Chapter 09
Heines cleared his throat awkwardly at Rayhas’s words and turned his gaze away. His eyes landed on the long sword hanging on the wall.
“Th-That…”
The oppressive killing intent that Rayhas deliberately released made Heines tense up.
Heines faltered for a moment, rolling his eyes before speaking.
“I merely came here to express my wish that you would consult with me as well before making such decisions.”
Rayhas stared at him without answering, and Heines muttered in a timid voice to himself.
“And also… I was simply bewildered because the Saintess, who has not even properly performed her duties as a Saintess once, is trying to abuse her authority. Of course, High Priest Rayhas has the qualifications to dismiss someone, but the Saintess, unfortunately…”
Heines cleared his throat and, in an attempt to avoid directly criticizing Rayhas, shifted the direction of his complaints toward the Saintess instead.
“I was too busy with my duties as a priest to notice.”
“The High Priest also thinks the same as I do—”
“That the discipline of Elium has deteriorated to this extent.”
When Rayhas’s gaze became even colder and turned toward him, Heines realized he had made a mistake.
“How truly disrespectful.”
“High Priest!”
“When a person has too much free time, they tend to entertain foolish thoughts. Even if they are priests who serve the gods.”
Although the Saintess was someone Rayhas had brought in himself, he had never once defended her when complaints about her laziness surfaced.
But today, Rayhas was looking at Heines with an unbearably cold gaze.
“I heard something unusual happened at the Ares Mine. Monsters have appeared, and a dark energy was said to be flowing from there.”
“H-High Priest…”
Heines’s face stiffened.
The Ares Mine was extremely far away, and once someone began a patrol mission there, no one knew when they would be able to return to Elium. On top of that, the environment there was notoriously harsh.
“I am too old and frail to…”
“I order the Chief Priest to personally investigate.”
Rayhas’s firm voice struck Heines’s ears.
Heines deeply regretted letting his tongue slip so carelessly.
A day spent as the Saintess passed by at a moderate pace.
Today as well, thanks to Hessed’s blessing, I read books and took a walk through the garden behind the temple.
The gods, who had been enthusiastically debating, seemed to have taken a nap, as they remained quiet for quite some time.
Then, in the late afternoon, while I was preparing myself with the help of the maids before heading to the Imperial Palace, a sudden commotion broke out outside.
“What is going on?”
“One of the priestesses is insisting that she has something to tell you, Saintess.”
“She has something to tell me?”
Curious, I spoke to the maid.
“Bring her in. I’ll hear what she has to say.”
A moment later, a familiar priestess entered, following behind the maids.
She had short navy-blue hair and wore a plain, dark sky-blue uniform.
She was the novice priestess I had met in the temple library a few days ago.
Seeing me surrounded by the maids, the girl immediately knelt before me.
“You seem to be the novice priestess I met before. What brings you here?”
At my question, she slightly raised her head and looked up at me.
She looked around sixteen years old, even younger than me in this world.
“I would like to serve the Saintess by your side.”
At those words, I stared into her black eyes for a long while.
“I wasn’t even able to properly thank you back then. The favor you showed me…”
“I’ll accept your thanks.”
I cut her off and spoke firmly.
“But I’m fine with just the maids.”
Normally, the Saintess had several priestesses accompanying her in addition to the maids who attended to her.
However, the reason Rayhas had not assigned any priestesses to me was obvious.
I was not the real Saintess, and there was a risk that the priestesses would discover the truth.
Therefore, unlike priestesses who possessed divine power and worked as clergy members, Rayhas had assigned me maids who simply worked for wages and had no divine abilities.
“B-But!”
“And the reason I helped you back then was simply because that bastard was blocking the bookshelf I needed.”
I spoke to her in a calm voice.
Words like “I’m grateful that you came” would not help this girl.
I spoke to the novice priestess in a cold and stern tone.
“Now, could you leave? As you can see, I’m busy.”
However, Daisy still looked at me with a determined expression.
A faint moisture gathered in her eyes.
“Even so, I want to serve the Saintess.”
I let out a small sigh and decided to dismiss the maids for a moment.
“Listen.”
Only after we were left alone did I speak to her.
“There was a girl named Annie who had served me closely for a long time.”
Daisy, still kneeling on the floor, looked up at me.
I could tell she was fundamentally different from Annie, but becoming my personal priestess was another matter entirely.
“And recently, she died. She was struck by a sword.”
At those words, Daisy’s eyes trembled.
“Why do you think she died?”
I approached Daisy and looked down at her while lifting her chin.
I did not enjoy frightening children, but sometimes it was necessary.
“…”
“She died because she spoke carelessly in front of me.”
Daisy’s eyes shook violently.
I could clearly see fear settling into those black eyes.
“Even an experienced maid died. How long do you think a novice priestess like you would survive?”
Daisy’s eyebrows trembled.
I thought she had understood enough.
Straightening my back, I looked at her, expecting her to run away as fast as she could.
But Daisy clenched her fists tightly and stared at the floor for a moment.
Then, she suddenly raised her head and looked directly at me.
“Even so, I still want to serve you, Saintess!”
I was genuinely startled by her words.
Did she not understand that I had just said she could die?
“I grew up as an orphan, and even protecting my own body was incredibly difficult. I was lucky enough to become a novice priestess, so I thought I finally had power.”
“…”
“But I was wrong.”
Her voice trembled.
“When that man harassed me, I could do nothing but endure it. My situation was so miserable that I wanted to die. I hated myself for still being the same powerless person.”
For a moment, I remembered my past life.
It had not been some beautiful fairy tale.
“I have never once… truly never once received an apology from another noble.”
Her tightly clenched fists shook.
“Even if they were the ones who slapped me first, I was the one who had to apologize. But the day that young master apologized to me…”
Her voice grew quieter.
“That was when I realized that it wasn’t my fault.”
I remained silent.
“At that moment, the Saintess’s appearance was like a single ray of light to me.”
Her eyes shone with unwavering determination.
“You were the ideal I had always dreamed of… the person I wanted to become.”
Daisy looked up at me with firm resolve.
“Even if I become a priestess, I will spend my entire life serving the gods. If I am going to dedicate myself to someone and serve them…”
She lowered her head.
“I want that person to be you, Saintess.”
“…”
“Although I am afraid that I might die because I fail to please you while serving you…”
Her eyes burned with determination.
“…I will try not to die.”
The sight of her…
Perhaps it was because she resembled the miserable version of myself from my past life, the one who desperately tried to survive no matter what.
A strange feeling welled up inside my chest.
“I am not the person you think I am.”
I was merely a fake Saintess.
Someone who would soon leave the temple.
Yet even after my cold rejection, Daisy did not waver.
“It doesn’t matter what kind of person you are, Saintess.”
She bowed down before me again.
“So please accept me!”
Watching her press her forehead almost completely against the floor, I let out a small sigh.
A priestess, huh.
They were better educated than maids.
They were also in a better position, possessing divine power.
“What family are you from?”
I asked Daisy.
She quickly lifted her head and answered.
“The Saint Coast Viscount family. My parents passed away, and I was adopted by my maternal uncle and registered under his family name.”
After thinking for a moment, I spoke.
“If you serve me, not only your life but also the survival of your family could be put at risk. Even knowing that, is your request unchanged?”
“I don’t care.”
Daisy answered without hesitation.
She must have been thoroughly exhausted by the family that adopted her.
After a long silence, I finally opened my lips.
“If you regret this later, it will be too late.”
Since she was willing to accept the consequences, there was no reason for me to continue refusing.
Having someone I could trust and use as my own hands and feet would not be a bad thing.
“Thank you, Saintess!”
Daisy lowered her head and exclaimed.
