Chapter 468: Proof of Existence (56)
Chapter 468: Proof of Existence (56)
“Your whole body is a mess.”
After our tearful reunion, the Saintess spoke those words with absolute certainty.
I repeatedly clenched and unclenched the hand that had been holding her just moments ago. I felt a lingering sense of dissatisfaction, a thirst for a supple touch that remained unquenched.
But I had just come back from the brink of death.
No matter how dense I could be, I knew how to read the room. Facing the Saintess, who was still dabbing tears from the corners of her eyes with her sleeve, I lowered my head like a sinner.
“Well, I mean… I’m alive, so isn't that what matters…?”
“What matters?”
At my nonchalant response, the corners of the Saintess’s eyes twitched upward.
As if to prove she was truly angry, she huffed and placed her hands on her hips.
The way she turned her face away with an exaggerated “Hmph!” was quite lovely.
Perhaps this was her way of acting cute.
A faint smile naturally formed on my lips.
“Do you have any idea how hard I worked to save you? You suddenly collapsed, and no matter how much divine power I poured into you, there was no sign of improvement… I had to lug that muscular frame of yours all the way down the mountain, panting the whole time!”
Hmm, I swallowed a groan, imagining the Saintess struggling to carry me.
It was a relief she had learned martial arts; otherwise, it would have been an impossible feat. The body of a trained swordsman was composed of dense muscle, making it far heavier than it looked.
She must have suffered quite a bit.
Yet, for some reason, I found it more amusing than pitiable. Was it because the image of the Saintess dragging me along with a flushed face felt so endearing?
If I spoke my honest thoughts, I’d likely get scolded.
So, I decided to quickly change the subject.
“By the way, where are we? It looks like a hospital room, but…”
“It’s a temporary residence I secured in the Holy Kingdom.”
The Saintess’s answer came without hesitation, as if she had been waiting for the question.
Her elegant voice glided smoothly through the air.
“Your condition was so critical that I obtained support from the Holy Kingdom to find a suitable place. Now that you’re awake, it’s about time we started packing up.”
“What about the others?”
At my worried tone, the Saintess let out a shallow, airy laugh.
Her attitude suggested she had expected that question.
“You don’t need to worry. I heard they cleared out the Dark Cult’s hideout with support from the nearby temples. They’re probably back at the Academy by now, waiting for you.”
Phew. I exhaled a sigh of relief for the second time today.
That was a relief. It seemed no one else was seriously injured.
Elsie Senior likely took care of Reynold’s body. Since there was no news of further attacks, it seemed Liana Celine had also returned safely to the Academy.
The fact that I had escaped alone, leaving the three of them behind, had been weighing heavily on my mind.
Just as I was about to regain my smile, I noticed the Saintess’s wistful gaze.
The face of the Saintess, quietly smiling, was as beautiful as ever. She was a woman whose beauty alone was enough to make her name known across the entire continent.
To be sharing a conversation with such a woman in a private room…
It was a luxurious audience, but my heart was not at ease.
I wondered how she was feeling.
After a moment of hesitation, a cautious inquiry finally escaped my lips.
“…And you, Saintess?”
“Yes?”
“How are you doing?”
At first, she tilted her head as if feigning ignorance, but she couldn't ignore the question when I asked again.
Her shoulders, which had momentarily stiffened in surprise, slumped.
Anyone could see her heart was heavy.
“Is it that obvious?”
“Slightly. To the point where no one but me would notice.”
At my banter, the Saintess offered a bitter smile.
To be betrayed by someone who was like family…
I couldn't even begin to imagine how that felt.
“I’m… okay now. Though I still have nightmares at night…”
“Should I sleep beside you?”
Smack! The Saintess’s palm struck my forearm.
Since my wounds hadn't fully healed, I had to stifle a scream. The Saintess glared at me, but she couldn't hide her flushing face.
“You’re hopeless, really… Anyway, I’m better than I was a few days ago. You don’t have to worry so much.”
“But…”
“Worry about your own body first, Ian.”
When I still couldn't shake my concern, the Saintess spoke with a suddenly serious expression.
Her eyes were firm, as if she would permit no disagreement.
“Absolutely, no matter what happens, you must rest. Don’t go poking your nose into things again, drunk on some useless sense of justice.”
“Hey, calling it a useless sense of justice is a bit…”
“Promise me.”
The Saintess’s expression was stricter than ever before.
I could feel her determination to extract a vow from me through her gaze alone.
“Absolutely, no matter what, you will prioritize your recovery.”
“Well, I don’t know what might happen in the future…”
“Promise.”
How could I ever win against her?
In the end, I sighed and held out my pinky finger. Only after she had firmly hooked hers and confirmed the vow did she stand up with a satisfied smile.
A bewildered voice escaped my lips.
“Are you leaving already?”
“Yes, my treatment isn't finished yet. And we can’t use this place forever…”
As she spoke, the Saintess gave me a charming, subtle wink.
It was a sign telling me not to worry.
“I’ll see you later, Ian.”
There was something strangely lingering about her back as she turned.
My brow furrowed for a moment. Just before I could call out to stop her—
The Saintess’s footsteps halted abruptly.
She stood there in silence for a long time.
The silence was broken just as I, flustered, was about to say something.
“…Ian.”
Her lowered voice was exceptionally heavy.
Even more confused, I kept my mouth shut.
The Saintess’s confession followed.
“From now on, I’m going to do something very selfish. And honestly, it’s something I shouldn't do as a Saintess.”
“What on earth are you planning to—?”
My question was cut short.
The Saintess, who had turned back and walked toward me without hesitation, grabbed me by the collar.
And in that split second—
The lips of the man and woman met.
There was no sticky caressing or messy exchange of saliva. It was a very short, pure, and simple kiss.
Because of that, I was even more speechless.
I only wished this moment would last forever. But unfortunately, time is fair to everyone.
Soon, the Saintess’s face pulled away from mine. Her sweet breath, her flushed cheeks, and her soft pink eyes gazing at me with deep affection…
In an instant, my world was filled with this woman.
“I like you.”
The woman bared her heart with a smile clearer than ever before.
“I love you, Ian.”
It was a declaration so certain there was no room for doubt.
The Saintess didn't even wait for my answer. She simply turned around and hurried away, leaving me behind.
I could only stare blankly at her retreating figure.
And that was the last time.
The next day, the Saintess was referred to a religious trial and imprisoned in the Papacy’s underground dungeon.
On charges of betraying humanity.
It was a sin that could only be paid for with one's life.
*
The Academy was desolate, haunted by grim rumors.
The Saintess had betrayed humanity.
The fall of one of the rising heroes who had been subjugating the Dark Cult gave rise to countless stories. Not just in the Academy, but across the entire continent, there wasn't a place where rumors of the Saintess didn't circulate.
Even now, weren't they reaching my ears as I sat there, dazed?
However, the woman chattering beside me had a more malicious edge, constantly mocking me to get a reaction.
A woman with striking silver hair and silver eyes.
One of the Sun and Moon of the Alphenhauser family, Sienne Alphenhauser. Beside her sat Luna Senior, her bangs grown long enough to cover her eyes.
Being identical twins, they looked remarkably similar, but their attitudes were worlds apart.
Sienne Senior was incessantly grating on my nerves with her chatter. Meanwhile, Luna was breaking out in a cold sweat, trying to dissuade Sienne with frantic eye signals.
It was a wise judgment. I was on the verge of pulling out my hand axe.
“Hehe, didn't I tell you? You should have sold out the Saintess long ago! Back then, you were so furious you pulled out your hand axe, and now look at this mess. You came back with nothing but a broken body! She’s as good as dead anyway, puhuhu…”
“…Nothing has been decided yet.”
In a fit of pique, I spoke with a piercing gaze.
“The trial hasn't even started. There’s a possibility she’ll be found innocent…”
“How naive.”
Sienne Senior let out a soft smile.
It was a more seductive smile than I had ever seen from her.
“Do you still not get it? The trial is a mere formality. The Dark Cult’s hideout was exposed, and it was filled with traces of horrific crimes and betrayal… The people’s faith in the Papacy is wavering. No, it’s about time they started asking: Does God truly exist?”
Striking an exaggerated pose like a stage actress, Sienne Senior continued her explanation with excitement.
“They need a scapegoat to reclaim that wavering faith. And it just so happens that a high-ranking figure, someone who was practically the closest confidant, was involved with the Dark Cult…”
“And you’re saying that’s the Saintess?”
“Isn't it provocative?”
Sienne Senior countered my question. For a moment, I was at a loss for words.
“The virgin most beloved by the Heavenly God! The Saintess, famous for her God-given beauty, suffering on a cross… There aren't many stories more provocative than that, Ria Percus.”
“S-Sister… that’s the younger sister’s name…”
“This is human nature.”
Completely ignoring Luna Senior’s correction, Sienne Senior continued with a meaningful smile.
“When humans see someone trip on the street, they feel like kicking them. When a hawk soaring through the sky falls to the ground, humans are the species that can be the most cruel. Everyone desires a fall, a ruin.”
“Just to satisfy such base desires…!”
“Is that not allowed?”
She sounded as if she truly didn't understand the problem.
I opened my mouth to speak but stopped. There was nowhere to release the fire burning in my chest.
“Not just humans, but all living creatures live to satisfy their own desires. It’s just that humans, having intellect, can be more cruel and malicious… The Saintess was simply chosen as the snack. Since ancient times, a suffering body has always provided entertainment.”
“You’re quite the cynic. Do you hate humans that much?”
“Quite the opposite. I love them dearly.”
With a wink and a smile, Sienne Senior placed a hand over her heart and declared:
“I love the ugliness of humanity. Every merchant does… I hope you realize this someday, Roan Berias.”
“Sister, I’m telling you again, this is Sir Ian Percus…”
“Is there no way?”
It was a desperate question.
Sienne Senior and Luna Senior both stared at me with wide eyes. They clearly hadn't expected me to ask for advice so directly.
Honestly, I didn't care who it was.
I wanted to save the Saintess by any means necessary. If the Alphenhauser twins weren't here, I would have grabbed anyone passing by on the street and asked the same thing.
If there was any way to save the Saintess.
“There must be at least one way to save her…”
“Why do you think the clergy are so sensitive to the claim that God doesn't exist?”
Sienne Senior spoke with a smile that was somewhere between a sneer and a taunt.
“Because they think He might actually not exist. That’s why they act as fierce as a cat whose weakness has been discovered… That is how fragile faith is.”
The merchant’s sweet whisper continued.
“Can you show them a miracle great enough to restore that tarnished faith?”
With a giggle, the woman’s voice drifted away. Sienne Senior still wore an expression of intense curiosity.
“Good luck. I heard the Pope and the Saint themselves will participate in the Saintess’s trial. Hehe, that’s the only way to make the justification stick. If you’re not careful, you might end up watching the Saintess’s body sizzle as it roasts… Eek! Put—put that hand axe away right now!”
She had tested the limits of my patience until the very end, so she eventually had to face my hand axe.
And a few days later.
“…Are you insane?”
Sienne Senior spoke with a look of utter disbelief, while I maintained an even more brazen expression.
“I am going to defeat the Saint.”
The trial was already tomorrow.
I decided to borrow the power of the Alphenhausers.
In exchange for brokering the deal for the demonic beast corpses not long ago.
Sienne Senior slapped her palm against her forehead.
She looked as if she couldn't even begin to fathom what had happened over the past few days.