Chapter 17

Chapter 17

This Is Complicated as Hell

“No, you're telling me that crazy bastard is still kneeling in the training ground?”

“...Yes. When I asked, he said it was because you hadn't forgiven him.”

I stared at Leonid in disbelief.

Then I quickly changed clothes and headed toward the training ground with him.

The training ground was used by all the Holy Knights.

Naturally, that meant most of them would eventually see Cassian kneeling there.

And of course they'd walk up to the weirdo doing something like that and ask why the hell he was kneeling.

Even if Cassian honestly answered, ‘I decided not to rise until the Saintess forgives me,’ rumors could distort almost instantly.

Leonid himself had already come to me earlier asking whether I'd ordered him to do it.

If this went wrong, my reputation inside the Order could take a serious hit.

“That bastard. Is he trying to send my reputation straight into the gutter?”

Was his strategy to ruin my standing first, so nobody would help me even if something happened?

That would actually be pretty damn creative.

“Does it matter? Your reputation in the Order is already completely—”

“Hm? What did you say?”

Leonid tried to sneak in some nonsense while I was distracted by my thoughts.

What exactly were you about to say?

Are you sure you can handle the consequences?

With that thought, I turned toward him and gave him a sweet smile.

“It's amazing, obviously. Aren't you the Saintess respected by everyone?”

“Right. Let's keep it that way, okay?”

This bastard's mouth never rests, even at a time like this.

If he fell into water, I'm convinced his mouth alone would float.

Wait a second.

Why do I even need to play along with Cassian's rhythm?

“Leonid, do I really need to go?”

“Huh?”

“If he stands up, it'll look like I've forgiven him.”

“...Yeees. From the outside, I suppose that's how it'll look.”

“Then there's no reason to go. I don't trust that bastard.”

“Sis...? Are you serious? You're just going to leave him like that?”

Leonid stared at me as though he'd seen a ghost.

Why?

What?

Why?

“Tell him that if he's going to kneel there, he should shove himself into a corner where he won't disturb anyone training. Once he gets tired enough, he'll stand up on his own.”

“Seriously, Sis.”

“What?”

I stopped.

Leonid stopped too and looked at me.

He seemed genuinely troubled.

“I understand. Cassian is weak, and judging by the way he challenged the old man or sexually harassed you, it's obvious he wasn't exactly right in the head.”

“You understand perfectly.”

“But after waking up in the healing room, he changed like a completely different person.”

“I saw that too.”

The man I'd seen in the training ground did look like someone entirely different from the bastard in the audience chamber.

How should I put it?

The difference was so stark it almost felt like someone had replaced his soul entirely.

“Then could you reconsider just once? Forget forgiveness for a second. Leaving a Hero candidate kneeling there looking that pathetic feels wrong.”

“Don't fall for an act, Leonid.”

“Didn't I change too? To borrow your words, I went from a hopeless delinquent to something vaguely approaching a human being. There's no law saying that guy can't change too.”

Leonid scratched the back of his head as he answered.

“Uh... I don't remember saying anything quite that harsh to you.”

“Anyway, I'm saying the Hero candidate could change too.”

“You were a kid. That bastard is already fully grown.”

“I heard he's twenty-five.”

“Exactly. The older people get, the harder it is for them to change. He's definitely plotting something.”

“...I don't really understand why you distrust the guy so much.”

Leonid sounded somewhat helpless.

Yeah.

Of course he wouldn't understand.

To everyone else, Cassian was just an ill-mannered, absurdly weak Hero candidate who spewed demonic energy every time he got hit.

...Though isn't that suspicious as fuck already?

Am I the one thinking about this wrong?

“Um... Sis. I think people can change.”

While I tilted my head, Leonid spoke in a slightly more serious tone.

“Really? I don't.”

“You're exactly the kind of person who does think that. I know better than anyone. Because I became a human being thanks to you, didn't I?”

“...”

Though I wish you'd used slightly less violent methods.

Leonid added that complaint under his breath.

“Honestly, I don't exactly like the guy yet either, so I won't keep pushing. I just think you should consider it once.”

“...Fine. I'll think about it. Think.”

“Sure. I'm going to train. Need to work those useless apprentices to the bone. I'll tell the guy to go kneel somewhere out of sight.”

“Yeah, good luck.”

I left Leonid behind after he bowed and turned away.

...Something still felt unpleasant.

My chest felt too stifled to return to my room, so I wandered aimlessly through the Order's corridors instead.

Normally this would've been training time, but I didn't want to run into Cassian at the training ground, so I simply kept walking.

‘Was this what he wanted? To keep me from training so I'd get weaker?’

I even came up with something that ridiculous.

That was how deeply rooted my suspicion of Cassian had become.

You know those novels where the protagonist is a transmigrator or reincarnator, and they become bizarrely obsessed with the original story to the point the readers get frustrated?

Back then, I'd cursed those protagonists for being idiots.

Now I finally understood why they behaved that way.

The pressure carried by something called ‘the original story’ was far greater than I'd imagined.

‘And this is the bastard who destroyed me and our Order in that original story.’

Of course I'd be paranoid to the point of obsession.

The other problem was that because of what I'd done, things had almost certainly diverged from the original story.

The original Beatrice definitely hadn't beaten Cassian half to death like that.

So I couldn't tell whether he was acting this way because he'd genuinely come to his senses, or because he'd realized I was far more dangerous than expected and was trying to make me lower my guard.

Should I have just watched him carefully until he revealed his intentions?

‘If you were suspicious, you should have acted more cautiously.’

Only now did old Bartolomew's advice hit me painfully hard.

“Ah, screw it. I'll go out today. Thinking too much just poisons the mind.”

I shook my head and threw away the complicated thoughts.

For the record, I intended to sneak out.

Among the Holy Knights, the only person you could really say was comparable to or stronger than me was Captain Vargas.

So I had no need for an escort.

But perhaps because of my position as Saintess, they always tried to attach guards whenever I went outside.

Today, though, I just wanted to walk around the city alone.

I returned to my room, pulled out a hood, threw it on, and quickly slipped out of the Order.

I'd done this often enough that avoiding people's eyes while leaving was easy.

‘Still, “I became a human being because of you”? What an embarrassing thing to say.’

Once outside, I walked down the street while turning Leonid's words over in my head.

After entering the Order as Saintess, I had worked hard not only at training but also at changing our future.

Beating Leonid into rehabilitation had only been something I'd done for the sake of our Order's future.

Yet apparently that had planted in Leonid the belief that ‘people can change.’

That was a little embarrassing.

Still, it didn't feel bad either, so a small laugh escaped me.

“Damn, nice weather.”

Outside the Order, everything was dazzlingly peaceful.

Beneath the clear sky, the air was chilly, but the scenery somehow still felt warm.

I stared at the sky for a while, then headed toward the market.

I hadn't even entered it yet, but the scent of freshly baked bread drifted from somewhere and tickled my nose, while children's laughter filled the alleys.

As I drew closer, I began hearing merchants calling out to customers and seeing people hurrying through the streets.

Not one face carried a shadow.

I was walking slowly, enjoying that peaceful atmosphere, when a child running excitedly slammed into me and toppled over.

The child's wailing immediately drew everyone's attention.

“Hey, playing is fine, but watch where you're going, kid.”

Grumbling, I crouched beside the fallen child.

His palm and elbow had been scraped, and blood was seeping out.

My healing sacred arts weren't particularly impressive, but scratches like these were nothing.

Platinum-white divine power bloomed from my hand and sank into the wounds.

The damaged skin closed cleanly.

“Stop crying, okay? You're a boy. You can't cry over something this small.”

“S-Sis, are you a priest?”

The boy stopped crying and stared in wonder at where his wounds had been before looking up at me.

“Yep.”

“Thank you for healing me!”

“If you're grateful, say a prayer to Goddess Eris sometime. You don't have to come all the way to the temple. You can do it at home.”

“Yes! I definitely will!”

“Good kid.”

I patted his head once, then continued toward the market.

With practiced steps, I made my way to my usual grilled chicken skewer stall.

“Two chicken skewers, please. Spicy sauce.”

“That'll be three copper coi— Huh? Saintess, is that you?”

“Yep.”

Maybe because I was a regular, Uncle Nick recognized me despite the hood and looked surprised.

“Did you sneak out again today?”

“Yep. So don't tell anyone. Got it?”

“Of course. The Archbishop is a little frightening, but who am I? Nick, famous for having the tightest lips in town! Hahaha.”

Uncle Nick laughed heartily as he expertly grilled the skewers.

After brushing them with a spicy-looking sauce and wrapping them up, he slipped in a potato skewer I hadn't ordered.

“I didn't order potatoes.”

“This one's on the house for you, Saintess! They're baby potatoes simmered sweetly in sugar water. They'll take the edge right off the spicy meat.”

“Thanks. Here, take the money.”

“How could I take money from the Saintess? You're always protecting our city.”

“Then consider it hush money.”

“Absolutely. My lips are sealed.”

I left the money on the counter anyway, then carried the skewers toward the plaza and sat on a bench overlooking the fountain.

I bit into one of the chicken skewers.

Spicy heat filled my mouth, followed by the sweet flavor of the meat.

See?

There's a reason I'm a regular here.

No one but Uncle Nick makes food with this kind of modern, unhealthy flavor.

Mm.

The potatoes are sweet and delicious too.

As I ate and watched the peaceful scenery, a sudden thought entered my mind.

‘How long can this peace last?’

Seeing such a peaceful daily life made me happy, but a small knot of anxiety still grew somewhere in my chest.

If the ending of the original story couldn't be avoided, then this beautiful city would eventually be trampled by demons.

The screams and blood of the people smiling in front of me would fill these streets.

The priests and Holy Knights of the temple would suffer fates worse than death.

I absolutely had to prevent that.

And the most important thing for that was strengthening our forces.

As I'd said before, that part had been successful.

I'd become stronger myself, and the Eris Order's military strength had steadily increased without suffering the losses it had in the original story.

If there was one problem...

‘Cassian.’

Not trusting him was instinctive.

Honestly, beating him down had felt incredibly satisfying.

But seeing how completely he'd changed after waking up only complicated my feelings.

It would've been easier if he'd still acted like that obnoxious thug from the audience chamber.

‘I think people can change.’

Leonid's words suddenly resurfaced.

What if Cassian really had changed?

What if he genuinely wanted to work hard and become a Hero?

Then my distrust, stubbornness, and blind obsession with the original story might be crushing the growth of someone who could become a powerful asset for humanity.

We needed every bit of strength we could get.

What if the Empire fell to the demons because we ended up lacking one tiny piece of strength?

Would I even be able to look the people of this city in the face after death?

‘Ah, damn it. This is complicated as hell.’

I still hadn't found a clear answer by the time I finished the skewers.

Not even when the sun began sinking and the sunset painted the streets red.

If anything, the longer I thought, the heavier the stone sitting in my chest became.

In the end, unable to reach any proper conclusion, I stood up.

My steps back toward the Order felt far heavier than when I'd left.