Chapter 27: Ant Nest (2)

The orphanage yard had turned from chaos into a full-on gambling ring. The kids were now sitting around Camilla and me in a circle, their wide, gleaming eyes fixed on us with anticipation. They excitedly placed their bets.

“Two candies on Sister Camilla!”

“Me too! Me too!”

“Hmph! You fools. I’m betting on the underdog! Three candies on the gray-haired guy!”

“Haah? That’s why you always lose your snacks! You have to play it safe here!”

“No way! A real man always bets on the long shot!”

“Tch! What kind of man are you when you don’t even have hair on your balls yet?”

“U-ugh! Take that back right now!”

Camilla was flustered, clearly not expecting things to have spiraled like this. “W-what is even happening right now?”

She turned to Iris, silently pleading for help, but Iris was no help at all. In fact, Iris was right in the middle of the kids, fanning the flames of excitement. “I’m putting ten candies on Dale!”

The kids gasped in awe at the unexpected high roller crashing their gambling ring.

“T-ten?!”

“Ugh! The power of an adult’s wallet is on a whole other level!”

Camilla and I locked eyes. A deep sigh escaped both of our lips at the same time.

“Looks like we don’t have a choice, huh?”

“Yeah, there’s no backing out now.”

Even if all Seven Gods descended upon us, getting out of this situation would be impossible.

“Fine by me.” Camilla pointed a crude wooden sword, whittled from a branch, at me, eyes blazing with determination. “Honestly, I’ve been wanting to test myself against you anyway.”

I chuckled and stood, picking up a similar wooden sword lying nearby. “We’re not using mana, right?”

“Of course not.”

“Got it.”

In a pure sword fight without mana, the outcome was obvious: I would win. It wasn’t that I looked down on Camilla’s skill. She was a prodigy, good enough to be considered a future candidate for the Sword of the Holy Empire. Among pure swordsmen, even without using mana, she ranked within the top ten at the academy.

But that was all. No matter how gifted she was, there was no way she could beat me without using mana. The gap between us was far too wide. It had to be. For thousands of years, while I had probably not sprinted ahead, I had never stopped walking. Even if the road before me seemed endless, I never once looked back. Even if I was lacking, clumsy, or incomplete, I never once let go of the sword in my hand.

“I’m coming.” Camilla dashed forward. She moved at a speed far beyond what she’d shown when sparring with the kids.

Wooden swords clashed with loud, explosive sounds. Even without the use of mana, a duel between people blessed with soul stigmatas was too fast for normal eyes to follow. Nevertheless, the children cheered wildly as the fierce battle unfolded before them.

“Whoa, whoaaa!”

“This is crazy!”

“I can’t even see the swords!”

Camilla’s sword slashed through the air like a gale. Her technique was straightforward and honest, befitting a warrior of the Holy Empire—no tricks, no flair; just raw, tight precision, with no openings to exploit.

It was more impressive than I had expected. If there was ever a perfect example of the phrase “mastery of the basics,” it was this. There were no dazzling feints and no flowing grace to mesmerize the eye; it was just pure, unyielding swordsmanship honed to perfection. Nonetheless, her sword was still far too light to bear the weight of the life I had carried within mine.

I deflected her downward slash and instantly closed the distance, ramming her shoulder with my own.

Camilla staggered backward, feet skidding along the dirt. Breathing hard, she glared at me with a fierce expression. “You…”

The kids erupted at the unexpected turn of events.

“Sister Camilla’s losing!”

“See? I told you the underdog would win!”

Camilla’s eyes trembled as she glanced at their excited, noisy faces. Then, one little girl, eyes welling up with tears, asked softly, “Are you losing, Big Sis?”

Camilla steadied her breathing and raised her wooden sword again. Then with an unwavering gaze, she firmly said, “I will win.”

I grinned and twitched my wooden sword in a teasing challenge. With a powerful yell, Camilla charged again. Her sword strikes were even more aggressive this time, like a storm rolling in. Then, her wooden sword knocked mine clean out of my hand. Camilla’s eyes went wide in disbelief.

The kids roared like it was a festival, dancing and shouting in celebration of Camilla’s victory.

“Yaaay!”

“Big Sis won!”

“Nooo!”

“See, you fools?! The favorite wins, every time!”

“Pay up! Hand over those candies!”

In contrast to them, the so-called victor just stood there in silence, face stiff, lips tightly pressed together as she gripped her sword.

I clicked my tongue. So, she figured out that I let her win.

I had made a conscious effort to hold back just enough not to make it obvious, but I guess it wasn’t enough. Still, I couldn’t exactly go all out and crush her. I was just a visitor here, but Camilla was a hero to these kids—their fairy-tale warrior, their unshakable protector. I couldn’t shatter that image in front of them.

At that moment, Iris said to the kids, “Alright, everyone! It’s almost lunchtime, so let’s put those candies away for now.”

The kids became a little disappointed.

“Aww!”

“Okaaay!”

“Hehe. Today’s lunch is going to be extra special, so look forward to it,” Iris added.

Their eyes sparkled like stars at the mention of a special meal.

“Special? Like what?”

“What’d you bring, Sister Iris?”

Iris puffed up proudly and strutted over to me. “Dale, Dale! Can you cook the ramen we bought earlier?”

So, that was why she bought the ramen before we came, I realized.

“We’ll need a pretty big pot to make enough for everyone,” I said.

“Don’t worry! We’ve got a huge one we use for stew!” Iris replied.

“Alright then.”

We had already entertained their eyes with a sword fight. Now, it was time to treat their taste buds.

I looked at Iris. “I’ll make it perfect. You can take a break.”

“Nope! I’ll help too!” Iris insisted.

“Really? Okay then. Just open the packets and pour the seasoning into that bowl for me.”

Iris jumped in, full of enthusiasm. “Got it!”

However, aside from opening the packets in advance, there wasn’t much for her to help with. It was instant noodles, after all. Just boil water, add the soup base, toss in the noodles, and it would be ready.

As we waited for the water in the pot to boil, a quiet stillness settled over the kitchen.

Iris broke the silence first. “Dale, you mentioned earlier that you grew up in an orphanage, right?”

“Ah, yeah. Why?”

She hesitated for a moment, her lips parting slightly, and turned her gaze out the window. Outside, the children were already bursting with energy, laughing and chasing each other without a care in the world.

Her eyes lingered on the children, full of nostalgic warmth, and she said in a soft voice, “Actually, I also grew up in an orphanage, before I became the Saintess. It was Father Antonio who raised me back then.”

“Ah!”

So, that was the connection between them, I thought.

The occasional coarse words that slipped out of her mouth made sense now. Having grown up in an orphanage, she had likely learned to swear early on, like many kids without parents, as it was just another way to defend oneself.

“Then, on my tenth birthday, I realized I had a special power in my eyes,” she said.

“You mean those ‘Seven Eyes’ you showed me before?”

“Yes.”

They were the unmistakable mark of a Saintess, blessed by the Seven Gods.

“From that moment on, my life changed completely. I swapped my shabby clothes for priestly robes made from fine fabric. I traded a cold, cramped room for one that was warm and spacious. Of course, in return, I had to give up my surname.”

“You gave up your surname?” It surprised me.

“My surname used to be Flora. Father Antonio gave it to me, named after my late mother. But the church has a rule: A Saintess is a ‘child of the gods’ and, thus, must not bear a surname.”

And so, she had cast aside her mother’s name and become a child of the gods.

“Even now, I wonder if I didn’t have these eyes, what kind of life would I be living?” Her gaze was distant, carrying a sorrow she couldn’t quite hide.

I didn’t know what to say. “That’s…”

She let out a bitter laugh, the kind that held a hint of self-mockery. “Pfft! I know, I know. It’s a bit of a privileged thing to say, right? I’ve gained a peaceful, comfortable life without any struggle, all because of these eyes.”

An awkward silence returned once more. I turned to her and quietly asked, “Are you sure it’s okay to tell me all this?”

A Saintess of the Holy Empire, born and raised in an orphanage—if that truth ever got out, it could seriously damage her sacred image.

“I trust you, Dale,” she replied firmly, with not even a flicker of doubt in her voice.

Why did she trust me so deeply? I stared at her, confused.

Iris offered a sheepish smile and scratched her head. “To be honest, I’m not entirely sure why myself. I don’t usually open up to people so easily. That’s not really who I am. For some reason, when I’m around you, it feels like I’ve known you for a very long time. It’s a bit cliché, but it’s like we’re connected from a past life or something.”

I stared at her in shock.

She grinned and playfully poked my cheek. “Oh! Don’t give me that look. I know how silly it sounds. Anyway, I just felt like you were someone I could tell. So, don’t go telling anyone else, okay?”

I nodded stiffly, like a broken puppet. “Ah! yeah.”

“All right, I’ll go call the kids now! The ramen should be ready!” With a bright smile, she dashed out of the kitchen.

Left alone, I stared out the window where Iris had gone and clenched my fist tightly. The time we had shared. The feelings between us. I thought all of it had melted away, like snowflakes touching skin. But it hadn’t disappeared. It was still there. Just like how a snowflake left behind a droplet of water, even though the memory had faded, it had left behind a trace of itself as a glistening bead of nostalgia.

Suddenly, I heard Iris say from the outside, “Hey, Dale! Bring out the pot, please!”

I pushed back the swell of emotions rising in my chest, picked up the pot, and walked out.

***

Just as I expected, the ramen was a massive hit with the kids. They eagerly scooped it into their bowls, slurping it down with a frenzy.

“This! This is ramen?”

“Whoa, this is insane!”

“It’s so good!”

“Ugh, I’m jealous of the Republic! All we ever get are bland veggies!”

Father Antonio frowned, clearly unimpressed by the children’s enthusiasm. “Hmph! What’s so great about some junk food?”

“Father Antonio, please try some.”

After a few tentative bites, however, he let out a cough and hurried to get his own bowl of ramen.

As everyone enjoyed their noisy and cheerful lunch, Camilla sat in silence, staring blankly at her empty bowl. I walked over and quietly sat down beside her. “Still upset about earlier?”

She looked at me and said, “You…”

“Sorry. I had to hold back. I couldn’t exactly beat you in front of the kids,” I explained. For someone like her, a warrior even before a cadet, the idea of her opponent letting her win was probably nothing short of humiliating.

She shook her head, her face filled with self-reproach. “No, it’s not your fault. It’s my lack of skill.”

I knew that if I tried to console her by saying something like she was already strong enough, she would take it as mockery. Therefore, it was better to give her a push instead. That was why I said, “So what? You’re just going to sulk forever because you lost once?”

“What did you say?!”

“Wow! And here I thought the next Sword of the Holy Empire would have more backbone,” I added.

“You! Shut your mouth!” Camilla leaped to her feet, jabbing her chopsticks at me. “Just you wait! Next time, I’ll wipe that smug grin off your face!”

“Sure. I’ll be looking forward to it.” I smiled, watching her fume and grumble.

The children spotted us sitting together and rushed over, their eyes gleaming with excitement.

“Hey! That duel earlier between you and Sister Camilla was amazing!”

“Yeah, totally!”

“It felt like we were watching real heroes clash!”

One boy, who looked like a mischievous little rascal, gave us a sly grin. “Hey, don’t you guys kind of look good together?”

The others agreed.

“Hmm? Now that you mention it…”

“I mean, come on! You saw how in sync they were while fighting!”

“Yeah, they really matched each other’s moves.”

The boy was relentless in trying to pair us up. “You’re dating, right? Right?!”

“Leo,” Iris said in a low voice.

“Huh? Sister Iris, don’t you agree with me?” Leo replied.

Iris walked over with a gentle smile and ruffled Leo’s hair. “Come with me for a second, will you?”

“Eh? Why?” Leo asked.

“Just come.” She took him by the hand and led him off somewhere.

About five minutes later, Leo returned and quickly said, “O-on second thought, Sister Camilla and Mr. Dale don’t look good together at all!”

“But earlier you said…”

Leo cried out, face pale and eyes brimming with tears. “No, I was wrong! Totally wrong! If anything, Sister Iris and Mr. Dale are a way better match!”

I let out a deep sigh as I looked at the trembling boy. Iris, what the hell did you do to that poor kid?

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