Saintess Leila
After that, I shared a few more stories over tea with the Pope—now my grandfather—and returned to the room where I had woken up the night before.
No matter where I looked, everything was expensive, and the feeling still made me tremble a little. But since I had been told this would be my room from now on, I decided to take my time exploring it.
First, there was the bed—far larger than anything I could comprehend.
The mysterious canopy I had seen the moment I opened my eyes was apparently called a canopy. I had learned that from the nuns who teased me that morning.
After running my hand over the impossibly soft and fluffy mattress and blankets—something I could never have imagined even in my previous life—I turned toward the window and gasped.
While I had been talking with Grandfather, someone must have opened the curtains for ventilation. The massive window stood slightly ajar, revealing a beautiful garden beyond, as if it had been designed so the sunlight would fall perfectly at its center when viewed from the window.
Turning back, I saw an expensive-looking cabinet beside the bed and a row of large bookshelves. I stood there for a moment with my mouth hanging open.
Approaching the shelves, I glanced at the titles: Introduction to Theology for Children, History Even Goblins Can Understand, 100 Stories Children Love… I decided to stop there.
For now, I pulled out Introduction to Theology for Children and left the rest of the shelves alone.
Grandfather had said the room was prepared especially for me. I had thought it was just something he said to reassure me, but it seemed he had meant it.
There were a few other eye-catching decorations, but the last thing that caught my attention was an antique wooden desk.
Though it was still a little too high for me, I suddenly felt the urge to sit quietly and read. I was also curious about how ordinary clergy who never met the Goddess in person viewed the world.
The “for children” part of the title was a little annoying, but the book explained church doctrine through stories, and the content was surprisingly engaging.
I lost myself in reading for the first time in ages, unaware of time passing.
When hunger finally forced me to close the book, I noticed a nun who looked to be in her thirties watching me with a proud expression. It would have been better if I hadn’t.
“Heehee… The Saintess reading so intently was so adorable—ahem, I’ve been waiting because you seemed so absorbed.”
“…Yes.”
She had definitely been about to say “adorable.”
Of course, my appearance was cute. In a few more years I would clearly become a stunning beauty. The four slave traders hadn’t been spouting nonsense when they talked about their “beautiful slave girl development project.” Even in this short, chubby stage, I had potential.
But thinking that myself and hearing it said so openly right in front of me were two different things. I had no resistance to praise or kindness directed at myself.
“I am Sister Teresa, the nun assigned to assist you with all aspects of daily life and education.”
“Me?”
“Of course. Even though you are now the Pope’s granddaughter and hold the title of Saintess, that is precisely why you require even more guidance.”
“I see…”
In short, she was my personal tutor.
“I plan to teach you basic living habits, etiquette, history, culture, and common knowledge. However, aside from the minimum required to live, His Holiness has requested that anything beyond that proceed according to your own wishes.”
“Grandfather…”
I had wondered why there was no mention of theology or doctrine even though a nun was handling my education. It seemed Grandfather had been considerate, worried I might feel forced.
The thought made my chest tingle. Unable to hide my smile, I looked at Sister Teresa and voiced the request I had been thinking about since morning.
“Please teach me everything you possibly can. Theology, doctrine—everything. The Goddess told me to live a happy life. I believe the happiest life I can lead is one spent serving her. So please help me become someone worthy of the title of Saintess, even though I’m lacking.”
“Oh my… What a magnificent resolve! This Teresa will exceed all limits to meet your expectations!”
Sister Teresa’s reaction was a little… frightening.
“In that case, I must first prepare an education plan tailored for you. Please rest comfortably for now. In three days, things will become rather busy.”
“Thank you, Sister. And…”
“Is there something else you wish to ask of me?”
“Well…”
I had meant to ask naturally, but for some reason embarrassment made the words stick in my throat. Why?
Shaking my head to dispel the inexplicable shyness, I finally asked the question I had been wondering about all along.
“Um… Grandfather said he would send someone to my room. Do you know when that person will arrive?”
“Hup! Ahem… J-just a moment!”
After hearing my words, Sister Teresa turned away as if something was wrong and wiped her face with a handkerchief. Upon closer inspection, it was a nosebleed.
“Ah…! Sister, if you’re not feeling well, you should go rest right away!”
I worried she might be overexerting herself because of me.
“It’s nothing. I was simply startled by the sudden attack. You must never behave that way in front of others.”
“What?”
She said acting like that in front of older people could cause heart problems, but I didn’t understand, so I just nodded.
“Hmm… Now that I think about it, I heard a knight from the Inquisition will be arriving soon.”
“Ah…!!”
When I made the request, the knight had looked flustered, as if he were busy, so I had assumed it was a difficult favor and felt a little disappointed. It seemed he had granted it after all. I couldn’t hide my joy.
—Knock, knock.
—Is the Saintess in? This is the knight Soleil. I heard you wished to see me, so I’ve come.
Speak of the devil. At the sound of the knock and the voice that followed, I felt my mood lift and called out.
“Yes! Please come in!”
Sister Teresa’s expression looked as if she were chewing something bitter, but I decided it was just my imagination and turned to watch the knight enter.
Black hair with blue tips, sea-blue eyes, a tall frame of about 185 cm, and a well-balanced physique. I greeted the man standing before me.
“Hello! I’m Leila, the one you saved. I asked Grandfather to let me thank you and make a request, even though it was selfish of me. Was it too presumptuous?”
“No, it’s fine. We knights have nothing to do when we’re not training or in the chapel. We’re basically unemployed.”
“Tsk.”
Sister Teresa clearly didn’t like knights very much. I decided to ask her about it later when we had more time and bowed once more to the knight who had saved me.
“Thank you. If it weren’t for you at the very last moment, I wouldn’t have been able to choose this life. Once again, thank you for saving me. I really wanted to say that in person.”
“…”
“…”
Both of them fell silent at my sincere gratitude.
Soon Soleil, looking embarrassed, changed the subject.
“So… besides the thanks, you had another request for me?”
“Yes.”
“What is it? If it’s within my power, I will definitely grant it.”
I decided to say what I had wanted to say the moment I first saw him.
“Um… well… that is…”
Embarrassment made the words hard to get out again. Before he could considerately offer to hear it later and escape, I steeled myself.
For some reason, Sister Teresa was glaring at Soleil as if she wanted to tear him apart.
“I… I know I’m still too young for this, but…!”
“…Saintess?”
“Still! Please wait for me!”
I knew no one would allow it right now. I was conveying my feelings, asking him to wait.
“Saintess? Wait a moment, Saintess? What exactly do you mean by that all of a sudden…!!”
“…Sir Soleil? Once this conversation is over, may I have a word with you?”
“It’s a misunderstanding…!!”
While I took a deep breath to prepare my next words, the two of them seemed to be whispering something. They were probably worried about what I had said and discussing how they shouldn’t permit it.
But I wouldn’t yield. The moment I first saw him, I had decided to follow my heart no matter what others thought.
“I want to become an Inquisitor, just like you!”
“Excuse me?”
“???”
What? Their reactions were strange. Had I said something wrong?
“Um, Saintess? Could you repeat that?”
“I want to become an Inquisitor, just like you!”
He rubbed his eyes for a moment before looking at me again. He seemed to have aged a little in that short time, perhaps from accumulated fatigue.
Yet the moment I saw that beautiful halo of light, I forgot both my past and present lives. Like a child, I felt pure admiration.
I wanted to become like that too—someone who wielded a weapon to punish evil and protect the weak.
Embarrassingly enough, I had found a dream.
“Sister? So I was saying, it was a misunderstanding…”
“…I thought she was mature for her age, but this is far more serious than I expected. We’ll need to adjust the education schedule…”
While I was lost in embarrassing thoughts, I looked at the two of them muttering and spoke again.
“I know I’m too young right now and that training would be forbidden, so once I’m a little older, please teach me so I can become an Inquisitor like you!”
“…Why an Inquisitor, of all things? There are many positions for holy knights. The path of an Inquisitor is dangerous and dirty, especially for you, Saintess.”
“I want to help people who suffer like I did. Grandfather already explained what Inquisitors do.”
They were different from ordinary holy knights. Their power wasn’t meant to protect the weak, but to punish the Goddess’s enemies and make them repent. Sometimes they had to torture people harshly, and they were constant targets of evil. Even so, I couldn’t help but admire them.
“Though I’m lacking, I’ve decided to become someone worthy of the title of Saintess in order to repay the Goddess’s love. It may be presumptuous, but I believe that one day I’ll be able to save someone with nothing but prayer.”
“Then why—”
“That alone isn’t enough. I’ve already faced evil hiding in the shadows of this world. They’ll surely target me again.”
The Inquisitors had a unique culture. Instead of black priest robes, they wore white robes embroidered with red crosses, and their armor was also marked with red crosses, different from ordinary holy knights. There was a saying associated with them.
“Sinner, be afraid. Evil one, we neither hide nor flee.”
“Grandfather told me that.”
“Hmm…”
“I’ve already lost my family because of my own foolishness and powerlessness. I don’t want to be helpless again against the evil that’s targeting me.”
My past memories had become my reverse scale.
“I intend to become a Saintess. Not one who is protected, but one who protects.”
While carefully stroking that reverse scale, I thought: if something happens, it’s already too late. So—
“Eradicating every cause before anyone gets hurt. That is my protection.”
From now on, I would become stronger than anyone.
“Forgiveness for the sinner, salvation for the suffering, judgment for evil.”
That was my resolve—the resolve of someone who had decided to become a Saintess.
* * *
“If that is truly the Saintess’s resolve, I won’t stop you,” Sister Teresa said to me.
“However, there is a condition.”
“What condition?”
“You must perfectly complete the education plan I will prepare—within five years.”
“Five years…”
It seemed she had already organized most of the plan.
“Yes. That is my choice.”
This decision was by no means hasty.
This time, Soleil spoke.
“I’ve heard your resolve, Saintess. I have no intention of letting it pass after hearing that.”
“Then?”
“If you complete all the education as Sister Teresa said, I will come find you.”
It was an affirmative answer.
“Even if it means stepping down from my position, I will train you with all my strength. Of course, you’re free to give up later if it becomes too difficult.”
“Hee… Are you provoking me? You’ll regret it.”
“Hah. We’ll see about that when the time comes.”
Phew. The blood of Koreans, once called a battle race in my previous life—even though I no longer had that body—felt like it was boiling. If he said that much, I couldn’t lose either.
“Very well. So if I successfully complete Sister Teresa’s education, I can receive training from you, Sir Knight.”
“Yes. I stake my honor as a holy knight on it.”
Good. I had secured his word.
“Ah, but you won’t only come after exactly five years, right? I’d like you to visit me from time to time, regardless. Hehe.”
There were many things I wanted to ask the person who had given me this admiration, and I also wanted to become close to him personally.
“…I really do need to have a word with you after this.”
“……”
* * *
Afterward, I completed Sister Teresa’s education in only three years instead of five and began training to become a holy knight earlier than planned—but that is a story for the future.
This is the story of how I, as a child loved by the Goddess, live a life for my own happiness.
My name is Leila. Child of Goddess Ciel.
Saintess. Leila.