Academy Saintess of My Chūni Writing Days

It has been 50 years since Goddess Clara ascended.

The two young pilgrims who sought to follow in the goddess’s footsteps found themselves in a grave predicament.

Just a moment ago, their car, which had been running perfectly, began to slow down and came to a complete stop. They had definitely filled the tank and the battery was fine, yet oddly, the engine wouldn’t start. Ultimately, Glenda and Joy became stranded in the middle of the highway, unable to move.

“Ugh, we definitely had it checked….”

“Isn’t it just too old?”

“That might be it….”

Even Joy, who initially shrugged it off, couldn’t help but accept it at this point.

“…….”

“…….”

It would have been nice if they could ask passing cars for help, but the road was eerily empty.

As the sun began to set, the sky turned a shade of red. The trees densely crowded around the straight road, making it clear that at night, it would be extremely scary.

“Should we call our parents…?”

“Ah.”

At Joy’s murmur, Glenda made a sound.

“Glenda?”

“Ah, um, well…”

Glenda, darting her eyes around, finally took a deep breath and spoke.

“I told my parents I was just staying over at a friend’s….”

“What?”

Joy gasped in surprise.

Glenda had always been a good girl who listened to her parents since childhood. She’d never thought she would lie to them, especially about going somewhere so far away.

“If I said I was going that far, they would definitely stop me….”

Glenda muttered weakly, staring at the ground.

“Ah, I see.”

Indeed, Glenda’s parents were… conservative, to say the least. After all, both of them were priests. They would certainly have discouraged her from going to another region with just a friend. They would have suggested going together next time.

But Glenda’s parents were busy. There was no way they could find the time for that.

“…….”

Yet, her first act of rebellion would be a pilgrimage.

As she contemplated whether to laugh or not, a distant sound of a car came from afar.

“Ah!”

Both Joy and Glenda exclaimed simultaneously. Without a moment’s hesitation, they waved their hands toward the road.

“Over here!”

“Help us, please!”

The red two-seater sports car sped past them… only to stop about five meters ahead.

“Ah, it stopped.”

As Joy muttered this, the car door opened. Unlike the car Joy and Glenda were in, this one’s door opened upward. It clearly looked like an extremely expensive car.

And stepping out of that car was a woman in a white suit. She was incredibly beautiful, with long, dark, flowing hair. Her bangs were neatly styled above her eyebrows.

She looked just like a fashion designer.

The woman confidently walked over to Joy and Glenda.

“Um, hi there?”

“Ah, hello?”

After receiving the awkward greetings from the two, she glanced back and forth between them with her obsidian-like black eyes, smiled gently, and nodded.

Then, she slightly bent forward to peek into the open engine compartment.

“Hmm….”

With a short hum, she straightened up and spoke.

“Would you like to sit inside and try starting the engine once again?”

Contrary to her somewhat cold first impression, her voice was incredibly soft.

“Pardon? Oh, yes!”

Joy quickly replied and jumped into the car. Once inside, she realized the woman in the white suit hadn’t actually touched the engine.

…She must have told me to do it for a reason.

With that thought in mind, Joy turned the key.

Vroom, the engine started again.

“Whoa!”

As Joy was taken aback, the woman in the white suit had already closed the hood of the car. Glenda, standing next to her, was wide-eyed, only blinking as she stared at the woman.

Joy hurriedly got out and said to the woman, “Thank you!”

“Thank you? For what?”

After receiving the thanks, she blinked.

“Did I do something to the car?”

“Um….”

Joy was left speechless. Seeing her expression, the woman chuckled softly.

“I only told you to try starting it again; it started on its own. There’s no need to thank me.”

“Um…”

No way, that can’t be true.

I had tried several times earlier and failed miserably every single time.

As if reading Joy’s thoughts, the woman said,

“Well, there could be various reasons for a car’s malfunction. It might have just needed a little break.”

After saying that, she shrugged her shoulders and looked at Joy and Glenda once more. Although she didn’t say much, it felt like her eyes were Speaking to them directly. Yet, it wasn’t a forceful demand—just a very gentle atmosphere.

“Where are you two young students headed?”

The woman asked, smiling slightly.

“Um, we’re going to the 21st District.”

“The 21st District?”

After hearing Joy’s answer, the woman’s eyes widened slightly.

“That’s quite far from here.”

“Yes, we’re heading to the cathedral in that area, St. Loyola Old Cathedral.”

“Oh, so you’re saying you’re pilgrims?”

The woman nodded, as if she understood.

“But it’s getting late for you to get there….”

“Oh, don’t worry about that! There’s a hotel nearby!”

At Joy’s words, the woman nodded.

“Well then, there’s nothing to worry about. I was going to let you know if you didn’t.”

She shrugged and added, “Well, have a wonderful trip.”

“Ah, yes! Thank you!”

After Joy’s words, the woman smiled back, waved goodbye to Joy and Glenda, and headed back to her car. Soon, the exquisite engine sound unique to fancy cars echoed, and the red vehicle swiftly vanished into the distance.

“Wow….”

Joy mumbled while watching the receding car. Both the car and the woman were stunning. She enjoyed seeing someone who seemed to relish life so fully.

“…….”

Then, only then, did she notice Glenda’s strange expression. Glenda hadn’t said a word since their conversation with that woman; her face had remained stiff.

“Glenda?”

“Uh? Yes?”

Only after hearing Joy’s call did she seem to regain her senses.

“Is something wrong? Do you know her?”

“No, it’s not that. I’ve never seen her before.”

“Right?”

At that, Joy realized that she hadn’t even thought to ask the woman her name.

Well, it doesn’t matter. They had only crossed paths briefly anyway.

“Well, let’s head out right away. We need to get to the hotel before it gets too late. There are no streetlights here.”

“Ah, okay.”

Glenda replied, still looking a little dazed.

…What’s going on with her?

Joy pondered this thought but decided not to pry further.

*

The hotel was old, but the facilities were quite clean. Despite the legend that the goddess had stayed there, it wasn’t too crowded. Joy and Glenda dropped off their bags in a two-person room. Though they planned to stay just for one night, they still needed to wash up. They had to change clothes too.

“Um, Glenda.”

“Yeah?”

“Was there really something strange that happened earlier?”

Joy asked Glenda, who was drying her hair with a blank expression. Glenda paused in silence for a moment and then finally put down the hairdryer with a sigh.

“Um, Joy.”

“Yeah?”

“That person who helped us earlier…”

“Yeah?”

Whether she actually fixed the car or not was still unclear, but at least she had suggested trying to start it again.

“Didn’t her face look a lot like a saint’s statue?”

“A saint’s statue? Which saint? …Are you talking about the one in the cathedral?”

Joy’s mouth fell open at Glenda’s words.

Glenda was born into a devout family of believers and had a very profound faith herself. She was so devout that even simple exclamations like ‘Goddess Clara!’ wouldn’t just slip by her. Naturally, she would show discomfort even when someone praised her as ‘as beautiful as Goddess Clara’ or ‘as lovely as the four saintesses.’

That she would now be saying someone she just met looked like a goddess was shocking.

Joy strained her memory to recall the statue of the saint she often visited in the cathedral. Indeed, the statue of Goddess Clara looked very much like that woman from earlier. Of course, Clara and the saintesses who served her had all existed long ago, and naturally, the paintings and statues depicting them reflected different ages. Coincidentally, the statue at the cathedral Joy and Glenda attended portrayed a younger Clara, exactly the age of the woman they had just seen.

But even so…

“Glenda, the goddess returned to the Temple of Gods 50 years ago. Christmas is a long way off. No matter how beautiful someone is, they can’t be Goddess Clara.”

With those words, Joy felt a strange sensation. Usually, it was Glenda who made comments like that, not her. During conversations about ‘This is a miracle!’ or ‘Miracles shouldn’t happen like that,’ she would have certainly played the latter role.

“Yeah, I know. I understand that….”

Glenda thought for a moment and then spoke.

“But still, I couldn’t help but wonder if someone could resemble her that closely. I’m sorry. Was that too much?”

Ultimately, she accepted Joy’s words.

At that point, Joy felt Glenda had returned to her usual self. Relaxing her tensed body and lying back on her bed, Joy turned her head to look at Glenda.

“However, she really did look incredibly similar. I don’t look up at statues that often, so I can’t say for sure….”

Glenda also followed Joy and sprawled out on her bed. After thinking for a moment, she spoke.

“She really did resemble her. If it had been the year 148 instead of 50, I would have believed that person was the goddess!”

“But in that time, the goddess would have been much older.”

“Exactly, I’m saying she looked so much alike that I would have believed it.”

“If you say so, it must have meant something. Maybe I should have asked to take a picture with her.”

Joy turned her head back to stare at the ceiling.

“True.”

Glenda mumbled.

“Or at least asked for her name.”

“True.”

“Just imagine? If I had asked her name and her reply had been…”

“Joy….”

Glenda scowled and sat up slightly to glare at Joy.

“Are you making fun of me?”

“No, I’m just saying. You know how gods descend every Christmas. If you have a strong enough faith, you might be able to call on the goddess by yourself!”

“…….”

“Why, didn’t you just say that a moment ago—ugh!”

Finally, Glenda couldn’t hold back and threw a pillow at Joy’s face. Joy retaliated, and before long, a friendly pillow fight ensued between them.

*

“Well, you see, even though that was over a century ago, the goddess may have stayed here a few times, but this hotel has already been rebuilt a long time ago, so any traces would have disappeared.”

When Joy asked a staff member about the legend of Goddess Clara, that’s what she replied.

“Just as I thought…”

Joy responded in a somewhat deflated tone. The staff member smiled wryly.

“Yes, actually, the goddess has visited many places. If we were to preserve everywhere the goddess has gone, it would be quite a task, wouldn’t it? I think the goddess mentioned something along those lines a few times.”

“……Don’t give up on what’s ahead just because of what’s left behind.”

“Yes, that.”

The staff member nodded at Glenda’s words.

“Since this place isn’t specifically designated as a holy site… it’s still quite a popular hotel today, thanks to the legend. Particularly, pilgrims often come to stay here. Though that’s only for those traveling by car.”

“Thank you for answering my question.”

As Joy and Glenda bowed, the staff waved them off.

“No, pilgrims passing through here often ask questions, so feel free to ask us anything.”

*

“Indeed, legends are just legends.”

“Yeah, if it were really significant, the Central Church would have declared it a holy place and would manage it directly.”

As Joy sighed, Glenda replied.

“By the way, the person who passed us earlier seems to have vanished.”

“True… they probably thought they could just pass through since they were in a much better car.”

“Definitely. I’d want to step on the gas if I had a car like that.”

“If you ever get the chance to go to another world, you should try it. There are many places without speed limits.”

“I’ve heard that speaking of other worlds.”

Joy bitterly smiled at Glenda’s comment.

“Still, there’s only one city there, right? Even if we find a dimensional gate to get there, it’s going to be quite a trek with a car.”

The safe routes to that other world were established only after the battle with the demons, but it took decades to purify the road leading to the dimensional gate. Along the way, they developed small towns, and it took years to block off the area around the gate for safety.

“But you seem to know quite a lot about it. I guess there’s a holy site over there as well?”

“Yeah. I’m planning to visit it someday.”

The other world was rife with the demonic energy of the demons. It was almost a miracle that any living beings existed there, which put the severity of the situation into perspective.

That’s why Goddess Clara ventured out.

She built a great lake outside the dimensional gate and used her divine power to turn the entire lake into holy water.

The land had not yet been purified, so the first village was said to have emerged on a massive ship floating on that lake.

Of course, now, the nearby land had been completely purified, and that ship had been dragged onto solid ground as a form of a museum for commemorative purposes.

Yet even now, the holy water from the lake has not lost its divine power, and at night, it glows gently. Some elves believed it resembled the light emitted by Arlil.

Some elves believed ‘the real Arlil’ would remain in that world, but it was ultimately presumed to have vanished completely without a trace, due to the demons. Well, according to Clara’s scriptures, Arlil was not a sacred tree but merely a tree that grew based on divine power, and it was strange that it alone survived in an environment where no living organism could endure.

The other world was still under the process of purification, but some gnomes had made a satellite that provided general information. Though the conditions weren’t ideal, the scientific city ‘Saint Capital Clara,’ led mainly by gnomes, was still enduring and conducting research today.

“Saint Capital Clara sounds good. It’s a hub for rocket technology.”

So far, there was no indication that the confirmed world was truly ‘another world.’ However, as they speculated and calculated, at least that planet wasn’t located in our galaxy. They even heard that, since the magical power was still present and had not fully dissipated, it wasn’t at a stage where they could research background radiation yet.

“If we go, let’s check it out together.”

“Sounds good.”

Glenda agreed readily, but added, “Next time, let’s get a different car.”

*

From then on, the car never stopped again. Even after staying an extra day at another hotel, they didn’t experience any breakdowns until they reached the 21st District.

“Wow.”

The city center of the 21st District was developing expansively enough to make both Joy and Glenda gasp in awe as they drove in. Since the area became settled after being designated a holy site, it continued to grow and expand. The town where Kwon In-Soo last stayed was a corner of the area, but it was now right next to the gradually expanding city.

Nevertheless, the tallest building around the cathedral was St. Ariel Academy. Other buildings built nearby were prohibited from being taller, so as to not overshadow the St. Loyola Old Cathedral. It was clear that the locals would strongly oppose anything trying to eclipse the cathedral. Because of that, the local government had early on placed height restrictions around there. As a result, the skyline of tall skyscrapers appeared to decline sharply around that cathedral.

As a result, the light shining through the dense buildings illuminated the cathedral, making it appear even more sacred.

But—

“……There sure are a lot of people.”

“……Yeah.”

They barely found a spot to park, yet there were so many people flocking to the cathedral. The line stretched long, surrounded by a squad of knights clad in simple armor.

“If we join that line, we won’t get in today.”

“Seriously…”

Glenda sighed deeply, but surprisingly enough, she didn’t look too disheartened.

“Well, I had a feeling it would be crowded.”

As Joy’s astonished gaze widened, Glenda shrugged in response.

“Did you?”

Joy nodded in response to Glenda’s statement and looked up at the cathedral.

“……But at this rate, it’s going to be hard to ask anything from the clergy inside. Sorry.”

“No need to apologize.”

Glenda smiled and said.

“I just wanted to visit, that’s all… Want to take a picture or something?”

“Should we?”

Though Joy felt a bit of emptiness at not being able to get inside, reminding Glenda about the trip was primarily meant to lift her spirits. So, she decided to feel satisfied that Glenda’s spirits had been lifted.

Still, she thought it wouldn’t hurt to snap at least one picture instead of just going back empty-handed. The two began wandering around nearby to find a spot where the cathedral could be captured well. As they took pictures,—

“Oh, we meet again.”

The sudden appearance of a woman between them nearly made Joy drop her phone in surprise.

“Uh, you’re that—”

“Yes, I have some business in this area.”

“Oh, hello….”

Glenda stiffened once more and greeted her awkwardly.

“Hello.”

The woman responded with a nod, turned her gaze toward the cathedral, and then back to the two.

“Have you completed your pilgrimage?”

“Not yet, um, there are just too many people.”

Joy spoke, calming her astonished heart.

“Well, there are always too many people here.”

The woman said, glancing at the two as if studying them.

“Since we’ve met like this, would you like to have a cup of coffee? I know a nice place nearby.”

Despite being strangers, her overly familiar invitation caught Joy and Glenda off guard, and they nodded in agreement.

*

The café was packed with people.

However, despite the crowd, a spot for three people appeared to ‘coincidentally’ be available.

As they settled in, a staff member approached.

“I’m sorry, but this seat—”

Just then, the staff and the woman’s eyes met. As if recognizing her, the staff’s expression brightened.

“Ah, um, hello!”

“Hello.”

The woman replied with a gentle smile.

“Could I see the menu?”

While Joy and Glenda viewed the reaction with curiosity, they both ordered their drinks. The woman ordered an Americano, Joy a fruit smoothie, and Glenda a milk tea.

“I’ll be right back with that!”

The staff hurriedly left as if they were extremely busy.

“Do you know her?”

Joy couldn’t resist asking.

“Since I’ve been coming here since I was little, you could say we’re pretty close if they’re setting aside a spot for me.”

“Really?”

Glenda, gathering her courage, asked in a shaky voice.

“Yes.”

The woman nodded and continued.

“Do you know that this café is one that Goddess Clara frequented?”

“Pardon?”

“Really?”

The two gasped in surprise at her response.

“Yes. The goddess often visited here during her student days. This is also officially recognized by the church, so you can believe it.”

“Considering that, it’s not very crowded.”

“We don’t deliberately make it known. We’ve declined all requests for publicity.”

Indeed, if Glenda didn’t even know of it, it was certainly an insider’s spot.

“Well, since you couldn’t go into the cathedral, I wanted to at least show you this. I’m from this area, after all.”

“Do you visit often?”

“Not as much as I’d like. I come here occasionally when I have the chance? Usually, I’m in the 1st District.”

“Wow.”

Glenda breathed in awe.

“Then, have you seen the goddess descend before?”

“Hm….”

The woman tilted her head with a somewhat troubled expression,

“I’m not sure if it’s correct to say I’ve seen her.”

“…….”

“…….”

Joy and Glenda fell into silence for a moment. They felt it was appropriate to do so.

“So, may I ask why you came all this way?”

Glenda and Joy exchanged glances before shaking their heads.

*

“Hehe.”

After hearing the reason for Joy and Glenda’s visit, the woman chuckled softly.

“That’s a sweet reason. Did you enjoy the trip?”

“Yes.”

Glenda nodded, embarrassed.

“Though it’s a shame we couldn’t get inside, I’m still pleased to have made it this far. I’d never have dreamed of it in my ordinary days.”

“I had fun traveling too. It makes me want to travel like this again next time.”

As they spoke, their drinks arrived, and they took sips.

“Is that so?”

The woman replied, briefly lost in thought.

“Um, by the way….”

When the woman seemed to be in thought, Glenda interjected.

“May I ask you one thing?”

“Of course.”

“Could you tell me your name?”

“My name?”

The woman’s eyes widened momentarily, then she chuckled softly.

“Well, that might be a bit difficult.”

“…….”

“…….”

After hearing the response, Joy and Glenda fell silent once more.

It felt as though they ought to.

*

The three finished their drinks quietly and exited the café.

“Well then, for the remaining time, why don’t you wander around? The prices here aren’t too steep for a tourist area.”

“Because the Central Church conducts inspections?”

“Something like that, yes.”

The woman smiled wryly.

“Ah.”

Suddenly seeming to remember something, she rummaged through her pocket and pulled something out.

Then she pressed it into Glenda’s hand.

“What’s this…?”

It was a rosary with a cross. Although it was a rough wooden object, it somehow gave off an air of being a precious item.

A faint white light emanated from the rosary.

“It’s a souvenir.”

The woman replied as she smiled softly and looked into Glenda’s eyes.

“You were curious about my name, right? If we meet on Christmas, I’ll let you know. Show this rosary to the head priest at a nearby cathedral. He’ll guide you to the 1st District. Your friend can come too.”

“Whoa?”

Glenda exclaimed in surprise.

“H-but it’s so far from my home to the 1st District….”

“Regardless, I will definitely help you.”

Glenda’s mouth dropped open in disbelief. Joy was the same. Without waiting for their reply, the woman waved them goodbye and turned away.

“Um, wait…!”

At Glenda’s shout, the woman turned back.

“Uh, why are you doing so much for me?”

Glenda sensed she might already know who this woman was. She still couldn’t grasp how or why she was here though.

“Believing in something without asking for anything in return is an incredibly hard thing to do.”

The woman began to speak.

“Desiring nothing and refusing any greed while simply wanting to believe in and follow the good deeds of a being is a remarkably difficult task, even for an esteemed clergy member.”

Then she smiled.

“But there’s someone right in front of me who embodies that.”

With that, she elegantly turned and vanished among the crowd.

“…….”

“…….”

For some time, Joy and Glenda stood frozen at the spot, once again lost in thought.

*

Afterward, Joy and Glenda returned straight to their home area. Everything proceeded seamlessly. Whenever they sought to stay at a hotel, there was always a vacant room. The gas stations were deserted, and the roads were completely clear. The car didn’t break down once during their journey back. In the end, it took them much less time to return than when they had set out.

On their return trip, they visited the cathedral where their theology instructor was. Though it was late at night, the priest was astonished upon seeing the rosary they brought.

“…….”

After watching the priest staring in awe at the rosary for a while, Glenda couldn’t hold back her curiosity any longer.

“What is this thing exactly?”

“It’s a holy relic.”

Came the straightforward answer.

“No matter how much you try to keep it in one place, it eventually disappears, only for someone to bring it back and put it back down. It’s originally supposed to be kept in the Central Church.”

The priest gently handed the rosary back to Glenda.

“Who did you say you received this from?”

“I don’t truly know her name… but she looked just like a woman resembling the statue of Goddess Clara…”

“Ah, Goddess!”

The priest clasped his hands together as if in prayer.

“Do your parents not know yet?”

“No, we just came right after receiving it…”

Upon hearing Joy’s reply, the priest nodded.

“Glenda, when you return home, tell your parents right away. They will definitely know what this signifies.”

“Um, Priest.”

“Yes?”

“Could that person we met really be Goddess Clara?”

“What did she say to you?”

“Um….”

Glenda tried to recall again, but her memory was hazy due to all the chaos back then.

“She said she would tell us her name when we meet on Christmas….”

“Then I think it would be best to do just that.”

The priest nodded in agreement.

“However, I’ve heard from those nearby that there’s a spot in the Central Church where the goddess last left a light, and that light aids in her return to this world based on the faith of the people.”

“…….”

Listening to that, Glenda found herself lost for words.

*

“That day, I’m sorry for being so harsh. I didn’t realize you would go so far.”

“No… it’s alright. Thanks to it, we’ve had a precious experience.”

At Glenda’s reply, the priest nodded.

“Then be careful on your way back. Well, the goddess will protect you on that road too.”

At the priest’s words, Joy and Glenda felt they might burst into laughter.

As they walked back to where the car was parked, Joy asked, “Are you going to the 1st District?”

“Yeah, this is something I have to carry back myself.”

Glenda nodded.

“Will you come along?”

“Oh, if you say it like that, I’ll definitely join you. Honestly, I was planning to follow you even without saying anything.”

At Joy’s words, Glenda laughed.

During the quiet night, when everyone else was asleep, the darkness didn’t feel too scary for the two of them.

Especially since now they knew that a warm gaze was watching over them from above.

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