[No title provided]
Two weeks had passed since Cecily, the not-Geumtaeyang, inclination-and-color saintess, headed back.
"Nngh."
The lively morning had returned... wait, no. The erect morning. Or was it the other way around? Anyway, I propped myself up in the stiff bed and roughly ran my hand through my messy hair.
Hmm, a bit long now?
The hair brushing my hand felt longer than before, so I glanced at the mirror beside me. My sharp, angular face was half-hidden by hair that had grown out overall, just covering my eyes a little. When I first met the saintess, it had been shorter, but somehow it had gotten this long. Made sense—I hadn't cut it since graduating from the academy.
"Hmmm."
-Kyu?
No matter how I looked at it, this was me in my current life. Yuran La Toypus. Handsome. Not self-praise—this was objective fact. What? You don't believe me? Can't exactly show you my face. And with the hair grown out, the delinquent vibe from when it was short was gone, replaced by a hint of decadent charm... argh! Calling myself decadent like that snapped me right out of it. Enough of that.
Still, worth checking.
"Hey."
-Kyuing?
"I'm handsome, right?"
-…….
What? Why the silence? The fire orb went quiet at my question for a moment, then...
-Kyu, kyuing. Kyuuuung.
...made those noises while turning away. What was it trying to say? Talking to divine power wasn't exactly normal to begin with, but now that it was happening, proper communication would be nice.
"Why can you only say stuff like kyuing, kyung, kyit? Can't speak human?"
-…Kyuing.
"No better than a bug."
-Kyuuung!
At my words, it charged straight at my chest. By now, this pattern was so familiar I just let it happen. Didn't hurt anyway... no feeling at all. Just a bit of warmth in my chest.
"Maybe grow you a little more."
I muttered, and...
-Kyuing, kyung.
...for some reason, the fire orb nodded along. It had tastes, huh? Fine, I'd indulge it. Time to work now.
Work meaning reviewing reports to grasp the territory's past and present, and racking my brain for a solution to the Toypus Mine that just wouldn't come.
And my new routine since the saintess left: practicing divine power.
-Kyu, kyuuung….
"What?"
I stood to head to the office, but the orb turned and scooted to the corner. Wondering why, I realized: loose pants hid it fine while lying down, but standing up, they betrayed me. My towering erection was on full display.
"Grgh, now that's a man."
Sounded weird when I said it out loud.
"Grgh, now that's a Geumtaeyang."
Better. As I admired myself, the orb stayed in the corner. Not the first time, but it always did this. Funny for a genderless fire orb.
"Hey, get used to it by now."
-Kyit!
"You're the weird one acting up. Come on, look straight!"
-Kyuuuuit!!
It dodged my approach, then slipped right back into my body. I felt it squirming inside before settling down.
"Cute little thing."
-……!
Like raising a cute, harmless pet bug you could kinda communicate with. If I'd had one in my past life, it would've been fun.
"Today, finish that report on desert monsters from yesterday…."
"Is Earl Toypus in?"
What now? Nah, two weeks of peace meant something was due.
Just hope it's not some big drama among the territory folk.
I checked my impressive morning wood had settled. Then, to identify the owner of that thick, confident voice, I headed downstairs.
Do any of our scrawny locals have a voice like that?
Opening the door with that thought, the blinding light made me shut my eyes.
"Agh, my eyes!"
"…Lord Yuran?"
I kept them closed a moment, then slowly opened them. Tracked the source of the sparkle: impeccably polished armor. Not one or two sets, either.
"Who are you? Aren't you hot?"
I stared at these suspiciously expensive-looking armored folks who had no business here. Full plate in the midday desert? Insanely hot.
"…Ahem. Divine power makes it fine."
Looked hot to anyone. But they seemed to bear it.
Divine power.
I noticed the church emblem etched on the armor—proof they were Holy Knights.
"What brings holy knights here?"
"First, a letter from His Holiness the Pope. Please read it."
"The Pope?"
Huh. Never crossed paths with him before, and probably never would. But you don't ignore mail from the second-most powerful guy after the emperor.
To the Earl Yuran La Toypus.
May the innocent glory of the gods be upon you, and may They always watch over….
"Skip."
"Pardon?"
"Don't mind it."
Familiar pattern—I skimmed ahead. The knights eyed me distastefully for breezing through the Pope's letter, but I needed the point fast. If I were a fanatic like the saintess, I'd savor every word, but alas, I'm agnostic.
I have heard from Saintess Cecily about the situation in your earldom. I am well aware that the west is also plagued by monsters. However, the northern outbreaks have been unprecedented, so we have not dispatched holy knights westward until now. But the saintess insisted this place desperately needs aid. This old man agrees. Fortunately, with her now headed north, we could spare some manpower. Not many, but with modest supplies and holy knights—may they bolster your earldom. Please don't work them too harshly; they'll stay about ten days. Don't think it too stingy. As for the north's current state….
"Oh."
Summary: Supplies and holy knights courtesy of the saintess's request. But don't overwork them—they're due north soon. North's a total shitshow; every hand counts.
Checked other pages, but just more papal well-wishes like the opener.
For a pope, awfully humble.
Not the full picture, but gave insight into the man. Fitting—original story painted him as a kindly grandpa, guardian to the orphaned saintess like her real one. Explains her humility too. Both so modest.
"Done reading."
"…The supplies are out front."
"Let's check 'em out."
I followed the knight. Three big wagons loaded with food and daily necessities. Not hugely valuable monetarily, but in this desert? A miracle.
"How'd you haul this? Sand makes it impossible…."
"Carried it."
"……."
Holy knights. Superhuman strength baseline, boosted by divine power—they'd carried this for days.
My divine power…!
I mentally poked the quiet orb inside me.
"Thanks anyway. Stuff like this is worth more than gold here."
"No need. It's our duty."
"So you know why you're here?"
"Yes. His Holiness said to aid Lord Yuran…."
"Holy knights are reliable. Oh, I'm Yuran."
"I'm Tecus. Temporarily leading these knights."
We shook hands. Free labor dropping in? Couldn't be happier.
But one of the three behind Tecus glared daggers at me.
Heatstroke? Why the hate?
Desert sucks, sure, but that look was personal. Bad blood aimed at me.
"Hey, you."
"…Were you calling me?"
The knight answered sourly at my casual 'hey, you.'
I'm no saint. Won't play nice with someone starting hostile.
"Why the stare?"
"……."
He just glared.
"What'd I do?"
"Lord Yuran? What did Gaban do?"
Tecus asked, baffled.
Okay, knight's name is Gaban.
Never heard of him. Don't know any holy knights by name. Hero counts as one? Arthur, but not him. So why the beef?
I eyed Gaban back. Shorter than me, he met my gaze squarely.
"Don't you remember me?"
"Huh?"
"Capital, two years ago. Holy knight by the saintess."
"Oh. Ah…!"
Then it clicked—fuzzy memory. The guy who'd yelled You bastard! at me.
He was there at my first saintess meeting. Where I'd sexually harassed her.
And Gaban remembered.
Ah, fucked.
A beauty's big tits and hips could ruin a man like this.
Cecily. Scary woman.