No, How Can an Atheist Become a Saintess!?

No, How Can an Atheist Become a Saintess!? – 44

EP.44

Chapter 4

Escape and Service (10)

“Then let’s do this.”

I said, popping a strawberry into my mouth and chewing before swallowing.

“You don’t need to set such conditions.”

“Pardon?”

At my words, Gloria blinked in surprise.

“I’m saying that conditions like building a church over there aren’t necessary.”

To be honest, even if I didn’t consider it, this country’s government probably already had plans in motion. Even under the constraints of treaties, they could exert influence in limited ways. There’s no need for military intervention—stationing troops wouldn’t yield significant benefits for this country. Instead, they might think about purchasing development rights for the vast estates of the nobility on the other side, opening new markets to sell various goods, or developing settlements. Now that even a princess had crossed over, such plans would likely gain more momentum.

Of course, I had no intention of being involved in any of that. Since I had no plans of becoming a Saintess anytime soon, I could keep my distance just by deciding not to get involved.

“I can help arrange some jobs for you. I can’t speak for how the government might view it, but that’s beyond my control anyway.”

“Ah…”

Gloria, looking slightly flustered, turned to Ria.

Ria shrugged and also popped a strawberry into her mouth.

“Wait a minute. So you’re saying you’ll help me without any conditions?”

“Exactly.”

“Don’t you realize the position you’re in? I said this knowing full well about you…”

It wouldn’t have been difficult for her to hear about my good reputation among the Hunters. On top of that, the fact that I was in a position to rise to the highest echelons within the Church must have made me even more appealing.

Who wouldn’t know that?

“I’m well aware. Whether it’s the government or the Church, if I say a word to the Association, they’ll at least provide you with some work. It’s not like it’s forbidden.”

Though she was a princess, Gloria was currently using the title “noblewoman” here. Her true status as a princess was a secret.

The government would likely arrange for some kind of escort for her, though in the original storyline, Gloria had no such figure around her. Besides, once the gate was completely closed, her “value” as perceived by the people of this country might not remain particularly high. After all, every assumption hinges on the ability to cross over to the other side.

In short, there’s a strong possibility this won’t become a big issue.

Furthermore—

“It’s not that hard to say a few words.”

Exactly. Helping Gloria get out of here would also mean I could go outside.

This was an opportunity to regain the freedom to move around relatively unrestricted. Why would I throw that away?

“……”

Gloria stared at me with a dazed expression, as though she’d forgotten we were in the middle of a meal.

*

I’ve always liked walking.

Even in my past life, I enjoyed it. Not that I was the kind of person who’d walk absurd distances, like to a far-off workplace or something. But on days when the weather wasn’t too hot and I had some spare time, I’d often go out and wander around for a bit, enjoying the scenery.

If it were feasible in this world, I’d walk to the Association headquarters too. It was less than an hour’s walk away.

“Come on, that’d be tough no matter how much you like walking.”

Ria said, waving her hand dismissively after I shared my thoughts.

“Yeah, I figured.”

I shrugged in agreement.

Technically, I still held the title of “candidate,” but I was already someone of significant importance within the Church.

No matter how much security was provided, walking to a distant location was far too risky. More importantly, I wasn’t the type of person whose value hinged on holding such a position. It was obvious that anyone in this world would want a person who could add an extra lifeline in dangerous moments. In that sense, I was a target for anyone.

…Although this wasn’t mentioned in the novel, there were actual cases in this world. When the Church wasn’t yet fully established and gates were opening randomly, threatening the survival of this world, there were people who thought they could use the flesh, bones, and blood of those who could wield divine power for ritualistic purposes. Such incidents are almost unheard of now, but there’s still a reason the government allows the Church to directly lead an order of knights.

We took a minibus that the Church used for group transportation and headed to the Association. The Association that Lee Si-yoon and his childhood friend Han Yu-ri belonged to. The Hunter Association, Horizon. It was among the top in this country, but not the largest. Still, even if it wasn’t the biggest, it was significant enough to be called “large.” What stood out most about this Association was the exceptional skill of its Hunters. So why was someone like Lee Si-yoon, a low-rank Hunter, able to join? Because his parents had been incredibly accomplished Hunters. That’s also why he was often labeled as “the weakest.” He hadn’t fully inherited his parents’ abilities. There’s still considerable debate about whether Hunter abilities are truly hereditary in this world. Some, like Ria, inherit talents directly, while others don’t. The second generation of Hunters isn’t yet developed enough to draw concrete conclusions.

…Anyway.

We arrived at a fairly sizable building. The surrounding buildings weren’t as large. The biggest in the area was a hospital affiliated with a national university, and most others were no taller than eight stories. Even the apartments around here weren’t particularly high.

Nearby were several universities and some notable eateries, but the atmosphere of this area had changed somewhat since the gate incidents, compared to the university district I once knew.

“Honestly, shouldn’t we start calling this the Association District by now?”

Ria commented with a surprisingly serious expression.

She had a point. This area was full with Association offices. Besides Horizon and the Associations whose representatives had given me their business cards, many rented a single floor or even just a small office space in the area.

If this were a medieval fantasy world, densely packed adventurer guilds might imply the presence of seedy red-light districts nearby. But in this world, Hunters were clearly respected professionals. In a way, that prestige made this area much safer, with lower crime rates than elsewhere.

“There are still lots of college students here, though, right?”

“If anything, the abundance of students might have attracted the Associations. Or maybe it’s because there are so many research labs around here?”

The items brought back from beyond the gates were in high demand, especially among universities, graduate schools, and research facilities in the natural sciences. This concentration of talent and resources created a symbiotic relationship, which was, as the novel described, inevitable.

…The biggest reason, however, was the massive gate that had opened nearby, causing the largest human casualty event in the nation. Even now, there was a memorial stone in the center of the park. We got out of the vehicle and bowed our heads toward the memorial. The Church members who had accompanied us did the same. Sincerity or not, it was customary to perform this gesture when passing through the area. Although I had rarely visited this place before.

“……”

Gloria awkwardly mimicked the gesture.

The building was adjacent to the park. Normally, one might imagine a Hunter Association’s headquarters as a sleek glass tower, but this was a red-brick structure. Not a residential building, though. The interior was quite comfortable.

“Chae-eun!”

As soon as we entered, someone raised a hand and approached us enthusiastically. Kim Hyeon-kang. He was the friend of Ria’s father whom we met previously.

“Uncle!”

Ria greeted him with a cheerful wave.

Kim Hyeon-kang, who had approached us, gave me a polite nod.

“Sister.”

“Brother.”

We exchanged brief greetings before Kim Hyeon-kang lifted his gaze, now turning it toward Gloria. A glint of recognition flashed in his eyes, suggesting he’d heard about her. Well, of course. Hunters from this Association had already participated in the previous operation.

After offering Gloria a courteous nod, Kim Hyeon-kang returned his attention to Ria and me.

“You’d like to recommend someone, Sister?”

“Yes, Brother.”

“Alright then, let’s hear the details,” he said with a light smile. “I’ll guide you right away.”

Had they already prepared for this?

Probably. The Church wouldn’t have stayed silent when I decided to act.

…This was starting to feel like getting caught in quicksand, making it harder to pull away.

I swallowed a sigh and followed him.

*

The discussion didn’t take long.

Apparently, they’d already heard bits and pieces of the story from various sources. It also seemed some sort of compensation had been arranged.

From the Association’s perspective, there wasn’t much reason to refuse someone like Gloria.

“Alright, shall we conclude this discussion here? As for the finer details regarding payments, we’ll need further discussions. Gloria, you’re not yet familiar with this world’s currency, are you?”

“Yes, unfortunately, I’m not well-versed in such things yet.”

“In that case, how about staying with us for a while to get used to it? You won’t truly understand money until you use it yourself.”

That was a reasonable suggestion.

Even when traveling abroad, one’s sense of money often gets skewed.

However, the next part made me almost spit out the green tea I was sipping.

“We’ll have some kids your age to accompany you. There’s a girl named Han Yu-ri and a boy named Lee Si-yoon—”

Ah, damn it.

So, this is how things were going to unfold?

Thinking about it, it wasn’t entirely unexpected. A story needed events to intertwine the heroine and the protagonist, after all.

“Ah, excuse me…!”

I cut in hastily, interrupting Kim Hyeon-kang mid-sentence.

“Well, it’s just that…”

I hesitated, fumbling for the right words.

“…Since she’s a guest of the Church, wouldn’t it be better for me to stay involved as well…?”

Unable to come up with a better reason, I blurted out something nonsensical.

…Hmm.

I wished I could turn back time.

Ria stifled a laugh at my flustered excuse, her expression practically screaming disbelief. I couldn’t help but regret speaking up.