The wooden door opened with a grating sound as wood scraped against wood.
One might call it a shack, though that felt a bit harsh; to call it an ordinary residence, however, would be giving it far too much credit.
Two women lived in that single dwelling.
Once hailed as saints, blessed daughters of miracles who received the faith and adoration of the people, they now lived modestly in shabby clothes, their former glory seeming a distant lie.
The one who appeared from the doorway was Saint Soarina.
Perhaps because she was originally a village girl, her figure, clad in rough cotton attire, was no different from countless others one might find anywhere, yet the sacred beauty of her face contradicted this, telling a different story of her state.
In her hands was a basket containing bread and several ingredients, and what looked like medicinal herbs and medicine were also visible.
It seemed she had just returned from shopping.
"How are you feeling, Lady Fenne?"
The one she addressed was another woman resting on a bed.
Although not given vestments befitting a saint, she still covered her entire body with cloth, as if ashamed of her own form.
Answering in that voice that melted the hearts of all who heard it was the other saint who had fled—Fenne Caemweal.
"Sigh, Soarina. I told you to drop the formal address, didn't I? I'm not a saint anymore..."
"Nevertheless, you are someone I respect."
"I'm saying I stand out too much in this city. You're a stubborn one..."
"I-I'm sorry..."
No matter how many times she was told, she wouldn't listen; this showed Soarina's stubborn nature. While unyielding will was an important quality when trying to accomplish something as a person, taking it too far became a problem.
The stubbornness Soarina possessed sometimes brought troublesome issues to them, but even so, Fenne had no real intention of scolding her harshly.
Exchanging a soft smile—one unseen by anyone since the day God granted her a miracle, hidden beneath the cloth serving as a veil—Fenne shifted the topic to a slightly brighter tone.
"Phew, I'm feeling fine. It's strange, though. Even with a face and body aged this much, it seems to heal naturally without much treatment."
During the final battle against the Demon Lord of Ruin, Takuto Ira, Fenne sustained wounds that evoked the touch of death itself.
The deep carve into her stomach had undeniably shattered several of her organs; without some form of advanced medical intervention, recovery should have been impossible.
And yet, her injuries healed before one's eyes. Of course, the damage hadn't vanished completely.
She could no longer move about as she once did, and she needed to spend the majority of her days resting in bed.
But the specter of death had already passed her by, leaving not even a trace.
In truth, Soarina had no need to worry this much.
Therefore, if something were to harm the current Fenne...
It would surely be her own heart.
"Recently, I've started to think that living like this forever wouldn't be so bad," Fenne said.
Soarina nodded gently, urging her to continue.
There was surely a confession or thought she wanted to voice. The Saint's duty wasn't solely about confronting evil.
Rather, it was about drawing close to people and dispelling the darkness in their hearts—that was what was demanded in times of peace.
Until the witch appeared, Soarina had spent most of her days doing exactly this, understanding that this was what was expected of a Saint.
So yes, this was a familiar situation.
Guiding the troubled to salvation was the role of the Saint.
"I've been thinking about forgetting everything—the Demon Lord of Ruin, my purpose, all of it—and just living out my days quietly until the end of the world comes. I'm wondering if that would be enough."
Soarina had vaguely understood that Fenne's spirit was already broken. No, it wasn't just Fenne. Her own spirit had shattered long ago.
She had moved forward believing in a peaceful world, believing it was God's will. But this was the result.
She had sacrificed so much for her own wish. What was the point of fighting back to life?
These self-recriminating thoughts filled Soarina's mind, but she suddenly realized a fundamental problem: she was unaware of a crucial piece of information.
I founded the Holy Kingdom of Renea for peace and for the sake of the people. So what reason could Fenne possibly have had to cooperate with us?
At the time, I believed she shared our ideals, but looking back now, it does seem a little strange.
"What was your purpose, Lady Fenne?"
With resolve, Soarina voiced the question, determined to touch the deepest part of Fenne's heart.
"Heh heh heh..."
"Um..."
The laugh left Soarina a little confused. It wasn't a laugh of mockery, nor of enjoying something amusing; it was as if it had spilled out, brimming with a loneliness that couldn't be helped...
"The same as yours, Soarina. I simply wanted to be happy. Every wish of a Saint is just as petty as that, in the end."
As Soarina struggled to grasp the meaning behind those words, Fenne turned her gaze toward the window and began to speak.
Since it was midday, bright sunlight poured in from outside. Beyond the window, the people could be seen going about their lives—poor, yet living strongly.
The room, unlit, was somewhat dim despite the sunlight pouring in. But the interplay of that light and shadow almost seemed to suggest something else.
"Back in the day, though it's embarrassing to say, I was what you'd call an unparalleled beauty, you know—fufu. What an expression. I haven't seen that look on your face in a long time."
Fenne chuckled, this time the sound of someone seeing something pleasant.
Soarina, wondering just how odd her own expression must have been, unconsciously brought a hand to her mouth. Unfortunately, she couldn't tell her own expression just from the sensation of her fingertips.
Perhaps finding Soarina's reaction amusing all over again, Fenne continued to chuckle softly, then shifted to a quieter, more subdued tone.
"Anyway, listen. It's a long story. Not particularly interesting, but since you wanted to hear it, take responsibility and listen to the end."
She gestured for Soarina to sit in a chair, and let out a soft sigh as if recalling something.
And so began the story of the long, long journey that led to the woman known as Fenne Karmuel being recognized as a Saint.
◇ ◇ ◇
In a certain city of the Holy Kingdom of Quolia... in the port town of the Eastern Prefecture, there lived a dancer said to be an unparalleled beauty.
Since Quolia is a religious nation, its doctrines have spread throughout the land, and people live their lives based on the morals derived from its teachings.
That said, regional differences certainly exist. Unlike the central and northern provinces, the Eastern Province's version is considerably more lenient compared to what one would associate with the nation of Quolia.
Specifically, it concerns the flourishing entertainment industry.
In Quolia, entertainment is inherently considered something to be enjoyed in moderation. There is a teaching that greed leads to attachment, and attachment results in the loss of what is precious.
Therefore, entertainments directly linked to human desire—gambling, wagering, alcohol, drugs, prostitution, and so on—are strictly restricted, and violators can face punishments as severe as death.
However, here in the Eastern Province, due to differences in the interpretation of the scriptures, these restrictions are quite relaxed, and professions that would make those from other provinces dizzy with astonishment were permitted under the name of the church governing the region.
It was into such a city that Fenne was born.
"The peerless beauty, Fenne Camuel!"
In the center of a place far too opulent to merely be called a tavern, a man cries out involuntarily.
Standing on the stage, Fenne twirled the thin cloth she wore, bowing to the audience with movements that could be called alluring, if not outright sensual.
In that instant, thunderous applause and cheers broke the quiet of the tavern.
"Marry me!"
"No, she's mine!"
"Beautiful Fenne! Ah! If I could have your love, I would need nothing else!"
"No jewels, no ornaments are anything more than accessories adorning you! All adornments turn to stone and wood before you, shamed by their own inadequacy!"
The words of praise were endless, and the numerous gifts tossed like offerings to the staff below the stage already formed a mountain.
These were not the gifts of common folk. Listening to the words of praise revealed the high culture and status of the givers, and examining the items showed their great wealth.
High-ranking priests, holy knights, presidents of large trading companies. Those kinds of people gazed at her with eyes filled with a childlike yearning.
Every being present focused solely on her, and her alone.
—I must surely be loved by God!
The thought was arrogant, yet an inevitable conclusion—and, moreover, an absolute truth.
Fenne’s, her life, had always passed with the speed of a torrent, as if fate itself had been preordained.
Fenne was born into an ordinary family, but the frenzy her beauty ignited did not begin late. Quite the opposite—it was startlingly early.
*There is a remarkably lovely girl living in some house somewhere.*
It began with a rumor whispered among housewives in a quiet corner of town.
An utterly commonplace topic. One that swelled briefly before receding like the tide, destined to be forgotten by everyone.
But the beauty she possessed would not allow it.
Rumors bred more rumors. People called to other people. The whisper in a quiet corner soon spread throughout the town, then to the surrounding villages and cities, and eventually came to encompass the entire Eastern Province.
*—Everyone praises me. Everyone gives me gifts. Everyone smiles at me!*
*—I am loved by God! Everyone loves me!*
A contributing factor to her tragedy was undoubtedly the fact that the nation of Quolia was indeed founded upon divine favor and inherent goodness.
Those who truly understood the danger of the demonic allure she possessed—and who knew her well—worked tirelessly in the shadows, ensuring no dark desires would reach this pure, innocent girl.
They harbored a wish.
That this small, lovely girl would live an ordinary life and be happy.
But that very goodness, that unfeigned love, allowed the misunderstanding she harbored within to fester and swell, untended.
The girl, who at an earlier stage should have noticed the malice in humanity, grew up without knowing a thing.
*—When I speak, everyone is delighted. When I smile, everyone is happy.*
*—How happy I am! How blessed I am!*
It was hardly strange, then, that the money and desire her beauty eventually brought came to destroy her life.
Her mother became consumed by the wealth siphoned through her, and her father was ensnared by the power wielded by those who came seeking her.
When Fenne realized it, she had lost her family and was all alone. The reason she started working as a dancer was partly because of that.
However, she had never thought of her origins or circumstances as unfortunate.
To be precise, she certainly felt unfortunate, but she believed this misfortune was merely a process leading to eventual happiness.
—Where is my knight?
Since she was little, Fenne had a dream: to build a happy family.
An utterly ordinary family. A loving husband, beloved children, happiness that lasts forever. She would have no complaints as long as they had enough to eat.
But if she were to add just a little dream to it, she wished her meeting with her husband would be dramatic.
—When will my knight come?
There was a picture book Fenne loved as a child.
Its title was "The Knight and the Bad Dragon."
It was a typical story circulating in Quolia: a young holy knight goes to rescue a town girl imprisoned by a dragon.
While people and superiors warned him of his recklessness, the young, low-ranking holy knight set out for the deadly place, driven by his sense of justice and faith in God.
A holy knight who stakes his life solely to save a town girl who is neither a princess nor a noble.
He carries only the holy knight's sword, his honed sword techniques, and his faith in God.
After a fierce battle, the holy knight, blessed by God, ultimately defeats the dragon.
The town girl is safe, and the new hero is unscathed. The cheering and blessings of the people envelop the two as they triumphantly return.
And naturally, they fall in love.
The story ends with them building a happy family under the blessings of the holy god Aros and living happily ever after—a children's picture book.
—If even a knight is loved by God so much, then surely my knight will come to me too!
Fenne had loved this story since she was small.
The story my kind mother always read to me was my favorite of all. I believed without a doubt that, just like the town girl in this picture book, one day my own knight would come for me.
That is why I could endure it—even when my parents were corrupted and ruined by the riches she brought, even when the neighbors I was once close with began to keep their distance with frightened looks, even when relatives I had never met once stole every last possession we had.
Even as I was nearly driven mad, I could bear it.
"Fenne is mine!"
"No, she slept with me! She swore to be my wife!"
"Liar! I, too, was bound to Fenne! She would never do such a thing!"
"You damn slut!"
"Listen to her cry out so beautifully!"
"What a disgrace in this holy nation! Have you no shame!"
"How many men have you ruined with that face and between your legs?"
"A woman like you needs to be properly disciplined by a man!"
That's right. Even when I sold my body to survive, even when the man I loved beat my face until it swelled, even when the man I trusted used me as a tool for his business... no matter how thoroughly my dignity as a woman was trampled, I could endure it.
—God, what is my knight doing?
Eventually, the girl from the past became a woman. She came to understand the foolishness of men, and at the same time, she learned how to wield her own beauty.
In the end, she settled into the position of a dancer.
Of course, there were times she was deceived, and times she had to grit her teeth through humiliation. But it was better. Far better than back then.
"Great Holy God Aros, I thank you for allowing me to pass this day in peace and safety. I offer my prayers that I may receive your grace again tomorrow."
Even after all she had endured, Fenne had never forgotten her bedtime prayers to the god. It was surprising.
Was it the memory of her kind mother from long ago, who would smile and tell her that if she prayed sincerely, God would surely help her? Or the memory of her father, who prayed with such seriousness each night before a grand, custom-built altar in their home?
Or perhaps it was the memory of a certain knight from a favorite book...
Fenne never forgot her daily prayers.
"Great Holy God Aros, today brought a somewhat troublesome guest, but I am truly grateful that you kept the problem to such a small level."
It was an utterly unremarkable day.
That night, after her work as a dancer had ended and she had navigated a minor trouble that took some of her time, she had managed to survive the day.
Her prayer, delivered abruptly, reached God.
=Message===
Fenne Kaemue, present your wish.
―――
It was a dramatic change. As if time itself had frozen, everything around her stopped, and the space was bathed in a radiance that even daylight could not rival.
Yet no one else seemed to notice the change. It was as if her room alone had been cut away, isolated from the world.
Then came the voice, gently resonating in her brain and the tips of her ears. If her own voice possessed the demonic charm to captivate all who heard it, this was a divine voice that blessed all existence.
The Holy God Aros had manifested.
Tears overflowed.
I knew that gods existed. Many people said so, and all manner of books, traditions, and stories hinted at their presence.
But I never thought one would come to me. Even for someone as loved as Fenne, a simple town girl would never expect such a miracle.
But the god was real. Right before my eyes.
My devoted prayers had been heard, and this presence arrived with a voice of blessing.
"Oh! Great god, Holy God Aros! What, what a joyous day this is! Thank you, god! I am grateful! I am grateful for this meeting!"
Tears overflow. Sobs escape, and words of emotion are shouted in a trembling voice.
====Message===
State your wish.
---
Fenne wiped her overflowing tears with her sleeve. Then, to not lose her respectful posture toward the god, she took a prayerful stance and spoke softly, yet clearly.
"I want true love. No matter how many words of love I received from the many men, it was never genuine. With my clouded eyes, I cannot discern a person's truth. I cannot find love that way."
There was no response or nod from the god. But there was a certainty that she was being listened to.
Words poured from Fenne's mouth, one after another. As if her long-suppressed wish had finally exploded, she could not stop speaking.
"I want a man worthy of my devotion, who will not betray me! A knight who will love me from the bottom of his heart, who will face any hardship! A knight who will love all of me, my soul! A knight from the stories!"
A knight just for herself.
The woman whose bewitching nature had driven countless men mad, leading them both to ruin, had until this moment cherished such a girl's fantasy.
Countless men had defiled and betrayed her, yet she still believed somewhere in the world, there was a man who was meant to be her husband.
It was just bad luck. She simply hadn't met the real thing yet. That was why she kept being betrayed, and she believed that with pure, innocent faith.
And that pure, innocent wish, the god had certainly heard.
====Message===
-- Request accepted.
I shall grant you my blessing.
―――
"Oh, oh...!!"
If there was a pinnacle to her life, it would have been this very moment.
This place, this instant, was the highest point.
All her suffering was rewarded, her wishes fulfilled, and true love was finally in her grasp.
Bliss and ecstasy. The little girl deep in her heart, who loved picture books, cried out in joy.
-- Happiness is coming! Happiness is finally coming!
-- The storybook knight is coming to me!
-- He carries a holy sword, is kinder and stronger than anyone, and he will love me.
-- A wonderful, wonderful knight who will make me happy and never, ever bully me!
-- I was loved after all! Loved by God!
-- Thank you, God! From the bottom of my heart!
-- Ah, I can't wait! I must prepare my belongings at once!
-- The reason the knight never came before must have been because he overslept!
-- Using the power God gave me, I have to go meet the forgetful knight!
This was the pinnacle of Fenne's life.
Truly, the pinnacle of her life. That's why...
All that remained was the fall.
"What is this? What has happened to your face, Fenne?"
"You look like an old woman! Did you truly receive the blessing of the gods?"
"Did you make a deal with dark powers? Ah, speaking of which, forget our promise the other day. You understand why, don't you?"
"Fenne...? Come to think of it, there was a woman like that."
The people quickly distanced themselves from the woman called Fenne Karmuel. The gods had given Fenne the power to Read Human Hearts. It was indeed a divine eye that could see completely, thoroughly to the very depths of a person's soul. And at the same time, the gods had taken her beautiful looks as the price. Her beauty, which people had adored, which they had desperately sought after... That is why the tragedy occurred. What they had loved was that beauty, not the withered tree of an ugly old woman. The only thing remaining, her beautiful voice, still certainly held its charm, but that fact, paradoxically, grated on the men's nerves. To think such a voice could sing from such a face. The voice once praised as alluring and beautiful was now combined with her aged, withered body, and so it was scorned as a demonic voice meant to bewitch.
(What an ugly woman!)
(Why did I pour so much money into a woman like this? It's a scam!)
(Her voice is good... If she covered her face, could I lie with her? No, impossible.)
(The gods had to interfere. She was better off as she was.)
(The Holy Maiden, huh... If I sell her to the capital, I might get some coin.)
Seen with the Divine Eye, the people were truly grotesque. The malice held in their hearts was nauseating, and beneath their forced smiles, base desires churned and boiled.
Around Fenne, only such people remained before long.
Perhaps if she had gained this power at an earlier stage, she might have learned the true feelings of those who had already departed—those who had genuinely loved her.
But that was not how things turned out.
Reality brought her nothing but suffering.
Still... Fenne held no grudge against others.
How wonderful it would have been to take her revenge in this state of hatred. Fenne, who had received God’s blessing and become a Saint, possessed the power to do so.
But her innate goodness and the things that had supported her heart until this very moment would not allow it...
—The townswoman abducted by the dragon bore no resentment.
—She returned triumphantly to the Holy Capital of the Central Church with her knight, smiling.
—So, yes...
Before she knew it, she had been summoned alone to the Central Church.
The people rejoiced at the birth of a new Saint, praising God’s miracle in one voice.
Praise the Great God! Praise the holy God Aros!
Here is the new Saint, Fenne Kaemuel, born!
Blessings upon her! Eternal blessings upon the new Saint!
Frenzy, chaos, and excitement. Joy, reverence, and envy.
All the emotions of the people swirled into a vortex, and at its center, a single girl sat quietly.
Thus, the Veiled Saint Fenne Kaemuel was born.
She was called the Veiled not merely because she wore a veil to hide her aged face from the world.
It was because her face—once bright, radiant, and always looking forward—was now forever, forever bowed down.
To learn that her life had existed solely for suffering, and to give up on looking forward ever again... Because she no longer wanted to see anyone, nor hear anything further. That is why... Now, only the end of a woman who had been utterly ecstatic over being loved by God remains.
Whether she was called a holy woman or not, it no longer mattered.
——O Knight...
All that was left was a little girl, weeping without end.