Chapter 35

“Iomenes… How was the princess?”

As soon as I stepped out of the annex, I was almost dragged away and found myself standing before the emperor.

The emperor and empress were staring at me with expressions filled with immense expectation.

What should I do?

I couldn’t just tell them, “Oh, by the way, your daughter has countless self-inflicted wounds, and she looks like a skeletal zombie.”

Of course, I couldn’t say that.

“The removal of the Piece of the Evil God and the full recovery of the princess’s mental state will take some time. I believe I will need to visit the princess occasionally. However, basic treatment has already been administered.”

“Have I heard correctly that you entered without wearing protective gear? Were you harmed by the curse?”

“That will not happen. Please don’t worry unnecessarily.”

At my calm response, both the emperor and the empress looked deeply impressed.

“Goddess of Grace, we thank You for sending us a saint. Truly… thank you.”

“I am no saint, Your Majesty, Empress. I am merely a human named Amael. You may address me by my name if you wish.”

As Grandpa Yodel told me, I intend to strongly assert this whenever I can.

I am NOT a saint!

I am NOT!!!

But predictably, they don’t seem to believe me.

“I humbly request your help. If you can only heal our daughter, we will pay any price. Please…”

“We will do everything within our power.”

“Aah! Saint!…”

The empress finally could not hold back her tears and collapsed in front of me.

In an attempt to quickly help her up, I realized that the emperor, instead of offering help, was standing there as a passive observer, shedding tears along with the scene.

Sigh.

I don’t know what to do.

Anyway, I’m destined to return to Korea after receiving this curse, so I might as well let this go for a while.

Besides, these are parents who have suffered for so long.

Surely, for 16 years, they probably wrestled every day with thoughts of whether putting their daughter out of her misery might have been the better judgment.

Can’t I comfort them, at least for a little while?

“Do not despair. I am here.”

I should be the one taking on your daughter’s curse and having my soul destroyed.

“Saint!…Saint!”

Cautiously, I helped the weeping empress to her feet.

Yeah.

Since my soul will soon be affected, and I’m going back to Korea anyway…

I’ll pretend to be a saint until then.

After comforting the emperor and empress and collecting all their tears, I left the palace.

***

I returned to the Mage Tower’s Temple.

I will soon return to Korea due to this inevitable curse.

Probably, if I go back to Korea, I won’t be able to use gaming skills anymore.

It’s a bleak, skill-less, magic-less world there.

Therefore, before I leave, I decided to assist and care for as many patients as possible.

Since I won’t be able to use these skills afterward, it would be good to make the most of them now.

With the establishment of the clinic, the number of critically ill patients requiring my attention wasn’t very high.

After roughly treating patients until the evening, as I was thinking about grabbing something to eat…

“Saint!”

Erpa came to see me.

Lately, whenever she has free time, she visits the temple to see me.

Since the last kiss incident, it feels like she’s fallen head over heels for me.

“Uh… I made dinner today. Would you like to try it?”

She handed me a lunchbox.

Ohh.

A homemade meal from a girl!

That’s not bad at all.

We ate together in the room provided for me in the temple.

It tasted amazing, clearly the result of great effort on her part.

“How is it? Is it tasty?”

During the meal, she asked me that question dozens of times, looking nervous.

Each time, I smiled and nodded in response.

Honestly, does the taste even matter?

It’s more important that such a pretty girl made food for me.

After we finished eating, we enjoyed some casual conversations.

How each of us spent the day.

Any interesting events that happened.

I’ve always thought I’m terrible at talking to women, but when they take the initiative, conversations flow smoothly.

Thinking about it, it’s absurd.

I’m supposed to leave soon, and when I do, I’ll return to Korea, where girls may not even want to talk to me.

The thought of becoming an irrelevant nobody again in Korea fills me with a heavy feeling in my chest.

Still, what can I do?

It’s better than going to hell, right?

“It’s getting late. You must be tired from treating patients all day. Please rest, Saint.”

Erpa said this while playfully wagging her two right hands like a child.

“Yes. Thank you for visiting, Erpa. Have a good night.”

Even after my response, she didn’t leave.

Clearly wanting something, her four hands were fidgeting. Her face was blushing intensely.

“Uh… Could you… Perhaps…”

“Yes?”

“Before you leave… Could you give me… a kiss?”

No matter how socially awkward a person I am, I could tell what she was asking.

This girl loves me.

Not just a little. It appears she is deeply, passionately in love with me.

If not for the prophecy foretelling that the Goddess herself will destroy me…

Maybe I would have accepted her love.

Here’s such a beautiful woman expressing feelings for me. To reject her would be ridiculous, right?

I mean, wouldn’t I absolutely love spending time with someone this pretty?

It’s actually something I’d completely enjoy.

However, if I accept her love, what will happen?

I’m about to head back to Korea due to the curse.

Since my soul will be transferred to another dimension, she’ll inevitably be left alone.

Considering that, I shouldn’t accept her love under any circumstances.

But then again, I can’t stay here forever, can I?

If I decide to abandon my return to Korea and stay here instead, I might enjoy it now, but what about the future?

What happens when the world uncovers my deception and tries to kill me?

Where would Erpa stand then?

She would likely fight the world for me.

She would discard her status and honor, fighting until she dies.

And it wouldn’t be a pretty or honorable death.

Of course, she might not die.

Since she’s an extremely powerful witch, the world itself might end.

It would be a similar scenario to the prophecy of doom I saw—she would destroy the world.

Only the two of us would be left, amidst the ashes of a ruined world.

Would that truly be a happy ending?

My fists clenched tightly.

I must refuse.

Not for my sake but for hers.

I must hurt her feelings for her own good.

It feels like the same situation the emperor and empress were in when they had to abuse their daughter to save her.

But in the moment that thought crossed my mind…

I decided I couldn’t push her away.

I had witnessed how pitiful the condition of Princess Iomenes was.

Even if the ultimate goal was to save her, if the process was exceedingly painful…

Would the good outcome even matter then?

I didn’t want to make that kind of decision.

I approached Erpa.

I wrapped my arms around her waist and kissed her.

The sound of her heartbeat, racing, was clear even from where I stood.

I broke the kiss, smiled as she seemed to melt, and caressed her head.

“Would you promise me one thing?”

“Yes. Yes. Anything, Saint…”

She responded dreamily, as if floating. With a smile, I said to her:

“Love yourself more than you love me.”

“Huh?”

“I wish for you to live a long, healthy, and beautiful life. You mustn’t prioritize me over yourself. Do you understand? No matter what happens to me, you must continue living for yourself.”

This was my best option.

Erpa looked at me, confused.

I smiled and reassured her.

Over time, you’ll understand.

“Yes. Saint… Whatever you ask…”

She replied cautiously.

“It’s late. Please return home carefully.”

When I said this, Erpa beamed and lunged toward me again, showering me with kisses.

Her playful but deeply affectionate kisses made me feel slightly melancholic.

Dammit.

When I return to Korea, I’ll never experience things like this again.

Here I am, with a girl who clearly adores me, and why do I have to leave?

Damn Goddess.

I didn’t ask to pretend to be a saint!

And she made the Lilia Church so wealthy!

I have treated patients for free, improved living conditions, created jobs, and done everything possible—WHY do I have to face hell?!

I want to build a harem in my new world!

I have skills perfect for that! Dammit.

Why…

Alright.

Let’s focus on avoiding hell instead.

“I’ll come visit when I have time! Next time, let’s go on a date too, Saint!”

As she said this with enthusiasm, I nodded in response.

Love yourself more than you love me.

I truly mean it.

It’s the only way you’ll endure once I’m gone.

After Erpa left the room,

I was left alone, sighing deeply in the empty chamber.

Even though I will soon return to Korea, I wasn’t entirely excited.

***

Back in her research room, Erpa collapsed onto the floor, cradling her flushed face with her four hands.

We kissed.

What’s more, she took the initiative and kissed the man—something she had never done before.

She had no idea she would fall so deeply for someone.

Never in her wildest dreams.

But it filled her with immense happiness.

She didn’t know love could be this joyous.

She was overjoyed that the saint had reciprocated her feelings.

With no one to share her joy with, Erpa sat on the floor, bouncing around happily for quite some time before gingerly pulling out a scroll from her bosom.

It was a Contraceptive Magic Scroll.

She stared at it nervously.

“Have I gone crazy? Erpa! You’ve gone crazy!”

Of course, she had no experience with men.

Actually, it was more than that—due to her grotesque left face, she had never even held someone’s hand properly.

So, she lacked the courage to suggest something as intimate as sex, a feat better suited to women with more experience.

Her courage ended after the aggressive kiss earlier today.

However…

‘Soon. Someday. Definitely.’

She carefully folded the precious Contraceptive Scroll back into her bosom.

In one corner of her laboratory stood a small statue of the Goddess of Grace and a holy scripture.

She approached them, placed her hands on the scripture, and prayed sincerely.

“Goddess, it’s me again. I come to pray every day. Thank you for sending us the saint, and for making me this incredibly happy every day. Your grace feels like a miracle every single day.”

She had already received so much.

Her life had been salvaged, her career improved, and practically everything she had ever desired was fulfilled.

But humans are greedy.

So she had decided to ask for one more wish.

“One more thing, please, Goddess. Please, please hear my prayer.”

With earnestness, she clasped her four hands and prayed.

“Goddess, please let Saint love me as much as I love him. Someday, may he see me as a woman and hold me, love me for the rest of my life. More than anything…”

Erpa smirked slightly.

“And please, let him stay by my side forever, not leave, and live with me happily ever after. I humbly ask you, Goddess, please grant me this prayer.”

After making the sign of the holy grace and standing up, she felt, for some strange reason that evening, that the statue of the Goddess of Grace seemed to smile at her more warmly.

Erpa smiled back.

For some reason, she felt certain that the Goddess would answer her prayer.