Irene Decided to Die - Chapter 56
After a quick wash, Irene lay down in bed and soon felt drowsiness creeping in.
The noise of those who had pitched tents outside drifted in, but it was bearable.
‘It’s much better than before.’
Irene thought to herself as sleep overtook her, recalling the cold, cramped, and dirty little rooms of the past, and slowly closed her eyes.
Burt opened his eyes that had been shut. It was time for everyone to be asleep, but some couldn’t. Those tasked with guarding the saintess were among them.
As he got up and stepped out of his room, he noticed Allen standing in front of Irene’s door.
“That’s unexpected.”
Burt remarked upon seeing Allen.
“What is unexpected?”
“Sir Allen, didn’t you want Lady Ramiel becoming the saintess?”
“The choice of the saintess is made by the goddess. My personal desires do not enter into it.”
“So you will fulfill your duty to protect the current Saintess?”
“Yes.”
Allen’s response was trustworthy. He was not a man to spread lies.
“Then, is it the heretics who have followed us this time?”
“They always trail the pilgrimage. Unless we eradicate them at the root, they will always target the Saintess.”
“Still, they shouldn’t be able to lay hands on her easily.”
With Allen, the finest knight, by her side, and Burt also keeping a close watch on Irene, it wouldn’t be easy for anyone to approach.
Suddenly, a small commotion erupted outside. The disturbance grew closer and eventually reached the first floor.
“Help, please help!”
It was the village chief’s voice.
Hearing this, Burt looked at Allen with a cold expression.
Though the specifics were unclear, this was a place where the Saintess was staying. Outsiders should not have been allowed to enter so easily.
Even if many knights were out patrolling, there should have been some left behind, and yet such an incident had occurred.
“It seems not all knights think alike.”
“I’ll see to it.”
No sooner had he spoken than Allen swiftly moved through a gap in the stairs. It was a risky maneuver, but fitting for the leader of the knights.
He landed safely and blocked the path in front of the village chief.
“You shouldn’t barge in here like this.”
“Oh, Sir Knight! There’s been a grave incident!”
As Allen issued a stern warning, the village chief’s voice dropped.
“I’m truly, truly sorry. But it was an emergency, I had no choice.”
“What has happened?”
Allen spoke softly as he glared at the other knights who had belatedly followed inside. They shuffled in, their faces showing signs of discomfort.
However, reprimanding them would wait until after the village chief was dealt with.
“What happened?”
“A cow fell into a rice paddy, and a person was trapped underneath it.”
“Were they working this late?”
“Excitement over the new sprouts made them work too hard, it seems.”
The village chief spoke cautiously, watching Allen’s reactions.
Allen sent two knights with the village chief to handle the situation quickly. That part was resolved easily.
The problem came afterward.
“The cow and the young man trapped under it are seriously injured.”
Upon hearing the report from the returned knights, Allen had to act again.
In this situation, the only ones who could treat them were the priests.
While knights possessed blessings from the goddess and had their own abilities, their power was largely physical.
For minor wounds, their skills might suffice, but serious injuries required a priest’s attention.
“Why not ask the Saintess for help?”
Just as Allen was about to order someone to wake the priest, one of the knights suddenly spoke up.
“Sir Patterson.”
“Isn’t that right, Commander? The Saintess could heal them quickly. A regular priest might struggle with bone injuries.”
“The Saintess is currently resting. If necessary, I will call the High Priest instead.”
It was excessive to involve the Saintess for such matters.
“Why not wake her? Even the High Priests aren’t as capable as the Saintess, are they?”
Has he lost his mind?
The pupils of Patterson’s fellow knights wavered. They knew he favored Ramiel, but they hadn’t expected him to speak out like this in such a situation.
“Do you realize what you’re saying?”
“I intend what I said.”
“Didn’t you see the miracle on that day? Do you still doubt her?”
At Allen’s words, Patterson clamped his mouth shut.
‘Why doesn’t he understand?’
After witnessing that great miracle, how could there still be any doubt?
Allen found it incomprehensible that some still harbored doubts, and he was prepared to punish Patterson for his unreasonable demands.
“Sir Patterson, you.”
It was then that a familiar voice came from above.
It was the Saintess.
