[No title provided]
My advice must have been pretty effective, because the saintess's anxiety symptoms eased up much faster than I'd expected. She still got tense around strangers or other men, but the fact that it didn't escalate to full-blown terror like before was a clear sign of major improvement.
That said, going back to the church was still something she really dreaded, so she decided to stay at our house for the remaining vacation period.
"Oh my…… it's fine, it's fine~ Just treat it like your own home and relax~ We can put our son in the storage shed, so don't worry about the room~"
"Mother?"
Thankfully, Mom's plan to shove her own flesh and blood into the basement didn't come to fruition, but I nearly ended up sleeping on the living room couch for the rest of the time. The saintess felt bad and offered to take the couch herself, but I couldn't just treat a patient like that, so I volunteered to make it my bed.
"Th-then…… just sleep with me……."
"?"
The phrasing was a bit off, but she meant sharing my bed and the floor in my room. Staying at someone else's house and taking the host's bed must have made her feel incredibly guilty. Her old personality might have let her claim my room without a second thought, but after that huge incident, the now super timid saintess seemed to fret over even the smallest things.
I'd planned to firmly refuse at first, but considering she might have nightmares or a PTSD episode in the middle of the night and act out, I couldn't rule it out. To prevent that, I was about to accept her offer.
"Alright, then we'll do th—"
"S-sleep in my room!"
"Huh?"
But Luna, who'd been fidgeting anxiously while watching the whole thing, jumped in and offered to let the saintess stay in her room.
"You sure? You hate anyone barging into your room."
As far as I remembered, Luna despised anyone entering her room without permission. Once, out of curiosity, I'd tried sneaking in and got caught—she beat the crap out of me, and I'd never gone near it since. What kind of massive secret was she hiding to act like that……?
"Sh-she's a girl, same as me. So…… it should be fine…… right."
"Ah, got it."
Guess she'd been blocking me because of a teenage girl's delicate sensitivities. Come to think of it, girls that age are super sensitive in all sorts of ways.
"Then let's do that until you head back next week. That okay with you, Saintess?"
"P-pardon? Oh…… yes…… that's fine……."
"Don't worry too much. She might look a bit fierce, but Luna's great at housework and taking care of people despite appearances."
"Hey! Cut the unnecessary qualifiers!"
This was pure, unadulterated fact. If there were a World Maid Championships, Luna would snag first or second place easy. Her parents—old family friends—were master butler and maid material that high nobles and the royals would kill to hire, if not for their vow to serve our territory. Even the princesses had been impressed the whole time they stayed here. That said it all.
"W-well then, sorry, but excuse me for a bit……."
"Ugh…… sure."
And so Luna dragged Hertia off to show her around her room.
Hmm. Should be fine, right?
Luna was a voluntary loner with no close friends besides me and Polo, and Hertia had turned into a total shut-in after that series of events. I had no idea what kind of result this meeting of two loners would bring at the time.
* * *
"C-come…… in……!"
Luna, who'd volunteered to show the saintess—Hertia—her room, told her to wait a sec before heading inside. Soon after, a massive crash echoed out, followed by a huge clatter.
About five minutes later, a sweat-drenched Luna opened the door and invited her in. Hertia, flustered but composed, stepped inside.
It looked like any other girl's room. Unlike her own sparse, austere space, this one was cute and cozy, filling Hertia with envy and longing.
"Saint…… ness, you sleep on the bed. I'll just lay out a blanket on the floor."
"N-no, I couldn't! How could I make the host do that? I'll take the floor! Is this the closet?"
"W-wait—!"
Hertia urgently shot down Luna's offer to yield the bed and went hunting for the bedding to sleep on the floor. She yanked open what looked like a closet door.
"Wha…… wha……! Eek!"
Crash!
A pile of junk inside tumbled out, burying her.
"A-are you okay!?"
"Ow ow…… I'm fine. No injuries, so don't worry. But these are……."
Then Hertia naturally started inspecting the stuff that had fallen with her.
"Pens, cups…… this is…… men's underwear……?"
"Hiiik!!"
Luna rushed over, snatched the item Hertia was eyeing, and glared at her with heaving breaths. The silent pressure screaming don't you dare say a word was too much for Hertia to meet head-on.
But from the scattered items, Hertia realized they all belonged to one person.
"Um…… do you like…… Mars, Luna?"
"……Ugh."
No verbal answer, but the obvious reaction confirmed it. A sharp pang stabbed Hertia's chest.
……What is this?
Too fleeting to dwell on amid the chaos, she pushed the sting aside. Thinking this might be a way to repay Mars for saving her, Hertia made Luna an offer.
"Um, Luna. If you like Mars, I have a proposal."
"Sniff…… what is it……."
"Don't you want to…… go to the academy?"
"……But they only accept nobles or talented commoners."
Luna was close to Mars, sure, but she was a commoner maid with no magic or sword talent, no specialized knowledge. Getting into the academy was impossible.
"Well…… my handmaid can't work anymore due to circumstances. I'm looking for someone new to attend me. The church folks feel off, and hiring just anyone worries me…… If you're okay with it, would you come to the academy with me?"
* * *
"Hey, Jelros! Heard you botched the mission! That chronic issue of yours flared up again and you tanked it big time, huh?"
"Shut your trap, Gula, before I sew it shut so you can't stuff food in it for life."
"Ooh~ Scary~"
At the Heaven God Cult executives' gathering spot, those summoned by the sub-cult leader were killing time by teasing Jelros, who'd failed to eliminate the saintess.
"I knew it when you started yapping about that shitty hobby. Knew your fucked-up mindset would screw the job from the start!"
"You bastard!"
He'd acted all confident at the execution site, vowing a rematch before leaving. But in truth, Jelros was on edge about failing the saintess hit.
They'd sent him—master of mind manipulation—for tight security and minimal fuss, but his unique hobby wasted time, and he not only failed to kill her but got marked by an Aura Lord.
Damn it! Who'd have dreamed that guy would help the saintess!!
Empowered by 'Him,' Jelros was strong, but Aura Lords were untouchable. If that punk hadn't let his guard down, Jelros's main body—not a clone—would've been done for.
"Enough chatter."
A man stepped in to stop their bickering. The self-proclaimed sub-cult leader appeared wrapped head to toe in black cloth, as always.
The executives bowed their heads in respect.
"Skip the greetings. Straight to business."
Whoosh— He pointed right at Jelros, who flinched.
"You failed the plan. Years of work down the drain. I remember you gloating it'd be your masterpiece."
"……!!"
"But that's old news. The saintess's power is no longer a real threat."
Their Madness power's worst foe was holy power, and the saintess—practically its embodiment—was rat poison to them. They'd wanted her dead quick.
"Not anymore. We have a sure counter to that holy power."
"Th-then—!"
"Jelros. Stand by until the next order."
"Wait, I—!"
"No objections……."
"!!"
"Allowed."
The overwhelming pressure from the sub-cult leader made Jelros back down, ending the standoff anticlimactically.
Jelros wasn't weak as an executive, specialized in emotion manipulation and illusions. But the sub-cult leader's strength was so overwhelming, even the execs hesitated to challenge him.
"Good. It won't be long until the next order, so don't take it too hard. Punishment is punishment, after all."
"……Yes."
The others smirked at his deflated look, but the sub-cult leader shut them down. Jelros bit his lip in secret frustration.
"Finally…… the day we've awaited draws near."
His killing intent dominated the room, laced with ecstatic glee that pierced the six executives' hearts.
At the sub-cult leader's declaration signaling full operations, they each salivated over their envisioned nightmares.
"All for……."
the future 'we' desire.