The Saintess and Sloth [7]
A pleasant sense of fullness filled the living room.
After the meal, we sat around the table sipping tea. White steam rose from the hot teacups, and beyond it, on the carpet, Lulu was spending time with Mimi.
"Mimiii, thiiiis... meeeat. Daaaaddy made it, Daaaaddy cooked it. Nom nom! Belly full, right?"
Lulu kept bringing tiny bits of the soft meat I'd eaten to Mimi's mouth, whispering as if she wanted to share its warmth. Her laughter rang out so peacefully it made the earlier tension seem like a distant memory.
I leaned deeply back into the chair and set my teacup down. Se Rena and Lian, sitting across from me, finally looked a bit more relaxed.
Se Rena in particular seemed captivated by the deep aroma of the tea she'd never tasted before. She carefully lifted her cup, took a sip, and let out a long breath. The languid scent, unknown even in the Holy Kingdom, was melting away her tension. Lian, too, rolled her stiff shoulders and gazed into her cup, lost in thought for a moment.
"Yeah. Good work."
A lazy murmur slipped from my lips. The saintess's holy power had cleanly healed not just the ugly scars on Lulu's surface, but even her damaged internal organs. It couldn't fully restore the life force worn away by the limits of holy power, but removing the pain that had been tormenting the child right away was more than satisfying from my perspective.
Lian had silently endured the cracks in her faith while watching the process, and Se Rena had poured everything into caring for Lulu. In the end, their coming here on their own had saved me quite a bit of effort. I'd originally planned to raid the Holy Kingdom myself to drag a saintess out and fix Lulu.
Even though it was the child who had summoned the 'demon'—their arch-enemy—they hadn't turned a blind eye to the suffering before them out of religious hatred or prejudice. That goodwill deserved reward. Unlike those filthy bastards who had trampled Lulu, these two had set aside even their convictions to bring my daughter peace.
Clink.
With a faint sound, I set my teacup back on its saucer.
Still leaning deeply into the chair, I opened my mouth toward the two pairs of eyes watching me.
"As promised, time for your reward. What do you want?"
It was just a plain question, but the air in the living room shifted in an instant the moment I spoke.
"No need to feel burdened. Just showing proper respect to those who made my daughter comfortable."
At my added, straightforward kindness, the eyes of the two, who had been savoring their tea, began to tremble fiercely again. A reward from someone like me—an absolute being, even if a demon—could shift the continent's balance or be the salvation they desperately craved.
Well, what gift will they pick?
I rested my chin on my hand, observing them with keen interest. Faced with this miraculous chance, what desire would a human reveal?
In the flowing silence, only Lulu's bright humming softly scratched at the quiet. Perhaps drawing courage from that sound, Se Rena finally lifted her head after staring into her rippling teacup for a long while.
Beyond the fear in her eyes lay a firm resolve.
"I..."
Her lips slowly parted, uttering her cautious first words. Se Rena's voice flowed low and steady through the room.
"..."
I froze, teacup in hand.
As the contents of her requested 'gift' trickled into my ears one by one, my calm eyes rippled faintly. It wasn't the obvious power, the Holy Kingdom's safety, or some petty greed like extending her own life.
I listened silently until she finished. At last, my eyes widened a bit more than usual.
"...Huh."
A satisfied smile—no, one laced with a pleasant sense of defeat—curved thinly at my lips.
I'd thought she was just a simple zealot.
"...Not bad."
A pleased, languid remark slipped from my lips.
*
Whoooosh—!
A soft white light poured from an old wooden box buried in the trash heap. After a long wait, the firmly sealed barrier finally opened, and people began to emerge.
"Saintess! Lian!"
Gawayne and Kai kicked up dust as they rushed over. They fussed noisily, checking every inch of the saintess and Lian for injuries.
"Saintess! Why is your face so pale? Did that demon do something to you? He didn't grab your wrist or anything, did he? Just say the word—I'll purify this whole trash heap right now!"
As Gawayne spun around the saintess shouting, Kai grabbed Lian's shoulder and shook it just as vigorously.
"Lian! Hey, snap out of it! Why are your eyes so glazed? What hell did you see in there? No way... that monster didn't hit you, right? Hey! Say something!"
"...Haa."
Lian brushed off Kai's hand irritably and let out a deep, weary sigh, while Se Rena pressed her throbbing brow and murmured softly.
"Enough. You're being too rowdy."
"But Saintess, your face is way too pale! What on earth happened in there...? Are you okay?!"
As Gawayne raised his voice even more in a panic, a lazy yet heavy voice came from behind.
"Loud. You're making every fuss imaginable."
"Demon! You dare...!"
Gawayne whirled around, gripping his sword hilt in fury—but he froze. A small human child was clinging to the demon's neck, who was radiating killing intent.
"...!"
The moment he saw the terrified child hugging the demon's neck tightly, Gawayne instinctively toned down his aura. He couldn't emit a bloody energy in front of a kid, so he awkwardly twisted his face.
"Uh... heh... heh heh..."
At Gawayne's painfully awkward laugh, Lulu hugged my neck tighter and whispered.
"D-Daaaaddy, more scary people..."
"It's fine. Ignore them. Just think of them as air."
"A-Aiiiir? Daaaaddy, what's aiiiir?"
As I chatted softly with the child, Kai sidled up to Lian and asked quietly.
"You really okay? Why's the Saintess so pale?"
"She overused her holy power healing the child. Please bring the carriage here."
"Uh, uh... sure!"
Kai fumbled, handing Lian his outer coat before dashing off to fetch the carriage. Meanwhile, Gawayne composed himself and approached Se Rena.
"Whew... Saintess, uh... there's a message from the Holy Kingdom."
"At this hour?"
The content was about as expected. The demon forces had fully retreated, and the hero alliance gathered for the demon king's subjugation had dispersed. Se Rena listened quietly, then slowly furrowed her brow.
"...They might all know by now. How long ago did this news arrive?"
"About two hours."
Se Rena calculated the distances from the holy city streets, the front lines where the heroes were, and here, then murmured softly.
"Might know? No, they know. By now."
"Know what?"
At my question, Se Rena sighed troubledly and answered.
"Ah... it seems the other factions have caught on to the 'void's existence.'"
Void. Oh, she means me.
Other bastards know I exist? Thinking it over, it made sense.
There were as many demons as there were angels on the opposing side, and recalling what Lucian had said, plenty of gods were meddling on this continent too.
Seeing me lost in thought, Se Rena added an explanation.
"Each faction worships different gods. Excluding our Holy Kingdom, there are three noteworthy ones. First is the empire's hero's camp. They receive the blessing of the war god Barat, and many other gods have chosen the hero, so they hold the most blessings on the continent."
Her eyes grew heavy.
"Next is the guardian of Elvenheim's sacred tree. A thousand-year-old elf under the world tree's protection, skilled in magic. They were directly combating the demon invasion but have now withdrawn, so their movements are uncertain. Last is the beastkin alliance's shamaness. She serves the beast god and has blessings specialized in close combat."
Se Rena stared straight at me in warning.
"They're probably starting to move to fill the 'void' that is you."
I asked without hiding my annoyance.
"Expected moves?"
Se Rena hesitated a moment before replying.
"Well. The sacred tree guardian stays in their place by nature, so they won't move easily. The beast shamaness will tighten defenses and watch the situation first. The problem is... the hero."
"In what way?"
"Not so much the hero's own will, but the god dwelling in him... Lord Barat is a bit hot-blooded, aggressive in personality. Plus, countless other gods linger around the hero, each voicing their own commands, so it'll be the biggest variable. They might charge straight here... haa, this part's really unpredictable."
Se Rena sank into deep thought. I clicked my tongue inwardly at her words.
...Sounds annoying.
I'd just started a peaceful daily life with Lulu, and now some hothead worshipper was getting involved. Then, Se Rena very cautiously spoke up.
"Um... if you meet the hero, please don't hate him too much."
As I turned with a puzzled look, Se Rena added with a wry smile.
"Well... he's a pitiful one."
"How so?"
"The hero is the only one who can hear the gods' voices directly. Normally, receiving a divine oracle requires thorough preparation. Even I can barely get a revelation after a purification ritual, and the sacred tree guardian or shamaness are the same. But the hero... it's like the gods' voices just slam into his head without any ritual or burden."
I twitched an eyebrow.
"So?"
"The problem is... they don't stop. They keep coming nonstop. Countless gods chose him, and they compete to call out to him, issuing their own commands. Imagine tens of thousands of voices tearing through your brain day and night without rest..."
Se Rena trailed off, unable to finish. A head screaming with dozens of gods at once. I stroked Lulu's fidgeting head in my arms and thought.
Ah... that's not just normally annoying. That's fucking insane.
If a guy with a head like that showed up and went berserk, no talking would get through. My head was already starting to throb.
Just then, Kai's hurriedly driven carriage appeared in the distance.
"Waaah! Carriaaage!"
Lulu, nestled in my arms, sparkled at the sight. To a child who'd only known a crude wooden box, the big carriage was a wondrous spectacle in itself.
I stroked Lulu's head and thought.
Oh, nicer than I expected?
The carriage stopped right in front of Se Rena. Lian approached first, supporting the exhausted saintess.
"Saintess, you should rest inside even if just a little."
"Thank you, Lady Lian."
Se Rena replied with a tired face, then looked at me to bid farewell.
"We'll head back now."
"Yeah. Go handle what you need to. War's on pause, right?"
At my words, Se Rena's expression chilled in an instant. As if recalling the Holy Kingdom's internal corruption and those who ignored this incident.
"Yes. That's the plan."
She bowed her head slightly in polite courtesy.
"Then we'll take our leave."
Gawayne and Kai looked flustered by the sudden parting, but Lian calmly opened the carriage door and waited for Se Rena.
Snap—!
I lightly snapped my fingers, and the air around the carriage rippled as my Sloth Force infused it.
"This is on the house. What you asked for hardly counts as a reward anyway."
A subtle mana enveloped the entire carriage, dramatically boosting both comfort and defense. Se Rena noticed my consideration and smiled gratefully.
She waved warmly at Lulu.
"Lulu, big sis is going. Stay healthy and happy. Let's meet again soon."
Lulu peeked out from my arms and gave a polite bow as I'd taught her.
"Thaaank youuu! Big sis stay safe toooo!"
Se Rena smiled once more at Lulu's greeting, then suddenly turned to me as if remembering something.
"Where will you go now?"
"Thinking of heading to the empire. Heard they got good food."
"Yes, unlike our Holy Kingdom, they have stimulating, varied dishes. But before that, the void..."
"Call me Natae. Void my ass."
Se Rena's eyes widened slightly at my words. She soon smiled and nodded.
"It'd be good if Lord Natae adjusted your appearance a bit. Your hair resembles demons, and your eyes aren't human, so you might get dragged into trouble."
"I know. That was my plan too."
Se Rena took one last look at Lulu before boarding. Lian, now in full armor, gave Lulu a brief farewell.
"I hope you find happiness, Lulu."
Lian mounted her horse with a thoughtful expression. Gawayne and Kai returned to their positions, and with the saintess's final wave, the carriage slowly pulled away.
On the road where the dust settled, only Lulu, Mimi, and I remained. I murmured softly, watching the departing carriage.
"Alright... shall we make our camping car?"
I picked up Lulu and snapped my fingers at the receding carriage.
Snap—!
My Sloth Force pierced the air, perfectly replicating the carriage's form.
"Waaah! Daaaaddy! Carriaaage! Carriaaage!"
Lulu's eyes sparkled at our new camping car.
It resembled Se Rena's but exuded a simpler, sturdier vibe in sleek black.
I smiled satisfactorily at Lulu's reaction.