Chapter 4
Datian’s Sincerity
“It breaks my heart to think that I’m the one who made our knight order like this.”
Datian suddenly began to sob out loud. As a grown man cried like a child, both those feeding the patients and those eating stopped what they were doing. While everyone was awkwardly watching, I approached Datian and held both of his hands. I could feel the warm body heat of a living person.
“It’s alright, Datian. You did your best. This didn’t happen because you’re a bad person.”
Datian sniffled loudly and kept crying. The inside of the tent gradually became filled with sorrow, and now even the knights in the tent had tears brimming in their eyes.
“Thank you.”
Only after crying for a long time did Datian speak in a completely hoarse voice. At that moment, a status window appeared above Datian’s head as well.
[Chef of the First Knights Templar Datian: Favorability 30]
Thirtyādouble Cassian’s? I lowered my gaze and looked into Datian’s eyes. He had the look of someone receiving a deity. Th-this seems dangerous. I quickly let go of Datian’s hands, which I had been holding until then.
[A favorability rating of 50 or higher will cause them to blindly worship you as a Saintess.]
What? Then isn’t someone at Datian’s level dangerous? I stepped a bit further away from Datian. Without knowing why, Datian just kept sniffling. Standing in front of him with my arms crossed, I asked.
“Now then, I’m your superior now, right?”
After that day, Datian treated me almost like a god, claiming that the knights came back to life whenever my hands touched them, and even when I loaded their plates with mixed grains and heaps of unknown greens, the knights ate every bit with sparkling eyes, calling it ‘the Saintess’s healing meal.’
However, there was just one exception: Knight Commander Cassian.
“Saintess, I really… I truly cannot eat these green leaves.”
Cassian said, turning pale as he looked at the seasoned spinach placed in the corner of his plate.
“Commander, if you don’t eat this, you won’t be able to see during the next night subjugation and a magical beast will rip your head off, you know?”
“That’s impossible! My swordsmanship is the finest in the kingdom…”
“There’s no champion against vitamins. Now, open wide.”
As I approached with a fork in hand, the knight commander who once roamed the battlefield flinched and backed away. The surrounding knights chuckled as they watched the scene.
When I forcibly shoved the spinach into his mouth, [Favorability +2] popped up above Cassian’s head.
Why is his favorability going up when he hates it? Does this guy actually enjoy being picked on?
And so, I became the proud mother of the First Knights Templar’s kitchen.
So this is what real power feels like. With just a flick of my finger, everyone bowed their heads calling me ‘Saintess.’ Goodness. Receiving treatment similar to what the director got back in the cafeteria made my whole body itch with embarrassment.
Datian faithfully stepped down from being the ‘person-in-charge’ to the ‘assistant’ of the kitchen, staying true to our bet. On top of that, he absorbed the nutritional knowledge I pointed out like a sponge.
A week after changing the knight order’s diet to focus on mixed grains and vegetables, a miraculous change occurred.
Asel and the other members, who couldn’t even walk because their legs were swollen like elephant legs, woke up in the morning and began running around the training grounds. Even the symptoms of shortness of breath that disrupted their sleep at night completely disappeared.
“Saintess! Look at this! My ankle bones are finally visible!”
Asel cheered like a child while rolling up his pant legs. I checked above his head.
[Knight Templar Asel: Thiamine Level 95% (Normal)]
“You’re fully cured. Still, you shouldn’t eat only white rice for the time being. Got it?”
“Of course! If it’s something given by the Saintess, I’ll chew and eat stones from now on!”
At Asel’s shout, the knights who had been patients running alongside him expressed their gratitude to me one after another. Appearing out of nowhere swinging a ladle, Datian brandished it wildly at the members.
“You brats! If your bodies are all healed, go on the subjugation together!”
The members scattered in a flash. Watching them dash into their respective tents was quite hilarious.
“So, Saintess. There is something I must tell you.”
Only then did Datian speak quietly. What could it be that he’s hesitating like this?
“Yes, Datian. Go ahead.”
“I heard that the Saintess wishes to return to your original world…”
Ah, right. I came here while frying pancakes. Looking at the recovered patients with satisfaction, I didn’t even realize how much time had passed. The original world I had forgotten about flickered before my eyes.
The neon signs glowing through the window at night, the piping hot fried chicken ordered late at night. Just thinking about it made my heart flutter. Above all, I missed my parents who were waiting for me so very much.
Trying hard to hold back the lump in my throat, I asked Datian cautiously.
“I can go back, right?”
“Actually… I looked for a way, but… um. It seems impossible.”
Clang. A shock as if I had been struck in the head spread through my entire body like electricity.
“This isn’t what was promised!”
“That’s…, you should speak with Commander Cassian for details…”
“Guide me quickly.”
“You mean right now?”
“Of course right this instant!”
A shrunken Datian walked ahead of me. When we arrived at a tent hung with medals different from ordinary tents, Commander Cassian raised his head. Pushing past Datian who was ahead, I snapped at Cassian in a feigned angry voice.
“Commander! What is all this about! You’re saying I can’t go back?!”
Cassian cleared his throat as he rolled up the map he was looking at.
“Ah, well… The sanctuary is non-functional.”
“The sanctuary?”
“In other words, the sanctuary that summoned the Saintess… is not working.”
I glared at the commander.
“Isn’t that something I’ll only know once I go look?”
“Saintess, oh dear. The sanctuary shines with light. Right now, it gives off no light whatsoever.”
Datian said, clutching his chef’s hat tightly with both hands. But I couldn’t believe it until I saw it with my own eyes.
“I still want to go check.”
Cassian tossed the map onto a pile of documents.
“Understood. Still, do not hold too much expectation.”
The sanctuary we arrived at truly had no light at all. Even so, wouldn’t it work if I climbed onto the highest altar just like when I was summoned? I quickly stepped up onto the altar.
Once I finally made it to the top, I could feel that the air was crisp and clear. It was a strange phenomenon for a place that wasn’t even that high up. I squeezed my two fists tightly and shut my eyes tight. Then, I desperately shouted in my heart.
God, or if there is no God, a being equivalent to God. Please let me return to my original world where there is fried chicken and my parents!
“…”
“…”
“…”
Contrary to my wish, surprisingly, nothing happened. From far away, the strange cry of a bird could be heard. It was a cackling sound as if mocking me.
“I told you Commander Cassian was not telling a lie…”
Only Datian’s dwindling voice echoed around.
Returning to the camp with heavy footsteps, I sat on a large rock near the campfire in the rest area. Deep sighs kept coming out. Whenever knights tried to approach and flatter me, Datian dragged them away by their ears one by one.
I just stared down at the campfire until sunset. What do I do now? What should I do? All sorts of thoughts pecked away at my mind.
Behind the edge of the campfire where I was sitting, a rustling sound came from the bushes.
When I whipped my head around to look back, the tall bushes were moving with a dry rustle. My breath caught in my throat. Right. There were magical beasts around here. The knights had come here to subjugate those beasts.
I shouldn’t have stayed away by myself. I shouldn’t have been sitting here staring mournfully at the fire.
Just as tears were about to swell up, the bush split right down the middle, and the entity making the noise revealed itself.
