Shaken Faith
Aria was shaken. So deeply that she didn’t even notice the horrified gazes of those around her staring at both Edrian and herself.
“…”
Have you forgotten the Saintess’s true duty?
Prayer Priest Edrian’s sharp words pierced straight through her heart. It was as if he had cruelly thrust the truth she had been pretending not to see right in front of her eyes.
What exactly is the Saintess’s duty?
The role a Saintess must fulfill. To carry on the sacred will of the Sun God Lua. The Saintess was a divine proxy. That was why countless believers of the Holy Theocracy bowed their heads to a small girl abandoned in a rural village. It was reverence for the girls who bore the weight of tradition and duty passed down through generations. It was never reverence for a lowly girl herself.
What mattered was not Aria, but the Saintess. It was because of the will of the Sun God that the Saintess received in revelation.
I prophesied that a brown-haired boy born on a hot summer day in the southern region of Gallia would grasp the light of the lake. And indeed, he appeared at the Academy where the lake sparkles, holding the Holy Sword.
The prophecy had come true, yet people refused to acknowledge him. Wasn’t that precisely why examiners had been sent here?
Honestly, what a useless prophecy. It doesn’t help at all.
“…”
Aria had believed that the only duty left to her was to help the unacknowledged Hero. But geniuses from across the southern continent had already gathered at his side. With the beautiful and powerful Lydia, Mave, and Morgan there, Arty would continue to grow stronger.
With them around, Arty will surely pass the Hero’s test… Honestly, I don’t know anything more than Lydia does.
Then what was left for the Saintess to do? To fawn politically over the Heresy Inquisitor and the Prayer Priest? To attend ceremonies with a solemn face and grace the occasion with her presence?
“…”
She didn’t know. Because once her role as the Saintess receiving prophecies ended, all that remained was a rural girl who had merely memorized a few prayers. She had simply believed that if she stayed by the Hero’s side, a purpose would appear…
Aria, without the title of Saintess, was utterly insignificant.
What use am I if I’m not the Saintess?
In the first place… was it even right for her to remain at his side as the Saintess? Moreover, she was now conscious of him not as the Saintess, but as a woman. Her heart raced when she looked at the boy’s—not the Hero’s—lips and eyes. Was this an emotion a Saintess was permitted to feel?
“…”
Have you forgotten the Saintess’s true duty?
“…”
She didn’t know. The Sun God no longer granted her any revelations. All she could hear were the whispering voices of the adults around her.
The Saintess must be noble and pure.
The Saintess must memorize all the prayers…
The Saintess only needs to deliver the prophecy immediately.
Even after delivering the prophecy, they told Aria to stay still.
We will handle the rest.
Please act only as the Saintess.
Do not ask questions.
Remain silent.
Simply believe.
“…”
Aria had lost her way.
It would be better if the Sun God would rebuke the thoughts of this lowly woman.
Yet she only believed that staying by Arty’s side would somehow solve everything, and so she clung to the warmth beside him. She believed that somehow, everything would work out.
That was why Edrian’s words had shaken her so badly.
Even so, Aria tried to answer.
“The Saintess’s… duty…”
What exactly was it?
She couldn’t answer.
“The Saintess’s duty is…”
Prayer Priest Edrian let out a deep sigh. His voice no longer held rebuke, but rather sorrow and pity.
“Why is it that the Saintess cannot answer the question herself? You possess both the duty and the authority to answer in this sacred place of learning. Why do you, who are so deeply respected, choose to behave exactly like any other believer here?”
“…I’m sorry.”
“Do not answer mechanically. A divine proxy must never cease thinking for herself.”
“…I’m sorry.”
“Haa…”
With slightly trembling hands, Edrian clutched his deeply wrinkled forehead. Aria finally lowered her head.
“…”
A single tear slid down from Aria’s eye. The students of the Holy Department watched with pitying gazes. Those very looks only made her feel even more wretched.
Edrian removed his hand from his forehead and, once again wearing a solemn expression, prepared to speak to Aria.
“Saintess, you must remember. You yourself desire—”
“Haha, Brother Edrian.”
The one who cut him off was Heresy Inquisitor Raoul. At some point he had moved to Aria’s side, shielding her as if protecting her. Raoul spoke calmly in a pleasant voice.
“It seems Brother Edrian is under some misunderstanding.”
“…”
“The reason we have come to this Academy under His Holiness the Holy King’s command is to verify the authenticity of the newly appeared Holy Sword and to confirm the qualifications of the Hero. You haven’t forgotten that, have you?”
“…That is correct.”
“Then could you explain how publicly humiliating and pressuring the Saintess here has anything to do with that mission?”
“It has nothing to do with the mission. This is merely a personal matter concerning the Saintess herself.”
“A problem? A problem, you say? What sort of problem?”
Raoul gestured around him, his white armor gleaming. Every movement carried the dignity of a legendary holy knight.
“Can you not feel the hearts of the believers gathered here, and of Cardinal Albert who arranged this welcome? To criticize trivial formalities in the face of such sincerity is far too cruel.”
“…”
“The doctrine of the Sun God is faith! Therefore, we need only believe in each other’s hearts and feelings.”
“…”
At those words, the gloomy expressions of Cardinal Albert and the surrounding believers gradually brightened. They sent grateful looks toward the kind holy knight who understood their hearts.
Aria mulled over Raoul’s words.
The doctrine of the Sun God is faith…?
Then why did the Hero say those words when he took hold of the Holy Sword…
But the thought didn’t last long.
Raoul gently placed a hand on Aria’s shoulder. Then he wrapped her in his pure white cloak.
“?!”
Aria flinched at the touch.
“…And besides, our beautiful Saintess has personally come to welcome us as well. Simply by being here, she is already fulfilling her duty as the Saintess.”
“T-That’s…”
The original plan flashed through Aria’s mind—exploring the dungeon together and then having a meal with her friends. But Raoul’s whisper cut the thought short.
“Saintess, you are already performing your duty perfectly as you are. You must remain here.”
“…”
Without realizing it, Aria clenched her fist tightly. For some reason, cold sweat was forming in her palm.
Raoul smiled contentedly. The surrounding believers were already looking at him with desperate eyes, begging him to resolve the situation.
Edrian looked at him and answered coldly.
“The words of a Heresy Inquisitor are essentially meaningless. Do not rob the believers of their ability to think with honeyed speech. This gathering is nothing more than Cardinal Albert’s personal greed.”
“…”
Cardinal Albert approached Raoul’s side and smiled warmly. Between their large frames, Aria was completely hidden.
“Now, now… I sincerely apologize for offending the Prayer Priest with my own shortcomings. It seems I got ahead of myself in my desire to properly welcome two individuals whose names shine brightly even within the Holy Theocracy. I am truly sorry, Brother Raoul.”
“Hoho, not at all. When living a life of faith, isn’t it common to have small disagreements due to differing views?”
Albert and Raoul continued their conversation casually, even making plans for dinner. The believers let out sighs of relief between the two men’s amiable laughter. The frozen atmosphere inside the chapel quickly thawed.
Edrian shook his head as he watched them.
“…I shall take my leave. We will discuss the Hero’s test starting tomorrow morning.”
“That is exactly what we hoped for. Would Brother Edrian care to join us for a meal and share in our faith?”
“I must decline. Faith is something to be nurtured only within the heart.”
“Still, a warm stew and broth would soothe a weary body.”
“It is unnecessary. A single piece of bread is enough for me.”
“Hoho, I see.”
Edrian turned away after giving a cold refusal. Until the very end, his gaze lingered on Aria, who remained hidden beneath the cloak.
“…”
And then. Through the open doors of the chapel, where the dark evening sky was visible, the old man in the gray robe vanished into the twilight.
The new students of the Holy Department let out sighs of relief, as if a great weight had been lifted from their chests. They began chattering and smiling again.
“Whew… Now I can finally breathe.”
“The Saintess was crying. It broke my heart.”
“The Prayer Priest is called a hardliner back in the Theocracy, but he’s practically isolated. He must have felt uncomfortable with this kind of group atmosphere.”
“How did those two even ride in the same carriage if they’re on such bad terms?”
“Ugh, just imagining it is suffocating…”
“Anyway, shouldn’t we get something delicious to eat today?”
Still wrapped in the white cloak, Aria watched his retreating figure. Instead of cold rebukes, what reached her ears now were warm promises of dinner and casual greetings.
“…”
But… the cold sweat in her fist did not stop. The hand on her shoulder felt foreign. She still hadn’t answered the Prayer Priest’s question. She hesitated, wondering if she should kick open the chapel doors right now and follow the old man walking through the darkness.
The place I want to go is…
*
The next day.
Lydia’s party’s dawn training ended quietly. Rather than practicing new techniques, the session had focused mainly on sparring between Arty and Mave. The result was…
Arty: 3 wins. Mave: 6 wins. One draw.
Compared to the beginning when Arty had been one-sidedly beaten, it was remarkable progress.
Lydia declared,
“…That’s enough for today.”
Arty and Mave lowered the wooden swords they had been pointing at each other. They exchanged silent knightly salutes.
Clack!
“…”
“…”
Unlike their usual noisy antics—twisting each other’s bodies or tickling one another—the atmosphere was calm. It was because the girl who usually sat alone on the rock was missing today.
Lydia watched them in silence as well.
“…”
The three of them left the clearing without a word. Morgan tucked the book she had been reading under her arm, brushed off her skirt, and stood up. She walked up beside Lydia, who was leading the way, and spoke in a nonchalant voice.
“It’s quieter than usual. Thanks to that, I managed to finish an entire book. I can now do dungeon surveying calculations in my head.”
“I see. That’s truly impressive.”
“…”
Morgan made a sullen face. Lydia looked at her.
“?”
“Your praise doesn’t sound sincere today.”
“…”
Oh dear, I’ve been caught.
Lydia gave a bitter smile and said,
“How could one inside a well truly admire an eagle or a dove soaring through the open sky? To them, both would merely look like specks in the same heaven.”
“…”
You’re too much of a genius, and this isn’t even my field, so I don’t really understand.
That was what Lydia’s words meant. Morgan chewed on her lip. But it was clearly an attempt to suppress the corners of her mouth that kept trying to rise.
“…Hmph.”
A quiet day wasn’t so bad. To think I’d hear such flattery from your mouth… It really was a strange day.
“…And there was that weird old man on the way here too.”
“Mm.”
Lydia turned her head in the direction Morgan was looking. She had already sensed the presence, but the person was unexpected.
“…Prayer Priest Edrian.”
“You know him?”
“Perhaps.”
“?”
Morgan tilted her head at Lydia. But Lydia simply stared calmly at the old man standing before them.
“…”
Prayer Priest Edrian. He was the gray-robed elder dispatched as the main examiner for the Hero’s test in the game. He was currently praying in front of an old statue of the Sun God tucked away in a corner of the Academy.
Today as well, please show us that noble flame at the start of the day…
The sight of the old man praying alone in the early dawn somehow felt familiar to Lydia.
Because that’s exactly how he looked during his first appearance in the game.
In the game, the Prayer Priest relentlessly drove Arty into a corner with sharp, cold words. Most of his lines pointed out Arty’s insufficient stats.
Prayer Priest Edrian: Can a frail boy truly stand against the powerful forces of the Dark Realm?
Prayer Priest Edrian: With that stubborn head of yours, can you discern the true intentions of the monsters who cunningly hide in the shadows?
Prayer Priest Edrian: With a heart lacking conviction, can you resist the sweet temptations whispered by the forces of the Dark Realm?
And if he failed two or more of the three tests,
Edrian would immediately declare:
Enough. This test is now meaningless. I order the Holy Sword to be confiscated and the boy to be transported to the Holy Theocracy.
With that declaration, the game ended.
“…”
He’s the NPC who teaches you that raising stats and training is more important than just grinding heroine affection points.
When the party approached, Edrian’s prayer had just ended. He staggered as he pushed himself up from his knees. Then he turned his head toward the presence he suddenly felt beside him.
“!”
The party and Edrian made eye contact.
“…”
“…”
The old man with deep eyes looked at the golden-haired girl at the front of the group. But he offered her no special courtesy. Lydia felt a strange sense of familiarity.
…This is how a true faith-hardliner should be. Bowing and scraping before power doesn’t suit him at all.
Instead, Edrian looked at the brown-haired boy who had been walking at the very back. And he spoke to him.
“Are you the Hero candidate?”
“…!”
Arty looked at him in surprise.
“H-How did you…?”
“You are from the rural south of the Gallia Kingdom, correct?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“I see. Just as the Saintess prophesied. I heard that the Saintess has been watching you train every dawn. And that she tried to help you from your side.”
“!”
Aria. The moment she was mentioned, Arty unconsciously swallowed. He feared that harsh condemnation would come flying from Edrian.
How dare a commoner…
Next to the noble Saintess…!
Are you coveting her love?
“…”
It was the sense of inferiority deeply rooted in Arty’s heart. The whisper that had always held him back just before he could approach Aria.
“…”
“…”
However… contrary to Arty’s expectations, Edrian did not press him. He simply spoke in a blunt manner.
“I have come to verify you starting tomorrow. To determine whether you are worthy of the Holy Sword, and whether the Holy Sword you possess is the genuine article.”
“!”
Edrian continued.
“And…”
“?”
“…Whether you are truly the boy who walks his own fate, just as the Saintess said.”
“The Saintess said that?”
“She did.”
“…”
“Then prepare both body and mind by tomorrow and be ready for the test.”
Arty asked in an anxious voice,
“Do you perhaps think it is inappropriate for a commoner to possess the Holy Sword, Priest?”
“That is something to be verified in tomorrow’s test. The candidate’s social status offers no guarantee. It is not within my authority to pass judgment on something that has not been verified.”
“!”
“Then I shall take my leave.”
Having said all he needed to say, Edrian turned and walked away. Arty stared at his retreating back in confusion.
“Just what…”
Lydia mulled over the Prayer Priest’s lines, guessing at the content of the test that would begin tomorrow. She also decided on their future course of action.
“…”
This isn’t the public route test. It’s confirmed to be an Aria route event. So the first test will probably be a duel.
And the one they needed to watch out for in this event was…