A Monster That Cannot Pray

Meanwhile, in an abandoned church on the outskirts of Hernita, a city near Yulentina.

Creak―.

As if it had been left unattended for quite some time. With an unpleasant sound of hinges, the door opened with a creak, and from behind it, a man in a robe slowly but with familiar steps.

Unlike the door, he entered the chapel, which was spotless despite being abandoned for a long time.

“This is unusual. For you to come to such a humble place.”

And there was someone who had arrived earlier and was waiting for the man.

“―Antonio.”

It was Bishop Antonio, a middle-aged man with gray hair wearing a pristine white priest’s robe without a single wrinkle.

“Haven’t I told you many times? You should focus on recovering for a while, as there might still be side effects from the procedure.”

“Hmph. When have I ever properly listened to you?”

“Well― Now that you mention it, I was too naive. Next time, I should prepare a specially made iron cage, I suppose.”

Although the words were meant to convey concern in their own way, Antonio burst into laughter as if used to the man’s irritable response.

Antonio quietly observed the man’s appearance as he took off his robe and threw it away in front of him.

A man with yellow skin, black hair, and black eyes, rare in this world. He looked young, but judging from the aura he gave off― he must be at least in his mid-30s.

“So, why did you go to meet the past you worked so hard to discard?”

“You sly old fox. You knew all along and were just testing me, weren’t you?”

“You too. I wish you’d understand that it’s troublesome for us if you walk around so boldly without even trying to hide.”

So, making eye contact with the man who was looking at him with eyes full of killing intent.

“―Mr. Hyunjin.”

“Stop with that name. It’s a name I’ve discarded now.”

“My apologies. It’s quite difficult to change a name I’ve been using for over 10 years in just one year.”

Antonio smiled awkwardly as he called out a name that didn’t belong to this world.

“By the way, is it because you’re getting old too? Your tail has gotten quite long.”

“Haha. Unlike you, I’ve been retired from active duty for a long time.”

And the man with curly brown hair who was eavesdropping on their conversation from outside the building― Marbas, one of the executioners belonging to the church’s monster-fighting unit ‘Holy Flame’.

‘…Have I been discovered?’

Judging that it might be a test aimed at causing his agitation, he quietly held his breath.

“Is it okay to kill him, Antonio?”

“Yes. It’s not that uncommon for an executioner of the ‘Holy Flame’ to lose their life during a mission.”

At the following voices, as if realizing that not only his position but also his identity had been pinpointed.

‘Damn it―!’

Marbas ran towards the city with all his might, but.

Crash―!

Before he could take five steps, he was suddenly pinned to the ground by a man who appeared from above with a loud noise.

“I don’t have any particular ill feelings towards you, but the fact that I’m here right now shouldn’t be known. I’m sorry about this.”

So, at the cold blade he felt above his head.

“Why on earth are you…!”

It was the moment when Marbas, who had been pinned to the ground, hurriedly got up and drew his sword from its scabbard.

“Hero, Kim Hyun… mmph!”

“―Shh.”

Squelch―!

As the hand of the one called a hero covered Marbas’s mouth, a silver blade pierced his heart.

“I told you. It’s a name I’ve already discarded.”

So, as he carefully laid down Marbas’s body, which was gradually losing strength and collapsing.

“It must be frustrating to go like this. I should at least give you a gift for your journey to the afterlife.”

Quietly― making eye contact with Marbas, who was glaring at him while gasping for breath.

“I’ve always disliked you religious folks. Ever since I fell into this world, I’ve consistently hated you. To the point where I wanted to destroy you all.”

The man opened his mouth with a smirk.

“But, I was… uselessly too kind. So much so that I ended up being called a hero for helping the very people I hated.”

Grinning like a madman towards the dying Marbas.

“So, I discarded it. Everything that made me hesitate, everything that made me such a goody-two-shoes… all the past I didn’t need. After throwing it all away like this― it really felt refreshing.”

Stab, stab.

“Since it’s the world I protected anyway, it’s okay for me to destroy it a little, right?”

What resided in the eyes of the man who kept stabbing Marbas’s vital points with the dagger in his hand was just one thing.

“I want to see if that thing you believed in, called God, really exists. That’s… the reason you have to die today.”

―It was an anger with no end in sight.

* * *

Ah― I wish there was a mouse hole I could crawl into.

“Uh, um…”

“Oh, you’re awake?”

After finishing the confession last night, I must have fallen asleep crying… As I opened my eyes to the morning sunlight seeping in from the window, I saw Bernard lying right next to me, reading some thick book, and had that thought.

“Ah, old man… why are you here…?”

Right after, I asked Bernard, implying ‘what on earth did you do to me?’

“Well, you see. I was going to get up after putting you to sleep, but―.”

Bernard kept snickering and pointed somewhere with his finger.

“……”

Looking at my two lower arms that were tightly gripping Bernard’s clothes, preventing him from leaving, which was where he was pointing.

Slap, slap!

I blankly raised my upper arms… and punished the lower arms that had moved on their own without my will.

Then.

“…Forget it.”

“Huh?”

“Yesterday was just because I was confused, so forget about it…!”

I grabbed Bernard’s collar and shook him as he looked at me with a dumbfounded expression.

“…Heh.”

Bernard grinned ominously, like a child who had found an interesting toy.

“Alright. I’ll forget about it.”

Unexpectedly, he nodded readily.

“But, what about that person?”

Right after, he raised his hand and pointed with his thumb behind his back― at the room door which had been opened at some point.

“…Eh.”

“Oh my, oh my. You’ve gotten quite close to the priest already, Frey?”

So, I froze at the sight of Miss Mia coming through the wide-open door.

“W-wait… Miss Mia… When did you wake up… No, that’s not it… I’m glad you’re up… Ugh…!”

While I was momentarily torn between the thought that I should deny the current situation and the relief that Miss Mia had woken up.

“…Ah.”

Seeing Miss Mia with her left arm bandaged from the deep wound that had exposed her bone, I realized what I should do first right now.

After briefly making eye contact with Bernard, who was gently pushing my back as if to encourage me, and nodding.

“Miss Mia.”

“Yes, Frey.”

I stood in front of Miss Mia, who was leaning against the wall with her left arm in a cast, breathing painfully.

“I’m sorry. It’s all because of me…”

“No, no. It was because of the priest’s request that I stayed overnight at the church.”

I know. This apology is for thinking Miss Mia looked delicious.

The conversation from last night’s confession was something I decided to take to my grave.

“And, thank you. For protecting me.”

And this was what I wanted to say most to Miss Mia right now.

“…It’s nothing.”

Fortunately, it seemed my feelings were conveyed, as I entrusted my head to Miss Mia’s touch as she gently smiled and reached out her right arm towards me.

Stroke, stroke.

I really don’t understand why people in this city like patting heads so much.

“Anyway… This one and that one. I told you to stay in bed, but you just don’t listen, do you?”

So, at Bernard’s voice coming from behind me along with a yawn.

“Oh my. What’s the point of lying alone in bed when there’s no one to take care of you? Right, Frey?”

“That’s right!”

I clung to Miss Mia’s side and shouted while raising the two arms on my right side.

“Oh, you guys really… Fine. Then I’ll give you close care until you’re completely healed.”

“Ah, Father. That’s a bit… I may look young, but I’m quite old…”

“Wooo― Pervert priest―!”

It was a bright day where the clouds in my heart cleared, just like the blue sky outside the window.

* * *

So, about three more days passed.

“Ugh―!”

Whether it was thanks to my unique healing ability, or because of Bernard’s sincere care.

The wounds that would have taken months to recover for a normal person were completely healed, so from today, I was starting work again as an apprentice nun of the church.

“……”

Looking around the interior of the chapel, where traces of battle remained here and there even though almost a week had passed since the incident.

“Ah, never mind.”

Anyway, since Bernard said he would lend a hand in restoring the chapel from today, I decided to focus on my own work.

Click.

It was the moment I unlocked the chapel’s lock that had been locked overnight and opened the door wide for people to visit.

“…Ah.”

As if she was about to knock, I saw the figure of a blonde woman standing in front of the door with her right hand raised, blankly looking at me― somehow familiar.

“I never thought you’d be here.”

Unlike the nun’s habit I was wearing, she wore a loose black priest’s robe that looked comfortable to move in.

Golden hair beautifully shimmering in the sunlight, and blue eyes sparkling like jewels.

“It’s been a while. Have you been well?”

―It was that executioner I had met on the first day I opened my eyes in this world.