Saint Front Knights (1)
I opened my eyes that morning and the lingering stiffness from the aftershock was completely gone. Just to check my physical condition, I tried to do some full-body stretches—the kind I'd seen somewhere that was supposedly super helpful for growth—when a visitor arrived at my bedroom.
I assumed it was Archbishop Carlo like usual, but it was someone else.
“Greetings. Saintess Candidate Levia Reiatan.”
Who the hell is this goat-bearded uncle?
His pure white armor accented with gold screamed “high-ranking holy knight” at first glance. Since I'd never seen him before, I figured I should at least say hello.
“Yeah, hi.”
The goat-bearded holy knight looked shocked by my greeting. What? Why? I speak casually even to the Cardinal who's basically the boss around here, so what's the big deal?
Starting today, my concept is Saintess Candidate Who Doesn't Know the Meaning of Manners. The goal of this concept is to tank my reputation as a candidate through personality controversy!
Just imagine it. No matter how outstanding your abilities are, if your personality is absolute trash, you'll crash and burn, right? Even if I'm not quite at human garbage level, being moderately rude should be more than enough to spark a scandal.
“I heard that Saintess Candidate has had zero manners since she was a child.”
“Oh my goodness! How can someone who looks down on others dare to become the Saintess! This must not be allowed!”
That's the kind of scene I'm aiming for! Rumors always get exaggerated anyway!
Sorry about this, Mr. Holy Knight. I have no choice if I want my freedom. Even the Confucian dragon inside me is holding back tears and enduring it.
I don't know what kind of conversation we'll have from now on, but please remember that I spoke to you casually. Later, if the Saintess Evaluation Supervisor asks, “What kind of person is Candidate Levia?” you can just say something like, “She has talent, but... her manners are a bit lacking.” I don't even know if a Saintess Evaluation Supervisor actually exists.
While imagining all this and observing the goat-bearded holy knight's reaction, he suddenly spoke.
“I'm sorry, but... c-could you please say that again?”
Did I say it too quietly...?
“Yeah! Hi!”
This time I said it a bit louder so he could hear properly.
“Whoa.”
“Whoa?”
“WHOOOOOOAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!”
Whoa, what the hell! That scared me! Is shouting the first thing you do when you meet someone here? Why is everyone screaming all the time!
“Oh my god! It was true! Everything that old fart Archbishop Carlo said was true! Yes! That old man may be useless at everything else, but he doesn't lie! Absolutely not!”
“W-what's wrong with you?”
“Such a sweet and adorable voice! Oh wait! That's right, they said you'd lost your memories!”
...Is this guy crazy? He looks perfectly normal for a holy knight, but the way he's acting is no different from a berserker. Not that I've ever actually seen one.
“Allow me to introduce myself once more. I am Bout Saigote, Commander of the Saint Front Knights, part of the Entat Parish Holy Knight Order.”
Bout slammed the hilt of his sword against the floor as he bowed. It seemed to be some kind of formal greeting unique to holy knights. The disconnect between his earlier screaming and this sudden seriousness was jarring.
“Uh... nice to meet you?”
I held out my hand, meaning it as a gesture of goodwill. Since he was from the Entat Parish Holy Knight Order, we'd probably see each other often. I was hoping he'd put in a good word with the Saintess Evaluation Supervisor later. Again, I have no idea if that position actually exists.
“Huk! Y-you're willing to shake hands with me?!”
Why is this uncle acting like this... it's scary. It's just a handshake. He had the exact same face my friend from my previous life made when he finally met his favorite voice actor in person and started crying from pure emotion. It was my friend, not me. Seriously.
“This is no time for that!”
Bout pulled something from his belt and began operating it quickly. It was a circular plate of some thickness with bead-like objects embedded in it. When the beads glowed and I could see a person's face and hear their voice, I finally understood what it was.
⊳ Huh? Who is this? Isn't this the Commander who sneakily went to meet the Saintess Candidate alone?
It was some kind of portable communication device. Whoa... an otherworldly comms device that even supports video calls? Whoa... What is it made of? How does it work? Magic? It must be magic, right?
“Vice Commander. I told you that old fart the Archbishop doesn't lie. Heh heh heh...”
—Y-you really said that?! Damn it, my money!
“We even shook hands! Jealous?”
—N-no way! That's a lie...!!
What the hell am I watching and listening to right now? The goat-bearded uncle in front of me is bragging to his subordinate via this phone—no, this nameless portable communication device—about how he greeted me and shook my hand. Though I couldn't see the other person's face clearly, the voice definitely sounded genuinely envious. From the conversation, it seemed they'd even bet on whether I'd speak to them or not.
These guys? My body's fully recovered now—want me to hit you with some holy power? No, before that, why did this uncle even come here? Did he come to confirm who won the bet?
“So why did you come, Bout?”
“Oh, right.”
—Huk! Wait, is that voice... could it be the Saintess Candidate?! Do you remember me? I'm the one serving as Vice Commander of the Saint Front—
Call terminated.
“Ahem. I'm sorry for the commotion.”
“It's fine. I got to see something interesting, so we're good.”
“Interesting?”
“Yeah. That communication... device? The one that lets you talk to your subordinate who's somewhere else.”
“You mean the portable communication orb? Hmm... Would you like one?”
“Huk! Can I really have one?”
Magic tool! Artifact!
“Yes. I can just roughly snatch one from my subordinates.”
“Bout.”
“Yes?”
“You're a holy knight, right?”
“Of course!”
He sounds more like a bandit. Or a robber. Still, I wasn't about to refuse. When someone offers, you take it. Obviously.
“Anyway, though I'm late in saying so, the reason I came is that starting today, I will be in charge of your education, Saintess Candidate.”
Education, huh... Not bad. I did need to learn the common sense of this world and the knowledge necessary to live here. So what exactly would this man be teaching me? Since he's a holy knight, maybe how to handle holy power?
“What are you going to teach me?”
“Ah. Please wait a moment.”
Bout reached for his belt again, but this time he pulled out a pouch. I'd seen that pouch before. It was a bit smaller, but it had the same pattern as the one Archbishop Carlo carried. From the subspace pouch, Bout took out one thick book and set it down. Then he pulled out another identical thick book. And another... Two, three, four, and he kept going...
“....?”
Finally, when no more books came out of the subspace pouch, dozens of books as thick as my head were stacked up like a tower in my room.
What... what is this? History books? That I could understand.
“These are prayer books.”
“Huh?”
All of this... is prayer books?
I randomly picked one from the pile. The Oath of Gratitude Toward the Great Goddess of Light, Lumentis.
I see. So the god they believe in is a goddess named Lumentis. Is this monotheism? Or polytheism?
I opened the book. Then immediately closed it. The first page was packed with text so dense that I felt dizzy for a moment. The vertigo was strong enough to make me stagger. Just the content on the first page alone would easily fill three full web novel chapters in serialization format. And the public opinion would tank, the view count would tank, and the story would be canceled immediately.
“I have to learn all of this?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you're the Saintess Candidate?”
“...”
“You must memorize all of it.”
Yeah, I really should just quit this whole Saintess Candidate thing.
“Is there any practical use for memorizing all this?”
You never know. If knowing some of this would actually help me survive in this world, I might be willing to half-ass it.
“Well... you can share good words with the people.”
Uncle, that phrasing sounds a bit weird. Try again.
“And?”
“That's it?”
Zero practicality! Just opening the first page already makes me dizzy—if I read enough to memorize all of this, I'd probably turn into a fanatic believer of this Lumentis or whatever goddess without even realizing it!
“Have you memorized all of them, Bout?”
“No? I'm not a Saintess Candidate.”
Should I hit him? It feels like it would be legal. First, I need to get past this crisis. I wanted to resort to violence, but I held back. Using violence is for amateurs. I need to get out of this situation. I really didn't want to use this method, but...
“Bout.”
“Yes, Saintess Candidate.”
“Levia is fine. Call me that. I want to see the Saint Front Knights.”
Bout shouted something like “Huk! Such an honor for me!” but I ignored him. This part was crucial. I clasped both hands tightly together over my chest. While maintaining a slightly upward gaze, I tilted my head ever so slightly—about fifteen degrees. Eyes sparkling.
“Can't you... please? Hmm?”
“Let's go! Right now!!!”
“...”
It worked. Nice!! Waves of cringe hit me like a tsunami, but I tried my best to ignore it.
“Argh! So unfair!”
Jacob, Vice Commander of the Saint Front Knights, exploded in frustration at Bout, who had just arbitrarily ended the call. Falling for the Commander's provocation during their bet and betting on the opposite side had been a mistake.
“That was two months' salary!”
That alone was infuriating, but apparently he'd even shaken hands with the Saintess Candidate! The voice he'd briefly heard was truly sweet and adorable, like something that could only descend from heaven. And the Commander was hogging it all to himself just because of his position!
As he was fuming, a signal came from the portable communication orb. It was Commander Bout.
“Are you calling just to brag again? This is really too much...”
—I'm heading there with Levia right now. Get ready.
Levia? LEVIA?!
“This bastard. I'm going to kill him. Today I'm ripping off his rank insignia...”
Wait, what did the Commander just say?
“You crazy—!”
Jacob kicked off from his seat, arrived at the training grounds in an instant, and shouted at the knights there.
“All troops!!!!!!!!! This is an emergency! Stop whatever you're doing immediately!!”
At his cry, the knights doing maintenance, those training, and even those taking a break all turned to look at Jacob. One of the knights supervising training asked on behalf of the others.
“Vice Commander, what happened? Did a powerful magic beast appear?”
“The Saintess Candidate Levia is coming to visit us!!”
Everyone who heard those words fell silent for a moment. Then—
“YEEEEEEEEESSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!”
“Drop everything! Cleaning! We have to start with cleaning!!!!”
“Thank you, Goddess! Thank you, Goddess! Thank you, Goddess! Thank you, Goddess!”
They burst into cheers. Jacob delivered the finishing blow.
“Have you guys heard the Saintess Candidate's voice? I have!!!!”
Another brief silence, just like before. But the sound that followed was not cheering.
“Kill that bastard first!!!!!”
“I'm taking his rank today. I'm definitely beating the shit out of that guy!!!!”
“Whoa?! You crazy bastards, get away from me?!”
The knight who had been quietly watching this scene from the side thought to himself,
Is this knight order going to be okay like this...
And then he made up his mind.
I absolutely need to get her autograph.