EP.144 The Moment of Reckoning
As the extreme tension eased, the only thing I felt in my worn-out body was a sense of relief that kept my consciousness afloat.
”Huh, huff! Ugh! Uuuh!”
The Saintess in my arms was gasping for breath, stifling the sobs she couldn’t finish.
I wanted to pat her back and comfort her, but I didn’t even have the energy to move a finger, so sadly, that was impossible.
”I’m so sorry, Saintess… I’ve really put you through so much…”
”Uuh…”
With a whine that I couldn’t tell was a yes or no, the Saintess burrowed deeper into my embrace.
As her warm skin met my cold body, frozen from too much blood loss, the pain gradually faded, replaced by a comforting drowsiness.
The sweet scent around her was an added bonus.
I wasn’t like the Hero, who could single out a person amidst the bustling crowd using just his sense of smell.
But if it was this refreshing scent, reminiscent of morning sunlight, I could recognize it anytime, anywhere.
”Huhh…”
”…Saintess?”
Maybe it was the result of excessive prayer pushing my senses to their limits.
The tighter she clung to me, the more I realized that the intensity of the Divine Power seeping into my soul kept increasing.
But for some reason, that magical wave of power invading my body felt much softer than before.
It was just warm and comfortable.
Suddenly, a memory of that moment when the Saintess comforted me, and we accidentally ended up sleeping together popped into my mind.
Ah, I see. This is it.
”Are you perhaps healing me…?”
”Uuh…”
Actually, there was no need to ask.
By the time I fully recognized the presence of the Holy Power coming from the Saintess, all the wounds on my body had already healed completely.
The torn head, the exposed bone of my fist, the split throat, and even the life force drained away from continuous prayers were perfectly restored.
To wield this level of healing power without prayer or catalyst… Truly a fragment of divine power. A miracle of the Saintess.
The amazing status of this power made me feel like everything I had whispered about performing miracles was nothing but sleep talk.
Now that I looked, the empty spaces where the stigmata on my arm used to be were also filled in.
”Huhhh…”
Even though my own wounds remained visible, if I was safe, was that enough?
The Saintess, who still hadn’t shaken off her tears, let out a deep sigh of relief.
”Saintess…”
I adjusted my position slightly to meet her gaze and talk.
”Hii! Hih!”
At that moment, the Saintess, eyes tightly shut, panicked and grabbed my clothes tightly.
”I-I didn’t mean it! I didn’t mean it! Huh! I-I’ll listen!”
A flood of apologies spilled out like spilled water.
It seemed the Saintess had misunderstood that I was planning to push her away.
While there must be countless ways to bind me, her continuously pitiful pleas painted a clear picture of the hardship she had been enduring.
”It’s okay, Welna… I’m not going anywhere. I just want to talk with you for a bit…”
To ease her anxiety, I whispered in as calm a tone as I could muster.
I held her hands and occasionally patted her head.
Yet, despite these efforts, the anxiety gnawing at the Saintess showed no signs of waning.
”I-I’ll listen! Huh! I won’t do anything! I won’t! I-I won’t ask you for anything!”
”Welna…”
Thick droplets of tears surged uncontrollably down her cheeks, tracing the path down her face.
I had an inkling that a great crack had formed in the Saintess’s heart.
But seeing that reality with my own eyes made it hard for me to quell the guilt writhing inside me.
Yet, I had no intention of retracting the decision I had made once.
”Welna. Look at me…”
”Huh! Ugh! Ugh!”
With her hands clutching my clothes tightly, the Saintess was unable to even wipe away her flowing tears.
Smack.
My lips brushed against the Saintess’s cheek, and the resonating sound made time momentarily freeze in the surrounding area.
”Hae…?”
The Saintess, clearly in disbelief, opened her eyes cautiously, looking at me intently.
Smack.
Not missing that moment, I kissed the other cheek as well.
”Uh…?”
Only then did the Saintess’s sobs completely cease, and time began to flow correctly again.
”Huh? Huh?? Huhh?? Huhh?! Huhh?!!??”
Displaying a rare shocked reaction, the Saintess let go of her hold on my clothes and urgently clutched her own cheeks.
”O-Opp? Huh? Why? Me? Why? A dream? Ah, no? It’s not a dream? Huh? Hmm? Huh?”
Her once pale face had turned rosy, as if someone sprinkled bright red dye on it.
I had somewhat anticipated something dramatic would happen.
But I never imagined the always stoic Saintess would show such a notable reaction.
Originally, my plan was to heal her wounds with the blessing received while she was stunned by the kiss and to lecture her about treating her own safety with contempt.
But the plan had completely turned in an unexpected direction.
Now that I think about it, I had only ever received acts of affection from the Saintess.
I had never done anything impressive in return.
At most, I had patted her head or hugged her, and even then, it was only once or twice a day at most.
”Aah, aah!! Uuuuuh—!!!”
The Saintess seemed fine with initiating affection but not with receiving it.
Her face blazing like a tomato, she fidgeted for a bit before pulling her clothes up to cover her head.
”Uh…? W-Welna…?”
Feeling a bit awkward, I scratched my neck and spoke, and the Saintess responded by nodding her upper body.
”Puhaha!”
A light-hearted giggle escaped me as her series of reactions was so cute and adorable.
It felt as if I had slightly repaid the humiliation I had endured thus far, giving me a sense of relief.
But now was not the time to indulge in such trivial sentiments. I hastily collected myself.
The deep wound on the Saintess’s hand from biting her fingernails—I had to prioritize treating that.
I gently lowered her clothes just enough to examine the wound.
”Huh?”
At that moment, a big question mark popped up in my mind.
The finger on the Saintess’s hand, which had been stained dark red just moments ago.
The utterly horrific wound that had been there was now completely healed, with no signs of any scratches.
Just before I kissed her, that wound had to have been severe.
Could it be that the Saintess performed self-healing in that brief moment?
No, as I knew, the Saintess was notoriously insensitive to her own wounds and only took action when receiving my prayers; she had a bad habit of neglecting any serious wounds.
As I was briefly lost in thought, the Saintess—curled up like a cocoon—cautiously spoke up.
”Oppa…”
”W-What’s wrong…?”
Boom—!
In that instant, before I could finish my sentence, a loud explosion-like sound shattered the air, kicking up a fierce cloud of dust.
As soon as I detected a threatening presence bursting in from outside, I instinctively pulled the Saintess closer for protection.
Having recently encountered some bizarre individuals, my fatigue-ridden body snapped into combat mode without the need for my brain to command it.
But that action turned out to be utterly absurd.
I quickly realized the foolishness of my action.
”You never learn, do you…? How dare you attempt to take the Priest from me again…”
From within the swirling cloud of pure earthy dust, a familiar voice edged into my mind like dark clouds.
As the smoke cleared, the owner of that voice revealed themselves, exuding a menacing aura of righteousness that choked my breath.
”This time, I shall… No, I’ll be sure to behead you…”
What a mess.
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