🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 78
A day passed.
During that time, Liz, Denk, and Isabel each helped with the restoration in their own way. Liz could feel that her body felt much lighter and stronger than before she left Rettina. In fact, Liz alone could exert strength equal to two grown men, and thanks to that, she was able to help move the debris of collapsed houses.
When she asked Isabel about the changes in her body, Isabel laughed and replied, “It’s because divine power has soaked into your body, big sister!” It wasn’t impossible to believe, so Liz let it go for now. Later, when she asked Evan separately about the change, Evan was shocked.
“There are ancient records stating that the companions of previous Saintesses grew stronger by the day. I thought it was just a legend… but to think it’s actually possible…”
The fact that he gave an example of a saintess’s companions meant Evan had already begun to see Isabel as the descendant of a saintess. It was not something a bishop should say so lightly, but Liz, who didn’t know theology well, didn’t think much of it.
Denk delivered workers to and from the work sites with Mohican, and sometimes helped with labor when needed. Mohican was the only horse in Castletina that hadn’t panicked and run away from the golem that day. He was already an old horse, so even loud explosions or tremors rarely frightened him.
Denk had already said he wouldn’t take carriage fare during an emergency like this, but those who had fought alongside him and the Mercenary Corps of the Iron Chains against the steel golem ended up forcing money into Denk’s hands anyway.
Time passed like that, and the day of their departure finally arrived.
They sat in the Castletina church lounge, waiting for Isabel.
“Are you going to keep driving me and Isabel around, old man?”
“Of course.”
“I have a feeling that as long as Isabel is with us, this kind of disaster is gonna happen everywhere we go. You’ll be exhausted too.”
“I’ll be fine, young lady. More importantly, when is that friend of yours going to show up?”
“Friend? Oh, that white-haired con artist?”
Liz sighed, thinking of Judith. She never imagined she’d see that person again here—someone she thought she’d never meet again.
And according to Isabel, Judith might be a mutant, so she needed a detailed examination in Wicktina.
Even though Judith was a scammer who had just gotten out of prison with not a single coin, Liz and Denk agreed to take her. But Judith herself often sat with a gloomy face, sighing heavily, which didn’t feel right.
“She should be grateful Isabel wants her to come along, but she doesn’t look grateful at all. Actually looks like she doesn’t want to go.”
“We can’t just let her turn into a mutant, young lady.”
“I’m not blaming her for that. I just don’t like her attitude. She thanked every fighter one by one, so I don’t think she’s a bad person, but a scammer is still a scammer, you know? It’s sketchy. …But honestly, when is Isabel coming?”
“Since we’re ready, let’s just wait patiently.”
Once Isabel finished her business, and Judith—who was probably with Glinda helping with the wall repairs—returned, they would depart for Wicktina. With Glinda’s help, they planned to pinpoint Erika’s location, and hopefully meet her.
Until then, all they could do was wait.
“…I’m bored.”
“Same here.”
“Old man, why don’t you go have a smoke or something?”
“No thanks. Because of the blessing our priestess gave me, I’m on forced no-smoking mode.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“It’s… kinda complicated…”
While Liz and Denk lay slumped after finishing preparations—
“Lady Isabel.”
“Yes, Mr. Lister.”
Isabel was facing Lister.
They stood at the drill grounds outside the Castletina church, where Holy Knights trained. After the golem defense battle, Lister had not once approached Isabel, and whenever Isabel tried to speak to him, he avoided her.
He helped with the restoration the whole time. And once Isabel’s departure date was set, he sent word that he urgently wanted to speak with her.
When he asked Isabel to pick a time and place, she said she wanted to walk and talk at the drill grounds on the day of departure—leaving Lister flustered.
So now, the two walked along the edge of the training ground in awkward silence.
But Isabel wasn’t the type to feel awkward easily, so the discomfort was Lister’s alone.
After a long silence, Lister finally spoke.
“How has your journey been?”
“It’s been fine~”
“That’s good.”
“And you, Mr. Lister? Are you doing okay?”
Lister couldn’t answer quickly. Ever since the defense battle ended, he’d been avoiding Isabel. Because facing her meant confronting his own weakness.
He had run away from reality.
But he shouldn’t have. Lister now knew two of the world’s greatest secrets.
“Lady Isabel…”
“You don’t need to be so formal just because we’re both Agents! I call you Mr. Lister, don’t I?”
“Please… allow me to call you Lady Isabel. I beg you.”
“Is something wrong?”
Isabel blinked up at him with wide eyes.
“Lady Isabel. I know your secret.”
“The demon sword, you mean?”
Isabel asked innocently. She already knew Lister had seen her demon sword, but after that, he never brought it up again. So she assumed—
Ah, Mr. Lister must be planning to keep my secret! How nice!
“Thank you for keeping my secret, Mr. Lister! But I won’t use the demon sword for anything bad, so don’t worry.”
“No… Lady Isabel. I didn’t just see the sword.”
Lister forced his stiff lips to move.
And staring at her confused face, he finally said it:
“Your stigmata.”
“Ah.”
“I saw your stigmata. That day, when you ran to save Judith… through your torn clothes. That means—you’re not just a simple priest… You…”
He clenched his teeth. The words wouldn’t come out easily.
“You’re the Saint.”
The expression Isabel made was not what Lister expected.
She looked happy.
“Why… are you smiling…?”
Isabel almost said: It’s been so long since someone called me Saint, it feels funny!
If it weren’t for Smiel slamming the brakes in her mind, she would’ve.
Smiel didn’t speak—only watched, letting Isabel choose her words.
So Isabel smiled softly, brought her finger to her lips—
“This is a secret, okay?”
Her eyes grew serious. Lister, flustered, slowly lifted his hand, raised a finger, and pressed it to his lips the same way.
That was exactly what Isabel wanted. She smiled brightly.
“Thank you. Please keep it a secret~”
“Is… is that the will of your Guardian Angel?”
“Yes! If anyone finds out, I won’t be able to obey the angel’s orders anymore. Please promise to keep it, Mr. Lister!”
Lister couldn’t take his eyes off her smiling face.
He wanted to thank her.
He wanted to apologize.
Thank you for helping me. For showing me my limits. For teaching me the power of Mercy.
I’m sorry for treating you carelessly. For looking down on you. For thinking you were a fool.
But after seeing her face, he couldn’t say any of it.
He knew why.
Because Isabel wasn’t just a clumsy priestess.
She was a Saint.
A chosen one, bearing the stigmata of the goddess Sunea, walking forward without hesitation.
She didn’t need his gratitude.
She didn’t need his apology.
Saints transcended human pettiness.
A living angel on earth.
A vessel of pure benevolence.
Someone whose very existence saved lives.
And the only person in this continent who could completely control a demon sword.
Lister realized something. Just talking with him like this was delaying Isabel’s holy journey.
So he hurriedly said:
“You should go.”
“Huh? Didn’t you say you wanted to talk?”
“I already said everything. Please leave. Don’t delay your journey just because of someone like me! Go!”
“What do you mean ‘someone like me’? Mr. Lister, you should value—”
“Just go!”
At Lister’s desperate shout, Isabel blinked, then giggled and waved.
“It was nice talking with you, Mr. Lister! I’ll go now!”
She sprinted across the drill ground, footsteps echoing. Lister watched her back as she got farther and farther away.
She didn’t want anything from him.
Not his thanks.
Not his apology.
She had no desire for such things at all.
She would continue walking the path of God without looking back.
They would never walk it together. If he were meant to accompany her, the Guardian Angel would have said so. His rank as vice-captain of Zeronis’s unit would only weigh her down.
Maybe this was the end.
And for the first time, Lister felt a sharp, aching loneliness.
Deep inside, the priest, the clergyman, the believer inside him was crying. He hated himself for falling away from the glorious path of God.
He was not chosen. God did not pick him.
All he could do was watch her grow distant—
Then he stopped.
Isabel had suddenly stopped running.
Lister opened his mouth to tell her to go already—but then he heard her shout:
“Mr. Lister—!!”
She cupped her hands around her mouth like a trumpet, cheeks bright red, and shouted:
“Let’s meet again—!!”
Then she beamed, waved wildly, and ran off once more.
Lister stared blankly, replaying the words.
He hadn’t heard that phrase—not since childhood.
No one had ever said it to him with such bright sincerity.
And if his subordinates had seen what happened next, they would have fainted.
Lister dropped to the ground—
and laughed.
He laughed until his stomach hurt.
Laughing, as he waited for the day he would meet Isabel again.
Isabel, Liz, and Denk decided not to wait for anyone to see them off.
They didn’t want noise or attention anymore.
“Young lady, did you meet the person you wanted to see? Can we go now?”
“Yes! Let’s go!”
“And you, miss?”
Denk looked at Liz beside Isabel.
“I don’t have any unfinished business. And I got paid nicely.”
“Good. Then…”
Denk turned to the person sitting beside him on the coachman’s seat—Tio.
“And you, young lady?”
“I’m ready. You can depart.”
Tio smiled politely—the same shy smile she used whenever she acted.
Originally, she was supposed to sit in the back with Liz and Isabel, but she absolutely could not sit face-to-face in a cramped carriage with Isabel. So she thought fast:
Since she had pretended to be the fake coachman “Judith,” she claimed she wanted to stop being a scammer and become a real hardworking driver.
She insisted passionately.
Denk, being a coachman himself, was impressed.
Isabel even had tears in her eyes, moved by the ex-convict trying to start a new life.
Liz gave Tio a suspicious look, but eventually gave in.
And so—holding Mohican’s reins—Denk, Tio continuing to play the reformed con artist, and Liz and Isabel—
passed through the northern gates, the ones that survived the golem attack.
Hooves clattered against stone.
And just like that, their journey to Wicktina began.
