NOVEL NEXT Chapter 15: Saintess (2)
The information merchant, who had been eavesdropping on the conversation, felt as if he had been struck on the back of his head with a log.
‘The saint! Could the saint who said he would come from the holy kingdom be…?’
If the viscount said so, then it must be true that he was a saint.
He looked at Ray once again.
At first glance, Ray’s old and worn-out clothes appeared shiny, and it seemed as if there was a halo radiating from behind him.
And what about his pure white hair, whiter than anyone else’s?
Knowing that he was a saint made Ray seem different from before when he hadn’t been of much interest.
‘This is not the time. I need to inform the guild about the saint’s appearance.’
Thinking this, he quietly slipped away from his seat.
Unaware that the man who had been guiding him had disappeared, Ray sighed.
“Sigh. I told you I am not a saint. So, please do not spread any false rumors. Understand?”
“I understand! I will make sure to seal the mouths!”
Ray mumbled at Viscount Gaid’s loyal words.
“What do you mean by sealing mouths… The people around us should be taken care of first. Those who should have heard already did.”
Viscount Gaid, who had sharp ears, heard everything.
He immediately raised his hand and spoke.
“Everyone, return to your positions.”
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
At the viscount’s single command, over forty pages and servants began to move.
Soon, the only servant left around them was the butler, Forton.
Was this the extent of a noble’s authority?
Ray looked at the viscount anew.
“Saint, please come inside.”
“I told you not to call me a saint. I am not.”
“Then, what should I call you…”
“My name is Ray. Just call me by my name.”
“How can I call the saint without any honorifics? Please allow me to call you Sir Ray.”
‘Sir Ray.’
‘Sir Ray.’
Just adding the honorific ‘nim’ to his name felt so cringeworthy that his fingernails could pierce his palms.
But if he refused this, he might have had to hear ‘saint’ again.
In that case, his name was better.
“…Then just call me that when we are alone. When there are others, just call me by my name.”
“I will do as you say, Sir Ray.”
The two reached some sort of compromise.
Ray, who didn’t want to be known as a saint, even made the viscount promise.
“Do not spread any strange rumors. I am not a saint.”
“I understand.”
Only after hearing the viscount’s answer could Ray feel relieved.
A noble’s words were not light. Especially in front of a saint.
Viscount Gaid led the way.
“This way, please.”
“Wait a minute. The person who was guiding me…”
Ray spoke and turned around.
The person who was with him just a moment ago was gone, and there was only the garden gate standing there.
A bad premonition enveloped him.
“…Did you hear the conversation about the saint?”
Somehow, it felt like covering up the information would be futile.
While the Information Guild would probably not spread the news without any benefit, considering their trait of selling valuable information, it was deemed appropriate that the news would reach those who needed to know.
“Today is just not my lucky day.”
The term ‘saint’ coincided with Ray’s unluckiness on that particular day.
As he entered the mansion, Ray was surprised by the starkly different scenery compared to his last visit.
The lobby lights emitted a luxurious glow, brightening the dark spots, and the red carpet cascading from the stairs was the epitome of opulence.
“Wow, I thought this was a palace.”
“If there’s anything you desire, please let me know.”
Ray was now becoming curious.
“But why are you treating me this well? Is it because you’re returning the favor for healing you?”
It made sense if they were treating him generously to return the favor.
After all, even for a noble, life was precious.
However, contrary to his expectations, Lord Gaid lowered his head and shook it.
His solemn expression and inability to meet Ray’s eyes indicated that something was wrong.
Lord Gaid spoke with difficulty.
“…I apologize. My household has committed a grave sin.”
He bowed his head deeply as he spoke.
Ray was once again surprised.
“Really, is apologizing the greeting here?”
“That, that is… My daughter wished death upon the saint…”
“Your daughter?”
Ray thought carefully as Lord Gaid struggled to speak.
Then, he remembered.
“Just go die somewhere!”
A malicious smile crept onto Ray’s face.
“Ah, are you referring to that little girl?”
Despite not having a significant age difference, she spoke with such audacity.
However, Lord Gaid was sweating profusely and only bowed his head deeper.
Honestly, Ray wanted to make a joke, but it didn’t feel right with the other party being so serious.
He was quite angry about the situation and had a lot to say, but none of it was Lord Gaid’s fault, so he didn’t want to blame him.
If the knight commander and Illisia came to apologize, that would be a different story.
In the end, Ray just sighed.
“Ugh… It’s not Lord Gaid’s fault, so why apologize? If someone should apologize, it should be those two. How’s your wound, by the way? Is it fully healed?”
“Oh, yes! You truly are a saint. It has completely healed.”
“Ah, can you please not call me a saint?”
“Oh, my apologies, Saint!”
“…I should’ve just kept quiet.”
Ray said as he looked around.
This was indeed a noble’s mansion, with expensive-looking paintings and meticulously decorated vintage items catching his eye.
‘I wonder how much richer a count would be if this is what a baron’s mansion looks like.’
The mansion was grand enough to be compared to a castle.
It was indeed a noble’s mansion, with accumulated immense wealth being just below the lord.
After looking around for a while, Ray heard someone descending the stairs and turned to look.
There were two figures in dresses carefully coming down the stairs.
The usual arrogance of the nobility was nowhere to be seen; instead, their cautious steps were noticeable.
And those faces were familiar to Ray.
“Lady and Illyssia?”
It wasn’t clear whether the Viscount had informed them beforehand, but the two well-dressed figures walking toward them couldn’t look Ray in the eye.
Chloe descended the stairs, covering her chest with one hand and lightly lifting her dress with the other.
“Greetings, Saint.”
Illyssia, too, hastily followed suit.
“G-greetings, Saint.”
Shivering as she spoke, Illyssia was greeted by Ray.
“Hello. And please, just call me by my name. That’s more comfortable for me.”
“B-but we can’t.”
Chloe responded with a start.
Viscount Gaid, with a reaction as if it were scripted, sighed but neatly resolved the title issue.
“Lady, Ray wishes not to be known as a Saint. So, when it’s just us, simply calling him ‘Ray’ will suffice.”
“But…”
“He’s not a saint.”
Ray’s indifferent voice had no impact on their devout title dilemma.
Chloe sent a silent glare as if to say, ‘how dare you call him that,’ but Viscount Gaid shook his head.
Eventually, she had no choice but to resign.
It must have been a first for them to call a representative of a god by just a name with a title.
Ray also greeted Illyssia.
“It’s been a while? Have you been well?”
“Oh, Ray! Please speak comfortably, she’s still a child.”
“I’m comfortable with this.”
Watching Viscount Gaid’s strange gestures expressing his apologies was tough.
Ray made eye contact with Illyssia, and after what had happened, it felt awkward even though he hadn’t done anything wrong.
Like Chloe, Illyssia also shivered as she answered.
“Yes, yes… Thanks to Ray… comf, comfortably…”
Her trembling eyes seemed to show she had been through a lot.
She looked like a patient with a condition, startled at every word.
“Ray found it pitiful and felt it was okay to let it slide this time. More so because Illyssia had been in a panicked state due to Viscount Gaid’s death and was only fourteen years old at the time.
Ray changed the subject.
“Now that the Viscount’s illness is known to be cured, the village will develop properly, right? Other nobles will help too.”
From what Ray had seen, the village was completely different from when he had visited to cure the Viscount in the past.
The population had increased, and the Adventurer’s Guild was thriving with continuous requests.
The development of the village meant they could meet with the Lord and also increase their wealth.
But Viscount Gaid shook his head.
“Actually… I haven’t told anyone about my illness except for my family and a few others.”
“Really?”
Normally, it was customary to report to the king when a noble was ill or facing death.
There were exceptions, but usually, the heir would continue the family line.
Ray knew this from reading various books and found it odd.
The Viscount continued.
“There’s no one in the Gaid family to continue the line. If I were to die from the illness… the nobles from the neighboring territories wouldn’t leave this land alone.”
‘Certainly…’
Anyone would think so after hearing that.
The only child of Viscount Gaid was Illyssia.
It didn’t make sense for her to continue the family line after getting married.
If Viscount Gaid had died then, Illyssia’s future would have been a political marriage, serving as an excuse for other nobles to devour Viscount Gaid’s estate.
“Either way, it will be known over time, won’t it?”
“It’s to buy even that little bit of time…”
Viscount Gaid laughed heartily as he spoke, and Ray thought to himself,
‘I did good by saving him.’
Ray felt the fatherly love from the Viscount, who had his child in mind.
Viscount Gaid looked at Ray’s solemn expression and, wanting to lighten the heavy atmosphere, said to Fotten,
“Fotten, prepare the meal.”
“Yes, I will bring the meal shortly.”
With that, he disappeared, leaving only a pair of knights standing by the door and the Viscount’s family members in the lobby.
Excluding the two who were cautiously observing and holding their tongues, the only ones engaged in conversation were Viscount Gaid and himself.
Waiting for the meal in that somewhat tense atmosphere was challenging.
When the meal arrived, Ray was taken aback once again.
Firstly, he was stunned by the size of the dining table.
Usually, there would be three people dining, but the table seemed like it could easily accommodate twenty.
Furthermore, the food that was served was extraordinary.
Everything from one to ten appeared delicious and aromatic, of a quality that one couldn’t even find in expensive restaurants.
Naturally, a gasp of admiration slipped from his lips.
“Wow…”
“There isn’t much, but please help yourself.”
The customary polite phrase was uttered, but Ray immediately countered.
“There isn’t much? The table is about to buckle under the weight of the food!”
Even as he spoke, Ray’s eyes remained glued to the food.
Illyssia couldn’t help but chuckle at his reaction.
“Kukuk.”
When Ray instinctively looked towards the source of the laughter, Illyssia’s face instantly turned pale.
“I’m, I’m sorry…”
“No… there’s no need to…”
“I’m sorry!”
“…”
He had merely looked at her, and she had apologized twice.
Even Chloe, who was following the conversation, turned pale at her daughter’s laughter.
Ray observed the two reacting dramatically to his every move and chuckled.
“Haha… Don’t feel too pressured. I’m the one feeling overwhelmed here.”
“I’m sorry!”
“I’m sorry!”
“…”
Ray ended up hearing apologies once again.
Viscount Gaid cleared his throat to interrupt the oddly flowing conversation.
“Ahem… Let’s eat before it gets cold.”
“Ah, yes. I will enjoy the meal.”
“No need for formalities…”
And so, the most silent meal in the world commenced.
“…Is that information reliable?”
“Do you think I’ve only worked once or twice in this industry? The information came directly from the Viscount himself. It’s certain.”
“Hmm…”
He was the head of the information guild in Billo Village.
The guild member, who was like a younger brother to him, had just rushed in, demanding payment for the scoop he had discovered.
The way he looked at him, panting yet with eyes gleaming, was reminiscent of a black market informant who had just struck gold.
After sending the other informants away, they talked. It turned out he had found the Saint that the Holy Kingdom was looking for.
“Wow, the Saint is really different. Just standing there, he was full of dignity, and there was this mysterious aura around him. Even the Viscount himself knelt before him, can you believe it?”
“Viscount Gaid?”
He looked at him with slight suspicion, and the younger one thumped his chest in frustration.
“Brother! Do you doubt me? I’m telling you the truth!”
If he doubted him any further, it would only strain their relationship.
Now was the time for him to step back.
“Alright, alright. So you’re saying he’s definitely the Saint?”
“Ah! The Viscount also said something!”
“What did he say?”
“He said… How could the person who saved his life not be a Saint?”
At that, his face crinkled in confusion.
“Saved his life? Does that even make sense?”
“Since it’s the Saint, maybe he can.”
He sighed deeply and rested his forehead on his hand.
“Lawson… In all the time we’ve worked together, this is the first time you’ve disappointed me. A Saint saving a dead person? That’s not a Saint, that’s a god. Even if the grandfather of all gods came down, he wouldn’t be able to save a dead person.”
“But, but… the Viscount definitely…”
“Either the Viscount was plotting something and tried to deceive the information guild, or he was trying to draw attention to his family. And if he really was a Saint, don’t you think the Viscount would have used him to his advantage? In that case, we would have known about it too, right?”
Lawson was left speechless.
Looking at him, the head of the guild shook his head, opened the door, and walked out.
“I can’t believe you actually believed that and ran all the way to me, out of breath.”
“…But it had to be true… That child was definitely a Saint, brother!”
At that, even the patience of the guild head, who had climbed up through patience, finally exploded.
“This is the real deal!”