How To Survive A Cute Ghost Yandere
Chapter 19: Saintess

Chapter 19: Chapter 19: Saintess

There were a few reasons why not a single team had shown interest in the Saintess. Well, sure, they might have been interested if it came down to looks alone. But the real reason was that the Saintess herself was just a young girl raised within the sacred temple, with no noble background to speak of, which left her position somewhat awkward.

Her Stigmata hadn’t awakened yet either, and on top of that, the Saintess wasn’t exactly the type to approach anyone first. She never spoke unless spoken to, which made her whole demeanor feel so ambiguous that anyone would end up feeling awkward around her.

Which was exactly what was happening right now.

"Um, Lady Saintess?"

"...Yes?"

"Since you don’t seem to have a team at all, how about joining us...?"

"Why me?"

"Eh?"

"I don’t think I’d be good enough."

Alen was left completely stunned.

The Saintess looked at him with calm, steady eyes, showing no hint of emotional turmoil except for a small smile on her face.

Across from her, Eiros stood there, stiff as a board. His smile stretched wide, forced, just to keep looking friendly.

[Stigmata Profile]

Name: Sacred Cry of Divinity.

Activation: Praying for a hope that doesn’t exist.

Potential: ??? (Tier-??)

’...What’s up with these protagonist types?’

Of course, Eiros already knew the Saintess had to be extraordinary. But he could never quite feel at ease seeing that question mark.

Especially that activation condition.

Praying for a hope that never existed.

’What kind of hope are we even talking about here?’

If Eiros could figure out the answer to that, wouldn’t that mean he could actually help the Saintess awaken her Stigmata?

After a moment of thought, Eiros shook his head. He’d probably need to ask Estiel a few things after this.

"...Can you help out here?"

"..."

Snapping out of his thoughts, Eiros saw Alen whispering to him, his face covered in cold sweat.

"Are you even listening...?"

Then Eiros’s gaze quickly shifted back to the Saintess, who watched them in silence.

"...Yeah."

Eiros whispered back.

The Saintess’s looks were every bit a match for Erness’s. Where Erness was sweet and adorable thanks to her cheerful, easy-smiling nature, the Saintess was the very embodiment of a cool, mature kind of beauty.

"Lady Saintess, do you not intend to join a team at all?"

Eiros spoke up, and hearing that, Alen beside him nodded vigorously, staring at the Saintess.

"...Like I said, I’m not good enough."

"...You’re a Saintess. How could you possibly not be good enough?"

Maybe the real reason was that people took that line as a flat-out rejection. Because the Saintess’s expression showed absolutely no emotion that suggested she actually regretted not being "good enough."

That’s what Eiros thought, and it seemed like... it was actually true?

The Saintess stared silently for a moment, then let out a small laugh as she immediately lowered her head, speaking in a soft, simple voice:

"I haven’t awakened my Stigmata yet. If I joined you, wouldn’t I just end up a burden, completely useless? So it’s better if I just handle things on my own. I’ll take care of myself, thank you."

"...Ah, honestly, we don’t mind that at all, Lady Saintess. You won’t be a burden to us, so please don’t worry about that."

"....."

Eiros glanced at Alen, who’d suddenly spoken up.

’Wow, the way he’s phrasing that sounds incredibly suspicious.’

That loud, hurried tone of his sounded exactly like someone terrified of being rejected after plotting something shady.

Seeing how stiff the Saintess’s smile had become, Eiros immediately coughed while giving Alen’s back a fairly hard pat.

Alen looked startled, about to say something, but Eiros spoke to the Saintess first:

"Look, honestly, we were curious."

"Curious?"

Eiros nodded.

"Lady Saintess always seems to be alone, refusing to talk to anyone. So, unable to just leave it be, we came over here—I mean, couldn’t we at least be friends?"

Eiros gave a small laugh.

"I don’t think this is such a bad time for that, is it?"

Alen froze beside him, his face darkening. He wanted to say something, but suddenly his face twisted in pain.

Eiros had deliberately pinched his side from behind.

"Agh... W-wait, what are you doi—"

Alen did his best to swallow the yelp, catching Eiros’s glare. Then, they communicated in silence.

’Don’t say anything.’

’W-why not?’

’Leave it to me.’

’What exactly are you doing? Why "friends"?!’

Their eyes met, darting back and forth in a strange sort of exchange. Despite his doubts, Alen eventually nodded, caught by the sharpness in Eiros’s stare.

"..."

And of course, the Saintess watched them both, seemingly at a loss for what to do. In the end, the girl’s smile went stiff as she quietly clasped her hands together beneath her.

She was almost certainly praying about something she’d completely misunderstood.

"Ahem...! So, what do you think? I just hoped I could be friends with you, Lady Saintess. We don’t care whether you’re useful or not, because we’re here for you, Lady Saintess, not for your power."

"...Um... Well..."

Hearing that, the Saintess’s thoughts turned rather complicated.

The Saintess looked genuinely awkward. She worried that the two students in front of her might be planning something bad for her. But after considering the fact that there was a supervisor keeping watch nearby, it seemed like things would probably be fine.

Besides, the Saintess herself had long suffered from loneliness, mostly due to her own inability to find things to talk about. Being genuinely unpleasant to talk to or have fun with had become the very reason behind her isolation.

Because of that, faced with the chance to actually make a friend, her expression brightened just slightly.

’This must be an opportunity granted by Goddess Crelesta. Praise the Goddess.’

She recited a simple prayer in her mind, then looked at the two students before finally, with a smile she’d practiced since childhood, she nodded.

Though her voice still sounded hesitant and a little stiff, the Saintess finally spoke:

"In that case, please take care of me."

She also gave a small bow forward after saying it.

Both Eiros and Alen blinked, glanced at each other, then broke into bright smiles.

"We did it."

Then Eiros shook his head, his face scrunching up.

"I did it."

Either way, after Eiros and Alen had each introduced themselves, it was now the Saintess’s turn to introduce herself:

"...I don’t know if you already know or not. But let me introduce myself as well."

She smiled sweetly, showing off her mature charm. Her pleasant scent, like falling cherry blossoms, was sweet, light, and just a touch intoxicating.

"Viena Crelesta," she said. "Viena is the name my mother gave me, while Crelesta comes from the name of the Goddess I serve."

"It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Saintess."

Both Alen and Eiros welcomed the introduction warmly, positively. The only difference was that Eiros’s face looked notably pale—so pale, in fact, that beads of sweat were visibly running down his skin.

Why wouldn’t it be?

He felt like his back was being stabbed by a thousand knives at once. He snuck a glance behind him and found a pair of pale white pupils staring right at him.

Was Erness upset that he hadn’t come to her first this time?

Watching the way Erness’s smile had gone stiff as she stared at him...

"Um..."

Eiros heard Alen’s voice. He glanced over and found Alen looking pale as well, staring in the same direction, and the moment Alen looked back at him:

"Sorry, man. Your girlfriend—she looks like she’s about to kill me too. So... could you maybe switch to a different team?"

"....."

"Your girlfriend genuinely looks terrifying right now."

***