Chapter Text
Count Henituse stares at his son with stiff smile. The air in his office feels awkward. After he and Cale, his oldest, exchange greeting, none of them live up the conversation. Now they stares at each other in silence. Eventually, Cale is the first who break the uncomfortable silence.
"Do you need anything from me, father?"
Deruth clears his throat.
"I heard you sneak around more frequent this days."
Cale frowns at Deruth statement. He has some guess where this conversation is going, clearly he's not happy at all. Deruth quickly continues before Cale can say anything.
"I'm not here to stop you, I just want you to be careful. Now, the territory is not safe as it used to be. After last week's attack, i got information our land has been ifiltrated. I already caught some of them, but I know there's more."
At this time, Cale's gaze soften. He nods silently.
"If you get tangled with them or any person dangerous, don't hesitate to kill them."
Deruth pauses for a moment. He's considering whether to keep talking or not.
"I know sometimes you still worry about your status as a saint. But Cale, you must know, sooner or later every secret will be revealed. If that happen, I will protect you. you don't have to worry."
"I know. Thank you, father."
Cale smiles and walk out of the room, ignoring the fact that Deruth startles.
Deruth still tries to adjust with their 'old but new' relationship. Before, Cale was hostile at him at the point he called him 'count'. But now, they're like other father and son and it makes Deruth really happy. Can't help it, he smiles from ear to ear.
Suddenly, the office door gets open by Cale. He peeks from outside the room at whisper at him.
"Father, about those spies, do you want me to eliminate them?"
Deruth looks at him, feeling unsure.
"You sure? I don't want to burden you. Those spies are not ordinary lacky. They are diffrent from slave seller." Deruth asks him back.
Cale pouts at him.
"I'm stronger than I look. Trust me father, I can kill them with a single move." Cale insists.
Deruth thinks for a moment before nodding. He knows Cale will not be badly injured, because it's not his first time doing that kind of job.
"Fine, be careful. Like always, I will send people to wipe out the trace. But, don't make to much scene. Cleaning murder place is harder than you think." he shots him 'that' look.
Cale grins at him.
"Okay, father. Bye!"
Somehow, Cale's grin is not convincing. Deruth smiles bitterly, he can sense the trouble miles away.
****
"Saint Jack, there's another patient."
"Saint Jack, please come here first. His wound wouldn't stop bleeding."
"Sir Pendrick, are you done yet?"
"Healer, please me!"
The crown prince of Roan Kingdom, Alberu Crossman, watches healers running back and forth. They're busy dealing with wounded people from today's incident. Those bastard's from Arm decide to launch sneak attack. They plant bombs in his land, again. Innocent people who didn't expect the attack become victim. Alberu, who observes his people, turns his face. He feels guilty and responsible for this fiasco.
After sometimes, the camp's condition becomes stable. Jack manage to have time to talk with Alberu. While Pendrick decides to rest with his knight friend, Sir Haben or Eruhaben in disguise. Saint Jack who gets supported by hus sister finnaly sit beside Alberu.
"Your highness, at this rate I don't think Sir Pendrick and I can handle the next battle." Jack says in small voice.
He doesn't have the energy to stand.
He and Hannah recently join the Roan Kingdom's side. After the crown prince and others helped him cure his sister, he's in debt. He swore to help Roan's citizen with all his might, to repay their kindness. But after today, he knows it will be difficult for him and Pendrick in the upcoming war. Only if there's someone with the same healing level as Pendrick and him.
No, he's not being arrogant. But they must admit it, adding more ordinary healer is not really effective. Other healer heal more slower and run out of energy more faster. Well, he can't blame them, they're different. He's a saint, Pendrick is a special case, and the others just ordinary.
Fortunately, Alberu thinks the same.
"Then, what about another saint? The one from Northeastern."
A majestic voice says from beside them. Alberu's head perks up with interest with the topic ‘another saint’. But when he catches the word ‘Northeastern’, he’s slightly confused although he doesn’t show it.
“Another saint?!”
Hannah and Jack shout in unision. Their expression makes Pendrick, who stands beside Sir Haben, tilts his head.
“You don’t know? I thought it’s an old news.”
“Maybe, Count Henituse good at shutting people’s mouth.” Sir Haben hums.
Thisa time, the Crown Prince frowns.
“Count Henituse?” he asks for confirmation.
Eruhaben looks at him.
“Do you ever know the real reason why Henituse Territory is clean from illegal bussiness?”
Eruhaben takes their silent as a cue to continue.
“There’s a man going around at night, taking down every shady bussiness in Henituse territory. Normal citizen wouldn’t have know abou that matter. Because every mess that person make, the county always send people to erase it. They act like nothing happen.”
Hannah raises her hand in question manner.
“So, did you mean that guy is the saint we’re talking about?”
Eruhaben nods.
“You may think this two doesn’t have connection. At first, that guy is rumored to have charm magic aside from his ability to fight. And guess what? Some people who encountered and still came out alive says the ‘magic’ he used was divine power.”
Eruhaben silents for seconds. He can hear Jack’s mumbling the words ‘God of Love’.
“But of course, we shouldn’t believe baseless rumor like that. So, I advice you to ask someone who already met him.”
Eruhaben finishes his talk while looking at Pendrick. Automatically, all eyes focuses on Pendrick. He grimaces at the sudden attention, he looks at Eruhaben then back at the other audiences.
“I was curious, beside my senior also asks me to confirm his exsistence. From rumor about his charm power, people identified him as saint of love. But some people also deny that idea, because it’s almost impossible. From history, we know all Saint of Love born in Eastern Continent and all of the always has been a woman.”
That’s right. Everyone who likes history know three fact, God of Love temple is located in Eastern Continent, every saint of love born in eastern continent, and most importantly all saint of love is a woman. There’s no record about saint of love being a man.
“When I arrived at Henituse Territory, I encounter him when I got into trouble with some guys. Long story short, he helped out and even heal my injury. At that time, I know why people concluded him as Saint of Love. He has healing power, charm magic, and the most good looking face I ever seen, he’s not even try to hide it.”
“He goes around at night without wearing a mask. I think he’s to careless.” Pendrick whishpers the last part.
Before anyone can say anything, Hannah’s voice breaks the silence.
“Sounds made up to me.”
Pendrick frowns at her.
“Well, you can ask Sir Molan about him. I bet he knows something.” He shots back.
Hannah snorts at him.
“Don’t be defensive. What I want to say, is your story is to good to be true.”
Pendrick thinks for a moment. Indeed, his story is to weird and impossible to be happen.
“Hm, you’re right. But I’m sure my eyes doesn’t fool me. I will ask Sir Molan about it.” He says with low voice.
When he’s about to leave, Alberu makes him stop in his track.
“We will ask Sir Molan about it.”