17-180

EP.180 The Next Saint (7)

Prin was deeply asleep, exhausted from the fatigue accumulated in her body.

She had planned to rest for a bit and then get up, as today was an important day with her sister Aris visiting the mansion with friends.

However, as soon as she lay down, her eyes closed, and she couldn't shake off the drowsiness.

This was partly because she had overexerted herself helping her mother, despite her body feeling lighter than usual.

As she drifted into her dreams, Prin revisited scenes from her past.

"Good morning, Prin."

Prin turned her head towards the pleasant voice.

There was Seri, dressed in a white dress, smiling down at her.

"Good morning, Seri... Sis."

"How are you feeling today? You looked tired yesterday..."

"I'm fine. I slept with the teddy bear you gave me and had a nice dream, so my condition is good."

"Good. Next time, I'll bring you the toy you wanted."

In her childhood, Prin spent more time with Seri than with her sister Aris, who often suffered from severe colds and stayed indoors.

As a result, Prin naturally spent more time with Seri, going out and having fun.

"Seri... Sis."

"Yes?"

"Why do you always watch over us?"

"Well, because you'll become a great person when you grow up."

"A great person?"

"It's hard to understand now, but I'll explain it to you when your body is ready."

"Okay... Thanks for always playing with me, Seri... Sis."

Seri always made Prin happy, whether they were playing or solving problems that Prin couldn't handle alone.

When Prin received a holy symbol from the goddess and her health fully recovered, she realized that Seri's words about becoming a great person referred to being a saint.

"Please take care of me from now on, future Saint."

"Oh, Seri... Sis... That's embarrassing..."

"Don't worry, you'll get used to it. Everyone will call you a saint soon, so practice now."

"Okay... I'll try hard."

Prin felt both burdened and happy that Seri called her a saint and treated her with respect.

However, Prin wasn't particularly interested in being a saint.

The only good thing about receiving the holy symbol was that it improved her innate divine power and resolved her health issues.

Everything else was inconvenient.

The temple people would visit, insisting that she learn to use her divine power properly as the next saint, and she was forced to study tirelessly.

"Aris... Sis... I'm here..."

"......"

After becoming a saint candidate, Prin's relationship with Aris suddenly became distant.

Whenever they met, Aris would glare and slam the door shut.

Prin would sigh deeply, feeling down.

She thought that Aris's change was because of the holy symbol, which made her feel like she was the only one who had become healthy.

'Is it because I'm the only one who got better, and Sis feels bad?'

Prin became more convinced of this.

She couldn't share her worries with anyone.

She wanted to appear as a loving sister to her mother, and Seri might find her concerns burdensome.

So, her worries deepened over time.

Prin felt selfish, thinking about her own happiness while Aris struggled with health issues.

The only way for Prin was to ask the goddess for help.

'Elisia, Goddess... Please make my sister's body better instead of mine.'

'I won't be a good saint. I like to play and am selfish, so it's better if my kind sister becomes healthy.'

'I'll pray every day, without missing a single day, and ask you to make Aris a healthy saint.'

It was a sincere plea.

Even if it meant losing her holy symbol and living a life without being a saint, Prin was willing to accept it.

At least she could maintain a good relationship with Seri and Aris.

As Prin's prayers continued for about a year...

"Sis... Did you receive the goddess's blessing?"

"Yes..."

"Good... That symbol is proof you'll become a great person..."

The result was that Prin's holy symbol faded and transferred to Aris.

As a result, Prin's strength weakened significantly, but she didn't mind.

Seeing Aris lively and cheerful for the first time was a new experience.

"Thank you."

"Yes... Sis..."

There was nothing happier than being hugged by her sister, who had always been cold towards her.

Of course, there were some difficulties.

"Prin..."

"Oh, Seri... Sis..."

Prin's condition worsened, making it hard to walk around the house without stumbling.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes... I'm fine."

Even smiling was a struggle, which worried Seri.

"Now that I'm not a saint... Please take care of Aris... Sis..."

"Okay... I will."

Seri's expression darkened when she heard about Aris, but she didn't refuse Prin's request.

Prin was satisfied with this.

If Aris became a healthy saint, Prin's wish would also be fulfilled.

There were many things Prin missed, though.

She was interested in the warrior party that Aris had joined, but it was something she would never experience.

After moving to the mansion with her mother for safety reasons, she couldn't leave the garden.

Prin understood this, as Aris was always worried about their safety.

However, one thing bothered her the most.

Seri, who used to visit frequently after Aris returned from defeating the Demon King, suddenly stopped coming.

Prin woke up from her dream with tears in her eyes.

"Seri... Sis..."

"It seems you were close to Seri."

"Hick?!"

Prin was startled and pulled the blanket over her.

"Who... are you...?"

"I'm sorry for startling you."

Prin looked at the man sitting beside her bed.

Even though he was seated, his physique was impressive.

"Are you... a friend of Aris... Sis?"

"Yes. I'm Choi Si-hyun."

Prin thought for a moment.

"Ah...?"

She remembered something Aris had told her.

"Knight...?"

"Yes. It seems Aris introduced me beforehand."

"I remember hearing about you..."

"Thanks to that, our conversation can start sooner. I came to check on your condition because it looked quite bad..."

"Ah... You're here to examine my body?"

Si-hyun nodded with a gentle smile.

"Then, may I ask you to undress? Please wear just your undergarments."

Prin slowly got up.

She hesitated for a moment and turned to Si-hyun.

"I'm sorry, but I usually don't wear undergarments... Could you please turn around for a moment?"

"Of course."

Si-hyun turned his chair around.

Prin removed her clothes and put on a white bra from the closet before calling out to Si-hyun again.

"I've changed..."

Prin felt embarrassed as Si-hyun looked at her, his eyes scanning her body.

[Choi Si-hyun, a person trusted by Saint Aris, has come to check your condition and use his special power to make you better. You were informed of this by your mother, Meril, before you fell asleep.]

Even though it was for treatment, standing in front of a man in her undergarments was a first, and she felt very embarrassed.

However, since her mother and sister were concerned, she decided to endure it.

"Prin."

"Yes?"

"Today is the first day, so we'll proceed with the examination as is. However, from tomorrow onwards, you'll need to remove your undergarments as well, so please prepare yourself mentally."

Prin hesitated for a moment before nodding.

"Okay... Please take care of me, Knight..."