Chapter 14 - This, too, must be Vivian's will (3)
This, too, must be Vivian's will (3)
Translator : Elizabeth
The next morning.
Trevin Village Central Square—.
"I am the Captain of the Dawn Knights, Orban Hayden."
"I am Lumina Evangeline, of the Holy Knights directly under St. Haven Papal State."
Unlike Captain Orban, who looks quite happy. Lumina is making a pouty face with her lips protruding for some reason.
"I heard the situation roughly from the Saintess. You are heading to the Papal State, right?"
"Yes. So I decided to take charge of the escort, but why is the Dawn Knights..."
Lumina couldn't finish her sentence. She scanned the flashy armor Captain Orban was wearing with dissatisfied eyes.
"Vivian-nim is the one with the most powerful Holy Power among all previous Saints. A single escort is never enough."
However, despite that, Captain Orban puffed out his chest and continued confidently as if there was no need for further discussion.
"That is why all members of our Dawn Knights have decided to assist Vivian-nim's journey to the Papal State."
As soon as Captain Orban finished speaking, Lumina's eyebrows trembled strangely.
"Captain Orban, I appreciate the thought, but it is a principle that the Papal State is directly responsible for the Saintess's safety."
"Sir Lumina, sticking only to principles will surely invite trouble."
Watching the tense current flowing between the two silently from the side, I raised the corners of my mouth awkwardly. It's a relief I'm wearing the veil upside down. Otherwise, my troubled expression would have been revealed to the people around me.
"Why are those people fighting like that?"
"Lumina-ssi seems to be doing it for face, and the Captain seems to be doing it just out of worry."
To May asking with a puzzled expression, I answered quietly with a very small voice.
"Ultimately, isn't the feeling of wanting to protect Vivian the same for both of them?"
Hearing my words, May looked alternately at the two with a subtle expression. It seems May doesn't understand this situation at all right now.
"Well, anyway, with this, my escorts have increased a lot, so May is relieved now too, right?"
"...That's true. With this much, there won't be any major problems even if Vivian goes to the Papal State."
The incredible sight that unfolded as soon as we arrived at the abandoned church, my temporary shelter, riding the Waypoint. May, who witnessed that absurd sight in real-time, couldn't open her mouth properly for a while.
But as soon as she realized that the Dawn Knights were not my enemies, May immediately lowered her guard as if nothing had happened.
"It's a bit of a shame I couldn't become Vivian's teacher, but it can't be helped."
"Since it turned out like this, I'll go to the Papal State and learn properly about the Goddess and come back."
"Yeah. Still, carelessness is forbidden. Got it?"
"Of course. If things go south, I'll ride the Waypoint and run away, so don't worry too much."
At my big talk, May finally nodded with a bright smile as if relieved. After soothing May appropriately like that, I looked at the square again. The sight of the Dawn Knights members moving in perfect order and organizing their formation came into view.
"Vivian-nim. We will depart soon."
Lumina, who still hadn't erased her pouty look, quietly approached my side. And she held my hand tightly like a cat marking its territory.
"I will gratefully accept the Dawn Knights' kindness."
With that confident remark, Lumina immediately lifted me up and sat me on her saddle. Then she gave a quite satisfied meaningful smile toward Captain Orban.
"But please do not forget that I, a Holy Knight of the Papal State, have priority by Vivian-nim's side."
At Lumina's sudden declaration, Captain Orban's eyes narrowed strangely for a moment. But soon he burst into hearty laughter and lightly brushed off Lumina's provocation with the relaxed attitude unique to a Knight Captain.
"Hahaha! Sir Lumina, priority you say. We are satisfied with just brushing off the dust on the path the Saintess walks and becoming a shield firmly supporting her from behind."
Despite Captain Orban's hearty laughter. Lumina maintained a firm gaze until the end.
"Then the division of roles is settled. I will protect only the Saintess. I will absolutely not interfere with anything else."
Lumina lightly jumped up behind me sitting on the saddle and gripped the reins firmly. Only now did it start to feel real that I am in the middle of this grand procession.
"Have a safe trip, Vivian."
"Yeah. I'll see lots of things and tell May everything."
"Don't forget to find the Waypoint or whatever first when you get to the Papal State."
"Yeah, don't worry. I'll have fun and come back."
Since the sanctuary protecting the village is almost destroyed. I was worried that monsters might barge in while I was away for a moment. But fortunately, the translucent status window floating in front of my eyes blew away my worries in an instant.
──────────── 【 Vivian's Lamb 】Replaces the Sanctuary.Monsters cannot approach within a 1km radius where the target stays. ────────────
Somehow, May, who became my Lamb, suddenly turned into a walking sanctuary. To think the Holy Power I accidentally shared with May yesterday would shine in this way... It's bewildering in many ways. But anyway, with this, May's safety is completely guaranteed.
"Saintess-nim. Despite our foolish actions, thank you so much for saving us from the terrible curse..."
Just as we finished all preparations and were about to depart slowly. The villagers, who until yesterday drove me as a witch and poured out all sorts of hatred, bowed their heads in unison below my feet as if they had made a promise.
"Please forgive our ignorance...!"
"May the Goddess's protection always be with the Saintess on every path she takes!"
"Please allow us to repay the sins we committed with the abundance of this land...!"
The villagers' desperate shouts filled the square. Sitting on the horse and embraced in Lumina's arms, I looked down slowly at the bowing villagers one by one.
Scan...
The children gathered on the roadside stared blankly at me with wide eyes. And the adults bowed their heads deeply and trembled their desperately gathered hands.
"......."
Actually, salvation or whatever, I inadvertently purified it while filling my own self-interest. But still, logically speaking, things worked out well, so isn't that enough?
I took my profit. And they gained peace of mind.
"Don't think you committed a sin. You just wanted to live."
Fiddling with Lumina's arm slightly, I opened my mouth quietly toward the villagers prostrate on the ground.
"Because that desperate heart reached her, the Goddess must have guided my steps here."
As my words muttered without much thought echoed softly throughout the square. Suppressed sobs burst out all at once from among the people lying flat on the ground. Those were not tears of fear, but tears of repentance coming from the relief of finally being saved.
"Ah, ah... Saintess-nim...!"
"How... how can you forgive people like us..."
"We are sinners who deserve to die!"
"We will live a life praying only for the Saintess, repenting for the rest of our lives!"
I said until my mouth wore out that I'm not a Saintess. Why is everyone so anxious not to call me a Saintess? If my identity as a demon is revealed, they will surely rush at me tremendously again saying I deceived them. This undeserved prayer I'm receiving now feels like a prepayment for insults I'll receive in the future, so the mood is quite strange.
"...Come to think of it, May. Where is the chief and what is he doing now?"
"Ah, the chief is lying alone at home right now. The curse seems much worse than yesterday."
The chief who incited the villagers to pour all sorts of verbal abuse on me. But as soon as the tide turned, he crushed his head on the floor and craved a miracle more desperately than anyone else. But that was only for a moment. As soon as Lumina-ssi appeared, he changed his attitude once again and put me in a difficult spot several times.
"What do you want me to do, May?"
"Huh? About what?"
"The chief. You said he's in a lot of pain."
At my calm question, May immediately tilted her head in puzzlement.
"Well... I don't really know. It's pitiful, but the chief did something terrible to Vivian."
"That's not wrong, but honestly, I don't really care what happens to the chief. I don't even care."
"If Vivian says so, I mean..."
Slide
Before May could finish speaking, I indifferently held out a small waterskin I had hidden slightly in my arms to May.
"Do whatever May wants to do. Anyway, it's something that happened inside Trevin Village."
"Uh, uh...?"
"It's right for the people living here to decide the order of the village."
May's eyes widened immediately upon receiving the waterskin bewilderedly.
"Th-this... is Holy Water...?"
"Don't call it Holy Water. It's just water with a purification effect."
"Water with purification effect... It is Holy Water."
He is an old man I don't like in many ways. But honestly, it's a bit much to just let him die like this. He is someone who won't be involved with me anymore anyway. And anyway, he is the chief of this village. It would be the wisest measure to leave the disposal afterward to the villagers' share.
"If it's burdensome, give that waterskin to the surrounding adults. It's okay to sprinkle it on the ground."
"S-sprinkle on the ground...! How can I treat this precious Holy Water..."
May cherished the waterskin with both hands as if handling a holy relic.
"Thank you, Vivian. Thanks to you, the village became peaceful."
"What, with just this much. This, too, must be the Goddess's will."
With that quiet remark as the end. I corrected my posture slightly and finished preparations to head to the Papal State once again.
"All units, depart!"
Captain Orban's thunderous command echoed in the square. At the same time, numerous knights kicked the sides of their horses in unison. The magnificent sound of horseshoes kicking the ground shook the entire Trevin Village roughly for a moment.
"Then I'll be back, May──."
"Have a safe trip, Vivian──."