Guardian Evaluation (1)
Ten years ago, when she first met the Saintess, Cleo had thought she was being saddled with a difficult task.
"......Hello."
The Saintess had been a very young girl.
Her bright violet eyes sparkled as if they knew nothing of the world's filth.
Depending on who taught her—depending on who cared for her—the fate of the light within those eyes would change.
If she met a fine person, she would shine brilliantly; if she met a wretched one, those sparkling eyes would be muddied by turbid waters.
The Holy See had entrusted Cleo with the education and guardianship of the seventh Saintess because they believed she was a fine person. Leave the Saintess's education to Cleo, who had become a Cardinal at such a young age, and she would grow into an excellent Saintess—or so they thought.
But an excellent cleric is not necessarily an excellent educator.
Cleo was skilled at firming up faith and cultivating divine power, yet hopeless at teaching those methods to someone else.
"I cannot make Your Holiness into an excellent person, so I will entrust you to another Cardinal."
Cleo had politely declined the position of guardian.
She had voluntarily kicked away the opportunity to join the seven Cardinals of the Great Cathedral.
An unconfident responsibility was no different from irresponsibility, after all.
"Mmm-mmm."
Young Ariel shook her head from side to side.
"I'm not trying to become an excellent person, you know?"
"Pardon?"
"I chose the Cardinal myself."
Though the Holy See had also considered Cleo suitable as a guardian, the Saintess herself had selected Cleo from among the various Cardinals.
"Why......?"
"Because the Cardinal gets lonely, so I wanted to stay by your side and give you pats."
Cleo's eyes had gone wide.
At the time, Cleo wore an expressionless face as if indifferent to everything in the world.
She had been rich in emotion as a child, but as she rose smoothly to the rank of Cardinal, she had learned to hide her feelings.
Becoming a Cardinal at a young age was a great achievement and, at the same time, a source of jealousy.
A talented person might easily lead others—but they could just as easily be ostracized by them.
Cleo was the latter.
Clerics her own age envied and resented her greatness, while older clerics who had been eyeing the Cardinal's seat looked down on her, saying that no matter how deep a child's faith might be, how deep could it really be? And so Cleo had naturally become isolated in loneliness; and because loneliness was an emotion that made a person weak, she had thoroughly hidden it behind her expressionless face.
But that loneliness had been recognized at once by a little child.
"Like this. Pat, pat."
Standing on tiptoe, Ariel patted Cleo's head.
"Is that not okay?"
Though she had not known about the power to see emotions, Cleo had found her heart stolen by the small girl who recognized her loneliness and tried to comfort her.
"Your Holiness... th-though I am lacking, I ask for your kind care."
And so Cleo's life as a guardian had begun.
Sometimes like an older sister, sometimes like a friend, she had spent the years at Ariel's side.
They had spent ten years that way, and the Saintess who had grown close enough to be called family was now out of her arms, receiving care from the hands of an outside man.
Because the atmosphere at the Holy See recognized him as a trustworthy man—especially because Cardinal Demian, who held considerable influence among the Cardinals, fully trusted him—Cleo had reluctantly agreed to entrust Ariel to that man for a while.
When they first met, she had thought they got along well enough that she could take him on as a good junior.
But the more they talked, the more she realized that had been a mistaken thought.
He was a stubborn man with a sly look in his eyes.
"We'll need to select a new guardian I can accept."
At Cleo's firm words, Ariel urgently shook her head from side to side.
"You can't!"
Cleo looked at Ariel with wide eyes as she raised her voice.
She was a little surprised—it was rare for Ariel to raise her voice in denial of something.
"Is there some special reason?"
Walking side by side down the corridor, Cleo stopped and turned toward Ariel.
Looking straight up at Cleo, Ariel cried out inwardly, If you change my guardian, I won't be able to live out the sticky cathedral life that's about to unfold!
She would make an effort to keep her promise to gradually reduce her sexual desire, but Ariel could instinctively foresee that great changes would come to the cathedral life the two of them would spend together going forward.
Whatever it was, the first time was always the hardest.
Once you crossed that high barrier of the first time, what followed tended to become easier.
In other words, because they had already engaged in intense anal sex once, the possibility of doing anal sex again had grown larger.
Of course, a high possibility did not mean they could do it.
No matter how much Ariel wanted it, if Lowen refused, that would be the end of it.
But looking at Lowen, who had so enjoyably tasted Ariel's rear hole last night, the possibility of refusal seemed even lower.
If it's Bishop Lowen, I think he'll do it. Mm-hmm!
If she wiggled and stuck out her butt, Lowen would do it for her.
The kind of ass-fucking that would pound into her until her consciousness flew away.
Ariel, a Saintess, thinking such things.
Once they returned to the Great Cathedral, she wouldn't be able to do it no matter how much Lowen permitted it—so while staying in the Wind-bird Forest, she planned to modestly enjoy a dissolute lifestyle.
Modestly, once a month... no, once a week, I'll pester Lowen for it!
If Cleo had possessed the ability to read thoughts, her insides would have completely collapsed.
"Well......"
Ariel drew out the rest of her words.
There was a more important reason than enjoying vulgar escapades.
She harbored special feelings for Lowen.
As a Saintess, she had come to hold a heart that loved someone more—a heart of favoritism.
She wanted to leave more memories with Lowen.
She wanted to build more of a relationship with Lowen.
She wanted to spend more time with Lowen.
Because of this favoritistic wish, Lowen had to remain as her guardian.
I still haven't properly conveyed my feelings......
She wanted to convey to Lowen real love—not the "I love you" she had lightly tossed out in the dandelion field, but a special love.
But it was difficult.
Even when she wanted to tell Lowen she loved him, her throat would seize up tight and she couldn't get the words out.
There had been several opportunities, atmosphere-wise, but as if under a curse, the words would catch in her throat.
"......Because Bishop Lowen is taking good care of me."
Ariel hid her lewd inner thoughts and spoke calmly.
"It may look unsatisfactory in Cardinal Cleo's eyes, but from what I can see, Bishop Lowen is truly doing well as a guardian."
At Ariel's words, Cleo frowned as if making a sulky face.
"Then I'll stay by your side instead."
"Cardinal Cleo, you need to protect the Great Cathedral."
Cleo chewed on her tongue.
"Or... though it's early, how about returning to the Great Cathedral?"
Ariel lowered her eyelashes apologetically and shook her head.
"I still want to stay longer in the Wind-bird Forest."
"Why......?"
Ariel's condition had clearly improved compared to the last time she had seen her.
When she left for the Wind-bird Forest, a deep shadow had lain across Ariel's face, but now light bloomed as it once had.
"Because I want to experience the four seasons outside the Great Cathedral."
The spring seen from the Great Cathedral and the spring seen from the Wind-bird Forest were different.
From the Great Cathedral it was a magnificent spring; from the Wind-bird Forest it was a humble one.
Wanting to be at Lowen's side was the primary reason, but wanting to freely savor life outside the Great Cathedral was another reason as well.
Being able to experience things she had never gone through while living outside the Great Cathedral, and take in things she had never seen with her eyes, was truly delightful.
"So for now, I want to stay in the Wind-bird Forest."
Ariel beamed and looked up at Cleo.
"Haa..."
Knowing that Ariel had lived practically confined to the Great Cathedral since childhood, Cleo smiled bitterly and nodded.
"If that is Your Holiness's will, then it can't be helped."
Cleo patted Ariel's head.
"Ehehe, thank you for understanding."
"However."
Looking down at the beaming Ariel and smiling contentedly, Cleo hardened her expression seriously once more.
"I'll reconsider changing your guardian."
"Wh-what? Why?"
"To be honest, it's because I simply don't like the current guardian as a real guardian."
It wasn't as if there was some big reason.
She simply wanted to change him because Cleo didn't like Lowen.
"I'm not saying I'll change him no matter what."
Cleo soothed Ariel, who had her eyes wide open, by kneading both her shoulders.
"I'll conduct an evaluation and decide whether to change him or not."
"An evaluation?"
Ariel tilted her head.
"An evaluation of whether the Bishop is suitable as Your Holiness's guardian."
She had planned to conduct a guardian evaluation during this month's regular visit anyway.
If he fails even one item, it's over—over!
A fight that had started over a hairstyle announced the full outbreak of war.
The next day.
A carriage bound for Windfield stood in front of the Rest Town Church.
"High Priest Raham, thank you for providing a comfortable resting space and precious provisions."
Ariel clasped her hands and greeted Raham.
"Rather, we are the ones who should thank you. Thanks to Your Holiness, Rest Town was able to avoid a terrible tragedy. As a representative of the Rest Town Church, and as one of Rest Town's protectors, I convey my gratitude to Your Holiness. Thank you truly."
Raham likewise clasped his hands and offered a greeting.
"By the way......"
Raham glanced at the procession of Holy Knights visible behind Ariel.
"It truly is an enormous scale."
It was natural for Holy Knights to escort the Saintess when she went outside the Great Cathedral, but the Holy Knights guarding the front and rear of the carriage were of a force size as if they were heading out to some battle. Dozens of Holy Knights formed ranks to the point of obstructing street traffic.
Ariel smiled awkwardly, looking apologetic.
"I'm sorry. Our Cardinal made too much of a fuss."
The moment she heard news of Ariel, Cleo had brought along the entire First Holy Knight Order of Evdomos Great Cathedral, including the knight commander.
When she heard that the Saintess had been attacked, leading Holy Knights was only natural. But looking only at the results, it was a waste of manpower and amounted to causing a public nuisance in Rest Town, where carriage traffic needed to flow actively. Still, she was also grateful that Cleo had worried this much.
"I'll be going now."
With a kind smile that held the sun, Ariel greeted Raham and the clergy of the Rest Town Church.
The clergy clasped their hands and bowed at the sight of the Saintess's sacred figure.
"Your Holiness."
Lowen, standing before the carriage, smiled gently and held out his hand to Ariel.
"Thank you."
Ariel took Lowen's hand and climbed into the carriage.
Lowen was about to climb into the carriage after her—
—Clack!
The Holy Knights blocked Lowen's path.
"Trying to board the Saintess's carriage—you're still ten years too early!"
Cleo, watching this from nearby, scribbled on her evaluation board.
"And trying to board ahead of me, a Cardinal. Ten-point deduction."
Lowen, who had been smiling gently, glared at Cleo as if she were a nuisance.
"What is this?"
"I'm conducting a guardian evaluation."
Cleo showed Lowen the evaluation board she held in her hand.
"An evaluation to confirm whether the Bishop is suitable as Your Holiness's guardian. If you fail here, I'll strip you of your guardian authority."
Lowen momentarily pricked up his ears at an appealing sound.
"Strip me..."
If his guardian authority were stripped, he would naturally become a free man.
He would be able to go deep into the forest as he had originally aimed and live out his life in seclusion.
Thinking of that, he would force a failing grade if he had to—but as stated, Lowen was a person who refused to deliberately undervalue his own abilities.
Having undergone harsh evaluations to survive in the knight order had become ingrained in his personality, and Lowen was sensitive to evaluations.
Whatever the evaluation, if it was an evaluation, he would see it through thoroughly.
If he had decided to be the Saintess's guardian for one year, then doing his best as a guardian was Lowen's way.
His desire to seclude himself right away was strong as a chimney, but completing a mission and ending it was different from failing a mission and being driven out midway.
Whatever one might argue at this point, the former was glory, and the latter was humiliation.
One cannot meet a humiliating end.
Lowen looked straight at Cleo.
"By all means, evaluate me well."
For the first time in a long while, his competitive spirit had been properly stimulated.