Saint, You’re So Vulgar!

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Chapter 33: So Why Did You Get Involved?

Two days after the dawn sky had turned a bloody red, it was a late afternoon.

The once-bustling mining area of Pured was now eerily empty, with no miners in sight.

Instead, geologists, knights, and magicians were treading upon this land.

They all had serious expressions on their faces.

Indeed, ever since the seismic disturbances and the subsequent disappearance of miners that morning, it had been an unbelievable series of events.

They understood the reason behind it all.

The Saintess of the Holy Church had come undercover to hunt heretics, and they had stirred up trouble while searching for the heretics and the missing.

The reason they had come here was to investigate the remnants of that fateful day.

A trembling voice filled the air.

“Wh-what the…?”

The magicians’ eyes were painted with shock.

The knights bowed their heads, barely able to breathe.

It was an unbelievable sight, even before their own eyes.

After all,

“Is it really true that this is the atrocity committed by an individual?”

The wide clearing that had once been known was now a massive crater.

The overwhelming evidence made it feel as if a meteor had struck.

The geologist spoke.

“The ground collapsed, blocking the path to the mine. For the workers to continue their livelihood…”

“We’ll have to be extra cautious about safety for a while.”

The knight replied with an apprehensive expression.

Their gaze was once again drawn towards the crater.

‘The Saintess…’

Should such a person capable of such an act even be considered human?

They knew well what the Holy Church was.

A transnational protective agency that exists for the order of the world.

The highest council holding extralegal power.

Their very reason for existence was in the name of serving the will of the deities.

However, the knight thought absentmindedly.

’A storm is coming.’

He understood the logic of power.

Adequate intimidation instills a sense of obedience, but an excessive display of it breeds fear.

And humans are infinitely cowardly and weak in the face of fear.

The signs were already showing.

The citizens who had witnessed the blood-red sky felt a wave of anxiety.

Some trembled, proclaiming divine punishment, while others screamed that the deities had abandoned them.

The official stance of the church was announced, and the testimonies of the missing soothed the immediate atmosphere, but who knows…

His lips twitched.

In the end, he sealed them tight.

With a look of deep concern, the knight turned away.

“…I won’t go back.”

May this tremendous power not turn into fear.

All the knight could do was offer a brief prayer to the deities who built their land.

* * *

After the undercover mission, the extermination of heretics.

Despite the merits of rescuing the missing, the irritable atmosphere was sparked by the manifestation of authority.

Judgment: A week of penance.

This was the punishment handed down to Bershia.

It was also the result of a conference attended by cardinals, scholars, and even the current leader of the church, the Pope.

This incident had created a multitude of external and internal issues.

Most of all, the meaning of the blood-red sky was extraordinary within the church.

Divine punishment.

The blood-red sky was a phenomenon showing the deities’ anger towards this land.

Considering how great an impact divine punishment has had throughout the continent’s history, it was a matter that could not just be overlooked.

Immediately, voices demanding explanations from the church grew loud.

Right now, they were brushing it off as the deities’ anger at the emergence of heretical groups, but if such an event occurred again, it may become increasingly difficult to explain.

Why wouldn’t it?

If divine punishment were to be issued twice for the same reason, it would indicate that the deities were displeased with the church’s accomplishments.

The church’s position could become precarious.

In such a chaotic political landscape, Rubena let out a sigh.

“Ugh…!”

Rubena once again tugged at her hair.

Saturn almost spoke, “That will definitely make you bald, just like me,” but stopped himself.

He understood better than anyone how vexing her situation was.

That Bershia’s punishment ended with penance was entirely Rubena’s doing.

She had “explained” the blood-red sky as the deities’ will responding to Bershia’s intent.

Ultimately, the penance was a reminder to be mindful of one’s spiritual training as one who enjoys the deities’ favor.

The fact that Bershia had invoked the divine punishment remained a secret known only to Rubena, Saturn, and the other saintesses.

This was the advice given by the eldest, Halia.

-Hide it. To say that the deities responded to Bershia’s anger, and that Bershia wielded the divine power of her own accord, has different nuances. Her very existence could cause chaos within the church. This is something we must keep to ourselves for now.

Judith Haraway was too much of an oddball to let anyone else in on such an intriguing topic.

Rubena’s heart was more troubled than hers.

It was because Bershia looked too precarious.

Given her current physical and mental state, it felt like she could repeat the same mistakes again.

And why was this troubling?

Under normal circumstances, Rubena would have thought of revealing everything just to cast her out, but now she couldn’t even do that.

-You can do it.

That troublesome Bershia had once smiled at her, and that thought weighed heavily on her conscience.

Her steps were directed towards her quarters for that reason.

Five days in penance.

Today, Rubena stood before her bedroom with a tense face.

After knocking, she opened the door, fully expecting no answer.

“…Are you there?”

She squinted and peeked inside.

Right then, Rubena had to suppress a rising sigh.

“……”

The chill was palpable.

Although the room was supposedly warmed, it felt that way because of Bershia’s demeanor.

As she looked around, Asher lay on the bed as if he were dead asleep.

Bershia had dragged a chair and sat beside him, her face was that of an empty doll.

Bershia looked haggard.

She was withered to a degree that Rubena could never have imagined.

Despite calling out and making noise, Bershia did not respond.

She merely gazed at Asher, who lay there with vacant eyes.

It had been a week since she had eaten.

Whether from dehydration or malnutrition, she surely should have collapsed by now, yet she had not eaten a single thing.

Annoyed by the situation, she bit her lip, ready to unleash her frustrations.

Just then—

Thump—

Saturn placed a hand on Rubena’s shoulder and shook his head.

Defeated, Rubena turned away, her energy completely drained.

“What are you so worried about…?”

“Not at all!!!”

Finally, she screamed that and stomped away.

Saturn found himself in a difficult position.

* * *

Bershia suddenly recalled thoughts during her contemplation.

When had she lost track of the passage of time?

She barely remembered.

In fact, she couldn’t even distinguish between being awake or asleep.

At some point, her thoughts had begun to filter out, her mind felt foggy as if shrouded in mist, and the occurrences felt surreal.

It would be easy if she could just fall asleep, yet she couldn’t even do that.

She feared that Asher’s heart would stop while she was unaware.

Unknowingly unprepared, an abstract anxiety wrapped around her entire being.

It felt like it had already been over a week, yet Asher still hadn’t awakened.

-You’re just in a coma. Leave him be, and he’ll wake up.

Judith Haraway had certainly said that, but wasn’t it strange?

Her body had been given a clean bill of health, and her nutritional status was being managed steadily, yet why hadn’t her consciousness returned after more than a week?

Perhaps only her soul had escaped this body.

Whenever such thoughts crossed her mind, she wished she could just die.

Even refraining from committing that act stemmed from a fear of what might happen to Asher in the meantime.

Moreover, knowing in advance that she wouldn’t die even if she attempted suicide.

Bershia had discovered her new possibility over the past week.

She hadn’t eaten or drunk anything and managed to spend a week in the same position without collapsing.

She didn’t die from exhaustion or any other symptoms.

The power residing within her body somehow sustained her, and this was the result.

She once again realized the harsh truth of life, where even death was not her own choice.

She passed yet another day in such a manner.

As darkness began to surround her, Bershia felt a chill.

It was very cold and painful.

Regardless of the actual temperature, that was how it felt.

The night’s shadows cast over Asher’s face.

Bathe in moonlight, his skin appeared as pale as that of a corpse.

In times like these, Bershia would rise from her chair, climb onto the bed, and bury herself into his embrace.

Listening to the sound of Asher’s heart beating against his chest, she confirmed he was indeed alive.

She let out a breath.

Gasping, she grasped the collar of Asher’s garment.

Her lips began to tremble.

Only the sound of metal escaped her parched mouth.

“Wake up.”

Please.

If you just wake up again, I’ll grant all your wishes.

I won’t make any lewd jokes, and I’ll even act like a proper saintess as you wished.

She was lost in such thoughts.

Twinge—

The direction of her thoughts began to twist.

Bershia reneged on her previous thoughts.

“No…”

That wasn’t it.

It was her meddling that had caused Asher to end up like this.

So what should she do?

What must she do to ensure such a thing doesn’t happen again?

What can I do?

The shadows that covered her mind started gnawing at her.

Thump, thump.

Whenever she felt an obsessive attachment to the sound of his heart, her frustration grew immensely.

That frustration eventually morphed into resentment.

“Then, why did I get involved?”

She could have stayed away from the dangerous matters.

If only she had stayed cooped up in this flower garden, everything would have resolved itself.

Look, how pathetic it was that she had crumbled like this against things she could crush with a mere glance.

In the end, it had been proven.

Despite being pompous, he was a feeble and tiny being capable of only showing off skills.

It was at a moment when her thoughts began to spiral out of control.

Bershia raised her head.

Through her disheveled hair, Asher appeared within her empty eyes.

Her heart raced irregularly.

Shadows deepened around her eyes.

She feared tomorrow.

As she helplessly stared down at Asher while he lay there, she simply couldn’t shake off that notion.

“Perhaps…”

What if her body returned to its former state?

If she were confined once again within that frail body, losing consciousness once more.

Wouldn’t this flower garden become a cage to tether him down?

If so, he would always remain by her side in his flawless form.

After such peculiar thoughts, her head throbbed yet again.

Bershia buried her face in Asher’s embrace.

Her eyes, still wide open, were bloodshot.