The Saintess and the Lumberjack (3) “The department head’s office isn’t an infirmary.” The Saintess said something strange.
Ivan tilted his head.
The place they called the infirmary still handled injuries by smearing on a little Healing Potion, or, at best, having a priest who had only just been ordained cast a basic healing spell.
Was she saying the students should have to go through something that dreadful even though there was a Saintess right here?
Watching Ivan’s expression, the Saintess thumped her chest in frustration.
(Despite the rather vigorous shaking, Ivan deliberately kept his eyes elsewhere.
She was a woman of the cloth, after all.) “No!
I have my own job to do!
Do you know how busy I am?
This is my first year as department head!
I haven’t even had a proper handover!
Freshmen, undergraduates, professors—they all come barging in every day chattering at me!
None of the course curriculum has been organized!
What is wrong with this university?!” “Mm.” “Mm.” As the Saintess vented about the primitive, pre-modern education system, Ivan and Enrique nodded in unison.
They had nothing useful to say, but agreeing seemed like the safest option.
Ivan quietly ignored the poor religious woman as she lamented her circumstances.
The department head’s office had a lonely sort of elegance.
Whether it reflected the tastes of the previous department head or the Saintess herself, he couldn’t tell.
There were an awful lot of plants.
An…
orchid?
Was it an orchid?
Ivan wasn’t particularly knowledgeable about plants, so he absentmindedly passed the time by stroking the broad leaves of a particularly elegant potted plant.
(He was a Gardener, after all.) Snap.
One of the orchid’s leaves broke off with a crisp little crack.
Naturally, it had to be the thickest, most impressive stem, making the sound all the more satisfying.
Without changing his expression in the slightest, Ivan slowly looked away.
Fortunately, the Saintess hadn’t noticed.
She was still loudly complaining to Enrique about classes.
Wasn’t there a scene like this in that noir movie…?
Expressionless, Ivan rotated the flowerpot.
Silently, the pot turned, neatly hiding the broken leaf from view.
“Look, I know you’re having a hard time, Patty.
I really do.
So…
could you tone down the holy light a little?
I admit I was wrong.” “Or perhaps you could take this opportunity to devote yourself to the Lord?
I’ll always welcome you with open arms, Enrique.” “…That sounds less like devotion and more like ascending to heaven…” The Saintess was the person closest to the heavens in this world.
Well, second only to the Pope.
Which meant that the divine power overflowing from her emotions was currently crushing Enrique in real time.
Maybe it was just Ivan’s imagination, but Enrique honestly looked a little smaller than before.
With an unusually cautious posture, Enrique carefully spoke.
“Uh…
right.
Patty, listen carefully, and don’t be surprised.
This is actually why we came, but I completely forgot.
Look at my memory.” “Please tell me it’s less shocking than finding fifty critically injured freshmen.” Used to Enrique making a fuss over everything, the Saintess calmly picked up her teacup.
After talking so much, her throat had grown dry.
Chuckling softly, Enrique finally spoke.
“This guy…
was actually brought here.” “Yes, I’d heard the orphanage head suddenly became a gardener, so I was planning to visit Elise and ask what on earth she was doing, making a retired man work.” “No, you idiot.
Brought here.
Like Max.
From another world.” “Pffft?!” The Saintess sprayed her tea across the room and immediately began coughing, tears welling in her eyes.
She coughed for several moments before finally managing to compose herself.
“…Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” “He thought he was the only one.
You think this guy would ever go to counseling?” “My goodness…” The Saintess looked at Ivan and swallowed hard.
Her voice trembled.
“How lonely you must have been…
To suffer such a shock that you even grew a beard…
Brother Kyirilts…” “No.
That isn’t why.” “It’s alright.
Everything is alright…” Smiling with boundless compassion, the Saintess gently took Ivan’s hand in both of hers.
Warm divine power flowed softly through his veins.
It was…
pleasantly warm.
Even after Enrique recoiled in horror and retreated to the far side of the sofa, the Saintess continued smiling kindly at Ivan.
“It’s alright, Brother…
You aren’t strange.
There have been many people like you before, and there will be many more in the future.
Ah, Lord…
please guide this poor lost lamb…” “The only strange thing here is this situation.” “That’s perfectly understandable…
It was the same for the Hero, too…” She remembered the day she’d nearly cried upon hearing he had retired to run an orphanage.
Despite enduring a horrific war since childhood, this poor young man had grown into someone kind enough to embrace unfortunate children.
Wasn’t that itself proof of the Lord’s existence?
The Saintess had gladly supported Ivan’s retirement, donating a considerable sum to the orphanage every year.
She had even been the one to name it.
And now, just look at him.
Orphanages were poor by nature.
Partly because of funding, but also because of the countless corrupt orphanage directors who tried to profit from their children.
Every year, numerous cases were reported of directors pocketing donations before selling the orphans they’d raised into the criminal underworld.
And yet this man…
Dressed in filthy work clothes, wiping sweat away with a faded towel, he was honestly earning his living through hard labor.
Clearly…
It was all so the children could live better lives.
“Ah…” He was even from another world?
And despite that, he had taken in orphans from this world…
Children who had absolutely no connection to him whatsoever.
How…
The Saintess’s eyes reddened.
“Brother Kyirilts…” “I’d rather you didn’t call me that.” “I like your baptismal name.” “I was far too young when that was chosen.” Ivan pulled his hand away while glaring at the grinning Enrique.
The Saintess naturally made the sign of the cross before placing a hand over her chest.
“I truly believed you were attracted to men, Brother.” “Ghk…!” Enrique choked violently and pounded her own chest.
“Well, considering how mercilessly you rejected all those women, what else was I supposed to think?” “…There were circumstances.” “Of course.
Naturally.” Royal Guards were forbidden from becoming personally close to nobles or influential figures.
Back when he had earned fame as “Little Ivan”— Back when his value on the marriage market had skyrocketed— He had also happened to be serving as a Royal Guard.
And since his only goal had been returning to Earth, how could he possibly concern himself with romance?
His feelings hadn’t changed much even now.
The only difference was that he was no longer considered a highly desirable bachelor.
“It was because of your vows, wasn’t it?
Someone as devout as you…
surely you were honoring the vows you made at your baptism…” The three evangelical vows made at baptism: Poverty.
Chastity.
Obedience.
Ivan’s appearance embodied poverty.
He had passed thirty without a single romantic scandal, embodying chastity.
And he had abandoned all rank and honor to return to a quiet rural life, embodying obedience.
He was the very picture of devout faith.
The Saintess nodded to herself.
“Don’t become a priest.
You truly won’t be allowed to marry.” “…Mm.” “But if you continue living such a chaste life…
perhaps…
perhaps the Lord will bless you with His favor someday.
Our Lord embraces us with love, and the love shared between two people is the greatest blessing beneath the heavens.” “…Mm…” “I should visit your orphanage today.
It’s nearly time to leave work anyway, so let us go together.” “Didn’t you just say you hadn’t finished your work?” “At this university, only the Chancellor outranks me.
And beneath the heavens, only the Lord God stands above me, Enrique.” “Wow.” Enrique quietly accepted defeat.
*** The Saintess was exhausting.
Ivan was once again reminded of this obvious fact.
There were many reasons.
Having grown up on the battlefield, she was excessively emotional.
She was devout to an almost alarming degree.
And even dressed in immaculate clerical robes, there were times when one had to be careful where one looked.
(Of course, Ivan was a perfectly respectable man and had no interest whatsoever in the body of a woman of the cloth.) More than anything else, however…
She was one of the orphanage’s two greatest benefactors, alongside Elizaveta Kirillovna Krasilof.
One could never truly be equals with the person controlling the purse strings.
Following that principle, Ivan always maintained a proper distance from the orphanage’s sponsors.
“Ah…
Lord…
behold this beautiful sight…” The Saintess was already sniffling with tears from the moment she stepped through the orphanage gate.
Naturally, the children squealed with delight and crowded around her.
Their bright expressions.
Their plump cheeks.
There wasn’t the slightest trace of poverty anywhere.
In fact, the poorest-looking person in the entire orphanage was Ivan himself…!
The facilities were excellent.
Every door opened smoothly on freshly oiled hinges.
Even the ends of the hallways and the corners of the furniture had been carefully padded with soft cushioning.
Even this level of attention to detail…!
With tears shimmering in her eyes, the Saintess looked at a huge doodle drawn on one corner of the orphanage wall.
Some mischievous child had drawn a bearded monster with a scowl on his face handing out presents…
The children’s deep affection practically radiated from the drawing.
Unable to bear it any longer, the Saintess pressed a hand against the corner of her eye and leaned against the wall.
“You’ve already become a wonderful father…” “Oh, for heaven’s sake.” “The finest family is the one born from the heart…
Brother Kyirilts…
you’re simply dazzling…
Ah, Lord…” “She’s really trying to make me laugh to death.
Disciple, I’m starting to feel uncomfortable.
Can I leave first?” “No.” Enrique covered her forehead with one hand, looking utterly pained.