I Start with a Bad Hand!

“Of course your skill would decline.”

The priest clicked his tongue lightly, as if scolding, while examining my body, still mottled with what could be bruises or scars. He soon finished his check and signaled with a nod that I could get dressed again.

“If half of the remaining soul fragments have fallen away, your condition must be worse than before. How did you manage to hold on?”

“…I couldn’t, so I came here. During the break, once…”

I abruptly stopped speaking while buttoning up my school blouse. The priest, puzzled, widened his eyes, urging me to continue. I looked at him with narrowed eyes and said,

“…Are you going to tell the Prince about this too?”

“Pardon?”

“It seems like in this world, there’s no concept of personal information protection or confidentiality. The moment I say something, it spreads everywhere. Even private information like my health status.”

Hearing a short sigh, I finished adjusting my sleeves.

“Well… I couldn’t help it. The Prince kept… not threatening, but requesting. And above all, it’s the duty of a priest to help those in distress. No priest can stand by and watch someone say they’re going to abandon their life, at least not in the domain of Hades. Moreover, you didn’t tell me not to speak about this to anyone. Even so, I shouldn’t have spoken. I’m sorry.”

His long-winded explanation ended with a rather neat apology. Watching him blush and apologize, I picked up my tie.

“There was some pain.”

“Pain?”

“Until then, it was just fatigue or feeling unwell, but during the break, once…”

Recalling the pain, like being pressed under a heavy roller or squeezed in a juicer, made my hands tremble slightly as I tied the tie. The priest’s gaze fell on my hands, but he quickly looked away, pretending he hadn’t seen them, and nodded in understanding.

“…For now, keep the soul fragments with you. The ones I made for you?”

I nodded, took out the small box the priest had given me, and opened it. It contained a necklace with two small black soul fragments attached to a thin silver chain.

“I considered making cufflinks, but I thought it would be best to keep it as close to your body as possible, so I made it into a necklace. If you prefer earrings—”

“No, the necklace is fine.”

I took out the silver chain and looked at the dangling black fragments. The idea of wearing something that came from my body felt both unsettling and confusing, mingling with doubts about whether carrying this would have any real effect.

“Since it came out of your body, maintaining the same physical state might be difficult, but think of it as a disguise,” the priest said.

“…Who exactly am I deceiving?” I asked.

“Your body, of course.”

The priest’s words were amusing, and I chuckled despite myself. But I wasn’t sure how long I could rely on this makeshift solution.

“It’s not like you can swallow it back, right? Sometimes, the simplest solution can be the best,” the priest continued. Seeing me struggle to clasp the necklace, he came around to help, fastening it with a deft touch. I nodded in thanks, and he asked,

“Is what you said before still valid?”

“What do you mean?” I asked, putting the empty necklace box into my bag. The priest, with a somewhat mysterious and slightly cautious look, replied,

“While researching, I came across ancient texts about the disparity between body and soul. The texts are in an archaic language, so deciphering them will take some time.”

“And?”

He continued, now more boldly, “If you’ve changed your mind and need that information, I can dig further.”

“…”

“Yes?”

“…”

“Sister, you need to give me a clear answer. Helping those in distress is a priest’s duty, but I also want to prioritize your wishes. Deciphering these texts is a complex task, and I can’t afford to waste time on a futile endeavor.”

I scratched my eyebrow, my gaze dropping to the floor. Just as the priest was about to prompt me a second time, I managed to find my voice.

“…Please. I’m sorry to impose.”

My neck burned with embarrassment. It was hard to lift my head, feeling ashamed for changing my mind after being so adamant about wanting to die. The priest approached, kneeling and meeting my gaze gently. Contrary to my fear that he might mock me, he placed his hand on mine, comforting.

“It must have been a difficult decision, but you’ve made the right choice.”

“Thank you.”

“I’ll let the apothecary know, so pick up the medicine on your way out. Using herbal remedies is better for the bruises on your body than using divine power.”

The priest, who had been patting my hand, got up, saying he would write down a list of the necessary herbs.

Watching his retreating figure, I thought about how this insane world was full of people far too good for its corrupt system.

***

‘I need to see how much I’ve recovered.’

I fiddled with the two soul fragments hanging from my collarbone beneath my training clothes, then put on my training jacket. The priest had mentioned that I couldn’t completely return to my original state, but my declining skill was still a significant concern.

“What? You’re worried your skills have declined?”

A fellow archery club member, noticing my troubled expression, asked what was wrong and then responded with disbelief when I explained. Pointing silently, I showed them the target I had hit. The arrows were tightly clustered in the center, causing my companion to look at me incredulously before complaining.

“Hey, too much humility is just arrogance.”

He walked away, grumbling, and I shook my hands awkwardly, feeling embarrassed. Watching, Agatha gave me a playful smack on the back as she passed by.

“If it bothers you that much, you should come to practice more often.”

She smiled as she pointed out that it had been a while since I had come for extra training outside of class.

‘Instead of whining about my declining skills, I should have practiced more.’

So, before dawn, I dragged myself to the archery range with my bow. As I breathed in the cold air of the academy still shrouded in darkness, I noticed someone had arrived before me. The sound of wind rustling through the grass was accompanied by the sound of someone sniffing, filling the empty range.

‘Who on earth is crying so sorrowfully at this hour in the archery range…’

Countless arrows lay scattered on the ground or stuck haphazardly before even reaching the targets. The ornate bow trembled in its owner’s shaky grip. Roxanne, the source of all this, was wiping her tears away repeatedly, trying to clear her vision, but her efforts were futile against the constant stream of tears.

‘It’s still the beginning of the semester, why is she crying so much during practice…’

Given that she hadn’t been learning for long, it was natural that she wasn’t good at it yet. Watching the scene from a distance, I saw her posture was a mess. She couldn’t hold the bow properly, and her hand drawing the bowstring was unsteady. The arrows she managed to shoot fell weakly to the ground, never reaching the target.

“…If you pull it like that, you’ll hurt your hand.”

Ordinarily, I would have just passed by without a second glance. Maybe it was because my condition had improved, or perhaps I had grown more accustomed to this world, allowing me a bit of leeway. Whatever the reason, seeing someone crying and struggling with practice at this early hour tugged at my heart.

Seeing the clear issues, I approached, making my presence known. Roxanne, startled by the sound of my footsteps, looked up with wide eyes like a rabbit caught off guard. Trying not to overreact, I gently supported her arm that was drooping towards the ground.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

Pretending not to notice her quickly wiping away her tears, I carefully positioned her arm, ensuring it was steady. Feeling her delicate arm through her clothing, I was struck by how soft and pliant her body was.

‘She’s as soft as water.’

Despite expecting some muscle from her horse riding, her flesh felt as smooth as tofu. Holding her arm firmly, I helped her steady her posture.

With a firm thunk, the arrow hit the edge of the target. Watching the only arrow embedded in the target, I hoped this experience would spark a bit more interest in archery for Roxanne. Even if I had to guide her hand, once she felt the satisfaction of hitting the target, she might be encouraged to practice more.

‘This way, the archery class won’t get canceled…’

I couldn’t help but worry, recalling Agatha’s concerned face as the number of students had dwindled even more compared to last year. Offering Roxanne a belated nod of acknowledgment, I released her arm. She seemed to notice my gaze on her reddened fingertips and quickly clenched her hand to hide them.

“Your fingers are tense because you’re not using enough arm strength. If you lack arm strength, your fingers—”

“…So what?”

Surprised by the sharpness of her response, I looked at Roxanne. She seemed just as startled by the loud slap of her arm against mine, staring at her hand with wide eyes. However, she quickly regained her composure, and her words came out cold and steady.

“…You don’t need to teach me.”

“…What?”

“Do you think you can teach me just because others praise you for being amazing?”

You’re not even an official instructor, just another student learning.

The blue eyes that I once thought looked like calm water now showed no sign of wavering.