I only know what’s commonly known about saintesses, so I don’t know the difference between a saintess and a great saintess, other than that it sounds different. But I guess Iris is a higher rank even among saintesses.
The power of a great saintess must be great, because everyone in front of us falls to their knees, even though she’s not the saintess of this country.
Even the swordsman that was being the roughest earlier, now has his forehead pressed to the ground, and he’s trembling.
The guildmaster forced the adventurers on their knees with a right straight punch to each of them, but still, the way she was panicking really makes me feel it in my skin that Iris is a really high class person.
And so, I ask something that reeks of cliché.
“Miss Iris, just what are you?”
“Just a wandering saintess whose hobby it is to exterminate scoundrels.”
A normal saintess wouldn’t say something so violent. But the fact that she’s shrewdly calling herself a saintess here must mean she feels pride in the position of saintess.
She looks pretty satisfied right now. Although she also likes playing hero, like when we met and she was being all ‘justice executing woman’. It’s not like I don’t get it though.
“I’m sorry. I deeply apologize on behalf of my guild’s members for their repeated rudeness, even if they were unaware you were the great saintess Iris. Please punish me severely.”
The guildmaster says with a shaking voice.
Iris has a serious expression back on her face too, and speaks plainly, but with a stern voice that makes her seem unapproachable.
“It seems you know who I am, but have we met?”
“I am a holy knight, so divine service is part of my daily routine. I met you two years ago, when I was dispatched as a guard knight. I just happened to meet you during morning service.”
“I see. So you are a devout follower.”
Iris exhales, and continues.
“Normally, a heavy burden of responsibility would fall on the person in charge, such as yourself, but I will be lenient on a devout believer of the Goddess of Order Emeraude. And thus, you will not be punished. You are forgiven.
However, the others performed actions that clearly hurt the hearts of others, and acted violently towards us despite not knowing our circumstances. That most definitely cannot be overlooked. As the one in charge of them, punish them severely.”
“Understood. Hey, you people are all hereby demoted to rank E. You’re starting from scratch!”
“““No waaaaaaay!!”””
Everyone screams.
“Is this enough, Miss Iris?”
“Yes, that will suffice. I leave their guidance to you.”
“I will do all I can as a guildmaster.”
The guildmaster says as she bows deeply.
As for my thoughts on the saintess’ judgment, it was a pretty heavy punishment, considering it’s Iris.
I thought for sure she would forgive them.
“Being too nice won’t help them either. If they are not punished when they should be, they will never learn. As a representative of the Goddess of Order Emeraude, it is my duty to offer not just love, but punishment too.”
I really feel the solemnity in Iris when she’s in her saintess mode.
“Well then, that does it for their punishment, but now it’s your turn, Mister Loyd. You have some things to reconsider as well.”
“Eh? Me too!?”
I’m catching flying parks from that lecture too.
And the reason why is… I don’t know, I can only guess. And I shouldn’t speak casually to her here either. In such a religious country, that might get me cut down on the spot.
A small smile forms on her face, and she comes closer.
“You made me use my power as a saintess.”
I see, that’s what she meant.
“I’m already back to being a normal girl, so I can’t rely on the power I had back then.”
“Sorry Iris.”
“No, sorry won’t cut it. I tried my hardest to act like a saintess, so I demand you pat my head.”
So she wants me to pamper her.
“Good girl iris.”
I pat her head while tapping it, and she squints her eyes like she’s looking at something bright.
I shouldn’t say this about a great saintess, but I feel like I’m petting a small animal.
“H-he’s patting the head of someone even the guildmaster bowed to…!?”
“Who’s that guy…? Is he even more powerful than the great saintess?”
Now I’m the one being deified.
I’m just a guy with a picking rate of forty percent.
Then we get the map we wanted so much from the guildmaster, and leave.
As an aside, the guildmaster saw someone with a cold atmosphere around her, that wouldn’t allow anyone to get near her, when she looked at Iris. There was none of the softness that’s present now.
◇ ◇ ◇
I didn’t expect to have so much trouble getting a map.
And as I look at this perfectly normal map, I think back to my troubles so far.
So much happened in such a short amount of time.
I was attacked by three ruffians, got lost, and was falsely accused by adventurers because someone committed a crime for fun.
Looking back, what a load of nonsense.
I feel a way bigger sense of accomplishment than when I gathered difficult materials designated by Ruby though.
Why is that?
“Mister Loyd, it looks like we have to turn right here.”
Says Iris, as she walks to my right and points at the map, sounding like she’s having fun.
When I see her actions and expression that feel innocent like a kid’s, I feel like I get the puzzle pieces I needed to answer that question about Ruby.
I’m sure I feel happy like this, because someone’s smile is at the goal.
◇ ◇ ◇
It can’t end like this. I’ve only known Iris for half a day, but before I know it, I find myself drawn to her.
It’s a different emotion than wanting her to be my girlfriend. I still have a bit of trauma about that.
It’s like I want her to be my ‘special friend’.
As we walk to the inn, I think about wanting to leave something that will stay in her mind. Now that we’re approaching the destination that felt so far away before, I feel like I don’t want to leave.
“What is it?”
Asks iris, apparently picking up on something.
“I was thinking about making up for what happened.”
I tell her directly.
“Saying that upfront is raising my expectations. If you get less than ninety points from my saintess point of view, you’re getting a sermon.”
That’s way too high of a bar…!
She took the first move. Iris is a tough opponent.
The difficulty being high means she has high expectations too, so I get happy thinking I have to do my best.
“We are almost there, so let’s pick up the pace.”
Hey, this saintess is too malicious.
Looking at the map, I think we’ll be there in less than a couple of minutes.
I look around me, seeing if I can find any hints, and my eyes stop on a magic light stone giving off a blue light. I look at it for a bit, and an idea forms in the back of my mind.
I quickly activate the physical strengthening spell Grow, kick the ground to get on a roof, and look around for any places that seem good.
I see the clock tower. The hands of the clock are heading towards morning. I might make it just in time.
I hop down from the roof, and run towards Iris.
“Hey iris! Can I touch your body a little?”
“I don’t mind, but what are you thinking?”
“Hn, hold on.”
I put my arm around her back, and hold her in a princess carry.
The effects of Grow make it so she’s as light as a feather.
“U-ahyah!?”
She’s surprised. Watching her face turn red as she gets flustered feels fresh.
“Awa, awawa. M-mister Loyd?”
“Can you close your eyes for a bit?”
“Y-yes…”
I ask Iris, and she closes them tightly without saying anything back.
Then I rush to a certain place, running on rooftops to get there before the sun rises.
◇ ◇ ◇
“You can open them.”
When she opens her eyes, she sees the world covered by a blue light. It’s the town enveloped by the blue light of the magic light stones. We’re currently at the top of the clock tower.
The town looked beautiful from the inn, so I figured it would look even better from up here. Now it just needs to make Iris happy for it to be perfect.
And her reaction is…
“A town looks so beautiful from high up. I never knew.”
I kind of felt like I failed, but it looks like I was worried for nothing.
She seems very moved, and her mouth hangs open as she’s enamored by this view.
“Mister Loyd, you pass.”
I get a passing grade from the saintess test. But what I really want to show is what comes next.
“No, it’s not over yet. It’s too soon to be surprised.”
“Eh?”
A cook’s job is to transform good ingredients into a nice meal.
An alchemist’s job is to take good materials and turn them into a wonderful item.
Then we exclusive mages have the job to set up the ‘perfect stage’ for good materials to shine even brighter.
As the morning sun rises, its light is reflected off the magic ore, and the blue light turns silver.
That silver light is almost a representation of Iris. And her long silver hair is bundled by the morning sun, and made to shine even more intensely.
“Did I go over a passing grade?”
I ask her.
“You’re so mean. You already passed it. A hundred and twenty points.”
A hundred and twenty? Nice. Good thing I tried so hard.
I’m surprised I even thought to bring her here.
Well, that’s just how great I am. Yeah, capable guys are just on another level.
And as I get carried away being all smug, Iris speaks again.
“There is just one thing to think about that deducts points.”
“Eh?”
What would lower my score here?
“It’s a very simple answer. You tried too hard for me, and brought us even further away from our destination than we were before.”
She’s got a point.
I check the map, and Flor Street is even further away.
I’m so lame, announcing it so smugly when I forgot our objective to begin with.
Iris sees me drop my shoulders in disappointment, and giggles with her hand covering her mouth.
Oh well.
I can’t feel that power from before in Iris now. She’s just a regular girl. But to me, she’s shining the brightest now.
If Iris was a Great Saint, and they replaced her with a Saint, isn’t that a net loss for that kingdom? I’m even more curious as the circumstances of her demotion to ‘False (great) Saint’. What did the other kingdoms think about it (given she had to keep moving on, out of each kingdom she entered soon after arriving)?
From what the guildmaster recalls, it seems that in the past Iris was cold and hard like ice. Maybe she was demoted for being perceived as overly stern (even ruthless?) in her pursuit of justice?
Honestly, the two of them come across as heart-wounded (for different reasons) who seek another to lick their wounds. At least this helps explain why their romance is accelerating on turbo.