Fake Saint of the Year

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Translator: Kagura

TL Check: Hasr11

Editor: Azeria

Read at Watashi wa Sugoi Desu! Support the Translators and Editors!

Note: This chapter is about 3x the length of a normal chapter

Chapter 2: (Fake) Saint Elrise

Noo… This bums me out. 

After finding out that I’m not Eterna but the fake Saint Elrise, I’ve lost all motivation. 

That’s enough, yeah. This dream can just end already. 

Yep, it’s over. Finished. The end. Let’s shut it all down. 

I give up, so the game is over. Anzai-sensei, I don’t want to play basketball.¹

Of all people, I’m the shitty fake Saint. But then, you could say that with me on the inside, in a way it now matches the person I am on the outside.

At the very least, any guilt I might have felt over commandeering Eterna’s body is no more. 

In fact, since this is Elrise, why should I even return her body? 

If Elrise were to come back, she’d just continue to do shitty things. If so, I’d rather commit suicide than give it back to her. 

But… is this really a dream? 

I haven’t shown any signs of waking up since a while ago. Breakfast even tasted as delicious as usual and instead as time went by, to my utter shock, my sense of reality continued to deepen. 

“Elrise-sama, it’s time for your studies.”

“Ah, yes. Please treat me well.”

For now, I’ll endeavor to respond professionally when speaking with the lady responsible for my lessons. 

It’s similar to how I would speak if I was working a part-time job, since if I were to use my usual gruff manner of speaking she would likely think something was off. 

By the way, speaking in a ladylike manner was impossible. I’d throw up if I did it. 

Though I should say, I’m surprised that I can speak the language of this world so naturally. 

The language structure seems to be quite similar to that of Japanese, and the concept of honorifics was also firmly established.

“.…”

For some reason, this old lady was now staring slack-jawed at me as if she had witnessed something extraordinary.  

What? Was it really that weird for me to say that? 

Trembling, the lady speaks joyously;

“Ohh… Elrise-sama said please treat me well… such words, I have never before…”

Ah, so that’s what it was. 

Come to think of it, Elrise had an overbearing attitude and has done as she pleased her whole life. 

Taking advantage of the fact that she is the only person who’s capable of fighting the Witch (despite actually being a fake!), she’d say whatever she wanted and do whatever she pleased. 

It was normal for her to fire those she didn’t like, and when she grew up, she used her power to crush them. Even going so far as to drive them to commit suicide. 

She even arranged for thugs to assault a girl she didn’t like and have them do shitty brutish acts like **** to her. 

She’s a real piece of shit, isn’t she?

Compared to this person, those villainous daughters are guu saints. ²

But from the way I look now, I’d guess she’s only around five years old or so. At this point in her life, she probably hasn’t done anything that bad just yet.

I guess she’s just a selfish girl at heart.

And then, my studies were finished effortlessly and I thought; 

Ah, by the way, studying was easy. I mean it would be strange if I couldn’t do math meant for first graders in elementary school. 

I… what should I do from now on? 

In the beginning, I was depressed, but if you think about it, this could pave the way for a happy ending where Eterna doesn’t die. 

After all, Elrise is the main cause of Eterna’s tragedy. If it weren’t for her, Eterna would have been happier, I can assure you. Elrise’s influence was after all the root cause for Eterna’s destruction…

And now that I’m Elrise,  so long as I don’t commit any evil deeds, everything will be ok. 

I don’t know what kind of situation I am in right now. 

Was it just a dream, or could it be that common light novel trope of transmigration… or maybe I’ve unexpectedly reincarnated with the memories of my past-life intact? 

Or perhaps the likely outcome is that the “me” here now is actually the original Elrise who has only inherited the memory of “me”. 

But no matter which it is, it’s all the same. I love happy endings and hate bad endings. 

So, I’ll change the story. 

I’ll save Eterna and Vernell, and rewrite the tragedy. 

No, not just those two. Like hell I’ll let the other heroines meet their bad ending. 

Fortunately, Elrise is a genius despite being a piece of shit. 

Although she is not a Saint, she possesses a great deal of magical power far beyond human understanding that can be mistaken for the powers of a Saint, and she was an excellent swordswoman…

Her enormous reserves of magical power are why she had ended up being mistaken as the Saint as an infant. 

In fact in the routes where she appeared, her boss fight turned out to be rather tough and in general, she’s just a damn strong character.

Moreover, since she was an enemy, her settings allowed her to use that strength effortlessly…

Even in her official profile, she was called [A Monster of Talent Born by Accident]. 

Well, thanks to her arrogance she got what she deserved in the end! 

Anyway, if that Elrise had worked hard from an early age and trained with all her might…. she might have even won against the Witch. 

It’s said that only the Saint can compete against the Witch, but I know that isn’t truly the case.

Depending on the route, the Witch can be defeated even without the power of the Saint. 

Alright, let’s do it. I’ll do it. 

I’ll make this world have a happy ending. 

No matter what, even if this body were to shatter as a result!

For the time being… Let’s focus all my energy on studying, training, and practicing magic. 

Of course, I’ll have to be kind to the servants. 

Rather, all the servants are beauties, and a man must be kind.

---

Time flies like an arrow. 

It passed surprisingly fast. 

Before I realized it, nine years had passed since I became Elrise (the Shitty Saint), and even I, a fool, realized that this was not a dream. 

During this time in the game, Elrise had indulged in food and drink to such an extent that her precious natural beauty was ruined. I, on the other hand, am still quite beautiful because of my dedication to a proper beauty routine and diet.  

Furthermore, at the very least this body’s stats are genuine. 

I remember everything I hear and see to the point that it’s unpleasant, and even learning magic goes smoothly.  

Ah, this is late but there is magic here. It’s a fantasy world. 

Well, it’s a common world of swords and magic with no strange twists incorporated into the worldbuilding.  

Well if adding your own strange twists just makes the worldbuilding worse, it’s better to stick to a template; it’s like they say, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. 

Although it is true that the science of the world however has been developing to the point that steam locomotives do exist in this reality, it is after all, based upon a medieval fantasy. 

Moving on, the magic of this world has eight elements in all: fire, water, earth, wind, lightning, ice, light, and dark. While light magic is my specialty, I can use all but dark magic.  

Although I am a fake Saint, having only my magic element be saintly is hilarious. 

By the way, only the Saint and the Witch can use dark magic. In other words, it is the Saint and the Witch who are capable of using all eight elements of magic. 

So, Elrise has quite a monstrous natural talent…

If I can think of it, generally, I can do it. With ease, I can reproduce the techniques and magical creations from my previous life (?). 

Having lasers made of light rain from the heavens? I can do it! 

Flying freely in the sky like a bird? I’ve done it!

No recovery magic in the world can bring someone back from the brink? Puhlease, heal! Boom. It’s been done. 

Damn it, isn’t there a spellbook of sorts? There is! Good work! 

Seriously, this kind of feeling, it’s practically cheating.

At first, I was worried that my efforts wouldn’t last. But there was nothing to worry about. 

This world was truly, not one bit entertaining. 

The only fun to be had in this world was during training with the sword and magic practice, there doesn’t seem to be much else for me to do otherwise. 

That’s why every day I train with my sword and practice all types of magic, even after my lessons have finished for the day. 

My teachers and a few others asked me, “Why do you work so hard? Taking care of yourself is good enough.” I didn’t want to answer honestly, so I just said half-heartedly, “Well, I used to be terrible in the past. I’m trying to make up for that and live up to everyone’s expectations. I’ve already loved myself enough, so now I’m going to love you guys. (fist pump!)”

The teachers were moved to tears. LOL.

And more recently, I often venture outside to hunt monsters…

Yahoo! Hunting monsters is fun! 

I was worried that a normie, such as myself, wouldn’t be able to fight effectively. In terms of strength, compared to Elrise I was crap. Maybe, I shouldn’t laugh at her?

It’s a lot of fun to trample the weak as much as I want with the strength I’ve honed. Fufu… what can I say other than it’s a pleasure of life. 

A great Demon King from some unknown, far away place, said that getting drunk on one’s power is better than any sake. I have to say, I completely agree with him! ³

I know, it’s horrible, but hunting down the weak is really, really fun.

It’s not something I can say aloud… but I’m the type of person who gets a kick out of harassing someone weaker than myself. But you know what they say, “someone who knows they’re weird isn’t weird”. It’s why I’m not weird, I’m awesome. 

I’ll apologize to the monsters. Sorry monsters, please forgive me. There, I apologized, Magic Shot! 

Kicking away the monsters in a flash with the magic I learned… Aaah, it feels wonderful…

This is the best way to let loose after all, Master.  

Well, when I do such a thing, of course, I was asked, “Why are you doing nothing but this?” I replied perfunctorily, “I am very sad, but I’m doing it to protect everyone’s welfare (fist pump).”

They were moved to tears. LOL.

And for the sake of when I finally return the position of Saint to Eterna someday, I did my best to raise the reputation of the Saint.

I’m a fake after all. I needlessly got put in the fake Saint Elrise, so now it’s doubly fake. There’s nothing real here! 

So, in the end, I’m destined to give back the position to the real Saint, Eterna. Exile and damnation are all that await me in the future. 

It’s all good, not unfortunate in the least, even justified by the game. Eterna had suffered, struggled, and eventually fell to darkness all thanks to the infamy accumulated by Elrise.

Therefore, I’m doing activities to raise the Saint’s reputation to make way for the real Saint’s return. 

To put it simply, it’s charity work. 

I wish I had unparalleled modern knowledge like others that were reincarnated in another world. But it’s impossible because I’m stupid. So for the time being, whilst practicing magic, I wandered around a variety of towns or villages and indiscriminately used recovery magic on everyone who was sick or injured.

You will be my puppet! This magic shall heal your injury!

Hmmm? Am I mistaken…?

Oh, that girl is cute. Totally my type. 

But her face is scarred. Such a waste…  

That’s why… yep! Recovery magic, go! Baby, fall in love with me. 

Well, when I do such a thing, of course, I was asked, “Why are you doing this?” I replied half-heartedly, “At least, I want to save whomsoever I can. Ah, the price is your smile please (fist pump).” 

Well, in other words, I’m abandoning the ones I can’t help. 

I’m not Indian. I can’t stretch my hands while saying namaste. [Hasr: Guess I’m not Indian then xD]

She was moved to tears. LOL.

And then I met Vernell-kun, the main character. 

The story begins when Vernell-kun, Eterna, and Elrise are seventeen years old.  

Since I’m currently fourteen, there are only three years left before the story begins.

There’s actually a little event that takes place with Vernell-kun at this time.

Although it is merely a flashback event in the game, Vernell, by accident, is harboring a piece of the Witch’s soul. The power of darkness (lol) hiding inside his body. 

And that dark power (lol) awakens when Vernell is fourteen. Since at first, he can’t control it he is feared by those around him when it rampages.  

Kuh… everyone stay back! I can’t… control… the darkness sealed in my right arm! 

As a result the son of a rural lord, Vernell, was harshly criticized by his parents and siblings. Driven out by his family, he lived the life of a reject and believed himself worthless. 

After wandering he eventually arrived at a small village and met Eterna for the first time. But… the trauma of being cast out by his family and feared by everyone, caused him to suppress all of the power that he held. 

Its nature only brought misfortune. If he were to use that dark power (lol), problems would be solved instantly. The plot wouldn’t have needed to drag on so pointlessly and the heroine’s death flag could’ve been neatly avoided. So much time was spent just frustrating the players for him to overcome, and eventually command, his dark power. 

By the by, the darkness slumbering within Vernell-kun (lol) is the key to defeating the Witch without relying on the power of the Saint. 

In short, since it’s the Witch’s power, cutting through her defenses becomes child’s play.

So, arriving ahead of Vernell-kun’s path after he was thrown out of his village, I comforted and half-heartedly encouraged the down-on-his-luck main character. I listened to him scream and cry about how worthless he was, amongst his other complaints. 

When I did so, Vernell-kun said things like, “I won’t be able to have a happy ending… will I?” as if he were already predicting the end of the game. This led to me tearing up instinctively as I recalled that tragedy of an ending. Waaah…

So even though I really don’t want to hug a man, in this situation it just couldn’t be helped, I allowed him to experience the hug of a beautiful maiden (on the outside only) while promising, “In that case, I’ll ensure your happy ending!”

If I treated it like a greeting from a foreigner, my mental burden was considerably reduced. 

Look, you’re being hugged by a beautiful girl! Rejoice! Even though the inside is just a pile of shit. 

Vernell-kun, moved by my words, cried. LOL.

During this exchange, by the way, I absorbed that dark energy (lol) that Vernell-kun couldn’t control. With this, I can now fight the Witch. Seriously, can I get any more magically omnipotent!?!

Well, I’m neither a Saint nor a Witch. By doing that, my lifespan had probably been shortened. But you know what, if the lifespan of a shit getting cut short means I’ll be able to enjoy a happy ending… Well, that’s a pretty cheap price to pay. 

Yahoo, Yahoo! 

By the way, the reason why Vernell-kun is okay is because of his status as the main character. The stats of a protagonist are no joke! It’s pretty incredible.  

In fact, because of certain ancestors within the Witch’s lineage, Vernell-kun has some traits of atavism. Or, at least I remember reading something to that effect in his profile… 

Ah, and instead of giving him a charm, I hung a pendant I made around his neck. 

Well, it was the castle’s resident craftsmen who made it. I only imbued it with some magic. 

Contained within the necklace is a spell that will seal a fraction of his power and allow him to control it better.

The Witch would eventually discover Vernell-kun’s location thanks to the aura indirectly let out by his power. Because of it, the Witch’s familiar would come to the village and bring about various painful experiences. Let’s make sure to avoid those circumstances. 

While I’m at it, we’ll call it a prayer. Let’s put in all of my grudges, wishes, and aggressive tenacity.

You absolutely must make Eterna happy! Let’s go! Eterna Route! Do you hear me?! 

I want to see that happy ending!

---

Saint Elrise was a girl who embodied selfishness. 

Growing up in an environment where her every whim was catered to allowed her childish greed and arrogance to grow unhindered. 

If she said she wanted something, it was granted. Anything she wished to do was made available to her.  

Because she was humanity’s only hope for combatting the Witch’s evil. 

If the Saint were to disappear, humanity would become overrun by the Witch and the demons enslaved by her. 

So, no matter what, the Saint’s life was much more important than anyone, or anything, else. 

Elrise who grew up as such believed that the lives of others were beneath her, and never once stopped to thank anyone for what she was given. 

Delicious food, a luxurious living arrangement, and a servant to take care of her basic necessities… That was nothing more than the natural order of things. Rather, if the standards were to slip even just a bit, she’d become quite irritable. 

That all changed when Elrise was five years old. 

As if she had turned over a new leaf, she began to give thanks and speak politely with those around her.  

She treated the servants with kindness where she had once been exceedingly strict and had a newfound motivation for her studies, swordsmanship, and magic practice. All of which she had long seen as a bothersome duty. 

As a result, Elrise, who originally possessed a great deal of talent, honed her remarkable strength and by the time she reached her twelfth year, grew to become the greatest Master on the continent.  

Everyone said that it was the talent of a Saint.

The talent she possessed certainly could not be denied. 

But those who taught her swords and magic, knew firsthand that there was an extraordinary amount of effort behind that genius.  

As if possessed, Elrise began to value the time she had and spent it all on her training.  

She mastered the sword and magic at a frightening pace as if she did not know what sleep and rest were; the result was that her magical skills reached a point where she had learned everything except the darkness attribute, and her sword skills showed accuracy to the point that she could even cut between two cells. 

She was surely a Saint. 

At the age of fourteen, her beauty was perfection itself. Hair like molten gold, and a face that was surely sculpted by God Himself. 

Wearing a snow-white dress she’d smile, without any prejudice, at anyone she crossed paths with.  

A guard who was in charge of her training once asked; 

“Elrise-sama… why do you force yourself to such an extent? I worry about you. Your strength as a Master is already unparalleled… Please, just take better care of yourself.” 

Smiling gently, Elrise responded;

“In the past, I was a violent and dreadful woman. I misused the authority given to me by my status as the Saint and made a mockery of everyone’s hopes. Precisely because I noticed these mistakes of mine… Now I would like to at least meet the expectations everyone has of me. I have already done quite enough when it comes to taking care of myself. So, now, I shall endeavor to love and hold others above myself. I love everything about this world… That is why, from now on, I will do my best.”

Saying she loved everything in the world, she smiled radiantly. 

Faced with her dazzling smile, the teacher could only shed tears at the sight. 

This girl was unmistakably a Saint. That selfish girl from the past had long since grown up. 

I will, with nary a doubt, serve her with all of my heart and soul. 

The teachers silently proclaimed to the world at the same time. 

---

A certain recruit had spoken. He had witnessed a miracle in a place that could be considered the front line to hell. The army had been stationed in front of a town when it was beset by the Witch’s demonic troops. A thousand demons versus a small company of three hundred. Outnumbered so harshly, they had despaired. 

“Where are our reinforcements!?”

“It’s hopeless! Our country has forsaken us!”

Abandoned by the realm, their desperate pleas filled the air as the certainty of their fate crept ever closer. Was it because this place had no strategic value? Were the royal capital’s defenses even now being bolstered, leaving this town to be used as a decoy?

As a recruit, he couldn’t understand why no information was forthcoming. 

However, it was clear that this hell couldn’t be escaped. 

“Ru, ru, let’s run away! Hurry up!” 

“Idiot! What would the people do if we ran away! Besides, there’s nowhere to escape! We’re surrounded!”

Teeth chattering, the recruit could only think of one thing; ‘I don’t want to die’. Hatred filled him at the very notion of dying a worthless, meaningless death in a place like this. 

The reality however was far from kind. The monsters closed in, and the screams of friends and comrades as they met their end echoed throughout the bloody battlefield.

The young man was paralyzed with fear, legs shaking violently, and smelling distinctly of piss. Before long, a demon towered over him. 

And then suddenly, like some god’s divine judgment brought to bear, light tore through everything before them. Spilling from the gaps between the clouds, it targeted the demonic forces with impunity. And, in the midst of it all was a girl clad in white descending from the sky. 

Fascinated by that shining, fairytale-like figure the soldiers could only stare in awe. 

“…I am sorry”, her cherry-red lips mumbled. 

A ball of light shot out of the girl’s palm before they could understand its meaning.

It was a size that could easily be held in one hand, but as soon as it reached the opposing troops it exploded into pieces and obliterated them. 

Shot after shot, they slowly fired into the demon lord’s army, eradicating them. 

It was truly an overwhelming display of power.  

“This… this is… the Saint…! Such an amazing person…!”

Overhearing those words, the recruit knew instantly that this person was the Saint.

Mankind’s only hope against the Witch. A symbol of light and hope. 

He couldn’t help but wonder. 

This was certainly an overwhelming display. The differences in power are simply too different. 

Eventually, the demons were vanquished, and the Saint descended quietly. 

“Oh, oh… Saint! How can I thank you… Please come rest in the town. The whole town will be happy to welcome you.” 

“No. While I appreciate the sentiment, this is not the only place being attacked by the demons. I must go right away.” 

Declining the mayor’s offer the Saint turned her head to the sky, preparing to go give the next battlefield her attention. 

Despite knowing it was rude, the recruit couldn’t help but call out to the girl. 

Still, he wanted to know; Why had she apologized to the demons? Why did she fight so fiercely?

“Sa… Saint! Why… Why did you apologize to the demons before defeating them? And why… Why do you want to go into battle so badly? Ar… Aren’t you afraid!?”

For his impertinent question, he should have been looked upon with disdain.

However, the Saint looked at him straight in the eyes and smiled gently as she spoke;

“They are living creatures that I have ruthlessly slaughtered. Like how a hunter can hunt animals partly for fun… the final act of killing is a very sad and sinful thing. But it is something I must do to protect everyone…”

When the girl said this quietly, the recruit realized how foolish he was. 

She grieved for them because at heart she believed that killing, even demons, was a sinful act. No one in the world would have been saddened by the death of a demon, much less think of them as living creatures. Because to them, demons were abominable monsters and the enemy of humanity. 

For the Saint to even shed tears at their deaths, she truly had too kind a heart… And yet, for the sake of protecting them, she repeatedly sinned. 

Now knowing this, he was deeply ashamed of himself for asking such a thoughtless question.

That day, the recruit became a soldier.

As he was now, he was too weak to stand alongside her. But, even still he wishes to support her. 

Vowing to himself, that one day he would have the strength to be of use to this compassionate girl. 

---

The girl was in despair. 

A year ago, she had been living a modest, happy life. Surrounded by friends, supported by her kind parents, and loved by her fiancé. However one day it all came crashing down. She was attacked by a demon. Wounding her face, with ugly scars now adorning her features, and leaving her unable to walk on her now useless legs.

The attitudes of the people that surrounded her swiftly changed. Greeted with disdain and experiencing the abandonment of her fiancé, she could only resent everything. Hating the God who pushed this ordeal onto her. 

Why did she have to endure this suffering? Why must God test her so?

Filled with disgust for everything, she despaired.

A well-known healer could have treated her injuries a little better, if not by a lot, than the care she had received. But the kind of money required for such treatment was impossible for her family to afford. 

If she must live such a life, ‘I may as well die…’ she thought. 

However, one day, the girl’s despair was lifted. 

The Saint, for some reason, had stopped by her small village… And Elrise, with a magic that was beyond comprehension, had healed the girl’s legs and face completely. Demanding neither money nor gratitude in compensation. 

Trying to leave uneventfully, as if it was the most natural thing in the world to do, the Saint was stopped by the girl. 

“Why save me? There was nothing to be gained from healing me…”

Replying with a smile that would bewitch even women, the Saint said;

“These hands of mine are not wide enough and inevitably there are lives that are missed. But, at the very least, I want to help those who are within my grasp… And if there is something to be gained, it is there. Seeing your smiling faces is what brings me the most joy.”

Even though this world can be painful, please do not give up. Please live for the future. 

I want you to live strongly, to laugh, and be happy.

It was as if she could hear the voice of the Saint’s heart. 

Unbidden, her tears fell.

She was ashamed of herself for dwelling foolishly on her pain and allowing despair to creep into her heart. Without trying to do anything she had given up, resented her circumstances, and allowed hatred to fester. 

She didn’t act anything like the Saint, nor did she try to do the best she could. 

“Saint-sama! Someday… I will return this favor! I will never forget what you’ve done for me!” 

Being irresolute ends today. 

The Saint has given me hope. She gave me tomorrow. 

My life from this point forward belongs to her.

The girl made her decision.

She would do her best to repay her. She would live her life for the Saint.

---

The boy— Vernell, had been abandoned by all. 

Aimlessly wandering through a forest with lifeless eyes, he tripped and fell. 

He wondered if he would die here, the thought igniting a brief glimmer of hope. Death would be a mercy, no one would be sad if he died anyway. 

But, no matter how far he walks or how much he starves himself, his body stubbornly clung to life. The dark power contained within unwilling to let its host die.  

The plants he touched would wither thanks to the constant miasma emitted by his body. 

Originally the eldest son of a rural lord, Vernell was expected to live happily as the heir.

However, on his fourteenth birthday… A dark power had suddenly burst from within Vernell, and destroyed the mansion. 

He couldn’t know the reason for it.

How could this poor boy have noticed that a fragment of the Witch’s soul resided within him?

The only thing he knew was that like the Witch, he had awoken to dark-element magic.

And with this awakening, the people around him changed completely.  

“Damn Monster! You are not my child!” 

“I can’t believe this thing was in our family…” 

“Get out of here, monster!” 

“Get lost you Witch’s familiar, bastard!” 

“Monster” 

“Monster” 

“Monster” 

“Monster” 

“Monster” 

“Monster”

No one needs me. 

Everyone wants me dead. 

The heart of a fourteen-year-old boy was not strong enough to endure that fact. 

Slowly losing the will to carry on, the tears he shed drying on his cheeks, a shadow appeared in front of the boy who couldn’t bring himself to care.

“I have found you… I am here to welcome… you… Witch-sama… is waiting…”

The shadow reached out to Vernell.

If I take this hand, I can’t turn back anymore…

Despite knowing this, Vernell no longer had the willpower to resist…

All he could think was… ‘I don’t have anything anymore.’ 

But the next moment, someone intervened and the shadow was driven off with light.

“You bastard… who are you…” 

“Leave, shadow. I will not allow you to lure this boy into the clutches of evil for as long as I live.” 

“The… Saint!? You… How dare you interfere…! But this power… Fighting you would be a bad idea it seems.”

The shadow retreated after this brief exchange with the girl. 

The Saint, as the shadow had called her, slowly turned toward Vernell. 

The only thought he could muster was how beautiful that figure was.

Even the light filtering through the leaves of the trees seemed to have been meant to compliment her.  

The Saint, smiling, called out to Vernell. 

“Are you ok?” 

“…You should’ve left me alone.” 

No, this wasn’t what he should be saying. 

Even as he thought that Vernell’s lips continued to move; spitting out words he wasn’t expecting. 

The Saint looked on quietly, unperturbed by his words. 

“…I’m a dead man anyway. No one will be sad when I’m gone. If that’s the case, I would’ve been happy to be taken away by that shadow… and gone to die…” 

Even though he wasn’t asked, ugly complaints spilled out of his mouth one after another. 

“You’ve no idea. Someone like the Saint definitely wouldn’t understand my feelings! You don’t know what’s lurking in the heart of a worthless person like me! No one knows the feelings of a filthy human who’s worth less than shit on the roadside! Even if I survive, my future is still…” 

He found himself shouting out loud. 

He was jealous of the existence in front of him. 

Saint… The hope of humanity. An existence beloved by everyone. 

She’s different from me. Out of jealousy and envy, words that he didn’t want to say spilled out of his mouth. 

Strangely enough, he could be honest in front of her green eyes, for better or worse. 

He just felt like blurting everything out. 

The Saint said to that boy; 

“At the very least, I would be sad. If you die… I will be sad.” 

Vernell startled, looking up into the Saint’s eyes, and was surprised to see a single tear falling. 

Is this girl crying because of this cursed man she met for the first time? 

…Are you saying you’re sad? 

At this moment, that was the best comfort Vernell could’ve asked for.

And before he noticed, he was wrapped in something soft… belatedly Vernell realized that he was being hugged. 

“Besides look, you are not dirty. You are not worthless.” 

“…!” 

Vernell’s eyes watered, breaking like a dam as tears overflowed.

Ever since he had awoken to that power, he had been treated as though he were something filthy everywhere he went. 

Ugly, dirty, filthy, abominable… he was bombarded with hostility everywhere he went. 

No one tried to touch him. They didn’t even want to get close to him. 

Without hesitation, this girl was hugging this wretched existence.  

He wished to close his eyes to that comfort… but Vernell, surprised, attempted to pull away from the girl’s embrace. 

“No, no! Don’t touch me! At this rate, you’ll…! Get away from me right now!” 

The miasma that continued to overflow from Vernell’s body eroded his surroundings regardless of his will. 

To think of hugging someone was absurd. 

So Vernell hurriedly tried to pull away, but the Saint merely patted him on the back in reassurance. 

“It’s okay… it’s okay. Don’t be afraid. This power will help you one day. But for now, if left uncontrolled it can still cause you pain… so I’ll borrow some of that power for a little while.” 

As the Saint spoke, the miasma that had been tormenting Vernell moved toward the Saint and was absorbed into her body. 

It was like a dream. 

He was tormented to the extent that he wondered if controlling it was impossible. 

To absorb it so easily from him, he was able to believe that she was a Saint… 

“Please do not give up on being happy. There will be a lot of painful things, but I’m sure someday… you’ll reach a happy ending… No, I will definitely make that happen.”

Even should this body break. 

Muttering in a tiny voice, the Saint parted from Vernell and gave a slight smile.

There was a power there that made him want to believe in her unconditionally. 

There was light at the end of the tunnel… he wanted to believe in that. 

The Saint took out a pendant with a chain from her pocket and hung it around Vernell’s neck. 

“……This is?” 

“It’s a tool to keep your power from leaking out. And… It’s like a little good luck charm.” 

“A good luck charm?” 

“Yes. I hope that it will reach you someday. I have made a wish so that you can meet your Saint… Don’t worry. You will be happy.” 

And with that, the Saint flew off into the distance. 

Watching her back, Vernell clutched the pendant given by her. 

There was no irresolute boy there anymore. 

The dark eyes were filled with strength and the air around him seemed more invigorating than ever. 

The world that seemed ugly until now appeared to be the most beautiful thing. 

The light shines in his heart and everything is dazzlingly bright. 

She said, “May you find your Saint.” 

He’s sure she means that one day there will be a wonderful woman who will accept him, but… 

For Vernell, there could be no other Saint than her. 

Even if this feeling does not reach her, it’s okay. But, he still wanted to see her again. He wished to be by her side. 

Then, this pendant is “the proof of a promise”! A “guide” for when they meet again someday! 

Someday, he will meet that Saint again. 

For this reason, Vernell made up his mind to believe and follow the path of the light, no matter what happened in the future.

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