Episode 105
"Miss Perloche, please wake up."
"Mmm..."
What a shame. I was having a conversation with the Sun God in my dream, but someone woke me up. Thanks to that, I was about to throw a tantrum for the first time in a while, but then I discovered the nun who always wakes me up looking down at me, so I rubbed my eyes and asked a question.
"What time is it now?"
"It is 5 in the morning."
"Gasp!"
Goodness, it's already 5 AM! I overslept! I was supposed to wake up at 4:30 AM... I've become quite lazy too. I need to reflect on this.
"I'm sorry... Yesterday, I was treating the beggars in the market alley until late..."
"Not at all, Saintess. That is your role as the Saintess."
Fortunately, the nun in charge of me overlooked my oversleeping! As expected, the nun is kind!
"Saintess, however, I believe you should refrain from such actions."
"Pardon?"
As I was thinking that while folding my blanket, the nun spoke to me with a troubled expression! What exactly am I supposed to refrain from?
"You must not recklessly abuse your power. If you continue to do so, the Saintess's position will..."
"But there were so many beggars whose lives were in danger if they didn't receive treatment immediately?"
I interrupted the nun's words and tilted my head while asking a question. I didn't really understand what was wrong with treating people who would die without immediate treatment.
"That is, well... Treating those designated by the Church is what maintains your prestige as the Saintess."
"Hmm...?"
" So please be careful from now on, Saintess."
But the nun only said strange things until the end. What exactly am I supposed to be careful about?
'...Disgusting.'
After tilting my head for a while, I soon smiled and followed behind the nun! Now is the time to offer prayers to the Sun God!
""Saintess, hello.""
"Hello~!"
Upon arriving at the prayer hall, nuns and monks greeted me. To think they woke up at such an early hour to offer prayers, everyone here is truly diligent!
"You came on time again today?"
I was waving to them and about to enter the prayer hall when bishops came out from inside.
"Ah, no. I overslept and was 5 minutes late!"
"Hehe, not at all. That's not even considered late."
"It's good to see you praying consistently, Saintess."
The pot-bellied bishops patted my shoulder and encouraged me. That's right, with this much support, I shouldn't be disheartened, should I?
'The trash of the Church...'
I waved my hand with a bright smile at the bishops too, and started heading into the prayer hall.
"Eek, scary..."
"Saintess, really, what's so scary about the holy Church's prayer hall that you tremble every time?"
"B-But... it's dark!"
I know well that the prayer hall is located within the Church and that it's a sacred space, but... I can't help being scared!
The prayer hall is just too dark!
'I must go to the dark place. Quickly.'
However, I can't not go.
I am the Church's Saintess, after all!
"I offer thanks to the great Sun God today as well, and begin today's prayer..."
Upon entering the prayer hall, I could see the nuns inside offering prayers.
"O Sun God who created heaven and earth in ancient times and made the continent, may your authority illuminate the empire today as well..."
And a statue of a benevolent and beautiful woman caught my eye as well.
Don't be surprised, but that person is the Empire's only god, the Sun God!
'No, the Sun God is not the only god.'
Looking at the benevolent Sun God, I soon began to pray earnestly!
"Merciful Sun God, please give me the strength to kill Prey today! I beg you!"
'Please give me the strength to protect him.'
After praying for a while like that, the sun began to rise before I knew it.
I see, today is finally about to begin in earnest!
Today as well, I'll work hard as the Saintess!
.
"Hmm... Is this where people who need my help are?"
"Yes, Saintess."
I had been dragged here and there by the nuns, treating people adorned with precious metals, when I arrived at an old hospital.
It's been a while since I've been to a place like this.
"Hello~!"
Upon entering the hospital, it's full of people who clearly don't look well. Looking at them, they also seem to need treatment...
"Saintess, this way."
"Ah, yes..."
Just as I was about to approach someone in pain, the nuns grabbed my arm and started heading in the opposite direction.
Oh no, if this happens, I won't be able to heal those people...
"Excuse me for a moment! I need to go to the bathroom!"
"W-wait, Saintess!"
If it's come to this, I'll have to use the strategy I always use!
"Mmm... Ah, it hurts..."
"Sister... your body is so hot..."
Having shaken off the nuns and quickly made my way to the patients, I began secretly distributing sacred power orbs.
It's called Perloche's special healing orb! If I blow this into their bodies, they'll recover within a few weeks!
"Saintess? You said you were going to the bathroom..."
"Ah, yes! I do need to go to the bathroom!"
"The bathroom is this way..."
"Aha, I see! I was wondering why there was no bathroom!"
If you only look at that conversation just now, you'd think the foolish me did something foolish again as usual, right?
But that's wrong!
I deliberately passed by the bathroom for a reason!
- Whoosh...
Starting to head toward the bathroom again, I smiled at the nuns and sent out more orbs.
"Then, please wait a moment~!"
Even someone as skilled in sacred power control as me can't give all the orbs at once, so the trick I came up with to buy time seems to have worked well!
"Mmm..."
Oh my, the bathroom light isn't on.
I really hate dark places. They're too scary.
Last time when I went underground in the Church with the bad and stupid and not ugly... well anyway, the evil Prey, my heart was pounding so much!
"Saintess? You said you were going to the bathroom?"
"Hmm hmm, I've already gone in!"
"...Please don't use such crude language."
In the end, I retreated from the bathroom and started walking forward with vigor!
I should meet the person who needs my help, slowly!
"W-wow, it's the Saintess! The Saintess has finally come!"
"Thank goodness... she's finally here..."
"Ruby sister! Just hold on a little longer! The Saintess will heal you!"
After walking with the nuns for a while, people gathered in the distance started smiling brightly at me!
Looking at that, it seems like the person I need to treat today is over there!
But, did that boy just say 'Ruby'? It's a name I've heard somewhere before...
"...Hello, Miss Perloche?"
"Oh, it's you!"
Thinking that, I looked into the hospital room and saw someone I'd seen before lying in the bed.
It was Ruby, a staff member from the orphanage where I did volunteer work with the mean Prey!
She was truly a kind and angelic person - not the little Saintess of the orphanage, but... someone so genuine she could be called a true Saintess!
"Fancy meeting you here, hypocritical Miss Ruby!"
"...What?"
So I greeted her with joy, but Ruby's face started to turn pale.
".........."
And the same was true for the others who had been watching me with pleased expressions.
What in the world is going on?
"Saintess, excuse me, but why did you say such rude words...?"
"Huh? I just gave a compliment?"
When I asked with a puzzled expression, the nun quietly began whispering in my ear.
"Hypocritical means that words or actions were falsely fabricated. Saintess, you just made a very rude remark to that person."
"Gasp!"
Oh no, the foolish me made another mistake. Hearing those words, I immediately bowed my waist and apologized to Ruby.
"I-I'm sorry for being so foolish!"
"N-no, it's fine... haha. Anyone can misunderstand."
When I quickly apologized, Ruby made a troubled expression and helped me up. As expected, still hypocritical... no, truly a kind person!
"Then, I'll begin the treatment."
"W-wait a moment, Saintess! I have a favor to ask!"
"Yes?"
After bowing my head for a while and trying to raise my arm to treat Ruby, she suddenly started whispering to me.
"Please give me weak sacred power."
"Huh? Why?"
"Shh... quietly."
What Ruby told me next was quite strange. Weak sacred power - what does that mean?
"There are many people you need to treat in the future, so you shouldn't waste sacred power on me. I'm almost recovered, so a small amount of sacred power is sufficient."
"B-but..."
"Please, Saintess?"
Wow, to think there's someone this kind.
I wish Prey would learn from this person.
"Then, shall I begin?"
"Yes, please take good care of me."
Thinking that, I began to infuse sacred power into Ruby.
- Whoosh...
"Ah!!"
Ruby, who had been accepting my sacred power with her eyes gently closed, soon opened her eyes wide and started screaming.
As I thought, my assumption was correct.
"W-wait, Saintess?"
"Please stay still, Miss Ruby. Seeing as you can't accept the sacred power... your condition is very serious."
When I spoke with a serious expression, the people behind me all started making dark expressions. And the same was true for Ruby.
"Saintess... I clearly asked for just a minimal amount..."
"I can't spare sacred power for someone as kind as you. Please endure a little more even if it hurts."
"No, wait... Ahhhhh!"
I began pouring sacred power into Ruby without holding back!
Such an extremely kind person needs to be taught a lesson!
"Tsk tsk, to be in that much pain and pretending not to hurt until now... How did such a child end up..."
"Still, it's fortunate. Since the Saintess even gave sacred power, she'll be completely cured now, right?"
The people behind me are worrying about Ruby too. As expected, I need to inject sacred power into every corner of her body.
"Saintess, aren't you using too much sacred power?"
"Just a little more..."
"Saintess?"
"Ah, oh."
After infusing sacred power for a while, I only came to my senses when the nun stopped me.
Hmm, it seems a bit insufficient... but will this be satisfactory?
"Grrrk..."
Yes! Seeing her whole body trembling, Miss Ruby must be quite satisfied too!
"Then, if there's an opportunity, let's meet again, kind Miss Ruby!"
I left a few words of encouragement with a smile at Ruby and slipped out of the room!
Actually, I wanted to talk about how things have been and about the volunteer work, but there are still many people left to treat.
"U-um, excuse me."
"Yes?"
"Are you perhaps..."
But while walking through the corridor, a small child blocked my way. What is it this time?
"Do you know Ruby's true identity?"
"Ruby's true identity?"
The little girl wearing a glittering ring on her left hand asked me that with a serious expression.
"Of course I know well!"
"Really?"
"Yes, she's a very, very kind person!"
When I personally told her the truth, the little miss suddenly started making a disappointed expression. Why is she acting like that?
"...She probably won't believe me anyway. The Saintess, that is. Other people didn't believe me, and even my master didn't believe me."
Soon after, the little miss muttered gloomily, and I found myself moving forward.
"I don't know what it is, but cheer up! And absolutely don't give up!"
"Ah, yes..."
"...Please."
"What?"
Having said that, I began to slip out of the corridor with a smile on my face.
For some reason, the smile won't leave my face!
.
"Haaah..."
Time passed and night came again.
Tomorrow I'll return to the Academy, right?
It's a shame that I'll have less time to treat sick people, but I can't not go to the Academy.
Otherwise, I won't be able to see Prey, right?
"Coo!"
"Hmm?"
Thinking such thoughts, I hear a pigeon sound from the window.
"Coo, hi!"
"Coo?"
I wondered who it was, and it's Coo, my pet and the Church's messenger pigeon! By the way, knocking on the window at this hour, could there be a letter for me?
"Oh, it really came!"
Oh, it really came! Who sent it?
- Academy Professor Isollet.
It was a letter from Professor Isollet. After looking at the letter for a moment, I carefully opened the envelope.
- I inform you that student Perloche Astellaid has been selected as Prey Raon Starlight's partner for this semester.
"Eek."
Oh my, news that's both somewhat welcome and annoying. Prey's partner... If it weren't me, I probably would have cried and clung to the professor.
"Haa..."
Thinking that, I placed the letter on my desk and, checking my surroundings, quietly took out my diary.
○○ Year July 12th
- I will definitely treat all the sick people on the streets someday! Absolutely! To create a world where everyone is happy, I will always do my best!
Soon I began to write today's diary entry!
Since Miss Clana gave me a diary as a gift, writing in it to wrap up the day has become my joy in life and an important daily routine!
Because writing a diary is fun! The fact that I can look back on the day while writing is just like my favorite thing, offering prayers!
Also, the diary Miss Clana gave me has an automatic grammar correction spell on it, so it's really amazing! The sight of the letters I write wiggling like earthworms and being corrected in real-time is always delightful to see!
And.
And...
And, you see.
.
'...If I don't leave it like this at least, I don't know when I might forget.'
Perloche, who had been writing her diary with an excited expression, soon hardened her expression coldly and began to correct the first sentence.
○○ Year July 12th
- Whether my legs hurt or my arms hurt, it doesn't matter.
I will definitely treat all the sick people on the streets someday! Absolutely! To create a world where everyone is happy, I will always do my best!
"Haa..."
After modifying her diary, Perloche opened the very last page of the diary and spoke.
"I'm reaching my limit soon... but I have to remember somehow..."
- Remember
Having carved another 'Remember' at the end of the countless 'Remember's written there, Perloche let out a sigh and closed the diary, then murmured.
"...That hope still exists."
The dim starlight shone upon her.