The Best Grim Reaper
A cool yet comforting sensation bloomed from the core of my being as the highest-ranking grim reaper, wrapping my entire body in its embrace. As expected, I could use my divine authority without any issues. The only problem was that recovery had taken a full three days.
Maybe souls needing guidance appeared during those three days.
I calmly read the surrounding flows, searching for any traces of souls. Yet it was astonishingly quiet—so still that the passage of three whole days felt like a lie.
No signs of souls at all? To this extent?
This was a first for me, and I even began to wonder if the problem lay with me. I retrieved the bottle containing the captured soul from my subspace. Even sealed inside, its presence remained vividly clear. That meant the issue wasn't on my end.
…Should I expand the range further?
I gently closed my eyes and extended my power, widening the detection field. Beyond this eerily empty zone, I sensed a region thick with negative energy—a chilling, repulsive domain so dense it made my skin crawl.
My brow furrowed on its own. The yin qi was compressed to the brink of explosion, yet for some reason it remained trapped there. It swirled in place as if blocked by an invisible barrier. In a way, it almost seemed like something at the area's center was actively drawing the negative energy inward.
Is the flow obstructed? Or has it been deliberately sealed?
I focused my power toward the center to investigate. In that instant, a spine-chilling sensation pierced straight through my mind. Instinctively, I understood. This was a threat—and an intense one that made my whole body flinch.
…What was that just now?
I suppressed my heightened senses and tried to probe again—when the sound of a turning doorknob reached my ears.
"Sashin, are you lying down and resting?"
The Saint's voice came first, followed immediately by the door opening. Before I could even lie back, my eyes met hers. She was holding a teapot and teacups.
The Saint paused for a moment, then pressed her lips tightly together as she gazed at me intently.
"…Ah."
"Why aren't you lying down?"
Her lowered eyebrows couldn't hide her distress, and her lips protruded just slightly. Seeing that, my mind went completely blank. I had no idea what excuse to offer.
I floundered and blurted out the first thing that came to mind.
"It's just… well… I think I lay down too long. My back started hurting…"
I sneaked a glance at her. The Saint's eyes quickly flooded with worry. She set the tray on the bedside table and approached me, fidgeting anxiously.
"Really? Does it hurt a lot? What should I do? Medicine? Ointment? Or should I massage it for you?"
"…Pardon? No! No, I'm perfectly fine!"
I waved my hands frantically and shook my head. But the Saint sat down beside me with an even more serious expression.
"Don't just say you're fine. Tell me exactly where it hurts and what the problem is. That's the only way I can help you…"
"I really am fine. It was just a stiff back, that's all. Truly."
The Saint still regarded me with suspicion. Her eyes seemed to ask, Really? Under that oddly piercing gaze, I squirmed and quickly pointed at the teapot.
"…I'm a little thirsty."
"I'll pour it for you right away. Just wait a moment!"
"No! Take your time!"
It seemed my words hadn't registered at all. Watching her busy back, I couldn't help worrying she might spill the tea.
At that moment, the Saint hunched her shoulders and stepped back.
"Ah, it's hot!"
"Are you okay?!"
I nearly bolted upright in alarm, but when I saw the teapot and cup were still intact in her hands, I let out a sigh of relief.
The Saint fiddled with her finger and muttered, embarrassed.
"…Yeah, I'm fine. My bangs poked me in the eye, so I spilled a little tea on my hand."
"You're not hurt, are you? Let me see."
I stood and examined her hand. Fortunately, only her thumb was slightly reddened. Still, I couldn't overlook the culprit responsible.
"Saint, just a moment."
"Hm? Uh, um. Why?"
I gently lifted her bangs with my fingers. Her golden eyes appeared clearly before me.
"Hue—?!"
"As I thought, this looks much better."
"…Ah, aah."
Maybe it was the lighting, but they sparkled even more brilliantly than they had at night. They reminded me of luminous jewels.
They're so beautiful. Why does she cover them?
Perhaps because I was staring too intently, the Saint's face gradually flushed red.
"…Um, I-I…"
"Ah."
When I saw tears glistening in her eyes, I quickly withdrew my hand. The Saint let out a small groan and immediately let her bangs fall back over her eyes. The sight drew a sigh from me before I could stop it.
I scratched my head and asked carefully.
"Saint, why do you keep your bangs so long without trimming them? Doesn't it obstruct your vision and feel uncomfortable in so many ways?"
"T-that's… I didn't have time to take care of my hair…"
"Time?"
The Saint nodded slowly. Then, fidgeting with her fingers, she continued in a hesitant voice.
"Yes. At first I left them because of that, but once I got used to it… it felt really good…"
"…Good?"
"So, um… it feels strangely stabilizing."
Her answer left me momentarily stunned. I couldn't easily grasp how covering one's eyes could feel stabilizing.
"What do you mean by stabilizing?"
"It's just…"
The Saint hesitated, then added in a tiny voice.
"People's gazes feel a bit burdensome."
"Gazes? …Ah."
Only then did her words click. The Saint had grown weary of the stares directed at her. The eyes that once looked to her with hope for healing must have transformed into gazes full of resentment, blaming her for this tragedy. My heart grew heavy at the thought of her having to face those looks day after day.
I bowed my head politely and apologized.
"…I'm sorry. Today and last time as well—for lifting your bangs without permission."
"Ah, no! It's fine! And…"
The Saint paused, then added with a shy smile.
"It was dark then, and it was nice to see clearly after so long. It made eating more comfortable, too…"
"Still, I'm truly sorry."
"No. Don't apologize. It's because I'm the one who's lacking."
Her final words sounded like self-reproach. But the one who was lacking… As I opened my mouth to speak, the Saint held out the teacup.
"You said you were thirsty. Drink up."
"…Ah, thank you. I'll enjoy it."
I carefully accepted the cup and took a sip. The tea was excellent—a perfect harmony of fragrant floral notes and subtle sweetness.
"This is delicious."
"I'm glad it suits your taste. I really wanted to give it to you once you woke up."
The Saint smiled softly. Her expression held a mix of small relief and quiet pride.
"Did you?"
"Yes. This tea helps with fatigue recovery and boosts energy throughout the body. I'm so relieved there were still some leaves left."
While drinking, a question suddenly occurred to me. The Saint had been living in such harsh conditions that she only nibbled on potato peels.
Is it really all right for me to accept this?
I looked down at the teacup and spoke cautiously.
"You mentioned food is scarce. Is it truly okay to give something this precious to me?"
"Of course it's okay. For you, Sashin, I can give as much of this as you want."
Her answer was so firm and natural, without the slightest hesitation. Her voice carried sincere warmth and crystal-clear trust.
…What am I to her, really?
I couldn't lift my gaze from the teacup as I murmured quietly.
"Thank you, but I don't deserve to receive this much."
"…Why not?"
"Because the one who's lacking is me. Not you, Saint."
I smiled bitterly. Yes. The one who was lacking wasn't the Saint—it was me. If a high god like my father, or even any of the other senior reapers, had come to this world instead, things would have been far better. I was only half a being, having lost half my power. It made a mockery of my essence as a god of death.
The tea that had tasted sweet now carried a faint bitterness.
"You said this happened because the connection to the underworld was severed. It's not a problem caused by any shortcoming on your part, Sashin."
She was right. This was the result of a world cut off from the underworld. But… that didn't justify my own powerlessness.
"At the very least, another reaper wouldn't have taken three full days to recover. They might have already come up with a viable solution by now."
"…Sashin."
The Saint grasped my hand tightly and shook her head with determination.
"After death vanished from this world, how many times do you think I… prayed?"
"That is…"
"At first it was morning and evening. When the situation grew truly dire, I fasted for days on end, never sleeping, praying over and over again."
Her voice trembled, yet it remained resolute. The Saint looked straight into my eyes. Her gaze held unwavering conviction.
"Out of the countless prayers I repeated beyond counting, the only grim reaper who ever answered was you."
"I didn't truly answer. I simply happened to…"
"Even if it was by chance, the moment you faced this world's problem, you gave it your all, didn't you?"
Her firm words left me speechless for a moment. The Saint slowly tightened her grip on my hand.
"The very fact that you're here is already a miracle to me."
"A miracle…"
"It's true. I'm grateful. That the one who came to this world was you—a kind grim reaper."
The Saint's eyes didn't waver in the slightest. Having observed countless humans, I could tell. There was no pretense, no hidden doubt in her words or actions.
"It doesn't matter what other reapers might be like. I'm not disappointed at all. At least to me, you are the best grim reaper."
Those weren't words of comfort or encouragement. They were pure, unshakeable faith.
I quietly drew in a breath. The heavy self-reproach that had settled in a corner of my heart seemed to fade, little by little.
"…I'll work harder."
Even that short sentence came out in a trembling voice. The Saint simply smiled gently and nodded.
"Then for now, please rest comfortably. I'm worried about you."
"Yes, I understand."
"If I catch you up again… I'll be terribly upset…"
"…I'll stay obediently in bed."
Satisfied with my answer, the Saint beamed brightly. For a moment I had the illusion that her smile warmed the entire room.
Somehow, I felt myself relaxing without meaning to.
"It's a promise. You have to rest properly."
"Yes, I promise."
The Saint nodded, seemingly relieved, and stood up. The door closed, and the room fell quiet once more.
I stared at the bedside table where the teacup had rested for a moment, then slowly closed my eyes.
I should keep my promise to rest first.
For now, I decided to clear my mind and sleep deeply, even if only for a little while.
"…Ugh."
How long had I slept? It seemed I'd fallen into a deeper slumber than I'd intended. When I opened my eyes, the room was wrapped in darkness. The faint moonlight seeping through the curtains told me the night had grown late.
"What time is it?"
As I sat up, I felt an odd weight. Something soft and warm was nestled against me.
"What is this?"
The moment I lowered my head to check, I froze completely.
…Why was the Saint sleeping in my arms?