Seijo ni Narunode Nidoume no Jinsei wa Katte ni Sasetemoraimasu ~Outaihi wa, Zensei de Watashi wo Fu

     When she heard that Anna was in the festival hall, she ran. She’s honestly happy that she had found her door, but somewhere in her heart she also felt anxious. The Holy dragon didn’t even point Liz towards the ‘door’. Now that it’s the final selection. If she doesn’t find her ‘door’, she’ll fail.

     ‘No!’  She strongly thought. She needed to find her door no matter what. She’ll be a saint.

     Lloyd, who was running beside her, looked worried.

     “You haven’t thought that Anna would be the next saint. Your door hasn’t been shown to you yet by the Holy dragon?”

     “I’ll find it for sure.” 

     Lloyd looked at her determined red eyes for a moment, then he laughed in satisfaction.

     Liz dashed into the hall.

     “Liz, did you come to see me off?” Anna’s eyes were wide open.

     “Huh?”

     Anna, who was talking to the chief priest and priests, had a large bag next to her. She’s seen it before. When a candidate fails the selection, they pack up their bags and go back home.

     “I heard that you found your door…”

     “I found it. I found it and understood that I’m not the next holy saint.”

     Liz was confused. She didn’t understand what she meant.

     “The pond glowed and there was a keyhole. When I inserted the key, it opened, like a door. There was—”

     ――It was also a pond. The surface of the same pond. As Liz said, it projects their reflection like mirrors. However, what was reflected in it was not Anna but her ex-fiance and her sister. The moment she inhaled, the water came  and swallowed the inside of the door.

     She struggled in the water and she knew what has always been reflected in her heart.

     She didn’t want to be a saint. She only wanted to complain about her grudge. She wanted them to understand the sadness in her heart. Not only her ex-fiance and sister, but also her parents and relatives who told Anna that “it can’t be helped.”

     When the priest told them that she’d be taken to the temple because she had the qualities to become a saint, they were all pleased. Not only because she was chosen, but they were relieved that Anna, who had been treated like a fragile glass since the canceling of the engagement, would disappear.

     Moreover, their feeling of guilt probably had faded. Instead of abandoning a heartbroken Anna, they sent her out to a better position as a saint candidate.

     It was frustrating. It’s true that when she becomes a saint, she could go look back. But in her heart, she did not wish to go to the temple. Why should she become a saint when she was hurt? Why does she have to make sacrifices to please everyone? If both her ex-fiance and sister were to go elsewhere, then it’d be unreasonable for her to go away.

     The truth is, she knew all this time. That it was not her wish to be a saint.

     She just wanted a friend, an ally, someone who accepts her. Then, she would’ve been able to endure it. She moved forward with her grief. She knew from an early age that it’s just an engagement that her parents just decided on their own. For a long time she knew that she had to pull away from her former fiance and sister. She decided that if she were to ask to cancel the engagement, then she’d be able to withdraw herself gracefully.

     She just wanted someone to know that it wasn’t something that “couldn’t be helped” situation. When she opened her door, she found it and fell into a stately manner.

     “I’m going home. I haven’t decided on what to do yet, but I’m going to find a new way.”

     For that reason, she’ll go back.

     “I see.” Liz nodded. 

     Why does she have such a lonely expression when her rivals are decreasing? She’ll say words of sympathy since she’s out of the selection. Bitterness started to build up and Anna braced herself.

     Liz looked up at her, “When you go home and someone says something to you, tell me. I’ll fly there with the Holy dragon.”

     Her unexpected words made Anna speechless, “…you’ll comfort me?”

     “No.” Liz looked at her with her red eyes, “I’ll burn them using the flames of the Holy dragon.”

     “Kyu” Liz had a serious look on her face, even the Holy dragon on her shoulder.

     ‘Oh, I see.’

     She knows she’s able to make an ally, a friend. A friend that she always wanted.

     Anna smiled and looked at them with joy, “If Liz and the Holy dragon are on my side, I’m invincible.”

     She’s glad that she went to the temple. For the first time, she’s happy that she became a saint candidate.

     “Do your best Liz. I’d like to see the albino saint. Then, everyone will surely understand that anything in the world can happen.”

     She wants to see a world like that. The world will definitely become a wonderful place. 

     Liz watched Anna as she left with a smile, following the priest.