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Translator: penny
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: Standoff (1)
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Many people had gathered in front of the bulletin board. Not only the Saint and Saintess candidates, but all sorts of clergy had flocked together, staring up at the notice that had been posted that morning.
"What's going on with this?"
I squeezed into the crowd and read the notice on the bulletin board.
⚙ Official Notice ⚙[Second Quarter Saintess Candidate Evaluation Exam Notice]
An evaluation exam, huh. Sure, three months had nearly passed since the first quarter exam, so it was about time for a notice like this.
But the real issue was the content, coming even before the timing.
That was why, unlike before, no one who checked the notice was leaving right away.
The event for this second Saintess Candidate evaluation exam of the year was as follows.
- Divine Power Stone (Holy Stone) control ability will be evaluated in the following format.
- First, how long can you keep a Holy Stone afloat?
- Second, how freely can you maneuver a Holy Stone?
'Holy Stone control ability...'
Holy Stone. Just as the name implies, it's a stone that contains the power of the gods.
It might seem similar to a magic stone at a glance, but...
Its inherent power could even be used as an ingredient in top-tier elixirs and the like, making this little rock far more versatile than a magic stone.
Like most clergy of a certain rank, I carried a few small Holy Stones in my pocket...
They had all sorts of uses in emergencies.
So why had the ability to control such a stone been selected as an evaluation event?
Simple. Holy Stones contain a small amount of divine power, making them relatively unaffected by mana or aura. The one force that could almost uniquely interfere with them was Divine Power.
Since they shared the same roots, it made sense, if anything.
The Sun Church had long used this property to gauge a priest's level and skill, employing Holy Stones as a medium.
For example, how long could you keep one floating with Divine Power?
The better you were at applying Divine Power, the easier it was to manipulate a Holy Stone.
Word was, Cardinals could even juggle high-grade ones without touching them...
Not that Their Excellencies the Cardinals would actually play the clown showing off tricks like that, so who knew if it was true.
It just went to show how closely a priest's level correlated with Holy Stone control.
Anyway, back to the point—why was everyone buzzing over this notice?
Because this method of judgment had never originally been part of the Saint or Saintess Candidate evaluations.
This wasn't some routine promotion of a single priest to bishop. This was the selection process for the Saint and Saintess who would reign over the continent for the next ten years.
How could they judge them based on floating rocks well or poorly?
Besides, by the time one became a Saint or Saintess Candidate, they were basically teens with innate talents close to future Cardinals...
No need for unnecessary tests; they were assumed to have that level of ability.
...That had been the assumption. It seemed the higher-ups' thinking had shifted a bit.
Who would've thought they'd introduce such a formalistic exam now?
"Tough break."
I smirked and decided to wish luck upon one particular girl.
Sure enough, the surroundings grew even noisier.
Had the 'culprit' appeared? I turned my head.
And there she was.
"..."
The star of the day, Lete Heresia, stood right there. Her face was stiff in a way unlike her usual self, her eyes trembling as they fixed on the bulletin board.
— WhispersWe're screwed, Miss Lete. This has to be a targeted shot, right? Maybe one of the Cardinals...? Shh, don't say useless stuff.
The people around were probably muttering among themselves like that, but the top Saintess Candidate had hearing far from ordinary.
She was likely catching every word, even if she didn't show it on her face.
Lete endured the surrounding whispers, the gazes mixed with pity and petty glee, all in silence for a while.
"...Tch."
Then she abruptly spun around. Her expression had sunk even colder than before.
Even those who'd been chattering freely until then had no choice but to shut their mouths.
No one wanted to become a target and incur that Lete Heresia's wrath.
'They must've known she'd hear it all anyway.'
I clicked my tongue inwardly and shot them a disapproving look.
What was with their lack of spine?
If they were gonna talk, do it boldly to her face—or if not, keep quiet from the start.
I inwardly scorned them as pathetic, but scratched my cheek a little.
Maybe it was just because I'd soon be in the same boat as that girl, so I was taking her side.
In truth, though not to her extent, I was getting some sidelong glances too.
If Holy Stone control was now part of the Saintess Candidates' evaluation, what made the Saint Candidates any different?
It was only a matter of sooner or later. Thinking of the notice that'd go up in a few days left a bitter taste in my mouth.
Holy Stone control—more broadly, the ability to apply Divine Power—had nothing to do with talent.
Even for reverse all-timers like Lete Heresia and Evan Lane, they'd be powerless in this one area.
And for good reason: the skill to fluidly shape Divine Power and adapt it to various situations could only be built one way.
The diversity of Divine Power forms. In other words—the number of sexual experiences accumulated so far.
"Haa."
I let out a short sigh and twisted my lips as I muttered.
"...We're fucked..."
To be honest, I sucked at moving Holy Stones. No, incompetent was closer to the truth.
I might barely lift one 5cm by dumping Divine Power into it like an idiot.
Either way, the situation had turned awkward. Lete would get screwed first, sure.
But this disaster wasn't one I could dodge either.
Of course, I had confidence in my skills—I didn't need graceful application or efficient techniques. Not arrogance; I really was that good.
Lete was probably the same, but the problem was this becoming an official evaluation event.
I couldn't just yell, 'I'm so damn good I don't need that crap.'
"Hm."
Feeling uneasy, I scratched my nape in place before turning away.
No point lingering pointlessly in front of the bulletin board; nothing to do anyway.
Better to head to my room for a nap than endure the other Saint Candidates' 'serves you right' stares.
Whatever. The exam would work itself out somehow.
The four annual evaluation exams issued a warning for each failure.
Like a yellow card, but accumulate two and it instantly turned red.
In other words, disqualification. Fail twice, and the 'Saint Candidate' title vanished that day.
Anyway, I'd never gotten a warning so far. Once should be fine.
Just as that thought crossed my mind and I rounded the corner toward my quarters—
'Wait...'
A sudden realization hit. Come to think of it, hadn't Lete gotten a warning in last year's third quarter exam?
I recalled five Saintess Candidates ganging up on her relentlessly.
They ended up treated as teaming, so those five got warnings, but Lete had failed that exam anyway.
Meaning she already had one accumulated—
"Urk."
That instant, mid-thought, a strong pull yanked my arm, derailing me from my path.
Thud! Suddenly shoved, I slammed into a dim corner of the corridor.
"...What're you doing?"
I stared incredulously at my captor. Light orange hair swayed faintly from the one who'd pinned me to the wall.
Hands planted on either side, blocking my escape...
"...Hold on."
The top Saintess Candidate and nemesis-with-deep-karma. Lete Heresia.
She bit her lip hard, her face twisted in humiliation.
"Hold on, talk with me a bit. Evan."
"..."
In that moment, I caught her ear tips flushing red. I somehow intuited her uncharacteristic desire to talk with me, her motive and goal.
"What about?"
But I played it cool, not letting on. I'd hear her out a bit more first. Wonder what she'd say.
Lete looked up at me with her pale blue eyes for a moment, then dropped her gaze as if conflicted.
Accident or intent? Her forehead brushed and pulled away from my chest, but neither of us mentioned it.
'Ugh...!' She leaked a groan through clenched teeth, as if fuming.
"Doesn't this make no sense...?"
Then she glared up at me sharply.
I shot back.
"What doesn't?"
"Don't play dumb! You know. Controlling Holy Stones? What are we, regular priests or something...?"
I didn't add much, but of course I understood what she meant.
Naturally, she wasn't the only one questioning this exam.
'It is weird.'
— Earlier WhispersThis has to be a targeted shot, right? Maybe one of the Cardinals...?
Someone in the plaza had muttered that earlier. If even outsiders sensed it, how would targets like me or Lete feel?
Suspicious, obviously.
"There's definitely some scheme here. This exam was clearly changed to target you and me. The original one wouldn't have involved Holy Stones at all."
Lete kept ranting in a bubbling, furious tone.
She was seriously pissed.
'Never seen her this rattled before...'
She probably had some guesses too.
Unlike orphan me, she was the pampered jewel of the Heresia Family, renowned even in the Sun Church.
As she said, if there was a plot behind this exam, it'd surely be aimed at her.
Meaning I was just unluckily caught up in it.
'Hm.'
Looking down at her with that in mind stirred some inexplicable emotion.
I belatedly realized it was resentment.
Yeah. Lete Heresia looked utterly detestable right now. Wasn't my awkward position all because of this woman, in the end?
That thought made her cheekily coming to whine at me deserve a flick on the forehead.
That was why I casually pushed her arm away with a cold demeanor.
"...Ah."
Her guard down, Lete looked flustered, her expression wavering as she stared at me.
"E-Evan?"
"So."
Ignoring her suddenly pleading tone calling my name, I crossed my arms and asked.
"Why grab me like this?"
"Uh, um..."
"Got something to say? Spit it out quick. I'm tired."
"I-It's barely morning?"
"Naps are important."
I answered dead seriously, and Lete gawked at me like I'd said something outrageous.
Ignoring her sour glare, I jerked my chin.
"Well?"
"..."
She fell silent. Not only that—her other hand, still on the wall behind me, slyly dropped too.
"It's not anything else, but..."
Her voice shrank to a crawl as she pouted.
"This exam's weird, right? I wanted to... talk about that. You'd be affected too, in a way, so...?"
"So?"
"...S-So... The point is, first off, this event selection makes no sense."
Her voice grew tinier. I wondered if it could get smaller, but the next words dropped another decibel.
"Second, if I fail this exam, I'll be in a bit—a rather—tricky spot."
She fumbled, twisting her hands nonstop.
Of course, I knew what that 'rather tricky spot' meant. She thought I didn't know about her accumulated warning.
"Ahem... It's not a huge deal, but still, I'd really like to pass this one properly if possible?"
Anyway, she never outright admitted her 'rather tricky spot.'
She just glossed over it vaguely, then flushed and glanced up at me.
"So, I have a—a proposal."
"Proposal?"
I tilted my head once before questioning back.
"What kind?"
"..."
"?"
But Lete didn't answer right away. As if her earlier courage to look up at me had been for naught, she hung her head again.
Her delicate hand reached out, timidly tugging my clothes.
"...Tonight... at night..."
She mumbled in a voice full of reluctance, like she hated saying it but had no choice, utterly tormented.
Her grip on my clothes clenched and released repeatedly. And then.
Lete turned her faintly flushed face sideways, whispering her 'proposal' to me in that state.
"I'll... leave my door unlocked, so..."
"..."
"C-Come, over, then. B-Before, bed, with me, rel, ations, ugh, hnn...!"
Her neck burned scarlet, never uttering those words directly, but it wasn't disappointing.
I got exactly what she meant.
I spoke to Lete, who strained to spit out the subject somehow.
"I get what you're saying."
"...A-Ah, um."
She composed her expression like nothing happened, but relief shone plainly on her face.
Seemed glad she didn't have to spell out the core herself.
But.
"However, I refuse."
"?!"
I raised my palm, kicking her proposal to the curb.
Lete's face flashed shock in an instant.
But I had no intention of backing down. Sure, her offer was valid for me too, the only mutual solution.
"I haven't gotten a warning yet."
"...!"
The key difference was our positions. I had zero warnings; Lete Heresia did not.
The guy who'd just get fucked failing this exam, and the girl who'd truly be fucked. Former me, latter her.
In this situation, I'd happily voice rejection.
If it meant screwing over Lete Heresia, I'd even gladly take a warning.
"This situation's kinda fun, huh."
"...Y-You don't mean...?"
I curled my lip into a smirk, and only then did Lete's mouth fall open.