Sister Anna trembled with both hands.
“Th-the Saintess must only wear the designated clothes! Any other attire is disrespectful!”
“I know.”
“The Saintess must only eat blessed food! Any other food is impure!”
Monica nodded and put on the undergarments Anna handed her.
“The Saintess must act precisely according to the sacred schedule set by the Cardinals! Any other actions are disruptive!”
“I live like that every day.”
“The Saintess must not be defiled.”
Anna’s voice was filled with sorrow.
“The Saintess is the treasure of the Holy Nation of Grace! A most precious being…! So you must act more carefully!”
Monica skillfully changed into her nun’s habit and nodded.
“The Saintess… the Saintess…”
“Sister Anna, I was wrong.”
Monica hugged the tearful Anna.
“…I’ll dispose of these clothes later.”
“Understood.”
Since she had already seen it with her own eyes, Monica wasn’t sad.
She just felt a little sorry for Citrine and Murmur.
“May I have breakfast?”
“Yes, it’s ready.”
Anna, with a clouded face, opened the door and went downstairs first.
Monica followed her familiarly.
“Saintess Monica, I was too busy yesterday to ask, but…”
“Is that handkerchief the one Hero found, belonging to Sister Namephiro?”
“Namephiro…? I’ve never heard of such a sister…”
Anna’s head throbbed.
The Saintess is the treasure of the Holy Nation.
As such a precious being, she must always be treated with utmost care.
‘Not a speck of dust is allowed on a beautiful gem…’
Anna, in distress, arrived at the first floor and looked at Monica.
“Today’s meal is…”
“A bottle of clean water and a salad with cherry tomatoes.”
“…Are you pretending to see the future again?”
“I really can see the future.”
A familiar conversation.
A familiar sigh.
No matter how much Monica says she can see the future, the adults don’t believe her.
“It’s fine in front of me, but you mustn’t say that in front of the other Cardinals.”
It’s beyond common sense.
Sister Anna’s words held no blame or malice.
Monica knew that well, so she looked at her breakfast.
“You worked hard again today. Fresh salad, crisp lettuce… oh! The cucumbers and carrots harvested this time are incredibly sweet? The olives will be delicious too.”
“Thank you, I’ll enjoy it.”
Monica briefly recalled the skewers she ate with her friends.
She wanted to give them delicious food.
That sentiment was surprisingly present in the salad Sister Anna prepared.
So, while resigned, Monica wasn’t depressed.
Though the form was terribly wrong, Monica was loved.
─ Knock knock knock!
“Huh? The other sisters are off today…”
The sound of knocking echoed through the tightly shut tower.
Anna put down her fork and stood up.
Monica smiled and followed Anna.
“Good morning, Sister…”
Anna, smiling as she opened the door, froze.
“Mu, Murmur… is this really possible?”
In front of the trembling Citrine stood Murmur, bravely extending her hand.
“Murmur wants to play with Monica today.”
Anna’s mind went blank as she looked at the small, soft hand extended towards her.
“Sister Anna.”
Tug tug, Monica pulled on Anna’s skirt.
“Is Murmur the Hero I mentioned?”
“…Blasphemy…”
Anna trembled and stepped back.
“Bl-blashphemy! Impurity! Disruption! A demon as the Hero? Saintess…!”
“I want to play outside today.”
“Wh-what? What?! What?! What?!”
The Saintess, who had never said she wanted to play outside before.
A demon bravely extending her hand, asking to play.
“Some, someone… save, save me…”
Anna gave up thinking.
* * *
“I’ll be interrogated… executed. I’ll be pointed at for defiling the Saintess…”
Sister Anna, clutching her veil with both hands, trembled.
“Plants are stronger than you think. You can weave them like this.”
“Murmur, you’re really good with your hands.”
“Murmur, is this how you do it?”
Murmur, Citrine, and Monica sat on the mat Anna brought, making flower decorations.
The hot sun was in the sky, and the humid summer wind blew strongly.
The sky, unlike Anna’s complicated mind, was surprisingly clear.
‘Cardinal Haila… will grab my neck and strangle me!’
Trembling, Anna surprisingly granted Monica’s request.
Seeing Monica calmly say she wanted to play outside just for today, holding Murmur’s hand, Anna couldn’t say no.
“Using divine power can make the stems stronger?”
“Is, is that possible?”
“Yes, Monica is the Saintess, right?”
Unlike Anna’s heart, the three chatted non-stop in cute voices, making flower decorations.
“I think a few more white daisies would be pretty. They resemble pure hearts.”
“Daisies are nice, but I think golden marigolds are more elegant! They suit the Saintess’s dignity!”
“Murmur thinks lavender should be added more. The fragrant flowers will make Sister Anna happier.”
Flowers filled with each of their hearts were added one by one to the wreath.
Then Monica stood up to gather more flowers.
‘When did they become so close…?’
Anna’s heart was crumbling as time passed.
‘I must know everything about the Saintess. If the Saintess is defiled, it’s all my fault…’
The Saintess Anna knew was always a quiet child.
Not a girl who would scream when Citrine poked her side.
“The terrifying punishment has passed.”
“I can see the future? Citrine?”
“Using such power casually, where, eek!”
Monica, always quiet, timidly poked Citrine’s side.
Murmur laughed at the sight, and Monica exchanged glances with Citrine before decorating Murmur’s horn with the flowers she was holding.
“Murmur is not a flower vase…”
“Oh~hohoho! But it’s very beautiful!”
“Yes, Murmur is now a cool flower hero.”
“Murmur… can’t reach…!”
No matter how much Murmur raised her hands, she couldn’t remove the flowers from the tip of her horn.
“Haha…”
Seeing the three playing cutely, Anna frowned.
‘I shouldn’t think this…’
Anna had a terribly blasphemous thought.
It was an imagination she had never had before.
“Citrine!! Monica! Stop it!
“Wait a moment!”
“I found sunflowers that suit Murmur’s crimson horns.”
“Sunflowers are absolutely not it, Murmur thinks!”
The Saintess, playing noisily under the hot sun.
The terrifying horns now turned into a sweet-smelling bouquet.
A girl naturally taking care of the noble and sacred Monica.
‘This sight…’
Anna swallowed hard and closed her eyes tightly.
The Saintess she always served acted like a quiet doll inside the tower.
Though she put on airs, she always said the salad, which couldn’t even be dressed, was delicious.
She drank water and holy milk without complaint.
She always prayed together, transcribed, and gave blessings.
“Murmur! This flower is very big and pretty?”
“That’s a flower imbued with magic. It blooms more at night.”
“Oh! It must be a cousin of the magic light rose!”
What does Monica, freed from such sacred routines, look like?
Laughing and chatting with friends, sweating under the hot sun.
Getting her hands dirty with soil, touching flowers, getting dirty.
Playing pranks with a terrifying demon.
Talking to a girl who appeared out of nowhere without introducing herself.
‘This scenery… can’t be blasphemous…’
Anna ended up thinking something she absolutely shouldn’t have.
“Eek!!?”
At Citrine’s sudden scream, Anna turned around in surprise.
A snake with a triangular head emerged from the bushes, brushing past Citrine’s feet and moving towards Monica.
Before Monica could dodge, it bit her ankle with lightning speed.
“Murmur will punish it!”
Murmur quickly crawled on the ground and shot a fireball at the fleeing ‘snake’.
Bullseye.
The snake wagged its tail fiercely and was roasted to a crisp.
“…Saintess Monica?!”
Thinking it was a minor incident, Anna turned her eyes and screamed.
Kneeling in front of the panicking Citrine was Monica, holding her ankle with both hands.
“Mu, Murmur! That snake just bit Monica!”
At Citrine’s words, Anna looked at the roasted snake in horror.
The thought that the triangular-headed snake might be venomous tormented Anna’s heart.
“It’s… it’s because of me… I’m such an idiot…”
Anna, trembling, quickly approached Monica.
“Saintess!! I’ll heal you!”
Anna shouted and reached out, then stopped.
“It’s okay. Sister Anna.”
Monica’s left hand, held by Murmur, was smiling brightly.
The Saintess Anna always served was caressing her ankle with her right hand.
A light was emanating from her pure white hand.
“Sa, Saintess? You haven’t learned healing magic yet, how…”
“Just now, Murmur taught me.”
The divine power flowing from Monica’s fingertips seemed as natural as if she had been familiar with it for a long time.
“Yes, Murmur taught her. Monica is amazing. Didn’t you know? She can learn other magic this quickly too.”
As the divine power slowly disappeared from Monica’s fingertips, her pure white ankle showed no trace of the bite.
‘Healing magic… already?’
It’s impossible.
Monica was supposed to learn healing magic using divine power starting from middle school.
“Are you okay? Monica?”
“Yes, I’m fine now? It’s not Citrine’s fault.”
“Right. Citrine didn’t do anything wrong. The scary snake just appeared suddenly.”
Murmur, Monica, and Citrine, acting as if it was nothing, returned to the mat.
Anna stared blankly at the scene.
‘The Saintess I see now looks so happy…’
Monica smiled brightly and broke and wove flower stems as Murmur and Citrine instructed.
She attached and dropped the fragrant flowers here and there.
“Sister Anna?”
“…Ah, yes!! Saintess?”
Anna, her mind heavy with confusion, forced a smile.
Monica glanced at Murmur and Citrine. She was hiding both hands behind her back.
“Thank you for allowing me to go out like this today.”
“…Because you really wanted to, Saintess.”
Having never seen Monica so happy before, Anna felt stifled.
“I feel grateful to you, Sister Anna.”
“What? Oh, no, Saintess.”
“So I prepared this gift?”
Monica extended the ‘wreath’ she made with Murmur and Citrine’s help with both hands.
“Sa, Saintess?!”
“Sister Anna, you do so much for me every day.”
Monica smiled brightly.
“I’ve never thanked you for that.”
“Wh, what are you saying…”
“I’ve never said thank you or given you a gift.”
Monica walked over, stood on her tiptoes, and tried to place the wreath on Anna’s head.
Anna hesitated, then finally knelt.
“I only did what was expected.”
“Nothing in this world is expected?”
Monica finally placed the wreath on Anna’s head and looked satisfied.
“Thank you always, Sister Anna.”
“Ugh…! Sa, Saintess Monica…!”
Anna finally burst into tears and hugged Monica.
“Oh my, it really happened as Murmur said.”
Citrine marveled.
“Sister Anna, it’s okay.”
Monica patted Anna’s back.
“Saintess… Saintess… do you hate me?”
“Not at all?”
“But I only feed you greens every day… You can only drink water and holy milk…”
“I’m just happy because it’s filled with Monica’s heart.”
Anna let out a hollow laugh.
“And the clothes… I always make you wear the nun’s habit…”
“I like the nun’s habit Sister Anna washes the most.”
Anna finally sniffled and hugged Monica.
A truly precious Saintess.
A most valuable treasure.
“I was… thinking wrong.”
Children should play outside.
It’s okay if they get a little dirty.
It’s okay if they get a little hurt.
Because children are soft.
* * *
“But please refrain from sneaking out to play at night.”
“Understood, Sister Anna.”
“…And I’ll hide some summer clothes separately, so try them on in the tower later.”
Unlike usual, Monica held Sister Anna’s hand and returned to Capella.
‘Murmur is truly amazing.’
Even though she couldn’t see the future like herself, how did she know they could play like this today?
How did she guess there was a way to get closer to Anna?
The more Monica thought about Murmur, the more she seemed like a wonderful hero.
“And for dinner tonight, I’ll give you some baked cheese.”
“I’m very happy!”
“Ugh… I’d like to give you meat, but there’s nothing prepared.”
Anna spoke as she opened the tower door.
Monica took a slight step back in that brief moment.
“You’ve returned from your outing, Sister Anna.”
“Ah, yes… Did you have a good day?”
Anna looked at the ‘nuns’ waiting for her inside the tower and hid Monica behind her.
Monica’s nun’s habit was dirty.
“We were thinking of seeing the Saintess to end the day well… but we saw something blasphemous.”
The sharp-eyed nun’s voice held concern, but her gaze was cold. The nuns behind her were the same.
“Anna… your dull mind doesn’t seem to understand?”
“That’s all you’re good for, so we left it to you.”
Monica knew well the hostility hidden beneath their smiles.
The people who always called her ‘treasure’ and came to see her. But they were different from Anna.
“Forgive me, Paladin Irene.”
Anna spoke while hiding Monica.
“You seem to know what sin you’ve committed.”
“I know well.”
“The Saintess is the treasure of our Holy Nation, always noble.”
“Always pure.”
“Always graceful.”
Monica swallowed.
Her eyes showed what would happen next.
At the same time, they showed the near future.
It was a future even the resigned Monica couldn’t bear.
“Paladin Ire─”
“It’s my fault.”
Monica looked at Anna in surprise.
A little, just a little, the future she saw had changed.
“The Saintess is innocent…”
─ Slap!
Irene slapped Anna’s cheek.
So hard that blood gushed from Anna’s nose.
“Blasphemy to the point of stupidity… The great Saintess couldn’t have done wrong, right?”
“Right. What are you even saying?”
“Don’t pretend to protect the Saintess.”
“Talking about lullabies, you trash!”
The nuns, speaking on their own, approached the Saintess and pulled Anna’s hand away.
They took Anna away from Monica.
Once a week.
Once a month.
Coming to brag about seeing the Saintess.
“Now, Saintess. You’ve been dirtied by this foolish sister?”
“We’ll wash you.”
“Then you’ll drink holy milk.”
“Tonight’s dinner is delicious cherry tomatoes.”
Looking at the approaching nuns, Monica looked at Anna.
A little different.
Just a little.
In this small difference, Monica recalled the anticipation Murmur had shown her and opened her mouth.
“Sister Anna will go out because of the future I saw.”
“Oh dear… what nonsense are you saying?”
“Hohoho, the Saintess is still a child, so you can’t see the future.”
“If such a miracle happened, Cardinal Haila or His Holiness would have said something!”
“Now now! It’s because of the trashy fairy tales Sister Anna read to you, right?”
Monica’s bright eyes quickly emptied.
“Understood. I’m very happy to bathe with the sisters.”
Monica resigned again. The memory of the fragrant afternoon seemed to fade.
Murmur’s warm touch, Citrine’s playful laughter, Anna’s sincere tears… all faded away.
But it’s okay.
‘Maybe if it’s Murmur…’
She could hold onto a small hope, different from before.
