ABSVW~04

Chapter 04

Patrick’s face turned bright red.

“Hey—!”

He raised his fist like he was about to swing it at me on the spot. But unlike usual, he probably couldn’t actually hit me today.

‘Because I really did go to Sladeiche today!’

One of the nearby boys peeked toward the doorway and quickly grabbed Patrick to stop him.

“P-Patrick. The nursery priest might call Nana soon…!”

If I, who had returned alive from the Sladeiche Grand Duchy, ended up getting sent back there again and showed up with bruises or signs of being hit, they’d deduct points from us!

And if apprentices like us got point deductions, it would affect our promotion to full priests.

‘It’s like a red mark on your record.’

“But she’s ignoring me right now!”

“I-I didn’t ignore Nana!”

“You think you’re something special just because you went to the Grand Duke’s estate once.”

Patrick growled and grabbed me by the collar. My small body dangled helplessly in his grip.

Reina beside him snickered.

Those guys… seriously…

But I didn’t back down and looked straight into Patrick’s eyes.

“If you hit me, I’ll tell the teacher.”

“What a joke. You think the nursery priest will believe you?”

Unable to hold back his anger, Patrick raised his fist again—

BANG—

“Sweet Nana! The teacher wants to talk to you for a moment!”

The supervising assistant priest appeared, holding a platinum donation slip in his hand.

The moment he saw the scene inside, he froze like stone.

“W-what is going on here…?”

He looked back and forth between Patrick and me—specifically me, being held up by the collar.

“P-Priest assistant sir, this isn’t what it looks like—”

Patrick hurriedly dropped me. But the assistant priest’s stern expression didn’t soften.

“Patrick. I saw everything.”

Normally he was the type to brush off minor disturbances because he hated hassle.

But today…

“You think you can fix your behavior with just a few point deductions?”

‘It must be a message from Sladeiche!’

A platinum donation slip… sent as a donation.

‘With that much money, they wouldn’t just let me get hurt.’

Platinum slips were the temple’s favorite kind of donation—flexible, unlimited-use funds with no expiration.

The assistant priest strode over and checked my condition, even brushing dust off my robes.

“Nana, are you hurt anywhere?”

“Y-yes, teacher. But… um…”

“Yes? What happened with Patrick?”

“Patrick got mad because I didn’t tell him about Sladeiche.”

I blinked, tears welling up in my big eyes.

“But if I talk about Sladeiche’s secrets carelessly, Patrick and the temple could both get into big trouble…”

“H-how could that be…?”

At my words, the assistant priest’s face grew serious.

Patrick went pale and shook his head frantically.

‘Well, I probably wouldn’t have gone this far normally…’

But I wasn’t going to be taken advantage of so easily anymore.

Before Patrick could defend himself, I wiped my tears with my sleeve and sniffled.

“I’m sorry, Patrick…”

The assistant priest patted my head gently.

Then suddenly turned sharply toward Patrick.

“Patrick! What exactly did you ask her to reveal?!”

“Th-that’s not it, teacher—!”

“I don’t want excuses. You not only tried to extract temple secrets as a priest-in-training, but also bullied someone younger than you! Apologize to Nana immediately!”

Patrick shut his mouth tightly, clearly frustrated.

“Patrick, you will receive point deductions. Apologize if you don’t want harsher punishment.”

To become a full priest, evaluations from the nursery priests were extremely important.

In the end, Patrick lowered his head.

“…Sorry.”

But his face still looked like he was dying of injustice.

‘Did you think I’d just keep taking it?’

I suppressed a small giggle and nodded dignifiedly.

“It’s okay, Patrick. Nana is fine.”

“Our Nana really is such a good child.”

The assistant priest gently praised me while holding my shoulders.

But I wasn’t done yet.

I turned to Reina.

“Teacher. Is Reina being promoted to the education division?”

“…Huh? Why are you even here in the education division?”

It was strictly forbidden for nursery children to enter the education section.

Normally, the assistant priest would ignore something like this—but not today.

Reina trembled violently.

“I-I—!”

But the assistant priest raised his voice.

“You also get deductions! Go back to the nursery immediately. From now on, every time you’re seen in the education section, you’ll be penalized!”

Reina looked like her world had collapsed as she was dragged away by another priest.

“Our Nana, come with me for a moment.”

“Yes!”

Outside, the assistant priest showed me a letter.

“Our Nana seems to have performed her duties in Sladeiche very well.”

The letter bore the seal of Sladeiche. The platinum slip had my name clearly written on it.

He gently patted my shoulder.

“Starting tomorrow, you’ll be promoted to the education division.”

Promotion…!

Hearing it directly made it feel real.

So I won’t have to stay in the nursery anymore.

‘Then…’

I won’t have to see that person anymore.

The assistant priest, pleased by my reaction, handed me the letter.

“Go to Sladeiche again tomorrow. If your faith deepens, you may receive even greater rewards.”

I didn’t really understand, but I nodded eagerly.

Clutching the letter tightly in my small hands, I bounced with excitement.

The next day, I once again boarded a carriage toward the Sladeiche Grand Duke’s estate.

Winter marches are horribly exhausting.

“Haa…”

I blew into my hands, but my red fingertips only grew more numb.

Snow seeped into my thin shoes, barely lined with cloth.

‘Is this a dream?’

I looked down at my hands. I seemed older now—maybe elementary school age.

I clutched a warmth stone and a thin blanket with both hands, trying desperately to survive the cold.

The smallest warmth magic stone I had managed to buy after paying in a village.

It should have been a happy memory… so why did my heart feel so cold?

Then—

“Achoo—”

A sneeze came from ahead.

It was Remié, wrapped in a luxurious cloak completely incomparable to mine.

“Ah… it’s cold…”

“Are you cold, Saintess?”

“A little?”

A knight standing beside her approached me.

He extended his hand.

“Nana. There are no blankets left except yours. Could you give it up?”

“…Ah.”

“Everyone else has no blankets either, so endure it. You know the Saintess must not fall ill.”

That was right. Except for Remié, no one had blankets.

But I was freezing too…

I’d been sick for three days…

I wanted to say that—but even in a dream, I couldn’t change the past.

So I forced a bright smile.

“That’s right! Sister Remié is truly a saint!”

And so I gave up my blanket.

“If you had this, you should’ve said so earlier.”

Even my hidden warmth stone was taken.

My mind faded in and out, and I found myself lying in the carriage again, breathing hot, ragged breaths.

Voices drifted from outside.

“The march is delayed… this is troublesome.”

“She’s just a child, but to think she’s faking illness. The Saintess is far too generous.”

I’m not faking it. I’m really sick. I’m really, really cold…

Just like Remié is cold right now…

‘No one… knows.’

Tears streamed down my face.

Ah… right. I did cry at this part.

I hadn’t understood it back then.

‘So I just wanted someone to notice.’

But reality didn’t change. I was still the “fake” who only complained.

I want to wake up from this nightmare.

Please.

Please…

Then a warm hand lifted my body.

‘So it really is a dream.’

Why is the Grand Duke of Sladeiche here?

“Are you awake?”

“…?”

The Grand Duke of Sladeiche was holding me.

…It felt like I woke from a dream only to enter another dream.

‘There’s no way this is real!’

I flailed my small arms in panic.

‘Was I sleeping right in front of him like this?! And where even am I?’

I was in the corridor of the Sladeiche Grand Duke’s castle.

Only then did I realize—I must have fallen asleep in the carriage.

No way…

‘Did the Grand Duke carry me here?’

I stiffened instantly, pale as a sheet, and slowly looked up at him.

My tiny hands curled tightly in fear.

“It seems you’ve woken up. Did you not sleep well?”

“I-I don’t sleep well at the temple…”

Oops. Why am I even saying this?!

I quickly shook my head and poked his arm, asking to be put down.

“….”

I poked again.

“What are you doing?”

“P-please put me down…”

“Speak properly. Don’t just poke me.”

The Grand Duke’s eyes sharpened.

‘Scary!!’

Still, I was a respectable second-time-living adult.

I forced my trembling body to step forward bravely.

“Do you know the way?”

“….”

Silently, I turned back around and followed the Grand Duke again.