saint ch4

Reborn as a Saint (3)

The Sacred City, a extraterritoriality zone brazenly located in the heart of the Empire, symbolized the authority of the Order in itself. However, the Orion Order’s headquarters was a place where ordinary people couldn’t even approach unless it was a special occasion, and even nobles and royals had to notify in advance for a visit, boasting a different level of authority.

And therefore, the events that occurred within the Order’s headquarters were never spread to the public and were kept strictly secret.

Even within the headquarters, ignorance was considered a virtue unless it was one’s assigned duty, so one could understand its insularity.

However, no matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t stop the news of the Saint’s birth.

From the beginning, the Order had no intention of stopping it.

The Order’s power would increase just by the existence of the Saint.

Only the fact that they almost killed the Saint with harsh punishment had cleverly disappeared.

“Hey, did you hear? About the Saint being born…”

“That Saint is Ronan… right?”

“They say he’s coming to class starting today?”

“Amazing. A Saint was born among our classmates.”

“Shhh. Classmates? If you call the Saint that, you might get punished by Tonia.”

“But didn’t they say he’s not a complete Saint yet?”

“He’s going to become a Saint eventually anyway.”

And in one place within the headquarters, the education site for the Trainee Clerics.

The story of the newly born Saint in the past few days was such a hot topic that the children, who were educated to the point of engraving the virtue of ignorance and silence in their bodies, couldn’t help but talk to each other.

Especially for the children who took classes with Ronan.

For most clerics, the perception of a Saint was that they were God’s representative, sent down from the heavens when the time came, and whom the Order revered and served.

Even imagining what a Saint’s life was like before becoming a Saint was considered sacrilegious.

It was hard to believe that a friend who had been taking classes together until recently had disappeared for a few days after being punished for breaking the rules, and then returned as a Saint.

Creak.

The training room became so silent that it was hard to believe the commotion that had just taken place.

The protagonist of the rumors finally made his appearance.

* * *

Ugh, I feel like they’re going to bore a hole in my face.

After finishing a few days of recuperation, I moved to the place where I would receive morning theology education. As soon as I opened the door, I felt overwhelmed by the gazes of my peers pouring in.

Honestly, I just want to close the door, go back, and lock myself in my room to sleep.

But if I stayed locked in my room, I’d probably start saying things like, “I love the Order so much, I only need the Order,” in a few days, so I had no choice.

In fact, there’s no guarantee that it’s safe to be in contact with people like this.

After all, this is inside the Order’s headquarters, where the Cardinals’ power is strongest.

Right now, they’re leaving me alone because they think they can have a loyal Saint of the Order with free will, but they might resort to force at any time if things go wrong.

My stomach hurts.

“Ronan?”

As I opened the classroom door and stood still, Celia, who was following behind, called my name as if she was puzzled.

“Ah, sorry. Let’s go in.”

I found an empty seat and sat down, and Celia, who was sitting next to me, took out my scripture that she had brought along and handed it to me.

A life where I make a female classmate carry my textbook… not bad… no, this is bad no matter how I think about it.

I’m basically human trash.

If I had to defend myself, I did say that I could carry it myself.

Celia just refused, insisting that she wanted to serve me.

Celia was assigned to serve me, so wouldn’t it be awkward if she didn’t do anything?

I’m not bad!

No matter how much I try to escape reality with useless thoughts, everyone’s gaze hurts.

From the moment I walked in, the children’s eyes were fixed on me, as if they wouldn’t miss a single move.

Thankfully, it seems like they are not approaching me because of the name value of the Saint.

As soon as I thought that, a group of people was approaching me.

Seriously, nothing has gone my way since I was reborn into this world.

Alter Kramati, Lenox Kristen, Demian Marju.

I have to give them credit for their initiative, those Cardinals.

It’s forbidden for Trainee Clerics to contact Cardinals so easily, but they must have contacted the children in that short amount of time.

They were all sons or grandsons of Cardinals.

“I heard you’ve recovered, and I’m very glad. Saint Ronan.”

“A Saint being born among us, it will surely be a great strength to the Order.”

“But an apology to a mere servant? You still have much to learn, it seems.”

Hmm…

I was silent for a moment, looking at these three.

When I looked back on my memories, there was a reason why these children of Cardinals were taking the Trainee Cleric course, which took almost 10 years to complete.

On the surface, they were advertising that they should receive it as a matter of course, saying that they would be treated preferentially with the name of the clergy, but would I believe that, let alone the people of this world?

The Trainee Cleric process conducted at the headquarters is ultimately a process of indoctrinating children with high Divine Power aptitude, who are likely to become high-ranking clerics, to be loyal to the Order.

In fact, for the first three years of the nine-year course, they only learn about the greatness of the Order and the reasons for pledging allegiance to the Order.

Brainwashing education conducted in childhood with all contact with the outside world cut off? It would be stranger if they weren’t brainwashed.

But very occasionally, there may be children who recognize the corruption of the Order and question it even in that process.

The priests in charge of education are all keeping a close eye on them, but it’s much more likely to be discovered if they check within the group.

The children of high-ranking clerics are a kind of filter.

In name, when they devote themselves to the Order’s headquarters, they must shed all social status and pledge only their devotion to God, but the Cardinals are secretly manipulating other children through their children, claiming that they are not social status.

Looking at it now, it seems that they are receiving direct instructions from their family elders.

In this way, by the time all the training is over, all the children who do not obey their children and pose a danger to the Order are filtered out, and only the obedient children remain, becoming their excellent Divine Power shuttle and a paper doll to be used as needed.

“Good morning, Alter. Lenox. Demian.”

I used polite language as a minimum courtesy and looked at the trio, who seemed to be thinking of me, but I could feel the impudence that they couldn’t even hide in their words without even having to look at their aura.

First of all, congratulating me on my recovery is the most harmless, but the hidden meaning in that way of speaking, with a strange accent and subtly omitting honorifics, is something like, ‘You’re lucky you didn’t die from the punishment. Don’t act up in the future.’

Emphasizing that the Saint will be a strength to ‘us’ and the ‘Order’? Isn’t that just equating themselves with the vested interests in the Order that belong to them and saying that they will use me to the fullest?

Their actions of trying to teach Celia and me when they came in? There’s no need to even look for hidden meanings.

Of course, a Saint apologizing might be an action that the person receiving the apology would be sorry for, but no one can say anything even if the Saint does.

Because the Saint is a Saint.

From these guys’ attitudes, I came to one conclusion.

These guys have heard from the Cardinals that they should win me over, but they’re not happy about it.

Well, of course.

Their fathers or grandfathers are impious bastards who are full of thoughts of brainwashing the Saint if necessary.

Do these guys really have overflowing faith and a burning sense of duty, so they are acting as Trainee Clerics?

In essence, they are no different from power-hungry brats who have been raised under corrupt politicians.

In fact, just thinking about their actions of trying to rule among these Trainee Clerics is enough to infer.

Already in these guys’ heads, everyone here looks like their servants.

But one day, a commoner orphan whom they didn’t even care about became a Saint and returned.

In terms of rank, they are such distant beings that they can’t even look up to them.

Can they respect and coax the guy they used to ignore and use as their subordinate until yesterday, even outwardly, just because they heard a few words?

These guys aren’t like the Cardinals, who are old and cunning politicians with the venom of snakes.

Of course, it’s impossible.

They may have tried their best, but what they actually do is ultimately an approach with a half-assed attitude like now.

Of course, the Cardinals wouldn’t have completely ruled out that part.

However, considering that I, the Saint, am an orphan with no one to rely on, and a fanatical brat who has sublimated his faith in the Order even after going through those hardships, they judged that it was okay to that extent.

They also considered that if they went any further, the opposition from the side that couldn’t put people in the Trainee Cleric would become stronger.

But, can the Cardinals consider even this far?

About the crazy assumption that the spirit of an adult man with no faith whatsoever dwells in the body of that brat who has undergone all kinds of mental examinations and painstakingly brainwashed?

Even the fact that that guy can roughly read other people’s personal information and inner thoughts with something called Stigmata Power.

…If they can predict that far, that person should be the Saint.

The fact that I called these guys’ names with honorifics one by one made them lower their guard to some extent, so I made a judgment.

These guys don’t really recognize the enormous ripple effect that my Saint title can bring.

To be exact, it’s not that they don’t understand the Saint who fell from the sky, but that the unremarkable guy among them suddenly became a Saint, so it doesn’t resonate with them.

Thanks to that, they only have short-sighted thoughts of worrying and being wary of the fact that their meager power will be threatened because of me among these Trainee Clerics.

It’s so cute.

It’ll be fun to work with them, won’t it?

“Indeed, that is correct. Orion himself embraced my childish heart and gave me another chance, so every day is a new life given to me by him.”

When I positively affirmed their congratulations on my recovery, Alter’s face brightened.

You’re happy because it seems like nothing has changed because I said yes to your words? I’m going to use Orion’s power to be reborn as a Saint, so don’t treat me carelessly, you brat.

“Therefore, if I can be of help to the Order and all the people of the Order who carry out his will in the closest place, that would also be my joy.”

Lenox also responded with a faint smile when his words were affirmed.

He’s the one who seems to be thinking a little bit among these three, but in my opinion, they’re all the same.

And finally, the last one, Demian.

The guy who is nodding repeatedly, not doubting that his words will also be affirmed.

“But Demian.”

No way, you bastard.

My target is you.

“Celia is a symbol of consideration selected by the Order while accepting my childishness. She is also an equal Trainee Cleric along with us. Apologizing for my rudeness is nothing to be ashamed of, nor is it a lack of learning. Separately from that, if you ask me if I lack learning, I have nothing to say.”

Celia is the will of the Order, so you’re scolding Celia, who is representing the will of the Order, and implying that if you don’t treat Celia and you equally, my relationship with you won’t be equal either, and setting up a confrontational angle that you’re wrong for pointing out my mistakes because I didn’t do anything wrong.

To finish, I create an escape route by pretending to be somewhat humble, and then give a short, harmless smile as if I have no thoughts.

Demian was staring at me with a stiff expression, stopping his smile.

In a situation where everyone in the classroom is focused, he is in a situation where he is in direct conflict with the Saint.

The other two were affirmed, so how bad would it look if only he was denied?

This era was, after all, one where such appearances created authority.

“Saint Ronan… Ah, it seems you don’t quite understand yet… A Saint should act in a manner befitting their position…”

The moment Demian, at a loss, tried to refute my words.

“Demian. Enough. Surely Saint Ronan understands what you mean by suggesting a Saint should consider their position.”

“Indeed, Demian. But isn’t this something the Order has taken to heart? Saint Ronan deserves respect.”

Alter and Lenox restrained him.

As expected, they intervened.

“…Fine.”

Demian, looking as though he’d been wronged, relented, likely thinking it best to back down here.

“Haha, good choice.”

“I hope we can build a good relationship in the future.”

Alter put his arm around Demian’s shoulders, subtly pulling him back, and Lenox bowed to me before turning away. Finally, the tension in the classroom dissipated.

“Let’s begin the lesson, Teacher.”

The Teacher, who had been silently observing the scene from the platform, cleared his throat and started the class. I replayed the earlier scene in my mind.

As one could guess from the Cardinals’ behavior, just because three people formed a group didn’t mean they were all of one mind.

Especially if those three were just immature brats indulging in something akin to schoolyard bullying.

If two were to affirm the words of an authority figure while the remaining one denied them, what would the two think?

Oh? Looks like we can deflate this bastard’s ego a bit.

What I said didn’t infringe on their shared vested interests.

Moreover, the words themselves were so orthodox that agreeing wouldn’t be detrimental.

From the perspective of the remaining two, simply lending more weight to my words would diminish Demian’s standing, allow them to project a priestly mindset, and foster a good relationship with me by giving the impression that they were protecting me.

A win-win-win.

Even idiots wouldn’t pass up such an opportunity.

The reason I targeted Demian in the first place was because of that.

He was the easiest to attack.

The other two didn’t offer much room for nitpicking, but Demian’s words, even if not in reality, had plenty of elements that could be twisted.

The idea that all humans are equal before God is a time-honored principle, after all.

Of course, this one instance wouldn’t completely turn those two into allies, nor would it create a noticeable rift between the three.

But the starting point of any development leading to catastrophe always begins with small grievances.

The start wasn’t bad.

If I continued in this manner, I might become someone the Cardinals couldn’t treat carelessly.

After all, I had a cheat ability that gave me an absolute advantage in relationships built on deception.

Maybe this will be more manageable than I thought?