Chapter 27: Adaptation

Vera and Renee finished their talk, their eyes drawn to the clock on the infirmary wall. The hour hand pointed to seven. Dusk had fallen.

"Time for dinner," Vera said. He had to feed Renee.

For the past two days, he had used divine power to ease her hunger. But no amount of divine energy could match a simple home-cooked meal. Vera organized his thoughts, then stood.

"It's almost dinner. I'll go get us something to eat."

"Oh, yes," Renee said.

When Vera let go of her hand, a small sigh escaped her lips. He tilted his head.

"Is something wrong?"

"Huh? N-Nothing!" she answered quickly.

Vera realized she might be afraid of being left alone in a strange place. He spoke again, reassuring her.

"I won't be long. Just wait a little bit."

"Yes! Of course! Go on!" she said, her anxiety rising.

Vera nodded and walked away, his footsteps loud and deliberate. He had to return soon.

He opened the infirmary door and froze. Three figures stood in the hall: a middle-aged man and a pair of fools. The twins and Rohan.

When Vera stepped out, the three of them stared at him, their eyes wide. He closed the door firmly and scowled.

"What do you want?" he growled, his voice low.

He was not happy. Even in a Holy Kingdom full of monsters, these three were the worst. He had promised Renee he would keep them away from her.

The three stiffened under his intense gaze. Rohan, standing between the twins, offered an awkward smile.

"Oh, we just heard the Saint arrived and wanted to visit..."

"Is the Saint a sideshow?" Vera snapped.

"Eh, that's not what I meant! This kid is making a big deal out of nothing!"

Vera's face twisted into a menacing sneer as Rohan took a step closer.

"Don't touch me. I'm in a bad mood."

Rohan flinched. He glanced from Vera to the door behind him.

"So, can I meet her or not? You're so worked up, I'm curious... who charmed our boy like that. So, what do you say?" Rohan rubbed his palms together, his tone like a bootlicker.

Vera felt a flash of anger and was about to retort when the twins, surprisingly, stepped in.

"Rohan, apologize to Vera. He's not blinded by her beauty."

"Right. Vera isn't mad. He's just flustered."

"...Shut up," Vera muttered.

The twins' words made things worse. He felt his blood pressure rise whenever they spoke.

"Vera is mean. I tried to help, but he cursed at me," the twins grumbled.

"I take back what I said. Vera is mad."

"Huh? I'm curious. Are you not going to let me meet her?" Rohan chimed in.

Their nonsense made Vera's head spin. He imagined them talking to Renee. That could not happen. He couldn't keep her from meeting them forever, but he could stop them from spouting nonsense in front of her.

Vera's eyes hardened. He spoke in a more threatening tone.

"Go away. The Saint needs to rest. Don't come back until she wakes up. This is a warning."

"Well..." Rohan started.

"Go away," Vera repeated.

Rohan and the twins flinched. They pouted and trudged toward the exit. Vera watched them leave, then made a silent vow.

I have to teach them a lesson.

He needed to correct the behavior of these three—and Trevor, who hadn't arrived yet. He would beat some sense into them if he had to.

Vera sighed deeply as they disappeared, then headed to the restaurant. This was a heavy burden.

---

A few days later, in a small meeting room near the infirmary, Vera arrived just as Renee's servants were chosen. He saw Norn bowing, with four girls standing behind him.

"Are these the servants?" Vera asked.

"Yes. I hand-picked them myself. They can all do their part."

Vera nodded and looked at the girls. They looked about Renee's age, with tense expressions and stiff postures. He saw no need to tell them to relax. Their caution would keep them from being rude to Renee.

"Who's in charge?" he asked, his eyes grave.

"I am," a voice said.

The girl on the far right stepped forward.

"This is the apprentice paladin, Helaim."

Her straw-colored hair was pulled into a tight bun. Vera felt a sense of familiarity and realized why: she and Norn had the same hair color.

"...Is she related to you?"

"She's my daughter," Norn said, a slightly embarrassed smile on his face. "You don't need to worry about me playing favorites. I'm proud of her skills."

"Thank you," Hela said, bowing her head.

Vera nodded. "All right, Sir Norn, thank you for your hard work."

"I'm flattered," Norn replied.

Vera's approval was uncharacteristically generous. He considered it a good decision. Hela was one of the few normal people in the Holy Kingdom, and Norn's daughter was an added bonus. Of course, he could always dismiss them later if things went south, but for now, she was approved.

"Are you finished with your training?" Vera asked.

"Yes, I can start right away."

"Good. The Saint is leaving the infirmary today. We can go introduce you to her now."

Norn and the servants bowed their heads. Vera turned and left the room.

"Let's go," he said, recalling Renee's schedule. He had to introduce them to her new home, then take her to meet Vargo. They would greet the Holy Emperor and discuss her future, from her living arrangements to her education and the timing of her divine power use.

Vera sighed. So many things to take care of.

---

Renee sat on her bed, then looked up as the door opened.

"Milady Saint, how are you?" Vera's voice asked.

Renee smiled. "I'm well. Today's the day I leave, right?"

"That's right. I've brought some people with me. These are the priests who will be your servants from now on."

Vera stepped aside and motioned for the servants to greet her. They stepped forward, and Hela, on the right, spoke first.

"This is the chief, Hela. I look forward to working with you."

Hela bowed at a sharp right angle. Renee, feeling a little awkward, responded.

"Yes, I look forward to your kind cooperation as well."

The other servants greeted her in turn. Renee replied to each one, smiling stiffly. She wasn't used to this level of respect.

I have to get used to it, she thought. This is my life now.

She clenched her fists, remembering her promise to herself, and asked Vera, "Can we leave now?"

"Yes. We'll go to your new home first so you can get changed. Then we'll see the Holy Emperor. He will let you know your future schedule."

His Holiness. Renee felt a pang of anxiety. "What kind of person is he? What if I make a mistake?"

"Don't worry, he won't care. He's a good—"

Vera stopped himself. The word he associated most with Vargo was "wacky," not "good." He felt like he was lying to her. Renee, however, mistook his hesitation for a sign that the Holy Emperor was a difficult man. Her anxiety grew.

"Oh, that's a relief!" she said, clenching her fist again. An awkward smile appeared on her lips.

Can I do this? she wondered. Maybe he'll be mean to me.

Such silly worries ran through her mind.

---

Vera guided Renee to her new home. Later, as her servants dressed her, her mind wandered.

There's so much to do.

Getting ready took forever. Washing and combing her hair was a meticulous process that made her bored. And the robe was so complicated! Renee had never imagined dressing could be so difficult, with many layers of clothes.

Just as she was beginning to feel tired, Hela's voice rang out.

"It's done."

Renee felt relieved. She smiled brightly. "Thank you. You've gone through a lot of trouble."

"It's our job."

"Even so. Ms. Hela?"

"Yes, I'm Hela."

"Hehehe, your accent is so unique, it's easy to remember."

She hadn't meant to mock her. Her tone was friendly. As a blind person, Renee noticed things other than looks.

"My mother is from the North. So my accent is a mix of North and South."

"Oh, I see."

"Should we go? The Apostle is waiting outside."

"Ah, yes."

Renee nodded, grabbed her cane, and stood up. Nervous to see Vera, she whispered to Hela, "Do I look strange?"

The question came out of nowhere. She suddenly worried she looked ridiculous in the robe.

Hela looked at Renee, then answered with complete sincerity.

"You're beautiful."

Hela meant it.