Melissa felt like a prisoner of war. The closer she got to the royal capital, the more depressed she felt.

Jill refused any further conversation, and she also didn’t say anything.

Melissa gave up and decided to just look at the scenery from the carriage window.

As she entered the castle, the traffic increased, and she was startled. She could hear the bustle of the city and the voices of the children. She unintentionally smiled, having calmed down a little.

Once I arrive at the castle, I will have to meet His Highness Jeid… and also the new saint.

But she wouldn’t hold back.

Melissa believed and didn’t doubt that after explaining her situation and saying goodbye, she’d be able to return to the village again.

“Hey, what kind of person is the new saint? What is her name?”

“…Monett Daywiz, I don’t anything about her.”

“Oh? Why? Haven’t you met her?”

“I haven’t been to the royal castle, yet. I’m also not in charge of her.”

“Isn’t the saint living in the royal castle?”

“Monett? Living in the royal castle? Why? She isn’t Melissa.”

Melissa tilted her head.

She truly believed the new saint would live in the royal castle, as the royal family would protect the saint. Just like with Melissa.

“Is it because I’ve used the vacant room? I wonder if there was no more room for Monett… I’m sorry, I thought it would okay because there are so many rooms. I should’ve took all of my personal belongings. It seems that I didn’t clean the room properly. I left the dresses and accessories I received because they weren’t my own, but I should’ve returned them properly.”

“…”

“I see. So that’s why I’m being summoned back. I’ll vacate the room properly, so please welcome the saint to the royal castle and protect her as soon as possible.”

“…Haa.”

Jill exhaled a big, big, sigh. Melissa wondered if his soul would be lost.

Jill stubbornly closed his mouth as he gradually began to exude a moody aura in agony.

Melissa didn’t know why Jill was in such a bad mood, but she probably said something wrong. Melissa lamented.

As she looked up at the blue sky, a large cumulonimbus cloud floated outside the window. Such a big cloud—how rare.

At the time when she thought that—

—the ground shook, it was a small tremor at first.

The sway, which was different from that of a carriage, became a big pitching vibration the next moment.

Jill immediately covered Melissa to protect her.

The horse pulling the carriage was surprised and cried out.

A massive earthquake.

People could only protect themselves by ducking helplessly amidst the violently swaying land.

A scream echoed throughout the city. The children who had been laughing until a while ago started crying.

The buildings creaked and started crumbling.

In the distance, smoke could be smelled.

The long earthquake slowly turned into an aftershock. Even if the ground settled down, she couldn’t move due to fear.

“Haa… haa…”

The fear left her breathless. Jill gently rubbed her quivering body.

“Melissa, are you alright?”

“I’m alright.”

Fortunately, the carriage didn’t break. No one was injured.

The earthquake had subsided. However, screams echoed once again. When she looked out of the carriage, smoke was billowing in the distance. Due to the earthquake, a flame had ignited. People were running away.

Melissa jumped out of the carriage when she saw a child under the rubble.

She tried to lift the heavy rubble with all her might.

“Lord Jill…! Pull this child out…!”

Jill, who had been left absent-minded, regained his sense at Melissa’s yell. He scooped up the fainted child. Before he noticed it, Melissa had run to another place.

“Lord Jill, this one, too!”

Melissa went to a fallen woman and tried to stop her bleeding.

Even during a time like this…

Jill felt nostalgic.

He had always been proud of Melissa who prioritized the lives of those around her over herself.

“That’s why you’re…”

Melissa, while running around, gave proper instructions, evacuated people to the safe place, and asked for help.

By the time the sun went down, the fire had subsided. Melissa was willing to get dirty with dust and sweat. Finally, she was able to sit down on the ground.

---

***T/N:

She tried to lift the heavy rubble with all her might.

Behold, the power of muscle.

F, fuq, so she’s a saint in more way than one, huh?! Damn, I love it when Author actually provides reason for us to like the heroine in a ‘show don’t tell’ way… I’ll end up simping for Melissa at this rate…!!!! //starts dyeing her hair blonde

Also, ‘Monett Daywiz’… that naming style is straight up pulled from Ace Attorney.

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