Chapter 133

Chapter 13. Crisis and Opportunity

I don’t want to do anything.

Well, technically I’m not doing anything, but honestly, I’ve been way too busy.

First off, I live in the Church. To be precise, I reside in the convent attached to it as a nun.

And being a nun isn’t exactly a leisurely affair.

Sure, it’s less demanding than being a civil servant stuck at a computer for eight to nine hours a day, but that doesn’t mean nuns don’t put in a ton of time and effort maintaining the Church.

Thanks to the state officially recognizing religions, the responsibilities of the Church have increased, and naturally, that means nuns have a lot to manage. It’s not like we’re working eight hours straight, but it’s fair to say that light tasks permeate every aspect of our lives at all times.

However, nuns don’t get time off. There are holidays where we’re hardly asked to work, but there are times we end up busier when everyone else is on vacation.

So, sadly, I’ve lived quite far from a life of doing ‘absolutely nothing’ until now.

Plus, due to the Saint Power I can wield, I’ve been tasked with some additional duties that others don’t usually see.

“Should we strike?”

I asked seriously.

“Pfft.”

But Ria’s reaction to that was anything but serious.

Frowning, I stood up and glared at Ria.

“What’s with that look? Do you think I’m joking?”

I’ve been a bit sensitive lately.

It’s true.

Every time I see that white ‘nun’s habit,’ something inexplicable wells up from deep inside me.

As the Pope said, he’s firmly entrenched in that position. Thanks to me helping him regain some health, it seems the rumors about his replacement due to health are almost quashed.

But still, doesn’t he not give off a vibe of someone who would dictate like a tyrant?

It seems he couldn’t completely ignore the words of the faithful or the priests.

As a result, I was able to maintain my status as a ‘Saintess candidate’ while also receiving a bit of special treatment.

That white habit plays that role. It’s a way to show I’m ‘Anna’ a bit more clearly.

“Just kidding.”

After a moment of thought, Ria responded.

“So, if someone suddenly gets hurt during the strike, you won’t rush to help?”

“……”

Ria’s question caught me off guard and left me speechless.

“Well, if someone collapses next to the strike, there would be plenty of people to help them right away, I guess?”

I managed to say something that sounded plausible, but.

“If someone whose job is to help those who’ve collapsed rushes to aid them, wouldn’t that mute the meaning of the strike?”

That was a fair point.

I threw myself back onto the bed, burying my face in the pillows.

“Well, don’t think too negatively. You’re not a real Saintess or Blessed one, right? Besides, you haven’t even had the beatification ceremony or gone through the process.”

“……”

“I think that notorious atheist’s evil advocate said something like, ‘At this point, wouldn’t I be irrelevant?’ but don’t worry too much about it.”

“Hey! How can I not worry!?”

When I yelled, Ria finally couldn’t hold back her laughter.

“Well, there were a lot of differing opinions to begin with. That person said that Saint Power is just a natural phenomenon and that there’s no higher being. You merely argued that the concept of ‘God’ is misconceived. If you don’t deny the existence of a higher being, doesn’t it make the claim of being an atheist meaningless?”

“Fine, let’s go to Myeongdong tomorrow and propose giving God a scientific name.”

“At this point, it does sound like a serious proposal.”

“Ugh!”

At Ria’s words, I thrashed around on the bed.

“To begin with, the moment you call the power you use ‘Saint Power,’ it’s pointless for you to say you don’t want to be a Saintess, right?”

“Then all nuns who wield Saint Power are saints.”

Having said that, I felt something flash across my mind.

Seeing me perk up with sparkling eyes, Ria must have sensed an ominous vibe.

“Wait. I don’t know what you’re about to say, but that sounds like a really bad idea.”

“I haven’t even said anything yet.”

“I just have a feeling.”

I completely ignored that unfair and unjust assessment.

Getting up, I sat cross-legged and stared directly at Ria.

No matter how Ria grimaced at my beaming smile, I forged ahead.

“So, if the number of saints were to dramatically increase, that’d be good, right?”

Ria facepalmed.

“Where in the world did such a thought come from?”

“Of course, it came from my head.”

“Where exactly does your brain connect to?”

Once again, I completely disregarded that absurdly unfair evaluation.

“Just hear me out.”

I raised a finger.

“Saint Power isn’t something I can wield alone, right? The Pope has also endured for a long time against Magic Power, and the candidates for Saintess must have superior Saint Power compared to ordinary nuns to have reached their position.”

“…… So?”

Ria knew I wouldn’t drop my train of thought just because she told me not to, so she half-heartedly went along with me.

“But that’s discrimination, isn’t it? Don’t you think?”

“……”

“I believe that Saint Power comes from a depth of conviction, but it seems to be influenced by one’s background as well.”

Indeed.

Other Saintess candidates may not be aware, but I suspect my own body was created up there for a specific purpose.

Since my body was made for that purpose, it wouldn’t be strange at all that I could shoot Saint Power like laser beams.

“But dividing people by their background is profoundly unfair, don’t you think?”

“If we’re going by your logic, isn’t sorting ranks in school discrimination? People’s intelligence varies based on their genes.”

“……”

“And besides, no matter how you slice it, you’re in a different position. Even if all the Saintess candidates combined their Saint Power, it wouldn’t be as remarkable as yours alone. You’ve bled because of your Saint Power, after all. Frankly speaking, you might even be more impressive than a Saint that actually existed.”

I fell silent.

To me, the position of a Saintess candidate, as determined by the Church, seemed ambiguously defined in various ways.

Defining candidates as those who are particularly devout and can wield Saint Power overwhelmingly seems vague.

When the candidates were merely ordinary nuns, it was a more straightforward issue since they would likely be somewhat inferior to a true Saintess.

But if someone who can ‘surpass’ that ‘Saintess’ emerges, it wouldn’t be odd for me to assume that position, even on objective grounds.

“No.”

But I cut her off, shaking my head.

“That’s not it.”

Indeed, no matter how I think about it, that’s not the case.

The reason a Saint is called a Saint is that they sacrificed themselves to protect others from the very beginning. Kneeling amidst hordes of monsters, they prayed, allowing Hunters and heroes time to fight and ultimately sacrificing themselves, which is why people exalt them as Saints.

So, who wields a brighter and broader Saint Power doesn’t matter.

“I’m not about to compare myself to someone who laid down their life to save others and claim I’m superior.”

At my words, Ria wiped the smile off her face.

“That’s… true.”

Since Ria is someone who understands the weight of the title “Hero,” she seemed to agree with me.

Then, with that expression, Ria stared at me quietly and said,

“So, if that’s the case, then the name Saintess shouldn’t be given to just anyone, right?”

“……”

Thud.

I flopped back onto the bed.

And I started thrashing around aimlessly.

“Sigh.”

Ria sighed deeply.

“Hey, I can see inside.”

I silently lowered my legs and pulled my skirt back down.

“Pervert.”

“What are you talking about?”

Ria said without flinching at my casual retort.

“……Well,”

As I lay on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling, Ria also flopped down onto her bed and said,

“Still, don’t worry too much.”

“Huh?”

When I turned to look, Ria was lying on her bed, turned towards me.

“If the weight of the title Saintess is that heavy, doesn’t it mean you’re less likely to actually become one?”

Ria smiled slightly.

“If you end up having to risk your life at the end, that makes it even less likely. You have no reason to risk your life, do you?”

“……”

“In that case, I’ll be right there with you. If I protect you, then it’s all good, right?”

“Hey, Ria.”

“Yes?”

“You’re saying some really embarrassing things without a second thought.”

“……”

Ria stared at me blankly for a while, then suddenly exclaimed,

“Ack!?”

She threw a pillow at my face.

…But still.

Hearing Ria say that made me feel a bit at ease.

After all, Ria did sneak me away from Rome and brought me all the way here. She would definitely try to keep her word.

……

If the moment truly comes, I would save Ria even if it cost me my life.

But there’s no need to mention that in front of her just yet.