Chapter 40: Awkward Meals and Classroom Tensions

A Drained Saintess

Clatter!

The fork fell limply onto the plate.

My body felt like water-soaked cotton, and I didn’t even have the strength to hold utensils.

Divine Descent’s side effects are too much, aren’t they?

[The God of Hunting says they warned you repeatedly—if you’d stopped, this wouldn’t have happened.]

Ugh, why keep hitting me with facts?

That’s annoying as hell.

And it’s not just the weakness.

Another side effect hit after the Descent ended: my senses got weirdly sharp.

When Orphe carried me, I’d normally think, ‘Why’s this guy groping me?’ and brush it off.

But his touch and scent were so intense, my nerves were glued to it the whole way.

Anyone would think I’m some animal in heat.

What kind of side effect is this?

[The God of Hunting says it might be from excessive divine power lingering too long in your body.]

[The God of Entertainment guesses divine power, akin to life force, over-activated your senses.]

…This won’t last forever, right?

[The God of Love says since it’s happened, why not take time to explore your womanly body?]

Crazy bitch.

Exploring my body, what nonsense.

“Isidora, what did you two do to show up like that?”

“Yeah! A grown man and woman, so shamelessly…”

As expected, Fifirel and Patricia fell into a swamp of misunderstanding.

No wonder—my flushed face and ragged breathing would make anyone assume that kind of thing.

Plus, I was carried in, so even Erdike was shooting me a murderous glare.

Grind…

Ugh, my stomach’s churning.

Haven’t eaten, and I’m already queasy.

Erdike, stop staring.

You’re burning a hole in me.

“Maybe Saintess healed Orphe? He didn’t get treated earlier…”

“Monica…”
‘You’re my only hope.’

Orphe, quietly eating beside me, nodded.

“Exactly. She healed me, lost her strength, and had to be carried.”

Orphe, what’s with you?

Normally, you’d say something to make everyone misunderstand worse.

I’m not the crying type, but this almost brought tears.

His rare normalcy warmed me briefly.

“Guess I caused her to lose even the strength to hold a fork. My fault, so I’ll fix it.”

Orphe picked up a piece of meat with my dropped fork and held it out.

“Wait, what’s this…!”
‘Is this guy insane?’

“Open your mouth.”

“People are watching…!”
‘Put it down, you lunatic!’

As I said, people glanced our way.

Especially Erdike, across from me.

Crunch…!

Her glare was the fiercest.

Before, her stare was like a trickling stream; now, it was a freezing waterfall.

I jerked my head back to escape her gaze and the fork.

“I can eat myself.”
‘Don’t you see her eyes going crazy?’

“You dropped your fork and now you’re bragging.”

“Oh my, oh my.”

Our bickering stopped when Erdike spoke.

“…Orphe.”

“What, El?”

Orphe turned from me to her.

Unlike before, Erdike’s eyes curved softly.

She spoke gently, persuading him.

“If Saintess Isidora can’t eat due to her condition, can’t I feed her? You’re at her side, which is awkward, but I’m in front, so it’s easier for both.”

“El.”

“Yes?”

Orphe’s eyes were dead serious.

“I’m not tending to Saintess Isidora out of pity for her state.”

“Then why?”

“She healed not just the bruise on my back but every scar I’ve had.”

“You had scars on your back? Why didn’t you tell me?!”

Erdike pressed him, flustered, but Orphe remained calm.

“You didn’t ask.”

“Still, you could’ve told me, I’d have…”

“You can’t use Divine Descent, can you?”

Oh, right—Erdike hid that she could use Divine Descent to avoid showing her fervor.

She seemed to remember, her words catching.

“Even so, I could’ve used Healing Blessing…”

“Not your fault, El. That’s just how it is.”

Orphe paused, then continued.

“Thanks to her, the bad feeling from my scars is gone. I owe her, so I’m repaying it.”

He held the fork out to me again.

“This is my job, El, not yours.”

Erdike lowered her head without a word.

‘Damn, the vibe’s heavy.’

The other girls just watched, silent.

Orphe turned back to me, fork with meat in hand.

“Look, I’m fine—mmph?!”
‘Why do you keep—mmph!’

He shoved the food in as I opened my mouth.

Nom nom.

The meat’s juices flooded my mouth.

The medium-well texture felt vivid.

Is this the heightened senses too?

‘Not the time to savor meat.’

I shot Orphe an aggrieved look, but he ignored it.

“Lunchtime’s short since we’re late. Let’s speed up.”

He ate his food while pulling off the trick of picking up more for me.

The fork closed in again.

I pulled my head back, but he caught my head with his hand to feed me.

Am I a baby?

I said no, why keep trying?!

[The God of Dreams says they’re glad you finally get how they felt.]

What nonsense.

I messed with you because you deserved it!

[The God of Love says you’re just paying for recklessly using divine power.]

That bitch.

Ever since I grabbed her hair, she’s been sniping at me.

If a bishop from the Temple of Love were here, I’d descend and knock her out…

Bang!

Erdike shot up from her seat.

Her face, glimpsed through her hair, looked heartbreakingly sad, like she’d cry at a nudge.

“Sorry, not feeling well. I’m leaving.”

“El, if you’re sick, go to the infirmary—”

“Sorry, Orphe. I’ll handle it.”

“…Alright. Take care, see you in class.”

Erdike left without responding.

Orphe watched her go, then turned to me.

“Let’s finish eating.”

Damn it.

I’m eating food I don’t want, Erdike’s seeing things she hates, and the others are stuck in this wrecked mood.

A world where everyone’s hurt…

A Somber Classroom

Afternoon class.

Eating gave me some strength, enough to walk to the classroom on my own.

When Orphe offered to carry me, I nearly freaked out.

I bolted, and he didn’t chase—thankfully.

…Maybe he just let me go.

The other girls caught up quickly, and we went to class together.

Bang!

I opened the classroom door.

It was a bit noisy inside.

Thankfully, Erdike showed up on time for class.

She looked drained, though.

Our eyes met as she sat in the front, but her gaze held no emotion.

Usually, her eyes brimmed with jealousy, envy, anger, or malice—lively, negative vibes.

Now, they were just empty.

Scrape.

Her chair dragged as she sat behind me.

Right, she picked that seat out of jealousy at first.

But unlike then, I felt nothing from her now.

“Hey, Erdike, you okay?”
‘Why so down since earlier?’

“…!”

Turning to her was almost instinctive.

Even I was surprised, so no wonder Erdike’s eyes widened.

They returned to normal, and she looked away to a corner of the classroom.

“What.”

“You said you weren’t feeling well…”
‘Seeing that in front of you must’ve sucked.’

I didn’t poke her wound directly.

Watching someone you like care for another woman isn’t fun.

[The God of War asks if someone who knows that would leave such harsh comments.]

That was then.

I’m a saintess now, totally reformed!

[The God of Love says stop lying.]

It’s true.

I’m only mean to you, didn’t you know? Haha.

[The God of Love says she hates you.]

Yeah, I hate you too~

“It’s fine, don’t worry.”

“But you don’t look okay…”
‘Anyone would think you’re grieving.’

“I said don’t worry.”

She’s half out of it, what’s with her?

Erdike hid her face with her hair.

Well, tried to—her hair only reached her shoulders, covering just the lower half.

Her eyes, what she meant to hide, were still exposed.

Seeing the usually lively girl so down, even I couldn’t ignore it.

I leaned closer to her.

“It’s about Orphe, right?”
‘You’re obsessed with that guy.’

“…No.”

Sure it isn’t.

Her voice already changed.

She was a million light-years from the novel’s version, but she’s still a heroine.

The main heroine, no less.

For Orphe to defeat the demons and the Demon King, her help is essential.

Like the oracle before coming to the academy, she must be his ally to save him.

I don’t like her, but helping is the right thing.

I was about to share my plan with her when—

Bang!

“Here comes the star!”

A red-haired girl, Ledel, burst into our classroom.