Chapter 12
Chapter 12
Saint, You’re So Vulgar! – Chapter 12
The commercial city of Ebona, not far from the church, saw a high volume of foot traffic thanks to its location along the route to the capital.
The vibe created by people strolling the streets was downright bustling.
The booming voices of merchants hawking their wares only fueled the excitement.
It was that kind of street, and amid it all walked a striking pair of young man and woman.
Even passersby couldn't help but glance their way... not even the merchants who occasionally spotted nobles.
The woman, first of all, was fresh and pure. Her light sky-blue hair swayed gently, accentuating her clarity, while her delicate facial features crowded into elegant lines, each one assertively claiming its space on her petite face.
She radiated vitality.
Walking with perfect posture, she would smile softly, then blush in shy embarrassment, only to pout and glare moments laterand every bit of it brimmed with freshness.
She made onlookers feel like they were gazing at a clear blue sky, even when she tried to look stern and hardened her expression.
As if scolding him, she shot a playful glare at the man beside her, who exuded the complete opposite vibe.
He seemed somehow cynical and world-weary. His black hair fell messily, framing blue eyes that held a subtle depth. His straight nose and thin lips gave a refined impression, but the paths they traced felt a bit roguish.
His distant gaze, as if uninterested in worldly affairs, held a mysterious allure, and the way he snapped back to reality only when the woman murmured something was both sweet and bittersweet.
When he murmured back, she startled with a little gasp and shot him her signature lively glare of reproach.
Onlookers thought to themselves:
Ah, what a perfect pair.
They must be lovers in the prime of youth.
From afar, the two seemed straight out of a comedy.
And like most comedies, up close, they were enduring something tragic.
...Well, tragic for one of them, anyway.
"No spring paintings. Keep whining all you wantI won't allow it, even if it kills me!"
"I just want to look."
"Looking's not allowed either!"
"Then what am I supposed to do? Let it build up until it bursts? You gonna take responsibility?"
"B-Bursts? My body's not that fra"
"Wet dreams."
"Ack!"
Asher jumped back.
Versia had insisted on just stepping out for new clothes or scented candles, but now she was throwing a fit over buying one of those damn spring painting books, as if her earlier words had been a lie.
He knew it was a joke, but he couldn't shake the worry that she might actually buy it for real.
Asher, eyes blazing as he watched her every move, already felt his insides burning up.
'Today was supposed to be the day I don't fall for her pranks!'
Just like every other day, utter failure.
His own actions, defying his will, and the way she shook him upit all felt so infuriating.
On this day, with worries rising that he'd turn into a cranky grouch from all the pent-up frustration, Asher finally made a patriotic resolution.
"Follow me! Take my hand too! No wandering offstick right by my side! We're just looking and going straight back!"
"You're so clingy. Sneaking in some skinship, huh? Want to interlock fingers?"
"Argh...! That's not it!"
He was drained.
Asher, face flushed crimson as he snapped at her, finally hooked her arm through his to pin down her steps and led Versia into a clothing shop.
Of course,
"Your chest is touching my arm."
"That's your own...!"
"Embarrassed about your boobs? Why are you whispering like that? Come on, say it. Boobs."
"Urgh...!"
It wasn't easy.
"Ah, it's getting hard..."
"Hey, cut it out!"
...Very, extremely not easy.
* * *
Had he ever been this exhausted from just a single day out?
Well, as far as Asher could remember, unless it was purging heretics, he'd never been this wiped out from a single day.
In other words, outings with Versia were as grueling as heretic huntsand that realization stirred a strange doubt deep within him.
He opened his eyes in the morning to her bedroom once more.
Asher gaped at the ceiling, eyes heavy with sleep.
A faint despair at his body still not returning.
But even so, the silk blanket felt nice against his skin.
Blink, blinkhe was just lying there, eyes fluttering.
Whoosh!
Dalin poked her head in.
"Eek!"
"Eh...?"
Asher jolted in surprise.
Having a woman's face suddenly thrust in made his heart pound.
Dalin covered her mouth apologetically. Asher gave an awkward smile and shook his head.
Ah, this was one of those not-so-easy things too.
He'd tried following Versia's advice to act appropriately high-handed, but Dalin had only grown closer with each passing day, making his efforts pointless.
Her words suddenly came to mind.
-Is it because your true nature's so lame?
-Take that back!
Because he's lame, huh.
That sparked his pride, so today too, he cleared his throat with a hem-hem! and whipped his head away.
He had no idea how adorable these antics looked in Dalin's eyes.
They only reminded her of a girl desperately trying to act mature and elegant, drawing her psychologically even closersomething only Asher was oblivious to.
"Saintess, shall I start with the Captain's duties then?"
Dalin asked with a bright smile.
Asher sensed something off in her child-handling tone but nodded anyway.
Humans really are creatures of habit, huh.
On the first day, he'd squeezed his eyes shut and trembled, but now he was pretty used to being scrubbed down like this.
Of course, he still hadn't seen Versia's naked body.
That was the vow he'd made to himself as a knight.
Soaking in the warm water melted away his tension.
As he languidly surrendered to it, the bath ended, and he was dressed properly.
It had been embarrassing at first, but having someone assist with grooming like this was a huge relief.
When Dalin brushed his hair, he felt a pleasant drowsiness.
Asher had to force his drooping eyes wide open.
'Ugh...'
Versia's body loved sleeping in.
Waking up at the exact time each morning for routine had grown harder than before.
But if he gave in to temptation, he'd turn into a lazy slacker sleeping till noon.
With his hair finally neatened, Asher rose from his seat.
That's when he sensed something odd.
"Has the knight not arrived yet?"
"Hmm, looks that way."
Versia hadn't shown up.
Even accounting for her sleepiness, she always appeared right on time.
Was something wrong?
As he pondered, a wave of worry hit him.
And why not?
Even with their bodies swapped, Versia's life didn't involve much interaction with others, so mishaps were rare.
His own life was different.
Asher had decent relationships with his comrades and lived in barracks with communal living.
Accidents could strike anytime, anywhere.
'What if...!'
She'd been found out!
Fear gripped him.
Feeling his heart thump wildly, Asher spun on his heel.
"Th-Then I'll head out!"
"Pardon? The knight hasn't"
"On second thought, I'm supposed to go to the barracks today!"
Asher bolted from the room, leaving Dalin behind.
Even in his haste, maintaining his precise stride proved his reason still held.
His mind raced through possible accidents.
By the time he'd hypothesized scenarios and solutions, Asher reached the barracksand froze.
"Ah...!"
"Haa..."
Behind a pillar near the training grounds, priestesses gazed dreamily somewhere with flushed cheeks.
What the hell? Asher narrowed his eyes and followed their stares.
There she was.
'Saintess...?'
His bodyVersia in it.
Sweat dripping down as she irritably swept back her hair.
It was the morning joint training.
But why was Versia there?
Confusion surged, yet the priestesses kept sighing wistfully at her.
"Hot..."
"Right? Sir Terbion... who knew he was like that?"
"Something about him..."
"Yeah... different. He never caught my eye like this before."
"So manly now...?"
Pffft!
For some reason, Asher felt an arrow pierce his chest.
Admitting it was a defeat in masculinity wasn't easy.
He just stood there rigidly, staring blankly at Versia.
Her furrowed brow, sweat-slicked body, and the way she swept back her hair while exhalingit stirred an odd sense of deprivation.
'Th-That's just exhaustion, isn't it...!'
Right?
A cool, handsome knight should breeze through training like this with a bright smile, right?
Encouraging weary comrades and leading by examplethat's more masculine.
Of course, he couldn't say that to those priestesses.
Trying to explain himself might kill him from embarrassment.
In the end, Asher watched Versia and the priestesses from afar, alternating glances with a sullen scowl to swallow his anger.
Lips pursed, body trembling.
That was the moment.
"Saintess."
Flinch! Asher's shoulders jerked.
It was a voice too familiarand the worst person to run into right now.
He turned creakily.
Hoping it wasn't so, but reality was a bit cruel.
"C-Captain...?"
"Yes. If it's not too much trouble, might we have a word?"
It was Holy Knight Captain Sir Whale.
'Crisis...!'
His body went rigid.
"...Shall we move somewhere else?"
Sir Whale glanced at the two spots Asher had been eyeing, then asked cautiously.
For some reason, Sir Whale's eyes narrowed as he stared back at Asher.