Chapter 109

EP.109 Sister and Younger Sister

People only realize the importance of something after they’ve lost it.

Recently, Beltein was feeling the weight of that saying to the bone.

“Saintess. You need to eat…”

She barely swallowed her words as tears threatened to spill over.

But all her noble efforts were met with nothing but painful silence.

Since the chaos of the wedding day, Beltein’s thoughts had not known a moment of peace.

The Saintess’s mental state, which had been slowly improving, had deteriorated in an instant after that incident.

The sight of the Saintess, weeping like a broken doll without acknowledging the spoon Beltein offered, was already a sign of improvement compared to when she had locked herself in the meeting room on the day of the event.

“Saintess. The Priest didn’t hit you out of hate. He had no choice but to do so to correct your mistakes.”

“Uuh…”

Fortunately, the Saintess showed some reaction when discussing the Priest, but Beltein knew very well that this was merely a temporary reprieve.

The emotion distorting the Saintess’s thoughts was clear.

An overwhelming despair from being cruelly cast aside by someone she cherished deeply.

It was an emotion Beltein had also experienced in the past.

When her beloved younger sister had transformed into a mere doll and pushed her hand away without care, Beltein had felt her heart torn apart.

Moreover, the fact that it was the Priest Regis who had done this undoubtedly had a significant impact.

It was hard to imagine that the gentle soul who never even frowned would lay a hand on a woman.

If she had only heard this as hearsay without witnessing it firsthand, she would have dismissed it as baseless gossip.

It was like nobody would seriously consider the rumor of a gentle lamb killing a wolf.

“You’ve reflected well on your mistakes and felt remorse. By now, the Priest must have calmed down too. So stop crying and eat breakfast.”

“Uuuu…”

It was undeniable even to Beltein, who had been overly protective, that the Saintess had crossed an unacceptable line.

To use a child who hadn’t even lost her baby teeth as a shield to stop the Hero was reckless.

If things had gone just a little bit awry, an irreversible tragedy could have happened.

Thus, the Priest’s judgment in restraining such actions from the Saintess was entirely justified, and Beltein agreed on this point.

But the responsibility for that accident couldn’t just be overlooked.

“Saintess. You won’t do anything like that again, right? You promised me. If it’s hard to answer, just nod your head.”

“····”

“Good. That’s settled. Everyone makes mistakes. If it’s a mistake made unknowingly and you truly regret it, it’s not such a terrible act. It’s the really bad behavior to do something wrong while knowing it’s wrong. So if you sincerely apologize to the Priest, he will surely forgive you. I will apologize on your behalf to the guests, so don’t worry.”

“····”

She was painfully aware that she had made a thoughtless statement that could easily lead to a serious disaster.

But this girl simply didn’t know.

She couldn’t take other lives for granted.

Had she grown up in a normal environment, she would have learned over time various knowledge and experiences. The essence of character.

To question the responsibility of this entire circumstance from someone who had forcefully taken away such an essential part of her being was far too cruel.

If someone had to bear the responsibility, it was the one who, knowing full well about the Saintess’s unstable mental state, had let her out carelessly and had neglected her common sense education while her personality was still being reshaped.

Indeed, this whole unfortunate series of events was a burden she had to shoulder alone.

The one who should suffer and torment herself with guilt should not have been this pitiful girl.

It was her.

Under the pretense of a noble purpose to protect her only blood relative, she had manipulated another person’s freedom and even threatened lives.

Beltein was resolute that she would face the appropriate punishment for this shameless act someday, in whatever form it took.

However, the weight of the sin she had to bear was unfortunately not the end.

“So, Saintess, please try this. You haven’t had a sip of water for two days. At this rate… ”

“When will he…?”

“Uh, uh?”

“Brother… when will he come…?”

“Th-that is… ”

The heartbreaking voice pierced Beltein’s mind like an arrow.

That painful echo forcibly flashed two memories she had tried so hard to avert from her mind.

Two days ago, when an unknown assailant had attacked her, presumed to be someone who had once been a Saint Candidate.

She declared her purpose was revenge.

Beltein, shocked by that chilling declaration, rushed to the meeting room to verify the Saintess’s safety, but it didn’t take long for her to realize that had been a foolish action.

“No! Priest! Don’t close your eyes! Please! Please open your eyes! Priest! Priest—!!!”

That heart-wrenching scream, tearing through the silence of the night, still left an eerie ringing in Beltein’s mind.

When she saw the Priest, who had allegedly appeared similar to the attacker, cursed to the point where anytime could be his last breath, Beltein was gripped by a despair so cold her blood seemed to freeze.

Her cold-headed mind instantly deciphered the will of someone who had infused malice into the atrocity before her.

This was revenge.

To pick out only the chosen ones and eliminate the rest like a culling of infected beasts, this person was acting with the same intent they had suffered with.

It was clear that the first sacrificial lamb was to be the Guardian Priest, shield to the Blessed Hero and the Saintess.

The condition of the cursed Priest was horrifying beyond description.

If she hadn’t hurried to summon the High Priests on duty at that moment, even just a little later, he certainly would have lost his life.

It was the Hero’s merit.

Thanks to her bustling around the monastery, using power and status to intimidate the High Priests to come, he was saved.

Moreover, because the curse reached all around his heart but didn’t invade its interior, he was fortunately able to survive.

In other words, without the Hero, without some luck, he wouldn’t exist in this world.

“If the Saintess waits patiently… he will come… soon…”

“How long…?”

“Th-that is… ”

“How good do I have to be for my brother to come? How much longer do I have to wait?”

“····”

Originally, Beltein would have wanted the Saintess to calm herself somewhat before speaking to him as soon as possible.

But now that she learned the candidates for the Saintess’s own position were targeting the lives of those connected to her, she couldn’t bring herself to speak.

Just a moment ago, he had been struggling against death, and now she was expected to ask him to gamble with his life once more, to never leave the Saintess’s side even for an instant, with the fear of death lurking at every corner.

With what mouth could she utter such words?

It was okay if it was just her.

To Beltein, the Saintess was a precious being, someone she would protect with her life. Her only sister. Family.

But for that complete stranger, there was no reason to risk his life for the sake of the Saintess.

Would she threaten him again?

Or would she lay flat on the floor and beg for his compassion?

If that was unacceptable, perhaps she could try seducing him like a fallen woman? Right?

The demon hidden deep within Beltein constantly tested her, yet all those means were futile against him right now.

She couldn’t intimidate him, blessed as he was by the Hero.

Feelings of pity or lust for reason were just too trivial to weigh against the grim scales of life and death.

Suddenly, she felt nauseous from the pit of her stomach.

Even in this moment, her twisted thoughts sought to bind him to the Saintess’s side.

“Welna… I won’t say I want to go out again… I won’t throw tantrums… I won’t spit out peppers… I will never do anything bad… So, brother… can’t you come…?”

How loud must her earnest plea have echoed?

Seeing the Saintess tugging at her skirt with a pathetic grasp, struggling to suppress the tears threatening to spill, Beltein finally crumbled.

Woosh.

Gently pulling the Saintess into an embrace, Beltein slowly poured out her sorrowful words, her lips trembling.

“Welna… can’t you just be my sister?”

“Uh? ”

“My sister only needs Welna… as long as I have Welna, I don’t need anything else… If anything happens, this sister… this sister will do anything to protect our Welna… So, please…”

“Y-you… sister…?”

Beltein could fully understand the vengeful feelings that the past Saint Candidates had for those they had tried to harm.

Had the roles been reversed, she surely would have harbored similar sentiments.

All her family, friends, everyone she had known had completely forgotten her existence since the day her sister became a Saintess.

As if she had never existed in the first place.

When she returned home after countless twists and turns, facing parents who did not recognize her at all, the despair Beltein felt was inexpressible.

That’s why her sister was the only one.

The driving force that allowed her to survive in this hellish world was solely her.

Even if her sister could not remember her, every time Beltein saw her sister’s face, she could recall the memories they had shared together.

She could affirm, with certainty, that she had indeed existed in this world.

The cruel world that had cast her aside. The horrific fate. The foolish judgments she had made.

In the midst of a horrific life where she could curse everything, the only light she could bless was her sister.

To Beltein, the Saintess was the light in the darkness.

Yet, tragically…

“Brother… are you not coming…?”

To the Saintess, that light in the darkness was not her.