## Chapter 215 – 215. Saint (4)
#215. Saint (4)
There’s a term called asymmetric warfare.
It’s a weapon that, if used, can definitely land a blow on someone stronger than me, but using it screws me over too.
The secret about the Saint’s identity was like that.
“…Are you completely insane?”
The Saint must be a man.
This is a rule of the Church that even a non-religious person like me knows.
If this fact were to spread among the public, the entire Vatican would be turned upside down, and clergy and believers around the world would surely be outraged and rise up.
No matter how much of a Saint she is, she would be subject to a religious trial and likely sentenced to death under the name of blasphemy.
Or, before the rumor spreads, I might get quietly assassinated by an assassin sent by the Vatican.
Either I die, the Saint dies, or we both die.
I could only see a bleak future.
Yes.
This was a secret of secrets that should never be spoken and taken to the grave.
Of course, I’m not crazy enough to go around blabbing about this.
‘What on earth is she thinking?’
But what really dumbfounded me was the Saint’s attitude.
She doesn’t even know what kind of person I am, yet she suddenly reveals such a secret?
If I were a priest, maybe, but I’m a mage.
It’s a well-known fact that the relationship between the Church and mages isn’t good.
If I were to reveal this fact to the magic world, she wouldn’t last long.
“Please believe me. I don’t intend to harm Hyunwoo.”
I swallowed a heavy sigh.
Does this woman not even realize that her life is in danger?
“…Don’t you think I might spread the fact that you’re a woman, Saint?”
The Saint replied with a calm expression to my words.
“Then wouldn’t the Vatican also find out that Hyunwoo received a suggestion to become a follower of a demon?”
Well, thankfully, it seems she’s not completely thoughtless.
But doesn’t this mean we’re holding each other’s lifelines?
I couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.
“Can I ask you just one thing?”
“Yes.”
“Why are you taking such a risk to help me?”
There was no reason for the Saint to take such a risk for me, a complete stranger.
“Because it’s wrong.”
Beyond her eyes, I met the cross radiating brilliant light.
I didn’t feel the oppressive pressure that seemed to constrict my entire body like before.
“Taking the lives of innocent people by falsely accusing them of being demon worshippers for such a reason is something no one can be forgiven for.”
“Is it okay for the Saint to say such things?”
She gave a self-deprecating smile at my words.
“Being a Saint doesn’t mean I can do everything as I please.”
I closed my mouth at her worried expression.
It seems there are many problems within the Vatican as well.
Well, wherever people live, it’s all the same.
“Hyunwoo, would you accept this?”
The Saint placed the rosary hanging around her neck on the table.
It was a silver rosary with no jewels or even decent decorations. It seemed too plain for the Saint.
But the plainness was only on the outside. The energy felt from it was unusual.
“It’s a rosary imbued with my divine power.”
Ting-
[Information about the newly acquired item is being collected]
[Saint’s Rosary
Grade: Epic
A rosary imbued with the Saint’s divine power.
The divine power, strengthened by consecration, will protect the user.
Natural recovery is greatly increased.
Immunity to poisons below a certain level is granted.
Divine power temporarily dwells within when dealing with things related to demons.
Restores a fatal wound once.]
The moment I saw the explanation that appeared before my eyes, I was speechless.
“It’s not much, but please accept it as a sign of apology for my and Sir Felix’s rudeness…”
“Saint!”
“Eek?!”
Thump!
I jumped up from my seat and grabbed the Saint’s hands.
“Rudeness? You risked your life for an infidel like me! How can I belittle that grace as rudeness!”
“Hng?! H-Hands…”
“If you hadn’t helped me, Saint, I would have vanished as dew on the execution ground. I’m the one who should be repaying your kindness, sob…!”
I squeezed out tears that weren’t there.
The Saint’s Rosary.
Just looking at the description, it was the best among the Epic-grade items I’ve obtained so far.
Moreover, the rosary directly consecrated by the Saint was an item whose value could not be measured, even excluding its performance as an artifact.
I could do this much reaction as a service.
“I will definitely repay this kindness someday!”
“N-No… M-My hands are touched…”
After that, I expressed my gratitude to the best of my ability for a long time.
The Saint said something in the middle, but I was so distracted by her face, which was as red as a persimmon, that I couldn’t hear it.
There was nothing special even after the investigation, so it probably wasn’t important.
More than that, the Saint’s reaction to ending the investigation hastily, saying that her physical condition had suddenly worsened, was strange.
With that much divine power, wouldn’t it be harder to catch minor illnesses?
Well, it would be strange for me to say anything about it when she said so herself.
After the investigation was over, I left the reception room and went to find a priest to replenish holy water while waiting for Noel’s investigation to finish.
Buying mainly high-quality ones, tens of millions of won flew away with just a few bottles.
‘Did I buy too much…?’
It’s not that I don’t have money, but most of my assets are in physical assets such as gold bars, jewels, and gold coins, so I was short on cash.
But converting these into cash was a problem in itself.
Without a proper gate entry record, I could be treated as dealing in stolen goods.
For now, I had no choice but to ask Grandma Choi Youngok to exchange it for me or enter a suitable gate.
I swallowed a sigh as things kept happening and contacted Kim Yoojun and Yang Suho.
The Saint would take care of it, but just in case.
I told both of them not to mention the apostle contract no matter what.
Whether they were quick-witted or not, neither of them asked why.
After waiting for about 20 minutes, Noel came out of the reception room.
Unlike me, Noel seemed to have been investigated with mainly formal questions.
Since the association’s investigation was tomorrow, we headed straight home.
“Ah! Master, your phone!”
“Ah.”
I almost forgot.
I stopped by a nearby mobile phone store and opened Noel’s phone.
The procedure was surprisingly complicated, so it took quite a while, but Noel seemed satisfied.
Afterwards, Noel and I returned home, opened the store, and immediately bought the ‘Celestial Blossom Moon Shadow Sword (天花月影劍).’
[Celestial Blossom Moon Shadow Sword (天花月影劍)
Grade: Unique
On a spring day when the full moon rose, Sword Empress (劍后) Yoo Harin, who was admiring the plum blossoms blooming profusely, attained enlightenment upon seeing her shadow under the moonlight and created this martial art. It has its roots in Mount Hua’s Moon Shadow Sword (月影劍) and is now a lost martial art.]
Most of the demonic beasts caught in this gate were demonic beasts employed by that demon worshiper, so I didn’t earn many coins, but it was enough to buy this one.
I should copy several copies and distribute them to my women.
Cheon Yeohwa, Yoo Sowol, Sylvia, and so on.
“Hmm, what should I do with this…”
I took out a large and majestic green horn from my inventory.
[Millennial Green Horn
Grade: Epic
The horn of a male unicorn that has lived for a thousand years. When ingested, it allows you to seduce female unicorns.]
Just looking at the description, I don’t know where to use something like this.
But the description isn’t everything for all items.
“Surely, they said that unicorn horns are good for stamina, right?”
Of course, I already have more than enough stamina, but for a man, stamina is always better.
I was about to search for how to brew green horns on the internet, but this was surprisingly soft, so it seemed like I could just chew it.
Of course, an ordinary person would break their teeth.
‘With my biting power using internal energy and magic power, wouldn’t I be able to handle a tiger?’
It wasn’t accurate.
Crunch-
I put the green horn in my mouth and chewed.
Hmm, it feels like eating cartilage.
Of course, it didn’t taste like anything.
“Master…? What are you doing now…”
“It’s good for stamina.”
“Eat it quickly. Shall I feed it to you?”
Ha, she’s so transparent, she’s just like a rabbit in heat.
It took about 5 minutes to eat all the green horn. It wasn’t an elixir, so I didn’t need to take a separate breath control, which was convenient.
‘Did it get better?’
I’ll have to check the detailed performance later at night.
Now all that’s left is the training of ‘Crimson Cloud Thunderclap Art (赤雲翻雷功),’ a new martial art.
But before that.
“…Shall I go see my master after a long time?”
That pure white fur and sharp eyes, I suddenly missed my master.
I was thinking of going with Noel, but it seemed difficult to take the rabbit who was immersed in her phone with me, so I headed to the dojo alone.
***
“Thank you for your hard work.”
The Archbishop, who came out to see her off alone at the back door of the temple, bowed his head.
“You’ve worked hard too, Archbishop.”
Elin also slightly bowed her head and got into the car.
The car she was in headed to the accommodation along the wide-open road.
The night view of Seoul whizzed by.
‘Haa…’
Elin stared blankly at the scenery and sighed inwardly.
Unlike the original plan, the investigation of those involved in the incident ended late at night, so her departure was postponed to tomorrow.
Of course, that wasn’t a big problem. It often happened that the schedule didn’t go as planned.
Moreover, spending a day outside the Vatican was a very refreshing experience for her.
It’s something that happens maybe once a year.
She would have been humming with anticipation for the hotel meal as usual, but not today.
‘His hand… It was big and firm…’
What happened during the day kept lingering in her mind.
It still felt like the warmth and touch she felt at that time remained.
Her cheeks, which had unknowingly turned red, were as hot as if she had a fever.
‘…It was my first time.’
Strictly speaking, it was the first time she had held a man’s hand in a woman’s form.
It had already been 12 years since she and her younger sister had wandered through the slums and were taken in by the Pope.
From that day until now, she had always lived as a man.
It always felt stuffy, as if she were wearing clothes that didn’t fit.
She couldn’t take off the ring even when she was sleeping, for fear that someone might see it.
At first, she thought it wouldn’t be difficult.
But as it became 5 years, then 10 years, it gradually became a heavy burden that weighed her down.
She couldn’t confide in anyone either.
The only people who knew she was a woman were the Pope and her younger sister, Alicia.
The Pope was definitely a good person, but he became frighteningly strict when it came to mentioning her cross-dressing.
After being severely scolded when she was young, she couldn’t bring herself to talk about it.
She couldn’t tell her younger sister either, because she was worried about the guilt her younger sister would feel.
Because she had chosen to live her whole life dressed as a man in place of her younger sister.
‘Hoo…’
Elin suppressed her frustrated feelings alone as usual.
Looking up at the unusually bright night sky.
But she was quite different from her usual self today.
Not with an expression of forcibly enduring hardship.
‘…I wanted to hold his hand just one more time.’
It was a look as if she was regretting something.
