I Can Hear the Saint’s Inner Thoughts

65 – To Avenge My Parents’ Enemies (2)

After Victoria’s flirtatious outburst, Kyle called me aside. Her behavior from a moment ago seemed problematic to everyone watching.

“Astal, why are you so clueless?”

Having pulled away from Victoria, Kyle sighed deeply and scratched his head roughly, telling me as if he couldn’t understand me.

“I paid for the bedding and the bed! How much wild night stuff have you been up to for Victoria to be so obsessed?”

“……”

I had nothing to say, not even if I had two mouths. After all, this was the result of trying my best not to tarnish Victoria’s purity.

I’d already rejected her confession, and I couldn’t even tell her I’d take responsibility even if she ceased to be a saint.

“Even if you fought, you can’t let it affect the Demon Lord subjugation. It’ll damage the morale around you.”

Kyle rested a hand on his face, watching Victoria who’d been trying to follow us just moments ago. It felt like I could see the wrinkles on his face deepening in real time.

“Sorry.”

“You know how much Victoria likes you, right? Do you know she carried you alone for meters in Bellamora’s territory, refusing all our help?”

“……”

I remembered sacrificing myself to save Victoria, and waking up. Her staying up all night by my side, nursing me back from the brink.

The reason I rejected Victoria’s confession was because the battles ahead would be on a completely different level than what we’d faced so far.

I didn’t want to experience the death of someone precious to me right before my eyes again. That’s why I chose to run rather than protect.

“…So, is there any solution?”

“That’s something you have to figure out yourself. You shouldn’t listen to advice or anything about relationships from others.”

Just in case, I asked Kyle for help, but he shook his head, expressing his refusal. I thought he’d be good at this, having been in a long relationship with his girlfriend Stella back home.

“Love is solely between two people. Marriage is about combining families, even if you don’t want it to be. Actually, among nobles, marriage is often used as an opportunity for social climbing, or for political and economic reasons.”

Kyle was actually cautious on this front. He scrutinized me from head to toe, with a meticulousness that seemed to be searching for something different.

“First off, the dragon’s pheromone scent on you is incredibly strong. Any race with a sensitive nose will know you belong to Victoria.”

“…Is that a problem?”

“It depends on the situation. Most wouldn’t be happy to learn that a saint of a nation belongs to one man… “

Kyle let out a hollow laugh as if he found it ridiculous himself. He seemed to be aware that the position of saintess normally forbids any male approach.

If not for that, Victoria might have already overwhelmed me and crossed the line, so maybe I should even be grateful. That’s what I was thinking when…

“…It’s different if it’s you. Astal Kaisaros, the crazy mage who ensured not a single casualty in the Demon Realm for a whole year.”

Kyle pointed at me as he continued. It was more Victoria’s contribution than mine that the hero party had no casualties.

Because she often took it upon herself to miraculously heal others when they were injured or seriously hurt.

Of course, I played my part in easing Victoria’s burden by performing the bizarre act of never accepting her miracles, opting instead for potions or basic healing magic.

“Victoria must have fallen for that side of you too. You, the one who sings the praises of humanity so much that even the saintess, who follows the word of the Celestial God with unwavering faith, is amazed.”

“Kyle…”

“I want to thank you now, even at this late stage. Astal, we all made it this far without anyone dying because of you. Honestly… I didn’t think we could defeat Bellamora, one of the Four Heavenly Kings.”

Kyle made a fist and thumped his chest, speaking with an air of reverence.

The hero who wielded the Holy Sword of Flames and worked harder than anyone to save the world surprisingly spoke words of pessimism.

“…Was your personality always like this?”

“I’m the hero everyone relies on, so I try not to show any weakness… I’m just a person who worries and feels anxious too.”

Kyle laughed heartily at my comment, acknowledging it. Just a while ago, he had been questioning God as he talked about his past.

Unlike me, Kyle, chosen by the chief god Odin, even doubted his role as the hero.

“Besides, when I go home, I have to marry Stella. I absolutely don’t want to die.”

“…….”

The reason Kyle always took the risk and sent magical messages via me. He mentioned the name of his girlfriend waiting for him back home, a bitter smile on his face.

Every time I heard these words, my heart would lurch, and an anxious future would flash before my eyes. A future where, like what happened in my hometown, everyone I knew was dead, and I was the only one left alive.

“…Kyle, I’ll risk my life to kill the Demon Lord. Don’t say things like that.”

I deliberately declared my resolve to Kyle. If there was someone who had to die on this journey, it had to be me, the one who wasn’t dating anyone.

I knew Victoria liked me, but I wasn’t sure what to do either.

“Don’t you think Victoria will curse you for life? I think she’d chase you to hell with a hammer.”

“Surely not.”

“Plenty likely. Can’t you see her trying to eavesdrop on our conversation from way over there? This level of obsession, it’s a given.”

“…Really?”

I suddenly felt a chilling gaze behind me and turned my head. There, Victoria’s horns were visible. One of her physical traits she couldn’t quite hide.

“So, don’t even think about dying. I don’t know what happened in the Velvet Dream of Belamora… but you’ve got a woman to take responsibility for now, don’t you?”

“Okay, I’ll keep it in mind.”

I nodded, watching Victoria stride towards us with heavy footsteps from afar.

– I need to know what you two are talking about. There shouldn’t be any secrets between a married couple, after all.

A chilling premonition washed over me that even the slightest slip-up could result in Victoria shattering my skull with the hammer she was carrying.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t tell Kyle that we were in a contract relationship, or that we had to engage in s*xual acts due to the divine decree of the Celestial God.

“Is your conversation over? I’ve come to take back my treasure.”

“…Victoria.”

I let out a short sigh, watching Victoria, right next to me, growling at Kyle. Seeing her like this, I wondered if she was really a female cat.

“I think this is too much obsession. Shouldn’t you at least not interfere when fighting an enemy?”

“Dragons have the habit of collecting and protecting what they deem valuable. That’s why there’s a place called a lair. As a half-blood, I can’t help but follow my instincts.”

– My heart burns to tie your hands and feet and kidnap you to a cave where no one knows… but we have the task of killing the Demon King.

Hiding such thoughts, Victoria stared at me with her dragon-specific irises. Her sharp eyes felt like they were constricting me.

“…I can’t allow this. No more kisses or hugs. No holding hands or any physical contact whatsoever.”

I threw down the gauntlet at Victoria. It was getting to be too much, this constant, excessive physical contact.

“Do you think you have a choice? Choices belong only to the strong…”

“Then I’ll just refuse life support and kick the bucket.”

I chose the most efficient way to communicate. Just spewing out emotions one-sidedly was just being a nuisance.

No matter how much Victoria said she liked me, she kept failing to respect boundaries or act appropriately.

“Please, don’t even joke about things like that…”

“It’s not a joke. We have to kill the Demon King, ultimately. The greater good has to come before personal feelings.”

“……”

I deliberately spoke coldly to Victoria, and then she started shedding thick, hot tears from her starry eyes, pleading with a voice choked with moisture.

“I, I understand…. I’ll never be jealous again… Please, just don’t abandon me…”

Victoria grabbed my sleeve tightly, looking up at me with tear-filled eyes, like a drenched, pitiful kitten.

“…Ugh, you’re trash.”

“That’s not true…!!”

Kyle gave me a bit of a jeer as he watched, and I started to hug Victoria tightly and calm her down to salvage the situation.

* * *

“So, our goal is to sneak into the feast where the Dullahan celebrates the arena victor and assassinate him.”

“Understood. I will follow the plan.”

It took about thirty minutes of Victoria clinging to me and begging me not to abandon her before she finally calmed down and followed the plan of the other comrades.

“Then let’s depart. To the Immortal Arena, Forsaken Hollow.”