Kidnapped the Saintess of the Hero Party

2 – I’ll Take The Saint

How I had travelled back in time, or the fundamentals of this method, I didn’t quite understand completely.

The only prevailing thought was not wishing to lose the girl in front of me. Other than that, I had no thoughts at all.

And thus, another life was somehow birthed. The goal of this life which might be my last, was quite simple.

“Sia.”

I won’t let you get hurt.

I won’t let you bleed.

I will aid you to live happily, staying by your side.

These feelings sprung up overwhelmingly.

But all-

Was futile.

“Don’t be a wimp, it’s only the second time.”

In my past life, I wasn’t able to protect Sia.

Had I not realized my own powerlessness?

Did I not acutely feel the fact that ultimately, the only person who can protect you is yourself?

In order to protect Sia.

“I must definitely make Sia stronger.”

This was my only goal.

Sia, unaware of my feelings, pouted her lips.

I was already quite accustomed to seeing Sia cry amidst the harsh training. I’m not one to be lenient.

For two years, this arduous training continued, yet Sia remained a crybaby.

“But, it’s dizzying.”

Lucia rubbed her temples. Seeing her scowling face made me feel tender-hearted, but at the same time, it made me feel pleased.

It’s thanks to Sia’s hard work.

‘You’ve done great.’

At the tender age of sixteen, they had reached the domain of [Chant Diversification], a feat they had barely managed at twenty previously. It was the priest’s most essential ability. Not just in name, but it was the use of this intangible energy known as sacred power that afforded priests any degree of professional recognition – not their propensity to listen to people’s stories or their calling to serve. There were many methods for using this sacred power but none were as simple as chant. A simple word. That single word held a considerable amount of power. “No. You had a break yesterday. Today you have to.” “Taking a break!” Shia glared at me like she was going to eat me alive. I felt like she would hit me any moment now. Where did the person, who was massaging my temples just now, go? Her sky blue eyes were icy cold. I had no intention of letting her off. The Demon King would surely make an appearance this time as well. And once again, deliberately drive Shia to death. So, before tha

“Do I not do it?”

He showed off his Qigong in front of Shia.

He had to get stronger unconditionally.

‘If possible, even more so than me.’

“Ugh.”

Lucia even welled up with tears.

Despite being hard and unjust, Lucia never rebelled against me.

Surely pouring more time into refining myself more than Shia did play a part, but Shia’s own gentle nature was more to blame.

‘Falling in love with kindness.’

She didn’t argue with my words.

I plan on making Shia stronger than anyone else by utilizing her yielding nature.

#

In her previous life, Shia was often called a saint more than Lucia.

The patron saint of the hero party.

She was kind and talented, and had no remaining family. She could create holy power by herself, above everything else, she was chosen directly by the goddess.

Thanks to that, she joined the hero party as a saint.

In five years, Shia will be chosen as the saint again.

As long as the Demon King is alive, destruction is only a matter of time.

The Demon King has already been expanding his territory from afar. The rumors of the Demon King’s emergence have been heard for several years now. Still, the kingdom’s people did not perceive it as a problem.

It was just the emergence of a demon who had united the itinerant demons for thousands of years. They called him the Demon King, and this was nothing more than a simple issue for the people of Osrland far away.

However, the rumors gradually grew, and a slight sense of crisis seemed to be forming over the expansion of the Demon King’s power.

– We are strong, and we have weapons to kill the devil.

With one sentence from Jaesang, all worries were dispelled.

So.

“Could it be-. They’re all dead.”

I put down the pen after writing the last line in the diary.

#

The same future will happen again.

Only Lucia and I have changed. Everything else is still the same.

We didn’t have much time left. If we couldn’t kill the Devil King, we would face nothing but destruction, so we had to prepare for battle.

In our previous life, it took ten years for me to be able to fight alone with the Four Heavenly Kings and Hogak.

And now.

“I’ll take the bastard Devil King’s neck by my own hands.”

That was the vow I had just made.

I heard footsteps in the corridor.

The sound was light, but thanks to overflowing divine power, I could sense Lucia’s presence.

I stood up and saw the inside of the room.

I felt anew.

“So narrow.”

Even if it was a remote area, I was once a lord of a region. It felt somewhat empty and void with the absence of all the things I had accumulated and enjoyed.

Of course, nothing could compare to the fact that Lucia is alive.

Outside the door, I heard Lucia’s breath. It seemed a bit agitated. I will keep forever the secret that my heart beats faster in front of Lucia.

“Lucion!”

In my previous life, I was in charge of the Velvety realm and was called Count Velvet. It is unlikely that I will be called by that name in this life.

Heavenly orphan.

Lucion.

That is my name.

The adult Lu and the name she bestowed upon me – Sion.

Those who were not nobles assigned a surname and a given name.

What I most liked was that my name was similar to that of the Saintess.

Saintess Lucia.

Similarly, Lu being the surname, and Sia the given name, another orphan of the Lu’s orphanage.

Even among the orphans, we were rather special.

All because we were the only two possessing striking blonde hair in a place where most had raven locks. Our eyes were blue, and we grew up faster than others.

‘Were we abandoned by our parents because of our unusual appearance?’

Such thoughts crossed my mind quite often.

Could we possibly be siblings? Only us possessed blonde hair and bright blue eyes, and we were just a year apart. However, the director of the orphanage firmly clarified that we weren’t family.

—”Lucion. Please care for Sia. She’s like a younger sister to you,” he usually indicated.

‘Like a sister…’

It meant we were not real siblings.

In my previous life, I had tried to dig up our roots. But it was only told to me that very far across the sea, there lived a race with golden hair.

As a result, our origin remained unknown to me.

“Lucion… not here? That’s strange. I was told he was in his room.”

“No, he’s here.”

“Why… why don’t you answer! Can… can I come in?”

A careful voice.

The room was cramped, suffocating for the two of us.

After a moment of silence, I responded, “I’ll step out.”

#

Squeak–.

The familiar disliked grating noise suggested the door needed oiling.

As the creaking door opened, the figure of Lucia, who is at least a head shorter than me, appeared.

Her golden blonde hair was tied up in a ponytail. It was still damp, as if she had just washed it.

“You’ll catch a cold.”

There are quite a few things you can do with divine power.

“Bless.”

Light particles stretched out along the tip of my extended finger. Light snowflakes accumulated on Shia’s blonde hair, oxidizing with the moisture. Light, soft gold hair that made me want to brush it with my hand immediately.

“Wow.”

Shia was purely surprised. After all, in Shia’s eyes, divine power was perceptible in three dimensions. It’s not very visible to my eyes, but Shia was the avatar of divine power by birth.

“You saw it? You should do it too.”

“Huh.”

Shia, who had been maintaining a dazzling tension, quickly switched to a gloomy expression. Changes in mood happen in an instant, but Shia is the type to do what she has to do without being swayed by emotions.

“I have to ask something.”

“Hmm.”

It seemed like she would ask any moment.

In a month, we have to leave the orphanage.

The head of the orphanage said that he realized that we had awakened our divine powers and would send us to the church in the village, but I replied that I needed to think more about it.

“Are you going to ask me what we’re going to do?”

“Ah. How did you know?”

It’s written all over your face, that’s how I know.

You’re too innocent.

We’re still in a relatively safe state where such innocence is permissible. However, it was necessary to toughen her character as much as the power that she will now possess.

You must be able to say unpleasant things.

If one only has strength, they would only be used.

Like our past life was.

“I won’t go to the church.”

“Then?”