CHAPTER 145
Aranseol.
She should have gone to Wolun with Soun. Why was she here?
I knew the answer when I saw Ririran.
She had been watching my condition carefully and had gone to bring the person who could best take care of me.
The warmth of Aranseol in my arms spread through my body after a long time.
That alone brought an unknown sense of relief.
What kind of person was Aranseol to me?
I hadn't expected to feel this stable, enough to ponder such a question.
“Harua.”
She called my name.
My name should have disappeared when I became a No-Named, but just hearing her say it made me feel that this was my name.
“How much did you suffer while I was gone for just a little while?”
Her pitying gaze reached me.
The sorrow in that gaze made me let out a sigh.
I see.
At some point, I was no longer trying to maintain this world just for myself.
The girl in front of me.
It was for this girl, my age, as well.
“Aranseol, you look the same. It’s written all over you how hard you’ve been training.”
Aranseol was in rough shape too.
It was obvious she had come straight from training.
“Well, I came right away in the middle of training after hearing the news about you.”
“Soun-nim will be angry.”
“It’s okay. Harua is more important.”
Was it okay to prioritize me over her master?
As I naturally stroked Aranseol’s head, she smiled gently, as if a little relieved.
“Harua, let’s go to Wolun.”
Wolun.
I had been planning to return to Wolun once anyway.
My master, Rapiel, was in Wolun.
Although I had graduated from her tutelage, what did graduation matter when seeking knowledge?
I wanted to learn many more things about Holy Magic from her again.
‘Has it been about a year already?’
Time flies like an arrow.
While the world and I struggled, a whole year had passed since the day I sent Rapiel away.
I had now achieved a certain level of skill as a Holy Mage.
If I learned Holy Magic from her this time, I would be able to reach an even higher level.
“Go on.”
Inferno agreed with Aranseol’s suggestion.
“The Regular Army will handle the Korden Island matter.”
My position was that of a Saint who saves people.
A job that should be in the rear, not on the front lines.
So, I wasn't particularly needed for the Korden Island case.
Perhaps because I had been too deeply involved in various incidents until now, this was a chance to take a step back from a case for the first time in a while.
“I understand.”
The Radiance Faith incident was resolved, and the Black Dawn matter was ongoing.
I decided to resurrect the Sin of Pride and then leave for Wolun.
“What about Aigis-nim and Lululio?”
“I will accompany you. The Holy Church has ordered me to protect Harua-nim with my life.”
Aigis declared she would definitely come along.
“I think I need some training-ssumda.”
Lululio, on the other hand, declared she would train.
“With this incident and all, I felt my own inadequacy-ssumda.”
Lululio possessed enough talent to become Rapha Hastel’s disciple.
In fact, looking at her achievements, she had always played a major role, falling just short of a Deadly Sinner.
But even Lululio was beginning to feel burdened by staying by my side.
No matter how many times she was revived with Resurrection magic, if I was captured and the revivals stopped, it was over.
In the end, victory in battle was the condition; if we lost, even Resurrection magic was meaningless.
So, just like the others, Lululio declared she would train.
“To be honest, for me, I’m in a position of protecting Harua-nim because Grandpa ordered it.”
That was true.
There was an order, so she carried it out.
A simple and clear task.
“But, experiencing it firsthand, I’ve come to understand something-ssumda.”
Lululio looked at me with more serious eyes than ever before.
“Harua-nim is someone who must be protected-ssumda. Even setting aside the Saint and Resurrection magic stuff, you’re someone I hope doesn’t suffer a meaningless death-ssumda.”
She scratched her cheek, looking a little embarrassed.
“I’m not that great of a person, but if you told me to live like Harua-nim, I don’t have the confidence to do it-ssumda. So, I also have personal respect for you-ssumda.”
Had she been harboring such thoughts all along?
It was an unexpected side of the always-playful Lululio.
Seeing her, Inferno raised his hand and gently pressed down on her head.
“Anyway, even this one thinks so. If you go to Wolun, my sister and the Sword Lord are there too. Your safety is guaranteed, so go on.”

“I shall help with the transport.”
Ririran spread her wings and landed beside us.
Aranseol was also holding my hand tightly.
“Understood. I’ll be back.”
It wouldn’t take that long.
With the Imperial Family’s movements being so suspicious, I would probably return here soon enough.
So, I resolved to steadily grow stronger until then.
As Ririran activated her space magic, my vision blurred.
Since Wolun was quite a distance away, we would have to use space magic repeatedly.
So, as soon as we teleported, Ririran immediately activated her space magic again.
Come to think of it, this was the first time I was going to a country of another race, aside from the fairy forest.
I couldn't easily imagine the scenery, so I was looking forward to it.
‘Feels like a trip abroad.’
When you thought about it, I was constantly enjoying a one-way trip abroad with no way to return, so this was just moving from one foreign country to another.
After some time had passed with the space magic activating repeatedly…
“We’ve arrived.”
Ririran caught her breath, and the space magic finally ended.
As I slowly opened my eyes, my dizzy vision returned to normal.
My eyes gradually widened at the sight that unfolded before me.
Wolun.
It was a place filled with buildings reminiscent of ancient Eastern architecture.
It felt as if I had crossed over into a different world setting.
The impression was so completely opposite to the human nations that it gave me that feeling.
Furthermore, horns sprouted from the heads of everyone walking on the streets.
Wolun was the country of the Oegak Tribe.
Therefore, everyone had unique horns of different shapes.
“So this is Wolun.”
As I was admiring it, someone poked me in the side.
When I turned my head, Aranseol was standing there.
“You’ve seen plenty of horns on me, so why are you so amazed?”
“Well, it has the feel of a foreign country.”
Besides, the race had a different feel as well.
The Oegak Tribe had appearances closer to that of East Asians.
As a Korean, I actually felt less out of place among the Oegak Tribe than among the humans.
‘Although with this face, I get treated as a Transferee wherever I go.’
It was now considered a trademark of Transferees, so I didn't care.
Still, there was one good thing about coming to Wolun.
In the human nation of Gladion, my name had spread so far and wide that many people knew my face.
Because of that, wherever I went, if someone mentioned "Saint-nim," a crowd would gather.
But not in Wolun.
My face wasn't well-known this far out, so no one recognized me.
Our party was an unusual group, so we drew stares, but no one recognized me as the Saint.
‘To think I’d come to understand the feeling of relief a celebrity feels when they go abroad.’
You really do live and learn.
“This way.”

Following Aranseol’s lead, we passed through the main street of Wolun.
From the carriages to the market, everything had a different atmosphere from the human lands.
The horn-grooming brushes being sold on the side were a little funny.
As we walked, an Oegak child holding their mother’s hand and sucking on a candy stared at us.
It was probably because other races were a rare sight in Wolun.
When I gave a small wave, the child waved back with the hand that held the candy.
“Do you like children?”
Aranseol, who was guiding me, asked quietly. She was watching me very closely.
“I don’t dislike them.”
I disliked kids when I was younger, but maybe I'm getting older.
When I see a child now, the first thought that comes to mind is that they’re cute.
While thinking I’ve become an adult, I also realized that I’m no longer a child myself.
“Right? I like children too.”
Aranseol agreed with me.
“You start to like children when you reach the age to have them,” Ririran added to our conversation with a subtle smile.
The age to have children.
I had never imagined that.
My romantic future was uncertain, so how could I even think about children?
Come to think of it, Babiyen had confessed to me not long ago.
‘Does this mean I can become a couple whenever I want?’
It was a situation where if I just accepted her confession, we would be a couple.
If things went further from there, we could even have children.
Two baby Babiyens.
Hmm, that sounds like a bit of a headache.
As I was having such useless thoughts, I wondered what I was even doing.
“Harua, you were alone with Babiyen for a while, weren’t you?”

Is she reading my mind?
Aranseol immediately brought up Babiyen.
“I just figured.”
“Did anything happen?”
Anything happen?
“A lot, actually. Babiyen became a disciple of the Ice Lord and joined the Royal Mages.”
“Not that kind of thing.”
She considers that a trivial matter?
What could possibly be bigger than that?
“It’s just… I thought Babiyen might finally work up the courage this time.”
“Babiyen, courage…”
Ah.
Come to think of it, I’m the one who’s dense about these things, not Aranseol.
Even Lululio and Aigis, who joined us recently, noticed Babiyen’s feelings.
How could Aranseol not have known?
“Babiyen confessed to me.”
Our lives are already too intertwined.
Hiding Babiyen’s confession now would only make things more difficult later.
At my honest answer, Aranseol quietly looked up at me. Her large eyes studied me for a long moment before she finally asked.
“What did you say?”
“I don’t think I really gave her what you could call an answer.”
I feel bad for Babiyen, but at that moment, my mind was filled more with thoughts of ‘why’ and ‘what do I do now?’
I couldn’t give a proper response to her heartfelt confession.
Babiyen knew that, which is why she stopped at just confirming her feelings instead of demanding an answer.
I was, in effect, being incredibly rude to her.
“Then… at that moment, did you think of me?”
When Babiyen confessed, did I think of her?
Aranseol was still looking at me, waiting.

I remained silent for a moment, looking back at her, before I finally spoke.
“Yes.”

A smile crept onto Aranseol’s lips.
As if that was all she needed to hear, she turned and began to walk away gracefully.
“What a little fox.”
Watching us from behind, Ririran covered her mouth with her collar and chuckled.
“A good struggle is a vital part of life, I believe. That’s a fine stance to have,” Aigis added, nodding as if she understood everything perfectly.
Jeez, I wish the adults wouldn't have so much fun at my expense.
Things like this really show I’m still just a kid.