The First Summon

A light so golden it nearly blinded me flared, and a human figure took shape within it.

At first I'd imagined some hulking holy knight in full plate. Or maybe a black-armored warrior who could cleave a dragon in a single stroke. After all, this was a loyal subject summoned with an EX-grade skill — the least I should get was someone on par with an S-grade hunter, right?

But when the golden light fully faded, the person standing before me was nothing like what I'd expected.

Sky-blue hair cascading down to her waist. A black uniform beneath a white cloak embroidered with gold thread. And neat shoes that somehow remained spotless even after stepping onto the dirt of the orphanage backyard.

A cold-looking beauty who appeared to be in her early twenties.

After briefly surveying her surroundings, her eyes settled on me. Then, without a moment's hesitation, she dropped to one knee.

"Adelia Belaster, Sanctuary Administrator of the fallen Holy Kingdom. I present myself before Your Holiness, the Successor."

"…What?"

"You called, Your Holiness. Your loyal subject Adelia has answered."

I climbed down from the wooden platform on pure reflex. There was no way I could just sit there while someone dropped to one knee and said something like that.

"Um, excuse me. Please stand up first. That's dirt."

"How could I dare raise my head before Your Holiness?"

"We can skip all that. No — please, just get up on your own."

When I flusteredly held out my hand, Adelia looked up at me for a moment. There was something almost puzzled in her eyes. Then, very carefully, she took my hand ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and rose to her feet.

Her hand was cold. She was clearly breathing, clearly speaking like a living person — and yet a chill like old stone lingered at her fingertips. I awkwardly hid my hand behind my back.

"So… Adelia, you came here because I summoned you?"

"That is correct."

"And you're my loyal subject?"

"That is correct."

"And you're from the Holy Kingdom?"

"More precisely, I am the one who served as aide to the Holy Kingdom's final Saintess."

The final Saintess. The moment I heard those words, a chill ran down my spine. The class name Saintess of a Ruined Nation had already felt ominous enough — but an actual Saintess from a country that had truly fallen?

I cleared my throat awkwardly.

"Then, uh… are you any good in a fight?"

Adelia's expression shifted for the first time, just a fraction.

"Does Your Holiness wish to verify my capabilities?"

"Ah, no, not like that. It's just… the world these days is kind of dangerous. Hehe… and I'm not very good at fighting."

This was a world of open Gates. Fancy functions like Shrines and loyal subjects were all well and good, but my body right now was weaker than an E-grade hunter. Maybe even weaker than F-grade. With zero offensive skills, stepping outside would make me perfect monster bait. And more than anything, my appearance alone was far too dangerous now.

Adelia nodded, then walked over to a weathered granite stepping stone sitting in one corner of the backyard.

"In that case, allow me to demonstrate briefly."

"Huh? Wait, demonstrate what?"

She flicked her fingers.

Crack!

A short burst of sound, and the top of the stepping stone sheared cleanly off. It hadn't shattered. The cut face of the stone was smooth, as if a massive blade had sliced through it.

Did she just cut that like paper?

I stood there with my mouth open, staring at the stone for a long time. It was incredible — no question — but there was a problem.

"…That was expensive."

"My apologies, Your Holiness."

"No, I mean, that was amazing, but this is an orphanage. The kids could get hurt, so please don't do that again."

"I shall keep that in mind."

Adelia bowed her head with utter seriousness. Something about the sight of it made a little laugh slip out of me.

"Pfft…"

"Is something the matter?"

"Ah, no, nothing."

Her combat ability was solid. At that level, I could believe she was at least a C-grade or B-grade hunter. With only one loyal subject available, the fact that a Sanctuary Administrator had come first had to mean something.

I opened my status window right away.

When I tapped the newly appeared menu, Adelia's information came up.

"Sealed State?"

"To fully manifest in this era, a foundation of Sanctuary is required."

Adelia answered as I muttered to myself.

"As I am now, I have merely taken temporary form by borrowing the Sanctuary's power. As Sanctuary Contribution and Faith accumulate, I and the other loyal subjects will be able to reclaim our original authority."

"There are other loyal subjects?"

"There were many who served Your Holiness in the Holy Kingdom."

Adelia's voice lowered. At the same time, it sounded almost melancholy.

"The Knight-Commander. The High Priest. The Treasurer. The Gatekeeper who watched the Holy Kingdom's doors. The Intelligence Officer who moved as Your Holiness's eyes and ears. All of them await Your Holiness's call."

"Then next time I can just summon the Knight-Commander."

"If it is possible."

She smiled bitterly.

"But the Holy Kingdom did not fall in a single moment. The souls of its loyal subjects, their authority, their memories — all lie sealed in fragments. The more Your Holiness revives the Sanctuary and gathers Faith, the more you will be able to call them forth, one by one."

This was turning out to be far more complicated than I'd thought. I'd figured I'd become a healer — and somehow I'd ended up something closer to the monarch ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of a ruined nation.

Except I had no intention of becoming a monarch. All I'd wanted was to live quietly, volunteer at the orphanage, and occasionally step into a Gate to earn a little money. If awakening made me wealthy, I'd use it to donate to kids without parents like me, and help people in need. That had been the direction of my life — the way I'd always lived.

And yet, less than a day after designating the Korean Awakened Community as a Shrine, some woman I didn't know was swearing loyalty to me.

"Adelia."

"Speak freely, Your ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Holiness."

"Don't call me Your Holiness…. Ju— no, wait. Call me Esilly."

"That I cannot do."

"…Why not?"

"Your Holiness is the Successor of the Holy Kingdom. You are not someone whose name I may take so lightly."

"Still. It's too much pressure. Until very recently I was just an ordinary person."

My gender even changed. I swallowed that last part. It felt like an unnecessary line for this particular moment.

Adelia was silent for a while. Then she let out a very small sigh.

"Very well. Outside of official occasions, I shall address you as Esilly-nim."

"And when exactly do official occasions happen?"

"From the day the Holy Kingdom is rebuilt. That is, the day negotiations are conducted with outside organizations under the Saintess's identity."

"I'd rather that day never come…"

Adelia didn't answer. Instead, she slowly looked around.

The old orphanage building. The peeling paint on the walls. The yard where children had been running under the sun. And, in one corner, a playground structure listing from neglect.

Adelia's expression hardened, just a little.

"Is this the place Your Holiness first designated as a Sanctuary?"

"Yeah. I've lived here since I was little. The people who run it now are basically like my real parents."

"I see."

She closed her eyes for a moment.

A new message appeared.

"So this function exists too. You can earn it through missions?"

I bit my lip as I read the window. Honestly, I already knew without the status screen. The orphanage building was old. The director and Grandmother put on a brave face in front of the kids, but on heavy rain days water leaked from corners of the ceiling, and when heating costs rose, both of their sighs grew deeper. Even with my donations, it was only a few hundred thousand won a month — all of which went to the kids' allowances and snacks. It was nowhere near enough for any real facility upgrades.

"So to raise Sanctuary Contribution, I have to fix up the orphanage."

"It is not merely a matter of repairing the building."

Adelia spoke quietly.

"A Sanctuary is sustained by the hearts of those who dwell within it. If the children here live in safety, receive love, and look forward to tomorrow, then the Saintess's power will be strengthened as well."

Sustained by ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hearts. Those words stuck with me strangely. I still didn't fully understand talk of Holy Kingdoms and Faith. But the wish that the orphanage kids would do well — that was something I'd carried long before becoming a Saintess. Which meant this one goal truly lined up with both what a Saintess was supposed to pursue and what I'd always wanted myself.

"I'll need to make money, then."

"If Your Holiness so desires, I can organize the Sanctuary's finances and have the faithful contribute offeri—"

"Hold on."

I stopped her in a hurry.

"Don't even start talking about collecting taxes or anything like that. Whether it's the Korean Awakened Community or anywhere else — turning people into a religious business is absolutely not allowed."

Adelia's brow shifted, barely perceptibly.

"That was not the meaning of my words."

"Still, better safe than sorry. People are already praising me like some kind of fanatics, and if I start taking money on top of that, I'd genuinely become a cult."

"A cult…?"

"Ah. Like a heretical sect. Something that moves for money instead of the will of a god… that kind of thing."

"I understand. Heretical conduct must not be permitted."

Adelia didn't seem to fully grasp the meaning, but she nodded.

"If that is Your Holiness's will, then the Holy Kingdom shall not gather Faith through coercion or exploitation."

In that instant, the status window lit up again.

"Huh?"

I stared blankly at the window. I'd just been talking. And the system had registered my words as a rule.

Adelia brought both hands together before her chest and bowed her head, like someone who had finally heard an answer long awaited.

"Most excellent, Esilly-nim."

"Isn't that just… basic for a religion?"

"It was because so few upheld that basic principle that the Holy Kingdom lost so much."

A faint sorrow clung to the end of her voice. There was clearly some history behind it. I didn't press any deeper. I could tell there was a great deal about the Holy Kingdom that Adelia had yet to say — what had destroyed it, why the Saintess and her loyal subjects had been sealed this way, and why I of all people had become the Successor.

Just then, my smartphone buzzed urgently. An emergency disaster alert.

"A Gate… nearby?"

"It is a location I can confirm with my own eyes."

"Adelia. Could you fight from that distance?"

"At the Saintess's side… it should just barely be possible."

My high-grade healing and buffs. Combined with Adelia's combat ability.

"We can clear it, right?"

"Yes. It is possible."

She sounded so certain that I asked her why. Her answer came back like this:

"Esilly-nim's buffs are… considerably more powerful than expected."