Chapter 294

Volume 2 Ch 34: Miss Saintess

Everyone, ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍I have returned from the dead—well, not literally.

The ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍writing platform had a minor breakdown, but it was fixed very quickly.

…

Only ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍after steadying herself did Alicia notice the grass clippings and dust caught on the hem and sleeves of her dress. A faint look of embarrassment crossed her face. She had always been someone who cared deeply about being neat and proper.

Ryan ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍caught that subtle shift in expression, and the taut string inside him loosened a little.

His ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍left hand remained behind his back, maintaining an appropriate distance of courtesy. With his right, he lifted two fingers and traced a simple yet elegant wind rune in the air with astonishing speed, then murmured a short syllable under his breath.

The next moment, a soft, warm breeze arose from nowhere, like an invisible hand gently brushing over Alicia.

Wherever it passed, the blades of grass and dust on her skirt drifted away, the faint stains on her cuffs quietly vanished, and even the few loose strands of her hair were tidied into place.

The entire process was remarkably gentle. In only a breath or two, Alicia’s dress had been restored to spotless perfection, looking even softer and more lustrous than before.

“Oh?” Alicia let out a soft little gasp despite herself. Lowering her head, she looked at her now-pristine skirt, her rose-red eyes filled with wonder.

She was used to the system of holy arts. Applications of pure and exquisite elemental wind magic like this felt both unfamiliar and strangely fascinating to her.

This was not healing, nor was it purification. It was closer to a household spell for cleaning and tidying. Yet for him to cast it with such effortless grace, and for the result to be so immediate and flawless, was proof that his mastery over wind had already reached an extraordinary level.

“A small bit of wind magic,” Ryan said, lowering his hand, a gentle smile touching the corners of his lips as he inclined his head slightly. “Consider it a second apology for my earlier discourtesy. I only hope this clumsy little trick can make some amends for the fright I caused. May I ask… if Miss is willing to accept my apology?”

Alicia lifted her face and met those deep eyes.

In the moonlight, his smile was gentle and his bearing impeccable, utterly different from the dangerous figure who had looked moments ago as if he might destroy everything in sight.

She pressed her lips together lightly, her long lashes trembling once. In the end, she nodded, her voice soft as the breeze.

“…Yes. Thank you, sir. I was also at fault… just now.”

“You are too kind. I was the one who acted rashly,” Ryan replied, withdrawing his hand. Much of the cold sharpness surrounding him had already faded.

His calm gaze naturally fell upon the little animals that had gathered once more around Alicia’s feet, with some of them even trying to rub themselves against the hem of her dress.

It seemed Alicia had finally recovered from both the fright of a moment ago and her surprise at Ryan’s elegant use of wind magic.

The flush of embarrassment had not yet fully faded from her face before she had already bent down naturally and offered the small creatures at her feet a smile so gentle it seemed to melt the air itself.

That smile seemed to carry its own light, as if it could dissolve all distance and all fear.

“There now, don’t be afraid. It’s all right,” she said softly, reaching out to tap the white rabbit lightly on the head before stroking the fluffy tail of a squirrel.

The little creatures seemed to understand her. Reassured by her touch and voice, they immediately relaxed, even letting out tiny, contented little sounds.

One particularly bold squirrel clutched an acorn it had apparently found somewhere and earnestly tried to offer it to Alicia, its bead-like eyes full of eager devotion.

“Thank you, little one, but I can’t accept it right now,” Alicia said even more gently, tapping the squirrel lightly on the forehead with one finger. The squirrel did not mind in the slightest. Hugging the acorn, it rubbed itself against her fingertip with obvious affection.

Ryan stood quietly to the side, taking in the warm, almost dreamlike scene before him.

Moonlight, the garden, a pure and beautiful girl, and tame little animals nestling close around her—together they formed a picture soft enough to stir tenderness in anyone who saw it.

Even for him, some hard edge of the defenses around his heart seemed to soften, if only by the faintest degree, under the weight of that too-perfect peace.

He understood.

This was Alicia. This was the world’s unquestioned heroine, the Saintess of the Holy Church.

It was not charm magic, nor some carefully crafted disguise. The warmth, purity, compassion, and quiet strength she carried seemed to be an inborn gift, the natural radiance of her very soul.

She was kind, but not some indiscriminately gentle fool. In the original story, she had never once shown mercy toward true evil or injustice.

She was powerful, both in her holy strength and in her heart, yet she never used that power to lord over others.

She stood in a place of immense reverence, and yet at this very moment she was sincerely apologizing for startling a complete stranger, and treating every tiny creature she happened to meet with unfeigned gentleness.

No wonder…

Ryan sighed inwardly.

No wonder that in the original game, as long as the player chose to show her even the slightest kindness, it became almost impossible not to develop genuine affection and trust toward this Saintess, no matter what faction the player belonged to at the start.

Faced with a soul that seemed to gather into itself all the beautiful qualities in the world, who could bear to harbor pure malice toward her? And who could completely resist that natural power she carried, like the winter sun or the breeze of early spring, quietly soothing the heart?

But that thought only flickered through his mind for an instant. His will had already been honed into something like tempered steel through too many brushes with death and the weight of too many burdens.

He could appreciate her, understand her, even feel the instinctive stirring that beauty and goodness awaken in the heart—but that was still far from love.

He knew what road he walked. He knew what awaited him ahead. He also knew that, at their core, he and this Saintess—who was destined to stand at the center of the light, burdened with a mission entirely different from his own—were not fellow travelers.

This meeting was nothing more than an unexpected moonlit interlude.

“It seems they all like you very much,” Ryan said at the right moment, his gaze sweeping over the animals gathered around Alicia as he broke the brief silence.

Alicia smiled, a little embarrassed, her rose-red eyes especially clear beneath the moonlight. “They are just… very fond of people. Ah, no, that is not quite right. Usually they are not this…”

She seemed puzzled by it herself and tilted her head slightly. A strand of golden hair slipped over her shoulder with the motion.

“Perhaps they have stayed here so long that they simply feel this place is safe.”

Ryan gave a noncommittal nod and did not press the matter.

He could tell that these little creatures were far more attached to Alicia than could be called ordinary. This was likely just another expression of the Saintess’s innate affinity with holy and natural forces.

The ecosystem of the Imperial Royal Garden was rich and well maintained, so it was hardly strange for small creatures to make their home here. And in the all-enveloping silence of this moment, they had likely been drawn by the peace of the place, and by the quiet serenity that clung to the girl herself…

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