EP.120 The Worst First Meeting Without Any Room for Disagreement (5)
In fact, the girl already knew the answer to that question.
The man wanted to get close to her sister, who was the top saint candidate, using her as an excuse, and this was an apparent fact revealed through his behavior when they first met.
She felt a sense of kinship with the man’s ridiculous appearance, who didn’t even consider hiding such selfishness.
Nevertheless, she wanted to reconfirm it.
Even if it was indeed to form a connection with her sister, who had the highest chance of becoming a saint in the future.
The idea that he could recklessly commit disgraceful acts that could cost him his head, all for the chance to connect with other saint candidates who were equally promising as her sister, was beyond the bounds of common sense that the girl could understand with her rational thoughts.
”That is·····.”
Suddenly, the man scratched his cheek as if he had received an awkward question.
Avoiding eye contact rarely, his pupils were shaking as if an earthquake had occurred, clearly showing signs of tension.
How long did it last?
After a few coughs, the man cautiously opened his mouth.
”I have younger siblings around the same age as you. Haha.”
From that stiff gesture reminiscent of an awkward bard, the girl could roughly guess the man’s intention.
”Of course, they aren’t my biological siblings, but I regularly support an orphanage not too far from here. So when I see kids your age, it feels like I’m looking at them, and I just can’t pass by without doing anything. You have a caring sister, right? It’s the same idea. It’s only natural for an older brother to take care of his younger siblings.”
This man. Trying to mumble through it.
That he regularly supported siblings at some orphanage was something he often mentioned, a kind of self-praise that had become his habit.
Even without asking, he would ramble on, and everyone who talked to him knew about it, with some occasionally questioning its authenticity, but the girl felt no doubt about the truth of that story, realizing he was not the kind of person to spout exaggerated lies.
”So please do tell your sister about my noble nature·····.”
”That story! If I hear it one more time, it’ll be the hundredth time!”
”Cough, cough! Is that so·····?”
Moreover, the girl already knew that the man, whose finances had recently become quite tight, was seriously considering whether to continue his support.
”Don’t joke around! Please answer, answer seriously! Why is the priest treating me so well!”
”Ahaha·····.”
With her rare intense gaze, the girl strained her voice as hard as she could.
Just for that one moment. She instinctively felt that if she gave the man the chance to take over the conversation, the effort it took her to muster the courage to ask would all go to waste.
The unwavering blue eyes. The bright voice that seemed to rise from her core.
Did the man sense something from the girl, who was wrapped in an unusual boldness today?
Having settled his thoughts after fiddling with his brow for a while, the man let out a heavy sigh and mumbled slowly.
”If I had to say, it would be an investment·····.”
”Investment·····?”
The man habitually put a cigarette in his mouth.
But just after he spoke, the girl, who had swiftly closed the distance to him, had him merely holding the cigarette in his mouth, not lighting it.
”In my hometown, there’s an old saying: ‘The underdog wins’.”
”Underdog·····?”
The girl tilted her head, expressing doubt at the unfamiliar sound she had never heard, and the man smiled faintly at her cute gestures and continued speaking.
”No matter how insignificant the hope is, as long as it is hope, it should never be neglected. Watching you, Welna, makes that saying linger in my mind for some reason.”
At that moment, the girl’s eyes suddenly widened.
Though there was a hint of playfulness, it seemed to her that the purity in the man’s white eyes, directly meeting hers, proved that there was no lie in what he had just said.
”W-what does that mean·····?”
”Of course I agree that Sister Beltein is the strong candidate for the saint this time, but no one can guarantee what the future holds, right? Even among us priests, who can be said to be the closest to the Lord, opinions are divided on what His true intentions are.”
”P-priest·····. What on earth are you trying to say·····?”
”So, it’s not impossible, is it? That you might be chosen as the saint this time, Welna.”
”·····!”
A shock, like a small bolt of lightning, temporarily paralyzed the girl’s mind.
She couldn’t fully process the words that felt like nonsense or the arguments against it—they were all too much for her to chew.
At that moment, she focused solely on trying to decipher the intentions of the man making absurd statements.
”Even if my eye for talent isn’t great, I do have a good eye for people. From the moment I first met you, I felt that for some reason. Ah, this person could become a saint, I thought.”
”M-maybe·····.”
”So, if you’re okay with it, you can rely on me like an older brother anytime──”
”D-don’t say things you don’t mean─!”
Right then.
With a scream that could tear ears apart, the girl headbutted the man’s chin.
”Guh!”
The man’s jaw, which shot up like a boxer hit by an uppercut, vividly showed how powerful that sudden attack was.
”Don’t think you can wiggle out of this with transparently obvious flattery! Tell me the real reason you think!”
”Ah, I didn’t want to say this! But it’s true! Looking at you, Welna, after talking a few times, I just had this feeling like an arrow struck my head—this person might become a saint in the future! The reason I treat you well is not for any other purpose, but because I thought it wouldn’t hurt to score some points with someone who could possibly become a saint in the future·····.”
”Lies! Lies! Lies! Lies! Lies! Lies!”
”A-ah, I get it! Stop! I made a mistake! Please stop hitting me!”
The two continued their banter for a while.
The girl, with an expression that couldn’t quite tell if she was crying or laughing, constantly pounded her fists against the man, who had a look of clear confusion on his face, punctuated by exaggerated groans with each impact.
”Hey! Regis! You idiot! The sun is already high in the sky, and what are you doing here instead of packing up!”
”H-Haren-senpai! Please save me!”
The girl’s furious assault didn’t stop until his direct senior came to inform him that it was almost time for the carriage, having noticed the man who kept appearing late for the call.
◈◈◈
”Siiik·····. Siiik·····.”
After the sun had completely set and the moon was barely open, the girl still couldn’t completely quell the rising feelings in her chest.
”I-I can’t believe he kept talking like that until the very end·····. It’s really the worst·····.”
He treated her well just because he thought she had the potential to become a saint.
If he didn’t want to reveal the real reason, he could have just said that.
In the end, the man who kept spouting flattering lies and left her feeling messed up was nothing less than despicable and resentful in her eyes.
”N-next time we meet, I-I’ll give him such an earful!”
The tightly clenched white fists thumped against the innocent bed sheets for a while.
Yet the girl’s tumultuous thoughts showed no signs of calming.
At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to run to him right away and demand responsibility.
Because it was that man who left her with this immense hurt in her heart.
He had a duty to heal this extreme pain.
”Welna~! Sister is here~!”
”O-oh, sister·····.”
Just then.
The moment she faced her sister, who burst in with a cheerful greeting, the girl hurriedly composed her face.
Her expression must have been hideously twisted with intense scorn and anger.
”Kyaah! Our Welna is so pretty today too! Could it be! You missed me too? Oh, you’re just smiling brightly! Aw! So cute today!”
”O-oh?”
The girl, feeling her face with her hand, finally realized what expression she was making at that moment. She breathed out a stunned syllable as Beltein tightly embraced her.
”I have good news for you, Welna! You’ve been saying you want to go home so much! You wanted to see Mom and Dad! You sang a song for me, right? Today, I talked with Bishop Ransel! You’re still so young! I told him you want to go home so much that I can’t count how many times! Oh my goodness! Our Welna is specially allowed to skip the baptism this time!”
”R-really?”
If her sister hadn’t pulled her in for a hug, the girl would have undoubtedly jumped for joy right where she stood.
In this cold space, where everything but her sister felt strange, she had endured the absurd torment of being stamped as a failed saint.
She had despaired countless times at the thought that she had no hope or will of becoming a saint.
She had cried day after day, wishing to be sent home, even if it meant carrying the title of a loser fugitive.
”I’m so sad I won’t be able to see you for a while! But I’d much rather see you happy than for you to hurt! If you want it, I’ll bear it!”
”·····”
Thus, the words that came out of her mouth in the next moment were filled with emotions she could not even comprehend herself.
”O-oh, sister·····. You know·····.”
My site has received a lot of DMCA notices, lol. From now on, I will update the MTL on https://darkmtl.com/.
The site is fast and lightweight because there are no ads yet. However, the theme is different from Cybor-TL, so take some time to familiarize yourself.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.