CHAPTER 58………………………………………….
Outside the barracks, people had gathered densely.
Even the villagers had come up to see me off. At that moment, I remembered the promise I had made to them.
I had said I would come back to see them before leaving.
Before I became a saint, I had gone down to the village to look for the children who, like me, had been orphans.
After the orphanage was built beneath the temple, I had stopped searching.
At the time, an older sister who had lived with me once told me it was better not to make such promises.
Back then, I brushed it off because I intended to return.
But in the end, I forgot. Even though it was a long-ago memory, I repeated the same mistake.
The villagers did not blame me. Seeing them smile and welcome me the moment they saw me made my heart feel heavy.
“Saint!”
“Oh! Saint!”
I lowered my eyes and walked toward them.
“I’m sorry. I should have come to see you first.”
“Oh, don’t say that. Now that you’re perfectly fine, it’s us who should come.”
“It’s all thanks to you, Saint.”
“Yes, thanks to you, we can move around like this now.”
“Since the saint has come to see us, perhaps we saved the kingdom in a past life.”
“The knights helped with the restoration too. We’re so grateful.”
I turned to look at the knights and Alec.
They, too, seemed to smile faintly, perhaps having heard the villagers’ words.
“Isn’t it inconvenient, since the restoration isn’t completely done yet?” I asked.
“It’s fine! Thanks to Prince and the Duke, we’re living comfortably.”
“It’s even better than our original homes. Haha.”
Seeing the villagers laughing with exaggerated cheer, I finally felt my shoulders relax.
“If you don’t mind, would you allow me the chance to ask for your forgiveness?”
They tilted their heads in confusion and started to wave their hands dismissively, so I gently closed my eyes.
All I could give them now was a blessing.
“May Gloria’s blessing dwell within you.”
The holy power pulsed briefly and flowed out softly.
It was clearly more refined and potent than before, as if the divine power itself now resided deeply within me.
When they opened their eyes, the villagers were stunned, mouths agape, feeling the blessing.
“I apologize once more for not coming back sooner. May misfortune pass you by, and may you be filled only with blessings.”
Alec, who had quietly stood behind me, called my name in a low voice.
“Saint.”
“Ah, yes.”
After finishing my greetings with the villagers, I walked toward Raymond and Cardin, who were speaking with the cardinal.
“Have you greeted the villagers?”
“Yes. Have you greeted them as well, Your Excellency?”
“Haha. The saint already bestowed blessings on them as a representative of Melissa, so would I even be needed?”
A blessing on behalf of Melissa. I smiled faintly.
“Still, Your Excellency, if you said a kind word, it would lift their spirits.”
“Since the saint says so, I suppose it would be good to greet them.”
The cardinal chuckled, bowed slightly to Raymond and Cardin, and moved toward the villagers.
It was just the four of us left: me, Alec, Raymond, and Cardin. Raymond clicked his tongue.
“When will you two be leaving?”
“We’ll be leaving soon as well.”
At Cardin’s remark, Raymond spoke.
“We probably need to gather workers for the village restoration.”
“I see…”
Even though the monsters were gone, their work was not yet finished.
“Saint, will you be preparing for the third pilgrimage when you return to the temple?”
“Hmm. I suppose so.”
Cardin, who had been listening to my conversation with Raymond, fixed his gaze on me.
We hadn’t mentioned what happened yesterday.
“It seems you’re ready to go.”
At Alec’s words, I nodded slightly, and Raymond smiled.
“Travel safely. We’ll see you again at the Kingdom of Nicholas or the temple. Oh, and we’ll tell the villagers about the Flowers of God.”
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
I bowed briefly to them, and Cardin spoke.
“Travel safely. We shall meet again.”
His words made my chest feel strangely heavy.
“…Yes. Then, I’ll be going.”
On the way back, I nodded to the Ferdian Duke’s knights and walked toward the carriage.
When Alec extended his hand, I took it and climbed into the carriage.
“Thank you.”
“No need. I will accompany you as your guard.”
“Thank you. I’ll count on you.”
As I sat down and the door closed, I looked at Cardin, pale in the distance, and then lowered my head.
Once the carriage began to move, I gripped my luggage tightly.
Unlike the way there, nothing special happened on the road to the sanctuary.
It gave me ample time to get lost in thought.
As we entered the sanctuary, a small village came into view again.
I recalled the first day I had come to the border. Watching the rapidly changing scenery brought those memories back.
As the carriage slowed, a very familiar path appeared.
Soon, the carriage passed the front gate of Melissa and stopped in the courtyard.
Even before the door opened, a voice urgently calling reached me. I knew who it was and smiled faintly.
“Saint!”
The carriage door opened, and Alec extended his hand to me.
“Saint!”
Amy, who had come to meet me, ran over and stomped her feet in excitement.
I gave her a small gesture and then turned my gaze to Alec.
“Commander, you’ve worked hard.”
Alec glanced at Amy and answered belatedly.
“No, today you should rest comfortably.”
“Yes, I will.”
Turning back to Amy, she clung to me as if she had been waiting.
“You were worried about me.”
“That’s an understatement!”
“Too many people are watching. Let’s go inside first.”
She nodded with a sound like air escaping. Her face looked pale.
I stopped her from carrying my luggage and walked ahead.
“The bath is ready.”
“Thank you.”
“Saint, have you seen any monsters since then?”
Shivering at the memory of that day, she asked nervously.
“I did see some, but the knights quickly dealt with them.”
“Weren’t you scared?”
“Not really. Monsters are apparently not what scares me.”
She tilted her head, and I chuckled softly.
Philip was standing in front of my room.
He glanced at Amy and relayed the temple master’s message.
“The temple master said that since your schedule has been exhausting, you should rest well today.”
“Yes, I will.”
Perhaps because Amy was by my side, Philip said no more and left.
“Saint, let’s go inside quickly.”
“All right.”
As I opened the door, a neatly arranged room came into view.
Strangely, it didn’t feel comfortable. The slightly uncomfortable barracks had felt more at ease.
With Amy’s help, I undressed and slowly lowered myself into the bathtub, starting with my toes.
“Warm, isn’t it?”
“Yes. Thanks to this, I can rest sooner.”
“I’m sorry for what happened then. I won’t show such weakness again.”
I shook my head at her as she slowly poured warm water over my shoulders.
“I told you then, if it’s too hard for you, you don’t have to join me.”
“Oh, no! I can do it!”
“All right, all right.”
Suddenly, she let out a small gasp, and her fingers flinched.
“Amy?”
I turned to see her hurriedly lowering the skirt she had lifted to help me, calling me awkwardly.
“Saint.”
“Yes?”
“I-I want to hear about the pilgrimage.”
“The monsters part might be scary.”
“I-I still want to!”
I briefly recounted what Alec might have told Fabian.
She continued the conversation with me as naturally as if nothing had been awkward. After the bath, she helped me prepare properly.
“Amy, are you all right?”
“Me?”
“Your face looks pale; I was worried.”
She placed the back of her hand on her cheek and smiled.
“I wasn’t hungry because I was worried about you, Saint. Ah! Shall I prepare a meal for you?”
“No, that’s fine.”
“Then go to sleep quickly!”
“All right. You go rest too, Amy.”
“Ah, yes!”
Only after seeing me sit on the bed did she smile and walk toward the door.
I watched her legs carefully as she walked, a subtle pang in my chest.
