I Can Hear the Saint’s Inner Thoughts

64 – To Avenge My Parents (1)

After Victoria and I shared a bit of idle chatter and returned, Kyle was explaining the plan.

“The territory Durahan rules over is known as a place where nothing ever truly dies.”

Forsaken Hollow.

Because of this, it’s said that battles there continue until one side is completely destroyed or a bloody pulp.

“Due to this unique attribute, Durahan holds an arena tournament every year, enjoying the festivities with his people while picking the strongest warrior.”

“…That b*stard is a psycho who enjoys despising and trampling the weak.”

I interjected, remembering the atrocities that took place in my hometown. The images of him decapitating people or cruelly disemboweling them were still vivid in my mind.

And the words that this was all my fault still weighed heavily on my conscience.

“That’s right. So, using this, we’ll enter the arena as warriors and assassinate Durahan… That’s the best way.”

Kyle nodded at my words, explaining his proposed plan.

“Durahan won’t even suspect that we’re there to fight in the arena in the first place.”

Like hiding a tree in the forest, they said he wouldn’t think we’d willingly walk into the arena he runs.

“There’s one problem, Kyle. My perception-blocking magic isn’t *that* foolproof. Bella Mora, the Succubus Queen, saw through it last time.”

I tapped the table with my finger, pointing out the flaw in Kyle’s plan. If the Durahan’s magical mastery is equal to or greater than mine, there’s no fooling him.

Besides, he’s got a warrior’s instinct honed on countless battlefields. There are always a few crazy b*stards who can see through perception-blocking magic with just their gut feeling. Can’t let my guard down.

This is the enemy who murdered my parents. I want to approach this more carefully than ever.

“You’re saying we could get caught by the Durahan and get turned around on him?”

“Yeah, that’s what happened in Bella Mora’s territory. I got tricked by promises of seeing my parents again.”

I sighed heavily. Just thinking about that nightmare made me feel cold all over, and my hands started shaking.

It felt like I was about to have that dream again, so I couldn’t sleep, and I couldn’t get food or water down.

“…It couldn’t be helped back then. I thought it was better than living with the regret about your parents.”

Kyle was looking at me with pity. The guy is sharp and competent, so he seemed to have picked up on the baggage I was carrying.

“Thanks to that, I’m even more determined to kill that demon b*stard.”

I said, fiddling with the ring on my ring finger. Every time I saw the cosmos pattern engraved on it, I swore to never forgive the demons or the monsters.

“…Honestly, I think the best way would be to assassinate his men one by one, to draw the Durahan out.”

I said, looking at Tarion’s bow leaning against the wall. His arrows, known as the Bow of the Forest God, were famous for hitting targets hundreds of meters away.

“I agree. In the first place, it’s tricky to fight a Durahan, classified as an undead death knight, in a territory with advantages like that.”

Tarion nodded, running his fingers through his green hair. The undead keep coming back to life unless they are purified with Victoria’s holy magic or their existence is physically erased.

The Lich we fought in the basement of the Holy Kingdom was like that. In the end, he would never die unless we destroyed his life vessel.

“Then, maybe Astal and I could use magic and spirits to cause a big noise or explosion to draw attention!”

Anima said, sharing the idea she had while looking at her lover, Tarion, trying to get the agreement of the others.

But then, a chilling, unsettling coldness was creeping in from my side.

“Astal-nim must move with me. No matter that you are Anima, I will not allow you to act with another woman.”

“Victoria…?”

The one sending icy daggers towards Anima was Victoria, the saintess renowned for her unparalleled kindness and warmth.

As if trying to steal me away from Anima, she was forcefully hugging my arm, puffing out her cheeks. Soft, yielding sensations pressed hard against my arm.

-Since you rejected my confession, I can’t leave even a sliver of opportunity for you to meet other women. What if you two develop feelings…?

Victoria was even suggesting we use the restroom together, showing a growing obsession with me.

-Or maybe he likes girls with animal ears. Should I prepare a cat-ear headband and tail? Maybe I can seduce him by being *his* kitten…

I was hearing Victoria’s innermost thoughts unfiltered, and I knew I had to clear up this misunderstanding before things got *really* bad.

“…Victoria, this is just an operation. Nothing you’re worried about will happen. Anima is dating Tarion in the first place!”

“That’s right, Victoria. Why would I bother Astal when you’re already mine?”

Anima and I frantically waved our hands in denial. Suspecting that sparks could fly when two people who are already in committed relationships are just temporarily lending each other strength was a huge leap.

“You never know. Perhaps Astal-nim’s taste is for snatching women with partners and plunging them into the depths of lasciviousness.”

“What insane drivel is that…”

“I saw it in a banned book. There are men who indiscriminately wave their lower bodies at women with lovers or who are already married, corrupting them.”

“……”

I could only press my temples with my fingers, trying to quell the onrushing dizziness.

Because Victoria’s thoughts were so vulgar and lewd, to the point where I wondered, “This is a saintess?”

“You think I’m that kind of guy?”

“Yes, your actions toward me last night were exactly like the man in that book. Saying that I was a genius at arousing men just by showing my body, or that my breasts were pretty and cute while you aggressively… Mmph, mmmm…!”

Before she could say anything more strange, I clapped a hand over Victoria’s mouth. I was sweating bullets, clueless how to salvage the suddenly frigid atmosphere.

The problem was, I’d intentionally been acting aggressively and slandering her, trying to make her lose interest in me.

– If I spread rumors like this, in the end, I’ll be the only woman left who will accept Astal.

Chills.

Victoria’s true feelings in that instant were terrifying enough to raise goosebumps all over my back. How could she even *think* about isolating someone she loves from society just to take them for herself?

“Astal, did you do something to Victoria? Are you blackmailing her with some weakness or something?”

Anima asked me, as if she’d noticed the strange current flowing between us. Suspicion dripped from her eyes.

After all, normal lovers wouldn’t be engaging in forced fondling like she saw this morning, or spewing lewd jokes while suspecting each other like we are now.

“…We argued a little.”

I intentionally steered the conversation towards the others, mixing in a bit of truth. A lie is like a snowball, the more you tell it, the bigger it gets.

That’s how our contract relationship is too.

In the beginning, we clearly agreed to get permission from each other before any physical contact, but it’s been long since that was ever followed.

“What did you fight about that would make Victoria suspect you so much she’d do something like this? She’s not usually like this…”

“…I’m trash. Sorry.”

I rejected the confession of a woman I’d been crushing on for a year. And to make it worse, I coldly pushed away the first heartfelt words spoken by a saint who sacrificed everything to save me.

There was no better explanation or sentence than that.

“If you know you’re trash, then starting today, you’ll wake me up with a kiss every day. Of course, you have to use your tongue, saying you love me while sucking and slurping. Then, just this once, I’ll let it slide.”

“……”

Victoria, as if she’d been waiting for this very moment, immediately used her strength to remove my hand from her mouth after I said I was trash, and told me what she wanted.

“S-So shameless…”

“Just how much did Astal bother Victoria…”

Tarion and Anima, hearing her words and mine, reddened and looked completely flustered.

Even if they were lovers, it seemed they weren’t immune to hearing such sensitive things discussed in front of others.

“Normally, interfering in a couple’s affairs is presumptuous, but if Victoria’s talking like this, he must’ve really done something shitty.”

Even Kyle, who never took anyone’s side, was siding with Victoria and not defending me. Because she had built up an image of a saint, more devout than anyone else.

“I can’t exactly deny it…”

Looking at Kyle’s expression, I had no choice but to swallow what I wanted to say and admit my wrongdoings. Thinking about it the other way around, it’s only normal that she couldn’t easily shake off feelings for someone she’d liked for over a year.

‘Ultimately, Victoria is the most important one to deal with the Death Knight Dullahan, so it’s crucial to keep her happy…’

I started thinking as rationally as possible in my head. The Dullahan, one of the Four Heavenly Kings, is stronger than the Lich we fought last time, so her cooperation as a saint is the most important.

“You’re going to let it slide with *this*…?!”

I tried to put my thumb on my lips again, like I did last time, and touch it to her lips.

“Heck, whooosh…. *Chuuup*…♡ *Sluuurp*…. *Smack*.”

Victoria, as if she anticipated it, snatched my hand and began sucking on my index finger in a gluttonous, lewd manner.

“…I’m not going to settle for this childish play anymore.”

As if what happened last night wasn’t enough to satisfy her.