CHAPTER 107: SAINTESS OF THE HEAVENS

0% “Saint...?”

At the word “saint,” Lady Aridel’s face popped into my mind. I’d only ever seen her portrait and never actually met her.

Did they recruit saints like this nowadays? I couldn’t quite grasp why the pope of a significant sect, especially the Aldehir Church, which serves one of the five great Gods, would make such an offer to Roka.

A quick look around showed the cardinal and every priest there equally stunned.

“Wait... is that something you eat?”

The proposal had caught Roka off guard as well. She hesitated before speaking, blurting out something typical of her. Still, I couldn’t believe she didn’t know the meaning of the term “saint.” She was probably just flustered.

...Right?

“Your Holiness Poem, may I ask you something?”

“Of course, Your Eminence. What is your question?”

“Can a saint of any of the continent’s five major denominations really be chosen so casually?”

“What’s the issue? If God wills it, any child on the street can become a saint.”

The cardinal’s face betrayed how little he expected that answer.

And he wasn’t the only one.

“Is that so?”

“You’re telling me a cardinal of our church didn’t know this? The title sounds grand, but it isn’t as powerful as most believe.”

The pope clicked his tongue and continued speaking.

“However, creating saints or holy maidens takes a considerable toll even on the Goddess. Not just any deity can appoint them, which is why they prefer to choose someone they truly favor.”

“In particular, the Three Goddesses scout gifted children early, nurture them, and only after they’ve grown appoint them as saints or holy maidens.”

The pope addressed the still-dumbfounded cardinal and the surrounding priests.

“Think about it. Does our church have saint candidates or holy maiden candidates? The Trinity Church does. That’s simply the preference of those at the top. Since the Three Goddesses and our god are different, the way saints and holy maidens are chosen also differs. They’re called holy maidens, but their status isn’t the same as those of the Trinity Church.”

“But why was I kept in the dark? Shouldn’t I have been told?”

“If you were me, would you waste time explaining to someone who always nags and calls you old? Did you ever ask before now?”

Besides, there was no need to tell him until now.

Then he looked back at Roka with gentle eyes. She stepped back, uncomfortable in his warmth.

His grandfatherly calm unsettled her more than any tease. She looked as flustered as someone who only eats cold porridge faced with a scalding stew.

I was the only one who had shown her warmth since we met. Not because the world was cruel but because we’d been too busy moving from place to place.

Had we stayed in Larpentia, or settled in Pumpkin Vine Village...

By now, she would have made friends of her own. But she hadn’t had that chance because we kept getting swept up in one incident after another, constantly meeting new people on the road.

Roka never reached out on her own, so connections had to come to her, and genuine kindness is rare.

Maybe the Emperor or Lady Rowena would notice her—but neither would likely show true warmth.

So when Roka looked at me like a chick searching for its mother hen, I simply smiled back. I let my expression say what words didn’t, I would fully support her decision.

“If I become a saint... Do I have to serve the god that the Pope follows?”

“That is the key difference between Aldehir and the Trinity Church.

Roka paused before she spoke.

His Holiness smiled kindly and answered, breaking it down step by step.

“In the Trinity Church, saints are treated as a goddess’s adoptive daughters, priests even call her ‘Mother. In our Aldehir Church, as you can see from that man shouting at me, the relationship isn’t as rigidly hierarchical.”

“...So does that mean I don’t have to believe?”

“We are people drawn to the sky, those who have gathered to explore astronomy. Faith is already woven into that pursuit, and our god does not demand more than that. Whether you believe in Him or not is of no concern to Him.”

He cleared his throat and faced Roka.

“Child, what is your name?”

“Roka. It’s Roka.”

“Roka, yes. Belief changes nothing. The Heavenly God never demands your heart or your knee.”

The Pope smiled and continued.

“He simply wants to make a deal with you. You carry the sun and moon’s secrets by birth, so the Heavenly God reaches out.”

Did this mean that Roka becoming a saint would mutually benefit her and the Heavenly God?

Roka stayed silent, so he chuckled, traced the Heavenly God’s sign, and patted her shoulder.

“Child, you don’t have to decide right away. Take your time and think it over. Such choices aren’t meant to be rushed. Whenever you have thoughts about it, speak to me, or that man over there.”

“Um, what do I gain if I become a saint?”

“Aldehir grants you divine power, less than the Trinity Church’s saints, who rise from priests to near-demi gods. Still, it’s more power than you likely imagine.”

Roka fell into thought before asking again.

“Then what would I have to give to the Heavenly God?”

“Nothing. He asks only that you bear His name. I’ve served Him long enough to know this. Would you like to hear my own beliefs?”

Roka nodded, her ears perking up, eyes wide with curiosity. Meanwhile, preparations for departure continued without pause.

“In my opinion, the Heavenly God has expectations for your future, Roka. One day, when you rise to greatness, Aldehir may ascend even further, carried by your renown. I may be just an old man who gazes at the sky, but I’ve met many people in my time.”

So that was the difference. Trinity Church saints gain immense power at once. But the Heavenly God does not intend to overwhelm Roka that way.

Granting power that way would strain the god as well. That was likely why the Three Goddesses had only one saint per era.

“But few reach such promise so early. A genius is more than a seedling; as the trunk hardens and branches stretch, some trees become giants that shelter many, while others stay thin and fragile.”

“Child, I believe the Heavenly God sees that potential in you. Of course, this is merely my perspective. Perhaps He is simply pleased with the mysteries of the sun and moon you possess. Who knows? It is hard enough for people to understand one another, how could we ever truly grasp the mind of One born from wishes?”

Roka saw no downside, only upside. Not every pact demands one side’s loss for the other’s gain.

There are indeed deals where both parties can walk away smiling.

Roka hesitated before asking once more, her tone careful and polite.

“Um... may I ask one more thing?”

“Of course. What would you like to know?”

“If I become a saint... would I have to go with you to the Aldehir Church, Your Holiness?”

“Roka, we have no fixed home or temple, only a few airships.”

The Pope chuckled heartily.

“Have you ever heard of the Aldehir Church’s temple? Since we are still human, we may have a base, but we do not remain in one place. The sun moves, and the clouds shift, so why should we remain fixed? Where in this world could you go that is not under the sky? Is not every place beneath it a shrine to the Heavenly God?”

“Then... can I stay by my master’s side?”

“You could even soar beyond the sky if you choose. I think He would appreciate that most.”

His Holiness the Pope gently stroked Roka’s head like a grandfather might with his beloved granddaughter. She looked slightly awkward but didn’t pull away, and the gesture didn’t seem unpleasant.

“Take your time to decide. You’re under no obligation; you may refuse. And...”

His gaze slowly shifted, settling on me.

For a moment, a strange light danced in his eyes, like another pair of eyes glowing behind them.

I was certain.

For an instant, I had made eye contact with something far beyond human.

“Saint of the Ancient God.”

He looked startled before I could speak.

“perhaps something greater still. I haven’t seen the Heavenly God so startled since my youth. You do not belong to this land or sky, you are merely passing by.”

“It’s an honor to meet you, Your Holiness. I am Kyle, a priest who serves Hope.”

“How odd. Hope is an emotion, yet your master calls Himself ‘Hope.’ Perhaps in such times He adopts that name to guide others.”

He tilted his head slightly, then extended his hand.

“Nergal Poem. I serve, rather inadequately, as the Pope of the Aldehir Church. I’d love to pass on this position and spend my days studying the stars, but the Heavenly God refuses to let me retire.”

“I learned that airship is Aldehir’s. I can’t thank you enough for all your aid.”

“Let’s sort out the thanks later. I never liked fighting, even when young, just the thought makes me dizzy now.”

...Did I hear that wrong?

“Wait a minute. Old man, what did you just say?”

“My hearing is still sharp, so why is a young person already having trouble? I said I want to take on that Phoenix, or whatever monster it is, too. Why?”

“Are you cra— No, are you really the Pope? Since when does the Pope fight at the front? I know our priests wage war, but still...”

Tsk. He clicked his tongue in disapproval.

“Omen, I’m past my prime. Even with divine power, I am human. Age creeps on us all. Why hoard this gift until my grave? That is a waste.”

“You’re going too, Your Holiness?”

Roka’s eyes went wide. She faltered, searching for words.

“That’s...”

“In times like these, we all face death. Yet if I, an old man, cower and run, would that not spark chaos? If I shirk my duty, people will frantically scatter. A clergyman fears not his own death but the loss of others.”

The disciple, unable to find the right words, sighed deeply.

“Very well. We shall all board the airship together. We live or die as one. Whatever comes, we share it with the Republic’s people.”