I can’t sleep!
When I think about it, ever since I came to this world, I haven’t had a sleepless night. There was never a reason to lose sleep.
In the novels I read where someone gets reincarnated, they often end up in a situation right before the world’s collapse or have someone trying to kill them nearby, or they reincarnate as villains and start causing chaos from the get-go.
Compared to that, I find myself in a society where I’m not overwhelmingly winning, but doing okay, managing to live well with talents that others don’t possess. Even if I have worries sometimes, they aren’t about me potentially failing, but rather wondering what would happen if I accidentally rise to a higher position. Those kinds of thoughts that wouldn’t sound odd if others heard them and got angry.
So, well. I’ve never had a worry that kept me up at night. In fact, the reason I can’t sleep right now isn’t due to anything too serious.
I’m just thinking about that person I met earlier in the day.
People here openly treat me like I’m a prominent figure. It’s pretty rare for someone to speak casually with me. It’s usually the case that unless they’re completely clueless about status, or they aren’t someone I met before I became a saint, they generally respect my position.
When I offered help, not many turned me down either. Most are more than willing to accept help unless they’re extremely stubborn and unable to fully accept kindness from others.
But I think that person was the first one to refuse on that account.
It wasn’t due to rejecting me because of my status or race, but rather out of the determination to overcome their own trials by themselves since they had already received assistance.
That was, how should I put it, very heroic.
“Aren’t you going to sleep?”
Suddenly hearing that nearly made me jump out of my skin. It wasn’t even super loud, but I was startled because I hadn’t expected to hear a voice. People usually sleep soundly at this hour.
“Linea? How did you know?”
“I didn’t hear any rustling.”
…So she deduced that I was lying still? How loud is my sleep-talking?
“Is something bothering you?”
“…No, it’s nothing important.”
I just had a fleeting thought that slightly wavered.
What if I decided to give up on becoming a Pope and completely abandon my work with the Church? Wouldn’t it narrow down the ways I could help others?
…I had that thought for just a moment.
Of course, I didn’t think I deserved the title of Saint just because it was thrust upon me. I had no confidence in being able to forgive my enemies, nor was I the type to offer the other cheek to someone who slapped me. I needed to hit back if I was hit, and I found satisfaction in exacting revenge when harboring grudges.
But even with that in mind, helping someone feels good.
Not everyone has to be grateful to me. Just having even one person express their gratitude is enough for me to feel a sense of accomplishment. Maybe that’s how most volunteers feel.
Of course, while helping, I found myself thinking ‘hey, if I just charged a thousand won per person, how much would that be?’ It seems I’m not a saint down to my bones after all.
“What should I do from now on?”
I didn’t expect a response when I said that.
My initial plan was pretty much shattered. I had already reached a point in this society where I was irreplaceable. I couldn’t fathom why people thought that way, but my reputation kept rising day by day—enough to make politicians who lived off public support anxious.
So, should I be living up to those expectations? Should I abandon everything to focus on making money with my abilities? But—
But, I didn’t want to give it up. I didn’t want to be in the Pope’s position. Even if people around me said my power was as strong as a Pope’s and that I could directly climb to that position if I wanted, I really didn’t want to do it. I wanted to avoid a position filled with responsibilities and heavy burdens.
And the more I thought about it, the more situations like what happened today kept replaying in my mind. If my efforts could change the world and improve life further, shouldn’t I willingly take on that responsibility?
“Has the Goddess ever given you directions on what to do?”
“…No.”
It had been a while since I spoke to Ariel. Whether she realized I was purposely not speaking first or not, she also didn’t try to initiate a conversation.
Sure, I could have immediately asked what I should do now, but… yeah, I didn’t feel inclined to do that either. I was scared of what answered I might get, and I wasn’t eager to hand my life over to someone else.
Baal, the demon god, never spoke unless there was a really dire need either.
“Then, just do what Sister Clara wants and what you believe in.”
“…Really?”
“Yes.”
Linea’s voice was quiet, but also firm.
“Listening to others is of course important, but the most crucial thing is your own thoughts. There’s absolutely no reason to make yourself unhappy. You can act to uphold your beliefs or compromise with reality. But what remains most important in those situations is your belief in yourself. If you lack faith in yourself, you’ll likely give up before even achieving anything.”
“Who told you that?”
“I heard it from Director Andrea.”
That sounded like something a teenager would say, more suited for a self-help book.
And the moment I heard that was from Andrea, I totally accepted it. Well, it wasn’t so much about accepting the words, but rather accepting that Andrea said it. She was definitely the type who acted thoroughly based on her beliefs. She didn’t care about others’ opinions, nor did she seem to bend down to anyone. She willingly jumped into battles between beasts and demons.
“Believe in what you believe.”
What do I believe in? It was a challenging question to answer.
“Indeed.”
But I had a vague understanding of the underlying meaning behind that statement.
What a pity, Andrea and I aren’t far apart in age. I guess working in society makes one age faster in thinking?
No, it seems like it’s a thought that only the young can afford to have.
“Thank you. I will do that.”
As I replied, Linea smiled softly.
—
The next morning.
Rubbing my eyes that were puffy from not sleeping well, I yawned widely. I turned to the two people who had woken up a bit earlier and were tidying their bedding.
“I’m going to skip the academy today.”
“Huh?”
Aurora, who was straightening the blankets on her bed, widened her eyes and gazed at me in surprise. It was the first time I outright said I wasn’t going to school. Of course, I had skipped academy several times, but I had never intentionally said I wasn’t going. Most of the time, I was caught up in some incident that caused me to miss classes.
“Are you feeling unwell?”
She hurriedly looked up at me while I shook my head. I feared she might almost bump her forehead against mine if I didn’t move.
“No, I’m fine. I’m not skipping because I’m sick.”
“…If that’s the case, did something happen at school?”
She was radiating an atmosphere that questioned what kind of trouble I could possibly be in. I forced a bittersweet smile. Well, to be fair, there was a reason related to school for me saying I wouldn’t go today. After all, the discussion about early graduation was the issue at hand right now.
“That’s not the reason, so don’t worry. I just want to quickly wrap up the story tied to that official document.”
As I said that, Aurora and Linea exchanged glances.
“Could it be that it involves the Association President?” Aurora cautiously began. “If the Hero Association is involved, things could get much more complicated…”
“I think taking time off school might prolong the situation.”
They both made valid points. The hardest thing for an individual to secure was time when investigating on their own. Fighting against the government is always tough. Even if the government doesn’t intervene, administrative organizations comprising thousands or tens of thousands can keep moving 24/7, while an individual simply cannot.
I was no exception. Even with the miracle of staying up all night to investigate, there were limits. If I went through each piece of evidence trying to find the culprit, I might still be searching long after graduating from the academy.
Though Seo-A’s attitude seemed incredibly chill about it all… Well, maybe she just didn’t care about finding the culprit. After all, whether they were caught or not wouldn’t change much for her. She might think that even if I failed, it would serve as a lesson learned for me.
But my thoughts were different.
Since the other party threw the first punch, I had to retaliate and throw a few punches back!
There’s a saying, if someone’s being a jerk, you’ve got to give them a reason to act jerkishly!
Yeah. That was my belief.
“Yeah, that’s possible. But if we approach it differently, we might be able to end this sooner.”
“Is there another way?”
I looked at Aurora, who tilted her head like a baby bird, and answered.
“We can just ask who created this. Who altered it, and what they were thinking.”
“…”
Both Linea and Aurora looked at me in a daze for a moment.
“Who are you referring to?” Linea asked with a puzzled look.*
“Anyone.”
I believed there were gods in this world. In fact, having seen and heard them myself, it felt almost impossible to deny. Most people, who have never seen such solid proof, still agree that gods exist at the very least.
This included the central government, which opposes the Church that serves those gods.
That’s why, by law, the powers of the two groups are explicitly stated to be equal. And not just any law, but right in the Constitution.
As I mentioned before, I despise relaxed opponents. I was not fond of those who tossed such a huge mess at me while leisurely reviewing their plans.
That calmness likely stemmed from the power they wielded.
To contend with their power, we would have to summon our own massive power.
So I decided to trust that Constitution.
And resolved to act according to my beliefs.
—
The Saint has moved.
But not in the direction anyone expected.
When I first laid out the plan, I honestly thought it was a pretty good method.
There are various institutions under the government. Among those diverse institutions, not a single one is ineffective. Over the last five hundred years, the central government has built a solid foundation by integrating and coordinating numerous regions, and the only entities they cannot control are the gods and those who serve them.
Of course, no matter how much time passes, the gods will never be subjugated. Even if the central government grows in power, wipes out all the demons, and swiftly advances, occupying this world as per their plan, they will never subjugate the gods. At least, the central government has a vague understanding that the gods are behind their newfound victories.
Yet that realization sparked a bit of greed.
A Saint who, while at the center of power, chose neutrality instead of seizing it.
At least by the government’s estimation, the Saint was human. Different from all previous saints. She was more powerful than any saint before and had amassed immense achievements equivalent to the accumulation of all human efforts in battles with demons. It was possible that she would continue to accomplish great deeds even beyond this point.
But nonetheless, she remained human. Someone who bleeds when hurt and can laugh and cry like an ordinary person.
As previously mentioned, there is no entity that can be subdued. Excluding gods and those who serve them.
The reason why they cannot be subdued is merely that it’s written in law not to.
Therefore, the central government has taken a long time to avoid subjugating them and gradually worked to undermine them. Well, as long as the methods differ, isn’t that fine?
Thanks to prolonged time and a bit of luck, the Church gradually lost its authority and power. With just a bit more time, it would be a matter of time before the Church fell under the government’s authority.
But just at that moment, the Saint appeared.
Fortunately, that Saint was, as previously mentioned, an extraordinary human being with great abilities.
And the central government mistakenly thought they could control her. At the very least, they believed they could stop her.
And while they were at it, they also thought they could cut off some thorn in their side.
Like, say, a certain woman who had once defied the government’s orders and had to step down.
Or like the Association President, who tirelessly tried to block the appointment of pro-government personnel while solving all the overflowing tasks on her own.
They believed their operation was quite meticulously planned. There was no evidence, and the operation was designed in such a way that following the evidence would lead them straight into a trap.
However—
“What the hell is going on!?”
Sprung from the office of that woman, the principal came rushing down to the government building, throwing a fit.
Once an honored hero in his past, receiving medals for his expertise; he was now an unstoppable force. Given that his reputation among heroes remained high, no one dared to confront him, nor did any of his former colleagues want to challenge him now.
“If you pull such childish antics again, it won’t end just like this.”
As he left the chaotic lobby, he declared so. Many officials were outraged, but they were clueless about what was actually happening.
So even why this madness didn’t make the news or papers remained a mere guess to them.
And regarding the Association President—
“…What am I looking at right now?”
A middle-aged man seated on a black leather chair asked with an increasingly displeased expression. He was in his office, within a beautifully designed classical building made of white marble built centuries earlier.
And on the nameplate in front of him, it read “President’s Office.”
As his term entered its third year, he started preparing for re-election. The political party he belonged to had held power for 11 years by now, and after recent incidents, they were managing to widen the approval gap against their rivals.
Of course, they understood they only gained this approval due to a stroke of luck and were eager to pull the Saint, who had indirectly contributed to their rise, into their camp.
“Didn’t the Saint say she was neutral?”
No one could respond to the president’s disgruntled voice.
‘The Saint, despite being treated with utmost respect by the Central Church, hesitates to visit them.’
‘The Saint has built connections with local officials in the Beastman Region. Reports suggest she hasn’t shown antagonism.’
‘The Saint seems to not want to be constrained by religious boundaries.’
A series of intelligence reports clearly indicated that she was not a loyal figure to the existing Central Church. Wasn’t it previously reported that they nearly lost her when they sent her to the Elf Region? So it was only natural that relations were strained.
Of course, there had been no shortage of warnings.
Such as the fact that the government agent who had gone to recruit her returned empty-handed.
At that time, had they merely thought him angry for failing to show courtesy, was that their blunder?
“Yet why do I receive a letter like this right now?”
There was still no answer.
Perhaps none of the people present realized that their actions had all perfectly riled the Saint who despised power.
The president slapped the letter in his hand onto the desk.
The letter spread out on the desk read as follows:
*[I will accept the previous dining invitation.
According to the Constitution of the Central Government and the stated protocol of national procedures, please prepare accordingly.
Also, all requests in this letter will remain valid whenever Saint Clara Anderson visits a government institution, unless she herself decides to decline them.
Accompanying this letter is a document. The person who authored this document also wishes to attend the dining event.]*
The letter was printed in a vintage font reminiscent of a typewriter, and at its end was only the Saint’s signature, without a date or salutation.
There was a faint holy aura enveloping the paper, suggesting that the Saint herself had added it to personally confirm it was from her, the president thought.
“…”
No one present was foolish enough to not understand the implications of the letter.
They had put up with it long enough; they could no longer tolerate it.
They would hold them accountable for their actions without a doubt.
Take care and prepare…
…If this letter were to be summarized in three lines, that was essentially its content.
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