Ah.
From the moment Andrea decapitated the witch, the ground started to tremble slightly.
Oh right, I just remembered this space was created by the witch. How silly of me.
But it seemed I was the only one panicking in this situation.
Calmly, Andrea sheathed her sword, holding the witch’s severed head in one hand while slinging the headless body over her shoulder. Blood trickled from the severed neck, staining Andrea’s shirt. Horrible…
The disorganized obstacles around us began to collapse one by one. Crash, crash, the sound of glass bottles breaking on the floor echoed.
In the distance, another boom resounded.
“Well, let’s head back,” Jian said, smiling at us.
No, even after a line that sounded like the end of an episode, it just looked overwhelmingly urgent.
Before I could say anything, my body was suddenly lifted. When I came to my senses, Rina had thrown me over her shoulder.
It was a posture reminiscent of the injured soldier carry technique I learned back in the army.
“Just hold on, or… ugh.”
With my head facing downward and my chest pressed against Rina’s shoulder, I barely managed to stifle the rising urge to vomit by covering my mouth with both hands.
“If you throw up, I’ll kill you.”
Rina whispered quietly as I nodded, shivering. I didn’t want to either… If I vomited in this situation, not only would Rina be angry, but I’d create a legendary moment of embarrassment for myself. Already today, I had accumulated more embarrassing moments than I had in all my past lives.
Well—
Jian began to sprint. The collapsing obstacles had no need to be cleared with a sword. It was like flying, jumping over the uneven debris, with Rina carrying me and Andrea following behind.
Perhaps the magic had widened the room; a wave of all sorts of junk rushed in from behind. As the walls physically shrank, it was clear that if we got buried this time, we’d really be crushed.
“Jian!”
I heard Selena’s voice calling out.
I had no time to turn my head, but judging by the way the running direction abruptly changed, it seemed our group was bolting towards Selena.
Only when we got close to her did I catch a glimpse of their situation.
Selena was supporting Satsuki with one shoulder.
“Everyone’s safe, then.”
From Andrea’s voice, it seemed the two Paladins were also there.
“Yes, we’re fine.”
Lina looked perfectly alright.
“Ugh.”
It seemed Aurora was fine too, as she echoed my sentiments.
“Over here!”
But there was no time to check each other’s status. Even though rubbish was flooding in because the room was shrinking, the ceiling was dropping as well—it was certain that if we stayed put, we’d be crushed.
“Run!”
I couldn’t tell who shouted, but it seemed everyone standing here agreed.
As Rina leaped with all her might, my belly pressed against Rina’s neck and jolted upwards with every bounce. Naturally, my insides, pressed against my stomach lining, screamed in pain.
Feeling as if my esophagus was about to burst, I pressed my hands against my mouth with all my strength.
Thank goodness,
I didn’t need to renew my embarrassing memories until we got out of the room.
As soon as Rina dropped me to the ground, I popped open a vial of holy water and gulped it down. Finally, the explosive nausea settled a bit.
…Am I the only one using holy water as an antacid in this world?
Holy water is so useful! Wouldn’t it be good for cleaning too? It has sterilizing properties. Well, not that I could get my hands on some unless I made it myself.
Once my mind cleared a bit, I looked around, and oddly enough, everything seemed normal compared to when we entered. The sensor lights were still broken, but the fading sunset was seeping in, tinting the semi-basement corridor red.
The door was still open. But going back in would be a nightmare.
What was visible from the open door was a chaotic mess jammed so tightly there was no space to step—some of it even spilled out, creating a gentle slope. The stench still wafted from the heap of rubbish. I downed the rest of the holy water. Phew, that feels better.
“Thanks for your hard work.”
As I turned my head at Andrea’s voice, I jerked back in shock. Andrea was slowly placing the witch’s remains on the floor with the help of the Paladins. Her upper body was already soaked in blood that had streamed down from the severed neck, and the pants were splattered with it too.
“Ugh.”
Selena moved away to avoid the blood still oozing from the severed remnants. Watching her descend the stairs, I quickly got up and dodged.
Whether to prevent more blood from spilling out or not, the witch’s corpse was placed in a sitting position. With the severed head resting on the legs of the headless body, it created a scene straight out of a B-grade horror movie. Ugh, I won’t be sleeping soundly tonight.
I glared at the eyes of the dead witch, trying to close them, while one of the Paladins covered the body with some cloth he had found. The gory sight still looked horrifying with the fresh blood, but at least it was better than having the severed head exposed.
“We’ll take care of this.”
Andrea stood with her arms crossed, gazing at the sight. Satsuki, who was pale and couldn’t look straight at it, and Selena, with her eyes scrunched shut, both turned towards Andrea.
“Though it was indeed Jian who defeated the witch, it hasn’t yet been officially declared that the witch is dead either. I doubt there will be any official announcement about it.”
Though Andrea was the one who finished the witch, in terms of effort in locating her, Andrea’s contribution was minimal. This judgment was indeed accurate.
“Normally, you’d deserve a proper reward for this, but I’m sorry. The statement can’t be issued by the church—it’s a matter decided from above.”
It must be something that came from the central government, not the church. Hearing news about a witch rampaging right in the city center would create a headache. Besides, this wasn’t just a city; it was right inside the Officer School and Academy. Both are elite institutions closely monitored by the government, so it’d be an even bigger problem.
Of course, the church wouldn’t want to publicize this either. No matter how much they’re the official religion of human society, there will always be those opposing the church. Creating contention would pose risks of its own. Furthermore, it isn’t just the regular army guarding the walls. Church soldiers are also stationed there, and if a being breached it, their pride would be badly wounded.
Not to mention that a major part was omitted during my process of becoming a Saintess.
“If there ever comes a day when all this can be made public, I will ensure you are compensated accordingly. I swear it before the Goddess. Even though it’s just me, I want to express my gratitude.”
When Andrea bowed her head to Jian, he flailed his hands in a flustered manner.
“Oh, no, it’s alright. I didn’t do it for anything like that. I just wanted to save my friends…”
“Still, a deed is a deed. I’ll ensure it’s reported properly. There will come a day when the church expresses its gratitude.”
The Paladins standing nearby also bowed their heads.
“Ahaha…”
Watching Jian scratch the back of his head with a look of embarrassment, as if he did something grand and righteous while in reality thinking it was nothing, I sighed deeply. I mean, it’s Jian. He gets a pass for this, but had it been someone else, they might have pushed for public acknowledgment.
Moreover, someone at Jian’s level of ability wouldn’t be easily silenced by the government. Regardless of whether they were aware of his powers or not.
…Would he die in a freak car accident or something?
Shouldn’t Jian be the one apologizing to the driver for almost running him over? The one whose life is truly at risk is probably the driver.
The reactions of the children observing Jian’s response were all different. Selena sighed softly and shook her head, while Satsuki seemed deep in thought, gazing at the cloth-covered witch’s corpse.
Linnea bowed her head alongside the Paladins, while Aurora whistled nervously, avoiding Linnea’s fixed gaze. More precisely, she was attempting to whistle, but only produced awkward sounds that didn’t quite resemble whistling.
“Hey.”
Suddenly, Rina spoke, making me think she was calling for Aurora.
“Hey, Saintess.”
Oh, she was calling for me.
“Could you at least call me by my name? Calling me like that while looking elsewhere is confusing.”
I protested with a furrowed brow, but Rina merely turned her head slightly towards me, ignoring my words.
“If it wasn’t you tracking me, then who was it? Is it her again?”
Ugh, seriously? Rina maintained her blunt way of addressing people, as though she’d never call anyone by name unless absolutely necessary. I let out a deep sigh before nodding.
“Yes, it was Aurora. She used some sort of tracking magic.”
“Hmm, tracking magic, you say?”
Rina’s gaze sharpened as she looked at Aurora. It wasn’t that she held any malice—more like she looked at prey. No, no, she wasn’t going to harm Aurora, but…I don’t know how to explain it, but something complex was definitely going on here.
There might have been some exchange between Aurora and Rina that I wasn’t aware of.
Or perhaps Rina is angry with Aurora for using a tracking method or attaching something to her… Anyway, it was clear Aurora appeared rather anxious.
Cold sweat started to bead on Aurora’s forehead.
Uh oh, should I intervene? It seemed like something was about to happen, but it didn’t feel like a fight, so telling them to stop is a bit tricky.
As I anxiously fidgeted, suddenly someone grabbed my shoulder from behind, making me yelp, “Wuhat!”
“Has Sister Clara recovered a bit? If you need medical support, I can provide it. We’ve set up a camp nearby to prepare for any injured.”
“A camp?”
Having not seen it on the way here, it must have been very well hidden. Is it inside another building or something?
Rina looked equally horrified, perhaps thinking the same. After all, Andrea belonged to the Inquisition, which stood against demons. It was understandable to be concerned about such beings lurking around.
“You set that up while chasing me?”
“More accurately, it’s more correct to say we arrived while it was already established. It’s quite an art to relocate a group.”
…Yeah, that sounds tiresome.
“And I might need to borrow Linnea for a bit. There’s something we need to discuss.”
“Oh, alright…”
It would be more accurate to say I’m returning someone who belonged to that group, not borrowing her.
Andrea gave me a slight nod and turned to leave. She probably had a lot of reports to fill out. The other Paladins were already beginning to crowd around the villa entrance.
Now that I think about it, we might have to take a look at all that junk that filled the underground too. Although most of the magic the witch used would have faded with her death, it would still be wise to check everything one by one. The place itself would need to be investigated too.
It’s akin to the church carefully storing the corpse of the witch, which is practically just a corpse now.
Assuming that places or objects demarcated by magic lose their effect upon the death of the one who cast them, this situation would be resolved if the demon perishes. The problem is that demons are more aware of that and thus rarely reveal themselves on Earth.
If the day comes for them to show themselves, almost all sentient life on Earth will have been exterminated by then.
The reasons behind their disdain for material civilization are, well, not specifically defined. Initially, it served merely as a tool to advance the narrative.
Of course, in this world, they likely have solid reasons, but thus it remains an impenetrable realm for me.
“Well then, shall we go?”
Jian’s statement snapped me out of my thoughts. The kids, who were lost in their musings, lifted their heads at Jian’s words.
The sun hadn’t set yet. It was still very bright outside.
“So… shall we stop by a café?”
I almost instinctively agreed, but—
“Wouldn’t it be better to change our clothes first?”
Selena accurately pinpointed our immediate issue.
I was already drenched in muck, while the others had also gotten a considerable amount of filth on themselves during the escape. Especially Selena, who had awakened midway to unleash explosion magic, had dirt and some undefined debris clinging to her hair.
“Uh…”
Jian finally grasped the situation after looking at the state of the other girls, and he fell silent.
Yeah, a harem protagonist should at least have that much awareness.
Consequently, our impromptu outing had to be postponed for a day.
*
“…So the government is suggesting handing over the Saintess.”
Upon hearing Andrea’s report, Linnea could do nothing but seethe in anger. During the Great Compromise 300 years ago, the government and the church had clearly divided their roles.
The control over society was to be handled by the government chosen by the people, while the spiritual aspect would be the church’s responsibility. Ever since then, the government had never pressured the church once. Conversely, the church did not interfere with the areas governed by the state.
Yet now, they were trying to claim the most sacred part of the church as their own.
“…I heard they didn’t even care before the witch was dealt with.”
Controlling her emotions as trained, Linnea spoke. Andrea, glancing at Linnea, smiled bitterly.
“Right. The government thought we wouldn’t have any effect no matter what we did. It’s been 50 years since they’ve produced a Saint. A charity group without ‘solid power’ is merely a figurehead. But.”
That figurehead has gained strength.
It can’t be called overwhelming yet, nor has it formed a political force, but a clear supporting power exists singularly.
Should this person begin to back a specific politician, if the church becomes a ‘power tool’? Then, it would be a headache from the government’s perspective.
So long as the Saint acts only with compassion and uses divine authority, that’s no problem. In fact, she’d be perfect as a figurehead. Even if she became a political force, her naïve nature would make it easy to bury.
However, Clara is not just any ‘Saintess’. She is the first individual to successfully execute a ‘witch hunt’—an unprecedented feat achieved by humanity in 500 years, accomplished by the church primarily thanks to Clara.
Moreover, she participated again as a result of a successful witch hunt this round. Andrea observed that had Clara not been present, there would have undoubtedly been casualties. The energy projectiles shot by the Witch of Jealousy were that potent.
Additionally, the Saintess is still young. Though a bit clumsy now, there’s ample time for her to step into the political arena as she ages. Not to mention she’s still under 20—while the possibility of her deciding to leave the convent becomes slim, it’s still not zero.
Therefore, the government aimed to ‘draft’ this Saintess to exert influence. Of course, she cannot be made to change allegiances, but a ‘dispatch’ is entirely possible. After all, there is always a need for personnel on the frontlines.
That’s right. The government viewed the Saintess’s utility as ‘military utility.’
Proponents of the Saintess have already begun to sprout within the military. Centered around the 127 soldiers she saved last time, those who witnessed their recovery, as well as those who were nearby during battles, are now spreading support almost like a belief.
Some have even turned towards the church already.
The balance of power is shifting. The initiative is in flux.
For a government that had clearly remained above the church for 50 years, this was far from a welcome development.
“However, that doesn’t mean we can just take away the symbol of the church.”
“More precisely, they hurriedly canonized her ‘to protect her in that situation’.”
The matter regarding the witch has yet to be announced by the government, nevertheless, they had schemed to leak information about the ‘miracle’ to make it clear they couldn’t avoid canonization. All this was to prevent the government from extending its reach further.
“There are still five years left. I don’t think it will happen, but her mind could change. We must ensure she remains with the church even after that time. Already, factions within the Vatican are showing their willingness to elect her.”
“But isn’t that just like what the government is trying to do?” I swallowed down my words. After all, Linnea was a member of the church too.
“Hmm.”
Andrea let out a short hum, understanding Linnea.
“Anyway, just keep it to yourself. Don’t tell Sister Clara. If the situation changes, I’ll bring it up again.”
Without a word, Linnea simply nodded.
*
The next day.
The atmosphere around the campus had undoubtedly become milder. It had already begun that way the day before, but with the witch—who had cast spells—gone, it was even more evident. The faces of the students traversing the halls no longer radiated jealousy.
Instead, they just reflected embarrassment.
Erica had almost wasted her entire morning due to students apologizing. She could hardly refuse such overtures, and the sheer number of those who had tormented Erica was evident. How had she managed to endure that?
“I have things I want to do.”
When I accidentally encountered Erica in the hallway and asked, she responded while gazing intently at a certain spot. Unsurprisingly, that spot was Jian. Feeling Erica’s gaze, Jian smiled brightly back at her and waved. Erica’s face turned crimson.
Yeah, good for you.
By the way, such dramatic moments weren’t exclusive to Erica.
Flashing back to that morning when Erica faced the apologetic parade, I arrived at school and found something piled tremendously on my desk.
It was a mountain of letters.
Among the plain white envelopes, there were pink ones adorned with heart stickers.
Curious, I opened one—
[Saintess, after seeing you, I realized something. Surely the goddess is always watching over our fate. Thank you for freeing me from the jealousy that blinded my eyes. I hope to meet you someday and express my thanks. Perhaps we could share a cup of tea sometime—]
After reading that much, I could only close the letter in shock.
That’s right. Most of the letters stacked on my desk were love letters!
From boys no less!
Why!?
“That’s a given.”
Selena, who was giggling at my pale face, explained.
“Well, where should I start? First, you know the students Jian threw a beating at? You sent them one by one to get treated, right? Even those who refused treatment. You did it while being scorned.”
“But Jian only hurt them because of my idea—”
“Do you think they’d know that? Also, before the duel, when you handed Jian a wooden sword, they probably thought it was incredibly nice of you to tell him to just not break them.”
“But if he hadn’t, they might have really been killed—”
“Do you think they’d get that?”
Having no counterargument, I could only bury my head in my hands in despair.
Someone, please save me.
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