Following Uncle Paul’s guidance, I arrived at the guest room where the visitors were staying, and it was far more luxurious than the convent I had been in.
Whoa!
It was so spacious that the bed, though just one, seemed more than enough for three people to lie down side by side without feeling cramped at all.
Bling bling!
This room was completely opposite of the minimalist, sleek hotel interiors, resembling some ancient overseas historical drama set in the Renaissance era with brassieres, a vanity, and storage units, all of which seemed like total overkill.
Ka-ching!
They called it a guest room, but I felt like I could just live here.
Ahh, cozy!
The bathroom and shower were separate too, so I wouldn’t have to take turns solving problems like at the convent.
Whew!
However, with only the spare saint’s robe and underwear I brought, most of the furniture in the room was pretty much useless for me.
Boo!
“…Well then, please rest comfortably.”
Seeing my exhausted face, Uncle Paul merely said that, bowing his head slightly. I nodded back, closed the door, and then—
Click!
Silence.
Shhh…
I wondered how Linea and Aurora were doing.
Thinking cap on!
Given that I didn’t see them around, they might have gotten separate rooms.
Ding ding!
Thinking back, it had been ages since I last had a room all to myself since coming to this world.
Flashback!
When I first crossed over, I had a solo room for a while after demonstrating immense Holy Power. I then got selected as an academy student and received special treatment, which created difficulties in living alongside the other nuns thanks to a completely different curriculum.
Oops!
Of course, after I drop-kicked Kwon In-Soo, Linea from the Inquisition and Aurora, the Miracle Investigator’s aide, started following me around closely.
Gulp!
Even after I became a saintess, those two continued to stick by me. Their mission to monitor and report on me may have ended, but they remained part of the 21st District Convent and were academy students like me—though Aurora had become a saint’s aide.
Hmm…
Thinking about it, what if Linea eventually moved to the knights? I hadn’t asked Uncle Paul, but if there were knights whose purpose was to protect me…
Ping!
Well, that would depend on her own will.
Hmm… let’s ponder!
Aurora didn’t seem too attached to her position as a Miracle Investigator. If anything, she operated more like a protector, akin to Matthew Turner’s daughter or sister. While maintaining good relations with the Miracle Investigators, she didn’t seem eager to return.
Nah-uh!
But in Linea’s case, her affiliation hadn’t changed.
Interesting!
She was someone Andrea greatly trusted… perhaps even her direct descendent. I hadn’t seen anyone follow Andrea closely since, so Linea might still be a descendant.
Descendant vibes!
It seemed like Linea had some ambition to advance… or maybe I just didn’t know.
Hmm…
Anyway, that was the situation. It had truly been an age since I was left alone in a quiet room.
Crickets!
Of course, that didn’t mean I felt like doing something in particular.
Meh!
I kicked off my shoes and dove into the bed. The mattress barely creaked, clearly built with a lot of investment in comfort.
Dive!
I buried my face in the soft bed, just flopping down in the position I landed in.
Ahhh…
Ugh, I didn’t want to think at all.
Blank!
Truth be told, my brain was already overloaded, so I wasn’t thinking about anything anyway.
System overload!
But I still actively didn’t want to think about anything…
Stop the thoughts!
Was it because I was mentally exhausted, or was the sleep on the plane not that restful?
Zzz…
Maybe it was due to the bed being too comfortable.
Heavenly!
With no energy left to resist the wave of slumber, I just let myself drift away.
Sleepy time!
*
“The Saintess needs to rest for a bit.”
Whispers…
Knight Commander Paul Grace told Aurora and Linea, who were waiting in the room.
Knock knock!
The Central Church’s guest room comes in various types. As a saintess, Clara was given a single room, one reserved for the highest-ranking individuals from the state when they stayed. In fact, in Human Society, the only person classified as a head of state was the President, and the 1st District naturally had the President’s residence. Thus, there was little reason for the President to stay here.
Heads up!
Exceptions would only arise if the President were a devout believer insisting on attending religious events, or if they had to hold constant meetings with the church without a moment to return home.
Urgent saga!
And those situations had barely happened recently.
Uh-oh!
Where does the church’s influence come from?
Ding!
From the Holy Power held by the clergy. Because of that Holy Power, people gather. Unlike the clinics outside the church, within the church, the clergy use their Holy Power for free, healing the sick and wounded while soldiers on the battlefield receive help from the nun squads dispatched by the church.
Healing vibes!
Originally established to protect the nun squads, the knights had now become an essential force within the church, filling the gap of insufficient labor in the walls.
Here come the knights!
All of this was sustained by their faith and the Holy Power it invoked.
Sanctuary!
Objectively speaking, over the last 500 years, the church’s Holy Power had remained relatively stable.
Steady as she goes!
If you asked whether it was freely usable without deficiency, doubts would arise, yet they had never been lacking. Some clinics and churches handled what previous hospitals used to do well, and consecrated weapons to slay demons had continuously been produced.
Weapons ready!
Yet, despite this, the church’s influence continued to decline.
Downward spiral!
Holy Power was an exceptional force. And a church filled with many clergy capable of invoking that Holy Power was undoubtedly a necessary group in society.
Essential!
However, the church had not performed miracles for 50 years. They had not produced a saint or a saintess. Previously, even one person blessed by the gods would emerge in an era, but for the past 50 years, not a single one had appeared.
Silent heavens!
From an overall Holy Power standpoint, having one saint or saintess wouldn’t change much.
Pondering!
Saints and saintesses were still humans. They needed rest after prolonged work. No matter how skilled they were compared to other clergy, there would only be one, maybe two at most in a period. And regardless of any miracles happening, they couldn’t be in two places simultaneously.
Wait, what!?
Even if by some miracle, they could be in two places at once, utilizing their miracles would dramatically shorten their lifespan. They could even end up shattered and dead.
Yikes!
In the end, a saint was someone who possessed extraordinary strength but didn’t have the power to change the world alone, and misusing that power could lead to their own demise.
Be careful!
So, what impact would the absence of such beings have on the church?
Lightbulb moment!
It came down to a lack of symbolism.
Empty!
Holy Power is said to be evidence of faith. In fact, those who don’t believe in the gods—or those without the belief level of clergy—could not summon Holy Power at all.
Faithless!
Yet even so, many individuals could wield Holy Power.
Power surge!
While the church had a significant number, there were indeed others outside its walls. Devout believers who weren’t necessarily part of the church maintained their own beliefs, living outside the church.
Faith on the streets!
That’s why non-church clinics existed.
Help on the go!
To those people, the church’s clergy didn’t seem all that awe-inspiring.
Not impressed!
After all, they were just humans worshiping the same gods, occasionally pushing or threatening, or trying to seduce others into joining their church.
Annoying!
For them, these clergy were bothersome beings who tried to assert that they were chosen by the gods despite being no different from the lay people.
So basic!
There had been no saints for 50 years. Of course, that didn’t mean that any saint or saintess appeared outside the church. It merely proved that the church wasn’t any different from those outside.
Mirror mirror!
But—
Ding ding!
A saintess had appeared for the first time in 50 years.
What!?
Initially, there had been doubts.
Hmm?
A very young girl, who had barely spent a few years studying faith, was named the saintess. There were suspicions that the church merely canonized her to assert their legitimacy.
Suspicious minds!
Yet, hearing that news, many found a flicker of hope in their hearts.
Hopeful!
It meant that the goddess hadn’t abandoned them.
Thank goodness!
Of course, separately, the church had already firmly believed that Clara Anderson, the girl, was chosen by the gods, hence the canonization.
Holy choice!
Being a saintess after 50 years, she had to be cherished. While some narrow-minded individuals only looked out for their own interests and belittled the value of the saintess, the mainstream church, including the Pope, did not feel that way.
Protective circle!
In fact, there were many worried that a girl so young might break quickly, and some feared that if she was drawn too deeply into the church at an early age, she might feel disillusioned and leave.
Stay close!
Though there were indeed some who attempted to “test” her, they weren’t part of the mainstream church yet.
Stand by!
The more dangerous situations were those outside the church.
Danger vibes!
Especially, the government forces that had attempted to kidnap her.
Shadow lurkers!
Thus, the church hastily canonized her due to such reasons while trying to observe her for a bit longer.
Quick decision!
With all these complexities entwined, the church didn’t rush to approach her after designating her as a saint. Instead, the Inquisition’s knights were assigned to protect her, working hard to set up various institutions in preparation for the day she might come to the Central Church.
Setting the stage!
However, to their surprise, she had come to the Central Church on her own without even calling for help!
Surprise!
From the church’s standpoint, there was no way they wouldn’t welcome her with open arms.
Come in!
Especially since she wanted to discuss her faith with the Pope!
Come and chat!
Giving her the best room, which was usually vacant, felt like no big deal from the church’s perspective.
Easy peasy!
…Of course, Aurora didn’t know about these deeply complex situations. Matthew Turner hadn’t explained them, after all.
Unaware!
She merely felt suspicion and mild anger, along with worry, at being separated from the saintess she was supposed to assist.
Need to be close!
“But I’m the Saintess’s aide! It’s my job to always accompany her and assist! If the saintess isn’t feeling well, it’s only natural for me to check on her!”
Fired up!
Watching this unfold from behind, Linea let out a bitter smile.
Conflicted feelings!
She usually called her sister Clara, not the saintess.
Friendly terms!
Of course, Linea felt the same way.
Same boat!
But she didn’t leap forward either. She had similar thoughts as Aurora but didn’t have the same level of legitimacy as her.
Steady now!
While the Inquisition knights had received some assignments from the newly established Saint Knights, it would be more accurate to say that Linea was a dispatch rather than a true affiliate, and if we were to be more coldly objective, they were just roommates.
Roommates!
To boldly make such statements to the Knight Commander of the Saint Knights, one needed a level of legitimacy that they didn’t possess. Aurora, who had been with Clara since before her canonization and had directly accepted her as her aide, had more legitimacy than anyone.
Ranked up!
“Well, that’s true, but…”
Hesitant!
It couldn’t be helped that the burly knight, towering over three heads taller than Aurora, was flustered.
Big guy problems!
The difference in perception played a part too.
Perspective shift!
For Aurora, Clara was just Clara. Regardless of her status as a saintess or the Pope, Aurora would treat Clara as Clara. While she could refer to her position if necessary, what truly mattered to Aurora was that Clara was her closest friend.
BFF vibes!
On the other hand, for the Knight Commander, a saintess was a saintess. Although Clara didn’t act like she was ruling over the Knights, their relationship would become one of protective duty during significant moments, separating the knight from Clara the friend.
Protector mode!
Both would sacrifice their lives to protect Clara.
For the saintess!
However, how they perceived her varied significantly.
Wide gap!
“What about me?”
Thinking hat on!
I pondered but couldn’t judge accurately. Relationships are something that can only be understood from a third person’s perspective.
Confusion!
Even if one tries to judge personally, their own biases and angles hinder them from seeing objectively.
Need clarity!
In that sense, I found myself envying Aurora, who acted as if she didn’t consider such relationships at all.
Green with envy!
“Hah…”
Sigh!
The Knight Commander, Paul Grace, deeply lost in thought over Aurora’s solid statement, let out a big sigh.
Phew!
“Yes, technically we hold equivalent positions, but… it’s still true that you, Sister Aurora, have served the saintess longer.”
Mumbling to himself!
With that, the Commander seemed to talk to himself more than to Aurora, nodding his head.
Nod!
“Then, I understand. However… if the saintess is resting comfortably—”
Concern!
“You don’t know me well enough!”
In your face!
Aurora gave a smug smile while striking a stance that was annoyingly confident. The fact she could look both cute and infuriating with that expression might as well be her talent.
Pure talent!
“Linea and I are naturally aware of that! We’ll just peek in briefly and come right out! Right, Linea?”
Surprise!
Turning abruptly to Linea, Aurora almost caught her off guard. Still, as someone currently in training to become a knight, she seemed to evade detection by Aurora—yet—
Caught!
From the look on the Commander’s face, who was observing from behind Aurora, it was clear he had figured it out.
Revealed!
Linea sensed a touch of shame alongside a strong unknown emotion.
Complex feelings!
“Linea?”
Calling out!
Aurora’s earnest gaze focused on her.
Intense focus!
Ah, I see.
Clarity!
This girl was treating Linea without judgement whatsoever.
Blind spot!
And that attitude was no different from how she treated Clara.
Same energy!
Of course, if we consider the nature of that ‘attitude’, it might be different. The way she treated Clara, who was once affiliated with nobody, compared to how she treated Linea, affiliated with the Inquisition, undoubtedly differed for Aurora, who had the blood of a demon flowing through her.
Different angles!
But what I was saying wasn’t about those ‘attitudes’—
Open heart!
“Indeed. Despite appearing this way, I bet among everyone here in the Central Church, we two probably know the saintess best.”
Self-awareness!
Stepping forward quietly, Linea spoke, approaching Aurora.
One step closer!
Right. What Aurora had just done was not something meant for a saint’s aide.
Not a duty!
Of course, it wasn’t like she hadn’t utilized her position at all…
Spot on!
But Aurora had already established that Clara and Linea couldn’t belong to ‘different affiliations.’
All in this together!
Not merely a bureaucratic listing of names, but as beings that shared time together.
Connection!
As friends.
Bonded!
Linea felt something tickling in her heart. No, to be honest, it wasn’t just a small feeling. If she relaxed her tension even slightly, I felt like my face would crumble.
Warm fuzzies!
“…Is that so? Well, that makes sense.”
Sigh of relief!
Knight Commander Paul sighed deeply. In the blink of an eye, the Knight Commander’s mask was stripped away, revealing the tired uncle’s face.
Real talk!
Rubbing the back of his head with a hand in a greave, Paul spoke.
Casual marks!
“Then, are we really just going for a check-in? Regardless of how long you two have known the saintess, please consider my position too. After all, I’m the ‘Knight Commander of the Saintess’!”
Respect the title!
Looking too uncomfortable with that admission, the knight was struggling.
Help me out!
He was already in a tricky spot considering he didn’t even know what had occurred between the saintess and the Pope.
Need clarity!
“What happened with Clara, the saintess?”
Curiosity piqued!
By the time he finished speaking, Linea startled and closed her mouth.
Oops!
The gazes of both the Knight Commander and Aurora landed on Linea’s face. She felt the heat of embarrassment washing over her again.
Blushing!
Apparently, she had felt uneasy about being apart for too long from Clara.
Worry time!
Besides, she had heard that things had genuinely gotten dangerous.
Oh no!
While she mulled that over, Linea quickly shoved those stray thoughts away.
Stop that!
Because the sight of Aurora looking all mischievous made her rethink wanting to keep those feelings pinned down.
Reassessment!
…It felt like she’d need to take back what I said about Aurora being cutely infuriating.
Reversal!
“No, it’s nothing particularly alarming… or is it something serious…?”
Nervous fumbles!
The Knight Commander’s face went blank at Linea’s question, as if he was having trouble finding the words to explain what had happened.
Processing…
“Anyway, it seems like nothing serious happened to the saintess. Though that’s just my guess… The real concern should be for the three who stayed with her.”
Time to reflect!
“…”
Dramatic pause!
Feeling the weight of Aurora and Linea’s gazes on him, the knight let out a “Whoops,” uttering something that sounded reminiscent of an uncle.
Classic slip up!
A true uncle, indeed.
So true!
“Well then… I’ll guide you to the saintess’s room. First, I’d like you both to check on her condition, and afterward, please listen to what I have to say.”
Roles assigned!
“Yes!”
Eager nod!
Aurora replied energetically.
Spark of enthusiasm!
Following behind the Knight Commander, the two headed to the saintess’s guest room—
Stepping forward!
And they almost burst out laughing upon seeing the saintess sprawled out on the bed, snoring softly.
Giggles!
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