Chapter 3

It was a coincidence.

While wandering the streets to take a break from the boredom, I met a child.

No, perhaps it was fate.

Because she was a child with the potential to become a saint.

Her talent for divine power was such that one could confidently say it was the greatest among all past saints, and her ability to see into the heart of others was described as inherently good.

A pure white, a warm heart untainted.

It was impossible not to be drawn to a child with such a heart, one who had to endure the pain of living in this world with a disability.

When some malicious boys, noticing that the girl was blind, played a cruel prank by tripping her, she was surprisingly startled.

However…

“That’s impossible…”

Even after such a harsh prank, she felt no animosity or hatred towards those who mocked her for her blindness.

She was trying to brush herself off and get back up as if nothing had happened.

She faced the utter darkness with confidence.

Perhaps that is why Asclyna, or rather the old man who held the position of the Pope, became interested in such a young girl.

He carefully approached her, lifting a cane to help her walk and placing it in her hand.

“Are you okay, sister?”

“…?”

However, the girl remained silent.

Thinking that perhaps she hadn’t heard his words, Asclyna called out to her again.

This child might truly become a saint.

In these troubled times, as demons were soon to overrun the world, the child pointed out by God’s revelation as the one to seek a saint could perhaps be her.

Thus, Asclyna spoke to the girl to take her to the cathedral.

But…

“… Are you unable to speak?”

“…”

Was she simply unable to speak? Doubting this, Asclyna suddenly had a nonsensical thought.

No, to be precise, he didn’t want to believe it.

Perhaps this girl was not just unable to see, but also couldn’t hear?

If that were true, then it wouldn’t be strange at all that she hadn’t responded properly to his calling until now.

It wasn’t that she ignored him; she simply hadn’t heard him, and from her perspective, she would just be holding the cane he had given her without letting go.

In reality, despite being so close and having spoken clearly, she stood there blankly, as if she hadn’t heard his words at all.

“Can you… not hear my voice?”

Asclyna asked the girl with a trembling voice.

And then, he sighed.

This child had not chosen to remain silent.

She was unable to respond.

‘Ah… Oh God…’

It wasn’t that there were no blind or deaf people in this world.

However, most of them had lost their sight or hearing due to accidents or were born with disabilities that affected only one side.

In cases of loss due to accidents, one could regain their original bodily functions through treatment by a high-ranking priest.

But this girl bore no scars of injury.

There were no signs of illness.

In other words, this girl was congenitally blind and deaf.

‘Oh God… how could this be…’

A saint is supposed to endure trials as thorny as a rosebush and has the duty to spread goodness throughout the world.

But…

‘How could this poor child…’

Even the healing of a high-ranking priest, and even her own healing, could not make it so this child could see the world given to her by God or at least hear the sounds of this world.

To grant such a strong divine power to such a child?

Is it not a cruel treatment for this pure and innocent soul?

Even in troubled times, is it right to guide such a child onto the thorny path of a saint?

‘Is it right to lead this child… onto the path of a saint?’

But with this level of divine power, this level of purity, everything indicated that this girl had the potential to become a saint… no, pointed towards her being the saint of this world.

This world, or the poor girl.

‘…’

Asclyna made a choice.

No, he had no choice but to choose.

The guardian of balance had only one option.

“[Ah, I’m sorry, sister. I didn’t realize you were unable to hear.]”

Asclyna focused his thoughts and conveyed them to the girl.

Thinking she seemed to have nowhere else to go, he decided to take her in.

It was easy to tell that a girl who was both blind and deaf was wandering the streets alone without a guardian.

She wasn’t dressed in fine clothing, but her attire was neat, and her beauty was such that it was hard to think of her as a commoner.

Moreover, it was difficult to believe that a child who could neither see nor hear had lived to this age without a protector.

Therefore, the fact that she was walking around alone here meant only one thing.

As Asclyna took the girl towards the cathedral, he fell into thought.

.

.

.

As a result of being taken in by Asclyna, I naturally ended up living in the cathedral as an apprentice nun.

Even when I began my life as a nun, the fact that I couldn’t see or hear hadn’t changed, and I continued my life as a nun with Asclyna’s assistance.

Fortunately, thanks to having poured all my plus points into talent related to divine power, I could easily learn one of the sacred arts, mind control.

‘I can’t see a status window, but it’s just as I set it.’

Asclyna even praised how incredible it was that I’d learned so quickly.

Last of all, I practiced manipulating divine power to spread it like waves, allowing me to perceive the surrounding environment.

It had been about a week since I started living with Asclyna and began to grasp divine power.

Although limited, I was now able to walk without a cane and could perceive space up to a radius of about 2 meters, albeit clumsily.

I could now control my thoughts, allowing for conversation.

“[That’s really amazing. To get this far in just a week…]”

Asclyna praised me with genuine surprise in her voice.

“[It’s all thanks to you… Thank you.]”

I meant it.

To be honest, I had felt lost until recently, so I was very fortunate to have met Asclyna by chance.

If I hadn’t met her on the street, I might have been secretly kidnapped while wandering around and ended up in a bad situation.

In that case, at least it would have been fortunate that I wouldn’t have died.

In the worst-case scenario, I would have died without receiving help from anyone.

Thanks to her, I was able to survive and accomplish my goal of defeating the Demon King and living as a saint with a concept of self-sacrifice, without anyone discovering my true feelings, and return to my original world.

“[You don’t have to thank me, sister.]”

Asclyna said, breaking into a hearty laugh.

Being a dragon that had lived long, she seemed to be quite good at acting like an old man.

I was saying this because I already knew her true identity; if I hadn’t known, I would have firmly believed she was simply the Pope.

So now…

‘What remains is the baptism.’

After spending a long time as an apprentice nun, when the time comes, or if I achieve a remarkable deed that makes it difficult to remain as an apprentice, I will receive the baptism to become a full nun.

And…

‘It is decided by God.’

My being chosen as a saint.

I need to finish this tutorial quickly to start my concept as the saint I aim to be.

In the level of an apprentice nun, I can only consume my stamina to heal simple wounds or restore lost stamina.

To gain the powers of a saint, who possesses the capability to sacrifice herself to save others, I need to ascend beyond that.

No, is it not a concept?

I want to be a saint because I am a masochist.

“[Excuse me, Pope…]”

“[What is it?]”

“[I want to undergo asceticism.]”

But I don’t have time.

So…

I must take a gamble.

Asceticism.

It is nothing special.

Practicing healing through divine power and learning God’s teachings while offering prayers is the work of an apprentice nun.

Only when the accumulated divine power is deemed sufficient can one finally receive baptism.

However, asceticism is different.

It involves wandering the streets, practicing good deeds while sustaining oneself solely on divine power without eating anything.

It is a difficult path, but if I can succeed in continuing good deeds for a week without eating, I will be able to receive baptism and become a full nun.

What would happen if I returned after doing nothing but being outside?

After all, whether I am chosen as a full nun by the Romanian goddess or not will be determined by the good deeds I have accumulated during my asceticism, making it a meaningless endeavor.

The graces received from God during this time are reportedly so great that succeeding in asceticism could even lead to becoming a high-ranking priest.

In the game, it divides into the path of either continuing as an apprentice nun until reaching a certain level or receiving ascetic training, and if the set level is not reached within the time limit, the transition to becoming a saint will be impossible.

Even if I accumulate levels within the time limit, I will only be acknowledged for the transition, and there will be no additional increase in attributes.

Therefore, most would choose asceticism to see more significant results.

However, my situation is somewhat different.

‘There’s no time.’

To finish the tutorial quickly, and to become a saint, there is only one way.

‘I will seize the opportunity during the asceticism.’

I must be prepared for death during this asceticism.

By “opportunity,” I mean saving someone who is dying, despite being an apprentice nun.