Chapter 14
“Thank you again today, Saintess!”
“Thanks to you, Saintess, we don’t have to go hungry!”
“Thank you for making sure my children don’t starve!”
Unlike the warm, grateful atmosphere overflowing on the other side—where voices like these were exchanged—my tent was utterly cold.
The priests, openly wary that I might cause a scene in response to the hostility directed at me, merely stayed in place without intervening. Having decided I was no longer worth their attention, they quietly ignored me.
Looks of surprise, eyes placing bets on when I might explode, and people secretly sneering as if amused that a noble young lady was being treated this way in a temple.
Amid the disregard of so many people, I had become someone who could not help even if I wanted to.
“This isn’t right!”
Unable to bear it any longer, Wendy spoke to me earnestly.
“Why does Miss have to endure something so unreasonable? They’re being incredibly rude to someone who came here to help them!”
“It’s probably their own way of protesting. The kind and gentle Saintess who used to help them is about to have her position taken by some high-ranking noble lady, so they’re refusing to accept it.”
“Even so, this is too much!”
“The people of the slums are just as hot-tempered as nobles. It’s almost entertaining.”
When I covered my mouth and laughed, Wendy twisted her face as if she were looking at a madwoman.
“Why on earth…?”
“Why what?”
“Miss, you’re not someone who would ever let something like this slide. Don’t tell me you’re just watching quietly because you’re planning to wipe everything out in one go?”
Her voice was loud enough that the shoulders of nearby priests twitched.
Ignoring them, she continued,
“Please tell me that’s what you’re planning!”
At her desperate gaze, I slowly opened my mouth.
“You’re half right, and half wrong.”
A thought of ‘I knew it’ quickly crossed Wendy’s face.
‘Lately, I’ve really been feeling it—her attitude has become downright insolent.’
I’d let her boldness slide just to see how far she’d go, and now she was practically climbing over my head.
I considered snapping at her, but once again, I held back.
‘Since it’s come to this, I might as well see it through to the end.’
When I didn’t say anything further, she beat her chest in frustration.
“But this isn’t like you at all! You’re just staying quiet despite all this rudeness, so they think you’re someone they can laugh at!”
“So?”
“Pardon?”
I only stood up because my legs had grown stiff from sitting, but Wendy flinched.
“What exactly do you want me to do?”
“No, it’s the opposite!”
At my casually thrown question, Wendy squeezed her eyes shut and shouted,
“You’re not someone who would just endure being mocked, so I’m scared there’ll be a bloodbath in the slums!”
‘Ah, so that’s her real concern.’
For a moment, I almost thought she was worried about me—forgetting her identity as an assassin and all.
“That’s an interesting assumption.”
If this had been a previous regression, I might really have done that. With no clear answer, I would have acted however my emotions led me.
“I thought you were worried about me, so I’m a little disappointed.”
I pretended to wipe at my eyes. Wendy’s shoulders trembled again, but she didn’t correct me.
“If you have some kind of plan, can’t you tell me too? I’m honestly scared.”
Her honest answer made me pause to think.
‘The timing is about right anyway…’
I was considering giving her a hint just to stop her from being so noisy—
“I’m curious too.”
Mila arrived, completely lacking any sense of timing.
“I’d like to know what the young lady is thinking, wasting time like this.”
“Hm.”
Her expression was quite serious.
“For the past three weeks, we’ve gathered here to help the poor people of this area. Regardless of qualifications or conditions for being a Saintess, we came with nothing but pure intentions, wishing only to help them.”
I nodded, urging her to continue.
“But what exactly are you doing, young lady? Of course, since people won’t approach you, maybe you simply can’t help even if you want to! But your role here is as a volunteer, isn’t it? Shouldn’t you be making an effort to help?”
Oh—she spoke better than I remembered.
“Have you ever tried approaching them first? Have you even thought about how to resolve this situation?”
“Of course.”
“Ha!”
At my shameless answer, Mila clicked her tongue.
“I am making my own efforts.”
“If this is the result of your efforts, doesn’t that mean they’re insufficient?”
Seeing her openly sneer, dissatisfied with my response, I erased the polite smile I’d been wearing.
“Why do you think the results of my efforts have already appeared?”
As the laughter vanished from my eyes, Mila’s pupils wavered for a moment.
‘Is she shaken? No… it looks closer to fear.’
“Well, half the volunteer period has already passed, and there isn’t a single person receiving help from you…”
Her voice, suddenly lacking confidence, made me wonder where her earlier boldness had gone. She hesitated, watching my expression.
“Just look at this situation! Supplies are being wasted!”
The ones who took her side were the slum residents who had received aid.
Starting with someone’s shout—
“That’s right! How dare you scold her when the Saintess is worried for us!”
“Figures—what else would you expect from some high-and-mighty noble girl!”
“She doesn’t even want to talk to us, so she doesn’t bother trying, right?”
Voices burst out from all around.
Thanks to that, Mila—who had been wilting from her earlier loss of confidence—regained her momentum.
“Yes. From what I’ve observed so far, it seems the Lady of Aperdita simply doesn’t suit this volunteer work—”
Just before she could finish her sentence, a commotion arose from the only entrance leading into the area.
“What’s that?”
At someone’s question, people’s gazes shifted from us toward the disturbance.
The heavy sound of wheels, the clanging of metal, and the neighing of horses grew louder before coming into view.
Large freight wagons, piled high with goods, rolled in—one after another without end.
At the appearance of unfamiliar figures, the slum residents immediately hid the elderly, women, and children behind them.
As laborers climbed down from the wagons, Wendy shouted with a look of realization.
“Don’t tell me you’re planning to demolish this place?”
“That’s right. The slums need to be erased.”
When I agreed, shock filled her face.
“No matter how little interest you have, how can you do something so cruel?! If this place disappears, they’ll have nowhere to go!”
“A place like this doesn’t belong in the imperial capital.”
“Don’t view the entire world only from your own perspective! These people are doing their best to survive in their own way!”
Mila shouted, having lost her composure. I ignored her and greeted the palace official who approached me.
“It’s nice to see you, Sir Perse.”
“Likewise, Lady. Is this the place you mentioned?”
“Yes. I want it completely torn down. Is that possible?”
“If it’s impossible, we’ll make it possible. After all, whose orders do you think brought us here?”
His gruff voice brimmed with pride.
At the calm conversation between the two of us, Mila urgently grabbed my arm.
“Stop this right now!”
“Lady Nefur, I am making my own effort right now. So don’t interfere.”
“That’s exactly why I’m telling you to stop! Don’t torment these poor people just because you’re offended!”
“Oh my, when did I ever say I was tormenting them?”
“What you’re doing right now is—!”
“Listen carefully, young lady. The ones tormenting them right now are none other than themselves.”
At my words, murmurs rippled through the crowd. Whatever little favor I had left seemed to sink below rock bottom.
“There are many kinds of people gathered here. Those born poor, the sick, criminals in hiding. All kinds of weak individuals. How long are we supposed to just leave a slum like this untouched?”
“Lady, please—”
“Let me change the question. How long are they supposed to live like this?”
“…What?”
Seeing that she didn’t understand my question, I kindly explained.
“Setting criminals aside, why must people who have done nothing wrong struggle in poverty simply because they were born that way? Why are they never given a chance to escape this place?”
Mila’s mouth stayed tightly shut, as if she’d never considered such questions.
“Why must they live while relying on the charity and kindness of those better off? Why must they always accept whatever is given to them? Can’t they strive to obtain what they want on their own?”
“They don’t have the means to do that. Unlike people like you, who were born with everything, the people here are just struggling to survive day to day. That’s why—”
“That’s right. Which is why I’m going to help them.”
“…What?”
