Academy Saintess of My Chūni Writing Days

There was a way to handle the shining light bursting from my face since morning. My request to “prepare water tanks in front of the cathedral” had been properly registered, and there were several water tanks filled with clean water in front of the cathedral.

The sight of several large trucks that looked like they would be used to transport fuel at a gas station was impressive, to say the least.

The problem was that the only parking space suitable for such trucks was the wide parking lot in front of the cathedral.

And that parking lot was bustling with people from the morning. Some were already gathered in small groups, praying before entering the cathedral, while others were loudly singing hymns or gossiping about yesterday’s events.

Honestly, it felt more like the entrance of a theme park than the front of a cathedral.

Fortunately, the knights were surrounding the trucks, so there was no risk of people bumping into them.

The real issue was the blinding light radiating from my face. The pure white light, which was completely visible even in the early morning, shone brightly enough for everyone to notice, despite the knights being a head taller than me. No one could miss the rays extending above their heads.

This wasn’t just any ordinary light; it couldn’t be hidden under a hat or mask. It was obvious that the light wouldn’t be caught on camera either, making it impossible to block in any way.

“It’s the Goddess!”

“The light of the Goddess!”

“Goddess!”

Naturally, those who recognized me began fervently calling out to the “Goddess.” From my perspective, I could only hear their voices and had no way to respond to them.

“…”

Still, I wasn’t too keen on appearing in front of everyone. While they couldn’t see my expression with their naked eyes due to the light emanating from my face, if they held up their smartphones, they could easily get a glimpse of my facial expressions. I couldn’t do anything about getting photographed outside, but I hoped to keep some privacy while inside the cathedral.

Without saying a word, I stood in front of the truck, stretched my hand up, and placed it onto the tank.

I didn’t use all my strength but rather adjusted it appropriately. After all, in the past two days, I had been experimenting with my power. While I couldn’t claim perfection in control, I had at least managed to get a grip on two completely different methods, so I could at least prevent an explosive display of power.

Bright light filled my vision, and gasps of admiration came from the crowd.

…To be honest, despite my carefulness, some power did spill over. Fortunately, it didn’t cause all nearby liquids to shine wretchedly around me.

“Could you prepare the same amount of water tomorrow?”

It would probably be better if there was even more, but then there wouldn’t be any parking left for the cathedral. While I was certain they would do so as if it were a given if I asked, I felt a pang of conscience at the thought of completely occupying the parking lot. After all, there would be people driving from afar.

“Yes, we will do so. Should we keep the holy water on our side?”

“…”

Hearing the knight beside me, I glanced up at the lined-up trucks.

“Is there space in the cathedral to store all of this?”

“I’ll check.”

I nodded at the knight’s response.

“If this holy water is deemed harmless to humans and has practical use, please consider distributing it to the people. After all, we’ll have to make this much every day.”

Or perhaps even more than this.

Although it might be manageable for now, who knows what could happen tomorrow or the day after? There wouldn’t be enough space in the cathedral to store water for several trucks.

“Yes, I’ll relay that to the scholars.”

“Thank you.”

I nodded back very slightly to the knight who bowed deeply and quickly stepped away from the spot.

Even as I departed, people were still chanting my name.

*

“…Rina?”

After arriving at the academy in the morning, I did the usual class cleaning, received greetings from Selena that “I was even more divine today,” exchanged light greetings with Jian, and chatted briefly with Satsuki as she came in. Regardless of the absurd situation of my face glowing brightly, I guess one would adapt to seeing that for two days. Perhaps it was because my demeanor hadn’t changed.

“That thing that happened last night was because of you, right?”

When Satsuki asked, I could only nod. It was indeed something I had done.

“I thought so.”

Satsuki said this with a hint of amusement, but I, in turn, couldn’t manage a smile.

“Was there any problem with the water at home?”

When I asked with a serious expression, Satsuki shrugged and answered.

“Well, since it was your doing, I figured it wouldn’t have any major effects. The morning news reported several miraculous healings, so I used it without any special worries.”

“You drank it?”

“I had to eat breakfast. There wasn’t any problem with my body. In fact, my skin seems a bit better.”

“There’s no way the holy water, made by the Goddess herself, could be harmful.”

Selena interjected, affirming Satsuki’s statement.

I mean… while it’s nice to be trusted like that, doesn’t my power lean more toward Baal than Ariel?

…Well, it’s fine; still, the emails that came after attending the academy mentioned that there wouldn’t be any problems for the human body. The news had also broadcast that in emergencies, they could use the water, but should use newly fetched ones for now. Still, it was a relief that I had woken up early to commission the theologians for research.

There was also a rumor circulating that cars running on consecrated oil had better fuel efficiency, but we wouldn’t know that for sure until after some thorough inspections.

“Ah, but Clara—”

Jian suddenly remembered something and was about to call me when the classroom door creaked open. Standing outside was none other than Rina.

As soon as she opened the door, she flinched slightly at the attention on her before looking down as soon as our eyes met. Oh ho.

So she had somewhat grasped the impact of her actions from two days ago.

I immediately stood up and strode over to Rina.

“Why, what’s wrong?”

As I got closer and deliberately bent down to look up at her face, Rina was taken aback. The light illuminating her face made her look significantly paler than usual.

“…What did you do after returning to the cathedral the day before yesterday?”

“I d-didn’t do anything special!”

How could someone say they did nothing and then look off into the distance while answering?

I took a deep breath. Then, exhaling long and slow, I tried to calm down. It didn’t help much.

“From what I’ve heard,”

I said slowly, letting the words linger,

“you immediately knelt down and prayed upon arriving at the cathedral, right? Until the Mother Superior sought you out.”

“What’s wrong with a saint praying?”

Rina shouted with an expression of deep injustice.

“…Huh?”

“Who knows about the gods? I’m a born demon! No matter how many comments I get, those beings above me are frightening. Plus, if the usual pitiful opponent is someone on a higher level, wouldn’t you be scared too?”

“Uh…”

I hadn’t thought she would consider it this way.

Looking back, ever since the light appeared on my face, the frequency of people provoking me had indeed decreased considerably. It’s true I had been treated like a goddess to some extent, but… well, there’s a difference between guessing and witnessing firsthand, for sure.

“So I was just praying to feel a little less scared! It’s not like I was planning to do anything to you!”

“…”

Seeing the true sense of injustice radiating from Rina’s expression, I found myself at a loss for words.

“Uh…”

I paused for a moment to choose my words carefully.

“I don’t think you need to worry. No matter what, would anyone even think of messing with someone who’s a messenger of the divine?”

“No, that’s just your perspective. The way the gods view me is completely different from the way I see them.”

Rina said this and let out a deep sigh.

“And… honestly, does it even make sense to fight over who gets to claim they help each other out now? One of us is treated like a goddess, while I’m being seen as a messenger of God in front of others.”

…

That’s definitely a valid point.

“Uh… is that so?”

“…Yeah.”

“…”

Wow, the atmosphere suddenly turned incredibly awkward.

After a while of fumbling, I ultimately had to hold back a deep sigh and say words I truly did not want to.

“…I’m sorry.”

“…No, well, I was panicked too, so I end up saying something important without thinking. I only realized it when the Mother Superior fainted.”

“Well… it can happen if you’re in panic. I tend to stir up trouble too whenever I’m all flustered…”

As we were suddenly having a more low-key conversation, I heard the whispers of students behind us.

“Am I seeing this right? Is it like those two are acknowledging each other’s mistakes and reconciling?”

“Could this be a sign that something massive is about to blow up tomorrow?”

“Shhh, we can hear you.”

…They had already caught on.

*

Using my powers effectively in the morning had some results. The brightness of the light radiating from my face had lessened to the level of the past two days’ mornings. While I was still a bit worried because it wasn’t entirely gone yet.

What kind of joke is this, that it’s hard to see someone standing right next to me?

More amusing was the fact that, as a so-called goddess, I still experience all the physiological phenomena of being human.

Eating meals, drinking water, even needing the bathroom. To be honest, while eating and drinking could be understood, I’d really prefer not having to go to the restroom if I could hold it. It’s been several months since I’ve been in this body, but even now, entering the ladies’ restroom feels extremely awkward. It’s even more awkward if I bump into someone else in there.

Thankfully, Linea and Aurora have been considerate about me being shy, so I’ve been going to the restroom alone, but given the nature of public restrooms, people aren’t just going to leave when they see me coming.

“Ugh.”

And yes, mixed reactions only make going to the restroom even more awkward.

Since I still didn’t know how to properly control my power, the light illuminating my face continues to get brighter and more powerful if I don’t let it out. Just bumping into someone in the hallway makes it seem dramatic, but just imagine encountering someone in the bathroom.

As if any goddess were looking, seriously.

Anyway, as I was exiting the restroom, I met the eyes of a student who happened to catch a glimpse of me, and I slightly bowed my head. After finishing my business, I came out of the restroom and was relieved to find I was alone in there.

Oh great, what a dilemma.

What should I even do if I feel embarrassed whether alone or with others? I can’t just hole up in my room forever, right?

…Of course, if I declared I would, people would help me, but then I wouldn’t be able to graduate from the academy.

As I walked down the hallway, all sorts of thoughts crossed my mind. Although there were students here and there, the moment I walked by, they parted as if parting the Red Sea. No one had the audacity to block the way when a goddess passed by. It only made me feel more awkward.

Trying to escape this situation, I walked as quickly as I could down the open space when someone called out my name.

“Clara!”

I heard someone call my name, followed by the sound of someone holding their breath, likely startled by stopping me by calling the name of a goddess. Of course, I was known for not caring much whether people spoke formally or casually to me at school. My classmates had been outright talking to me informally anyway. They didn’t react much even if I became a saint or a goddess… but still, it was something else entirely to witness that happen right in front of me.

To make it worse, it wasn’t one of the saintesses that often stuck close to me but rather a student from Class A — which made it all the more noticeable.

Turning to look in the direction of the voice, I saw Erica standing there.

Having just heard Erica’s backstory not long ago, I flinched at the sight of her. Luckily, it seemed she was oblivious to my reaction. Still, I was just relieved that the bright light had its advantages.

“Hey, Clara, could we talk for a moment?”

As Erica cautiously approached me, I nodded. Of course, given my knack for blabbing, I probably should’ve refused, but I couldn’t turn down a request from Erica with a face that looked so pitiful.

“Then, let’s find somewhere else to chat…”

Seeing how others were glancing at us seemed to fluster Erica, so she looked around before speaking. I nodded again.

Erica lightly grabbed my right sleeve and led me away, and if I hadn’t followed, her grip would’ve barely managed to hold on.

We ended up in one of the many empty classrooms within this building.

No one followed us. If they had, I’d have probably found that life unbearable by now. Luckily, it was just some students adjusting to me at the academy.

“…”

After a moment of walking in silence, Erica placed her hand over her chest and seemed to be catching her breath, possibly from walking a bit briskly.

Thinking it over, it felt more like it was due to tension rather than physical exhaustion. Despite being trained in the academy, she wouldn’t be breathless from such a short distance. The stress of conversing one-on-one with someone glowing like a lantern in front of her must’ve been quite significant.

“I’m sorry if this seems sudden, but…”

Erica began, looking slightly up at me. The glint in her moist eyes triggered an instinctive urge to protect her.

“Yes, go ahead.”

When I spoke in a calm tone, Erica swallowed hard and continued.

“I heard from Jian today that it’s possible to talk with the gods…”

“Wait, what?!”

I was taken by surprise!

Well, it was strange not to have spoken about it. I suppose it was odd if it hadn’t spread already. After all, there were certainly more than a couple witnesses. While they might not know that I had met a god, they surely understood that I had pulled off something quite impressive at the academy — like transforming the academy’s décor into an extravagant temple from mythology, at least.

Now that the theology students from the church had heard about it, it was impossible to completely block the rumor train.

“Yes, that happened the day before yesterday…”

In fact, the amount of power accumulating today was even greater than then, and I might have to pull off something similar soon. Still, I wanted to enjoy club activities and live my life, and I could do without spending all my free time managing the goddess power accumulating within me!

I wanted a break, if not a getaway!

As those thoughts washed over me, leaving me feeling a bit low, Erica hastily waved her hands.

“W-wait, um, no, it’s nothing…”

That didn’t seem like nothing.

…Could it be that Seo-A revealed the whole truth to Erica? Perhaps she wanted to ask me about it since we both shared that truth.

Would she even know that Aurora was the daughter of the demon that killed Erica’s parents…?

“I’m guessing you brought me here because you have something difficult to ask?”

I said with the most soothing tone I could muster, gritting my teeth to appear more reliable despite my earlier self.

Since I looked like a goddess, I needed to maintain my composure in front of teenage girls. Well, except for Linea or Aurora.

“I-I mean…”

Erica seemed incredibly tense and after tightly closing her eyes, she abruptly opened them to speak.

“Is there a chance that I could meet them, too?”

“…”

For a moment, I was at a loss for words.

“…Huh?”

“Ah, no, um, it’s nothing…”

Erica said again while deflating, looking defeated, which made me rub my forehead in disbelief.

Well, it wasn’t that impossible…

But still, it’s not like it’s something that could just happen…

The alarm bells were ringing in my head. If I agreed to this request, I might get embroiled in something much larger.

But on the flip side, my conscience began pricking me in my heart, asking if there could be no other way to get rid of Erica’s trauma.

And it seemed the voice of my conscience was winning over. So cowardly!

“…Well, let me think it over.”

Of course, I couldn’t promise anything outright. It wouldn’t depend solely on Erica’s wishes either.

“Really?”

But even with a vague answer, Erica seemed overjoyed.

“Thank you!”

“Yes…”

As I looked at Erica, who was shaking my hand up and down in her excitement, I replied in a noticeably deflated tone.

---