Chapter 197: The Truman Show-1
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 197: The Truman Show-1
Saint Saniso Week, which had been one long event, passed without any particular incident.
The fervor of the crowded stadium and the artworks recreating the miracles of Saint Saniso—which had been placed all throughout the Order—vanished without a trace the moment the week ended.
As a result, the silence and solemnity that had briefly vacated the premises returned to the Order, as if coming home from a long journey.
My daily life also returned to its original state. The meals with nobles, which I had managed to reduce, increased once again.
The Pope apologized incessantly.
If I had acted according to my usual temperament, I would have flipped the table, but I couldn't bring myself to do that when an old man much older than me was bowing his head in such a humble manner.
In truth, I felt a bit exhausted from playing the Saint lately.
A life where eyes followed me wherever I went, and I had to be mindful of my surroundings with every action. I could now understand, at least a little, the hardships of celebrities that I never used to empathize with.
"Phew... today is finally over."
Perhaps due to the emotional labor, fatigue washed over me intensely once my schedule was finished.
"You worked hard."
The only time I could truly relax was when I was in my room.
Even then, Maria was by my side, but it was still more comfortable than being in the chapel or the dining hall.
Furthermore, the distance I initially felt from Maria was gradually shrinking, so being with her wasn't that uncomfortable.
It seemed Maria felt the same; unlike the beginning, when she would tremble like a raw recruit whenever she spoke to me, she now spoke normally and even exchanged jokes from time to time.
It seemed the results of the tournament had given her a great deal of confidence.
I sat in my chair mechanically, and Maria skillfully brewed some coffee.
It didn't taste as good as the coffee Emma brewed, but her skills seemed to be improving as she did it more often.
"...Would you like a cup as well, Sister Maria?"
When I asked because of the way Maria was staring intently at me after pouring the coffee, she gave a bright smile and shook her head.
Lately, Maria had been staring at me quite often.
She didn't do anything in particular; she just watched.
"Ah, Saint."
Maria spoke while clapping her hands as if she had just remembered something.
I took a sip of coffee and waited for her next words.
"I'll go move the laundry now."
"I suppose there's training for the novice nuns today as well."
"Yes, it happens often around this time."
"Go ahead. I'll finish my coffee."
"I'll be back shortly."
When I nodded while slightly lifting my cup, Maria left the room.
I could hear the sound of Maria’s footsteps receding as she went to take care of the laundry.
It was a gait mixed with equal parts nervousness and joy.
"'I'll be back shortly,' huh..."
I wasn't sure if she really would be back shortly.
On the days she took my laundry, she was usually gone for at least thirty minutes.
Well, it wasn't something to be surprised by or suspicious of anymore.
I already had a hunch that the person obsessed with me in this dimension was Maria.
*
What I realized while traveling through various dimensions was that, eventually, an incident would occur in one way or another, and through that incident, someone would become obsessed with me.
Under the premise that I couldn't avoid an obsessed woman, what should I do?
Should I run away? Or should I face it?
What I learned from Garam was that unconditional rejection was an act that released the brakes on their true nature.
Then how should I behave?
I decided to build a friendly relationship. If I couldn't prevent the obsession, I would make it so that her being obsessed wouldn't pose a major threat.
The status of a Saint and the bond built while teaching her the sword.
Those things would ensure that even if she became hostile toward the world, she would never be hostile toward me.
"......"
While lost in thought, a piece of paper I had placed on the table caught my eye.
A list written in characters I couldn't read.
It was something I had received from the Pope this evening.
Where would be a good place to go? Since I was going out anyway, I thought it would be best to do some proper volunteer work.
In that case, I should go to the poorest neighborhood.
"So, when is she coming back?"
Looking at the coffee that was already half-gone, I waited for Maria to return.
Maria finally returned to the room forty minutes after she had gone to handle the laundry.
She was letting out a strangely feverish breath.
*
"The smallest one is 'Elten' Village."
I handed the list to Maria, who had returned with a heavily flushed face. After listening to my explanation, Maria chose the third candidate, Elten Village.
"Is it far from here?"
"It's usually about four to five days away. Still, the villages on this list seem to be places that can be reached relatively safely."
I couldn't be sent to a place that was too far or where public order was poor.
That seemed to be the Pope's intention. Then again, I had no intention of insisting on going somewhere far away.
"Just because a village is small doesn't mean it's the one that needs the most help... Is there a place with many of the poor?"
At my follow-up question, Maria pondered for a moment before picking the fourth candidate.
"Then it would be 'Madini' Village. I heard it has a high floating population because it's located at the crossroads leading to various other villages."
The larger the population, the more gaps there would be.
Especially if there were many people passing through, there would be children abandoned there, and people who entered the village blindly, dreaming of a new life.
But I felt a strange sense of unease.
"Yes, but... that's strange."
I spoke to Maria while furrowing my brow.
"What is it?"
Maria tilted her head and looked at me.
"It doesn't feel like the first time I've heard of Madini Village."
Where had I heard it? The memory felt like it was right on the tip of my tongue.
I definitely heard it today....
"Ah!"
I remembered.
I had visited the apprentice priests' classroom today to see Antonio.
It was to keep a previous promise.
However, the boy was nowhere to be seen in the classroom, so I asked the priest in charge about him.
I had heard that many children return home at a young age, unable to adapt to life in the Order.
Feeling like I had become an adult who couldn't keep his promise, I felt a sense of bitterness.
I had just asked in passing, without any real meaning.
"Albainin, next to Madini..."
"Saint?"
"Sister Maria. How long does it take to get to Albainin Village from Madini?"
"I haven't been there myself, but... I think it would take about half a day."
Maria estimated the distance in her head as she spoke.
"I understand. Then let's go to Madini Village."
"Yes. I will pass that along."
I watched Maria’s face as she took the list and left.