saint ch18

Welcoming Ceremony (3)

An unusual event was being held at the Loven Academy.

All schedules within the academy were cleared for a day to host a welcoming ceremony for the clerics who had arrived at the academy.

Strictly speaking, it was less of a welcoming ceremony and more of an introductory session for the clerics, similar to the faculty introductions at the beginning of the semester.

“The overall response is better than I expected.”

Vice-Principal Claire whispered to the Principal, who was sitting next to her, as applause erupted each time a cleric introduced themselves.

“Although the academy has prohibited religious education until now, there’s no clear reason to antagonize clerics, either rationally or emotionally.”

The white-haired Principal replied, exuding a warm, grandfatherly aura.

“In the Empire, religion and politics are mostly separated, but other races still have something close to theocracy. Each of those clerics is like a noble. Moreover…”

The Principal paused, looking at the podium.

Just then, at the gesture of the elven princess on the podium, flowers sprouted from the ground and seats.

The huge auditorium, large enough to accommodate everyone in the academy, was filled with a fragrant floral scent.

“Waaaaaaah!!”

The attendees shouted at the unbelievable sight.

“If you’re not moved by such a sight, you must be a deeply rooted unbeliever.”

“It’s certainly a spectacular sight.”

Vice-Principal Claire picked a flower that had bloomed next to her, smelled it briefly, and nodded in agreement.

Although flower seeds had been planted in advance throughout the auditorium at the request of the elven priests for this performance, it was still an amazing sight that elicited admiration, even knowing that.

“Is it only possible because she’s the next Saint?”

“Well… holy magic isn’t something that can be easily judged.”

The sight of the dwarven royal guard performing synchronized movements, their bodies enveloped in Divine Power and glowing faintly within their steel armor, inspired awe.

The scene of countless animals within the academy gathering to worship, staged by the beastkin priest, inspired reverence.

Both were impressive sights that evoked the grace of God, but the spectacle presented by the elven princess felt different.

To make flowers bloom from bare earth, what else could it be but a miracle?

Even if the seeds were planted beforehand.

“I hope the Trainee Cleric isn’t too discouraged.”

“That’s unexpected, Vice-Principal Claire. I didn’t know you were so sentimental?”

“I’m human, after all, so I can’t help but root for the Orion Order, shall we say?”

“You? That’s an interesting thing to say.”

The Principal’s kind eyes, usually hidden behind gentle wrinkles, gleamed.

“It’s just… he seems like a good person. The Trainee Cleric.”

Unable to withstand that gaze, Vice-Principal Claire blurted out her true feelings, and the Principal looked genuinely surprised.

“What? The kid hasn’t done anything wrong.”

“Yes, usually children are innocent. It’s just surprising that you can apply that rational judgment to the Orion Order as well.”

“I didn’t become the Vice-Principal here by playing ttakji.”

“I was the Principal here even when you were playing ttakji.”

“Ugh…”

Claire, faced with the invincible weapon of age, muttered “old geezer” before turning her gaze back to the stage.

Ronan was walking onto the stage.

Why send the Saint up first?

According to the scheduled order, it should definitely be last.

With a question in her mind, she turned her gaze towards the Orion Order and noticed the pale, ashen faces of the Cardinal and the priests.

…Could it be that the elven princess’s impact was so strong that they got scared and sent the Saint up as a shield first?

Vice-Principal Claire, who had thought they were truly remarkable people, shook her head and turned her gaze back to the Trainee Cleric.

The Saint, who was experiencing a situation where countless people were watching him for the first time, remained calm as if no one was in front of him.

“He certainly has a lot of courage.”

Come to think of it, he was the strong-hearted one who didn’t even blink when Lord Gorg threatened him with his warhammer.

Is it because of his belief that Orion will protect him?

No matter how great his faith is, there’s a limit to the holy magic that can be manifested by a young body.

Vice-Principal Claire was inwardly cheering for Ronan, but she didn’t think he would be able to make a great impression.

The opponents were just too much.

Gorg, the captain of royal guard of the Steel Anvil Royal Guard, was a master-class holy knight famous throughout the continent for slaying countless demon worshippers.

Iris, the elven princess, was destined to be the next Saint and queen regnant from birth, so her recognition was beyond question, and she was someone who had been exposed to more elven holy magic than anyone else.

The representative of the beastkin was reclusive, so there wasn’t much information about them, but since they were serving the beastkin Saint, their position would be similar to that of the elven princess.

Both had demonstrated holy magic beyond imagination.

It was difficult to expect a human Saint, who had only become a Saint a few months ago and hadn’t even been officially designated as a Saint, to demonstrate any greater holy magic than that.

Did he even learn any holy magic from the Order in the first place?

Vice-Principal Claire’s pessimistic thoughts were cut short.

* * *

That’s a pumpkin shaped like a person’s head…

That’s a pumpkin shaped like a person’s head…

A person’s head is a pumpkin…

A person’s head is a pumpkin…

A person’s head is a pumpkin…

A person’s head is a pumpkin…

A person is a pumpkin…

Standing on the stage, I was repeating those thoughts countless times in my mind.

Otherwise, I felt like I would throw up my insides at any moment.

There were so many people.

So many.

Just having to go out there made me feel like I was going to die, and in my eyes, the emotions inherent in all of them were mixed like paint, covering the sky.

It wasn’t a beautiful sight like the aurora at all.

To put it bluntly, it felt like something that humans shouldn’t understand was spreading through the air, like something out of a cosmic horror.

I was in such a terrible state that it was difficult to even put on the business smile that usually came automatically.

Honestly, I don’t even remember how the welcoming ceremony was going.

I don’t remember what people around me were saying either.

The Cardinal and Archbishops, who had been maintaining their composure here, seemed trustworthy for the first time.

Come to think of it, these guys probably don’t feel burdened by standing in front of people.

I thought I was finally going to get some help from the Order this time, but the Cardinal and Archbishops’ confidence plummeted every time these other race priests demonstrated their holy magic.

Why?

Why?

Of course, it’s cool and amazing, but is it that much?

You’re still a Cardinal and an Archbishop.

You have some Divine Power and holy artifacts.

You don’t have the confidence to do something like that?

Then why did you only teach me how to create the Light of Healing while telling me to trust you?

There’s a time to keep each other in check and a time not to.

Or did you just become brain-dead from living a life of ease and taking advantage of the world?

As soon as the elven princess made flowers bloom all over the place, the Cardinal started looking for a place to run away to in his mind.

Why did I even try to trust these idiots?

Ronan, Ronan.

No matter how I think about it, it’s your fault.

You tried to trust them.

“Let the Saint go up first and show that our Orion Order’s holy magic is no less impressive.”

As I was lamenting my stupidity, the Cardinal went even further and made such a suggestion.

I really want to punch him in the face.

It was such an intense desire that it momentarily dispelled my nausea.

Wow, is the Cardinal sacrificing his own reputation to give me stability?

It’s a philanthropic spirit that you can’t watch without tears, isn’t it?

What stopped me from seriously considering punching this bastard and running away wasn’t my survival instinct.

It was because I noticed the Trainee Clerics trembling behind the Cardinals as if they had been abandoned naked in the middle of winter.

Well, what sin did they commit?

Although my intention was to prevent them from living as faithful Divine Power batteries for the clerics in the main branch, who knows, maybe they would say that’s better for them.

I brought them out, so I have to do the least I can.

With that thought, I accepted the Cardinal’s proposal without complaint.

I regretted it as soon as I stood in front of the stage.

I feel like I’m going to throw up…

The gazes and auras of the crowd felt like they were going to swallow me whole.

I’m sure I’d faint if someone poked me from the side.

I tried to hypnotize myself into turning people into pumpkins, but of course, it failed.

Who was the one who said something like that would help?

I had no choice but to close my eyes again.

I didn’t think I could do anything in this situation.

Since I closed my eyes, I naturally took a praying posture.

I created a shallow barrier of Divine Power in my ears to block them.

It was better to be in a state where I couldn’t see or hear anything.

In that state, I drew up Divine Power and spread it throughout my body, and a warm energy spread through my body, and I began to calm down little by little.

In that state, I slowly began to say the prepared words, speaking to myself as if I were speaking to a wall.

“My name is Ronan. I am a priest of the Orion Order who has been given the title of Trainee Cleric.”

I grew up without any shortage under a strict father and a kind mother since I was young… ah, that’s not it.

Not even one of those words is true.

Haha, Ronan is an orphan without parents in the first place.

If I wasn’t an orphan, I wouldn’t have been likely to flow into this dog-like Order.

“I’m sorry to say that I can’t give you good words enough to teach you.”

The standard of a self-introduction.

Inversion.

Emphasize your opinion by putting the conclusion in front.

“That’s because I haven’t gained a great understanding of the doctrine, nor am I a priest who has devoted myself to God for dozens, maybe hundreds of years.”

After saying that, I took a moment to catch my breath.

A sudden confession of my own shortcomings.

And silence.

It’s a topic that would be interesting whether you have goodwill towards me or hostility.

Isn’t this enough to draw attention to the noisy hall?

I don’t know because I can’t see or hear anything.

If it fails, there’s nothing I can do.

I have no choice but to leave the rest to the Cardinal and run away.

“But everyone, faith is not as complicated or great as you think.”

I would have refrained from saying something that could provoke the Order like this normally, but I was literally in a state where I couldn’t see anything.

I can’t see the Cardinal’s face.

I can’t physically punch the Cardinal, but I can’t help but politically punch him.

“When you’re having a hard time, when you’re sick, when you’re tired.”

Still, if I just cause trouble, I’ll only be tired later, so from now on, I have to show something so great that my words won’t remain in their heads.

Not that angel from last time.

That’s not allowed.

That’s my trauma.

Think of it as a degraded version of that.

In my senses, it feels similar to making flowers bloom on bare ground.

“When there’s no one to reach out to you in the midst of that. When you feel alone. When you feel like you can’t take another step.”

Materialize a halo of light behind my back to create the shape of angel wings.

However, make sure it’s far enough away so that anyone can tell that it appeared in the air, so that there’s no misunderstanding that it sprouted from my back.

“The inner voice that whispers to you in your heart to not give up, to not be alone, to take just one more step towards the light.”

The wings embraced me once, then vanished as they spread wide open.

As the wings disappeared, feathers of light radiated from the spot, scattering throughout the auditorium.

Especially towards the area where the Orion Order’s novice trainees were located.

The light fragments possessed a simple invigorating effect.

If anyone asks later, I’ll just say I applied what the priests taught me.

It’s like I was taught arithmetic and then claimed to have solved geometry and vector problems, but if I say so, what can they do?

If they don’t like it, they can become a Saint.

This should be enough.

The vitality permeating their bodies will naturally calm the frightened believers, and the impressive performance will soothe the excited audience in many ways.

“That voice is the voice of God, the teachings of God. As long as you hear that voice, you are following the teachings of God.”

Having finished speaking, I quietly opened my eyes and dispelled the divine power blocking my ears.

Oh.

Even after restoring my hearing, the hall remained as silent as when my hearing was blocked.

The raw, untamed emotions that had been raging just moments ago had now calmly subsided.

“I pray for your happiness.”

That’s it.

I think this time it turned out exactly as I intended, perfectly?

“Thank you.”

Satisfied, I smiled comfortably for the first time since stepping onto this platform and headed back to my seat.