Chapter 3: It’s been twenty-three years since we’ve seen each other

My family — the Safkas — is said to be a family that has produced Saints for generations.

Because of this achievement, the king has given the prestigious title of “Saint Baron” to the originally commoner family, and they have been living comfortably in a large mansion in the royal capital.

However, for the past few decades, the Safka family has not been able to produce anyone capable of being selected as a Saint, even though they have strong magical powers.

(I heard that my great-grandmother was also a Saint, but there has been a long gap since then.)

I was wondering if this was the reason.

I looked up at the statue in front of me and was stunned.

A brick mansion.

Certainly in the garden of the mansion where I must have spent my childhood… There was a huge statue sitting on the ground that I didn’t recognize at all.

I followed the housewife’s words and was really relieved when I safely came in sight of the Safka family compound.

But gradually, I noticed something suspicious… I understood that it was a statue of a woman.

(What is this statue…)

It was a statue in a pose with hands folded and kneeling on the ground.

The woman’s expression, smiling gracefully, even exudes elegance.

And in front of the statue, there was a stone monument.

I look down at the inscription on the stone monument.

Evelyn Safka, the seventeenth Saint of the Holy Kingdom of Snazil…

(Is this possibly me?)

But rather than me, the sculpture looks a lot like my sister Mary.

Incidentally, Mary and I are sisters, but we don’t look much alike. In other words, the statue and I do not resemble each other at all.

—I don’t mean to disparage the family of the Saint, but that family is also a bit of a miser. I’ve heard that they are charging these people a lot of money to come visit, so you should be careful.

(The meaning of those words…)

After all this time, I think I’ve figured it out.

So my father and mother are taking advantage of my position as a Saint to line their pockets?

“……Evelyn! ?”

Maybe it was because I had been standing in front of the garden for a while.

I turned around in surprise to see a bearded man standing behind me with a servant in tow.

I slowly opened my eyes.

No doubt.

This man is my real father, although he is naturally older than I remember him being at the depths of my memory.

And at the same time, my heart is filled with anticipation.

It had been twenty-three years since I had seen my father.

(One look, and he knew it was me!)

“…Fa—”

I tried to call out, “Father,” with trembling lips.

“Why have you come back to this house? What do you think you’re doing? !”

—I choked on my words.

My father’s eyes never looked at his beloved daughter, whom he reunited with once again.

His narrowed eyes showed only his disgust for me.

“When you do that to the Temple, you’re as good as dead. What do you want from me now? You were kicked out of the temple and came here with nowhere to go.”

“……You knew.”

“I don’t know if you know, but my little girl, Mary, has been declared a Saint by the First Prince. How could I not know of such a happy occasion?”

I looked blankly behind my father as he proudly said this.

A woman who had been watching us from inside the mansion closed the curtains…… annoyed.

At that moment, it was clear.

I felt as if the remaining love I had for my “family” had been torn away.

“I’m never coming back to this house again. Goodbye.”

I told him.

I bowed my head quietly and went back the way I came.

I didn’t want to stay near this house any longer, not even for a minute or two.

(I feel like an idiot.)

I should have known the truth when I was left alone for over twenty years.

Why was I still expecting something from those people?

I missed you, I was worried about you, I was wondering how you were doing — I guess I was dreaming that I would receive such kind words from them.

(Really, you’re an idiot.)

I knew I couldn’t bear it if I cried again and my eyes got swollen

Slap!

I slapped my cheek as hard as I could.

……It hurts like hell. It really hurts a lot. But it made the tears completely recede.

(I don’t have time to get worked up over trivial things.)

The situation I’m in now is desperate.

…… Because.

(I’m penniless! !)

…… Yes. I don’t have any money.

I came out with nothing but my clothes on, there was no one I could rely on anymore, and I didn’t know anyone else who looked like an acquaintance.

(I probably need some money to stay at the inn.)

The stories in the temple often depicted a scene where a hero and a princess stayed at an inn in the city.

It’s early spring and the weather is warm, but that doesn’t mean you should curl up and sleep in a back alley…… Even in the capital, where there are many guards, this would not be recommended.

In addition to tonight’s lodging, I have one more pressing concern.

……As I was thinking about this, I heard a pathetic sound, either badly timed or well timed.

“I’m hungry……”

(I wish I’d had more soup for breakfast……)