The Saint’s Manual for Redemption - Chapter 15

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 15
The fissure beneath my feet came before the deafening crash. With a terrible sound, the ground in front of me collapsed. A massive chasm had opened up at my feet.
Splash!
Water erupted from between the fractured stone layers. A torrent of cold water saturated with Holy Power shot violently skyward, then rapidly filled the great pit below.
“Water!”
Someone cried out in a voice trembling with hope.
Rufus wiped the spray from his face with his hand, then opened his eyes wide.
“This can’t be… this is… Caritas…”
Tears began streaming down Rufus’s face.
“To grant Holy Water to a suffering village like this…”
So this is what they mean—the bear does the tricks while someone else pockets the coin. I did all the work, and Caritas gets the gratitude. How fortunate.
Caritas, since you’ve taken credit without lifting a finger, why not bestow something on the bear who actually performed the trick? A bear needs a reward to keep performing, doesn’t it? Well?
While I shamelessly extracted blessings from Caritas, the plain field transformed in an instant into a Holy Water Pond.
The pond was transparent enough to see the bottom clearly, and Holy Water flowed endlessly from its bed. There would be no shortage of water in this pond.
“Your drinking water problem is now sufficiently resolved, isn’t it?”
I asked gently toward the villagers who were weeping prayers of gratitude before the Holy Water Pond. They nodded their heads with the fervor of fanatics.
“Throw out any drinking water you’ve stored at home. From now on, you can drink this. Your nightmares are over now.”
Perhaps my showmanship was convincing enough, because unlike Rufus, who attributed everything to God’s grace, the villagers eagerly grasped my hands and offered their thanks through streaming tears.
I offered them the most important advice.
“Whether you conduct business selling Holy Water or operating a Holy Water Pond as a tourist attraction, I don’t particularly mind—but the Religious Order will certainly mind, since they’ve essentially lost their monopoly.”
What’s more, unlike the Main Temple, which must continuously produce Holy Water, this village’s pond has a structure that sustains itself infinitely without requiring ongoing production.
Naturally, the Main Temple would covet it.
If rumors spread that this Holy Water Pond is a gift from God, a divine miracle, public opinion would prevent them from claiming it openly. But if the villagers tried to profit from it, the Order would descend upon them like thunder, tearing into them for converting God’s blessing into money.
“If you grow too greedy, the Religious Order can override the village and monopolize the Holy Water Pond. So if you want to make money from this, do it in moderation. Understood?”
If they showed restraint, the village would likely flourish again as word spread that it had received God’s blessing. Though I’d need to make sure that any newcomers didn’t harbor hidden greed.
I watched with satisfaction as the villagers hurried back to their homes and poured out the contaminated water they’d stored far away from their dwellings, then collected fresh water from the Holy Water Pond. Once they’d emptied that land of its tainted water, I performed a gentle Purification on it one final time.
“In any case, we needn’t worry about Heresy Inquisition proceedings now. Or about having to hide in your Territory.”
I smiled at Arden, eyes crinkling at the corners.
“So that’s why you were so confident. You’ve managed to so thoroughly dismantle this trap the Temple arranged for your execution.”
Arden replied with relief evident on his face.
He’d come expecting merely a village ravaged by a brutal plague, only to face demons with a sword that bore no Blessing—no small burden for body or spirit.
Moreover, he’d now seen the Temple’s true face laid bare. The shock he must have suffered was difficult to imagine.
Though he’d never gnawed his teeth in visible betrayal, so perhaps some part of him had already known.
“Do you think the other Saint Candidate has returned to the Main Temple by now?”
“I’m uncertain. She might have lingered long enough at the testing site to create a convincing pretense that the trial was difficult, or she might have left early to showcase her abilities.”
“We haven’t been particularly slow, have we? If we delay much longer, they won’t think I’ve fled and send a Heresy Inquisitor after us, will they?”
“We’ve been gone from the Temple for exactly four days now. One day was spent traveling, and we’ve stayed in this village for the remaining three. The Order likely set their deadline at roughly a week. We’re still safe enough.”
“Then…”
Grrrrowl.
My stomach growled quite audibly. I laughed sheepishly.
“Is there time for a meal before we go?”
“Of course. Aside from that bowl of beef stew at the inn before we came to this village, you’ve been without food for days. You absolutely must eat before we depart.”
Arden’s cunning smile had returned as he answered.
“And we shouldn’t miss the chance to eat food prepared with Holy Water.”
“Unless you’re a Demon Beast, it won’t have much effect, really.”
I told Arden the truth about his peculiar enthusiasm for Holy Water cuisine.
Our midday meal—and our last in this village—was taken at Lina’s home, where her mother had also extended an invitation.
Though the spread was purely vegetarian, lacking any meat since they kept no livestock, her skillful hand made it delicious enough without it. Holy Water in the cooking didn’t add flavors that weren’t there to begin with, after all.
“Tell me, are there graves for the children and livestock? And for those taken by the Demon Beasts?”
Lina’s mother dabbed her eyes and nodded at my question. After we finished eating, I followed her guidance toward the graveyard.
“May rest come under the protection of Caritas.”
I granted Purification and Blessing belatedly to the graves of those who’d been transformed into Demons so quickly they left no corpse to bury, only ashes.
Seeing the sacred golden light of Holy Power settle upon the graves, villagers gathered and clasped their loved ones’ monuments, weeping openly.
Now it was truly time to leave this village.
It had seemed an enormous weight when we first arrived, but now that everything was resolved, I felt a profound sense of relief.
I picked up my new Mace-Wilson Junior, making sure not to forget it, and turned back to look at Rufus at the village edge.
“The village troubles are all resolved now. Won’t you return to the Temple?”
Rufus shook his head, a faint smile playing at his lips.
“I intend to remain in this village.”
He’d removed his clerical vestments, but he still wore the Hawk Pendant that marked him as a priest of Caritas Faith, so I’d naturally assumed he would return to the Main Temple—but his answer was quite unexpected.
“I’ve built a considerable bond with these villagers through our hardship together, and even though I’m tainted by dark energy, this village is the only place that can share the burden of sins I’ve committed. That’s why I must stay.”
Rufus spoke his confession heavily, fingering the Hawk Pendant at his chest.
“Then there’s no choice in the matter. Shall I report to the Main Temple that you’ve survived? Or perhaps…….”
“Please don’t say anything at all. The Main Temple will judge as it sees fit.”
Rufus made the Sign of the Cross as he finished his response.
“May the protection of Caritas be with you, Holy Maiden.”
“I’m a Saint Candidate, remember.”
When she corrected his word choice, Rufus smiled gently.
“I pray you rise to true sainthood, Candidate. The Temple doesn’t need a puppet saint—it needs a saint like you.”
“I think so too.”
She answered with such confidence that Rufus’s expression shifted into something unreadable.
‘Can someone this headstrong really become a saint……?’ But surely a saint brimming with conviction was far preferable to a hollow one.
“Go safely, Holy Maiden!”
“Thank you so much! I’ll never forget this kindness, not as long as I live!”
Unlike her silent arrival at the village, she departed to a chorus of warm farewells.
Once beyond the village limits, she glanced back, then suddenly remembered something undone and turned to Arden with a start.
“Oh, right. Before we go, there’s one thing I absolutely need to do.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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