Wasn’t This a Night Game

Hired Assassination? (Revised)

How do I feel right now, you ask??

Like I’m dying.

Can’t you just, like, not touch me?

I wanna be alone, okay?

But my wish went unanswered.

“Saintess. Saintess.”

“aaah! Saintess of Healing!! Incarnation of Grace!!”

“Apostle of Lilia! Look down upon us!! Guide us, sinful and foolish as we are!!”

The moment the Inquisitorial interrogation was over, all the Lilia Order people swarmed to my side, encircled me, and then knelt, bowing endlessly in my direction.

Even High Priest Yodel, tears streaming down his face, kissed the back of my hand, then quickly started planting kisses on my feet too.

Fucking hell.

I’m just so tired.

You goddamn b*stards.

Because of you, the probability of getting smote by the Goddess is still rising in real-time, even now!!

What the hell am I supposed to do?

What the hell am I REALLY supposed to do??

I even blurted out that I was reincarnated!

That I’m from another world!

I said with my own mouth that I’m not a Saintess!

I said it over and over!

Aah.

Shit.

Shit.

Shit.

“We behold the First Saint of Healing!”

Thanks to that damn Lilia Order, weeping and drawing all the aggro, looks like everyone gathered in the Pantheon had turned their eyes on me.

One by one.

People who, by the looks of them, were high-ranking members of society, sought me out, grasped my hand, and offered their greetings.

I, in a state of mental and physical weakness, barely registered who was shaking my hand, offering only a hollow, incredulous laugh as I greeted them all.

And after a time.

Everyone vanished from the Pantheon, leaving only those same damn faces I always see before me.

Jonathan Karma’s family, the people of the Lilia Order.

And that walking nuke, the Dawan Witch, remained.

“Saint. For the past two months, we have striven our utmost to enrich the Order, heeding your will…but we still fall far short. Blame me for my deficiencies. I shall guide you to your temple, though it is but meager.”

Jonathan Karma’s family approached me, speaking so formally.

Those words snapped me awake.

Right!!

That legendary, hopeless businessman who bankrupted the doll factory!!

You were still here!!

Just look at that shamefaced expression!!

Something’s definitely gone sideways!!

Yeah!

There’s still a way out left!!

“Let’s go.”

Let’s go!

Let’s see how he screwed up the business!!

And if he claims the entire mess is my fault, even High Priest Yodel will surely despise me!!

Jonathan Karma!

I’m truly grateful!!

Thanks to you, a hole for survival is opening up!!

“Saint, I am ashamed. Forgive me that this is not a temple worthy of your achievements.”

Jonathan Karma!

What is it!

What is it, dammit!

Why is a mage tower being built on abandoned factory grounds!

Why!!

*

Jonathan Karma was certainly a capable individual.

On the condition that he would unconditionally supply all the elixirs needed for future research to the Mars Mage Tower branch, he asked the factory grounds to be built into a super-tall mage tower, just as the Saint had requested.

A mage tower, unlike other common buildings, was a structure that could only be made with magic.

And on top of that, because construction required an enormous amount of elixir, a task generally taking at least five years, the newly built Lilia Order’s magic tower temple had its own source of elixir beneath it, enough material and magical power to fuel the entire construction.

Thanks to that, the construction speed was one for the architectural history books.

In less than two months, a second magic tower had risen in the capital, boasting an imposing presence exceeding 100 stories.

Of course, it wasn’t yet complete, and there were many things left to fix, but at the words that it would be finished in no more than three months, the Saint of Healing began to shed tears of joy.

“I need to rest. Please, prepare a place for me to sleep.”

The Saint spoke thus, then went straight to bed, sobbing himself to sleep for quite some time.

It seemed his heart, so weary from the inquisition, found solace in the majestic form of the tower-shaped temple.

Erpa watched the Saint for a long while with such affection before returning to the Mars Magic Tower branch.

Truly, he was like a child.

He cried when he was happy, and he cried when he was sad.

Hadn’t he shed tears and embraced her when she comforted and healed him?

Erpa, thinking the words of the Bible of Grace – that he was purer than anyone – were indeed true, smiled contentedly and turned to return to her laboratory.

But the witches and wizards crowded in the lobby prevented her from going any further.

The wizards and witches affiliated with the Tuedel Faction all stood glumly in the lobby, luggage in hand.

Master Jorgen was silently observing them.

“Although it’s said you acted under Tuedel’s coercion, what you did was clearly aiding and abetting murder and destroying evidence. Since it’s clear you acted against your will due to coercion, I will stop at expulsion.”

“…Thank you.”

Everyone nodded weakly, dejectedly.

They might go to look for another magic tower, but nowhere would accept those who helped in the act of killing someone.

Considering their futures and careers, they were in a situation that could only feel bleak.

“Be gone. There is no place for you here.”

The moment Archmage Jürgen declared those words.

Erpa stepped forward.

“Archmage Jürgen-nim.”

Everyone was startled by Erpa’s appearance.

But the words that followed from Erpa were even more shocking.

“Please allow them to remain at the Mars Mage Tower branch. I wish to forgive them.”

“What… What are you saying?”

“If they are expelled from the tower like this, a great blemish will be left on their careers. Finding a new mage tower to accept them will be a significant task, and even if they do enter one… there is a high possibility they won’t properly adapt there.”

It was a cold reality.

The wizards and witches, unable to even beg for forgiveness, hung their heads.

Erpa quietly gazed at them.

“Therefore, do not expel them. Please help them to remain here, at the Mars Mage Tower branch.”

“But Erpa. These people aided Tüdel and tried to murder you. It was due to coercion, but it certainly happened.”

“I know. Still, I wish to forgive them. I believe they had no choice because of Tüdel’s threats.”

The wizards and witches looked at Erpa with faces full of astonishment.

Erpa, too, looked at them.

Her serene and gentle face was like that of a saint.

“…Is that the truth?”

“It is the truth. Moreover, if this many researchers suddenly disappear, the tower’s collaborative research projects will crumble, and it won’t be good for the tower either. Old horses know the road. Please, let them stay. I beg you.”

Master Sorcerer Jorgen, after a long stretch of silence following her words, finally nodded.

“If that is your opinion, then I shall abide. However!”

He fixes a terrifying gaze upon the sorcerers and witches.

“That doesn’t mean your wrongs simply vanish. Erpa is the future Master of this Tower!! If you do not offer her proper respect and apologies, regardless of what Erpa says! I will cast you out!! Mark my words!”

With those words, Jorgen vanishes from the lobby via translocation.

The lobby is left with the sorcerers and witches.

And only Erpa remained.

Slowly.

A young witch approaches Erpa.

Her face, rather than holding remorse, is filled with curiosity.

“Why? Why us?…….”

Even in this situation, curiosity comes first?

So typical of a sorcerer, she thought.

Erpa lets out a faint chuckle.

“Because the Saint would have wished it so.”

Erpa looks upon them all.

“I will forgive you all. But that doesn’t mean I will forget what you did to me. So I wish you to never repeat such actions and to walk a righteous path. That is the condition upon which I forgive you.”

Though her face held a smile, an immense pressure dominated the chamber.

The sorcerers and witches swallowed dryly and bowed their heads towards Erpa.

“Thank you, Erpa.”

“Thank you… for giving us another chance.”

“Never… I will never forget it.”

Erpa, with a leisurely expression, accepted all the apologies.

“Go back and continue your research.”

She turned her back, ready to ascend, but the mages and witches remained rooted, not a foot moved.

“Erpa… no. Lady Erpa. There is a request we have.”

“What is it?”

“As a sign of repentance, the newly established magic tower in the slums… we wish to go there and conduct our research. Since it’s close, we can continue our existing work while also engaging in new studies there.”

“I heard they’re producing elixirs through a technical alliance with the magic tower. Wouldn’t it be better if we went there directly to transfer technology, rather than just a technical alliance?”

Erpa’s eyes widened.

The mages and witches looked ashamed.

“We want to be of some help, even if it’s a small amount, to the Saint of Healing who opened our eyes. And we thought that doing so might please you, just a little. Might be a way to show you our sincerity. That’s what we thought.”

“There are many witches and mages here who have been researching elixir refinement and application techniques. As an apology, we would like to offer Lilia’s Order some of our research results at a very low royalty rate. In return, we can utilize the elixirs that flow out of there without limit, which might be better for our research anyway.”

“That’s right. Elixirs are used on a large scale every time we research, so if we don’t have to spend our research budget buying them every time, we can research much more efficiently.”

“We want to show you… our hearts, even like this. Lady Erpa.”

Looking at them bowing their heads and sincerely apologizing, Erpa felt a happiness rising from the depths of her heart.

The Saint of Healing.

Saint Amael.

Not only had he healed her body, but he had also allowed her to be recognized in society, and even moved these stubborn and headstrong mages.

If this wasn’t a miracle…

What in God’s name was that all about?

‘Verily, verily, I say unto you. When the Saint comes to you, ye shall know him.’

A passage from the Gracious Bible, which she’d recently begun reading, surfaced in her mind.

Truly spoken, wasn’t it?

“As you wish. The distance isn’t far, so relocating the laboratory shouldn’t be too difficult.”

“Thank you, Erpha-nim. Never. I shall never forget what you’ve done today.”

The mages and witches spoke thus and vanished.

Erpha remained alone in the empty lobby, silently placing a hand over her chest.

Saint Amael.

The one who had saved her.

The one who made her heart pound fiercely whenever she thought of him.

‘My body, my heart, my mind, my talent. All of it is his.’

Erpha realized.

That she could no longer live without him.

*

“Jonathan Karma-ssi? We are willing to let you utilize our research results at a meager price. If you simply allow us to use the elixirs freely while we conduct research here. It will be far better than producing via a technological partnership.”

“Good heavens!! I was in need of people with elixir refining and utilization techniques!! Come! Come right this way!! You can use as many elixirs as you need!!”

“Thank you. We have come to repay our debt to Erpha-nim. And also, to offer our thanks to the Saint of Healing. Thank you for allowing us to look back on our past mistakes and become better people.”

Fucking b*stards!!

Why is business doing so well!!

“Don’t come!!”

But whether I screamed it internally or not.

Dozens of mages from the Magic Tower, now as researchers under the Karma Company, were to reside in the newly constructed temple-shaped Magic Tower.

Wow.

This is bordering on contract killing.

The world’s shoving me to get struck by lightning and die.

Why…

Why!!

Why is everything working out so damn well!

I’m not a Saint, dammit!!