Chapter : 03
Two years ago, on the day of the Academy Graduation Ceremony. The day when all my classmates graduated, and I was left alone.
‘Why! My grades are the best, and my attendance is the most perfect! Why am I the only one who can’t graduate!’
Was it my fault that the request for an additional student loan was rejected because I had no one to guarantee it? Was it my fault that I was an orphan with no family?!
‘Why do you have to pay money to graduate in the first place!’
This darn world!
‘Go bankrupt!’
I was clinging to the massive statue of God at the Academy’s main gate and whining when—
Pa-at!
‘…Eing?’
Suddenly, a light burst from the statue, and then—
Hoo-doo-duk.
‘Aah!’
The hem of the statue’s clothes that I was gripping crumbled away. By my own power.
That’s right. That was how I gained this mysterious, monstrous strength.
‘The problem is that touching the statue of God is illegal.’
The fine is a staggering 100 million Gold. That’s 2.5 times the school development fee. That is why I live hiding my strength. If it had been just moderately strong, I might have used it to earn money, but the power I have is clearly abnormal. What if someone suspects something?
“But why does that matter?”
Could it be that this is a punishment for breaking the statue’s clothes, making me the Magic Saintess?
“Or, since I touched the statue and broke the law, do they think I’d be good at stealing?”
The dog gave me a sideways glance, as if wereas pathetic.
“Historically, the Magic Saintess was both a magician and a saintess. They could use both magical power and divine power simultaneously, woof.”
They use divine power to purify evil and heal people, and at the same time, they use magic to pick locks and evade pursuers. Magic + Saintess.
“But as Seraphina knows, all the magicians disappeared hundreds of years ago.”
“Right.”
“But Seraphina has monstrous strength to substitute for magic! Power given by God!”
Strength instead of magic! The Maltese panted.
“Perhaps God designated Seraphina as a candidate for the Magic Saintess since that time!”
“Aha…”
“Plus, the age is just right! And the stamina is good!”
“Oh.”
[Conditions for the Magic Saintess] | Kind heart | (X)
Sense of justice | (X)
Strength | (O)
Stamina | (O)
* Not too young (Child labor exploitation) |
* Not too old (Elder abuse) |
Well, yeah. To be jumping around and leading a double life day and night, it makes sense that someone with good physical ability should be the Magic Saintess.
The Maltese barked bravely in front of me as I nodded in understanding.
“You are using that special power for the world, woof!”
“Well… the world is messed up right now.”
But.
“Still, no thanks.”
“Good! Huh? You refuse?”
“Yes, I refuse.”
I spoke clearly while adjusting the Maltese’s slipping backpack strap.
“Implementing justice is great. It is. But is it great enough for me to sacrifice my body to implement it? No.”
During the day, I earn money dealing with difficult customers at the clothing shop, and at night, I run around doing justice that no one recognizes. When do I get to rest?
“Look here.” I pointed to my room.
“As you can see, I am poor. I have no family.” If I get hurt or cause trouble and have to pay a large sum, my life is over.
“So, I plan to enter the Imperial Palace to secure a pension and my future.”
I’ll have to study separately for that. If I fail to get a job because I was busy implementing justice, will you take responsibility, doggy? If I keep working as a temporary employee at the clothing shop and they won’t hire me even when I’m forty, what then? Beg under a bridge? Who will recognize my life that went downhill like that?
“Sacrificing oneself for the world is something you only do when you are certain that the world will not turn its back on your dedication.”
I refuse to save the world only to ruin my own life. It’s hard enough to take care of myself; forget the world. I am currently failing to save myself, you know?
R: Rejection isJ: Just absolute rejection.“Tell people who have the leisure to save the world to do it. Not people like me who hit rock bottom if they slip up just once.”
School development fee, boarding house rent, preparation for the Imperial Civil Service exam, and so on.
“I already have enough burdens…”
Knock, knock!
“Hup.”
What is it? I looked at the door.
Knock, knock!
“Doggy, did you call someone?”
“No, woof.”
Knock, knock!
“Senior, are you not inside?”
It’s Arden! My junior!
“No! No! I’m here!”
“Alone?”
“……”
Strictly speaking, I’m not alone; I’m with a talking dog… As I hesitated to answer, Arden’s voice became serious.
“Are you in a situation where you can’t answer right now?”
“No… that’s…!”
“I’m breaking the door down.”
“No, wait a minute! I… I!”
Bum-luck! (Door opening sound)
I opened the door. I laughed sheepishly at my junior, Arden, who was frowning beyond the door.
“Hello?”
Arden, who scanned me up and down, snapped:
“Why are you talking so loud by yourself? It’s past midnight. I thought someone had broken in.”
“Sorry…”
“Why did you open the door so late?”
“Ah, a dog came into the room!”
“A dog?”
At that, Arden’s expression hardened, and he looked into the room. His lime-green eyes landed on my cramped boarding room, the books scattered everywhere, and the dog on the bed.
The Maltese, who was being watched, pretended not to talk, feigning ignorance while panting. Then, suddenly.
“A-woof.”
“……”
“……”
This is driving me crazy. Arden’s rough expression as he stared at the dog, the dog’s uneasy eyes, and me watching the scene.
“Krrr-ang!”
Stay quiet, please!
Arden, frowning, slowly opened his mouth.
“A…”
“A?”
“A pigsty you live in.”
“……”
“Clean up your room. Seriously, humanely.”
“……”
Is my dirty room a bigger problem to you right now than the dog saying “A-woof?”
“A dog came in because the room is a mess.”
“Yes. I’ll clean it.”
“Clean your room and wash the dog too.”
“Yes. I’ll scrub him thoroughly.”
“Are you keeping that dog?”
“No, he has an owner. I was just about to send him away.”
“While you’re at it, throw away those things scattered on the floor. At this rate, cockroaches, not dogs, will be coming in.”
“This building already has a lot of cockroaches… No, wait. Sorry. I’ll clean it.”
But why did you come?
“Did you come down because you were worried someone might have broken into my room?”
I asked innocently, but Arden looked offended.
“I wasn’t worried. I came down because trespassing is a crime.”
“Oh.”
“I don’t worry about others. I am a person without blood or tears.”
“I see.”
“Even if someone is dying right in front of me, I absolutely don’t worry, understood?”
“If someone is dying, you should worry…”
“Anyway, be careful. The world is so dangerous these days; how can you open the door carelessly? Without even checking who it is.”
“I opened it because it was you.”
“You trust me?”
“Yes.”
“……”
“…But I should still be careful, right?”
“Yes.”
“Okay.”
I nodded and promised, thinking that from now on, if anyone even shows suspicious signs, I’ll hit them with my fist!
Arden didn’t leave, though he seemed to have run out of things to scold me about. Hesitating, Arden took a portable quill pen from his pocket. He kept his body far away but stretched only his arm out towards the bed. The tip of the extended quill pen lightly scratched the top of the dog’s head.
Ggeul-ggeul.
The dog tilted its head. It took a step forward, asking with its eyes, Are you petting me? Arden quickly retreated.
“……”
“Keep it.”
Arden handed the quill pen that had touched the dog to me and left the room without a second thought.
Tak. (Door closing sound)
“……”
“……”
The Maltese, whose head fur was sticking up, asked:
“What was that strange human, woof?”
“He’s my academy junior…” He lives right above me. I’m in room 206, and he’s in 306. I don’t know why he hasn’t moved out, even though he’s an Imperial Knight now. This place is far from the Imperial Palace.
‘Does he lack money too, like me?’
How could he lack money with a Knight’s salary? He should stop buying so many handkerchiefs. Tsk tsk.
“Academy junior? Is that all, woof?”
“What else would there be?”
I said that and turned around, but the empty bed greeted me. The open window creaked.
“What? The Maltese left?”
Did it leave without saying goodbye?
‘I thought he would try to persuade me more.’
He gives up quickly, woof.
“Ughhh!”
I’m tired. I stretched and left the boarding house. Normally, I crash immediately after coming home from work, but I stayed up late because of the dog yesterday, so I’m still sleepy.
“I’m thirsty, but! I should drink water when I get to work!” Earning money while drinking water.
“I should wash my face when I get to work, too!” Earning money while washing my face.
“Ugh, it’s cold.”
It’s almost spring, so why hasn’t the weather warmed up yet? I complained and pulled my collar closer.
“I want to wear new clothes.”
If I get my diploma and pass the Imperial Civil Service exam, I’ll buy one.
Vowing that, I walked for a full 30 minutes to the clothing shop, washed my face, and changed into my uniform. What was reflected in the mirror was the look of a common clothing shop employee you could see anywhere.
‘Yes. This is my reality. Not some Magic Saintess from 950 years ago.’
I laughed inwardly and went down to the first floor to prepare for opening.
“…?”
But the atmosphere was strange.
“What’s wrong, Elly? Why are you crying?”
The youngest employee, Elly, was sobbing, surrounded by other colleagues who were fussing over her. Just then, the manager who oversees the employees appeared from behind. And—
