—!!!"
That night was very deep.
Ten upper demons had infiltrated Genos Orphanage to kill the next Saintess, Lena.
Official records stated it like this:
Saintess Lena's awakening and Hero Adel's intervention.
Genos Orphanage disaster. 41 dead. 6 survivors.
─────
"......"
Lena, her mind foggy, gripped the pen tightly and began to draw.
The subject was a face she could barely remember anymore.
With dead eyes, she sketched slowly before dropping the pen.
"......"
How long did she stare blankly at the fallen pen?
Suddenly, she raised both hands to her throat and began to strangle herself.
Kwaaak—
".......Ugh.... Keuk..."
"...Saintess...!!!"
Holy Knight Commander Rev burst through the door just in time, prying her hands away silently and restraining her.
Her pupils stared vacantly at the floor as she staggered, but he caught her before she collapsed.
"......"
Eudeuk—
What the hell were the Empire's knights and search parties doing?
No one knew her condition better than he did.
This mad Saintess was in a state where suicide at any moment wouldn't be surprising.
He'd heard about it from the start of the handover.
She'd been half-mad since the Genos Orphanage incident, but living by the hero's side had slowly restored her sanity.
Yet the hero who had kept her in check had vanished, leaving a nuclear bomb in the lap of someone already unstable.
He'd held back his words in the Emperor's presence, but if the Saintess died, all blame would fall on him as her guard.
Right now, Rev was the one sweating bullets the most.
He sighed heavily and stared at the drawings she'd been making.
Palak—
Palak— Palak—
"......"
Hundreds of pages in the thick notebook were filled with incredibly detailed drawings of one single person.
But what was truly chilling was how each one captured different poses, expressions, even outfits.
"...She's insane."
Rev forced a calm expression as he closed the book, set it on the desk, and gently laid her on the bed, thinking to himself.
'...If he actually shows up, it might be even worse...'
─────
"...Uh, mo....mmy?"
"...Knight Commander's daughter?"
The soldiers' brains short-circuited from the overload of info, staring blankly at the family.
Gate manager Hans slowly pieced it together.
'...He definitely... never married?'
'Bastard child?'
'...But she looks about seven...'
'...That means at least sixteen?'
'Damn, lucky bastard.'
As Hans spun his miraculous train of thought,
Adel, holding Isabella's and Barbatos's hands, approached him slowly.
"...Can we pass now?"
"...Ah, y-yes. Of course...!!"
Hans unwittingly saluted the nameless B-rank adventurer.
And soon, he could only watch as the couple with the child passed through the gate.
"......"
"...Haa, really."
Kongdak—
Kongdak—
Leaving Isabella behind with her face flushed beet red, Barbatos puffed up proudly.
"Hmph, all thanks to this lady's scheme."
"...You're not planning to do this every time, right? You can do your amusement separately."
Kongdak—
Kongdak—
Kongdak—
"...A, annoying?"
"Yes."
"...How much?"
"Tons."
"...N-next time, just transform into a scabbard or something..."
Sseup—
Hoo—
Isabella took a deep breath, finally calming her wildly pounding heart.
─────
Meanwhile.
Aileen's trial ended in confinement, effectively house arrest.
The princess's influence helped, but crucially, the Emperor had personally approved the torture.
And considering the curse's nature—targeting all humanity without intent—the judge ruled in her favor.
House arrest in name only; it was lifted quickly.
Plus, she was reinstated as the 3rd Knight Commander, the spot left vacant.
No matter the reason, with Isabella officially abandoning her post, no other commander-level figure was available to step in temporarily.
Everything seemed to fall into place.
But.
She was plagued by absolute anxiety.
The reason? A single warning from the 1st Princess, who had backed her.
[Ah—Lady Aileen. Remember this one thing. If the hero returns and meets my brother... game over.]
[......]
[You'll end up on the gallows, and even I can't save you then?]
She stared at the dark red liquid in the glass vial, lost in thought.
─────
"...Haa? What is this, a sketch? It's the hero? You think I'm stupid?"
"......"
"Bear with it, Sir Adolf."
"Yeah, I'm bearing it. Why? Does getting treated like this by some adventurer hurt your knightly pride?"
"...Amy!!"
Aileen glared at the hooded thief woman, who shrugged nonchalantly as if to say she got it.
"...Whatever, as long as the pay's good."
Aileen nursed a headache but endured with superhuman patience.
She looked rude as hell, but she was S-rank adventurer and hitwoman Amy.
With her overwhelming underworld intel and assassination skills, she was hugely infamous in that scene.
"...You know the hero's location?"
At Aileen's question, Amy tilted her head and replied.
"Well, I had his location for the bounty originally. But now the price has skyrocketed."
"......"
She weighed her life carefully.
For the one who cherished her more than anyone, this gamble was worth it.
Better to dismantle the ticking time bomb outside than fret over when he'd return.
Officially under house arrest and bound by her commander role, assassination was her simplest, best option.
"...One million gold."
"...Haa? Who do you think you're fooling? Know how much is on the hero's head?"
"...Five million gold. ...But."
"......."
"On the condition you go with my knights."
"...Hmm...."
Amy eyed the four close aides behind Aileen with her uncovered eye.
Those infamous Imperial Guard knights.
"Deal."
A bit annoying with the watchdogs, but handy muscle would make things easier.
She nodded quietly, and soon.
The five cloaked assassins vanished in an instant.