saint ch28

Lesson (9)

Is this the last one?

As I entered the final lesson that would finally end my long day, I sighed again.

I’d been cooped up in my room all the time, and now I was suddenly thrown into a busy schedule, and on top of that, I was stressed out, so the day felt incredibly long.

The last lesson was horseback riding.

I had a lot of concerns when choosing this subject.

Riding a horse wasn’t exactly my livelihood.

In this world, horseback riding felt like an essential liberal art.

Just how essential? Well, nobles entering the academy already knew how to ride, so there was no need to learn.

Therefore, nobles didn’t really choose it.

But if it was such a natural subject for nobles, it meant that most commoners entering the academy with ambitions or goals to get closer to the nobility would try to take it.

And sometimes, nobles would take it too if they had their reasons.

That’s right.

Unlike the previous classes, this one was fundamentally crowded…!

Someone might ask.

Then why did you choose this subject?

The answer is simple.

If things go wrong and I need to escape, I need to know how to ride a horse.

Horses are such a common means of transportation in this world that if I don’t know how to ride, how am I supposed to run away?

At the very least, when using holy magic, it’s better to enhance a horse than to just fly away on my own.

It was an essential choice to increase my chances of survival.

“We’ve been waiting for you, Saint Ronan. Please come this way.”

The professor for the horseback riding class, unlike the previous professors, was inwardly nervous but outwardly maintained a certain level of composure.

So, this is a professor who also teaches nobles.

“The basics of horseback riding begin with communication with the horse. There’s a process of choosing your own horse and taking good care of it for half a year to build a bond, but Saint Ronan will have to start from the beginning.”

Behind the professor, an instructor stood holding a horse.

I didn’t realize it when I was riding in a carriage, but it felt strange to be facing a horse and making eye contact like this.

Even though it was much bigger than me, its bright, huge eyes were filled with curiosity as it stared at me, which was quite endearing.

Its body was pure white, making it look noble.

A white horse for a Saint, as expected.

The professor knows what’s up.

I carefully moved towards the white horse.

“It’s much bigger than I thought.”

As if by coincidence, after I said that, the horse lowered its head as if to match my eye level.

“Do you like me?”

Pffft.

As if understanding, the horse snorted once and approached me even closer.

The professor was startled and tried to approach, but I gestured that it was okay and carefully brought my hand to the horse’s face.

The horse didn’t refuse and naturally accepted my touch.

Amazing affinity.

“Good boy.”

It feels like animal therapy.

It’s like I’m getting the healing I couldn’t get in the landscaping class here.

Animals are the best, unlike unpredictable people.

“Would it be alright to proceed with the lesson with this horse?”

Feeling relaxed, I nodded at the professor’s words.

“Take care of him.”

“Yes.”

The instructor who handed over the reins walked away towards the students riding horses in the distance, and the horseback riding professor remained in place, looking at me.

“I will personally conduct the lessons until you can ride the horse comfortably.”

Huh?

“What about the other students?”

“The instructor will be in charge of them for the time being. Don’t worry too much about it. It’s all been agreed upon.”

I doubt the students agreed to it willingly.

Is this power?

It’s too…

Too sweet.

Instead of learning horseback riding while being nervous among all those students, I get a 1:1 lesson from the top professor at the Imperial Academy?

This is a total steal.

Was the effect of animal therapy too strong?

I had momentarily forgotten the fundamental reason why I didn’t want to take this class.

While I was gleefully enjoying the unexpected luck, I began to hear the sound of something speeding from afar, approaching this way.

The speed at which it was closing the distance was extraordinary at a glance.

Yet, as it reached this point, it naturally slowed down, and by the time it reached me, not even dust was kicked up.

Even I, who knew nothing, could tell that it was an extraordinary display of horsemanship.

Ah…

I forgot about this and was happily enjoying myself.

If I join in the middle and receive private lessons, there’s inevitably one more person who will receive private lessons.

But with that skill, is there anything to learn here?

“Nice to meet you, Saint Ronan.”

A person wearing a robe that covered their entire body jumped off the horse with a graceful movement and strode towards me.

“Allow me to formally introduce myself. I am Rita Hersi, the second Acting High Priestess of the Nine-Tailed, a fox beastkin, who carries out the will of the High Priest.”

As she pushed back her hood, a pair of animal ears protruding above her head twitched, assertively announcing their presence.

Those weren’t cat ears, but fox ears…

“Nice to meet you, Rita. I am Ronan, a trainee Saint of the Orion Order.”

Finally, the last obstacle of the day had appeared.

“Do you like the horse?”

“I like it very much.”

I do like it… but somehow the nuance is a bit strange?

When I turned my gaze to the professor, he smiled, trying to appear calm, and approached.

“This horse is not owned by the academy, but was gifted to Saint Ronan by the Acting High Priestess.”

What?

Why are you telling me this now?

What if there’s a curse that brainwashes me if I touch the horse for too long?

I unknowingly removed my hand from the horse.

“Of course, the academy has also conducted a thorough check. We have concluded that the horse provided by the Acting High Priestess is far better than any horse we could provide.”

“There’s no way to match our beastkin’s skills when it comes to handling animals. Still, the academy’s stable was quite impressive. The horses were in very good condition.”

“It is an honor to hear such words from a beastkin priest.”

What is this atmosphere?

This is the first time I’ve seen a high-ranking cleric talking to a commoner so casually.

But thinking about it, isn’t this normal?

Could it be that a sufficiently high-ranking cleric who can talk to others without any barriers has finally appeared before my eyes?

Maybe she’s not as strange as I thought.

Is the answer really animals rather than humans?

Because I was assuming the worst, I unknowingly relaxed in the unexpectedly warm atmosphere.

“Now, let’s proceed with the lesson. Today, we’ll start by communicating with the horse and, if possible, getting on the horse…”

“There’s no need for that. Belarus.”

The Acting High Priestess interrupted the professor, who was about to start the lesson, looked back and forth between the horse and me, and whistled softly.

Then, the horse automatically bent its legs and lowered its body to make it easier for me to ride.

The performance the beastkin showed at the welcoming ceremony suddenly came to mind.

“That child’s name is Belarus. She will never cause trouble, so try getting on slowly.”

Do they really communicate with animals?

No way… then how would they ride horses?

Riding and even eating sentient beings that they can communicate with? Ugh…

But what is the relationship between beastkin and animals?

This is the first time since coming here that I’ve been curious about another race’s doctrines.

I glanced at the professor, but he was just confused about what to do.

Right, it’s not easy to stop someone when an authority figure from another race is talking about their area of expertise and claiming that there’s absolutely no problem.

The sight of the protective gear placed to one side is pitiful.

It’s not like I’m suddenly going to get hot-blooded and urge the horse on, and there’s someone right next to me who can handle animals freely, so what could go wrong?

Following the Acting High Priestess’s words, I slowly got on the horse.

“Grab the reins too.”

As I held the reins that were handed to me, I felt a strange sensation, riding a living creature for the first time in my life.

There was no part where I directly touched the horse because of the saddle and stirrups, but I felt a strange throbbing sensation.

“Now that you’re carrying such a precious person, you need to be more careful.”

The Acting High Priestess stroked Belarus a few times, then returned to the black horse she had been riding and mounted it.

Unlike me, the horse didn’t lower its posture, and without a saddle or stirrups, she leaped onto the horse as if flying, showing that she had been riding horses for more than just a day or two.

No, the captain of the royal guard and the princess at least had the excuse of learning something they didn’t know, but what excuse do you have for being here?

“I will slowly get the horse to rise. Don’t be nervous, I’ll be by your side.”

With those words, the Acting High Priestess approached me on horseback and, standing side by side with me, whistled again.

Then, Belarus slowly began to rise.

Surprisingly, my posture didn’t become unstable and I didn’t feel any major vibrations as the horse rose.

It seemed that the horse was moving considerately, to the point where I could understand the statement that it would never cause trouble.

You’re really smart.

I unknowingly stroked the horse’s neck, and Belarus snorted happily.

“Belarus seems to like Saint Ronan.”

“That’s good to hear.”

But can they really understand animals?

Would it be rude to ask?

I’m really curious.

“Now, let’s slowly move around this area.”

While I was pondering, the Acting High Priestess said that and took a posture on the horse where her whole body was facing me, then reached out towards Belarus’s head and guided her to walk slowly.

Is it really possible to ride a horse like that?

Is she like the Mongolians who eat three meals a day on horseback?

The professor, who was taken aback by the fact that she was even leading the horse, followed us on the opposite side of the Acting High Priestess, but couldn’t find the words to say and just watched us.

I don’t know who I’m learning from.

Whether it was because Belarus was smart or because the Acting High Priestess’s skills were good, I enjoyed the cool breeze on horseback without any discomfort.

But does this fundamentally help my horseback riding skills?

It seems like Belarus and the Acting High Priestess are doing everything.

Well, there are many days left to learn, so there’s no need to be impatient.

Today was too hard.

I need healing too.

“Now then…”

As I was immersed in a languid mood, feeling the vibrations transmitted from Belarus, I heard that voice.

Wait a minute.

I’m someone who has a conditioned reflex to become anxious when people drag out their words like that.

My mind suddenly cleared as if cold water had been poured on me.

When I turned my gaze to the Acting High Priestess, I could see a yellow aura flowing from her body.

…Would it be okay to ask why you’re suddenly raising your Divine Power?

“Make sure you don’t let go of the reins?”

“Huh?”

Why would you suddenly say something ominous like that?

Unknowingly, I tightened my grip on the reins.

“Now, let’s run, Belarus!”

In an instant, the horses of me and the Acting High Priestess accelerated and began to run.

The surrounding scenery began to change rapidly, but I was slow to grasp the situation due to the lack of resistance.

When I came to my senses, the two horses were already running vigorously, hundreds of meters away from where the lesson had been taking place.

Ah, she must have reduced the air resistance with holy magic.

At the same time as that realization, another realization came over me.

This is kidnapping, you crazy bitch!

I thought I could faintly hear the professor’s desperate cry from behind.

I was wrong.

There are no normal people among the high-ranking clerics after all.