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

     ‘It’s finally here…’ 

     Liz bit her lip. She felt weight on her legs, feeling that she’d fall to the bottom of the ground. She’ll fail and won’t make it into the selection here.

     ‘…No.’

     She was surprised at the intensity of the emotions that had built up from her heart. She wanted to be the next saint. Of course, there was also a desire to do something about the injustice and unreasonableness in the world…

     However, she thought that if she could become a ‘saint’, even if she’s a commoner, she might’ve been able to be in balance with the crown prince.

     The clergy in this country are allowed to marry and love, including priests and saints. The present saint had never married, but the one before her married and had children.

     She didn’t want to go that far, but even if it’s for a little bit. She wished to be closer to Keefa than it is now.

     There’s no other choice but to hold back down her thoughts.

     “Liz —”

     She was surprised at the weight of the tone Keefa used to call her. He knew that her door is gona and that she would fail the selection. As well as her going back to her home village.

     Liz tightly clenched her hands as she turned away. The feeling that came up to her was bitter and painful. She can’t properly look at his face and she tightly closed her eyes.

     “Liz.”

     It seemed kinda funny that Keefa’s voice sounded like it was so close, right next to her. She lost from curiosity and opened her eyes. Immediately before her was Keefa’s face, she almost screamed. He was peering down into her face.

     ‘again’

     Is it his habit? When she felt frustrated, Keefa smiled, “I’ll  give up being the Crown Prince.” he said.

     ‘What?’

     “Your Highness! What are you saying?!” The ministers behind him were shocked.

     “I’m going to hand over the throne to my younger brother.”

     “Your Highness—?”

     Keefa looked very radiant and happy in contrast to the confusion and surprise surrounding him.

     “Let’s rent an apartment in the capital and live together.I have always been good at working hard. You know, Liz?”

     Eugene in the previous life is certainly a hard worker. He was an orphan, but he didn’t lose against the cold side of the world and worked hard everyday. She knew him by heart, but…

     It is different from their previous life. With a suspicious look, Liz raised her brow as if thinking that Keefa must be out of his mind.

     Then he stared straight into her eyes, “This time, I shall never leave you alone. I’ll never let you die alone. I’ll always be there with you, together. That’s what I’ve decided.”

     With his eyes fixed on Liz, he smiled gently and said quietly without any hesitation, “No matter what.”

     Suddenly, Liz’s previous life flashed before her eyes and she remembered. How they faced everything with each other, they drank tea, slept, and ate meals together. Those were simple yet happy memories. Her heart became full. She couldn’t speak, she felt that the words were stuck at the end of her throat. The feeling of her anxiety in her mind slowly faded.

     “If you’re going to aim to be a saint, we’ll go for the next one. Whether it’s about five or sixty years from now, right? We can aim for it.”

     “…I’d be an old woman by that time. I don’t know if I’d still be alive by then.”

     “It’s alright, so will I be too. I’ll train myself and be strong. I want to send Liz to the temple. I won’t die before you and I’ll take care of you. I’ll properly do it this time.”

     “Well, it’ll be the shortest time for a saint in history.”

     They looked at each other and burst out laughing in spite of themselves.

     However, she felt better. The last grain of “anxiety” went out with a clang. It seemed that her dark and hopeless feeling she had before wasn’t there. She felt lighter and looked up at him with a smile.

     ‘Did Liz have such a relationship with Prince Keefa? He said they’d live together? And that he wouldn’t let her die alone?’  

     Olivia felt quite shocked at the sight in front of her. The final selection suddenly started when the Holy saint was saved. She can’t keep up with the pace of the development unfolding.

     ‘I wonder if Rebecca found her door…’ 

     She stole a glance at Rebecca beside her and found that her attention was also transfixed to Liz. Rebecca was wearing a deep green dress and Mimizu was by her neck. She was startled, but the earthworm was facing Liz’s direction.

     ‘Maybe Mimizun had found it? How is it able to find it in the first place though?’

     She was surprised that the earthworm and the penguin by her feet were very curious and interested, it felt quite weird.

     Olivia breathed out a small sigh. Liz’s door broke, it shattered into pieces. Therefore, the next saint would be either Olivia or Rebecca.

     And—Olivia found her door. She searched through her dress pocket and her finger touched it, it was hard and cold. It must be heavy, but she doesn’t feel the weight nor its strangeness. Because it’s a door. It’s a brass knocker of a door in the ninth tower. It’s the door of Olivia.

     As a soldier went into Keefa’s room earlier announcing that Manon had transformed into the saint, on the way to Rebecca’s room, she found it. The penguin’s eyes shined in front of the ninth gate and flapped its wings and legs as it reacted. The knocker started to shine and a small keyhole appeared. With a trembling hand, she inserted the key and was able to take it. She held onto it firmly. In her hands, the knocker didn’t lose its light, even until now.

     Her body trembled and her heart shook. For this, she is to enter the first temple, which suggests the word “saint” and yet—

     Olivia held the knocker in her pocket. For some reason, she doesn’t think she’s the next saint. She can’t tell why. She wanted to deny the feeling and rejoice as the next saint, but she couldn’t believe it. Her heart was denying it.

     “There’s another who’s more worthy of it.” She bit her lip. As to what the former candidate, Anna, had said, “I found my door and knew it. I’m not the next saint.”

     The priests turned their heads curiously, but now they knew well.

     ‘…’ She only remained silent and covered her feelings and perhaps she may become the next saint.

     “It’s meaningless unless you’re the first.” She recalled the words that the fake saint told her, “There’s no point for being the second. It’ll be the same as the others, only one can be the saint.”

     That’s right. Being second is meaningless. She can’t get the status of the saint she admired and longed for. Olivia looked down. In the first temple, she was with Liz and the saint rather than standing beside the fake one. She’s sure that she’d choose the right way then, but now, she’s going to choose it again. Suddenly, the smile of the fake saint flashed into her mind. It was horrifying.

     “Then, let me know. Olivia, Rebecca, and Liz. Have you found your door for the final selection?”

     Liz was biting her lips and Rebecca raised her hand with a smile, “Yes.”

     The priest turned to her, “Yes, Rebecca.”

     “There’s no door for me.”

     The priests were stunned, Olivia too.

     “You didn’t find it?”

     “Yes.”

     Liz was surprised. Why was Rebecca smiling?

     Rebecca continued,  “I couldn’t find it. So, there’s no door for me.”

     She wondered why she looked quite happy and refreshed when she had lost?

    For some reason a feeling of chagrin arose.

    “That’s a shame. How about Liz?”

     “…My door is gone. It was a mirror, but it broke into pieces, and there was no more.”

     “That’s quite a pity.” The priests were surprised and their gazes immediately focused on Olivia. If neither Liz or Rebecca has it, then Olivia’s the only one who remains. The air around them became tense all at once.

     “And how about Olivia?”

     “—I am.”

     Everybody breathed in. Olivia breathed in a small breath, “I found it.”

     Oh!! The air seemed to shake.

     “Here it is.” She brought out the knocker,  the priests in the first temple were buzzing.

     What should they do? What should she do!? She was feeling quite impatient and shocked.

     “Yes, This is definitely a door, I believe you’ve found it.” The chief priest who was inspecting the knocker smiled.

     The priests were murmuring between themselves, though they were quite puzzled rather than joyfully cheering. She could read their minds, they were unconsciously thinking about who would be the next saint and that someone wasn’t Olivia.

     It’s certainly frustrating, she felt sorry. But what is Olivia really thinking most of all? Liz remembered the divine appearance when she tried to cure the saint, The Holy dragon born from the sacred tree, which was bigger than any other, and defeating the duke and the fake saint, saving the country. She was always looking straight ahead with her red eyes without being beaten by the criticism of others.

     It’s like a strange story. When this selection began, everybody thought that she was not worthy to be the next saint. She overturned the idea by her own will and power—

     When Olivia looked down at the penguin standing before her feet, she could see the penguin staring back at her. Happily flapping both its wings, its black eyes were on Olivia full of longing and love. If she lies to herself now, she wondered, how can she properly face this?

     “Chief priest. Saint.” She finds herself speaking. What was she trying to say? She wanted to be the next saint. Ever since she was a child, what if it comes true. If she were to remain silent, it may not come true.

     “I found my door.”

     The chief priest nodded and next to him was the saint. She smiled, a gentle smile. It’s the same smile she saw when she was a child. She wanted to approach that smile. If she keeps silent, she may get closer.

     ‘—really?’

     Will it really get close?

     “…But I don’t seem to be the next saint.”

     “What?” The priests’ voices echoed. Liz and Rebecca blankly stared at Olivia. However, the moment she spoke, she already made a decision. The fog has cleared, she understood the meaning of her door.

     ‘That was it.’

     Olivia wanted to get close to the saint. The saint’s proud, merciful, loved by all, kind to everyone, and willing to help a stranger.

     Olivia raised her head,”I understand the meaning of my door. I am not the next saint.”

     “What!?” The priests were stunned.

     “—is that true?” the chief priest’s voice came down.

     Olivia nodded with conviction, “Yes, I’m sure.” It’s a little sad and regrettable, but if she lies about her conviction now, she’s like the fake saint.

     “No, wait a minute!”

     “Rebecca hasn’t found her door and Liz’s is broken and not here!”

     A strange air went around the area. She could hear everyone’s minds. No one’s the next saint?!

     “Olivia, why?”

     She smiled at the dazed Liz. It can’t be helped, it was what her heart said so.

     Suddenly, the reigning saint went out of bed, she still looked pale. Even though the wedge is gone, she surely has used up all of her physical strength since she used up her magic to save her life. Still, she approached Olivia as if there’s something she had to tell.

     “We met a long time ago when you were a child.” Olivia’s eyes widened. She remembered her. She was filled with joy and nostalgia.

     “I didn’t know your name then, but now I do. Olivia. It’s a pretty name.” she smiled.

     For a moment, Olivia felt like she had returned to that day when she was young, at the end of the ceremony when she cured her injuries and smiled gently at her. Her heart became full and tears came out.

     It was great that she didn’t listen to the fake saint and now, she’s glad that she didn’t lie to her heart and conviction. What she did wasn’t wrong. Even though she couldn’t be the best among them, there was a sense that she had remained in the selection for so long. If she had chosen a different path, she couldn’t be able to properly face the saint.

     Now, if she sees the fake saint once more, she’ll do her best to say that she doesn’t care if she’s second and not to laugh at those who are trying hard.

     “Chief priest! There’s no one for the next saint! What will you do?”

     “We’re in trouble. What shall we do?”

     “What shall we do? I don’t know! Perhaps…we’ll maybe start over again!?”

     “You’re joking!?”

Practically disappeared for a year due to personal reasons, sorry about that.

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