Saint, You're So Vulgar! – Chapter 10
That sharp pain took exactly two days to fully fade.
In truth, there were ways to heal it with Divine Power and the like, but Asher chose not to.
It wouldn't build any muscle!
...Wow.
It's important! Your body is far too frail, Saintess! Sure, your vast Divine Power can suppress any illness, but health without the stamina to back it up is meaningless!
Asher's face was beaming with brightness.
It came from the pain finally being goneand the pride of having endured it.
It felt like he'd gone back to his early training days.
The sense of accomplishment was something you couldn't emphasize enough.
Anyway, today was the day of the final inspection.
Asher could now naturally take the half-step stride Versia had described.
He'd grown less embarrassed about mimicking her speech patterns in front of others.
In fact, he was starting to worry that if he got too used to these habits, what would he do when he switched back.
Of course, that was a problem for later.
Asher stepped out of the church alongside Versia, striding forth with dignified poise.
The medical service itself hadn't taken long at all.
Why would it? With her uncontrollable vast Divine Power, a single prayer healed the entire village.
So they hadn't even gathered the people together.
They'd just told everyone to stay within the village bounds, and this one was no different.
Still, some folks are coming out to see us.
Haha, how often do people get to see the Saintess in person?
But the person inside that Saintess is someone else.
...Sometimes, it's better not to know certain truths.
A strange guilt welled up, and Asher turned his head away.
Versia whispered at the sight.
Even if you became the real thing like this, I'd accept it.
No thanks!
Why not? It suits you. Haven't you gotten used to this woman's body by now?
It doesn't suit me at all! I'm a knight who endured grueling training...!
Look, here come the sick folks. Time to do your job, Miracle Saintess.
She was a master at changing the subject.
Asher wiped the grumbling look off his face and composed himself.
What met his eyes were the villagers' faces, alight with joy.
Ooh! The Miracle Saintess!
Ooh! Parent God above!
He shouldn't get used to reactions like this.
Yet Asher swallowed the hollow feeling rising inside and flashed a bright smile.
Then he knelt and clasped his hands.
Let us pray.
The villagers knelt as well.
They began reciting their individual prayers, creating a solemn atmosphere.
Asher unleashed his Divine Power from the center of it all.
Whoooosh!
Golden radiance flooded the space.
The light wrapped around everything in existence, spreading out until it enveloped the entire village.
The healing prayer stimulated their life force.
Precise control to keep the halo from appearing, and a solid foundation to keep the prayer from collapsing.
Ahh!
Exclamations echoed from all around.
Some shed tears at the rising warmth.
And so the prayer ended.
It had lasted just over ten minutes, but the power within the Divine Power had delved deep into their bodies, successfully healing them from the inside out.
Any minor ailments were surely gone, and they wouldn't have to worry about infections or lingering illnesses for a good while.
Once everything was done.
The branch priest drew the holy sign and expressed his gratitude to Asher.
Asher smiled softly, bid him farewell, and prepared to leave the village.
It was already late afternoon.
By the time they got back to the church, the sun might have set.
Asher stretched.
Ahh, we're finally done.
Good work. Now we just collect our pay.
Ah, right, that's why we started this whole thing.
Asher let out a hearty laugh.
Halfway through, I forgot all about it with everything going oncontrolling the Divine Power, tending to the patients...
But it had been a fulfilling journey, without a doubt.
As a Holy Knight, he rarely had opportunities for this kind of service.
Suddenly, memories of the past surfaced.
Being part of a militant order, we were mostly deployed for things like purging hereticssupporting troops and such. Taking care of the Parent God's flock was always the priests' domain.
He knew he shouldn't harbor such thoughts given his duties, but he'd once wished to join in caring for the people from that position.
Asher confessed it to her like a penance.
But her response wasn't the heartwarming one he'd imagined.
Maybe you should've been the Saintess instead of a knight?
Pardon?
Just... you seem like a natural-born woman.
Wo...! W-Watch your language!
Does this woman have some disease that makes her incapable of speaking without crude words?
Asher glared at her in utter disbelief, and Versia dug in her ear.
He let out a hollow laugh.
Don't do that in public! It's not proper!
Quit nagging me. Are you my mom, knight?
If you acted in a way that didn't make the Saintess nag, there'd be no problem!
Guys don't like women who nag like that.
I'm not a woman! I don't need popularity! I'm a man! A knight of the Parent God!!!
The ones who say that always end up corrupted, not knowing jack about the Parent God anymore, master...
Don't you dare! Say that again and I'll really get mad! For real! And keep your hand away from my crotch!!!
Kyah! Asher bared his teeth.
His eyebrows twitched furiously.
Trembling with rage as he glaredthis was the strongest warning Asher could muster right now.
Versia smirked at the corner of her mouth.
That was the moment.
S-Saintess!!! Please wait a moment!!!
Asher froze.
He turned to see a man from the village running toward them, voice choked with sobs.
Asher's head tilted in confusion.
The man soon arrived, dropped to his knees, and gasped for breath as he spoke in a trembling voice.
P-Please! Just take another look at my father! He definitely touched the miracle, but there's no improvement!!!
Asher and Versia exchanged glances.
They instantly grasped what the man's words meant.
Their expressions darkened slightly.
* * *
The Parent God sent his servants to this land, enabling them to wield his power, Divine Power.
It was his mercy, a consideration that he wished his gracewhich shaped this worldto be close to his creations. Thus, the church and its priests came to be.
Their purpose was singular.
Nothe one thing the Parent God sought to achieve through them was to proclaim, amid a ceaselessly changing world, that there existed one unchanging value.
To let them know he was watching over them.
And so the priests wield the Parent God's grace.
In other words, they dispense the providence planned by the Parent God.
Which meant,
His time has come.
Even they could not handle anomalies outside the Parent God's design.
Versia spoke in Asher's stead.
She'd gone to the man's house and fixed her gaze on the old man lying in bed before giving her answer.
A miracle can heal the sick, but it cannot twist the providence planned by the Parent God. This is not an illnessit's the natural order.
N-No way...!
I'm sorry.
As mentioned before, Divine Power is the force that guides the world according to the Parent God's design.
When the God shaped this land, he created the cycle of birth and death, change and evolution.
Through it, the world does not stagnate but ceaselessly shifts its form.
It is precisely because nothing is eternal that fleeting moments shine so brilliantly in succession.
It was an extension of that perspective.
The old man's lifespan had reached its end.
He had arrived at the very edge of the life allotted to him by God.
Restoring him at this point would defy the natural order.
It would be resurrectiona defiance of heaven.
Priests and the church are those who eradicate such defiance from the world.
They reject strange spells, magic, and cultists they don't mimic their deeds.
The man despaired.
Amid it all, Versia checked Asher's expression.
The Asher she knew was a soft-hearted, naive Holy Knight who couldn't just stand by and watch something like this.
He might even be feeling uncomfortable in this atmosphere.
Surprised anew at her own consideration for others, Versia tried to lead Asher away.
But she couldn't.
Saintess, there's nothing more we can do here...
Yes.
Asher lifted his head.
He smiled wryly and straightened his back.
And then,
Whoooosh!
He unfurled the prayer once more.
The one that blanketed the entire village with his signature golden glow, beyond even his own control.
...?
The moment Versia felt puzzled.
The man's eyes widened hugely.
The old man's breathing had eased.
Could it be that it had driven away his illness?
Knowing better than anyone that it was impossible, Versia's face hardened.
But her guess was wrong.
I've eased his pain. At least he won't fall asleep in agony.
...!
Asher spoke softly but firmly.
As if to say he could do no more.
Only then did Versia realize the nature of the prayer.
Ah.
The Prayer of Repose.
One she'd only heard of, never usedit solely erased pain from the dying.
How?
How could he think of such a prayer on the spot?
It was so rarely needed.
One you wouldn't even know existed unless you sought it out.
As Versia pondered in bewilderment.
The man worked his lips.
He stared at the old man in stunned shock.
...Ah. Ah.
The man trembled violently and grasped the old man's hand.
Tears welled up in his eyes.
Despair deepened.
To him, Asher said,
Brother.
Uh, ah...
Brother.
Asher rose from his spot.
He placed a hand on the man's shoulder.
The life was draining from the man's face.
Asher spoke to him.
Are you just going to cry like that?
W-What do you...!
It's your father. Through my prayer, he's forgotten his pain. He probably won't live much longer, but he'll surely regain his senses in the time he has left.
The man's face stiffened.
His eyes flew wide open, nearly tearing, as he turned to the old man.
Asher admonished him like a stern teacher.
At the very least, the last thing your father wants to see won't be your tears.
That resoluteness made Versia feel a renewed sense of unfamiliarity toward Asher.