“Please… please let go of me…”
I said that to Linea and Aurora, who were holding on to my arms one at a time, but both shook their heads calmly.
“If we let go, you’ll definitely dash off to the courthouse.”
“Still, you can’t do that! Everything we’ve prepared will go to waste!”
I tried to twist my trapped arms to break free while saying that.
“I wouldn’t do something so extreme! I know that I shouldn’t do that!”
“Really?”
“…Just give me one drop kick, please.”
“That won’t do.”
At my words, the grip of Linea’s arm tightened even more.
“Just one! I just need one!”
“Clara, isn’t your way of speaking rubbing off on the Gnomes?”
As Aurora, who was holding my other arm and using all her strength to stop me, asked that, I had no time to answer.
[So, does that mean the Saintess is no different from a child of the gods?]
That’s because the judge was looking very sternly and asking that question.
At the question, the Witch of Resentment shrugged.
[I can’t say for sure. However, I can only speculate that she is an existence directly sent by the gods for humanity.]
No, regardless, you shouldn’t disclose someone else’s most important secret just as a personal guess.
Ah, although that is true!
[I see.]
What do you mean, “I see”? Argh!!
But in the end, the testimony concluded that abruptly. Truly maliciously, it seemed like the Witch of Resentment had precisely calculated the timing to speak up. She waited for the judge to ask again, responding during the additional time, thus intentionally avoiding the chance to prolong the testimony any further.
After the testimony ended, the Witch of Resentment was taken away through the entrance she came in, and the trial resumed with a slightly awkward atmosphere.
Now, I felt like no matter how much I thrashed on the floor crying ‘no’, I couldn’t deny it at all.
“……”
Ultimately, as I gave up everything and relaxed my body, only then did Linea and Aurora loosen their grip. The two, who were holding onto me, stepped back, and I fell to the ground on my knees, pressing my hands against the floor.
“……Ugh….”
“Was that something that shouldn’t have been disclosed?”
The two, who at least heard part of the truth from me, didn’t look like those shocked by a revelation as if the sky had torn apart, but they wore expressions clueless about what was problematic about the witch’s testimony.
“Yes, even if she was a witch, she wouldn’t be able to lie in the name of the Demon Lord…”
Hearing Aurora mumble that, I pressed my forehead to the ground and curled my body up.
Ah, it’s more serious because she can’t lie.
The esteemed figures from the central government and the Church who were deliberately gathered there heard that statement. Moreover, this trial was being conducted publicly on purpose. I don’t know how many broadcasters were live-streaming such a trial that most people genuinely didn’t care about regarding the Elven District, but at least everyone who watched the live stream must have heard that testimony.
I was being treated as a Saintess that might never reappear in history just because I can receive direct revelations from the gods and can converse with them if I want.
Moreover, I hadn’t even received revelations, and if the word spread that I was created with the purpose to save the world as instructed directly by the gods, how would I be treated then?
Archangel Clara Anderson. Only-begotten Clara Anderson.
No, wait, since I was directly made by the gods, am I like an Adam or Eve-like being?
……It feels like every word I hear sends shivers down my spine.
While I was briefly cooling my head against the cold marble floor, my phone rang with a bzzz- sound. Finally, I half-raised my upper body to grab the smartphone on the table and check the screen.
The name displayed was Rina.
Should I be relieved that it’s not someone else? No, more like the thought of the other person’s reaction popped into my head so easily that I didn’t want to receive the call at all.
But, I did ask Rina for a favor.
The timing was just after the trial had ended, so I couldn’t not answer it. I need to know if things are progressing properly.
I touched the screen of the stubbornly vibrating smartphone several times to answer the call.
[Ah, you’re the creation of the gods, Clara An-]
And then I immediately hung up. The other person didn’t wait and called right back. I seriously contemplated for a moment whether I should really take this call or not, but ultimately, after letting out a long sigh, I answered again.
[Ah, don’t hang up. I need to talk.]
“Hurry up. I’m in a really bad mood right now and I don’t feel like playing around.”
[That’s scary.]
But there wasn’t the slightest hint of fear in Rina’s voice. In fact, it sounded more like she was trying to hold back laughter.
Since the word “scary” popped up, could I hit her just once?
[It’s just that there’s no disruption in the plan. Since the trial went so splendidly, I was worried that our side’s plans would lag behind, so I called.]
“……Usually, you don’t call to inform about such things, do you?”
[Of course not. To be honest, I made the call to tease you.]
Then I could hear a refreshing laugh from the other side of the receiver.
“……”
I quietly hung up the phone and stood up.
“Linea, Aurora.”
“Yes?”
“Hmm.”
To the responses from the two, each in their own style, I suddenly turned around.
“Even if I went to see the Witch of Resentment now, it wouldn’t be possible to hit her, right?”
“……Well, of course. She was originally the key witness, and now, she has likely become the most important witness.”
“……”
I pressed my hand against my forehead. Laying my head against the marble floor seemed utterly useless. My forehead felt hot to the touch.
“Fine.”
After organizing my thoughts for a while, I steeled my resolve and lifted my head.
“Let’s escape from here for now.”
“Escape…? But we aren’t in enemy territory—”
“It’s no different from enemy territory. If we stay here even a moment longer, we’ll definitely be trapped with nowhere to go!”
To Aurora, who was hesitating, I answered thus and quickly opened the door to head outside the waiting room—
I was met with rows of reporters eagerly waiting and knights doing their utmost to prevent them from pushing in any further.
“It’s the Saintess!”
“Saintess! Saintess! Please look this way!”
“Could you say a word regarding the testimony that took place today?”
“Is there anything you’d like to convey about the gods!?”
Click, click! The sound of camera shutters snapping filled the air, and at the same time, flashes turned my vision white.
“……”
I quietly closed the door. In the process, I even locked it.
Then, I sluggishly walked over and slumped onto any available couch, letting myself go.
“Clara…”
“……No way, can they stay like that all afternoon? With time, the reporters will surely sort the situation out.”
Although Aurora and Linea tried to lift my spirits, I simply sighed deeply and spoke.
“Both of you, honestly tell me. You have a ton of questions for me, right?”
“……”
“……”
I couldn’t see their expressions as I leaned back against the couch and looked up at the ceiling, but based on the fact that they couldn’t dare to deny it, their demeanor was infinitely close to saying ‘yes.’
Yeah, no matter how much they try to be considerate as friends, both of them are devout churchgoers. Wouldn’t it be natural not to want to ask various things with a creation of the gods right next to them? No, even if they weren’t churchgoers, anyone next to me would undoubtedly want to ask a mountain of questions.
Just looking at the reporters stationed right outside this room proves that, doesn’t it?
“Just ask. It seems we won’t be able to leave right away anyway. Let’s pass the time with a little chat.”
As I spoke with a voice that had completely given up and raised my head again, Aurora and Linea briefly glanced at each other. Then, they fell into a moment of silence.
The one to muster courage and speak first was Aurora.
“Then, um, Clara’s body was created for the first time this year, right?”
“……Yeah, that’s correct.”
“Then, how old are you? Are you still not even one year old?”
A super difficult question came right from the start.
I pressed my fingers against my temples and seriously began to contemplate how to answer that question.
*
In the past few days, Rina had been looking particularly cheerful.
It was to the point that it reminded one of the phrase ‘like touching the sky,’ to the extent that anyone who saw her might start doubting if she’d ever made such a facial expression before.
And among those who had doubts, of course, was Selena, who met with that cheerful Rina daily.
Well, it wasn’t that she didn’t know the reason.
Rina had always quarrelled with Clara each time they met, and curiously enough, the weight of words exchanged during those quarrels was so heavy that if they were physical substances, the ground would collapse beneath them. Usually, they argued about who would become the next pope or who would lead the new denomination when a new sect formed, but the strangest part of their bizarre quarrels was that neither of them actually desired to be those high-ranking beings.
In fact, the reason they quarreled was always to send the other to a higher place.
No, it wasn’t a heartwarming story like a story of good siblings.
They would absolutely not admit it, but there was one common trait between the two: they were both extremely reluctant to have an excessive amount of responsibilities placed on their shoulders.
Of course, most ordinary people don’t want increasing obligations, but still, if the accompanying power is substantially greater, many would willingly accept the responsibilities, wouldn’t they? Especially if that power wasn’t just any power but a colossal one that accounted for half of a unique nation.
Selena suddenly pondered whether if such an opportunity arose, she would take that power.
…It didn’t seem like she would. After all, Selena had one thing she truly wanted more than power.
Well, it didn’t seem like they were hoping to marry some future person either.
Interestingly, they not only refrained from wishing for power to return to themselves, but they also found pleasure in seeing the other experience setbacks when that power returned to them.
…Of course, it wasn’t because they were filled with malice, but rather, it looked more like children who found amusement in playing pranks that turned out well.
The core of the Church’s power was floating above their heads as they played around, and I doubt anyone else aside from those two could play with such daring.
Anyway, let’s get back to the main point.
Just a few days ago, during a public trial transmitted nationwide, the witch delivered a seismic testimony.
The current Saintess was, in fact, not just a human but a literal messenger of the gods created by them.
For such a testimony to come out without the world flipping upside down is strange.
Indeed, it is strange.
But as I mentioned earlier, it’s already evident that Selena knew two such big-hearted individuals who regarded this ‘world-turning scandal’ merely as a playful joke.
And one of them was Rina.
“Hey, Hicks? Hold on a second.”
Recently, having naturally joined a lunch spot, the nearby students didn’t quite feel the impact, but the truth was that Rina was very selective in forming friendships. Or rather, she just didn’t form any at all. Outside of the few people they started greeting each other, she rarely took the initiative to make friends.
However, that didn’t mean that Rina didn’t have extremely attractive looks, and regardless of her usual demeanor, that beauty itself was an excellent condition to start relationships in a ‘like’ state.
Nonetheless, because she herself didn’t want to get entangled with people, most of the time, when someone approached her, the conversation would end with just short replies; however—
“Hmm? Why? Do you need help with something?”
The reaction of Rina, who was now talking to the person who first initiated the call, exceeded the other’s expectations by a lot.
…Even Selena, who was quite confident she knew the reason Rina was in such a good mood, felt goosebumps.
“Oh… uh, no. I think I can do it alone.”
Poorly, it seemed the person who didn’t even know the reason was failing to finish there.
In fact, everyone in the class knew that Rina and Clara always bickered when they saw each other. However, they just didn’t know the exact reason for it.
Naturally, they didn’t know why Rina was in such a good mood either.
In contrast to Rina, Clara was on friendly terms with everyone in the class. Of course, that didn’t mean she chatted with all the kids back and forth, but usually, unless she was feeling seriously uncomfortable, she didn’t ignore others’ words.
Furthermore, her attitude of speaking respectfully to everyone, combined with the status of being the Saintess that others didn’t have, led her to become an object of envy.
Of course, she herself didn’t seem to realize it even a little.
By the way, Clara had not come to school for almost three weeks. Naturally, it wouldn’t be weird for her classmates to be worried.
Among all people, the one closest to the gods among all existence.
Once such a being was revealed, wouldn’t there be no need for her to attend school— this was the rumor circulating among the kids.
I guess the student who just gathered the courage to talk to Rina was probably wanting to ask about the same thing. Since they were from the same church, and although they fought daily, they also hung out together every day.
Thinking back on it now, the child who had spoken to Rina probably fell for her positive vibe, thinking she was just happy not to see Clara’s face at school anymore. After all, they appeared friendly while remained with a rivalry dynamic.
…Clara would be horrified if she had heard that.
It’s Clara, who had gotten tangled up in such a grand affair while still muttering with a gloomy voice on the phone that she would try to keep up with her grades at school. Without a doubt, she wouldn’t quit the academy, even if she had to wield her power.
“Hi.”
While I was lost in those thoughts, I suddenly heard the overly bright voice that had just sent shivers down Selena’s spine. I looked up, and it was Rina.
“I’m here to have lunch with you.”
“Oh, uh, sure.”
Rina, who casually sat anywhere that was empty, started to hum while tearing open a bag of pastries.
However, there were two problems with this. One, the spot she randomly chose was Clara’s seat, and two, the bread in her hand was a Soboro Bread.
…If she drops crumbs, she will definitely get scolded.
Though, ultimately, the staff would clean it up for tomorrow morning. As early as this morning, I felt an awkward sense of increasing dust in an invisible spot due to the three people who tidy up the classroom being absent. Were those three people cleaning more vigorously than the paid workers, I wonder?
As I thought that, Selena pulled out the bread she had prepared beforehand from the morning.
Though Clara, Linea, and Aurora weren’t around, there were still enough members of the duel club in this class, so lunch time would rarely feel dull. However, not today. Aside from Rina and Selena, no one was there.
“Are Satsuki and Jian still in the auditorium?”
Selena asked, to which Rina nodded.
“They’re still in training. They’ve improved a lot compared to the beginning, but they’re still a bit short of the target.”
Target, huh.
Selena recalled the words Rina spoke that day.
[Do you think you could beat her?]
To provide a clarification considering Rina’s preference for using second-person pronouns over names, ‘you’ referred to Satsuki, and ‘her’ referred to Ramihi.
Wondering what sort of plan Rina was plotting to approach her specifically instead of Jian, an easier option, I hadn’t quite figured it all out yet now that she brought it up, but I could at least guess that it involved Clara’s presence in the 1st District and was tied to the trial and interconnected with the Elven District.
And based on that supposition, I felt I could almost trace the outline of what that plan might be.
“They sure are working hard—”
Just as Selena was about to say that, bang!
The back door of the classroom opened with a loud noise.
And standing there was none other than Clara.
Breathing heavily, as if she had run with all her might, Clara scanned the classroom and immediately fixed her gaze on Rina, who was seated.
Then, without saying a word, she started striding toward her.
“……”
Seemingly catching on to what that meant, Selena quietly picked up her lunch and stood up, moving to take a seat away from the two, at Satsuki’s table.
As Clara leaped forward, charging toward Rina, Rina effortlessly dodged Clara’s drop kick that was aimed right at her head, wearing a smile.
Thud! The sound echoed—
And oddly enough, Selena felt a sense of normalcy return with that.
You may also like Mesugaki Tank Enters The Academy
