Chapter 8. Saintess and Knight (1)
Chapter 8. Saintess and Knight (1)
Chapter 8. Saintess and Knight
Just because I was connected to the Being Above didn't mean I understood everything.
Because the conversation hadn't gone on at length like a conversation between people.
Most of it was simply things I'd instinctively grasped while looking at that light.
For example, first, about this body.
This body—that is, I—am connected to what's up there.
That wasn't figurative; I meant it literally. Ordinary people are, of course, born from other people. You might not know who your parents are, but you still have to have parents. Even if you were born through something like artificial insemination rather than sex, there still has to be someone whose genes you inherited.
Whether you were abandoned by your parents or your parents died in an accident, if you trace it back, you should be able to find out who's above you. But that's not the case for me.
When I try to recall my earliest memory in this world, I simply appeared in this world out of nowhere.
I am, literally, a medium connected to that being beyond. That being whom the people of this world think of as "God" and worship sent me to this world out of some necessity.
And, perhaps, that was my choice.
I'm not certain yet. It's not as certain as the fact that I'm a medium connected to what's beyond. It just means I can make that kind of inference.
"......."
Hm.
After quietly staring up at the ceiling and organizing my thoughts, I slowly got up from my spot.
The room I was using was no different from before. The room provided by the Gnome Government.
......However, the attitude toward me here had changed a little.
The emotion I felt most strongly was, of course, "bewilderment."
Why on earth? For what reason had I risked my life to solve the Gnomes' problem? At a glance, to solve a problem that wasn't immediately dangerous?
It was certainly a great help to the Gnomes. In the process of the monster turning back into sand and collapsing, a thick sand island had formed in the middle of the oasis, but that sand would probably slowly return to its original place over time, and even if you quibbled over it, the area wasn't enough to be a major problem.
The Gnomes, who had to draw nearly all their drinking water from deep underground, now had a water source they could draw from outside. On top of that, in a situation where the population was effectively saturated, they'd also secured the conditions to go back outside and live.
But, then, what was the price for that?
I said it was fine, but the Church wouldn't stay quiet, and the government wouldn't stay quiet. In fact, the Gnomes had probably spoken without expecting me to go this far.
"It's turned into a case of getting ripped off."
No, more than that—forced sale?
My goal had been to prevent a future situation in advance. Well, the political issues would be handled by the people up top.
"......."
Ria, who would normally have chimed in with a jab at a remark like that, was now saying nothing at all.
I turned my body onto my side and looked toward Ria.
Ria was lying facing the wall, not me. Her shoulders were moving regularly, but it was hard to tell whether that was because she was asleep or not.
......I think I showed her something I shouldn't have. Knowing Ria's personality, seeing me in that state right in front of her eyes must have been an enormous shock to her.
I think we'd gotten fairly close. Probably close enough to call each other friends.
Depending on the person, the concept of "friend" can differ somewhat. Some people think "friend" is just "friend" and don't distinguish between closer and less close, while others place gradations under the concept of friend based on how much closer you are.
The former isn't that common.
And the Ria I knew took a long time to even consider someone a "friend," but after that, she fell into the "former" category.
"......Ria."
I carefully called out to Ria. Her back didn't so much as twitch.
"Are you asleep?"
Again, there was no answer.
I'd briefly lost consciousness, so I had no memory at all of how that situation had unfolded.
Could the wounds on my body have healed on their own? Could they have closed before all the blood drained out of my body and I died?
Or had I survived thanks to the chocolate Ria gave me?
"I'll have to make more chocolate."
Well, whatever the case, it was certain that the Holy Power I'd stored separately had played a big role in my quick recovery. Setting aside whether I'd survived or not, it had definitely made me heal faster.
At my words, Ria's shoulders finally reacted. Considering she flinched just a little, Ria seemed to be somewhat embarrassed about that situation.
Was she embarrassed to hear thanks for saving my life?
"......Ah-ha."
To be precise, that probably wasn't it.
Ria had apparently been terrified that I might die. So she'd somehow shoved chocolate into my mouth, held me, and cried.
That was the key point.
Ria had actually cried. At least, it was the first time I'd seen Ria cry. Even including everything from the novel.
Of course she'd be embarrassed.
"Ria, actually, back then—"
"......Hey."
But I couldn't tease her about it any further. The voice Ria used to call me was quite, how should I put it.
It sounded very much like a warning.
"......."
But Ria, who had opened her mouth as if to actually warn me about something, didn't continue right away and hesitated.
Wasn't she going to say something like, "If you say any more, I won't let it slide"?
Ria was silent for a long while before finally opening her mouth.
"How much do you remember?"
That voice bounced once off the wall Ria was facing, then came toward me.
"How much?"
"I mean, back then."
"Hm."
How much did I remember exactly? So.......
I'd shoved Ria and knocked her down, and my abdomen had been pierced here and there by the attack. Actually, if the angle had been off by just a little, it would have pierced my heart exactly, so it wasn't that far down. Thinking about it again, it was enough to send a chill down my spine.
And then—it had started to collapse.
The sandbags I'd thrown in were called sand, but each and every one of them was also a Sacred Object properly consecrated by me.
After all that chaos, the bags must have burst too, and naturally those small Sacred Objects would have spread throughout the lake, mixing in and doing their job.
They probably flowed all the way to what could be called the oasis's water source.
On top of that, an enormous amount of Mana must have gone into making the Mana Orbs. And since I'd purified all of their cores, except for the attack that flew at me as a final desperate struggle, there would have been no "focal point" left.
So—everything else collapsed. The monster's body where we'd been slowly crumbled and sank, becoming a shallow sand island, and the lake's water slowly became clear.
I'd lost consciousness, then woken up. There was chocolate in my mouth, and my body had been healed.
"Up to there."
"......Is that so?"
At my answer, Ria let out a breath as if somewhat relieved. Though I couldn't see her expression.
"Why?"
For some reason, at my question, Ria flinched her shoulders and then froze.
.......
Ah, it's my fault.
From Ria's perspective, that scene could truly have been traumatic. Especially since Ria had experienced losing someone precious before.
I realized I'd been careless.
"......I'm sorry."
I spoke carefully toward Ria's back.
"Sorry for what?"
Ria asked in a slightly angry voice.
"I...... well."
But I didn't know what exactly to apologize for. I had saved Ria, after all...... If I called that a mistake, it would only mean I should have let Ria die.
In that brief moment, it had been the best move I could make. Pulling her back or pushing her from the side would have ultimately given Ria an opening to be hit by that attack.
"......I'm sorry."
In the end, I apologized again like that.
Ria abruptly sat up from her spot. At that sight, I flinched my shoulders again.
It seemed like Ria wanted to sit and talk, so I started to get up too—
There was a sound of cloth fluttering, and then red covered my vision.
Ria's hair.
"......."
I stared blankly for a moment, then carefully spoke toward Ria.
"Hey, Ria, I get that you're angry, but this position is a bit."
Ria hadn't climbed on top of me, but she was looking straight down at my face as I lay there.
Though Ria's hair was short, so it didn't touch my face.
It was night, so it was dim.
But thanks to the moonlight seeping in through the window, I could see Ria's expression clearly.
Ria looked like she was about to cry.
"Hey."
"......Y-yes?"
"What do you think I am?"
"......You're Ria."
"No, not that."
"......."
I thought I knew what Ria wanted to say.
"......A knight. My knight."
"What do you think that knight's job is?"
"......Protecting me."
"Right."
Ria said, looking straight at me.
"That's right. In a situation where you're about to die, I die instead. That's my job."
"......."
I couldn't agree.
"That, at least, I can't accept."
"What?"
At my answer, the ends of Ria's eyebrows shot up.
She looked like she was about to get angry any second, but I thought I had to say one thing clearly.
"That a knight exists to die."
I looked at Ria.
"Protecting me isn't about dying. If Ria dies, who's going to protect me next?"
No, more than that.
Haven't we only known each other for a few months? What do you mean, you'd die? There's a limit even to professional dedication.
"......Then, the next knight—"
"Right now, my only knight is Ria."
"......."
At my words, Ria forgot what she was going to say.
Even if I get called stubborn, I had to say this one thing.
"The reason I accepted Ria as my knight is because I trust Ria. Have you ever seen me trust other people as much as I trust Ria?"
"......No, I haven't."
"See."
When I sat up, Ria hastily moved away. What, she'd been in a position like she was about to headbutt me, and then suddenly got scared?
"Let's talk about this a bit seriously."
I suggested.