Chapter 127: Rest (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 127: Rest (2)
Every human being has desires.
What they want may differ depending on how they were born and in what environment they were raised, but the fact that it is, in the end, a desire does not change.
And people want to fulfill their desires.
If it is hunger, they will seek food that suits their palate. If it is greed, they will chase money. If it is lust, they will strive to display their charms to the opposite sex.
This is by no means an immoral act.
After all, human civilization has developed with such desires as its driving force.
The Church, however, teaches that desire is a sin and something to be shunned.
Because desire knows no satisfaction, and chasing it without restraint will one day lead to ruin.
Ophelia was a prime example of this.
Having lived her entire life in the well that was the Church, she became a Saint Candidate and stepped out into the world for the first time.
Unlike the Church, the world was full of all sorts of mysterious, stimulating, and enjoyable things.
Naturally, having never experienced such things, she had no resistance. Like a child seeing a firefly for the first time, she eagerly chased after them.
Unaware that she was a moth flying into a flame.
By the time she realized it, it was too late. Her wings had already been burned away. She could no longer soar high into the sky as before. She could no longer see the beautiful scenery.
All that remained was to live miserably, crawling on the ground like a grub.
People in such situations usually go down one of two paths.
There are those who deny reality, believing they can fly again, and throw themselves off a cliff.
Occasionally, some do manage to fly again, but most fall to their deaths.
Then there are those who accept reality and live the life of a grub.
They may consider themselves miserable, but they can live a more or less human life. Perhaps they might even find a different kind of happiness within it.
So, which of the two did Ophelia belong to?
If I had to choose, she was closer to the first, but with a slight difference.
“It’s okay… It’s okay…”
Because she wasn’t throwing herself off a cliff, but into a new flame.
“It’ll be okay…”
Ophelia scratched her body. She wanted to whip herself, but there was no soundproofing magic in place. And even if she wanted to ask for it, Eri had been so gloomy lately that it was hard to ask.
So, she scratched her body with her fingernails.
Her arms. Her chest. Her stomach. Her waist. Everywhere her hands could reach.
As a result, there wasn't a single spot on her body without a scratch, and the blood from her wounds had stuck grotesquely to her clothes.
“The Hero won’t leave me behind…”
Tears streamed endlessly from her dark, sunken green eyes.
“He was like that back then, too…”
Before the Four Heavenly Kings had descended upon Rufus.
When the archbishop before the last one proposed some unheard-of nun as a Saint Candidate, her Hero had flatly refused.
He had even soothed her when she grew anxious.
So, this time would be no different.
Ophelia repeated this to herself, trying to calm her mind.
“Ophelia, if it’s too hard, it’s okay to let it go.”
It didn’t take long for her to realize what a naive thought that was.
“…What?”
Ophelia froze, Cloud’s words striking her like a bolt from the blue.
*
Having played ‘The Hero’s Party’, I knew.
Ophelia was not suited to be a Saintess. I don’t mean she lacked the ability or character. It’s just that her personality didn’t fit the position.
A Saintess has to endure and persevere through many things, but Ophelia was… well, a very free-spirited person.
She eats what she wants, buys what she wants.
Living with her, I understood that even better.
Besides, even in the game, she never obsessed over the title of Saintess.
She only continued out of fear of the consequences.
Honestly, I thought it was probably the same now.
It’s not like a person can change that easily, and I hadn’t seen Ophelia go to church much lately.
Maybe her faith hit rock bottom after that last incident?
If she didn’t want it, I had no intention of forcing her to play the role of a Saint Candidate.
I’ll just have a word with the Church and make sure she doesn’t face any strange discrimination.
Or she could end her life as a nun and live as a civilian.
She would lose her divine power, but with her high level, she wouldn’t be in any mortal danger as long as she lived carefully.
Ophelia was good-looking and had a kind personality…
Well, she’d probably live a decent life.
At the very least, it would be much better than living under this much stress.
…That’s what I was thinking when I said it, but.
“H-Hero. What do you mean by that…?”
Seeing her not just freeze up but have her hair stand on end, I guessed I might have been wrong.
Or was she just surprised?
“I’m saying that if living as a Saint Candidate is too hard, it’s okay to let it go. Even if you quit, I’ll make arrangements so your life won’t be affected…”
“I’m not quitting!”
Whoa, that startled me.
My eyes widened in surprise. Ophelia flinched, then bowed her head.
“I’m sorry for raising my voice… But I have no intention of quitting as a Saint Candidate. Please let me continue…!”
Her voice was filled with desperation.
She seems serious.
Had her thinking changed from the game?
But if she wanted to be a Saint Candidate, why hadn’t she been going to church?
As I was pondering this, Archbishop Vedic suddenly spoke up.
“I had no idea Lady Ophelia was such a passionate person. It seems this old man has misunderstood, seeing as you haven’t shown your face at the church for some time.”
Looks like the Archbishop was thinking the same thing I was.
“Then how about this? As planned, Lady Marietta will transfer to Sir Cloud’s party, and Lady Ophelia will transfer to Sir Lorian’s party.”
“…What?”
Ophelia’s eyes widened and she tilted her head as if she didn’t understand. I felt about the same. What kind of bullshit was that old geezer spouting with that grin on his face?
“Lady Marietta’s relationship with Sir Lorian’s party has already soured, you see. It would be difficult for her to return. That is why I made such a proposal. You may be a little disappointed, Lady Ophelia, but you can continue to perform good deeds as a Saint Candidate, so isn’t it a good thing?”
“What is this nonsense?! Why should I have to leave Sir Cloud’s side because of something you two arbitrarily decided!”
“Because…”
Archbishop Vedic let out a heavy sigh, as if he were about to say something difficult.
“Because, Lady Ophelia, you lack the competence to serve Sir Cloud.”
“Wh-What did you say…?”
Her eyelids trembled as if in shock. I had been about to intervene, but I stopped when I heard the Archbishop’s words.
Lacking competence, huh.
What did he see to make that judgment?
“You don’t believe me?”
“Of course not!”
“Then I have no choice. I must show you directly. Lady Marietta, I’m sorry to trouble you, but if you would please.”
“Not at all.”
Marietta gave a polite nod, brought her hands together at her chest, and recited a prayer.
A golden radiance formed between her clasped hands. The light briefly enveloped Ophelia before vanishing. But even after the light was gone, she still looked bewildered.
“Lady Marietta. Please show the Hero as well.”
The golden radiance enveloped me.
My mind cleared, my body felt lighter, and my mana was purified. The effect was even better than [All Bless], the buff I usually used.
In ‘The Hero’s Party’, there was only one buff superior to [All Bless].
“Divine Blessing?”
“As expected of the Hero. You recognized it immediately. As you can see, Lady Marietta can use ‘Divine Blessing,’ a power only a select few chosen believers can wield. She can even bestow this blessing upon others.”
The Archbishop praised her, claiming that Marietta was likely the only one on the continent capable of such a feat.
I wasn’t particularly impressed by his words.
And why would I be?
“Ophelia knows how to use this too.”
[Divine Blessing] was a basic skill that any Saint Candidate automatically learned once their level was high enough.
It’s not some ancient blessing hidden away in a dungeon. Making such a fuss over something like this is a bit…
…ridiculous, isn’t it?
That’s what I think.
But it seemed to be unexpected news for the Archbishop and Marietta, judging by how their faces hardened.
I mean, no matter how much you look down on my Ophelia, did you really think she couldn’t even do that?
“Ophelia. Show them.”
Actions speak louder than pathetic words.
I nodded at Ophelia.
But then, the unexpected happened.
Ophelia clamped her mouth shut and began to break out in a cold sweat..!
“Ophelia?”
What are you doing? Hurry up and show them.
You’re making me look like a liar.
“Ophelia??”
Why are you clutching your skirt like that?
And why do you look like your world just ended?
All you have to do is cast the blessing once.
It’s incredibly easy, isn’t it?
After all the hell you went through to learn it, you used to spam it all over the place, didn’t you?
Back then, you wouldn’t stop even when I pulled your hair, you’d just keep wailing and casting it. Why won’t you do it now when I’m telling you to?
“Th-That is…”
“That is?”
“Well…”
“Well?”
As I pressed her, Ophelia’s lips quivered on the verge of tears. After several attempts, she finally managed to speak.
“I-I can’t do it right now—”
“For fuck’s sake, you bitch.”
I shot forward like lightning and smacked Ophelia on the back of the head.
“Where the hell did your levels go?!”