Saint, You Should Quit Smoking

Upon going outside, there was an unfamiliar man standing.
The Boderod family forces formed a circle around him. They were surrounding the Knight Hunter.
No sword fight had broken out, but. It was clearly a situation where an intruder had appeared. How it would turn out was unpredictable.
“Lord Boderod!”
A soldier who spotted us approached.
“Yes. Is that fellow truly the Knight Hunter?”
“Yes! We’ve formed a battle formation for now, but the realm of that guy is unusual. It seems he would be difficult to deal with without the family head.”
“I understand.”
Boderod nodded and pushed through the soldiers.
He stepped forward to face the Knight Hunter. His mouth opened.
“So you’re the villain of the rumors.”
“The rumors have already spread, I see.”
Compared to Boderod, who asked with a stern voice.
The Knight Hunter’s voice was tired. As if accumulated stress over a long time had worn him out.
“That’s right! The fact that you not only annihilated your own family but also mercilessly killed knights! It’s an unforgivable, grave crime!”
The Knight Hunter.
He was probably an heir of the Valter knight family. What could be the reason that someone like him burned his own family and hunted knights?
Valter answered silently. His face was laden with deeply ingrained fatigue.
“It doesn’t matter. If you wish to punish me by killing me, that’s what I desire.”
“…What?”
Boderod was rather perplexed by that statement. My brow naturally furrowed as well.
‘Different from the rumors.’
A villain who slaughtered knights and annihilated his own family.
But Valter’s statement just now was sincere.
As if he genuinely didn’t care if he died.
Boderod also questioned the authenticity of the conversation.
“How can you speak such words? Doesn’t it contradict your actions until now!”
“It wasn’t my will.”
A gloomy voice.
Valter lamented as if confessing his sins.
“But, before explaining that. First, there’s something I want to confirm.”
“…”
As Boderod silently queried him with his gaze.
Valter made a request to us.
“I heard the Saint is here. Please allow me to meet her.”
“…?!”
Boderod’s body jolted.
It was an unexpected request. How did the Knight Hunter know that the Saint was here?
If one paid attention to world rumors, they would know that the Saint had enrolled in the academy.
‘But.’
How could he be certain that the Saint was here, right at this moment?
Valter calmly revealed the reason himself.
“The ‘Voice’ informed me.”
“…Voice, you say?”
At that moment.
I unknowingly murmured softly.
‘Of course.’
We had just been conversing with a demon in the form of a ‘Voice.’
I recalled the conversation I had with the Voice.
The Voice had clearly said:
Well, this worked out. Now that I’ve confirmed the Saint is here, I should let that fellow know.
In other words. It’s rational to assume that the Knight Hunter had contact with the Voice. In some way or another.
Valter quietly expressed his desire.
“If the Saint would hear my request. You may behead me right here.”
However.
Shing- The sound of a sword being drawn.
Indicating that there would be bloodshed if he couldn’t meet the Saint.
“…”
A tense situation.
Should we protect the Saint who has become a target for unknown reasons?
Or should we advance the situation by allowing her to face the Knight Hunter?
“You want to see me?”
Rinet made a decision.
She chose to step forward herself, even if it was dangerous.
Rinet took small steps forward. She maintained some distance from Valter, but if he decided to, she could be attacked.
Rinet’s body trembled slightly. It was evident she was tense.
Nevertheless.
“Speak your business. What do you want?”
She did not retreat.
Seeing that, I clicked my tongue.
Because I had guessed the reason why Rinet pushed her trembling body forward.
‘Responsibility.’
Her responsibility as a Saint. That single emotion weighs down her delicate body.
Valter confirmed it was Rinet and bowed deeply. So much that he hardly appeared to be a criminal who had killed multiple people.
“I am honored to meet the noble Saint.”
“Skip the formalities. Get to the point.”
“Saint.”
Valter raised his waist.
I frowned at the emotion spreading in his pupils.
‘Hope.’
It was the identity of the new emotion entering Valter’s eyes, which were steeped in pain.
“I’ve heard rumors. That if you wish to heal, no disease dares to oppose you. They say you’ve also bestowed the miracle of making a cripple stand.”
“…Those are exaggerated stories. So, what’s your point? Are you asking me to heal you?”
Rinet’s voice was sharp. She was probably trying to manage her tense feelings with an aggressive attitude.
Her words were reasonable. To suddenly invade this place and talk about the Saint’s healing abilities. Isn’t it too puzzling?
However.
“Yes.”
Valter nodded his head clearly.
“I beg you to heal me.”
“…”
Rinet’s eyes widened. Her blank expression showed that she was clearly taken aback.
“…What do you mean? You don’t seem to have a body that needs healing.”
“Is that so?”
Valter’s voice was emotionless. As if he had lost all coloration of emotion.
“Then. Let me show you myself. So that you will say I need healing.”
With those words.
Around Valter, space began to distort.
“W-What is this…?!”
“Don’t be agitated! Maintain formation!”
The soldiers faltered in confusion.
The phenomenon occurring was so strange that it warranted such a reaction.
A landscape is drawn around Valter. The blurry image was like an image from a dream.
The landscapes eventually increased in number, one by one, to the point of infiltrating the entire area.
Boderod observed the eerie spectacle and. He exclaimed with a grave voice.
“Mind-scape…! You, were you in the flower realm!”
Mind-scape.
Projecting the landscape of one’s mind onto reality.
And there is a realm where one can wield such mysticism.
The flower realm (化境).
The realm where one realizes (化) the mind-scape.
The realm where one transcends humanity through transformation (化).
Even Boderod, who had lived as a knight for many years, couldn’t surpass the peak.
The Knight Hunter had reached such a lofty realm.
I focused my gaze on the mind-scapes Valter was showing.
And. After confirming them, I clicked my tongue.
‘How harsh.’
The mind-scapes shown were all depicting the same scene.
A boy swings a sword. Beside him, a middle-aged man who appears to be his father watches.
The boy’s sword stops. He seemed tired. The middle-aged man approaches the boy who can no longer even hold his sword, and.
Slap!
He mercilessly struck his cheek.
Another scene. The boy swings a sword. He might be learning the basic techniques, as the techniques are utterly simple.
But they appeared quite precise. It wouldn’t be easy for someone of that age to use basic techniques better than that.
However.
Slap! Again, the boy’s head is turned. Blood from his mouth wet his lips.
Not satisfied even with that, the middle-aged man continues to slap his cheek. The boy silently endures it.
Occasionally, there were scenes of the boy reading books or wandering around the market.
The end was no different in any of them.
The boy was slapped so hard his teeth were knocked out, and.
In the end, he was never allowed to rest.
There were countless similar scenes. In all the mind-scapes, there’s nothing but scenes where the boy is forced to swing a sword.
‘Terrible.’
I frowned.
This is beyond the dimension of teaching swordsmanship strictly.
‘Abuse.’
If not satisfactory to his standards, he never let it slide. Even with bruises, the corporal punishment didn’t stop.
The last mind-scape. What appears to be the most recent memory was simple.
It was a scene of the boy, now a young man, beheading his father in a burning mansion.
“What is… this?”
Rinet’s voice trembles.
Her heart was stirred by the terrible mind-scapes unfolding before her eyes.
Boderod was no different.
“…”
Though he didn’t outwardly show it. I could see his face severely stiffening.
Even for him, who had lived as a heir of a knight family, it was a cruel and harsh education method.
Rinet swallowed hard and opened her mouth.
“You…. What kind of life have you lived? This is too….”
Cruel, she trailed off.
The Knight Hunter picked up where she left off with a tired expression.
“I showed you this not to gain sympathy. I merely showed you why I need healing. What I desire from you is just one thing.”
“…What is it?”
“I want to be at ease.”
Silence.
In the silence where no one could open their mouth.
The Knight Hunter continued with lifeless eyes.
“Swinging the sword. And swinging. And swinging, until one day I realized.”
“…”
“I couldn’t remember what I liked. Not even a single hobby. Even when I stayed up all night trying to recall, nothing came to mind. It was then that I realized.”
Valter smiled. It was a truly unnatural smile.
As if his facial muscles had forgotten how to smile naturally.
“I’m going to live and die like this, I thought.”
“…!”
Rinet’s body trembled greatly at those words.
“Perhaps that’s why. The ‘Voice’ told me. It would give me power if I followed its words. It said I would be at ease if I did.”
“…”
“But. The result was the blood of others. And the evil command to destroy the sealing stone.”
Valter lowered his head.
Like a lamb seeking salvation from a saint.
“Please. Grant me peace. If you do, you may take this life.”
“…”
All eyes turned to Rinet. Attention was focused on how the Saint would handle this.
Would she reject Valter’s words and end up eliminating him after a sword fight?
Or would she grant his final request and give him rest through death?
Rinet bites her lip hard. With such force that blood seeps through.
She repeatedly closed and opened her eyes, and.
“…It’s impossible.”
With a trembling voice.
She spoke the harsh reality.
“Mental issues that occur during the growth process, not due to evil sorcery… are not within the domain of sacred power. No priest could do such a thing.”
“…”
Valter’s expression disappears. There was not a shred of hope in his face, which had turned completely colorless.
Yet.
Rinet, as if she herself was in agony. Her entire body was trembling.
“…Your life is unfortunate. But I can’t do anything for you….”
“Is that so?”
Cutting off her words.
Valter took a step forward without emotion.
“…!”
Seeing that, Boderod also took a step forward.
“I understand. I know that the Saint would despise a murderer like me.”
“…That’s not it!”
A voice escapes through Rinet’s gritted teeth. Her tone heated up.
“I have no intention of disregarding you…!”
“What meaning does that have?”
Valter cut her off again, and.
He took a stance to rush forward.
At the end of his gaze was the room we had just left.
Where the sealing stone was located.
“The fact that you cannot save me remains unchanged.”
As soon as his words ended.
Clang-!
Boderod’s and Valter’s swords clashed.
“Step back! I’ll handle this!”
Boderod shouted as he swung his sword.
Rinet retreated step by step. Seeing her body wobble, I grabbed her from behind.
“Are you alright?”
“Hup, huuk, haak…!”
No answer came back. Rinet was breathing heavily.
‘Hyperventilation’.
Excessive contact with the mind-scape.
Due to excessive exposure to the Knight Hunter’s mind-scape, even her own mind-scape was being disturbed.
I quickly placed my hand on Rinet’s back and circulated the dragon’s blood.
Dragon Blood Magic
Internal Energy Shattering Technique
It’s often used for attacks, but. It could also be used to stabilize the flow of mana circulating in the body, like now.
“Haak, haak….”
While stroking Rinet’s back, which was gradually calming down.
My eyes calmly observed the battle situation.
Clang…!
Fierce exchanges continued. Sparks flew as Boderod’s sword and Valter’s sword crossed.
A battle between masters where the surrounding forces didn’t dare to intervene.
However.
Slash!
“Ugh!”
Blood spurts from Boderod’s body.
‘Difference in realm.’
Boderod, who couldn’t surpass the peak, and.
Valter, who had reached the flower realm.
No matter how much he tried to narrow the gap with experience. There was an unbridgeable gap.
Clang! Clack, clack…!
Blades clashing without a moment’s rest.
But the end was approaching moment by moment. Eventually, Boderod would fall. And Valter would go to destroy the sealing stone.
“…Your Highness.”
“Yes.”
Rinet’s voice.
That tone was tinged with moisture.
She turned her head back to meet my gaze.
Her eyes gradually became wet.
“Am I… not befitting of a Saint…?”
As if pleading.
Rinet recited her words while trembling.
“Is it because I’m inadequate… that I can’t save that person…?”
“…”
The reason for Rinet’s disturbance was clear.
‘Valter’s mind-scape.’
She must have been deeply affected because she was too close to the Knight Hunter’s mind-scape.
There’s no need to seriously answer her words now. It’s just words she’s uttering because her heart is shaken. We could have a conversation after she calms down.
But.
“Saint.”
I deliberately reached out to Rinet’s heart at this moment.
“Please tell me your honest feelings.”
“…”
“What did you feel?”
Rinet bit her lip.
She was silent for a moment, then murmured softly.
“…I felt pity.”
“For what?”
“The words about not remembering what you like…. The words about not having even a single hobby left.”
As if it’s like me.
Though she didn’t finish her words. I could guess.
“Then, what do you want to do for that person?”
I bent down to meet Rinet’s gaze, and spoke with a warm smile.
My words, on the surface, were about what Rinet wanted to do for the Knight Hunter.
But in essence, they were about what Rinet wanted to do for herself.
Rinet closed her mouth after seeing my smile.
It seemed she was hesitant to express the thoughts in her heart.
“…I.”
Her mouth opened slightly, and.
“I want to grant that person’s wish. I certainly can’t absolve his crimes… but at the very least, peace.”
“Is that so?”
That was enough.
With that one statement, I could steel my resolve.
I stood up. Accordingly, Rinet’s gaze moved upward.
I could see my face reflected in her pupils.
That face was smiling, it seemed.
“Saint. I have a request.”
“…What is it?”
“With your remaining sacred power, do just one thing for me. Just give me a defensive barrier.”
“…?”
Rinet tilted her head.
“Don’t tell me, Your Highness….”
“Your wish.”
Crash!
The sound of Boderod falling is heard. Valter had shaken him off and was advancing toward the sealing stone.
I took a step forward to block his path.
With just one single minded thought.
“I will grant it.”
For the smoking Saint, peace.