With the gentle morning breeze flowing into the carriage as it speeds down the road, I watch the scenery change as if the trees were just green blurs passing by my side.
The constant sound of the wheels crushing stones should be relaxing, but because of the speed and so many days of travel, it has become somewhat irritating.
As I look out the window, I can finally see the sea in the distance.
— Finally… The last city.
As soon as we arrive, I’ll have just one more official appearance before I can finally go to the Noctis Royal Academy. It’ll be three years of studying, without having to smile at crowds or wear suffocating dresses.
— Haa… Why did the Saint have to decide to retire…
I lean against the window as I watch the port city unfold before me.
— I just wanted to continue my studies as before…
One day, the Saint simply decided to resign from her position. According to the church’s official version, she was very ill and could no longer continue in her duties, but the truth is different.
Everyone in the higher ranks of the church knows that the Saint retired because she grew tired of life as a sacred symbol and decided to get married. It seems she began longing for a daughter after they discovered she was involved with some priestesses.
Because of this incident, the church had to quickly find a new successor, but the problem was that none of the priestesses met the necessary criteria.
Some were already too old, others had families. There were even a few who had potential, but since they also seemed to have some hidden relationship just like the previous Saint, they were disqualified.
In the end, all that was left was a simple, talented novice who was only seeking knowledge and training in her magic.
In other words, me.
— Luckily, I’m old enough to attend high school now, so after this last official presentation, I’ll have a few years of peace…
— Saint, posture. — a firm voice echoes beside me.
I let out a weary sigh and straighten my back.
— A Saint cannot be seen looking so relaxed.
— But there’s no one here…
— I’m here.
I turn my face toward the voice.
Sitting across from me is my advisor, a woman with impeccable posture, a stern gaze, and the formal robes of a high-ranking priestess. I don’t know much about her beyond her position in the church and the fact that she holds a high rank in the kingdom.
Because of what happened to the previous Saint, the church now assigns an older advisor to prevent something like a romantic relationship from happening again.
— At least she can’t accompany me to school…
I try to stretch a little, realizing my body has been still for a long time.
— Please, Saint, try not to move around so much. If you wrinkle your dress, the citizens might think you’re being careless. — she says, looking at me seriously.
— Okay…
Honestly, this life as a Saint is much more exhausting than I expected. I have to travel to various places, smile at crowds, inspire people, and, in the midst of it all, use my magic to heal and protect everyone.
The pressure is so high that sometimes I feel like I’m going to get sick, especially knowing I can’t make a single mistake.
— School… It’s going to be my paradise.
[…]
The carriage slows down gradually as we approach Maralto. I can already hear the sounds of seagulls flying overhead as I look out at the city.
— Hm… It seems much calmer than the others.
In the cities I passed through before this one, crowds would gather to try to catch a glimpse of me inside the carriage, but in Maralto I only see a few citizens looking in our direction with curiosity.
— At least the pressure isn’t too intense…
— Saint, your posture.
— What did I do this time?
— You’re too calm.
— …
We continue moving through the city until I spot a large house. As far as I know, this house belongs to my advisor, who seems to be the best in the whole city.
It looks like we’ll be staying here until all the preparations at the church are complete, and then I’ll make my official presentation there.
— If it weren't for the Aquatics, I wouldn’t have to come all the way to this end of the world…
The thought crosses my mind briefly, but I quickly push it aside and put a simple smile on my face.
Since we’re in town, I need to project the image of a welcoming Saint until we arrive at the house.
So, after slowly passing through the streets for a while to show that the Saint has arrived in town, the carriage stops in front of a large house, almost the size of a mansion, with several servants waiting.
Its light-colored walls feature several windows facing the sea, reflecting the characteristics of Maralto, yet also possessing a certain noble elegance.
— Welcome. — says a maid, speaking for the rest.
My advisor says nothing and merely gives a slight nod before walking into the house.
The doors of the house open, releasing a mysterious yet cozy atmosphere. I don’t know what kind of magic they’re using, but it’s giving me a somewhat artificial feeling that this house is mine, which puts me more at ease.
As I enter slowly, observing the sophisticated surroundings and some unique arts, likely from the aquatic people, I see my advisor talking to one of the servants, and for the first time since I met her, I see her frown.
— Saint, the maids will take you to your resting room. I need to take care of some urgent matters. — she says, before leaving the house.
In an instant, she disappears from view, leaving me somewhat curious about what might have happened, but I decide to just go to my room.
— It’s best not to meddle in other people’s private affairs…
The maids accompany me through the house’s hallways as I try to memorize the way. The interior is quiet, with a few empty rooms, reminding me of some of the noble households where I’ve stayed over the past few months.
After finishing my tour around the house, I’m led to my room. It’s quite large, with a view of the sea and furnished with everything I need. There’s a large bed in the center, light-colored curtains swaying in the breeze, elegant furniture, and a small bookshelf filled with books.
There are even some clothes laid out in my exact size.
— My advisor prepared everything…
Feeling that I can finally rest a little from the long journey, I grab some clothes to change into and head to the bathroom.
Staring at my reflection in the mirror, I realize how the church was determined to mold me into an almost divine ideal, an exaggeration that sometimes makes me barely recognize myself.
— …I’m really pretty.
Looking closely at myself with all the makeup and preparations the church put on me, I feel like my face is almost perfect. Maybe it’s just my vanity, but I feel proud as I look at myself.
— Let’s take this makeup off and…
I start to remove my makeup and undo the complicated hairstyle they did for me this morning.
My blonde hair falls slowly over my shoulders until it reaches my waist. After taking everything off and changing clothes, I see my golden eyes begin to change color, turning brown.
My flawless skin once again has a few soft freckles, and a slight dark circle appears under my eyes.
— …Even without makeup, I’m still pretty, right?
Looking at my reflection, with a much more human appearance than before, I feel a little strange.
— …Let’s just rest.
I walk slowly to the bed and practically throw myself onto it, feeling my body sink into the soft mattress.
Feeling the gentle breeze through the window carrying a salty scent, along with my exhaustion from the entire trip, I begin to slowly close my eyes as I feel my body release all the accumulated tension.
[…]
I’ve been in Maralto for 5 days now. During all this time, I’ve been resting at my advisor’s house, without going out at all.
I can’t show my true appearance to others, so it’s much safer to stay inside the house and wait until the ceremony takes place.
With that in mind, I’ve spent most of my time in my room, where I can stay without makeup and wear comfortable clothes while studying a little magic.
Even though my admission to the Noctis Royal Academy is already guaranteed, I need to be one of the top students for the church to let me continue studying there.
— I heard there will be a lot of talented students entering this year… — I say to the person next to me.
— Hm? Oh, now that you mention it, this year really does seem special, with so many talented girls entering the school.
The girl next to me is Marina, my advisor’s granddaughter. I don’t know what kind of trouble she caused, but she’s now stuck inside this house until school starts.
She’s a very youthful-looking girl, short enough to appear a few years younger than she actually is. Even so, she tries to maintain an elegant posture as she sits next to me on the sofa.
— You seem really excited talking about this. — I say as I close the book on my lap.
— Of course I am. — Marina crosses her legs with a small, arrogant smile. — We’ll have the second princess of Noctis, the daughter of the Duke of the North, the successor of the Sword Goddess…
Marina starts naming several important people one after another, showing how excited she is to the point of seeking out information on all the important girls who are going.
— Last but not least, you’re going too, Saint. — she says with a slight smile, before it fades a little. — …Oh, and there’s also that rumor about the hero’s successor participating as well.
I can see she shows no emotion when mentioning the hero’s successor, but that’s to be expected, since the hero is a man.
To this day, despite so many questions, not even the church has been able to clarify why the hero is a man, but it’s also impossible to change this fact, since it’s a tradition upheld by the empire itself.
— Anyway, Saint, what are you st—
— Marina, what are you doing here?
Hearing the stern voice, Marina and I look to the side and see my advisor standing in front of my bedroom door. She looks at Marina seriously, her eyes narrowed.
Marina’s arrogant smile vanishes instantly, making her look like a child caught doing something wrong, though she still tries to look serious with her arms crossed.
— T-Talking. — she replies, a little flustered.
— The Saint must not be disturbed.
My advisor approaches Marina and, without any effort, lifts her by the collar of her clothes and begins to carry her out of the room, looking like a frightened cat.
— Hey! Let me go! I can walk on my own!
Marina immediately starts struggling in the air, kicking her legs as she tries to pull her collar off.
The scene leaves me speechless for a moment, but I soon start to find it funny.
I hold back my laughter so as not to cause more trouble, but the smile on my face is hard to contain.
My advisor, on the other hand, remains perfectly serious as she carries her own granddaughter out of the room as if it were completely normal.
— Forgive me, Saint, but I must punish this child who is disturbing your rest.
Hearing this, Marina stops moving and looks at my advisor, clearly afraid of what is about to happen to her.
This makes Marina look even cuter.
— …Saint, I should also remind you, just in case. — Says the advisor, turning to me. — The church strictly forbids relationships with the Saint.
— Yes, I know…
With that, she closes the door and leaves me alone in the spacious room that has already started to feel dull to me.
— …Better get back to studying.
My time here is coming to an end anyway, so after studying, I just need to get ready and give the presentation.
I open my magic book again and read the page where I stopped.
— Haa… It’s almost over.
[…]
At sunset, I arrive by carriage in front of the church in Maralto. It’s relatively small, but since it’s located in the city governed by my advisor, it looks impeccable today.
I can see why it took her so many days to prepare, it looks completely renewed.
— I’d only seen it from a distance before, but this place looks brand-new now.
Thinking this, I slowly step down from the carriage and see the priestesses and novices on their knees, along with the people who have come to see me.
Everything is silent, with no one daring to say a word. I hear only the breathing of the people around me as I walk slowly into the church. My footsteps echo down the main hall as dozens of eyes remain fixed on me.
— …
I maintain my gentle smile as I continue toward the altar. The interior of the church is beautifully decorated with flowers and candles, and even its walls seem to have been renovated, with bluish details forming waves and sacred symbols.
Small crystals that appear to be made of water illuminate the space with a soft light.
I slowly ascend to the altar, before turning to face the crowd of people who bow their heads in my presence.
I can hear some murmurs commenting on my divine appearance and wishing me glory, but I just keep smiling until my first words are spoken.
— Oh God, as your servant, I come to this church to pr-
— AAHH! — A voice explodes in my mind.
— EEEEEEEK!
I let out one of the biggest screams of my life.
I feel my blood pressure drop from the shock, and my body shakes. I glance around in search of the source, but find no one nearby, only the believers, who now watch me with expressions of astonishment.
— W-what w-was that? — I murmur, my hands trembling.
— Saint, what happened? Are you okay? — asks my advisor, who appeared by my side in an instant.
— D-Didn’t you hear that scream!? — I say, dazed.
— Scream? I only heard yours. — she replied, confused.
— J-Just mine? — I feel my face grow hot as I calm down.
Seeing that everyone is staring at me, I feel even more embarrassed, though my heart is still racing from the scare.
— Saint, it must be travel fatigue… — says my advisor, trying to calm me down. — This is the last one, okay?
— Y-Yes… I must be tired… Uhum, c-continuing… — I stutter a little and my voice cracks a few times after that, but I manage to finish my prayer, granting the blessing to this church, before returning to the carriage.
Exhausted, I lean against the window and sleep overtakes me almost immediately. This time my advisor didn’t say anything and just let me rest.
[…]
— Saint! School is starting! Get out of that room! — I hear a firm but concerned voice from outside my room.
Right now, I’m locked in my room at the church headquarters in Noctis, sitting in the corner of the bed, hugging my knees so tightly that my fingernails are almost digging into my skin. My whole body trembles uncontrollably as I feel cold sweat trickling down the back of my neck.
My eyes scan every corner of the room, as if at any moment something might emerge from the shadows.
— N-no! — my voice comes out shaky. — He’s here… chasing me! W-watching me!
— What are you talking about!? There’s no one here but you and me! — my advisor insists.
The door swings open and my advisor rushes into the room. Her serious gaze sweeps the entire room before settling on me, curled up on the bed like a frightened child.
— Saint…
— Lies! You’re lying! — I scream, my voice breaking. — Then whose voice is that!? Who’s l-laughing at me!? Is it a g-g-ghost!? — Tears start streaming down my face again.
— What voice is that!? I don’t hear anything! — she replies, looking confused.
— That’s it! I’m his target! Call an exorcist now! — I beg, sobbing.
— But… You’re the exorcist. — says my advisor, not knowing what to do.
— Then bring someone better than me! — I yell, my hands shaking uncontrollably as I cast my exorcism magic once more.
The light from the magic illuminates the room for a moment, but when it fades, the silence becomes even more oppressive, and I don’t know if it worked.
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve used this magic, but I can’t stop. Whenever I have enough magic power, my body acts on impulse and casts it, as if it were the only barrier between me and that sound. By now, my magic must be at an absurd level…
Maybe I’m already one of the best exorcists in the world, but none of that matters, because that voice still torments me.
— The only one who could be better is the Popess. — Murmurs the advisor, almost without hope.
— Then bring her here! — I scream, my voice hoarse and desperate. My hands still glow faintly with remnants of magic, but I can no longer tell if I’m trembling from fear or exhaustion.
The following days drag on as I refuse to go out, keeping the curtains closed, and even the slightest noise makes my heart race. I’ve started sleeping clutching my Bible, as if it were my last shield.
The room has become my prison, and yet I feel that I am not alone in here.
[To be continued…]
[???]:
— When she finds out the truth… Won’t she go crazy?