The Saintess’s Awakening
“The Demon King has appeared? Do you actually believe that?”
“It’s not about believing it, it’s just the news that’s been going around.”
The Demon King.
There was an undeniable sense of dread that came with the word.
“I heard from a mercenary group that entered the city a few days ago that the monsters’ movements have been strange, too.”
“That’s just because once you start thinking that way, everything looks like a sign. Stop talking about things that ruin my appetite and let’s just drink.”
Their conversation cut off there.
I followed suit and stopped worrying about the Demon King.
Instead, I lost myself in memories, recalling the stories Sien used to tell me about the Demon King and the Hero.
I remembered how her eyes would sparkle so brightly when she told those stories; it was such a cute memory.
The next day, I went for a walk with Sien.
We spent our time sitting in the shade of a large tree, gazing up at the sky together.
I had a leaf in my mouth, playing a tune. Sien loved that sound so much.
“Is work okay?”
Sien asked.
I stopped playing and answered.
“It’s manageable. So, when are you going to leave the orphanage?”
“A year from now? It would be too much of a burden to rely on Berg right now.”
“I’m fine with it.”
“I’m not. I don’t want to be a burden to you.”
“You’re a burden either way.”
“What? You...!”
At my teasing, Sien reached out with both hands, lunging to pinch me.
I blocked her hands, a smile blooming on both our faces, and soon we came to a stop, tangled together.
Sien was held in my arms, her wrists caught, her back pressed against me. Her arms were crossed in a grid, making it impossible to escape.
“Let go, Berg.”
Sien said.
“You really want me to?”
“...No.”
We enjoyed the breeze blowing past us.
Come to think of it, I never imagined we would end up like this.
A beggar from the slums and the daughter of a wealthy family had met and reached this very moment.
We had faced hardships, but we had guided each other, helping one another stay on the right path.
Even when difficult things happened, it was comfortable just having each other, and I believed it would always be that way.
I truly believed it.
That all I needed was Sien.
So, I wanted to confirm that she felt the same way I did.
After enjoying the peaceful silence, I spoke quietly.
“...Sien.”
“Yeah?”
“I love you.”
“.......What?”
It was the first time I had ever said those words myself.
It was a phrase that required courage, even between us.
Sien turned her head immediately to look at me.
I didn’t look away from her. I gathered my courage once more.
She was the only one I had ever let into the deepest part of my heart.
“...I love you.”
Tears welled up in her eyes, as she was a bit of a crybaby.
Her delayed response, given while she wiped away her tears, was filled with pluck.
“...That’s obvious.”
“Why are you crying over something obvious?”
“I’m not crying.”
“Yeah, right-”
“-I love you too, Berg.”
Sien confirmed that her heart was the same as mine.
I felt our familiar relationship growing even closer.
Her face was red, and I’m sure mine was too.
“...You can’t take those words back.”
I added.
I wanted to make her entirely mine.
Sien didn’t hesitate.
“I won’t take them back, Berg.”
And then, she smiled brightly.
.
.
.
I turned seventeen. Sien was fifteen.
We talked about our future more often.
Sien seemed to like the fact that we would become a married couple.
‘Married couples hug each other,’ or ‘If you’re a married couple, you don’t pay attention to other people of the opposite sex’...
She started educating me according to her own tastes.
I found her cute, so I always granted her requests.
...But unlike our happy, harmonious atmosphere, the rumors circulating in town were becoming increasingly ominous.
Working at the tavern, news reached me quickly.
If you just listened for a moment, you could hear what people were talking about.
Villages turned to ruins in a single day.
Stories of witnessing demons of different forms.
Forests and animals rotting away from demonic energy.
And the explosive increase in monsters that followed.
They were all rumors that left a bad taste in my mouth.
And listening to those rumors, for some reason, the story that the Demon King had appeared felt increasingly realistic.
Even so, deep down, I thought it was a story that had nothing to do with me.
I shook off the unpleasant feeling with a sigh.
It wasn’t something for me, a tavern worker in the city, to worry about.
That was for the high-and-mighty people in the government to solve.
Even if the Demon King led an army to invade, all I needed was Sien.
I was busy enough just dreaming of a future with her.
That was how I spent my days.
-BOOM!!
But one day, a massive roar shook the earth, causing it to tremble.
Silence descended upon the rowdy tavern where I was working.
People left the tavern one by one to grasp the situation.
I did the same.
“...What is that?”
And as soon as I stepped out of the tavern, what I saw was a pillar of light visible in the far distance on the horizon.
A pillar of light was erected high, brilliantly illuminating the dark night sky.
Along with the others, I climbed onto the roof of a building to watch the spectacle.
Something was beginning.
-BOOM!
“Another one appeared over there...!”
It didn’t stop with just one.
Every time the earth shook, a new pillar of light appeared in the sky.
-BOOM!
Then, a third. Since all the pillars of light were far away from the city, we watched them with a bit of bewilderment.
-KRAAAAANG!!!
And then, a massive sound erupted.
At a sound incomparable to the previous ones, everyone lowered their posture.
Everyone was confused, then gasped at the sight before their eyes.
Unlike the other pillars, this light was far too close.
“...Ah.”
This pillar was shining down directly on Sien’s orphanage.
People whispered.
“That’s... in the direction of the orphanage...?”
My heart turned cold, and the blood drained from my face.
Once I confirmed the direction, I started running immediately.
I could only think that Sien might be in danger from this inexplicable phenomenon.
I ran through the city without resting for a second. I didn’t care if I bumped into people.
As I ran, I could see the orphanage in the distance.
“Haa... haa...”
Countless people were gathered around the fading pillar of light.
“What on earth is this...!”
“Were the rumors true?”
People were murmuring, wondering what on earth they had just seen.
Judging by the atmosphere, it didn’t seem like anyone had been hurt or killed.
I breathed a sigh of relief and pushed through the crowd.
“....?”
And then I saw Sien.
Sien’s body was glowing brightly.
She was shining beautifully, emitting a light more noble and pure than anyone else’s.
“...Sien?”
“Berg...”
From the moment Sien looked at me, the light gradually faded.
She let out a sigh of relief as she looked at me, but she still looked just as confused.
I approached Sien, who was kneeling on the ground.
I took her hands and asked worriedly.
“...Are you okay? Your body...”
“I don’t know either, I don’t know what’s going on... but...”
Sien cautiously showed me the back of her hand.
A new crest was engraved on the back of her hand.
It was a familiar crest.
It was the symbol of ‘Hea’, the god Sien believed in.
“...Why is this... here...”
While I was looking at the mark with suspicion, someone in the crowd shouted.
“....She’s been chosen by Lady Hea...!”
“Chosen...? Huh? Then does that mean she’s a Saintess...?”
“Is it true that the Demon King has appeared?”
Saintess.
The unexpected title was attached to Sien in an instant.
My head wasn’t working properly.
It was just that because the noble title of Saintess was attached to Sien, for some reason, I only felt anxious.
If she was a Saintess, wasn’t she a hero who had to fight the Demon King?
Sien and I locked eyes.
Even without speaking, we both felt the same anxiety.
Things were going wrong.
I silently grabbed Sien’s hand and started scrubbing at the mark with my sleeve.
And before people could spread any more strange rumors, I shouted.
“Saintess, my foot...! Everyone, stop talking nonsense...! This is ridiculous...!”
As I did, Sien hid herself in my arms with an anxious look in her eyes.
I kept checking the mark and rubbing it with my clothes, but the crest wouldn’t fade.
“Damn it... what is this...!”
Curses spilled from my lips due to an inexplicable fear.
“Berg.... I’m scared....”
“It’s okay, Sien. It’ll be okay. It’ll disappear soon. Don’t worry.”
I rubbed the back of her hand harder and harder.
But the mark remained.
Why wouldn’t it erase? It should have erased.
There was no reason for Sien to become a Saintess.
In my impatience, I put more force into my hands, starting to rub Sien’s soft skin roughly.
Even so, Sien didn’t say a word, just squeezed her eyes shut and endured the pain.
But our attempt was soon stopped.
-Clomp. Clomp. Clomp. Clomp.
I heard the sound of people marching in step from somewhere.
It was a familiar sound to my ears from my time living in the slums.
Those were soldiers.
I looked down at Sien’s hand with my last shred of hope.
“...”
“...”
The mark hadn’t faded at all.
“Young man. Will you step back? We have something to verify.”
A voice rang out from behind.
I couldn’t easily turn my head.
I was just locking eyes with Sien.
Sien’s hand, which I held, was trembling, and I couldn’t bring myself to stand up.
As I remained unable to move, thick hands were placed on both my shoulders.
“Let go, you bastards!”
I struggled, but countless arms that appeared from behind tore me away from Sien.
“Just a moment! Let me stay for just a moment!”
The soldiers in iron armor who grabbed me asked for my understanding roughly.
Soon, a priest brushed past me.
His clothes, hat, staff... his entire appearance told me that he was no ordinary priest.
But I didn’t back down and shouted.
“Hey, you bastard! Don’t go near Sien!”
Desperation and anxiety drove me.
I couldn’t stand the terrible feeling of Sien being pulled away from me.
“How dare you to the Bishop...!”
A fist was raised from the side.
I clenched my fist in response, but...
“Stop.”
At the Bishop’s word, everyone stopped.
He wasn’t even looking at me.
He remained frozen, his eyes fixed solely on Sien.
Sien looked at him, then hurriedly hid her hand.
But it was already too late.
The Bishop knelt and said.
“I greet the Saintess.”
Following him, the countless soldiers who had come with the Bishop knelt together.
I had to watch that sight helplessly.