[Saintess for You - 04]
[Saintess for You - 04]
"Um, this is my first time leaving the capital, so I'm super excited!"
"Come to think of it, Eris, you've only ever been as far as the city center, right?"
"Well, it was mostly just escorting the Saintess-nim when she went out occasionally. Honestly, I don't even know if the Saintess-nim needs my protection."
The Saintess-nim said while drinking black tea.
"Empty formalities are necessary. Like it or not, those in power absolutely hate being looked down upon. No, I doubt anyone likes that. Anyway, you need something to show that 'we are worth this much.' It means you can't maintain any dignity without bringing along at least a minimal escort."
"It's a bothersome topic, as always."
"Well, I thought so too, but what can you do? That's how the world is, so you have to follow common sense. Usually, it's best not to ignore those things unless it's an emergency or you're so fed up that you want to smash everything. There are a lot of people in this world who will try to trip you up and drag you down no matter what."
"That is certainly true."
Perhaps this is the time to use the phrase 'deeply moved.'
Seeing the Saintess-nim, of all people, explaining society and common sense to Eris, it was clear that she was someone who could truly do anything if she put her mind to it.
The Saintess-nim, now 15, worked without rest, learned, and constantly sought to master things without stopping.
She memorized things she didn't understand, racked her brain to try and understand them somehow, and as a result, began 'memorizing' everything. There were many cases where she couldn't understand their circumstances or ways of thinking.
However, she didn't just leave things she didn't understand as they were; the Saintess-nim simply memorized that 'in this situation, you have this reaction.'
Considering that there are quite a few ordinary people who don't understand things and just leave what they don't understand without thinking about it, the Saintess-nim might already be a fairly decent person, even among ordinary people.
Her understanding of society increased.
She memorized reactions to people.
She grasped emotional lines.
Even if she wasn't sad at all, she would comfort someone whose family had died, and if someone was in pain, she would make a pitiful expression while healing them.
Even if she had no thoughts about people training hard, she became able to say that she was grateful for the sweat they shed training for our sake every time.
If someone who didn't know the Saintess-nim before were to see her now, they might think of her as a 'Saintess with a flower garden in her head.'
When I mentioned that, the Saintess-nim smiled and said, 'Actually, that's better.'
-It means they're looking down on me, right? How great is that? There's nothing easier to deal with than an opponent who underestimates you.
It seemed she really wanted people to see her as an airheaded Saintess.
And among them, the Saintess-nim keeps an eye on those who see through her acting.
Whether she intends to make them allies or sees them as enemies, the Saintess-nim seemed to think that those who feel a sense of dissonance from her are not ordinary people and are useful.
"What kind of place is Master's hometown?"
"It's a place with an ordinary village and ordinary nobles. There aren't any special local products or anything like that, but you could say they're decent nobles."
"From my perspective, it's hard to accept a noble being called 'decent' or 'ordinary.' Didn't they become nobles because they had something special?"
"They say the ancestors worked diligently for the country, and that was recognized, earning them the status of nobility."
"That's so Ed."
My hometown didn't really have any notable local products or anything of the sort.
If I had to say, the abundance of trees could be called a characteristic, but anyway, without having anything irreplaceable, the people of the main family committed all sorts of tyranny and acted like tyrants, and when that was reported, a full-scale purge took place.
Even though it was my hometown, my family, who lived quite far from the main house, was able to survive, and thanks to the King's mercy, we were forgiven to continue the Valtus Family anew.
Perhaps the King considered that a punishment as well.
It would have been fine to drown and die in the blood of the name 'Valtus Family,' which already had a rock-bottom reputation, and if we decided to stand up and move forward again, the hardships of rising again could be seen as absolution for our sins.
I was truly insanely busy, and I was even dragged into the Monster War.
According to my parents and older brother, it was only after I became a war hero that we gained a bit of reputation and were able to do something.
Before that, they said that just maintaining the surname 'Valtus' felt like it would break their backs.
It wasn't that I didn't understand.
My name.
By borrowing my name and reputation, they finally met people they could talk to, and thanks to that, they stood up again.
Of course, it's true they borrowed my reputation at first, but even though it was my family who rebuilt the house after that, they seemed to feel a sense of indebtedness toward me, so they told me not to come back until things stabilized.
They said it was because if I came back, I'd likely overwork myself again.
Given my personality, if I saw such problems, I wouldn't have just stood by.
Besides, I might not care about a stranger's territory, but how could I just stand by when it's my family's territory?
They must have known my tendencies well, as I would have tried to help somehow.
"So, are you really just going for a vacation?"
"I'm just seeing my family's faces after a long time. It's been a while since I've seen them too."
"Ed, you definitely participated in the Monster War, right? This is the first time you're meeting them since you went as a Holy Knight to participate?"
"That's right. I went to the battlefield when I was 15, so I'm meeting them for the first time in 12 years."
"At that point, I'd believe it if you said you'd cut ties."
"Well, we were exchanging letters."
I often wrote about funny things, sad things, and ordinary things that happened on the battlefield, and they sent back similar content on their end.
It felt like we were lamenting to each other, and it often felt like slaves bragging about whose chains were heavier, so I often felt strange while writing.
Surely they felt the same way.
Thinking about meeting them in person after 12 years, I wasn't completely nervous, but since we kept talking through letters, I didn't feel that much distance.
Well, that's just my side of the story; my family might treat me a bit awkwardly.
Because the boy who was 15 is now a grown man in his mid-20s.
"Come to think of it, you said Ed's great-great-grandparents were Elves."
"Yes."
"Maybe they're still alive? Elves live a long time, right?"
"Hmm, my great-great-grandfather is an Elf. But he was already old when he got married. I understand he has passed away."
I've never seen him myself, so I don't know, but they say he was already a grandfather by the time my great-great-grandmother passed away.
After that, he entrusted the household to my great-grandfather and left.
He might be alive, but leaving like that is no different from saying 'consider me dead,' so I didn't bother trying to find him.
"My great-grandfather, who was a Half-Elf, died in the war, and my grandmother, who is a quarter-Elf, is still alive. Being a quarter-Elf, she looks incredibly young for her age."
"Her age is..."
"Eighty-six."
It was an age that had already exceeded the average lifespan of this world, but considering she was a quarter-Elf, it wasn't that strange.
Even though she was over eighty, and actually nearing ninety, she looked like a middle-aged person, and some people even called her a young person.
They say that when she stands next to my mother, who is her daughter, they are mistaken for sisters, not mother and daughter.
Furthermore, sometimes when Grandma is mistaken for the 'younger sister,' Father has to sweat to soothe Mother.
"So they married late?"
"Yes. Due to various circumstances, my grandfather and grandmother married late, and because of that, they had children late. And my father and mother had children normally."
My older brother was born first, then I was born.
"For reference, how old is your brother?"
"He is 30. Three years older than me."
"I'll keep that in mind."
The question 'Why?' popped into my head without me realizing it, but I decided not to pry.
In the first place, age wasn't that important.
Except for me, no one is used to combat, and my great-grandfather was said to be skilled in combat.
That's probably why he went to the battlefield. Anyway, in terms of combat power, you could say they were just ordinary nobles with nothing special.
"That aside..."
"Zzz..."
"Does this kid have any self-awareness that she's my escort?"
Even if we were in a magic stone carriage, seeing Eris sleeping openly next to the Saintess-nim was enough to make me dumbfounded.
Since she had Beastkin blood, her senses were good, and her reaction speed to threats was faster than mine or the Saintess-nim's.
Her speed in mastering magic power was also excellent.
Even if she were fired from the Cathedral right now, she was at a level where she could make a living. Whether as a mercenary, an adventurer, or whatever.
Since this world is ultimately a fantasy, if you had 'martial power,' you could at least make a living.
"Sometimes I don't know who the younger one is."
"Right? I can't believe she's older than me. You're my standard for someone older."
"I'm honored."
"Tell me more about your family. Even if it's not about age, everyday stories are fine. You can just tell me the same things that came in the letters."
"You're very interested."
The Saintess-nim smiled.
"Because I want to make a good impression."
"......."
For that moment.
It felt like she wasn't smiling as the Saintess, but as 'Anastasia.'