Chapter 6

“Huh? Huh? Why can’t our Saint Candidate respond?”

But amidst all this confusion, one phrase pierced my ears.

Well, it certainly wasn’t a positive remark. Quite the opposite actually. It was something I really disliked.

“…Excuse me.”

“Huh?”

“I can put up with a lot of things, but please don’t call me a Saint Candidate.”

At my firm declaration, Ria looked up at me for the first time today, seemingly surprised.

“Do you really hate being called a Saint?”

“Of course, I genuinely hate it. Why would I pretend otherwise? Haven’t you been paying attention to what I’ve said?”

“So you really intended for me to apostatize?”

“No, that’s not it. I really just wanted you to grow closer to the Church.”

“Wait, hold on.”

Ria seemed to be getting a headache from our conversation, pressing her forehead as she spoke.

“So, you’re saying that although you’re technically a Saint Candidate, you don’t believe in God?”

“That’s right.”

“But you still want me to get closer to the Church.”

“Exactly.”

I replied and crossed my arms while sitting back down on the bed.

“But your method of deepening your faith is to curse God in front of me.”

“At least it worked up to now.”

If I had to clarify, it was more about getting rid of her incessant taunting than out of concern for her faith.

After all, even someone with a bad relationship with their parents gets annoyed when someone insults their parents right in front of them. That’s why the term ‘parentless brat’ affects both those with parents and those without. It works because it hits a sore spot.

Well, it’s a fact that it doesn’t apply to someone who ‘doesn’t believe in’ their parents. But it’s the same for those who are rational enough to recognize that someone who would say such things is the real fool.

…Not that I’m calling myself a fool, obviously.

“Why? If you dislike the Church, you could just wait until you’re of age and leave. If you’re not affiliated with the Church, you’d hear a lot less about being a Saint Candidate. But considering how the Church has tied you and me together, it seems that aim is the same as that purpose, doesn’t it? If you were looking to leave, there really wouldn’t be a reason for you to try so hard to persuade me.”

Ria tilted her head in confusion.

“Well….”

As I thought it over, I eventually sighed deeply.

“…Fine. I’ll tell you. This is a very serious and important reality, so listen closely. Please don’t laugh.”

“…No, if it’s funny, I will definitely laugh.”

“You think it’s okay to laugh while someone is being serious?”

“Whether it’s serious or not is for me to judge.”

I squeezed my eyes shut and then opened them again. After taking a few deep breaths, I spoke.

“Alright. Now that we’re at this point, there’s no way around it except to negotiate directly with you.”

“You’ve been using ‘you’ very openly since earlier, shouldn’t you be calling me Sister as per the rules?”

“…Then I’ll tell you.”

I ignored Ria’s comment, and she made a face as if she was trying to suppress a laugh.

It was really an infuriating expression.

“…But when I finished my story, Ria didn’t laugh at all.”

That didn’t mean she looked serious either. More like… a ‘complicated’ expression.

It was an expression of uncertainty about whether I was lying, being serious, or just joking around.

To convey the seriousness, I spoke with an unwavering serious expression.

“I’m serious.”

“So, you’re saying that if you return to the world, there are several people waiting to confess to you, and that’s why you want to stay within the church?”

“To be precise, there are seven of them, and yes, that’s true.”

Ria’s expression turned serious after hearing my words.

Seeing her intensely staring at me, I let out a long breath.

She’s pretty and has a good figure, so I guess she understands.

“So here’s my proposal—”

“On what grounds?”

“Huh?”

“What I’m asking is, what led you to conclude that seven people are waiting to confess to you?”

Interrupting my proposal, Ria looked at me with a question.

“Grounds?”

“Uh, grounds.”

“Don’t you know?”

“Are you telling me I shouldn’t know?”

“If I knew, would I ask?”

Ugh.

I let out a hollow laugh. Watching me, Ria’s expression became more nuanced. It felt like she was looking at someone sick… Well, I’m not sick, so I must be mistaken. After all, people’s expressions can vary and everyone has their own way of expressing them.

I exhaled deeply, closing my eyes.

Then I spread my two index fingers.

With those two fingers—

*tap*

I pointed to my face.

“I’m,”

Then I opened my eyes wide and said,

“Pretty, you know.”

With a very serious expression.

“……”

Ria, who had been staring at me with a serious expression for a while, suddenly—

*slap*

Slammed her palm against her forehead.

Huh.

That gesture clearly reflected someone who had just seen something absurd.

* *

That weekend.

In this world, the concept of a seven-day week had no significant meaning anymore; hence, it could be said that Sunday didn’t hold any religious importance either.

However, it was still not something that could simply be discarded after thousands of years of rich tradition.

Moreover, many still saw something high above as overlapping with the Christian God. While it’s not an officially recognized interpretation by the denomination, it’s not entirely denied either. They can’t just dismiss the billions of related religious adherents existing in the world.

So it’s just something that’s been observed for a long time, and that should be understood as a potential for integration.

It’s the same with attending services every Sunday.

To be exact, I do attend services. More accurately, I still participate in almost all religious activities.

This is… well, think of it as a kind of sacrificial offering. There are people who genuinely believe that the ancestral spirits come to eat the sacrificial food, but many just follow along silently out of respect for tradition and to ensure family peace.

No matter how much of an atheist one might be, they can’t just skip chapel at a Christian university.

Well, it’s not like I chose to live this life to be here, but since I’m eating and sleeping here, I at least wanted to follow a schedule, that’s how I felt.

*chuckle* *chuckle*

“…What’s wrong?”

I answered Ria, who kept poking me in the ribs beside me.

My voice drew the attention of the other sisters seated around us.

At the front, the priest was sharing various good stories, addressing the congregation in front of him.

The seats weren’t entirely full. Even though there is a national religion now, attending church isn’t compulsory. Weekends are still weekends.

While devoted believers do come out, it seems the ratio hasn’t drastically changed since before the national religion was established.

Well, if it were enforced, it would cause chaos.

“Is one of those people you mentioned sitting among us?”

“…There is, but why?”

“Who?”

“…That skinny guy in a suit over in the third row.”

Ria lifted her head to check the location. As that guy stealthily turned his head and caught our gaze, she quietly opened her mouth once more.

“Let’s talk after the service is over.”

“Talk after the service?”

There was no reply.

The priest’s words were considered more like a lecture, and all the sisters still in their training at the convent had to listen.

Of course, the sisters sat at a distance from the congregation, but… well, that didn’t mean they couldn’t giggle and chat.

Even though the Sister Warden was glaring at those sisters intently—

Yikes.

One glance in this direction made me quickly lower my head.

No matter what, I don’t want to hear a scolding. I’ve fought hard enough to win certain things, but I’d rather not be lectured unnecessarily.

I’ve heard enough of that for the last fifteen years.

Fortunately, Ria didn’t push for more conversation.

At least not until after the lecture ended.

* *

“Wait, hold on!?”

But the moment the lecture ended, Ria grabbed my left wrist, shot up from her seat, and started dragging me toward the congregation.

A few sisters were surprised and whispered amongst themselves.

“Sister!”

Of course, the Sister Warden was shocked.

The priest, who had just finished his sermon, widened his eyes and turned to look this way.

I tried slapping Ria’s hand away, but given her trained strength in various ways, I was utterly outmatched.

“Wait a minute, this is against the rules—”

“But you haven’t followed the rules at all until now, so why should I?”

There’s at least a line to be drawn, don’t you think?!

Before there was even time for others to stop us, I found myself standing in front of a skinny middle-aged man.

Two young sisters—one of them the daughter of a very famous hero, stood in front of him, blinking in surprise.

Well, it wasn’t just the fame that was the issue; both of them were provocatively rebellious sisters, so I suppose that was the case.

As I waved my hand to break free, Ria finally let go of my arm.

“I beg your pardon.”

In stark contrast to how roughly she had dragged me here, Ria greeted the man politely.

“Ah, yes, Sister. Nice to meet you.”

The man responded much more courteously than I expected.

“I have one thing I’d like to ask.”

“Ah, sure.”

The man looked back and forth between us, seemingly unsure of the situation. I felt the color drain from my face.

No, why is she acting this way?

Was she this reckless in the original story too?

In the original story, she was a character who faced off against the Church’s doctrines and frequently frustrated the Saintess, which is why her father kept her locked up inside the cathedral.

But was she really this excessively reckless—

“You kept looking over at this sister, so I thought you must have something to say to her. Brother, what is it that you wanted to say?”

“……”

I tried to say something in response, but I only opened my mouth, failing to voice anything.

What can you really say in this situation…?!

“Ah, yes….”

With a tremendous sense of pressure from the gazes around us, the man glanced around at the others. I could see some churchgoers gossiping already.

No, even so.

The man slipped his hand into his jacket pocket.

Oh no, please don’t—!

And what came out was—

A wallet.

He pulled out a business card from inside the wallet and politely handed it over with both hands.

Stunned, I took the card and read its contents.

[Hunter Association ‘Cheong Mountain’

Talent Acquisition Team Leader, Kang Sang-cheol]

The exquisite card displayed that name, followed by the association’s address and Team Leader Kang’s email and phone number written below it.

“So, I didn’t expect to approach you like this, but… are you Sister Anna? A Saint Candidate as well?”

“…Uh, yes.”

So taken aback, I couldn’t deny being called a Saint Candidate immediately, and that’s how I answered.

“However, from what I gather, it seems you’ll be returning to the world soon.”

I have no idea where he got the information, but whatever the case, he seems to be well-informed.

After all, this convent is a modern one, and it’s not just orphans residing here—there are several young ladies from famous households as well.

Even if I’ve hidden my name, there are plenty of people, like Ria, who know me.

Those sisters might not make phone calls, but they do meet their families once a month and keep in touch through letters.

That information must’ve mixed in somewhere.

Slowly, the blood returned to my face, which had drained away moments before.

But this time, it felt like it was returning a little too forcefully.

People around me probably saw me blushing bright red.

Ria was smirking as she looked at me.

“Although you might not reach the position of Saint, I’ve heard many stories about you healing the injured and the sick. If you plan to get a job right after you leave, please visit our association. We’ll provide all the necessary facilities and equipment for free, of course—”

“Hey, that’s immoral!”

But before the recruitment officer could finish, another man sprung up from the side.

“We agreed to give out business cards only after her return to the world!”

The man who shouted was a bit older than the skinny guy in front of me, his belly visible even through his suit coat.

While holding a travel bag in one hand, he pushed through the crowd of worshippers.

*chuckle* *chuckle*

Ria jabbed me again in the ribs.

I could tell without even looking at her expression.

‘Is this the stalker you were talking about?’

The thought was already playing on repeat in my brain.

Ignoring the murmurs from the churchgoers, the man turned to me with an unexpectedly polite demeanor and handed me his business card.

[Hunter Association ‘Paik & Park’]

Whether it’s Cheong Mountain or Paik & Park, both are quite well-known private hunter associations.

While their stability is a bit less compared to those directly registered with the government, if one has ability, they could probably work there for a long time without issue.

“……”

However, I couldn’t provide a proper response to either of these men.

Even after them, at least five more people rushed this way, but by that point, the Sister Warden and Ria were already pulling me back.

Hearing the murmurs around me, I thought to myself.

Ah, what do I do now? Even if I say I have no friends, there are plenty of familiar faces around me.

What am I going to do starting tomorrow?

….

Should I just throw it all away and go back to the world?