Chapter 599
Wherever she went, she drew people’s attention.
The young Saint, freshly “called” by the Holy Federation.
As she was still a student, she wore the Efnelle uniform instead of the holy robes. Each time she brushed aside her flowing white hair and took a step, starlight shimmered as though blessing her path.
Her beauty was enough to inspire reverence.
Her skin was flawless, smooth like white jade, and every gesture overflowed with dignity and refinement. Her soft, gentle voice carried concern and respect for the people of the Federation.
The citizens could only bow their heads in reverence, moved by genuine devotion.
“Saint.”
The Paladins who accompanied her spoke politely with lowered heads, and the Saint replied with a benevolent smile.
One could imagine—what were they discussing? Perhaps the will of the Goddess, perhaps the lives of the people.
Those kneeling on the roadside simply revered them, praying that infinite blessings of the Goddess would follow wherever they walked.
But.
Reality was a little different.
“Saint! This afternoon you must complete the assignment given by Professor Rahol!”
“Please permit us to escort you to the next location!”
At their urging, Lete slowly turned her head.
“Hm—?”
Then she tilted her head and smiled.
It was a smile so merciful it seemed a halo might descend—yet strangely, those brawny Paladins shrank like frightened rabbits.
“O… you must prepare for your afternoon schedule…”
“But I was told today’s schedule was free?”
Her textbook-perfect, gentle voice didn’t stop their trembling. In fact, their faces grew even paler.
“P-Professor Rahol added an etiquette lesson.”
“Etiquette training?”
With a short sigh, her lips twisted.
“Who the hell said they could add crap like that?”
Gone was any trace of pretense—her voice turned as cold as ice.
All went silent, eyes darting nervously. Finally, the senior Paladin forced himself to stammer:
“I-it… it was requested by Efnelle…”
“Does a request mean I have to take it, you idiots?!”
Her waist snapped like lightning, her leg slicing the air—then her picture-perfect kick smashed into the Paladin’s helm.
He spun six times into the air before crashing to the ground with a groan. The junior Paladins instantly dropped their gaze.
‘It’s started…’
‘The Saint of Stars’ three-phase mood swing.’
Back in her first year, Lete had been a bit hot-tempered, but still the model of a devout priest with strong holiness.
But after that first summer break—she returned as a merciless tyrant and a rebel. Rumors abounded of what she’d gone through.
Later, when she received the Saint’s essence and began training, she seemed subdued again, docilely following the elders’ instructions.
Now, in her second year—Lete had become the perfect hybrid, freely shifting between the Saint the people expected and her own fiery, defiant personality.
The only ones suffering were the Paladins who served her all day, drying up under her capricious temper.
“Ha, damn. Seriously.”
Once she confirmed no civilians were around, Lete plopped down rebelliously on a nearby boulder.
“Up.”
“……”
The Paladin she had floored lay unmoving. Lete flicked her finger again.
“Up.”
Her cold, piercing tone rang out—and the Paladin immediately sprang upright and stood at attention.
“Ha, damn it. Unreal.”
How could such vulgar words come from that beautiful face?
The Paladins had once been shocked, but by now they only bowed low in silence.
“What’s your problem now?”
“S-so sorry, Saint!”
“I’ve been doing the Saint act pretty well lately, haven’t I?”
“Yes! Truly, the shining example of all priests!”
Of course, a lie.
If she were really the role model, the Holy Federation would’ve collapsed already.
“All I asked was to take a day off! But today’s too important, so I said no.”
“B-but… Professor Rahol, after the recent bishop assault incident—”
“He got beaten because he deserved it! That perverted Saint-fetish creep!”
The Paladins’ faces went deathly pale. To insult a bishop like that—even if she was a demi-god above humanity!
“Anyway. I’m taking today off.”
“W-wait! Saint!”
She rose from the boulder and strode toward the women’s dormitory, putting her hands together and smiling sweetly.
“So I’ll leave the cleanup to you~”
She winked, a star twinkling playfully above her.
“Saint!”
Ignoring the senior Paladin’s desperate cry, Lete slipped into the women’s dormitory of Efnelle—strictly forbidden to men. She would not return.
Up on the terrace, female students sipping tea laughed at the spectacle.
“Those knights got done in again today.”
“Poor guys, working like that for such low pay.”
“My brother wants to be a Paladin… I’d better stop him no matter what.”
Tap, tap, tap, tap.
Back in the dormitory, Lete walked briskly down the corridor. She couldn’t hide her beaming smile.
By the time she reached her own door, her steps had turned into a near skip.
Bang!
“I’m back! Lilinet!”
The freckled girl lazing on the bed whipped her head around.
It was her roommate and closest friend, Lilinet. Putting her hands together in mock reverence, Lilinet teased:
“Gratula mi kibilis. I greet the Goddess’ most favored daughter…”
“Ugh! I told you to cut that crap!”
Lete groaned, slamming the door shut.
Truthfully, as a Saint, she didn’t need to stay in a dorm at all. She could’ve lived comfortably in the grand mansion on Heaven Island, served by countless attendants.
But Lete stubbornly refused the mansion, insisting on the dorms.
People praised her humble choice, but the real reason was different.
“More importantly! The letter! Did the letter come?”
“Of course! That special letter the old hag brought, right?”
While part of it was not wanting to part with her roommate, the real reason was the letters.
If she moved into the mansion, she wouldn’t be able to receive letters from Anna from the Dark Alliance.
Even Lilinet, her collaborator, kept the secret. All she knew was that Lete had someone precious beyond the border.
“Here!”
Lilinet handed her the letter, and a blush of bliss bloomed across Lete’s cheeks as her eyes sparkled.
But—
Swoosh!
Lilinet pulled the letter back, hiding it behind her. Lete’s expression chilled like a midwinter blizzard.
‘This is fun!’
Lilinet mischievously alternated between offering and hiding the letter, while Lete’s face swung between heavenly joy and infernal fury.
‘To think a Saint could be this cute…’
Smack!
“Don’t play with people’s hearts!”
Finally, Lilinet received a punishing kick that sent her sprawling. Lete clutched the letter to her chest and darted off.
Her attitude toward Anna’s letters was extremely serious.
She first purified herself with a bath, emerged fresh and spotless, then donned her holy Saint robes. Kneeling demurely on the carpet, she placed the letter on the floor as though it were the most sacred treasure.
“Oh Goddess, thank you for allowing my teacher’s letter to arrive safely once again today.”
With hands clasped, she prayed devoutly.
This was the one moment in the year when Lete’s faith and holiness reached their absolute peak.
The mana in the air transformed into holiness, becoming a curtain of pure white light. Stars rose in broad daylight, and from the heavens descended radiant halos, as if God Himself were delivering revelation. The Saint’s faith was altering the very fabric of nature.
“Ooooh!”
“The Saint is receiving a revelation!”
The Paladins waiting endlessly outside the women’s dormitory fell flat on the ground in awe at the magnificent phenomenon.
This was the very proof of God—a sight that made anyone who witnessed it feel their faith well up from within.
“Saint Lete, they’re putting on a show again.”
Lilinet snickered as she peeked out the window.
“Leave them.”
Lete replied flatly, finishing her prayer.
Dropping her hands neatly onto her knees, she drew in a deep breath, her face momentarily tense.
‘I’m opening it.’
The letter from Anna-teacher, the one she respected most in the world.
Her pillar of strength in Saint training, her driving force in Efnelle life.
With trembling hands, she broke the seal and opened the envelope. With a rustling sound, a single sheet of white stationery slipped out.
<To Lete>
That elegant, graceful handwriting.
It was unmistakably Anna’s letter.
“……”
She gently set the letter on the floor for the moment, then checked the envelope again.
Nothing else came out.
Swish—
Not giving up, she flipped it upside down and shook it.
But no matter how hard she shook, not a speck of dust fell.
‘…What the hell.’
Her lips curled in disappointment.
‘So again, no letter from that bastard…’
“Saint!”
“Wah!”
Startled by Lilinet suddenly calling her, Lete froze.
“W-what the hell! You scared me!”
“Hm? Why are you so jumpy?”
Rolling over in her wheeled chair, Lilinet slid up to her.
“I saw you pull out the stationery and then start shaking the envelope like crazy. I thought it was broken or something.”
“Mind your business.”
“Then why’s your face all red?”
“When did I—?!”
Lete shouted.
Lilinet blinked innocently, then smirked and hummed.
“Aha. So you were hoping there’d be a second letter in there, weren’t you?”
“……”
“One is always from that person… but who would the other beee?”
“Ran!”
Crash!
The window shattered—and from somewhere, a white dragon burst in, snatching Lilinet and plastering her to the ceiling.
“Kyaaaah! Wh-what are you doing?!”
“Shut up! I told you not to bother me when I’m reading a letter!”
Lete shouted.
Ran flicked its tail, tickling Lilinet’s armpits. She convulsed with helpless laughter.
“Ghk! Hahaha! F-forgive me—ehehehe!”
Ignoring her entirely, Lete knelt reverently once more and picked up Anna’s letter.
‘How long has it been since we parted, and still not a single letter from him?’
For a moment, her eyes burned with ferocious anger.
‘Fine! I don’t care anymore! If I meet him on the battlefield, I’ll tear him apart piece by piece, Anna-teacher’s son or not!’
Growling, she continued to read Anna’s letter. At least admiring her teacher’s refined handwriting brought her a sliver of comfort.
But the happy moment slipped away all too quickly. She was already at the last line.
<By the way, Simon seems to be looking for a way to send you a letter.>
“!”
Lete’s eyes went wide.
<Since Keyzen’s postal service uses outside companies, it’s too insecure for important matters. So Simon is searching for a direct route to send letters to Heaven Island.>
‘…That idiot.’
Her lips blossomed into a smile as if by magic.
‘Why didn’t he say so earlier!’
She herself had once sent a letter to Roke Island through her acquaintance, the inquisitor Metin.
Of course, it wasn’t because she wanted to write first—no, it was just to tell him the method, that was all.
She repeated this to herself over and over as she sat at her desk, pulling out a quill.
“Ghhhk! Hahahaha! Saint Lete! Spare me—!”
“Shut up already!”
* * *
Meanwhile, Simon’s preparations for the midterms continued.
Attending other classes, he still made time to slip into the mutant basement, researching how best to utilize Manus.
He had promised Aron that he would create the best Dullahan among their peers.
But an ordinary Dullahan could never defeat the “Guardian Dullahan” others would surely create. Especially since both Aseraz and Hector had obtained Guardian corpses.
With those two, not only would they complete Guardian Dullahans, they would likely imbue them with something even more unique. To surpass them, Simon needed the power of Manus, who had once been an Ancient Undead.
‘This is tough.’
Clutching his head in frustration, Simon pressed on with his research.
That weekend, a special Dullahan lecture had also been scheduled. Aron had ordered everyone to attend without exception.
And during that class.
“Right after midterms, the department will announce the most important performance evaluation.”
The contents of that critical evaluation—expected to be related to Dullahans—were finally revealed.
Superb.
When are we getting more free chapters?
Thanks for the new chapters
Very good story and translation but half the chapter aren't for free and it is wayyyy too expensive will it stat like tjis foreve or will it get free after some time