Chapter 725
“Simon!”
While everyone was still in shock, Anna came running in a single stride.
Simon saw that she was wearing a choke necklace that blocked holiness, just like Lete’s.
In the next moment, she hugged Simon tightly.
“I heard you were bedridden from poison, I was so worried! Are you alright? Truly alright?”
She pulled back, only to clutch Simon’s sleeve this time and shake him vigorously. Simon’s head spun so hard he felt a violent dizziness.
“I, I’m fine, Aunt.”
It felt as though the poison of Ballack, which had been lying dormant, was spreading through his body again. Simon quickly pulled himself together and asked,
“More than that, you startled me! How did you end up being captured in such a dangerous place?”
“Ah, well……”
Anna explained how she had been kidnapped. She had been following a man who introduced himself as a Langerstine guide, when suddenly a strange gang appeared and dragged her away.
Hearing everything, Simon shrugged his shoulders.
“Couldn’t you have just broken out with force?”
“Oh my, in a foreign country, if I used my hands it might cause trouble, you know?”
She touched her cheek with a shy look.
“And the one struck might die of shock, or a house could get destroyed.”
“……Nobody would blame you for subduing a criminal gang. And the house is already destroyed anyway.”
“Ohoho! As long as you’re safe, that’s all that matters.”
With a face overflowing with affection, she stroked the face of her grown-up son, then looked to the side.
“But, who are those pretty young ladies behind you? Friends of Simon?”
Loraine, who had been moving skeletons to tie up the gang members, flinched in surprise and turned around. She quickly brought her hands together politely and bowed.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Loraine Arkbold, a classmate of Simon in the same department.”
Her voice trembled slightly at the end. Simon thought to himself that it had been a long time since he had seen Loraine this nervous.
“Oh my, the daughter of Lady Neftis? I’ve heard so much from Lady Neftis…… no, I mean. I’ve heard a lot from her sister who heard it from Lady Neftis. Ohoho!”
‘Aunt, your acting is so awkward!’
Simon stomped in his heart, watching Anna.
“Nice to meet you, Simon’s aunt.”
Sarak—
Serne lightly pinched the ends of her school skirt and lifted them, paying courtesy. Sunlight from the heavens shone down like a spotlight.
“I am Serne Eindark, official successor of the Ivory Tower, current rank number one of Ivory Tower, and Simon’s closest bonded peer in our second year.”
“Oh my~ how lovely. Pleased to meet you. I didn’t know Simon had such splendid friends!”
Anna rushed forward in a single step.
“You two, thank you for being Simon’s friends.”
She grasped Loraine’s hand with one hand, and Serne’s with the other, and pressed them together firmly.
“Our Simon may look brave on the outside, but sometimes he acts scatterbrained, and outside of the things he loves, he has a lot of weaknesses, and he gets hurt inside often too.”
‘Mom!’
Simon’s face flushed red.
“But earlier, even from afar, I saw you both fighting together with Simon.”
Anna gently closed her eyes.
“I felt that Simon truly believes in and trusts you both as comrades. To have such wonderful friends by his side! Every day in Keyzen, I worry while facing homeward, but after today I can worry a little less.”
She smiled radiantly, like a flower bud in bloom.
“Thank you. Meeting you both, I feel I’m truly lucky.”
“!”
Loraine and Serne’s faces reddened at the same time.
“I receive so much help from Simon as well! Thank you.”
“Ohoho, leave Simon’s safety to me, Aunt.”
“Please, call me Ayla.”
Apparently, Ayla was Anna’s alias.
And so, after binding the gang members and contacting the guards, they left Harlem.
In that brief time, Anna and the two girls had become unbelievably close.
Laughter never ceased. Loraine, who normally tried to remain calm, shone with sparkling eyes as she chattered away, while Serne clung to Anna’s arm and laughed gracefully.
It was Anna’s unbelievable social ability. In just ten minutes, she looked as though she had gained two new daughters.
‘What is this distance?’
Simon trailed behind the women from a short distance. When Anna glanced back, she smiled warmly at her son. Simon smiled back and asked,
“Aunt, I’m late to point this out, but what’s with that outfit?”
“Ah. This dress?”
Anna usually dressed casually, but this was the first time Simon had seen her adorned in a noble’s dress with jewelry.
Because she dressed up so much, people’s attention was drawn to her, and in the end, she had become the gang’s target.
“Griffith told me, as the Student Council President’s relative, I should keep my dignity by dressing this way.”
‘……Griffith, that lady.’
Griffith was the wife of the Leshill farmhand, who gossip-chatted with Anna every day.
“Oh my, wait a moment.”
While answering Simon, Anna’s face suddenly stiffened seriously. Then, startled, she rushed over and began patting her son’s body all over.
“……Aunt?”
“Hold still.”
Her face grew even more grim after her examination.
“You’ve grown thinner since last I saw you. How many times have I told you, no matter what, you must eat properly?”
“T, this couldn’t be helped. We had final exams just last week……!”
“No back talk. Have I ever nagged you about anything else? I’ve always said, whatever happens, you must eat three meals a day.”
The gentle, affectionate Anna flipped a switch and began nagging furiously. Simon couldn’t say a word, just lowered his head. Even Loraine and Serne were overwhelmed and couldn’t intervene.
“I knew it. That’s why I borrowed this artifact enchanted with storage magic.”
She opened a bag. Though it looked plain, food began pouring out endlessly from within.
“This is braised fish, this is strawberry pie, and this is……”
Objects began stacking like a tower in Simon’s hands. Simon cried out like a scream.
“Do you really have to take them out now? Anyway, I’ll be going to Leshill with you soon for the vacation!”
“These are things for you to eat while on Roke Island. Now, take this too……!”
After pulling out half the contents, Anna wiped the sweat from her forehead and finally smiled with satisfaction, turning to the waiting Loraine and Serne.
“Oh dear, did I get too excited? Sorry to keep you waiting.”
“…It’s fine.”
“Simon? Let’s stop by the nearest restaurant first. You two, come along….”
“Aunt.”
Simon quickly cut in.
“I think I need to return to Roke Island right now. There are circumstances.”
“?”
At present, Simon was a patient under the strict care of the Keyzen infirmary, and leaving without permission was strictly forbidden.
But how could he sit still after hearing Anna had gone missing?
The deed was already done, so he had to return to his room before the doctors or staff noticed. The four of them teleported back immediately, but—
—Patient, this won’t do.
Inside Simon’s room, the infirmary doctor and staff were already waiting with arms crossed.
Simon apologized repeatedly, and thanks to Loraine stepping in to explain a few words, luckily the incident was not reported to the school. Instead, until he was declared fully healed, even walks were forbidden.
—Did you really fight too? Your condition worsened.
After fighting gang members while still under the effects of poison, Simon’s body had deteriorated further. He lay in bed groaning.
* * *
That evening—
“Son. Are you alright?”
Anna slipped quietly into the room. Simon, writhing in pain, lifted his head.
“M, Mom?”
“Just wait a moment.”
She carefully checked that no one was nearby, then swiftly unfolded a magic circle. It was a high-level barrier spell that blocked holiness.
“Since I heard you were poisoned, I pushed your father and forced my way here.”
Flutter—
She then donned the white robe she used to wear as a priest, bringing her hands together.
“I’ll heal you quickly.”
Fwaaaaaah—!
A warm radiance rippled forth.
Simon felt, even if for a moment, the true power of the ‘Saint of Miracles’, once the strongest priest of the Holy Federation.
All the healing magic he had ever received before was nothing compared to this. It felt almost as though his body was being forcibly resurrected.
Hours after Anna left, the doctor came to check on Simon’s health.
“What is this.”
He looked at the results in utter disbelief.
“In just three hours, your body has completely recovered?”
“Ahaha, maybe the medicine I took last night helped!”
Simon replied, sweating nervously.
He had nearly faced spending half the vacation locked in the infirmary, but with one use of Anna’s detoxification magic, he was nearly fully healed.
“This is beyond belief.”
The infirmary doctor kept tilting his head in puzzlement.
* * *
The next dawn.
Before most people had even started their day, there were those who had to move diligently.
“Yaaawn.”
It was the cook of the Keyzen infirmary. With a half-asleep face, he put on his chef’s hat and entered the kitchen.
“All the seniors took leave and disappeared, really. If only food could just cook itself while I just sat still…… hm?”
He blinked. The lights in the kitchen were already on.
Had he forgotten to turn them off at night? He turned his head toward the table. Countless food ingredients were neatly sliced and arranged in order.
He picked up a perfectly carved carrot and fiddled with it.
‘Who did this? Who cut it so beautifully?’
Fwoooosh!
A wave of heat rolled from the kitchen. He hurried closer, only to see a woman in a slightly oversized chef’s uniform flipping a large frying pan.
It was hard to believe such power could come from those slender wrists, yet with brilliant skill she was stir-frying rice.
“Wh, who are you! Who gave you permission to—!”
“Hello!”
Anna smiled warmly.
“I’m Ayla, Simon’s aunt. I went ahead and got some groceries, may I help you out?”
Fwap-fwap-fwap-fwap!
She set down the frying pan, grabbed a knife, and sliced ingredients at a speed that left afterimages, stacking them neatly on a plate. She beamed brightly.
“Isn’t it fine?”
“…Uh, well.”
The cook’s eyes slid nervously to the knife in Anna’s hand.
“Th, that’s fine.”
Time passed, and the on-duty infirmary doctors and staff arrived for work. Still looking sleepy, they each took their seats in the meeting room.
As chatter went back and forth—
“This latest matter is troublesome.”
One doctor was raising his voice.
“The academy and the infirmary are separate. No matter how much Lady Loraine covers for Simon’s unauthorized absence, does it make sense to let it slide like this?”
“Doctor, you’ve been drinking, haven’t you?”
“Ah, it’s not the alcohol, this is the point!”
He tapped the table irritably as he spoke. A doctor across from him yawned and replied.
“It didn’t even happen during the semester, just let it go. His aunt was kidnapped by a gang, how shocked must he have been?”
“That’s what I’m saying! If we keep overlooking things like this one by one……!”
“Breakfast is served~”
At that word, everyone’s eyes turned.
“?!”
“What is this?”
Before them, dishes of roasted turkey and other luxurious meals were being set down one after another.
Breakfast was usually just bread with soup, and if lucky, a few scraps of meat. But now, there were dozens of different dishes, and the one setting them out was not the usual cook, but a strange woman.
“Ah, Simon’s aunt?”
“I’ve heard my nephew is always in your care, so I thought I’d put in some effort!”
Anna smiled brightly. The doctors and staff picked up their utensils with uncertain faces. But after tasting a little—
“?!!”
Their eyes all widened at once. Conversation at the table vanished, and everyone simply shoveled the food down.
Anna watched them proudly. Then, the doctor who had criticized Simon earlier scowled.
“Hey. Who gave you permission to—”
“Eat first, then talk. Hm?”
His colleague gave him a nudge. Clicking his tongue in frustration, he scooped a spoonful of soup and put it in his mouth.
“……”
Without a word, he took another spoonful, then another.
“M, madam.”
The cook approached with tears of emotion.
“Thank you for helping. Truly, thank you. If it’s not too much, could I perhaps have the recipe……”
“Yes, I’ll write it down for you.”
“Thank you!”
From that day, no one in the infirmary raised an issue about Simon again.
* * *
Holy Federation.
The stronghold of Efnelle, Heaven Island.
“Are all the chairs wiped?”
“Yes!”
The priests were moving busily. Today was the day of a meeting of great figures.
Servants scrubbed the floors spotless, not leaving a single strand of hair. Paladins swung their wrists, practicing their salutes with their swords.
“Those two are coming in person, what’s going on all of a sudden?”
“How would I know.”
As murmurs spread among the people, an elderly-looking priest cried out.
“The Saint of the Divine Sea, Lady Israfil, enters!”
A majestic trumpet filled the hall.
All priests, regardless of rank, dropped to their knees at once, and the paladins gave a disciplined sword salute. The lowly servants dared not even lift their heads, lying flat against the floor.
Step, step, step—
A woman entered, clad in a flowing dress and holding a large harp to her chest.
Her bare white feet were unshod, and each step upon the marble floor left ripples like water.
Sea-colored hair, closed eyes, and a benevolent smile as she waved softly at those around her. She looked like a Saint painted in a masterpiece.
“Ahh.”
Some priests, faces flushed, even teared up as they gazed at her.
“Lady Israfil.”
“How can she carry such dignity.”
Israfil passed by the crowd and approached a woman.
The only person here who had not lowered her posture.
“Gratula mi kibilis. I greet the daughter closest to the Goddess.”
The woman kissed Israfil’s hand. Israfil smiled kindly.
“Professor Rahol, forgive this unworthy disciple for not contacting you more often.”
“To hold such a great meeting here in Efnelle, what is the matter?”
“There are things that must be discussed.”
Rahol sighed deeply.
“I too have urgent matters to speak with you of, Lady Israfil.”
“Ohoho, about Lete, correct?”
Israfil smiled as though she already knew without hearing.
“She must cause you much trouble with her unruly ways, but I ask you to look after her.”
“Lady Israfil, that is not the problem—”
Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-bam—!
Ba-ba-ba-ba-bam!
Suddenly, the music changed.
The instruments shifted to a quick, forceful march, like that of a lord’s procession. Paladins straightened their stances, and the crowd murmured as they gathered.
“The Saint of Judgment, Lady Dana, enters!”
Step! Step! Step! Step!
Not clad in the flowing robes of a Saint, but in brilliant, radiant armor, a woman strode in. The paladins saluted with force.
Israfil turned back.
“You have arrived.”
The Saint with blazing red hair smirked at Israfil.
Leader of the hardliners in the Holy Federation who demanded all-out war against the Dark Alliance, and said to be the strongest of the Saints in pure combat power.
“A rare face to see here, Israfil.”
It was the infamous Saint of Judgment.
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