Chapter 75
Chapter 75
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: Saint-1
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Time passed amid sobs and tears, and once everyone had calmed down somewhat...
"Um... excuse me..."
Leo, the subject of the story, who had been watching impassively, cautiously spoke up.
"...Ah... yes. Lean on me as much as you need."
It was appreciated, but that wasn't the intention behind his words.
"What I wanted to ask about was the sword Ariasfil drew at the end..."
Only then did everyone wipe the tears from their faces and shift the conversation. It hit home anew that these crybabies were descendants of the Hero Reinhardt.
"As you probably expected... it's the holy sword."
It was just as he thought. No ceremonial sword carrying such immense, sacred power could exist other than a holy sword.
In his previous life, the way Ariasfil drew the holy sword had been utterly orthodox, just like the heroes of old.
On the exact day she turned twenty, priests and holy knights who had received an oracle from the temple arrived, appointed her as the hero...
And after completing a year of training at the temple, Ariasfil drew the sword from its resting place in the Reinhardt estate.
It was an explanation that made sense precisely because it was Ariasfil.
But the current situation was an unexpected variable for Leonardo.
Ariasfil being chosen by the holy sword five years earlier than in his previous life—and without any training to boot—was hard to comprehend.
Even more bizarre was that she hadn't drawn it herself; the sword had flown to her hand on its own.
That was how Leo and the Sage seemed to make their peace with it.
Above all, because it was Ariasfil.
"So... did an oracle or revelation come down?"
At Leo's question, Family Head Gladio nodded.
"The temple contacted us. Right after the holy sword was drawn, to be precise."
An invisible ghost made a blasphemous remark just now, but since it was the babble of a half-dead spirit, Leo ignored it.
"So, temple priests are coming too?"
"...Yes. They've already sent someone."
From the temple—no, someone worthy of receiving a holy sword oracle—only one person came to mind.
"The Saint..."
"Yes, specifically Saint Candidate Lumine Angelus."
Lumine Angelus
The current Saint candidate—and in his previous life, a true Saint.
"Do you know him, Leo?"
"Yeah, I've heard the rumors."
Rumors? In truth, after Ariasfil's death, he was the one Leo had cooperated with the most.
No matter the injuries, he healed them without complaint, never revealed his position or information, and sometimes even came to dangerous areas himself.
In that situation, getting aid from House Reinhardt was utterly impossible.
Having witnessed Ariasfil's death, Leo went nearly mad with rage and began systematically killing everyone involved.
The council elders were among them.
Not only did he lose House Reinhardt's support, but the entire kingdom issued a massive manhunt, leaving Leo pursued by knights and bounty hunters.
Honestly, if gauging by guilt, the family came first; sparing the council backroom fossils was the real bargain.
He had no intention of forgetting his sins, but neither would he be shackled by the past. Forgetting meant bondage to guilt, and clinging to it meant ignoring terror.
"...What kind of person is this Saint...?"
Curious, Ariasfil asked cautiously. The Sage perked up his invisible ears, equally intrigued.
"...Hmm... They say he's like an angel? In several ways."
"...Like an angel?"
"An apt summary, indeed. I mistook him for an angel descending when I first saw him."
"Ah, back then Aunt was throwing a tantrum at the temple about why she couldn't use the holy sword..."
Crack
The price for his quick tongue was a swift tracheal tweak. Rios would get condolences later.
"...An angel... If he's like an angel, then his face must be... pretty too?"
Ariasfil mumbled "angel" a few times before slyly inquiring about the Saint's appearance. Was Ariasfil a woman after all, interested in such things?
"Yes, I saw her in the newspaper once... She was truly beautiful."
"He truly resembles an angel. I've heard his character is exceedingly kind and noble."
"...I see. So he's really pretty and kind...?"
What was this chill?
Ariasfil's smile seemed laced with subtle malice and hatred.
Why jealousy all of a sudden? And toward Lumine, of all people?
He had no idea what it meant.
He couldn't fathom the reason for jealousy, let alone why toward the Saint.
It was a scoff-worthy remark. How could one stab a Saint with a holy sword?
'Nah... no way...'
Yet why did unease linger?
He wanted to chalk it up to fatigue from his injuries. He had to.
Time passed, and word arrived that the Saint had reached the vicinity.
Unlike the family members who always arrived abruptly, this gave time to prepare—perhaps a glimpse of his consideration.
Being guests, the household waited in the front garden to receive them.
The Sage, still unable to form an ethereal body, attempted conversation via telepathy-like echoes in Leo's head.
It would be nice if it were always like this, but shoving aside the intrusive desire, he answered the question.
To Leo, whose heart was twisted from mercenary life and hardships, talk of ethics or morals was just bullshit that didn't land.
He learned that shortly after their first meeting, over a meal at a restaurant.
Scalding broth all over his body caused minor burns, with shards flying and cutting his skin.
Even without a foul temper, it was a situation warranting anger, yet Lumine...
That was common sense, but what followed went beyond kind into astonishing.
All without a single grimace, maintaining a benevolent saintly expression.
On the way back after the meal, the waiter and his group showed no remorse for such mercy, spewing nonsense.
-Ah... Because of that woman earlier, the manager chewed me out big time. Even docked my pay...
-Hey, that's just how priests are. A few nice words and everyone eats it up.
-Rich bitch didn't even tip... Jeez...
-But damn, she's hot, right? Ask her out for me later...
-'Oh, spot on. Fucking punchable truth.'
And they got punched accordingly.
As Leo personally reshaped their faces for their drivel, Lumine arrived at the commotion in the alley.
Precisely, post-beating treatment. Leo understood the anger and desire for punishment, so he told him to go wild.
Since healing made complaints impossible anyway, enjoy freely was the bonus.
Religious folk thing, he decided. She sometimes mentioned receiving revelations that way.
Sarcasm intended, but it didn't bother him. Leo acknowledged it himself.
Etiquette from Alfred, humanity and ethics from Lumine.
He liked her platonically, but sexually? Impossible for a devout priest anyway.
The Sage, thoroughly misled by the description, asked in bewilderment.
Lumine Angelus was often mistaken for a woman due to his title and looks, but he was unequivocally male.
Though Lumine stood out among them.
Come to think of it, temples existed in the Sage's time too, so surely Saintesses or Saints, with some connection perhaps. If fated, an interesting tale...
Yeah, no expectations.
At that moment, trumpets blared. Against that backdrop, the estate's main gate opened, admitting a modest carriage.
As vigilance eased at the plain carriage, the escort holy knight dismounted and opened the door.
"...Wings?"
A knight murmured upon seeing wings emerge from the carriage. Too feathered and white for arms—definitely wings.
Their owner soon fully alighted.
"Welcome, Saint Lumine Angelus."
Golden hair cascading to his mid-chest, jewel-like emerald eyes, and most striking: wings sprouting naturally from his back.
"Ah, hello, Family Head Gladio. I'm still just a candidate, so no need for such heavy titles."
Ignoring stares at his wings, Lumine offered a refined smile and greetings to the Reinhardt head and knights.
"He's... a real angel...?"
Even Ariasfil gawked, alternating glances between Lumine and his wings.
"Seems like an avian beastkin."
"Avian... like a bird beastkin?"
"Yes, same case as Brother Din."
Beastkin like wolf-kin Brother Din were common, but rare reptile or avian types like lizardmen or harpies existed.
Lumine was a case of atavism.
The Sage wore a horrified expression, as if beholding an incomprehensible contradiction.
Leo himself had been shocked upon learning he was male—discovered in the bathroom together.
Leonardo looked around. No one the Sage couldn't see from the estate, so the shock came from one of the carriage's outsiders.
Lumine seemed unrelated, leaving the escort holy knight. So, perhaps that one...
Personality bomb? How to spot by that? Besides, only one winged person here: Lumine.
Leo closed his eyes, waiting for the Sage's cue.
Poke
What entered his vision: the ghost's two fingers.
The normally intangible spirit definitely touched his eyes. Pain surged as they squished.
"Gaaahhh!! My eyes...!! My eyes...!! Aaaagh...!!"
You crazy old ghost...!!
"Leo?!"
"Are you alright?! Did the aftereffects worsen?!"
The family rushed over at his scream, and priest Lumine hurried too.
"Are you okay? Problem with your eyes?"
Lumine pried open Leo's eyelids with his fingers to check.
"...No... it just suddenly..."
Then, in Leo's pained eyes, another set of wings appeared.
Not just wings—unlike Lumine's, a golden halo adorned the head, floating like...
Dead centuries ago—that Saintess here?
At Lumine's side was an angelic Saintess.