Chapter 12: The Swordsmanship Prodigy Saintess

Saintess (3)

1.

It was another peaceful morning.

After finishing morning prayers, Elia walked down the hallway.

She held a bible to her chest, heading to class for her basic theology, and the nuns’ eyes followed her as she passed.

“……”

Elia pressed her lips tightly.

Her eyebrow twitched as if she was uncomfortable.

The cause was five steps behind her.

“Why are you following me?”

Elia turned around.

Beneath long eyelashes, her eyes were sharp.

Leode, meeting her gaze, gave a polite bow.

And that was it.

No answer to her question.

“You do realize following me around like this is quite rude, don’t you?”

“My apologies.”

“If you’re sorry, then stop following me.”

“My apologies.”

Day three.

For three days now, Leode had been following Elia.

Silently guarding her like an escort knight.

When she went to the bathroom to relieve herself.

When she went to the bathhouse to take a bath.

When she went to her bed.

Except for those times, Leode was practically her shadow.

It was more than annoying.

It was in the way.

Because of Leode, Elia hadn’t been able to practice swordsmanship for three days.

“Are you protesting or something?”

“……”

“I’ll say it again. I am never going to the Papal State. So please give up and go back.”

“My apologies.”

“Is ‘my apologies’ the only thing you know how to say?”

“My apologies.”

“Gaah…!”

Elia pounded her chest with her fists, thump thump.

Her plush, pillowy chest pushed back against the blows.

She felt like she was going to explode.

Every time Elia refused, the stubborn holy knight countered with nothing but apologies—as if he could deny her refusal by simply being sorry.

Nothing she said worked.

No tactic made a dent.

Leode was unwavering in his intent to bring Elia back to the Papal State, no matter what.

“You’ve got the wrong person. I’m not some destined saintess. What basis do you have for being so sure?”

He had no hard evidence—just conviction.

But confirmation would only come back at the Papal State.

Still, Leode held not a single shred of doubt.

He was certain.

This girl was the prophesied one.

His gut just screamed it.

“Go back.”

“I cannot.”

“I said go back.”

“I cannot.”

“If you keep this up, I won’t just sit around.”

“And what do you plan to do?”

“I’ll run away from home.”

She was about to become an adult and graduate from the convent in a couple of months anyway.

Leaving early wouldn’t be the end of the world.

And just then—

“Elia, what are you talking about? Running away from home?”

Her guardian, Sister Bertina, approached with a stern expression.

“I thought I taught you that partings are even more important than meetings? Were you planning to end our bond like this?”

It was a saying from the scriptures.

Meetings are important, but partings are more so.

And it was also one of Bertina’s favorite saying.

Elia looked at her with a dissatisfied look.

“Sister, weren’t you the one who tried to hand me over to the Papal State without consulting me first?”

The errand to the village that day had been a lie.

When she went to treat the elderly man’s sprained back, he had been out working in the farm with no issue at all.

It had all been a ploy—at the Holy Knight’s request—to test whether Elia had the qualities of a saintess.

And that was when she felt a small sting of betrayal.

If it were someone she’d known for a long time...

Wasn’t it at least possible to talk to her first, instead of tricking her with a lie?

They could’ve asked her what she would like to do, upon receiving contact from the Papal State.

Of course, she would have refused.

But in terms of basic respect, that would've been the right thing to do.

“I only did it because I wanted what’s best for you, Elia. I just wanted you to live a good life, treated well in a good place.”

The heart of a mother.

Though not her biological child, Bertina had come to think of Elia as her true daughter.

All the children under Bertina’s care were precious to her, but as with all people, it’s inevitable that some are more beloved than others.

For Bertina, that someone was Elia.

That’s why she scolded her more strictly.

That’s why she hoped even more desperately for her happiness.

“When did I ever say that’s what I wanted?”

“...”

Bertina opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.

Elia had never once said such a thing.

When had she ever said she wanted a better life?

When had she ever said she wanted to be treated well?

Never.

But still.

Isn’t that something everyone naturally desires?

Who in the world wants to be unhappy?

Who wants to be treated poorly?

“But this isn’t a common opportunity,” Bertina pressed.

“Even if we don’t yet know whether you’ll truly become the saintess, just being a candidate could lead to a happy life.”

A fantasy every young nun must have dreamed of at least once:

What if I were the Saintess?

Bertina had dreamt of it when she was younger, too.

Perhaps the reason she showed such affection toward Elia was because she was trying to live out that dream vicariously—a dream that had only ever remained a dream for herself.

Elia, hearing all this, replied firmly:

“And who gave you the right to decide what happiness means for me?”

Once again, Bertina was left speechless.

If she became the saintess, if she became a candidate, then surely she’d be happy.

That was purely Bertina’s belief.

“Well, since we’re on the topic, I’ll just say it now.”

She had to say it eventually.

“I’m going to apply to the Imperial Army.”

“...What?”

“I get the feeling Sister and the other nuns have assumed I’m going to become an official priest. But I’m not. I’m going to become a knight.”

“A knight…?”

It was far too sudden.

The Imperial Army?

A knight?

Bertina had never heard her say that before.

Never even considered the possibility.

And she hated to admit it, but—

Elia didn’t look like someone cut out to be a knight.

Even if the Empire was short on soldiers, they surely weren’t so desperate as to conscript someone as delicate-looking as her.

Even if Elia applied, they’d likely reject her.

Bertina wasn’t the only one who thought so.

Leode, quietly observing in silence from behind, thought the same.

Perhaps in the past, it might have been possible.

But the Empire was under a ceasefire now.

The number of applicants had dwindled.

And their recruitment standards had changed.

In the past, anyone could join just by applying, but now, one must pass the qualification standards through an exam to become a knight of the Empire.

Hmm…

Leode looked at Elia’s back.

A petite frame.

Her nun’s habit clung tightly, clearly outlining the curves of her hips.

No matter where he looked, her body seemed soft and untrained.

There was no way she’d pass the Imperial Army’s standards.

Not physically.

Not in terms of stamina.

She wasn’t conditioned at all.

“Anyway, let’s end this conversation here.”

Elia shoved the bible she had been holding into Bertina’s hands, then turned and left the chapel to head to her class.

“Elia…!”

Bertina’s voice called from behind.

Elia ignored it.

At her age, getting sulky over something like this...

Could it be that not only her body but also her mind has become younger?

She was genuinely hurt that Bertina had acted like she was doing it for Elia, when it clearly wasn’t.

Elia also felt a deep bond with Bertina.

Nine years together.

Nineteen, if you included the years before her past life’s memories returned.

With such a long time being cared for, how could she not have any feelings toward Bertina?

She wasn’t her real mother, but Elia thought of her like one.

That’s why she was so upset.

She’d acted too emotionally...

Elia ruffled her own hair in frustration.

The veil she was wearing on her head fell lightly to the floor.

As she bent forward to pick it up, she saw Leode’s boots between her legs.

Still bent over, she looked back.

“Don't you have any sense? Try reading the room.”

“…I apologize.”

Again. Again. Again!

The water has already been spilled.

She had intended to resolve it nicely with words if possible.

But if words didn’t work, Elia had no choice but to use her own method.

From long ago, she knew how to break the stubbornness of a stubborn guy.

“Come with me.”

She grabbed Leode by the wrist and pulled him along.

The young nuns nearby who had no experience with men gasped in surprise at the bold sight, covering their mouths and watching with eyes full of curiosity.

Elia dragged Leode into the forest—

Deep enough where people rarely came.

A secluded place where, no matter what they did, they likely wouldn’t be found out.

She planned to settle things here.

“You really want to take me to the Papal State?”

Leode, ever expressionless, gave a firm nod.

“The divine power that Elia possesses shouldn’t be possible at your age. Since you are no ordinary person, I intend to take you to His Holiness first. Then we can determine for certain—whether you truly are the woman from the prophecy.”

With a relic stored in the Pope’s library, they could verify it instantly.

“Fine,” Elia said.

She spread her arms.

“Take me.”

“You’re agreeing?”

“If you can.”

Elia took off her veil and tossed it to Leode.

“Duel.”

It was the surest way to break his stubbornness.

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