Saint, You’re So Vulgar!

---

#008 The Wet Incident

From that day, Asher devoted himself to training.

The feeling of helplessness from being unable to use the skills he had accumulated throughout his life was a secondary issue.

Above all, one phrase—a sharp jab from Bershia—sparked a frenzied motivation in Asher.

– “If you don’t use it for that reason, there’s no place for the knight anymore, you know?”

That’s right!

The Asher within Bershia was useless!

If things continued like this, he would only end up being a plaything for her wordplay!

The despair Asher felt in that moment was indescribable.

For someone who had aimed to stand by her side for half his life, this was nothing short of the world collapsing around him.

‘This can’t go on!’

Thinking thus, he spent the entire day researching the divine.

Of course, it wasn’t an easy task.

Asher was originally a knight focused on martial arts rather than divine arts.

The reason was simply that his total divine power was quite pitiful compared to others.

Whether it was due to innate talent or not, no matter how hard he tried, Asher’s divine power simply wouldn’t increase.

Commander Weill, the commander of the knights, once remarked about him, “He’s at least got potential. But rather than wasting time hoping for more, focus on honing your martial arts.”

Yet, Asher didn’t give up on such comments.

After much arduous effort, he even found a method that somewhat worked for him.

But that method only applied to his original body.

To illustrate the situation, it was like this.

Originally, the sensation Asher experienced when using divine power was akin to drawing water from a well with a bucket.

But now, the scale was different.

‘…The ocean.’

Bershia’s divine power was a vast ocean.

And extracting and utilizing divine power from that was akin to taking a fish tank filled with that ocean and trying to pour from it.

The very mechanism was different, and here Asher felt his limitations.

“Ugh…!”

This massive ocean resisted control with its overwhelming mass.

When he tried inputting a prayer, it rolled like waves and indiscriminately dissipated.

Even breathing in and out felt like a struggle.

But Asher Trevion.

The knight who prided himself on not losing to anyone when it came to tenacity began to see small results.

Ta-da!

“I did it, I did it!”

“Wow, congratulations!”

He completed a healing prayer.

Without manifesting a holy aura, mind you.

Of course, as mentioned earlier, it was a ‘small’ success.

The result was still colossal.

“But it’s too bright. Can you tone it down a bit?”

“…….”

It was an hour past sunset.

Thanks to Asher’s completed prayer, the heavens of the church were painted in golden hues.

Boom, clatter!

A flurry of activity arose, and shortly after, the scholars and cardinals of the church rushed to Bershia’s flower garden.

Among them was Commander Weill.

“What’s going on?!”

He seemed to think it was a crisis given the urgency in his voice.

Asher’s pupils quaked.

Cold sweat trickled down his back.

While he stammered unintelligibly, Bershia stepped forward.

“It seems he’s practicing control because the divine power has increased since the revelation.”

“…!!!”

“O-oh!!!”

A cheer erupted, strong enough to shake the very space.

“???”

Asher looked up at Bershia with a bewildered expression, but she only smiled sweetly in response.

In the midst of it all, questions poured in.

“Saintess, what kind of amplification is it exactly?!”

“This is a huge event! A revelation granting divine power! Oh wait! Come to think of it, the previous revelation…!”

“Quagmire…! Threat…!”

“Uh, um….”

Something felt amiss.

Things were spiraling out of control.

The thought that a major incident might truly occur made Asher’s legs start to tremble.

In that moment.

“First, it seems the saintess needs to stabilize. Could you please move aside?”

“Ah! Let me get my wits about me!”

Bershia worked to restore the atmosphere.

Of course, the seeds she had sown hadn’t been perfectly harvested yet.

“Hey, everyone! Hurry to the records room! We need to find past examples and analyze the revelation again!”

“Ah! Is a great threat about to come?!”

The scholars and cardinals rushed out in a frenzy.

Commander Weill was left behind, his expression somewhat perplexed, but even he glanced at Bershia before bowing to Asher and leaving.

“…Excuse me. It’s a relief if it’s nothing serious.”

How should one express the feeling of being bowed to by one’s mentor and superior?

With a wobbly heart, Asher forced a smile and nodded.

“Yes…!”

And thus, the room fell quiet again.

Only then did Asher fiercely furrow his brows and whip around to glare at Bershia.

“Saintess! No matter what, how can you lie like that?!”

“Hmm?”

“How can you use the revelation as a convenient excuse! Our deity might unleash divine punishment!”

This wasn’t just idle talk.

Why shouldn’t it be? After all, those who claimed the title of saint received it due to the specialness of the revelations given to them.

Those recognized by the divine, and there were often those who lied to gain such a high rank.

What happened to them?

All of them faced divine wrath.

They were cursed by what’s known as divine punishment and died shriveled from divine power.

And this did not exempt those who had already become saints.

One of the saints who had shaken the church for personal gain 300 years ago ended up bleeding profusely, hanging from the shackles of divine power in mid-air before meeting her demise.

Such occurrences were indeed possible.

In the midst of his fear, Asher found himself shouting.

Bershia slyly smiled.

“Why do you think it’s a lie?”

“…Huh?”

“It could be a true revelation. And it’s also true that the divine power output increased when the body swapped.”

Asher blinked in surprise.

He slowly pondered her words and, eventually, his complexion turned pale.

He remembered the content of the revelation she had shared like an excuse.

– “There lies muck on the road, so clear the promised black thicket to lead the shepherd. Blessings shall shine upon you.”

Muck, crisis, clear the thicket.

All those words felt ominous.

If that was indeed true…!

“D-danger…!”

“Well, it was a lie, though.”

“?”

“I’ve tried it a few times, and nothing happened. Just a false revelation.”

“…?”

“I don’t know. Just left it be.”

Asher’s mouth hung open in disbelief.

He felt utterly lost about which words to believe.

In the midst of all this, something crossed his mind.

It was a phrase to refer to Bershia.

‘…The one favored by the world.’

He thought it without meaning to.

If she caused confusion with lies and fabricated divine power, would it be overlooked?

‘Oh dear….’

Asher’s eyes snapped shut.

He internally spoke to the deity.

‘Aren’t you spoiling her too much…?!’

No matter how much you love your daughter, wouldn’t raising her like this lead to bad habits?

Even here, Asher felt a sense of responsibility.

If the deity wouldn’t discipline her, he had to ensure she was taught properly!

Ah! Perhaps the deity was so pained by directly chastising her that He threw her into such trials!

Asher steeled his resolve.

‘Yes, if that’s the deity’s will!’

Asher Trevion, the exemplary knight who wouldn’t bend in devotion, once again made a firm decision.

“Ah, no matter what, false revelations aren’t acceptable!”

“I got it. Then let’s say it was a true revelation. Whatever.”

“That’s not how it works!”

“I understand, so let’s disperse now. Be sure to wash up before bed.”

“Even if you twist the words, it’s still a no!”

“It’ll work, I bet.”

“?”

“Sir, you’re drenched in sweat. Just how much cold sweat have you shed…?”

Bershia scanned Asher from head to toe.

Then, she lazily fluttered her eyes with a smile.

“You’re completely soaked. Is there anywhere else…?”

“Ah!”

Asher jumped back, wrapping his arms around himself.

…Discipline wouldn’t be easy.

*

Although there was a little incident, Asher had made substantial progress in overcoming a major hurdle.

Namely, the healing service he had already signed up for.

After all, if he suddenly said, “I changed my mind, so I’m not going,” Bershia’s reputation would plummet.

In the meantime, he succeeded in condensing the healing prayer to cover an entire village, which was quite fortunate.

Ultimately, visually shocking though it remained, at the very least, the confusion caused by the holy aura dissipated, allowing Asher to continue his inspections.

Out of the seven designated cities, six were completed.

Now only the final city was left, and by now, Asher started to feel his limits.

It wasn’t the limit of the inspections.

‘…Ah, I can’t condense it further than this.’

He felt a slight longing.

Because he couldn’t reduce the healing prayer any further.

This posed a wholly different problem.

‘At this rate, a combat prayer is impossible.’

An uncontrollable force was like a blade without a handle.

If he recklessly used the combat prayer, he risked injuring himself or harming the very Bershia he wished to protect.

Asher wasn’t foolish enough to greedily desire what he couldn’t handle.

Reluctantly, the combat prayer had to be sealed.

A considerable sense of frustration brewed within Asher, along with a rising sense of crisis.

‘No matter how safe it seems….’

Yet, the reason for placing a knight by the saintess was apparent.

It was inherently a place targeted by many enemies.

A minimal safety net was required.

There was contemplation.

And in the end, he found an answer he could consider as a compromise.

“Saintess, teach me self-defense!”

If he couldn’t protect her, he should at least learn how to protect himself.

It was the best plan Asher could devise.

*

Bershia squinted her eyes as she listened to Asher’s argument.

If one were to look through the reasoning, it was such.

Asher’s body had endured extreme training.

Even if Bershia didn’t want it, his body would respond to the stimuli and promise rapid learning.

She’d teach him only the basics.

It was for the benefit of both, so it had to be done.

Asher expressed his determination not to back down this time with his entire being.

He widened his eyes, folded his arms, and squared his shoulders.

It may look trivial, but considering her not-so-bulky physique, there was little he could do.

The approval came purely from a playful spirit.

Wasn’t it quite funny to see his face light up the moment she agreed?

After that, he proposed a sparring match.

“There’s a martial art among the ones I’ve learned that can subdue an opponent regardless of strength! It’s called…”

“Is it the beauty technique?”

“Hey!”

“But if I hit myself with this body, that’d be self-harm. Asking me to self-harm, how masochistic of you….”

“Focus!”

Asher’s puffed-up expression made her chuckle.

A hint of resentment showed in his face, tickling at something inside her.

Bershia didn’t bother suppressing that feeling.

“You’re planning to touch each other’s bodies? Saying no with your mouth while your desires are all over the place….”

“…!”

Asher’s hair stood on end.

A sly smirk crept on Bershia’s lips.

This was it.

If she went further, Asher would truly blow his top.

Although really, it’d be more of a pout than a full-fledged rage, but still.

Maybe she could mock-fight him a bit.

With that thought, Bershia slowly extended her fist.

“I get it. Let’s spar then. Is it like this?”

At that moment.

“This is how you do it.”

Asher grabbed her arm with a confused gaze and executed the technique.

What followed was an experience Bershia couldn’t comprehend.

Whoosh—!

The world spun.

To be accurate, it was Bershia’s body that spun around.

Immediately followed by a thud! sound.

Her body slammed against the ground.

Bershia felt a sharp sensation rising from her back.

One, but she couldn’t focus on that pain.

She was simply engulfed in that question.

‘…How?’

Her gaze was filled with inquiry.

How did this body, devoid of muscle, manage to flip over this heavy and solid form?

Even without using divine power.

It was then.

“Don’t underestimate me! I was chosen as the saintess’s knight for a reason!”

Asher huffed and proudly declared.

Bershia remained still, gazing up at him in confusion.

How long did that moment last?

“…Saintess?”

Asher cautiously checked her expression while looking uneasy.

Stepping forward, he asked.

“U-um, did it hurt a lot? That can’t be…?”

After that, he crouched down, trying to inspect every part of Bershia’s body.

His eyes were spinning wildly, indicating he was quite flustered.

Normally, he wore a rather clueless expression.

And yet, that inconsistency invoked something that simply couldn’t be put into words, so much so—

“…Huh.”

Bershia let out a chuckle.