Chapter 188
"You resemble someone I know quite a bit, don't you?"
The gentle, friendly air that surrounded Israfil vanished in an instant. Simon felt a chill run down his spine, and Lete, apparently startled, had gone wide-eyed like a rabbit.
Simon calmly sank into thought.
'Someone I resemble? Could it be that she knows my parents?'
It didn't seem like she was casually saying, "You look like someone I know." Her voice and expression were deeply solemn.
This was her way of confirming an answer she already had in mind. Trying to change the subject or muddle the point would clearly backfire.
'I get the feeling I really need to answer this carefully.'
She seemed like a kind person, but she was a Saint of Efnelle, the greatest enemy of the Dark Alliance. He couldn't afford to let his guard down.
While contemplating what to do, Simon made a decision.
"I don't know who it is that I resemble, but…"
He chose to stick his head into the lion's gaping maw.
"I believe your assumption is correct, Saint."
Simon said this while carefully watching her expression.
First, he had to find out whether the person she believed he resembled was someone seen positively or negatively. That was essential.
"...…"
There was hesitation in her trembling pupils. Her lips parted slightly, and her voice came out slightly muffled, as if her thoughts were frozen.
She was confused about what to do. Fortunately, this wasn't a negative reaction. It meant her sense of duty conflicted with her emotions.
'That's enough. I must not speak of it first.'
Simon kept his mouth shut and waited patiently. Finally, she spoke.
"I see."
She turned her gaze to Lete, her eyes somewhat reproachful. Lete flinched and spoke up.
"Lady Israfil! I…!"
"Quiet, Lete. I see now. So that's why you turned down my invitation to visit during the break, saying you had to go somewhere far away."
Her eyes shifted to Simon.
"Let me ask again, Priest Ska. Are you Anna's son?"
Israfil's reasoning was likely logical. Simon bowed his head.
"Yes. I came here to save my mother, who is ill."
Suddenly—!
Simon could hardly believe his eyes. Israfil came up and hugged him tightly without warning.
The situation was so abrupt that Simon's body stiffened.
"Ahh."
Israfil, having released him, looked at Simon's face with eyes full of emotion.
"Smile for me."
"Pardon?"
"Smile. Quickly."
Her voice sounded impatient. Unsure of what to do, Simon forced the best smile he could.
"Ahh."
Emotion filled her pitch-black eyes.
"You look just like Sister Anna when you smile."
As she said that, she hugged Simon tightly again.
Strangely enough, hearing that he resembled Anna caused the wall of caution Simon had built up in his heart to crumble like sand.
"If you don't mind me asking, what's your relationship with my mother?"
"Let's see."
Israfil closed her eyes, hiding those dark pupils again, and gave a gentle smile as she stepped back from Simon.
"We're sisters, though not by blood. That's how I'd define it."
"Ah."
Simon smiled in return.
"Then that makes you my aunt, Lady Israfil."
"!"
At those words, Israfil leapt several meters into the air and came back down.
"Again! Say it again!"
"M-my aunt?"
"Hohohoho!"
Meanwhile, Lete, who had been observing this scene from a little distance, wore a dazed expression.
'This is the first time I've seen Lady Israfil this excited. What's going on?'
There was a reason Lete had kept Simon a secret from her.
If she had asked Israfil for help and revealed that Anna and Simon were involved, then not only Lete, but Israfil too would be committing a sin against the Goddess. One sinner was enough.
And more importantly, Israfil had never expressed any opinion about Anna.
To the Holy Federation, Anna was a traitor who fraternized with necromancers, forsook her sacred duties as a saint, and betrayed her country. Even asking how a saint like Israfil felt about Anna was considered rude.
Israfil finally spoke.
"I was very worried too. Recently, relations between the Holy Federation and the Dark Alliance have grown extremely tense, and all supply routes are strictly regulated. I feared the medicine we sent each year might not reach Sister Anna properly."
Her gaze moved to Lete.
"Priest Ska. My nephew crossed the border to retrieve that medicine, and Lete was guiding him. Is that how it happened?"
"N-no! I already delivered the medicine to Miss Anna! But another problem came up…!"
Lete explained the situation. Israfil, listening seriously, nodded.
"So the Essence of Purification… I see. That's why."
She placed her hands on her hips.
"You were planning to go to the Tree of Life to retrieve the most vital ingredient for the surgery—'White Leaf'? That's reckless. How were you planning to obtain it?"
As Simon and Lete exchanged uneasy glances, Israfil raised her voice.
"Don't hold back, just speak!"
The mood suddenly turned scolding. Lete faltered in embarrassment, so Simon spoke in her stead.
"We were going to travel to where the Tree of Life is and try to make a deal with its keepers."
Simon pulled ancient imperial coins from his pocket.
"If the deal failed, we were even prepared to steal it. I'm sorry."
Israfil shook her head in disbelief.
"No matter how young and hot-blooded you are, there's a limit! That mountain is crawling with Rank 6 and 7 monsters! You two students were going to break through there alone?"
At that, Lete flared up and interjected.
"You know my skills! I could totally—!"
"Lete, keep your mouth shut. When you return to Efnelle after the break, you'll be fasting for a month."
Lete drooped her head with a gloomy expression.
Three months of self-imposed fasting, and now an extra month from the saint's orders. She might end up eating nothing but bland porridge the entire semester.
Israfil turned her eyes to Simon.
"Of course, if it were that necromancer—my brother-in-law—he might've come up with something, but…"
Simon flinched at her words.
"As an adult, I can't allow children to go somewhere that dangerous."
"Lady Israfil! We absolutely must—!"
"I'll get it for you."
"What?"
Simon let out a surprised voice, and Israfil smiled brightly.
"In the Holy Federation, I'm a demi-god. There's nothing I can't do here with my power. I'll get it, no matter what."
Her voice carried unwavering conviction. If a saint personally took on the task, what in this land could possibly stop her?
Grateful beyond words, Simon bowed deeply.
"Thank you so much, Lady Israfil!"
At that, Israfil smiled once more.
"I have a villa nearby that I bought. Let's go there."
With a gesture of her fingers, water droplets enveloped all three of them.
* * *
The villa Israfil brought them to was a tranquil wooden house with a view of the sea.
Simon and Lete stayed there for two days. Likely due to the accumulated fatigue from their journey and battles, they spent most of their time sleeping.
In hindsight, it would've been too much to make the trip to the Tree of Life in their current condition.
Then, two days later, Israfil returned.
"I told you I'd get it, didn't I?"
She opened a box, revealing a white leaf resting on a red cushion.
Amazingly, a subtle holiness radiated from the leaf, and the unique pattern matched Richard's description exactly.
Simon's arms trembled.
'To think we'd get this so easily!'
Israfil opened the box and looked at Simon with hopeful eyes. Soon, Simon beamed brightly.
"Thank you so much, Aunt!"
Israfil only lifted the corners of her lips slightly, but Lete knew that was her version of an ecstatic squeal and stifled a giggle.
The three of them sat down for dinner and chatted.
"By the way, Lady Israfil."
"Yes, go ahead."
"You mentioned you and my mom are sisters not by blood, right? I was curious about your relationship with her."
"Aha, I didn't explain that, did I?"
Strictly speaking, she wasn't truly Simon's aunt.
Originally, Israfil had been Anna's handmaiden during her days as a Saint. Like Lete, who had been an orphan with nowhere to go, Israfil had been taken in by Anna.
Anna had noticed Israfil's talent. When Anna rose to sainthood, she gave Israfil the vacant position of the eldest daughter of the Cross family, and when Anna entered Efnelle, she personally requested the Pontifex to allow her former handmaiden to study there.
Though their relationship had begun as master and servant, the two became inseparable friends during their school days and graduated with top honors.
—You'll succeed me one day, Israfil.
When Anna, who had been a star among stars, said that back then, Israfil tilted her head in doubt. Though she had also graduated second only to Anna, her abilities weren't nearly as great.
Back then, she didn't understand what those words meant.
Then one day, Anna became involved in a major incident and disappeared. Rumors spread that she had married a necromancer and given up her sainthood.
At Efnelle, worried that the dignity of divine authority and the prestige of saints might crumble, they announced that Anna had been martyred in battle. And the Essence of Miracle, having passed through many saint candidates, ended up with Israfil.
That's how it had all led to the present.
'I wonder.'
As Simon listened to Israfil's recollections, he rested his chin on his hand.
'What was my mom like during her time as a saint?'
Every time Simon found himself in danger, someone connected to Anna—like Lete or Israfil—would appear to offer help.
Even now, though she was considered an enemy, they hadn't forgotten Anna.
He had been curious about the school days of Richard, the notorious rascal and former Legion Commander of Keyzen, but now he found himself just as curious about Anna's days at Efnelle as a saint.
"It's a bit funny for a saint like me to say this, but…"
Israfil spoke while holding her fork.
"From now on, never mention the name Anna to anyone in the Holy Federation, and don't ever reveal your identity first. That was a truly dangerous thing to do."
Her warning was justified.
Israfil was considered an oddity in the Holy Federation, and there were far more radical fanatics among the priests, like Inquisitor Director Leight.
If the name of the traitor Anna came up, they would grind their teeth and try to kill him.
"It was lucky that Lete and I had personal ties, but you're a necromancer. If you meet a priest, always be on guard, and be prepared to fight and defeat them. I say this for your own good."
She was telling him to always be aware of his identity as a necromancer and distinguish clearly between friend and foe.
Had they not met through Lete's connection, but on a battlefield, Simon could have been killed by Israfil.
Of course, there was no guarantee that wouldn't happen in the future.
Simon solemnly nodded.
"I'll keep that in mind. Still, I feel hopeful knowing there are people like you two."
"Hohoho! My nephew even speaks so sweetly."
'…Ah, what is this?'
Because Israfil was showering Simon with affection, Lete felt a bit like she was being left out.
'Hmph. Is this how that brat felt when I was spending time with Miss Anna?'
"If you're not going to eat that omelet, I will."
"Ah! I'm eating it!"
As the two bickered playfully, Israfil watched them with a smile and spoke.
"Then, are you heading back to the Dark Alliance tomorrow?"
"Yes."
Simon nodded.
"Now that I have the item, I want to get back as soon as possible to treat my mom."
"Of course. Sister Anna's health comes first. Honestly, I wish I could prepare a long-distance teleportation circle for you."
"No, no, I can't trouble you any further. We'll take the Holy Train back."
Simon knew that Israfil had to leave for Heaven Island early the next morning. Israfil turned to Lete.
"Please guide them well until the end, Lete."
"Y-yes, I will."
She replied with a pout. Israfil smiled quietly and stood up.
"Well then, shall we all turn in for the night?"
"Yes!"
* * *
After parting with Israfil, the two returned to the city where the station was and boarded the Holy Train.
There was nothing difficult about it. They just had to retrace the path they had come.
However—
"Third-class seats? Seriously?!"
Lete cried out in dismay.
Since the return train hadn't been reserved in advance, the first- and second-class seats were completely full.
Lete could have used her Efnelle uniform to intimidate people in first class and force them into third-class seats, but neither of them wanted to go that far.
So in the end, they decided to ride in third class for the return trip.
"Oh, looks like we've got new passengers."
"Welcome~"
Simon greeted them cheerfully. Lete, looking sullen, only gave a small nod and climbed up to her second-tier bunk.
There were inquisitors on this train as well, and due to recent train hijacking incidents, they were conducting strict inspections, but Simon had already been thoroughly seasoned by Metin's interrogation.
He passed through without even the slightest suspicion.
"Up we go."
Simon climbed to the second-tier bunk and pulled out some paper.
—To Dick.
—To Maelyn.
—To Kamibarez.
He planned to write a letter to each member of his team and send them once he got home.
'It's almost time for Keyzen's semester to start again.'
Simon picked up his quill with an excited heart.