Love Letter From The Future

Like most humans, the everyday life of the Lady Virgin Saint was also quite similar.

She would wake up at dawn and offer her prayers. After that, she would have her meal and head to the temple to care for the patients. Then she would attend lectures, read scriptures, pray again, and continue to care for patients.

It was a life like a hamster running on a wheel. However, the Lady Virgin Saint had never held any grievances about it.

Compared to her childhood in the orphanage, trembling from cold and hunger, any life was better than that.

Her sleeping quarters were warm, meals were served on time, and every passerby looked up to her with eyes filled with reverence. It was treatment she could not have even imagined in the past.

She felt a certain pride in that. Having grown up without the love of parents as an orphan, she was subtly thirsty for recognition.

Although her public persona was known to be kind and gentle, such a naive disposition could not thrive in the political arena of the Holy Kingdom. Contrary to popular belief, the Lady Virgin Saint was calculating and intelligent.

That didn’t mean she was deceiving the public. She simply showed only a particular side of herself.

Her concern for the patients was genuine. The Lady Virgin Saint always dedicated herself to providing the best treatment and sometimes secretly treated patients who couldn’t afford care.

The status of “Lady Virgin” did not confine her to the Academy.

When she went outside, the masses were everywhere, wanting to grab at least a piece of her clothing. Most of them were the poor who could not visit the temple.

But wasn’t the grace of God supposed to be equitable, like sunshine?

Of course, divine power was also a limited resource. She was aware that it was important to allocate it appropriately. Nonetheless, sometimes the world was unbearably cruel to the weak.

To be in a position where they had to wait for death when they could live after receiving treatment.

She had once starved and trembled in the cold as a child. It was hard to ignore that pain.

She didn’t overextend herself. She would only do her best within her limits.

However, that level of effort was sufficient to earn the respect of the thirsty masses.

“Did you hear? The Lady Virgin recently visited the neighboring village…”

“How can she be so kindhearted? Bestowing grace even upon us common folk!”

Before long, the Lady Virgin’s name began to spread widely among the people.

It was funny. For the Saint, treating a patient was as simple as a gesture. It was such a simple task, yet the masses praised her as if she had endured a tremendous sacrifice.

While she inwardly scoffed at this, the Lady Virgin did not show her true feelings.

As her fame rose among the saints, her influence grew tremendously. There was no particular reason to refuse it. Thus, her good deeds always combined both goodwill and calculation in equal parts.

The same applied to how she dealt with people. That day, as usual, the Lady Virgin was walking towards the temple when she encountered a familiar man standing by a quiet corner.

He was a man with black hair and golden eyes. Ian Fercurus, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, seemed to have been waiting for her.

As soon as she saw him, the Lady Virgin smiled. He was the person she had been most interested in approaching recently.

He had suddenly begun to gain high recognition. It felt like all incidents at the Academy revolved around him. Along with his impressive skills that had rapidly improved over time.

There was no harm in becoming friends with him. Additionally, the Lady Virgin had a subtle curiosity about him.

She had seen a few people who were kind to both nobles and commoners. After all, the Lady Virgin was one of those people.

However, it was rare to find a noble willing to risk their life to save a common girl. In fact, it was the first time she had ever seen such a thing.

The Lady Virgin was also a woman. And although she didn’t show it, she felt a sense of inferiority from her label as an orphan.

She couldn’t help but feel fondness for a man who treated others sincerely regardless of social status. Moreover, it was amusing to notice him sneaking glances at her body each time they met.

The Lady Virgin was aware. She knew how attractive her body was to him.

That often made her uncomfortable. Every time she received the lewd gazes of incompetent men driven by lust, she felt a strong urge to pray for divine punishment upon them. Compared to those men, Ian was a breath of fresh air.

He was a capable man. And capable humans were of great use, so keeping them close was beneficial. Her appearance could also serve as a tool for this.

If she subtly showed some affection, there would be many men, their eyes clouded with illusions, ready to devote everything to her. It wouldn’t be bad if Ian became one of them.

Of course, after observing him for a while, she realized Ian was not that pitiful of a man.

Still, it was better to show her fondness. Men had a tendency to instinctively protect women who showed them kindness.

Thus, the Lady Virgin’s attitude towards Ian could be summarized in two points.

Half fondness, half calculative purpose.

In either case, there was no reason not to smile. She greeted Ian with a warm smile.

“What a coincidence, Brother Ian. Meeting a familiar face like this is also the grace of the Heavenly Deity, Emmanuel.”

However, today there was something strange about the man’s gaze.

His typically vibrant golden eyes seemed devoid of life. There was only fatigue apparent in them.

The Lady Virgin hesitated for a moment. She felt like she had seen that kind of gaze somewhere before.

Yes, soldiers who had fought for a long time often wore such gazes. Veterans on the front lines, battling the endless monsters.

They were the ones fighting the monsters that were humanity’s enemy. She had been sent to the front lines a few times to treat the wounded, so she recognized it. Those were the eyes of someone who had overcome countless deaths.

But how?

She had heard Ian Fercurus had only recently engaged in monster hunting for the first time.

To have defeated more than ten monsters including high-ranking ones on his first hunt was a terrifying talent. But talent alone could not substitute for all experiences.

That kind of gaze could only be forged through countless experiences crossing death’s threshold.

While the Lady Virgin was lost in thought, the man detached himself from the wall he was leaning against. He then walked slowly in front of her.

He would normally have stolen a glance at the Lady Virgin’s breasts, but there was no sign of that kind of leisure about him right now.

Instead, he spoke in a tired voice,

“Lady Virgin, may we talk for a moment, just the two of us?”

He suggested plainly.

The Lady Virgin pondered for a moment. For a man and woman to converse alone indicated that their relationship had progressed to that point. Normally, she would have gladly accepted such an invitation.

However, Ian’s demeanor felt strange at that moment. It was triggering her survival instincts.

He was a dangerous man. There was a strong scent of blood about him. It was not a refined sense. It was an instinct that precisely sensed factors that pricked her unconscious.

Her deliberation didn’t last long. After a moment of hesitation, the Lady Virgin decided to follow her instincts.

A voice tinged with regret soon slipped from her lips.

“Thank you for your kind words, Brother Ian. However, unfortunately, I am busy with my next appointment…”

“Have you hidden the book well under the bed?”

The Lady Virgin’s words cut off abruptly.

She froze, almost as if she had seen something terrifying. Instead, she fixed her alert gaze on Ian.

There were no emotions in his eyes. He spoke as if he were merely reciting something expected, with a blank expression.

So, she couldn’t trust him even more. What he was reciting contained her greatest secret, one even Yulen was unaware of.

“You have a unique taste. Preferably focusing on content about women being bound by men to engage in sexual relations…”

“…Stop it!”

In the end, the Lady Virgin could not restrain herself and shouted. Her light pink eyes trembled violently. Her face had already turned bright red.

Clenching her fists, she trembled with the humiliation that crossed the limits. Her pupils were spinning in distress. The Lady Virgin soon raised her voice.

“That’s sacrilege! It’s blasphemy! I’m disappointed, Brother Ian! I will have you brought before the Inquisition!”

“No, I’m talking about a book that you read, Lady Virgin…”

“Ah, anyway!”

The Lady Virgin hastily interrupted Ian’s words. Then, worried that someone might overhear their conversation, she looked around and urgently grabbed Ian’s sleeve.

“…If that’s what you want, let’s change places!”

And thus, the Lady Virgin pulled Ian’s body, dragging him along. Ian simply watched silently as she led the way, then moved in accordance with her, as if he had no other choice.

This was how a secret meeting took place in the Sun’s Refuge.

“…So, why is Yulen here?”

It was a dull voice. On the second floor of the Sun’s Refuge, having entered the reception room, he glanced at the dry-framed man standing next to the Lady Virgin.

It was Yulen. He raised his hand, greeting them with his ever-smiling demeanor.

Ian did not return the greeting. He simply gazed at the Lady Virgin with a blank stare.

The Lady Virgin cleared her throat and started to explain.

“I apologize, Brother Ian. As you know, there are many who worry unnecessarily…”

In truth, it didn’t matter, but the Lady Virgin had brought Yulen along due to her instincts.

Her instincts kept ringing alarm bells every time she looked at that man. He was a predator, a beast that would not hesitate to sink its fangs into the nape of a target if necessary.

But there was also unease. She was afraid that Ian might bring up that ‘book under the bed’ story.

No matter how closely bonded the Lady Virgin and Yulen were, they didn’t share such secretive information. On the contrary, she was curious about where Ian had obtained such information.

A hint of wariness crept into the Lady Virgin’s pink eyes. She cautiously observed Ian, but he merely nodded as if indifferent.

Ian immediately got to the point. His tone was direct.

“Can you provide me with some information? An orphanage supported by the Holy Kingdom that is suffering from management difficulties and is located in the eastern part of the continent.”

And silence. The Lady Virgin looked at him with a puzzled expression.

She couldn’t figure out what he intended to use that information for, and most importantly, she couldn’t understand the motive that prompted him to ask the Lady Virgin for such information.

Of course, she had more than enough ability to collect such information. Her political influence within the Holy Kingdom was immense. However, aside from that, there was no reason to leak internal information of the Holy Kingdom to outsiders.

It was the same even for trivial information. The Lady Virgin sighed, her expression one of dismay.

“Brother Ian, no matter how close we are, I can’t provide you with internal information of the Holy Kingdom…”

“How is Archbishop Einadel doing?”

The sudden remark silenced her. That short statement was enough to close the Lady Virgin’s mouth. She looked at Ian as if to ask what he meant.

Ian fiddled with the teacup in front of him, lost in thought. Then, as if he had sorted out his thoughts, he spoke in his characteristic unemotional voice.

“I’ve heard that there are factions aiming for his downfall. He is soon to become a cardinal, and if he is to be compromised politically, that would be serious. Who’s moving behind the scenes?”

Dumbfounded, the eyes of the Lady Virgin and Yulen met in the void. Who could possibly wish to topple Archbishop Einadel? She knew full well.

It was her.

Archbishop Einadel was categorized as a conservative figure in the clergy. He had been clashing with the reforming-minded Lady Virgin for a long time.

Recently, she had received a tip-off regarding corruption from one of Einadel’s close aides and had discreetly begun moving in the shadows for his downfall.

This was a matter conducted in utmost secrecy. The Lady Virgin had never emerged in the political forefront of the Holy Kingdom. She had only planned and adjusted things from behind, gradually expanding her political influence.

But how?

In truth, this was not important. The real problem was that this secret must not leak out. She had to weed out not just Ian, but anyone who had leaked information to him, leaving her with no choice but to devise a new plan.

And there was only one way to do that.

She had to extract information from Ian by any means necessary, even if it required the use of violence.

So, at that moment, an unspoken agreement was formed between the Lady Virgin and Yulen.

“…Then let’s face it.”

A voice filled with fatigue echoed. The Lady Virgin and Yulen had been silent, so naturally, the source of that voice was narrowed down to one person.

Ian Fercurus, he continued to fiddle with his teacup. Once the gazes of the Lady Virgin and Yulen turned towards him, he finally shifted his golden eyes.

His eyes were cold yet calm; the man showed no sign of tension. That moment shook the Lady Virgin’s resolve.

She might have made a wrong judgment.

Yulen was a swordsman with exceptional skills. Assuming cooperation with the Lady Virgin, the possibility of losing felt almost impossible. Yet, gazing into that man’s golden eyes sent chills down her spine.

But it was already too late. As he brought the teacup to his lips, he made one last remark.

“After all, it seems like you were thinking of that without needing me to mention it.”

It was a clear provocation. In that case, there was no more time for hesitation.

Yulen’s sword, tracing rays of light, was fired straight at the teacup.

The beginning of a battle.

---