I’m an Old Man but Also a Saint?

e Saint were those who were there
and the knights under the direct control of the Saint.
I assumed that they were the soldiers in the dark blue uniform.

I arrived in the room for the second time since I’d woken up since I’d been here before to mourn.
The knights in the dark blue uniforms knelt down as soon as they noticed me approaching the room, though their doubts were clear on their faces.
I’d already offered my prayers and refused to accompany them, so they wanted to know why I’d come.

“The Saint wants to meet the girl in the dungeon.” Wieland’s brief explanation stunned the knights.
Right, come to think of it, these were the knights in charge of the investigation.
I had heard that in order to carefully investigate the matter, the Elder Knight had commanded every knight to turn their full attentions to it.

I realized I would need to talk to them.
If I was widely known

as the Saint, I would have been able to strong arm them, but I didn’t to push them too hard.

“We can’t let you meet the felon who deceived the Saint…”

“If not for the circumstances, she should have been executed already.”

The knights, who had recovered from their shock, all began to speak at once.
Just after the investigation had ended, the Elder Saint had died, leading to chaos and delaying the execution.
It was a crime to deceive the Saint, and because they had served the Elder Saint for many years, their anger and grief were strong.

I understood their feelings, but I couldn’t afford to back down either.
According to the report, the girl was also a victim.
If her mother’s life had been used against her, she wouldn’t be able to say no.
If there’s anything I could do, I should try to help.
Executing her would be too pitiful.

“Please,” I begged, bowing my head.
The knights let out strangled screams, probably thinking it was impossible for me to do this.
The only person a Saint ever bowed her head to was God.
I knew that the Saint is the most noble existence but as someone who has lived as a villager for 42 years, nobility of any kind was hard to accept.

The knights gave up trying to convince me not to visit the girl.
Two of them led the way, prison key in hand, followed by Wieland and me.
Shivering in the cold solemnity as I descended the stairs to the dungeon, I moved my feet quietly.

*

Entering the dungeons, I was surprised how many people were being held captive.
Some wore coarse clothes and had their hands and feet chained, but some were well-dressed and fat.
Since their hands showed no signs of labor, I guessed they were probably nobles.
There were also women who looked like maids, but how are they involved in this incident? Some made excuses while spitting, some were demanding release, and one prisoner cried that he didn’t want to die.
While the knights frowned at the displays, the didn’t stop until they arrived at the girl’s cell.

Unlocking all three locks, both knights heaved open the door.
A door that opened slowly, even with two grown men pushing it, how heavy was it!? A thick stone wall, triple locks, and a door that required at least two people to open, the security in this cell was different from the rest.

The door opened with a dull grown, revealing a girl crouching on the floor alone.
She raised her face when I called to her, her eyes widening when she saw me.
Even though we’d only met for a short time, she seemed to remember me.

“You…”

“It’s Zeph, uh?”

“My name is Emilia, your holiness.” The sound of chains echoed in the stone room and the girl bowed with her forehead against the floor.
Her appearance was worn from being a prisoner for thirteen days, but she still had a neat and ephemeral aura.
When such a girl prostrates herself, I couldn’t avoid feeling helpless.

I didn’t come here to punish you!

After scratching my head, I sat down in front of the girl.
I tapped to her shoulder, causing her to raise her face and look directly into my eyes.
Many of the prisoners were crying, but this child’s eyes remained clear.
She may have been tougher than she looked.

“Emilia, I’m here today to talk to you.”

An old man smiling awkwardly was reflected in her round eyes.