Saint, You're So Vulgar! – Chapter 8
From that day forward, Asher devoted himself completely to training.
The frustration of not being able to use the skills he'd honed his entire life was a secondary issue.
More than anything, a single remark from Versiaone that dug right into his insecuritiesignited his motivation like wildfire.
-Even for a reason like that, if you don't use it, there's no place for a knight like you, right?
That was right!
Asher, in Versia's body, was utterly useless!
If things continued like this, he'd really end up as nothing more than a plaything for her word gamesno other role whatsoever!
The despair Asher felt in that moment was beyond words.
For Asher, who had spent half his life racing toward the goal of standing by her side forever, this was despair equivalent to the world crumbling away.
'This won't do!'
With that thought, he spent the entire day researching divine power.
Of course, it wasn't easy.
Asher had always been a holy knight who focused on physical techniques rather than prayer arts.
The reason was simple: his total divine power was pathetically low compared to others.
Whether it was innate talent or not, no matter how hard he tried, Asher's divine power barely grew.
Holy Knight Captain Sir Whale had even told him, "You're at least a prodigy in that regard. Don't waste time chasing moreinstead, hone your physical prowess, where you excel."
Of course, Asher hadn't given up because of that.
He'd found his own method through grueling asceticism.
But that method only worked in his original body.
To put it in terms of his current situation:
The sensation of wielding divine power in his original body was like drawing water from a well with a bucket.
But now, the scale was entirely different.
'...An ocean.'
Versia's divine power was a vast sea.
And drawing it out to use was like scooping the ocean into a basin, then tilting the basin to pour.
The very mechanism was different, and that's where Asher hit his limit.
"Nngh...!"
This immense ocean rejected control with its overwhelming mass.
When he inputted a prayer, it surged like waves, expanding wildly on its own.
Even breathing in and out once was grueling labor.
But Asher Terbion.
The top-ranked knight candidate, who prided himself on unmatched tenacity anywhere, finally began to bear small fruit.
Whoosh!
"I-it worked!"
"Wow, congrats."
He'd completed a healing prayer.
Without manifesting a halo, no less.
Of course, as mentioned, it was a "small" achievement.
The result was still enormous.
"But it's too bright. Can you tone it down a bit?"
"..."
The sun had set an hour ago.
Thanks to Asher's completed prayer, the church grounds were bathed in golden light.
Clatter crash bang!
Frantic noises erupted from all directions, and soon scholars and cardinals came rushing breathlessly to Versia's garden.
Holy Knight Captain Sir Whale was among them.
"What happened?!"
From their urgent expressions, they clearly thought it was a crisis.
Asher's pupils shook like there was an earthquake.
Cold sweat dripped down his back.
As he flapped his lips wordlessly, Versia stepped forward.
"She says her divine power surged after the oracle, so she's practicing control."
"...!!! "
"O-ohhh!!!"
Cheers erupted, strong enough to shake the space itself.
"???"
Asher looked up at Versia with a bewildered expression, but she just smiled brightly and brushed it off.
Questions poured in amid the excitement.
"Saintess, what form exactly did the amplification take?!"
"This is huge! An oracle granting divine power! Waitthinking back to the last oracle...!"
"Mud...! Threat...!"
"Uh, um..."
Something was off.
Things were spiraling strangely.
The thought that this could turn into a real disaster made Asher's legs tremble.
It was then.
"First, the Saintess needs rest. Can you all give her some space?"
"Ah! Right you are!"
Versia smoothed things over.
Of course, the seeds she'd sown weren't fully reaped.
"Everyone! To the archives at once! We must dig up precedents and reanalyze the oracle!"
"A-ah! Is a great threat truly coming?!"
The scholars and cardinals shuffled out en masse.
Sir Whale lingered with a somewhat dissatisfied look, but after glancing at Versia, he bowed to Asher and left.
"...Pardon the intrusion. Glad it's nothing serious."
How to describe the feeling of receiving a bow from his mentor and superior?
Asher nodded with a dazed smile, his mind all fuzzy.
"Y-yes...!"
With that, the area quieted down again.
Only then did Asher whip his head around, eyebrows furrowed high, and glare at Versia.
"Saintess! Even so, how could you lie like that?!"
"Pardon?"
"U-using the oracle as some casual excuse! The Parent God might smite you for it!"
This wasn't a joke.
Why would it be? Strictly speaking, saintesses held their position thanks to the special privilege of receiving oracles.
They were recognized by the Parent God as specialand there had been those who lusted after that high seat and faked oracles.
What happened to them?
Every one met divine wrath.
They withered away under the curse of divine power, known as divine punishment.
It didn't spare even those already saintesses.
One from three hundred years ago, who shook the church out of greed, was suspended in midair by chains of divine power, bleeding out until she died.
That could happen here.
As Asher yelled in a panic, Versia grinned slyly.
"Why do you think it's a lie?"
"...Pardon?"
"It could be a real oracle. And her divine power output did rise after the body swap."
Asher blinked.
He mulled over her words carefully, and his face drained of color.
He recalled the oracle's content she'd mentioned as an excuse.
-Mud lies in the path, so clear the promised black thicket to lead the shepherd. Blessings shall shine upon you.
Mud, threat, clear the thicket.
Every word carried heavy implications.
Ifif it really was true...!
"D-danger...!"
"Well, it was a lie, though."
"?"
"I've tried it a few timesno big deal. Fake oracle."
"...?"
"No idea. They just let it slide."
Asher's mouth fell open in an 'ahh' shape.
He had no clue what to believe anymore.
In the midst of that, something occurred to him.
A phrase referring to Versia.
'...The one favored by the world.'
The thought slipped out unconsciously.
If lies got a pass and fabricating divine power displays got overlooked...
'Parent God...'
Asher squeezed his eyes shut.
He prayed inwardly to the Parent God.
'Aren't you spoiling her too much...!'
Even if she was a beloved daughter, raising her so permissively would surely make her spoiled!
Even here, Asher felt a sense of responsibility.
If the Parent God wouldn't discipline her, then he had to guide her properly!
Ah! Maybe the Parent God had thrown him into this trial because directly scolding her would break His heart!
Asher steeled himself.
'Right, if that's the Parent God's will!'
Asher Terbion, the devout top student holy knight who took second place to none in piety.
He made another firm resolution.
"N-no, you still can't use fake oracles!"
"Got it. Then let's say it was real. Whatever."
"That's not something you decide on a whim...!"
"Okay, okay, disperse now. Wash up before bed, okay?"
"Changing the subject won't make it okay!"
"It will."
"?"
"Knight, you're drenched in sweat right now. All that cold sweat..."
Versia scanned Asher's body up and down.
Then she gave a languid, knowing smile.
"You're soaked all over. Maybe other places too..."
"Ack!"
Asher wrapped his arms around himself and jumped back.
...Disciplining her wouldn't be easy.
* * *
There was a minor incident, but Asher's achievement cleared one major hurdle.
The already-scheduled healing service.
Right? If he backed out last-minute with some "changed my mind, not going," Versia's reputation would plummet.
Amid that, he'd succeeded in scaling down a village-covering healing prayer, which was a boon.
It was still visually shocking, but at least no halo meant no chaosAsher could continue the inspections.
Six of the seven assigned cities were done.
Only the last one remained, and by then, Asher sensed his limit.
Not the inspection's limit.
'...Ah, can't shrink it any further.'
He smacked his lips.
He couldn't compress the healing prayer more.
This spawned problems elsewhere.
'At this rate, combat prayers are impossible.'
Uncontrollable power was like a bladewithout a hilt.
Using combat prayers recklessly could injure this body or harm the Versia he was meant to protect.
Asher wasn't foolish enough to covet what he couldn't handle.
Combat prayers sealed, no choice.
A deep frustration welled up, along with a sense of crisis.
'Even if she's always in a safe position...'
There was a reason holy knights were assigned to saintesses despite that.
The position attracted many enemies from the start.
Basic safeguards were essential.
He agonized over it.
And at the end, Asher found a compromise he could live with.
"Saintess, learn self-defense from me!"
If he couldn't protect her, teach her to protect herself.
The best solution Asher could think of.
* * *
Versia narrowed her eyes as she listened to Asher's pitch.
Breaking down his logic:
This body had endured extreme training.
Even if Versia didn't want to, the body would respond to stimuli and learn quickly.
Only simple techniques.
It was for both their sakes, so it had to be done.
Asher embodied unyielding resolve this time.
Eyes wide, arms crossed, shoulders squared.
It looked kinda pathetic since her body wasn't bulky, but oh well.
She agreed purely out of mischief.
His face lighting up the instant she did was pretty funny.
Then he challenged her to spar.
"Among the martial arts I learned, there's one that subdues foes regardless of strength difference! It's called..."
"The honey trap?"
"Ow!"
"But hitting my body with my own body would be self-harm. Asking for self-harmquite the masochist..."
"Focus!"
Asher's pouty face was hilarious.
A hint of resentment stirred something inside her.
Versia didn't bother suppressing the feeling.
"Wanting to touch each other's bodies all over. Saying no with your mouth while desire drips everywhere..."
"...!"
Asher's hair practically stood on end.
A crooked smile tugged at Versia's lips.
This was far enough.
Push more, and he'd really blow up.
It'd just be sulking-level anger anyway, but still.
Teasing him like this, she'd at least humor a mock spar.
With that thought, Versia slowly extended a fist.
"Fine. Let's spar. Like this?"
It was at that moment.
"This is how it's done."
Asher grabbed her arm with peeved eyes and executed the technique.
Thus, Versia experienced something incomprehensible.
Whoosh!
The world spun.
Precisely, Versia's body did a full turn.
Then came a thud! as it hit the ground.
Her back slammed into the floor.
Versia felt a sharp sting rising from her back.
But she couldn't focus on the pain.
She was just engulfed in bewilderment.
'...How?'
Her gaze filled with questions.
How did this muscleless body flip her heavy, sturdy one?
Without even using divine power.
That was when.
"Don't underestimate me! I was chosen as your bodyguard for a reasonI'm an elite!"
Asher huffed proudly and declared it brightly.
Versia lay there, staring up at him blankly, unmoving.
How long did that moment last?
"...Saintess?"
Asher started glancing nervously, fidgeting anxiously.
He crept closer and asked.
"D-did it hurt a lot? It shouldn't have...?"
Then he squatted down, checking over the prone Versia's body.
His eyes spun in circleshe was utterly flustered.
His usual pathetic expression.
That inexplicable disconnect was too much, and
"...Pfft."
Versia let out a hollow laugh.