EP.206 May God Smile Upon You
Consider the sleepless night a gift from God.
Do not dare deny the grace of that blessed silence, where you can ponder the sins you’ve committed and reflect on an unclear distant future.
These were the sacred words left by a clergy member of some renown at the Vatican.
Beltein was once among those who lived by such sayings in their hearts.
Ah, once upon a time.
“Hoo····.”
With a gloomy sigh, Beltein leaned against the wall in despair.
It wasn’t unusual for her to suffer from chronic sleep deprivation, but it was quite rare for her to show signs of turmoil to the extent of taking an unplanned night walk, leaving the sleeping Saintess behind.
The fatigue from her unfamiliar wandering lifestyle.
The tension of facing humanity’s great calamity, the manifestation of the Demon King.
No matter how much she sought permission, she couldn’t shake the guilt of staying at Haren’s home after committing a major offense in the past.
Numerous plausible reasons floated through her mind, yet Beltein faintly realized that her current feelings didn’t correspond to any of them.
Tiring of her life as an adventurer? That was absurd.
It would be a lie to say that their rugged lifestyle, starkly distanced from purity, didn’t bother her at all.
There were no towering piles of urgent work, no stifling rules, and most importantly, the journeys spent with her lovely sister were undoubtedly a supreme time for Beltein.
Though she understood the seriousness of the current situation—where the Demon King was said to have engulfed the Vatican—given the scale of the crisis, she could hardly grasp its reality.
The life she had cultivated over the years. Everyone she had come to know and cherish in that place.
The news that all of that might have vanished in an instant was far too ludicrous for someone who had lived a sheltered life.
However, since that day, Beltein’s heart was undeniably clouded by a heavy anxiety.
Tomorrow. The entire Hero Party, including Regis, was set to embark on an expedition to confront the Demon King.
Leaving the Saintess and herself behind.
If he were not to return from such a journey····.
“····Ugh.”
Just the mere thought of that ominous future tightened her heart, and her previously calm breathing became noticeably disordered.
The subject of the anxiety that Beltein felt was achingly clear.
The fear of losing Regis.
Since the blessing of the Hero resided within him, it was inevitable for him to participate in the battle against the Demon King for the sake of peace in this world.
Knowing him well, Beltein was sure that while he might suffer some inner turmoil, he would soon reach a resolution.
The truth was, she wished he would stay by their side forever.
The Vatican’s existence. The lives of the innocent. The fate of the world.
All of those felt insignificant compared to his mere presence.
How disgusting and selfish of a thought that was.
Such a sentiment should not reside in the heart of a clergy member serving God’s will.
Yet, Beltein could not help but entertain such corrupted thoughts, perhaps out of affection for her brother.
If not that.
“Regis····.”
“Did you call~?”
“─!?”
The languid voice that responded to her unintentional mutter startled Beltein.
It was surprising enough that someone replied to a statement she hadn’t expected an answer to, but what truly astonished her was the implication of intoxication behind that familiar melody.
“Regis? Are you, are you drunk?”
“Ah~ You recognize me~? It’s been a while since I chatted with you, so I might have had a bit too much~ But I was discreet~ I was discreet~”
Beltein could not contain her incredulity.
It was her first time seeing Regis, usually a notable drinker at the monastery, in such a drunken state.
Contrary to public perception that clergy adhered to chastity, many male clergy tended to be quite strong when it came to alcohol.
After all, one of the main tasks for the clergy under the Vatican’s guidance was to produce the wine known as the blood of God.
Never challenge a clergy member to a drinking contest, was a well-known saying in those circles.
Among them, Regis had always been particularly exceptional.
Beltein still vividly remembered how he could down drinks offered to him by senior priests without batting an eye.
What on earth did he drink and how much?
As Beltein pondered, a sudden thought struck her.
“Oh, oh my?”
“Regis!”
In a panic, Beltein lunged towards the staggering Regis.
“Ahaha····.”
“Ugh····!”
Just as he was about to fall headfirst onto the floor, she managed to catch him by sheer luck.
But to her surprise, this led to him fully embracing her, an utterly unforeseen situation.
“Are you even conscious?! Drinking until you can’t even stay upright as a clergy member! What a disgraceful sight! What would happen if the Saintess saw this and took a bad influence from you?!”
“Ahaha~ I’m in trouble~”
With a significantly more elevated tone than usual, Beltein’s voice echoed.
But despite her exasperated outburst, Regis merely swayed from side to side without showing any signs of being able to muster a coherent reply.
It seemed he was thoroughly, thoroughly intoxicated.
She doubted if he even knew who he was or where he was.
“Haa····.”
If she had anticipated this, when Haren offered to join him for a drink, she would have at least suggested moderation.
Her past wrongdoing of pressuring Haren into revealing Regis’s past had certainly backfired, as she couldn’t scold him strongly.
“First, just sit here quietly. I’ll go get you some water or─”
Thunk!
At that moment, Beltein’s view flipped upside down.
“Huh?”
Just a moment before, she had been holding him up, but in an instant, the force of his weight turned the situation so that he was now on top of her.
This unexpected turn was enough to send her mind spinning.
“R-Regis····?”
“····”
It was only then that his features gradually came into focus.
Hair soaked with sweat.
Breath hot and sticky, suggesting an underlying desire.
His neck, fully exposed, revealed his pristine white collarbone.
“A, no····, no no····.”
The reason for her repeating refusals was none other than the undeniable allure of his lustful gaze, making her feel as though she would be swallowed whole if they locked eyes.
That mesmerizing look, which forcefully clawed open the memories she had tried hard to bury, made Beltein question if this was really the Regis she knew.
Smile.
“─!?”
Beltein’s eyes widened in surprise.
The way that smile seemed to delight in her awkward movements only served to choke her breath.
Gulp.
At that moment, the heavy silence that fell near her ear was indistinguishable as to whether it belonged to her or him.
Swish.
How long had the crescent-moon-like white pupils been observing her distressed figure?
Just as the overpowering smell of alcohol wafted from his lips, they slowly drifted down toward hers.
“At least! Th-the bedroom! In the bedroom!”
Thud.
“Eh····?”
As his head fell onto her shoulder, his entire body went limp atop her, like a doll with its string cut.
“O-oh····?”
Softly, softly. The peaceful breaths softly confirming that Regis had fallen deeply asleep.
“I-I-I···!! N-no no····!!!”
Just having realized what she had been about to say, Beltein vented her frustration with muffled whispers of anger for several minutes.
Fortunately, there was no one around to witness the pious Sister’s slight deviation.
Taking a moment to gather her breath, Beltein suddenly felt a deep sense of relief.
The first reason: no one had caught her embarrassing moment that she would have to take to the grave.
“And if you don’t come back safely···· I’ll make sure you absolutely···· never get away with this····.”
The second reason: she could shroud this adorable warning in the tranquil silence of the moment.
That night, Beltein spent the entire night awake with the overwhelming sense of shame surging up within her.
◈◈◈
The next morning.
The Hero Party’s departure was decided earlier than expected.
Due in part to Evan’s decisive personality, and also due to the unavoidable circumstances of needing to finish everything quickly before the Saintess awoke.
“Well then, I’ll be off. Husband. Make sure to lock the door tightly. Even if a sketchy female tries to lure you in with treats, don’t open the door.”
“Ugh······. Sure······.”
Flap!
As Haren groaned in pain from his hangover, the sound of majestic wings echoed through the sky.
Raaawr····.
“Ahaha! Mom! It’s been a while to see you bare-faced!”
“Mom! Ria too! Let me ride too!”
Evan’s polymorphed form was met with poise only by her two daughters and husband, Haren.
The remaining guests observed her cold demeanor with wide-eyed apprehension mixed with an unidentifiable emotion.
“This is a dragon····.”
“Huh? You, those dark circles, what’s wrong with you? Did you not sleep last night?”
“····”
Among them, Haren suddenly voiced worry towards the visibly shocked Beltein, but she brushed it aside.
“Please do tell the Saintess properly····. Sister····.”
“Yes····. Leave it to me····.”
During their farewells, Beltein barely managed to restrain her words, nearly letting out a howl.
If she allowed herself to relax, she felt she might just grasp his pant leg and plead with him not to go.
Such frivolous hopes would just have to remain concealed in a prayer muttered to herself.
“May God smile upon you.”
“May God smile upon you.”
Even Evan, who was ignorant of human culture, sensed the overwhelming compassion in that sequence of prayers for the departing ones’ well-being.
“Then, I’ll take my leave.”
“Yes····.”
As they bid farewell to the departing ones, a gentle smile emerged, only for their serene expressions to twist into shock upon realizing that the Saintess, who should have been peacefully sleeping at home, had secretly joined the party to confront the Demon King.
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