Chapter 170

The memory after that… is a bit hazy.

They say the sky cleared up, but the truth is, we were much farther away than usual.

It seemed like I was having all sorts of problems just holding on, considering I’ve already used up my Saint Power to the point of almost piercing my hand.

Still, I was able to treat ‘Anna’ to some extent, who was slowly starting to bleed.

But whether I could fully save her was uncertain. It wasn’t a simple wound, and healing it wasn’t easy. Perhaps it was a result of that miracle lasting too long.

No matter what, I couldn’t complete the healing unless my body broke down, so maintaining the current state was the best I could do.

At least Maria said I could maintain it somewhat by having her give me her sword to hold. Even that, though, I’d have to keep it up until I woke up and treated myself.

Mari was in a slightly better situation. Lack of nutrition was something I could tackle somewhat with Saint Power.

Of course, that didn’t mean it was completely easy. After all, my body had been barely getting by for years, surviving on high-calorie but minimal nutrient food. It was strange that nothing had broken down. And even when treated with Saint Power, the severely lacking nutrition would quickly revert back to its original state. If proper nutrition wasn’t consumed, both Anna and Mari would ultimately end up dead.

Initially, I still had some memories, but as time passed and I used up more Saint Power, my recollection gradually faded away.

“…I thought you were going to die again.”

Ria said that while looking at me.

She was crossed-legged, arms folded. Her tone sounded like a joke, but her eyes were completely serious.

Ria was angry with me. And rightfully so.

…Every time I mention my beliefs and whatnot, I’m the one who keeps shattering Ria’s concerns. There’s only so much trust a person can have.

At least, I’m glad Ria hasn’t truly come to hate me.

Where I had woken up was at the Church’s infirmary.

Usually, it’s a place where I wouldn’t be lying down. It’s where the patients I’ve treated get to rest. Normally, they recover quickly and don’t stay long.

“…I’m sorry.”

“No, now you’re not even lying. Was that for real?”

Was it sincere?

I’m always serious when fighting. I don’t like hurting the people around me, so I’ve always fought with everything I had. Naturally, Ria was among those I absolutely didn’t want to hurt.

So, when it’s really dangerous, it’s better for me to jump in than Ria—

Ria poked my side with her finger.

“Eep!?”

I glared at Ria in shock, and she looked at me with a bewildered expression, as if I had said something utterly wrong.

But I hadn’t said anything in particular.

“Hey, who am I?”

“…Ria?”

“No, not that. What does that ‘Ria’ do?”

“A knight, right?”

“Yeah.”

Ria stood up from her chair and leaned in closer to my face. Her breath almost brushed against my lips, and I pulled back, but the only thing behind me was the bed, so I couldn’t escape completely.

My heart started racing. Maybe Ria felt it too since we nearly touched.

“You’re my knight. Your escort knight.”

“……”

“Then that knight should jump in for you, not the other way around. Isn’t that a bit weird?”

I couldn’t find a way to argue against that.

“Why, don’t you trust me? Are you worried I might betray you in the end?”

“No.”

I had a serious face on, but Ria was already giving me a serious look, so no matter how scary my expression was, it didn’t faze her at all.

If anything, she glared at me more.

“But why?”

Because I care about you.

It would hurt much more if Ria died before me than if I died—

—Ah.

I see.

This was just my selfishness after all.

A self-centered thought. In the matter of our roles, I was being irrational and non-logical, worrying that I might not fulfill my role.

“I’ve been thinking carefully. And I’ve come up with a conclusion.”

“A conclusion?”

“From now on, if you ever try to rush into dangerous situations, I will do whatever it takes to stop you. Or I’ll jump in with you. Got it?”

“U-um…”

“If you think it’s really necessary, then sure, that makes sense. Since you’re the one saying it, you’d definitely want to go. So, I’ll be there with you in the most dangerous places. And if you try anything strange, I’ll knock you out from behind, whether it’s a blow to the neck or the head.”

“But, if that happens, really dangerous things might happen…”

“Is that something I need to know?”

Ria said, looking at me. Her head slightly tilted back, her expression was one of utter disbelief.

“I told you, my job is to keep you safe. I don’t care about how the world turns out.”

“…Huh?”

“Whatever the gods want, whatever the government desires, whatever the Church seeks from the sacrifice of the Saint. That doesn’t concern me. My job is keeping you safe.”

“…”

“So, when you plan something, make sure you plan right. If you make a plan that unnecessarily leads to your sacrifice, I might end up being the villain.”

I had nothing to retort against that.

“…What.”

Even though Ria said all that, I wondered if she had some lingering thoughts after saying it.

After a moment of contemplation, Ria stepped back and flashed a small smile.

“Well, if you’re by my side, I guess we can handle just about anything. So, plan with the notion that I’ll be by your side. Got it?”

“…”

I looked up at Ria in a daze and nodded.

“Understood.”

For some reason, what Ria had said made me feel giddy. That last remark had left a mark deep within my heart, even if it wasn’t blunt.

Yeah. In the end, I really will have to fight with my life on the line.

But right now, Ria is here with me. If we fight together, our chances of dying will be much lower.

I trust Ria. At that moment, Ria was definitely right by my side.

There was an oddly awkward air between the two of us.

Ria sat back down in her chair.

It seemed like she didn’t shy away from a little awkwardness because it looked like her words just now were genuine.

*

I…… am not officially a Saintess, but in fact, the Church has been treating me as one.

My attire is different from that of the other nuns, and I receive special treatment whenever I move. It seems that not only I but my guests are also classified as people who should be treated with great care by the Church.

But as I’ve consistently claimed from the start, my attitude is perhaps a bit inappropriate for that of a Saintess.

My mind is the same.

It’s one thing to not believe in God, but as a Saintess who should always keep herself pure, I am filled with worries and distractions. Most of those concerns revolve around Ria.

For some reason, Ria climbed onto my hospital bed way too easily. Sometimes, she’d come press her forehead against mine as if checking my temperature or knead my arms and legs to ensure proper circulation.

At least, it wasn’t like when we were in the dorm, sharing a bed and watching movies.

Not only my thoughts but my attitude was somewhat inappropriate for being a Saintess. Other than the honorifics that got stuck in my mouth over the past 15 years, my tone had become so plain that it raised doubts about whether it was really appropriate for the Church to put me in such a serious position.

So, I thought ‘Anna’ would be similar.

I’m not sure if it’s a complete parallel world or not. The characters used are different, and both the atmosphere and even the facial features seem a bit off.

Even though Ria and Mari speak entirely differently, I figured the Saintess with the same name as mine would probably be similar.

“……Thank you so much for saving Mari.”

The image of the Saintess, who bowed her head with a soft smile, truly embodied the ‘Saintess.’ Her voice was much softer than mine, and the corners of her eyes were slightly drooping, giving her an incredibly gentle impression.

“……No, there might have been something more I could have done…”

“That’s not true. The world… in the end, it became like this.”

Anna’s expression while speaking looked pained.

The world being destroyed wasn’t Anna’s fault. That’s what I believe.

Even if she had power, it had been insufficient. If a typhoon were to hit, could an ordinary person stop it with their bare body?

“The most you could do… you saved Mari, so I can’t ask for more.”

The last remaining person.

The one who stayed by my side, enduring for years.

As soon as I crossed over to this world, I was able to heal Anna with my overflowing Saint Power, but Mari was still undergoing treatment. To be precise, it was said that she was being carefully fed on various things. Getting plenty of sleep, too.

It would take some time for her to fully recover.

“……”

The gaze of the Saintess rose. As if reminiscing about something, she slowly looked around. Then, she touched the bed with her fingertips.

After sleeping for years and finally awakening to a different world.

The wounds had healed, but Mari, who had survived for years, was in an extremely weakened state.

What must she be thinking?

Even when I try to imagine, it doesn’t come easily. If it were me, I would be wailing and looking for Ria first.

It seems I still need a bit more time to get used to it.

Knowing Ria must be having similar thoughts as I do, we quietly exchanged our farewells and left the room.