Idle Life of a Saintess - Chapter 18
The banquet was boring.
After rummaging through the food and receiving a few greetings, Gabriel suggested that they leave, just as she was getting tired.
Hearing that, Noah’s face lit up with joy.
Gabriel laughed and escorted Noah.
After briefly greeting the emperor and his wife, they left, and the other controllers quietly followed. It wasn’t ordered by anyone, as if they had an agreement.
A group of Paladins also left their seats. This included Lan Alcaray, who was rumored to be engaged to Princess Kyria.
It was definitely a banquet for the subjugation of the demon dragon, and the people who would participate in the subjugation were supposed to be the protagonists, but instead, they were awkward and uncomfortable. They were jealous of each other, and were engaged in a battle of nerves.
It was such a strange banquet for Noah.
“Noah-nim.”
“Yes?”
Gabriel spoke as he led Noah into the room.
“If you return from this subjugation, it will create a good environment for you to be a professor at the Divine Power Training Center.”
“Ah.”
“You don’t even have to take a separate test. Currently, among the professors at the training center, there is no one who can manifest their divine power through prayer.”
“Is that so?”
“Even if it’s not, since you’re a priestess who has been to the demon dragon subjugation, wouldn’t they welcome you?”
Gabriel’s words excited Noah.
“The purpose of the establishment of the Divine Power Training Center is to cultivate divine power. How could they hate the recruitment of talented people with diverse and powerful abilities?”
A smile crept across her lips. Noah nodded.
“Actually, Teacher Dina said that she also went to subdue demon dragons several times, so I secretly admired her when I was a student at the training center.”
When Dina’s name appeared in Noah’s mouth, Gabriel was a little taken aback. But he didn’t show any outward foolishness.
Gabriel added nonchalantly.
“After this Urvas subjugation, there will be many students who will admire Noah-nim.”
“Ahhh……”
Noah cupped her cheeks with both hands.
She was embarrassed to hear that there would be students who would admire her. But it was also true that she felt good.
“Ah! How did you know that I wanted to be a professor at the Divine Power Training Center?”
When Noah asked back, Gabriel laughed.
“We have arrived, Noah-nim.”
They happened to be in front of Noah’s room. Gabriel said goodbye as if he knew the conversation would end here.
“Take a good rest, because it looks like we’ll be leaving soon.”
When Gabriel bowed his head in goodbye, Noah also gave an awkward goodbye.
‘As expected, Priestess Lina must have told Gabriel-nim separately?’
The position of Saintess was heavy, but she was determined to cheer up. Noah stared at Gabriel for a long time as he moved away before quietly entering the room.
***
“Welcome, Sir Alcaray.”
Lan raised his fist to his chest and bowed his head in the way of a knight’s greeting.
Gabriel opened his mouth only after he had returned and offered tea to Lan.
“I am well aware of Sir Alcaray’s devotion.”
“…….”
“So I have a favor to ask of you in this subjugation.”
Lan lifted his head and looked at Gabriel.
“As you may have seen at this banquet, Princess Kyria seems to be uncomfortable with the Saintess.”
Lan didn’t take his eyes off him.
“I heard that there is talk of you getting engaged to Princess Kyria.”
“My will is not included.”
Lan said firmly.
Gabriel replied with a soft smile.
“I suppose so. Sir Alcaray is deeply devoted and has no intention of marrying a woman who is not.”
Aranta’s noble daughter would never enter Lan Alcaray’s eyes. Because they have different religions.
Lan — in Gabriel’s judgment — was unexpectedly well-adapted to this place and was interested in the doctrine and was loyal to the Church.
Under these circumstances, no matter how much Juliet planned to marry Kyria to him, Lan would not accept it.
Lan Alcaray was a paladin to the bone[1].
“Since Sir Alcaray grew up as a member of the imperial family, I think a political marriage is unavoidable……”
“The highest priority for me is the will of Elohim.”
Gabriel smiled at the confession of the fanatic. His fanaticism was sometimes helpful, and sometimes uncomfortable.
“The important thing is that…… people who do not know the devotion of Sir may cause unnecessary sparks to fly on the Saintess.”
“What……?”
“Sir Alcaray has been a member of the imperial family since birth, so he must have never experienced it.”
Gabriel looked at Lan with a soft smile. He will never understand for the rest of his life.
“What do you mean?”
“Some people value lineage. For those people who value lineage, the presence of the Saintess is uncomfortable.”
“…….”
Lan then shut his mouth.
“In particular, Princess Kyria, who is going to the subjugation as the representative of Entria, will be even more uncomfortable with the Saintess. So, I ask you. Sir Alcaray, please show your interest in Princess Kyria in this subjugation.”
Lan did not answer.
“Be kind and take care of her.”
“I am a paladin of the Church.”
“That is why. Affectionately keep an eye on Princess Kyria.”
“……!”
“The princess is a representative of the wizards. Therefore, Sir Alcaray, keep an eye on her, and let us know if you notice any suspicious situations.”
“Suspicious…… situations?”
“Yes.”
Gabriel smiled.
“It’s difficult to blindly trust that princess.”
“Were there any suspicious situations?”
Lan’s question was sharper than he thought. It was tiring.
“Yes, there is.”
“May I ask you what exactly?”
Gabriel rubbed his chin with his right hand.
He thought about using someone else for a second, but…… As expected, Lan Alcaray was needed.
“Was Sir Alcaray’s divine power healing?”
“Yes.”
His ability was indispensable in this subjugation. There were other priests with healing powers, but Lan was the only one who could protect himself while exerting the most powerful ability.
Above all, there was no way Entria would attack him, as there was talk of his engagement to Princess Kyria.
“In the Church, my ability as a controller is known as persuasion. Well, it’s true that persuasion is one of my abilities, so it’s not wrong, but to be precise, it’s just one of my many abilities.”
Gabriel looked at Lan and opened his mouth.
“One of the greatest abilities that has yet to be known to others is……”
Very few knew about this divine power.
Telling Lan Alcaray about this would take a bit of a risk, but it was necessary now.
“It’s ‘foresight.’”
“……!”
Gabriel had a troubled smile on his lips.
At first, Gabriel did not intend to make a naïve, feeble priestess like Noah a saintess. Such was Gabriel’s original personality.
He thought he could clean up this Urvas subjugation on his own. What was the need for another controller?
But his ability told him.
Call the controllers from all over the country. Among them, there is a person who should be taken as the representative of the Church.
It was not even someone’s whisper. It was not always felt. It just passed by at unintentional moments. Intensely.
Gabriel knew.
He should.
It was the same when he first met Noah.
‘To make such a weak woman a saintess?’
He didn’t understand it in his head, but his ability said so.
If you don’t take that priestess with you in this subjugation, you will die. Countless people will also cross the river of death.
So make sure you take her.
As a ‘Saintess’.
‘…… Why?’
But there was no answer to why. It just had to be her. With the passage of time, he will naturally know.
That whisper was ‘foresight’, one of Gabriel’s many divine powers.
Gabriel did not understand his abilities. Rather, it was Pope Benie who first understood his ability and took care of Gabriel.
｢God knows human vulnerability well. The more powerful the ability, the more He does not let humans control it at will.｣
He said while stroking the anxious Gabriel’s head.
｢Because He knows how great a misfortune will befall when humans control too strong abilities at will.｣
‘Foresight’ showed many directions through Gabriel. Not the path Gabriel himself wanted, but the way for more people to survive.
This subjugation of Urvas was also a manifestation of such foresight. To save more people.
“Sir must escort Princess Kyria until we capture Urvas. But if something suddenly happens during the subjugation of Urvas…….”
“What do you mean……?”
“As you know, the key to this plan of subjugation is for me to put Urvas to rest and all the Paladins to unite and cut the head of Urvas.”
Lan nodded. This was something Gabriel had said over and over again in front of the Paladins who were going to the subjugation.
“But, if, in the process I get seriously hurt……”
Gabriel unknowingly paused for a moment, and then spoke again.
“…… If I die.”
Lan looked directly at Gabriel. That didn’t sound funny unless Gabriel’s ‘foresight’ ability made him know that.
“Could it be…….”
“No. This is not confirmed by my foresight. It is just to be prepared for any contingency.”
“Yes.”
“In that case, Sir Alcaray, protect the Saintess. In my absence, the only one who can put Urvas to rest is the Saintess.”
Gabriel let out a small sigh.
“I would have liked to have brought someone else with me if I could, but there is no one else to put the dragon to rest except the Saintess and me.”
Dina Ehrenberg was not in the physical condition to travel long distances. And there was no way he could take the Pope to the subjugation.
With all the other priests and controllers combined, Gabriel and Noah were the only ones who could put the dragon to rest.
“I follow the words of His Eminence.”
As if responding to Gabriel’s sigh-like confession, Lan’s voice rang out.
***
“Saintess, the postcards commemorating the subjugation of Urvas have been released!”
It seemed that Lina was already familiar with the word saintess.
“Ah.”
Noah smiled awkwardly and looked at the postcard Lina had handed her.
“Uh, this is…….”
“Isn’t that an image that fits well with the saintess?”
“I think it’s glorified a lot, doesn’t it?”
Against the backdrop of a pretty floral pattern, there was the image of the Saintess who had elegantly closed her eyes and wore a white veil over her pink hair.
They were completely different people, but with the same hair color.
The one in the postcard was an elegant and innocent beautiful girl…….
This was a very…….
“Different person?”
TL Notes:
[1] “To the bone” means all the way through, or through and through.