The Banished Saintess Clitia
Warm sunlight fell across my face. The gloomy clouds that had been smothering the sky were slowly peeling away.
I gazed quietly at the sun as it peeked out, almost shy. The light was so brilliant it even loosened, if only a little, the gloom that had been sitting on my chest all this time.
For a fleeting instant the wish surged up that my own future could be that clear — and I shook my head hard. Hope is a poisonous feeling. A bit extreme, maybe, but from today on, that was how I was going to think of it.
"I lost."
The hulking orc sprawled in front of me let the words out, emptied of all strength.
"A complete defeat. There's no handling you. Not for me."
"That so?"
Even a compliment like that left me cold.
"Giph, you were about a sixty."
I'd been excited for days, ever since I heard he'd become some kind of powerhouse with a nickname like Gale-whatever. All I'd confirmed was that disappointment grows to match the size of your hopes.
"Isn't that a rather stingy score?"
"If that bothers you, you should've proven it."
Giph gave an easygoing smile at that and pushed himself upright.
"You haven't changed a bit. Nothing like the rumors."
"What rumors?"
I wondered what they were saying about me these days. Hearing it would only sour my mood, and yet I found myself curious anyway.
"Still using me as their favorite punching bag everywhere, I take it?"
"The opposite, actually. The world is afraid of you."
That characteristically ugly orc face of his crumpled into a frown.
"They're saying the Banished Saintess has become more dangerous than the Demon King. You've been attacking the strong and killing them left and right — of course people would think that."
"......"
A bitter smile came unbidden. Rumors always get exaggerated. Of course they do.
"Do I look like some psycho bitch who just kills whoever she feels like?"
"Until yesterday, that's exactly what I thought. So it was slander after all."
"Not entirely. I only killed the ones who pissed me off."
Giph's face went pale in an instant.
"...Why would you do something like that?"
"It's a hobby. I got addicted."
I clasped my hands before my chest and tipped my face toward the sky, letting the dazzling sunlight pour over my whole body.
O my Sun, who lights the world.
I pray that I may sleep within Your warm embrace.
Bestow upon me the mercy of Your gracious radiance, and burn away all filthy sin.
Naturally, no answer came.
"That's low of You. You can't even understand a hobby?"
I grumbled at the empty sky for no good reason and held a hand out to Giph.
"Get up. Let's go get wasted. It's been a while."
"I was hoping we'd have a proper talk anyway. Tell me everything that's happened."
I gave a quiet nod, more than willing.
It happened on a day of blazing sunshine.