The Hero's Visit
The Holy Kingdom. Cosmos Cathedral.
The majestic ivory building soared upward, reflecting the sunlight.
“This concludes the report on Lady Elia, whom we encountered at Edel Convent.”
The Holy Knight, Leo, finished his report.
“Hmm……”
Pope Alexandro II. He stroked his chin as he listened.
“……This has become troublesome.”
After hearing the entire story, the Pope realized that persuading the girl named Elia had become far more difficult.
“Closing one’s heart is easy. Opening it again is the hard part.”
“I have no excuse.”
Leo bowed his head.
“Why are you apologizing?”
“If I had handled it properly, I could have brought her here.”
The Pope shook his head.
“No. From what I’ve heard, no matter what words were used, the girl would have stubbornly refused. Perhaps that duel was a trial she gave us—and our final chance.”
“I’m sorry.”
They had thrown that final chance away in vain. All because of his own arrogance. He should never have judged a person by appearances alone. But…….
Even if he had been serious, the result would likely have been the same. He couldn’t imagine not drawing his sword in front of hers.
“By the way, what does Your Holiness think?”
The Pope glanced toward a holy relic on one side of the study.
Chalice of the Heavens
A sacred vessel used to identify the Saintess. When filled with wine and consumed, it causes the Stigma to manifest on the body of one who possesses the soul of the Saintess.
“I cannot give a definitive answer right away. However… it is clear that the girl possesses extraordinary abilities. I believe we must verify this.”
The fact that she could freely wield Holy Power from a young age without even memorizing prayers had already sparked strong interest.
“The problem is…… how to change her heart……”
She was stubborn. Obstinate. Just from the reports, persuading the girl seemed impossible.
“I will go back and try to convince her again.”
“That won’t do. If you visit her again, it will only push her further away.”
The Pope pondered deeply.
Even if the girl was not the Saintess, she was clearly a talent the Holy Kingdom needed. Volunteering to go to the battlefield for the sake of peace was a noble resolve. It was not something one could decide lightly. And she possessed sufficient strength. Though it had not been a true life-or-death battle, if she had the power to defeat a Holy Knight, she would undoubtedly play a major role on the battlefield.
A swordsmanship genius born in the body of a Saintess…….
The Pope tapped his desk lightly.
If the girl truly desired peace, coming to the Holy Kingdom would be better. Studying Holy Power properly would allow her to protect more people and save more lives. If she even learned purification magic, she could easily defeat demonic beasts or Fiends.
Bringing the girl to the Holy Kingdom was entirely possible. If they used dirty methods, that is.
All they had to do was block every other option and leave her with only the choice of coming to the Holy Kingdom. Or they could simply take her by force. If it were still wartime, they would have done so. But now it was a ceasefire. The Pope wished to resolve this peacefully if at all possible.
It was then.
“Shall I go meet her?”
The Hero, Louis, who had been listening silently until now, spoke up. He had been having a private audience with the Pope before the Holy Knight arrived.
“You, Sir Hero?”
“Yes.”
Louis nodded.
“The Saintess is not needed only by the Holy Kingdom.”
She was also necessary to form a new Hero’s party. The first Hero’s party had already failed. They had reached the Demon King, but everyone except Louis had been wiped out. He had barely survived himself.
If she hadn’t helped him back then…….
Louis felt a throbbing in his left arm. Even though it was now empty, the phantom pain pulsed unpleasantly, as if the limb were still attached.
“I also caused harm to the Holy Kingdom because of my inadequacy.”
“That was not your fault, Sir Hero.”
“Still, it happened because of me.”
Louis smiled bitterly.
Everyone precious to him died because of him. His master had died trying to save him from danger, and the Saintess had died as well. Neither of them regretted their choices. But Louis felt deep guilt. If only he had been a better Hero, such things would never have happened.
“I will meet her, talk with her, and if she still refuses to come to the Holy Kingdom, I will take her with me. She said she wanted to join the Imperial Army, so I can keep her under my command until her heart settles.”
Yes. That seemed like the better option. If someone from the Holy Kingdom visited her again, her heart would only close even tighter.
The Pope nodded slowly.
“Very well.”
The Hero rose from his seat. The two swords at his left hip clinked together. With every step, his empty left sleeve fluttered like a flag.
2.
I was finishing up my life at the convent.
I packed my belongings into a bag. Since I would be leaving in a few months anyway, departing a little earlier didn’t matter. In fact, several girls my age had already left the convent a few days ago. One had gone to learn trade, and another had left to study craftsmanship at a textile workshop.
I planned to head to the nearest knight order. Since they were always recruiting, I intended to apply immediately. I wasn’t an adult yet, but I would be soon, so they would probably overlook that detail.
—Knock knock.
I was sorting through my undergarments when I heard a knock, followed by a cautious voice from beyond the door.
“Elia.”
It was Bertina’s voice, drained of all strength. A week had passed since that incident. While I was formally reporting to the abbess and proceeding with the departure process, Bertina had been avoiding me.
“Come in.”
The door opened, and Bertina entered. She stood just inside the doorway, fidgeting like a child who had done something wrong. An awkward silence filled the room.
The person I had been closest to in the convent—someone I had treated like both friend and family—had now become the most awkward person in my life.
“You’re really…… leaving.”
“Yes.”
Another silence fell. Ending things so awkwardly felt uncomfortable. After nineteen years of being cared for, this kind of farewell was too bitter. There were simply too many memories between us to part like this.
“I……”
“I……”
“You first.”
“You first.”
Our words overlapped like a decalcomania. What kind of situation was this at my age? As an adult, I should have handled it graciously. If we counted actual years lived, I was well over eighty. Yet I had never been in such an awkward relationship with anyone before.
Wait, had I?
I remembered once eating the bread that my disciple had been saving. How furious that boy had been. I had bought him ten more loaves and comforted him by saying that a future Hero needed to have a big heart. The memory made me smile faintly.
“Elia, I’m sorry.”
Bertina lowered her head.
“I thought it was for your own good. I never once considered how you truly felt. I should have at least asked……”
I had been a little upset at the time. But my anger had long since faded. Actually, it wasn’t even anger—it was just a bit of disappointment.
“If it’s about that, I already let it go.”
“Elia……”
“As you said, Sister, I was born with Holy Power. Perhaps I really could become the Saintess through some miracle. And even if I don’t, I should at least be able to become a high-ranking cleric.”
But the blood of a knight flowed through my veins.
“Still, my choice hasn’t changed. Even if you had suggested it first, my answer would have been the same.”
I looked straight into Bertina’s eyes.
“I will become a knight.”
She closed her eyes. The corners of her mouth curved gently.
“……I will always pray for you.”
It felt a little embarrassing at my age, but I hugged Bertina like a child. Since regaining my past-life memories, I had never once embraced her.
“Thank you for everything until now.”
“If you ever need rest, come back anytime.”
“I will.”
“Even when you go to the battlefield, always keep your rosary close.”
“Of course.”
The rosary hanging around my neck. Taking it off now would feel strangely empty. It had practically become part of my body.
“When are you leaving?”
“Tomorrow morning.”
“Really? Then shall we sleep together tonight?”
“I’d like that.”
Before I turned ten, I used to sleep beside Bertina quite often. Of course, back then I had lived purely as Elia, so I had thrown tantrums and acted spoiled. After my past life returned, I stopped doing that. Bertina had seemed quite disappointed by it.
But what could I do? A grumpy old man in his eighties throwing a tantrum in a woman’s arms? That made no sense.
“It’s almost time for evening prayer.”
Bertina wiped her moist eyes and left the room, saying she needed to prepare for the service.
I finished packing my bag and headed to the chapel.
“Hm?”
The chapel was unusually noisy. The nuns had gathered in one spot. A buzzing murmur, like a marching column of ants, echoed through the hall.
“What’s going on……?”
I stood on tiptoe and peered toward the source of the commotion.
“Uh…………?”
A man was standing there.
A familiar face. He had aged, but he still looked like a pretty boy. The Hero, Louis.
My disciple was standing in the chapel.