The Successor of the Saint Does Not Fight - Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Curse of the Rain-Summoning Serpent Part 10

The Saint Maiden Meril Klein raised her finger to the heavens and solemnly declared.

“Let our protection be bestowed upon this land.”

Instantly, the demon’s rain clouds vanished, replaced by a dazzling and divine rainbow that stretched across the sky.

Ah, what a miracle. This is truly the work of the Descendants of God.

Even though the rain had stopped, my eyes remained moist with tears of gratitude—

[Excerpt from the Memoirs of Graf Shiraat]

…

“Well, it’s good that everything ended safely, but… this has been quite embellished,” I remarked as I read the letter of gratitude handed to me by Mr. Shiraat on the train back to the holy city.

He had been unconscious since immediately after destroying the statue of the saint, conveniently regaining consciousness at just the right moment.

That moment happened to coincide with my speech, when the sky cleared up.

Thanks to that, Mr. Shiraat became completely devoted, shedding tears of blissful ecstasy until we left Peg Village. I couldn’t help but feel that he was more eerie than the demon-worshipping villagers.

Though our paths differed, it seemed that lords and subjects were fundamentally similar.

The letter, stained with tears, contained various other points besides expressions of gratitude.

It mentioned the prospect of Peg Village’s reconstruction now that the rain had stopped. With the grain supply from Peg Village normalized, the financial stability of Shiraat’s domain would be assured, allowing for expanded support to the church. The villagers were also brimming with enthusiasm.

The scattered praises made it quite difficult to read, but that was the gist of it. Ultimately, the situation had been resolved satisfactorily.

Of course, I had no intention of informing the church that Peg Village was a nest of demon worshippers.

There was no need to disrupt the settled situation, risk unnecessary grudges, and from the church’s perspective, it would be advantageous for Peg Village to thrive economically in anticipation of future donations.

Often, it’s best to turn a blind eye to certain things in the world.

(And above all else! With the report this time, I can make the excuse that “I’m tired from setting up the large-scale barrier, so I’ll take a break from missions for a while!”)

With this respite period that was born out of that, I’ll somehow persuade Mother.

I’ll tell her that if things continue like this, her dear daughter will die.

I’ll ask her to responsibly fulfill her duties as a parent, protect her beloved daughter, and allow her to live a comfortable and carefree life.

“Saint Maiden Meril Klein.”

And then.

Yuno, who had been sitting quietly in the corner of the carriage, suddenly spoke up.

I was a bit surprised. Because since the resolution of the incident, he had been silent, almost like a ghost.

By the way, the White Wolf was at my feet, gnawing on a whole leg of prosciutto.

I wish he’d consume too much salt.

“Um… Is something the matter, Yuno?”

“Was it truly a good thing that the incident was resolved in this manner?”

I sighed in relief at his question.

“Of course. No one is grieving, and there’s hope for the future. Isn’t this the best resolution?”

“But the demon has survived.”

“The Rain Serpent won’t cause any more harm, and from now on, it will help with farming just like before. There’s no need to force a confrontation.”

Yuno furrowed his brow ever so slightly.

It was a rare change in expression for him, who usually remained impassive.

“No matter how benevolent they may seem, demons are demons. We can never know when or how they might turn their fangs on humans. If it weren’t for you, Saint Maiden Meril Klein handling this matter, the Rain Serpent might have destroyed the village without mercy.”

Yuno stated.

“Pathetic excuses, kid.”

The White Wolf interjected, tossing aside the bone of the prosciutto and joining the conversation.

“If you’re unsatisfied, you should have slaughtered the Rain Serpent yourself. It’s rather pitiful to blame this girl just because you couldn’t do it.”

Seemingly struck a nerve, Yuno glared at the White Wolf for a moment before quietly bowing his head.

“I apologize for speaking out of turn.”

“No, no, it’s fine, really.”

I interjected.

“However—please, be cautious and don’t let your guard down against demons. It may be unnecessary concern for someone as capable as Saint Maiden Meril Klein, but cunning demons might try to sneak into your midst and catch you off guard.”

Yuno added, casting a glance at the White Wolf as if to say, “I don’t trust this guy either,” a sentiment I wholeheartedly agreed with.

“Heh heh… bark all you want.”

The White Wolf responded with an oddly confident air.

Where does this mysterious confidence of his come from? Does he think I trust him? As if I’d let my guard down around demons. Truly, he’s as dim-witted as a canine.

The White Wolf then sniffed and continued.

“But you, kid, you’re oddly stubborn. Have you perhaps experienced being betrayed by a demon you believed in?”

Yuno, questioned, tightened his fists on his knees.

The White Wolf smirked maliciously. I’ve thought this before, but this guy really is good at picking fights.

“It seems I hit a nerve. It’s fine to regret your own failures, but don’t try to push that regret onto others,” the White Wolf remarked.

As the White Wolf continued to goad, Yuno remained silent.

I sensed the atmosphere inside the carriage growing increasingly tense. Please, spare us. We still have quite a long journey until we reach the Holy Capital.

“Um, um! Let’s stop with the heavy talk for now. How about we listen to some music and have some snacks? I can call for a steward who plays the piano—”

I suggested, trying to change the heavy mood.

“My foster parent was a demon in human form.”

Yuno interjected, bringing up the worst possible topic and effectively killing any attempt to lighten the atmosphere.

“Um… Your parent was a demon…?”

I asked, taken aback.

“Yes. That demon raised me for the purpose of consumption.”

Yuno replied in a unnaturally calm tone, as if suppressing his emotions.

“So I… I killed that demon with my own hands.”