The Saint's Eyes
It was just a nice day.
The morning had dawned bright and clear.
For a brief moment I worried that the bed would be uncomfortable. After all, I’d woken up carrying thirty-one years of memories from my life as a man, along with bone-deep exhaustion and the recollection of more than five years without a proper night’s sleep.
But a child’s drowsiness doesn’t care about such things. I realized this useless fact as I slept straight through until the sun hung high in the sky.
I stretched luxuriously, savoring the first truly comfortable morning I’d felt since starting my old corporate job, then looked up at the sky.
Clear blue heavens. A brilliant sun. The cheerful songs of birds overhead.
All the peaceful little things I used to pass by without a second thought back on Earth.
Yeah.
It definitely wasn’t because I was deliberately ignoring the pitying stare coming from a short distance away. Not at all.
“You wouldn’t wake up no matter how many times I shook you.”
I flinched.
“Even while you were sleeping, your stomach kept growling, complaining that it was hungry.”
I flinched again.
“Here, now that you’re awake, eat this first.”
Too embarrassed to show my burning red face, I turned my head and tried to ignore the words. That was when Pyris stepped closer and held something out to me.
Drawn by the savory, warm scent, I glanced over. He was offering me a single potato still steaming, as if he’d just pulled it from somewhere.
“Tha—”
“Tha?”
“Thank you, big brother Pyris. Hehe.”
My mind had been a mess from sorting through the jumbled memories of the night before, but it finally felt clear. On top of that, the thought of Pyris—who had gone out at the crack of dawn to find food for a hungry me—filled me with gratitude. Suddenly, being called “big brother” didn’t seem like such a big deal.
Besides, I wasn’t trash enough to suddenly treat someone who had taken care of me since the orphanage days differently just because a few old memories had resurfaced.
“Good. Eat slowly.”
“Mhm.”
As I felt his hand gently ruffle my hair and munched on the potato, I couldn’t help thinking this was still a little embarrassing. But a new realization quickly filled my head.
This was strange.
Now that I had recalled my past-life memories, I could see it clearly. The version of me that had existed without those memories—the one who had thought everything was normal—was obviously abnormal.
The other orphanage kids, including Pyris, probably hadn’t noticed since they’d grown used to me from the moment I learned to walk and talk. But the director and the adults must have found me bizarre.
Could a five-year-old really climb over walls on their own, nimbly scale ladders in drainage ditches, and perform intricate tasks like pickpocketing and theft?
Teaching orphanage children how to pick pockets to earn money was something normally done only after they turned eight or nine.
Young children simply couldn’t concentrate that well or learn things that didn’t interest them so quickly.
Yet in my memories, I had mastered pickpocketing just by watching it over someone’s shoulder, despite having no real interest. By age four I had already learned to read storybooks on my own.
If the orphanage hadn’t gone under, the director would probably have noticed soon and sold me off somewhere.
Ah.
I’d already finished the potato.
It wasn’t particularly seasoned, and it didn’t have butter like the ones sold at rest stops back on Earth, but to the hungry little mouth of this child named Leila, it tasted plenty good.
To sum up my thoughts, this body was born with an absurd level of genius and incredible physical talent. Hmph.
“What are you thinking about so hard?”
“Huh?”
“You were frowning, then looking smug, then grinning like an idiot.”
“Eek.”
“I wonder what kind of deep thoughts you could have while eating one single potato to make your face go through so many expressions~”
“S-shut up!”
“Aww~ someone’s embarrassed~”
“Ugh.”
It seemed my thoughts had shown too clearly on my face.
I felt an overwhelming urge to punch that teasing grin, but he was the one who had provided today’s meal. Besides, he must have run around since early morning just to find food. I decided to let it slide this once.
My hands smelled like potato.
Lick.
“Stop licking your hands.”
“Slurp. But it’s tasty.”
“We need to go find out about your eyes first.”
Oh right. The cross-shaped eyes.
“Where should we start?”
“Hmm. First we need to find someone we can safely ask…”
In case anyone forgot, let me say it again.
We were orphans. A pair of street urchins who even slept rough.
In this world, if someone who looked like us tried talking to just anyone, the national rule was to get beaten while being told, “What’s a filthy beggar doing, latching onto me?”
That was why we needed to judge whether a person was someone our kind of orphan could safely approach.
“Let’s head to the plaza.”
“The plaza first? Isn’t that dangerous?”
I expressed my concern at Pyris’s suggestion.
When people thought of the Holy Kingdom, they usually pictured merciful priests walking around and caring for the unfortunate. But that kind of thing was only possible in the capital or in areas close to the main church headquarters.
In reality, it was hard to even find such priests in these outskirts. If we caught the wrong kind of attention from the guards, we could be chased off and thrown into an orphanage somewhere.
It wasn’t that orphanage life was bad, but if someone like Pyris—who was already twelve—or a genius like me—who would obviously seem strange at a glance—were tossed into an orphanage in our current state, there was a nine-out-of-ten chance we would be separated, sold off, or adopted out.
Neither Pyris nor I wanted to part ways just yet.
“It’ll be fine. I heard there’s a scary criminal from another country wandering around the city outskirts today, so the guards seem to be focusing their patrols inside.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Uncle Hans from the tavern told me, so it should be true.”
Uncle Hans. He was the owner of a tavern I’d spotted while wandering the streets.
With his large build and fierce face, I’d thought he was scary at first. But he was actually a kind man who loved children and couldn’t ignore anyone in need.
The potato we’d eaten today had probably been given to us after his wife nagged him into it.
“Then let’s go.”
“Okay. Want to hold hands?”
“I’m not a little kid, you know?”
“Sure~ sure~”
I cursed the version of myself from just a few days ago who had giggled and held hands so happily, then brushed off my backside and stood up.
At least in this world, we had no one else to rely on but each other.
Even while complaining out loud, I couldn’t help inching a little closer. It was inevitable.
I resolved that I—the one with more experience and super-genius intellect—would protect him, and we set off together toward the plaza.
* * *
No matter how young and ignorant we were, we both knew that the cross-shaped pattern engraved in my eyes was anything but normal.
So I kept my eyes half-lidded as much as possible, relying on Pyris to guide me, and somehow we made it to the plaza.
“What do you think?”
“Hmm…”
Pyris let out a low groan at my question.
Even at a glance, there were far too many unfamiliar faces. It looked like something had definitely happened.
“It’s nothing like this morning…”
“Still, since we’re already here, let’s at least look around.”
“Yeah. Tell me if you see anyone who seems okay.”
“Got it. You too, big brother.”
As I explained earlier, orphans who looked like beggars couldn’t just ask questions to anyone.
Sometimes people with scary faces turned out to be kind, but those were excluded from our priority list.
Most people’s personalities showed on their faces. Betting on the rare exceptions like Uncle Hans was simply too risky.
This was a world of swords and magic. If you messed with the wrong scary-looking person, you might not just get punched—you could end up stabbed or blasted by magic and die. We had to be careful.
The next group we excluded were people who smiled only with their mouths.
In those cases, ninety-nine out of a hundred were dangerous to us.
So what should we look for? Atmosphere.
At first glance they might seem ordinary, but when observed from a distance they gave off a refined, calm aura.
There was an instinctive feeling that just clicked.
While scanning the plaza with that thought in mind, my eyes landed on a middle-aged man drinking coffee at a café near the fountain.
“Hey, hey. Big brother. What do you think about that guy?”
“Who? Oh, that man in black?”
“Yeah.”
It seemed Pyris had felt the same way.
In cases like this, nine times out of ten we were right. Today really must be our lucky day.
The middle-aged man we had spotted had hair that was beginning to turn white at the roots, but it was neatly groomed. He had a sturdy build, wore a black coat, and looked incredibly sharp at first glance.
Yet from a distance, his calm and orderly aura, along with the various tools visible on his clothing, suggested he was likely a seasoned adventurer.
When our eyes met, Pyris gave a nod, apparently having reached the same conclusion.
Now that we had decided, it was time to act.
To earn as much sympathy as possible, I reluctantly took Pyris’s hand and let him lead me toward the man.
“Hmm?”
“U-um… excuse us. Adventurer, sir. If it’s not too much trouble, could we ask you just one question? It’s about something strange we found with my little sister.”
Pyris spoke as politely as he could, addressing the man—who had noticed us—from about three steps away.
Please don’t let this be a miss.
“Of course. That’s fine. Is the young lady beside you your sister?”
Fortunately, the man gave us a gentle smile, stood up, and even knelt on one knee to meet our eyes as he spoke.
“Yes. My name is Pyris. This is my little sister, Leila!”
“Hello, adventurer, sir. My name is Leila.”
“Hehe… what a polite little lady you are.”
I had no particular hobby of letting strangers pat my head, but since we were the ones in need, I endured it.
“Well then, my name is Hayden. I’m not someone worth bragging about, but I can use a bit of magic. I hope I can be of help to you two.”
“A-are you a mage, sir?!”
“Big brother…”
The moment he learned Hayden was a mage, Pyris abandoned all pretense of acting and got so excited that I had to calm him down from the side. Hayden waved his hand with an understanding smile, stopping me.
“Using magic inside the city would draw too much attention, so I can’t show you. But as a humble mage, I do know quite a lot. Tell me what you’re curious about.”
“Yes! Leila, show the mage, sir!”
“Okay… Could you look at my eyes, please?”
“Let’s see…”
I pushed the overly excited Pyris aside, opened my eyes wide, and met Hayden’s gaze. I watched his expression shift from curiosity to shock.
“No… this is! Hehe!”
“Mage, sir, do you know what this is?”
It was obvious he recognized the meaning of these cross-shaped eyes. I grew impatient and urged him for an answer, even though I knew it was rude.
“Calling me ‘mage, sir’ sounds too stiff. Why don’t you call me uncle? If you do, I’ll explain everything in detail.”
“Yes, uncle. Is that okay? I could call you big brother instead…”
Men were creatures who felt a thrill at being called “big brother.” My experience and the data accumulated on Earth proved it beyond doubt.
“Hehe… that’s a tempting offer, but unfortunately my conscience stings too much to let a little lady call me big brother. Now, this seems like it will be a long story, so why don’t you two sit here for a moment?”
“Thank you, uncle!”
“Thank you.”
He even pulled out chairs for us. We thanked him and sat down across from Hayden. Then we listened carefully as the man, now seated with his legs crossed, began to speak.
“The pattern engraved in the young lady’s eyes is called a Stigma.”
“A Stigma?”
“Ugh, seriously. Big brother, be quiet. Uncle will explain everything.”
I scolded Pyris for interrupting without reading the room. He wilted, and Hayden chuckled again with that “hehe” laugh. The man seemed older than he looked.
Still, a Stigma… Just the name sounded cool.
“Yes. A Stigma is a mark that appears on an extremely small number of people beloved by the Goddess. I’ve heard they usually appear on the back, hands, chest, stomach, or legs—places on the skin. This is the first time I’ve seen one in the eyes like yours… but there is one thing I can tell you for certain.”
Ooh… So something amazing had appeared on me.
“It means the young lady is someone loved by the gods.”
“Hehe… That’s embarrassing. Being loved by the Goddess… It doesn’t feel real.”
For a split second, I thought I saw something flash in the man’s eyes… Must have been my imagination?
“Let me continue. Those who possess a Stigma are loved by the gods, as I said. But this love is a little different from familial love or the love between lovers. It refers to receiving special abilities.”
“Abilities?”
I shot Pyris a glare that clearly said, I’m curious too, so don’t interrupt and stay quiet.
“Haha. What interesting children. Then I’ll keep explaining. Stigma bearers gain unique abilities depending on the location and shape of their mark. For example, someone with a sword pattern on the back of their hand becomes better at handling swords, while someone with a wind pattern on their leg can run faster than others.
But a cross-shaped Stigma in both eyes… I’ve never heard of such a case, so I don’t know. A cross shape would likely be specialized for matters related to the divine… The cross pattern itself is rare, but there are no recorded examples of it appearing in the eyes, so I cannot say for sure.”
“I see…”
“By the way, are your eyes uncomfortable in any way? While a Stigma grants special abilities, it also causes very minor side effects.”
“Ah! No wonder… Ever since this appeared, my eyes have been so dry that it’s hard to keep them open for long!”
“What? You said yesterday it was fine!”
“This much is fine!”
While arguing with Pyris, who was scolding me over something so trivial, I reflected on the uncle’s explanation.
It didn’t just give abilities—it came with side effects too? What a stingy kind of love.
“Hmm… It feels like a waste to leave it like this…”
“Pardon?”
“I mentioned that I’m a mage, right? The truth is, this uncle has quite an interest in Stigmas. If you’re willing, would you come with me so I can research that Stigma? Of course, I’ll take care of meals and lodging for both of you. How about it? Doesn’t that sound like an attractive offer?”
“Huh? Really? You mean it?”
“Leila!”
It was more than attractive—it was an offer I couldn’t possibly refuse. He would analyze my cross eyes and even provide food and a place to sleep? Was this heaven?
Pyris gave me a scolding look, probably because I was acting too brazenly, but I couldn’t help it.
Now that I had regained the memories of modern civilization, living cold and hungry was unbearably tiresome.
Time to use the little-sister trump card—the one that worked like an overdraft on an older brother. (Note: real siblings would counterattack instead of falling for it, so be careful.)
“Big brother Pyris… Can’t we? Hmm? He seems like a good person…”
“Sigh… Fine. Are you really okay with this, sir?”
I looked up at Pyris with the most pitiful expression I could muster, suppressing the nausea rising in my throat as I pleaded. In the end, he let out a defeated sigh and asked the man.
Making full use of every weapon at your disposal was the mark of a true member of society. Ugh…
“Hehe… Of course. To a mage, the highest priority is the pursuit of the unknown. To this uncle, you, little lady, are the greatest unknown of all.”
“Then… it feels too much like taking advantage if we only receive. Please at least let me help with simple chores or anything around the house.”
“I would be grateful if you did.”
Perhaps because he had grown up as the eldest boy in the orphanage, Pyris had an excessively strong sense of responsibility and felt burdened by receiving favors.
I would have refused groundless kindness too, but mages were a breed that loved research in any world. Today really was our lucky day, I thought.
“Well then, now that we’ve settled things, follow me.”
“Yes! Leila, make sure you don’t get lost.”
“Yeah, yeah. You really think I’m a little kid. Hmph!”
I did feel like I might be regressing a bit too much into childish behavior, but we followed Hayden with pure joy at having found a new place to call home.
That day had been incredibly lucky.
Far too lucky.