Chapter 65: The Hero and the Saintess’ Reunion (E)

-Splash.-

“Wow… T-This is huge…!”

-Splash.-

“How big would this be in cup size?”

Unfortunately, this world didn’t have modern bras, so she could only roughly estimate with her eyes.

It was so large that one hand couldn’t even grasp it, like a giant slime. At a glance, it had to be at least an F-cup.

“A slim waist, a voluptuous bust, curvy hips, long legs, and silky hair… Wow… This is me…?”

After finishing the hero’s descent ceremony—though she barely remembered how it went—Choi Yoon-seo, now Emilia, arrived in her bedroom under the escort of Duvel, the knight captain. She stood in front of the full-length mirror, completely captivated by her own appearance.

An ethereal beauty paired with a fantastical body.

Truly, even as a fellow woman, she found herself mesmerized. Dressed in her undergarments, she was still decently covered, yet her slender, toned figure and radiant golden hair gave off a dazzling glow.

-Clang.-

Her foot accidentally kicked the Hero’s armor, producing a metallic sound.

Despite having a divine warrior’s body, it seemed her durability wasn’t particularly impressive.

“Ahh! Ow… Ow!!”

Hopping on one foot and clutching her injured toes, Emilia winced in pain.

Even so, she couldn’t take her eyes off the mirror.

“Wow… Amazing… Thank you, mister truck driver.”

Overwhelmed with admiration for her new form, she found herself unintentionally thanking the truck driver who had hit her.

Choi Yoon-seo—once a struggling college student juggling part-time jobs to survive—had now shed that past and been reborn anew.

‘Hehe, they say good things come after hardship, and I guess that’s true.’

Or…

‘Maybe this is just the beginning of my hardships? The journey to defeat the Demon King is bound to be tough.’

With high hopes for her future adventures as Emilia, she suddenly snapped out of her thoughts when a knock sounded at the door.

-Knock, knock.-

[It’s Saintess Yuria.]

“Eek! J-Just a moment…!”

-Crash! Clang!

In a rush to find proper clothing, she accidentally kicked the heavy armor again. Biting her lip, she grabbed her throbbing foot and hopped in place.

For someone with the mighty body of a hero, she sure wasn’t very durable.

“Hnnng…! That hurts…!”

Still holding onto her foot, she hastily grabbed a casual dress and put it on. She wiped away the moisture forming at the corners of her eyes and opened the door.

A vision in white stood before her.

From head to toe, Saintess Yuria was clad in pristine garments, radiating an aura of serenity. Just looking at her was enough to evoke a sense of reverence.

Meanwhile, Emilia discreetly rubbed her aching foot against the floor, attempting to ease the pain.

Yuria noticed and asked with concern, “Are you hurt?”

“Ngh… I accidentally kicked my greaves. But I-I’m fine. Anyway, what brings you here?”

“I just came to greet you before I return to the Holy Tower.”

“Oh, would you like to come in?”

“If it’s not too much trouble.”

As Emilia stepped aside to let her in, Yuria walked gracefully into the room, folding her hands neatly in front of her.

Summoning the Hero was a great achievement, a sacred duty.

Once she returned to the Holy Order, she would undoubtedly receive considerable honor and rewards.

“I wasn’t able to properly introduce myself during the ceremony, so I wanted to take this opportunity to do so. It must have been overwhelming for you.”

“It was a little hectic, but… it was exciting.”

Yuria smiled softly. “Still, thank you for answering the call. We are truly grateful for your arrival.”

“Oh, no. If anything, I should be the one thanking you. By the way, I heard the campaign won’t start for another five months?”

“Yes. Until then, Sir Duvel and Sir Sulian will be training you in swordsmanship and magic.”

Swordsmanship and magic.

Words that would’ve been pure fantasy in her old world.

Hearing them now, Emilia’s emerald eyes burned with anticipation.

Seeing her enthusiasm, Yuria covered her mouth and chuckled.

“Hoho, you’re quite passionate.”

Emilia scratched her cheek in embarrassment.

“Ahaha… It’s just… this is a dream come true for me. After I start the campaign, do I just head straight for the Demon King Helroch and defeat him?”

Yuria slowly shook her head.

“That, I cannot say. Every choice you make, every decision, will shape your destiny… and that destiny will determine whether this kingdom can be saved.”

“I see… And when it’s all over—when I defeat the Demon King—what happens to me? Do I… return to my original world?”

There was a tinge of worry in Emilia’s voice.

She didn’t want to go back.

She wanted to stay here, to live the rest of her life in this fantasy world, Nel Laheim.

After all, Choi Yoon-seo had already died in her previous world.

Fortunately, Yuria shook her head.

“You belong to Nel Laheim now. Once your duty is fulfilled, you will be free to live a peaceful and prosperous life here.”

“Oh… That’s a relief.”

“Do you have no lingering attachments to your previous life?”

“Not at all. It was a tough place to live.”

Brushing it off casually, Emilia sat on the bed and tested its comfort.

It wasn’t as plush as a modern mattress, but it wasn’t bad either.

As she smoothed her hand over the soft sheets, she turned to Yuria.

“Saintess, do you live in that Holy Tower?”

Through the window, she could see the towering, slender structure in the distance.

Yuria followed her gaze before walking toward the window.

“Yes. That is where I reside.”

“Isn’t it suffocating? It looks so cramped. If you’d like, you could stay here with me instead.”

A pure, innocent suggestion from Emilia.

In her modern world, cohabitation between people of the same gender was common.

However, in this medieval-like world, the concept of cohabitation was quite foreign—especially between two women.

Caught off guard, Yuria stared for a moment before giggling.

“That’s kind of you, but I must remain where I belong.”

“Oh… Haha, I got carried away. Sorry about that.”

“There’s no need to apologize.”

“So you’ll live there for the rest of your life?”

At this time, Nel Laheim still seemed like a beautiful, wondrous world in Emilia’s eyes.

And so, the idea of someone spending their entire life within the cold, rigid walls of the Holy Tower seemed a little… sad.

“Just as you have your mission, I too have mine. When I complete my duty, I will return to my homeland—the place where I was born.”

“Your homeland? Is it… Heaven?”

Yuria chuckled.

“No. It is the roots of the World Tree.”

“Whoa… That sounds amazing. So when you finish your duty, you’ll become an ordinary person?”

“Yes. I will become an ordinary human.”

Emilia swayed her head from side to side, tapping her toes against the floor in excitement.

Everything felt new and thrilling.

A saintess who would return to the roots of the World Tree once her duty was fulfilled.

A hero who would complete her mission of slaying the Demon King and then set off on a grand journey across the continent.

This was a world filled with adventure and purpose, something she had never felt in her past life.

Emilia’s lips curled up in delight, unable to suppress her excitement.

She gazed at Yuria intently.

At some point, she had even begun rocking back and forth like she was on a swing.

“D-Do I have something on my face?”

Yuria, noticing the unwavering stare, touched the corner of her lips and asked hesitantly.

Emilia grinned.

“Now that I think about it, we’re both people with a mission.”

“…I suppose so?”

“Hehe, then… do you want to be friends someday?”

“F-Friends?”

“We have a lot in common, and since you were the first person I met when I arrived at the altar, it feels kind of special.”

Yuria smiled awkwardly.

Friends.

For someone who had been born into a life of solitude as a saintess, it was an unfamiliar word.

And yet, for some reason, if it was Hero Emilia…

It felt like she could be a good companion.

After a brief pause, Yuria nodded.

“Hoho, that sounds nice. I don’t know when that time will come, but…”

And so, the two of them spent the evening sharing their stories, dreaming of a future filled with peace and freedom.

“Hic… Hic…”

“Sniff… Hic… Haaa…!”

The small bedroom echoed with the sound of two sorrowful cries.

Yuria had lowered her upper body to the ground, as if bowing in apology, sobbing uncontrollably.

Across from her, Emilia sat with her legs folded outward in a W-position, tears streaming down her face.

She had sworn she wouldn’t cry.

And yet, faced with the truth of that day, she had finally crumbled.

No matter how many times she wiped them away, the thick, heavy tears continued to fall, soaking the floor beneath her.

“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…”

Yuria’s endless apologies spilled out.

Emilia, whose eyes were now swollen red from wiping away her tears, finally began to feel something other than grief.

Resentment.

“Hic… Haaa… Why… Why… Why did you do that to me…?”

“I… I don’t know how to even begin to apologize…”

“This isn’t right. You’re the saintess… You’re not supposed to do something like this…”

“I’m sorry… I truly am… I just wanted to live… Hic… I didn’t want to die…”

“Even so… How could someone who is supposed to save the kingdom do something like that…?”

‘I just wanted to live.’

Even without hearing the details, Emilia understood everything behind those words.

She resented her.

She understood.

Who in the world wanted to die?

Once a saintess’s duty was fulfilled, she became just another ordinary person.

And an ordinary person wouldn’t have the courage to face death simply for the sake of faith.

She understood that.

But she could never forgive it.

As the representative of the goddess, that choice had been wrong.

And then there were the 65 days of hell.

Regardless of Brikal’s coercion, the fact remained—her false prophecy had created that hell.

Sniffling, Emilia wiped the last of her tears away.

Yuria, still on her knees, crawled closer and lowered her head in a deep bow.

“Please… forgive me… I was wrong… I was terribly wrong…”

Seeking forgiveness, seeking salvation.

Emilia looked down at her, eyes still glistening with unshed tears.

She recalled the promise they had once made.

That once their missions were fulfilled, they would become friends.

That Yuria would return to the roots of the World Tree and wait, while Emilia, as a wandering traveler, would visit and listen to the stories of the sacred land.

That promise replayed in her mind, but instead of tears, something else filled Emilia’s eyes.

Hatred.

A deep, suffocating resentment that could make even summer snow fall.

That promise, that oath, their dignity—she had trampled on all of it.

And on top of that, she had run away without taking responsibility.

Even if it was fate.

Even if it was destiny.

She could never forgive it.

Emilia’s face hardened, her gaze growing frigid as she looked down at Yuria.

“…Do you want forgiveness?”

“Hic… Yes… Please… I beg you, release your anger…”

“Sixty-five days.”

“…What?”

“That’s how long my hell lasted.”

Sixty-five days and half a day.

Yuria knew the exact time.

That was why her head sank even lower, as if she wanted to bury herself in the ground.

“I’m sorry… I truly am…”

“Don’t apologize to me. Go back to the Holy Order, face your judgment, and after you’ve paid the price—then you can apologize.”

Apologies came after atonement.

With that statement, Emilia had passed her judgment.

Yuria felt it.

Her punishment was approaching.

If falling was her fate, then this judgment was as well.

She had no choice but to accept it.

And so, she made a resolution.

Even if it was predestined, she would accept the price of her sins.

She wouldn’t run away again.