Chapter 35: Saints And Saintesses (7)
Then, the surrounding voices of protest reached her ears.
How can this be, Saintess! Does he plan to accept the condition of easily becoming a Saint, only to quit soon after?
Thats right! Moreover, a Saint demanding money! Its clear that God made a mistake!
Those who claimed their faith was as deep as the ocean were now doubting God.
God had clearly made a mistake.
If such a reckless remark had been made in the Holy Kingdom, they might have been instantly imprisoned.
But under these unbelievable circumstances, the words just slipped out.
Iriels gaze towards them was not kind.
The priests who met her eyes hurriedly turned their heads, hoping she wouldnt remember their faces.
Once back in the Holy Kingdom, Iriel thought she would surely deal with them first.
I may not understand the first, but I will accept the rest.
The first one is the most important. I feel if I stay as a Saint for too long, it might be a pain in the ass.
Oh, dear God
She whispered, seeking the divine.
How dare he refer to such a noble position as Saint as if hes talking about some dirty filth?
Her unwavering faith was slightly shaken.
And the fifth.
No, with Rays last words, whatever faith was left in her seemed to sway as if hit by a fierce storm.
When had she ever been treated this way?
But she couldnt argue because she was afraid of the elf who was glaring at her from the side.
Soon, she would realize there was something scarier than that glare.
She felt a sudden coldness in the surrounding mana and looked up at Ray.
He, with previously unseen cold eyes, sternly said,
Apologize. Sincerely.
The hall was instantly wrapped in silence at Rays words.
Anyone who understood the gravity of asking the Saintess for an apology would undoubtedly be shocked.
To ask the representative of God for an apology means to admit ones mistake and seek forgiveness.
In essence, saying to the one representing the deity, What you did was wrong.
No matter if the other party was a Saint of equal standing, the demand for an apology at that moment was quite surprising.
Saints or Saintesses seldom apologized unless the matter was of great importance.
It was an almost historically rare event.
To demand such a significant apology over a minor disturbance in the elf village seemed excessive.
With a stern expression, Iriel stated,
I cannot apologize. Please consider the position of a Saintess who carries out the will of God.
Her words implied, You too are a Saint; wouldnt it be problematic if such a situation occurred for you?
But Ray responded firmly,
Consider whose position? Who was the one who threatened without considering the position of the elves?
It was necessary to bring the Saint. Our requests were completely ignored by you
Ray interrupted Iriels excuse,
So youre saying you cant apologize?
After hesitating for a moment, Iriel said coldly,
Yes. If my apology resolves the matter on my part, Ill gladly give it, but our responsibility is too great. A single word could invoke the wrath of God.
I see.
Seeing Ray nod in apparent understanding, Iriel felt a moment of relief.
However, his next words shattered that relief.
Then I wont go. Be it Saint or whatever, tell your God to find someone else.
What?
She stared blankly at Ray, unable to believe what he had just said.
What was the big deal about becoming a Saint?
It was a position where one could hold all the honors and have the power to move people like waves with just a word.
Even when wandering around the village, the villagers looked at her with awe and reverence.
Even the Pope, the Emperor of the Holy Kingdom, couldnt have his way with her.
And she would abandon such a position?
It was an unimaginable thing to do.
At least, according to the common sense she knew.
But Ray had no interest in her common sense.
He looked at Aira and said,
Lets go back. We also need to treat Pia.
Uh, huh? Yes
Aira also seemed quite flustered, stuttering her words.
Watching him turn his back without any hesitation, Iriel bit her lip.
She was a Saint. Naturally, she had never experienced such treatment before.
Wait a moment.
Iriel called out to him.
But Ray didnt turn his head; he merely halted his steps.
It felt as though he was saying, Speak.
So, she opened her mouth.
I might not apologize but I will provide the necessary support. So
I dont need any support.
Ray turned around and stared directly at her.
Apologize.
As he spoke, the mana around them seemed to tighten around her neck.
His will was so firm that the mana resonated with it.
Even the Saint didnt dare to say anything else.
Iriel spat out those words and watched him walk away.
On the way back to the village, Aira and Ray remained silent.
It was Aira who first broke the seemingly endless silence.
Are you really okay?
She asked, concern evident in her voice.
To be honest, he wasnt okay. It was a golden opportunity to gain medical knowledge, money, resources, and experience.
Especially if he followed the Saint and assumed the role of a Saintess.
She seemed to have seen through Rays thoughts and said,
Its not too late. You just have to say youll go with them.
Her words implied that he might regret not going to the Holy Kingdom to gain what he needed.
But Ray slowly shook his head.
I wont regret it. Id rather not learn from an organization that wont even apologize for such an act.
Aira looked ahead without responding.
No matter what Ray thought, there was definitely something he could gain by going to the Holy Kingdom. However, warmth surged in her heart as she saw him refuse the position of Saint for their sake.
Of course, to Ray, the position of a Saint might be as insignificant as the presidency of a village womens association.
Looking at Ray, Aira suddenly became curious.
What was he doing all this for?
He kept the existence of the village a secret not only from his own kind, humans, but also saved her life when she was on the brink of death.
Even when the powerful entity known as the Holy Kingdom approached, he demanded a proper apology. When they failed to comply, he simply declined the position of Saint.
They could hardly repay such a favor. Yet, he didnt seem to mind and instead continued to do even more for them.
Since she was a child, she had never experienced love, which made her particularly sensitive to such matters.
The overwhelming emotions she initially felt evolved into a complex mixture of feelings that bound her internally, as his limitless kindness was beyond words.
Why. Why do you
She asked, her gaze still fixed straight ahead.
Why can you dedicate yourself to us like this.
What are we to you?
She swallowed the rest of her words before she could finish them.
Being with him allowed her to experience happiness for the first time in the twenty years she had been waiting.
Despite receiving the best care and treatment, he rejected a position that anyone would envy to choose them.
Had there ever been a time in her long, indeterminable life when she felt as alive as she did now?
Upon reaching this thought, she naturally shook her head.
There certainly hadnt been.
This man showed kindness without expecting anything in return.
Therefore, she, who had never opened her heart to anyone, didnt even realize that she had melted like snow only for Ray.
Ray opened his mouth.
I just do what I want to do.
What do you want?
A happy life.
Then you should be even more of a saint.
In her opinion, a happy life by human standards meant a life filled with wealth and fame.
Having lived for such a long time, she understood this and to some extent, agreed. Having more meant you were happier than those who had less.
Seemingly aware of this thought, he nodded.
Thats true but
Ray paused before continuing.
Being in a high position that everyone admires is good, but sometimes getting annoyed over trivial matters, treating sick people, and chopping trees for money isnt a bad life either. If I can find joy in small things, then thats enough for me.
His white hair danced in the wind.
The pure white seemed to bring color to his heart.
Airas eyes were filled with his figure.
Her expression turned blank as she continued to watch his profile.
I want to see you happy too.
It was a moment of renewed resolve for her.
Iriel remained rooted to the spot.
It wasnt because the mana hold Aira had used still lingered.
The mana hold had already been released.
She was immobilized because of Ray.
Then I wont go. Find someone else for your saint or whatever.
That was what the saint had said.
Even the god who had chosen him might feel embarrassed.
Looking for someone else. Did the saint chosen by the god think he was being selected from an adventurers guild or a job agency?
It was hard to believe, but it was the truth.
As she stood motionless, the high priest approached her.
Saintess there seems to have been some misunderstanding. Otherwise, such a saint
He slightly frowned as he spoke.
But he must know the truth as well.
There could be no errors in the revelations from a god.
Especially if it was a revelation concerning a saint or saintess.
Iriel weakly turned to look at him.
Misunderstanding I hope thats true.
The saintess, who was renowned for her flawless work, looked desolate today.
Her hair was disheveled, her armor was stained with blood, and her expression was blank as she stood still.
This was not the saintess he knew.
But it was not without reason.
The actions displayed by the saint had left a deep imprint on their minds.
Evidence of this was that the high and low priests were whispering among themselves.
Just now was that a saint?
Shh! Fool, its Saint!
Right. A saint.
He didnt act like a saint at all. His setting of conditions was proof of that.
Even though it was disrespectful to label the gods representative, the saint, as not saint-like, no one intervened.
If a heresy judge had been present, they might have, but everyone shared the same sentiment.
No, even if a heresy judge had been there, they might have felt the same way after witnessing the saints behavior.
The saint had left a powerful impression before vanishing.
Iriel chewed her nails.
She was contemplating her next move.
The priest knew that the saintess always exhibited such behavior when she was deep in thought, so he didnt disturb her.
The solutions she came up with were always effective.
After mulling over it for several minutes, Iriel abruptly lifted her head and started to act.
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