Chapter 6: Guys Who Grow and Guys Who Don't. I Sex-Grow

Side: The Assailant

There is only one Saint in the world.

Conversely, there will always be one Saint in existence.

In other words, if the current Saint is killed, the next Saint will be born somewhere else.

Unlike the Holy Knight, this world system spurs on the sanctity of the Saint, and means that benefits will tilt towards the country that produced the Saint.

...From a foreign perspective, the existence of a Saint is the best way to make money.

Even without doing anything, just by existing, donations from profession believers come pouring in.

Of course, those donations are sent to the country possessing the Saint, and they can also get backup from huge noble families who need the Saint's treatment. For the country, it's a windfall.

“That is precisely why the mission of assassinating the Saint is imposed on me, though.”

And I, having failed that mission, smiled cynically inside my black hood.

—The Atakanta Empire.

A huge country that rivals the Kingdom. Although in a state of truce with the Kingdom, they glare at each other, relations so bad that the balance could collapse at any moment.

Naturally, the Empire does not desire the Saint to be in the Kingdom, and hoping for a Saint to be born in their own country, they commissioned me for the assassination.

“Heh, even if the assassination succeeds, there's no guarantee the next Saint will be born in the Empire.”

...Pointless. Just blood flowing.

And reporting the failure of the mission to the Emperor who made such a pointless request is heavy on my mind.

I sighed in front of the Emperor's private room I was guided to.

“...Excuse me.”

Entering after knocking.

Entering a room that was oddly simple and plain for an Emperor's private chamber, there was a middle-aged man who, despite the gray in his hair, exuded overwhelming intimidation and charisma.

...A ruthless man who obtained the seat of Emperor by massacring all his brothers in a bloody succession war.

His name is Luke Wells.

“It seems. The assassination failed.”

“...Ha! My apologies.”

The Emperor saw through the failure of the assassination at a glance and laughed through his nose in boredom.

...A frighteningly cold atmosphere.

“Was the Holy Knight that strong?”

“Ha! His swordsmanship and abilities are first-class, but more than that, his insight into combat was extraordinary.”

Recalling the Holy Knight's words—Damn, if only you were a cute assassin, I would have had options... A man with that much insight might have even seen through that I was a woman.

“Hoh... Then it seems necessary to eliminate the Holy Knight before the Saint.”

“Ha! He will likely be the biggest obstacle to the Saint's assassination.”

The Emperor touched his beard, strengthening his wariness of the Holy Knight with eyes that seemed to say interesting.

...It is impossible to beat the Holy Knight in a head-on fight at this point, but I am an assassin, after all.

Disguising myself as another to poison him, or attacking under the cover of darkness—there are plenty of methods.

I have to do something. I have to...

“...Hmm, the Holy Knight is one who protects people, correct? Then, perhaps taking hostages in a large-scale attack... no, perhaps simply killing the one he should protect right before his eyes would be easier?”

“――――!”

Cruel. This Emperor is cruel.

That is why I had no choice but to accept the assassination mission.

Otherwise, surely, this Emperor would push forward to his goal without caring how many innocent citizens he sacrificed.

“P-Please wait! You said that if I just killed the Saint, you would not cause unnecessary sacrifices!”

When I inadvertently raised my voice, the Emperor grinned.

“Heh, practically speaking, you failed, did you not? ...Although you have a naive personality unbecoming of an assassin, because you had the heart to sacrifice yourself and certain skill, I ordered you. Even though a method that doesn't mind sacrifice is far easier.”

...To me, hanging my head in silence, the Emperor ordered, carrying a chilling aura once again.

“Kill the Holy Knight. If you can do that, we shall proceed peacefully as you say.”

“...Ha!”

This Emperor will likely not keep his promise.

Because I made one... one failure that became fatal.

But I have nothing but assassination. Because that is the only means to control this Emperor.

◇◆◇

“Penis!!”

...Man, I'm in such a good mood that spouting incomprehensible nonsense should be forgiven.

After all, it's a joint operation with the dreamy Mei! Guard duty in name only.

After all is said and done, Saint-sama is cute too, so it's a two-for-one deal.

Even if a maid heard my "penis" remark and did a double-take, my heart is rampaging like rough waves. ...No, realistically, ripples are impossible in this situation. ...Of course, no one heard me, right? I don't make blunders like that.

So, skipping happily towards the Saint's private room, I opened the door in high spirits――――and what was there was a bust.

“What, it's you...”

“"What" implies disappointment!! You are rude, you know that!!”

“Didn't your grandma teach you that raising expectations only to drop them is the method of a heretic, huh!?”

Reese, the blue-haired angry woman with only a good face as usual, nagged and complained about my statement.

“Like I care! Hah, knowing you, you probably thought "Mei and Saint-sama, two for one deal!" didn't you! Too bad! I just ordered her on a patrol mission in the nearby forest!”

“You did that on purpose, didn't you, hey!!”

Also, why is my thinking leaking! Don't tell me it's a pattern where you're thinking the same thing!?

Overlapping thoughts with this girl would be a lifelong shame.

Me arguing this and that with Reese.

Then, Saint-sama, who had been watching quietly with wide eyes, muttered softly.

“You two... get along well.”

““We do not!!!””

To us answering in unison, Saint-sama put her right hand to her mouth as if she couldn't hold it back anymore, and giggled faintly.

Seeing that Saint-sama, Reese wore an expression of astonishment, and in the next moment, started crawling on the floor writhing and twisting. Major turn-off.

“S-Saint-sama laughed...!? ...Fo... hahaha beautiful... insanely cute...”

“Whoa, this girl is creepy.”

I'm confident in my perversion, but it was good to reaffirm that I'm at least better than her. Well, if told it's a vector of perversion, I'd have to agree.

I simply sublimated the sexual desire equipped in all men of humanity and the fetish of wanting to see a cute girl's smile into a higher dimension (spoken fast).

So Saint-sama's smile was a clean hit for me, thanks for the meal! ...Keep it a secret that I got a little hard.

Rest assured. I won't let the erection be noticed.

An erect man leaves no trace, haha. Die.

“......”

...Setting aside such shitty jokes, glancing at Saint-sama's expression, she was totally put off by Reese writhing on the floor. LMAO.

Well, she said before that she couldn't see Saint-sama's smile because she interacted with her too much as a guard, so this must be her long-cherished desire.

I'm happy too that I could draw out Saint-sama's smile, and I hope she becomes more expressive like this. I want to see a beautiful girl's smile.

“Oi Reese, we're on guard duty.”

“I don't want to hear that from you of all people.”

The moment I called out, Reese stood up and glared at me. If you can do that stunt, use it in combat.

Shaking my head, good grief, confirming the situation had calmed down, I looked at Saint-sama and bowed my head.

“Saint-sama. I heard you treated the poison. Thanks. Seems like I would've kicked the bucket if left alone.”

It seems the poison used by that assassin was fast-acting and had a high fatality rate, and my complexion had apparently turned purple instantly.

Standard healing magic didn't work, only delaying the progression slightly. If not for the detoxification magic only a Saint can use, I definitely would have died.

So when I conveyed my thanks, Saint-sama blinked her eyes and shook her head.

“I'm the one... thank you, for protecting me.”

“Nnyapi. Then let's call it even.”

“Besides...”

“Hmm?”

When I asked back as Saint-sama tried to continue, she smiled faintly again and said.

“—Because I did it because I wanted to.”

“...! Haha. Is that so?”

The words I once said to Saint-sama seemed to be firmly engraved in her.

Sensing that the Saint is certainly growing because of that, I felt a sense of pride unlike me.