“How to live a kind life?”
“Yes.”
Lubella blinked her eyes. She didn’t expect him to ask such a question. Even Weig looked at Zich with curiosity. In his own way, Zich was really serious.
‘Even if I want to live a kind life, I don’t know the first thing about being kind. When I hit and destroy things, I don’t have to think about anything, so it is convenient.’
For most of his life, Zich lived however he wanted. Even if he wanted to ‘live a kind life,’ he couldn’t think of ways to achieve that goal. So far, he acted according to whatever random ideas popped up in his mind, but he wasn’t sure if his actions were really along the lines of ‘living kindly.’
‘This woman might be able to at least tell me where I can start.’
Before Zich regressed, she had been a Saint. Even though she was not a Saint right now, being selected as a candidate for Karuwiman’s Saint position was a daunting task. From a young age, she must have possessed the main qualification of the Saint, which was kindness—a quality that Zich thought was not so different from stupidity.
“Hmm, so about that…”
Lubella did not know how to answer. To live a kind life—the question was too broad to give a thorough answer.
“Before I answer, can you tell me why you are asking me this question?”
“Someone suggested that I should try living a kind life for once. But I once lived a pretty rough life, so it’s hard for me to grasp what exactly I should do.”
Zich indirectly confessed that he had lived a bad life. However, Lubella praised him instead of rebuking him.
“That’s really impressive. It must have been a challenge to try to change your trajectory in life.”
As a characteristic among kind people, she tended to think positively about everything.
“There are many ways to live a kind life. Is there something that you are good at?”
“I’m good at destroying things.”
“I-is that so?”
Seeing how Lubella was taken back, Weig quietly laughed. They could perceive Zich’s character from his few words.
“So, am I right to assume that you are proficient in tasks that utilize your physical strength?”
“Yes, you can say it like that.”
“Then what about helping people who are in need?”
“People who are in need?”
“Yes. There are many different ways to be kind. But fundamentally, I think a kind act is an act that gives happiness to another person, no matter how small or big it is.”
“An act that gives happiness to another person…”
It was an area that Zich had no experience in—no, a lot of contrasting experience in. Although Zich had made many people cry tears of blood, he had never made another individual happy.
“Since you said you are good at tasks that involve physical strength, why don’t you help people in that way?”
“So, I just have to help people who are in need?”
“Yes. If you start doing that, won’t you be able to slowly grasp the concept of kind acts?”
Zich nodded his head.
“Thank you for your advice.”
“No, I am happy that I could be of help to someone who is trying to change their life. I will pray for your blessing to Karuna.”
Receiving a blessing in the name of Karuna sent chills down Zich’s back. However, he didn’t show this at all and received Lubella’s blessing while constantly repeating in his mind that he was no longer an enemy of Karuwiman.
Zich stepped down from the carriage and returned to flat ground.
“For what reason did you go up there, sir?”
With curiosity in his eyes, Hans looked up at Zich. He seemed to still have a lot of interest in Lubella.
“Nothing much. I just asked how I can live a kind life.”
“How to live a kind life, sir?”
‘Wait, was that crazy statement for real?’
Hans had definitely heard Zich say that before they left Steelwall, but it was so nonsensical that Hans had long since erased it from his mind.
“Why, are you so surprised?”
“I-I’m not surprised, sir!”
Even though he was obviously lying, Hans fervently denied it. He could not say that he was surprised because it didn’t fit Zich at all.
“Why, does it not fit me?”
“O-of course not, sir.”
Hans’ mouth began to feel parched. He glanced at Zich’s face. However, contrary to his expectation, Zich’s mood seemed alright. Zich moved the firewood around and began humming after starting a fire.
Hans felt relieved that Zich was probably not going to hit him; feeling that the atmosphere was cordial, Hans asked Zich another question.
“What did she say to you, sir?”
“She told me to help people in need. After I told her I was good at destroying things, she told me that it would be good for me to help people by using my physical strength.”
“…”
It was a perfect fit for someone like Zich. Even though Hans had spent more years with the Zich who couldn’t even speak back to a servant and desperately sought for his father’s love, the recent Zich had made such a significant impact on Hans that he could only remember Zich as he was now—a dictator who tried to solve all problems with power and violence.
‘Well, maybe things will get better since Sir Zich received advice from the holy lady, and it really does seem like he wants to perform kind acts.’
But even while he thought this, Hans could not help but look at Zich with suspicion.
* * *
Karuwiman’s Saint was the poster child for the family. For that reason, the process of being a Saint was complicated and lengthy, and one of the steps was to do what Lubella was going through right now such as: traveling around the world and listening to the views and thoughts of a diverse group of people.
“Let’s start.”
Once again, Lubella started the carriage after listening, comforting, and blessing a large number of people in a village.
“Are you tired?”
“Yes, I’m a bit tired.”
At Weig’s question, Lubella gave a strained smile. However, as if she was bringing out the last bit of her remaining energy, she raised her two fists.
“But as Karuna’s follower, I have to obey Karuna’s teachings and always try to do my best. Even though I can’t do much for people, I can at least comfort them. My tiredness is a trivial matter.”
“You will also have a higher chance of being selected as the Saint.”
“Sir Weig.”
Weig laughed at Lubella’s rebuking tone.
“Fufufu, it seems that as I get older, I become less thoughtful.”
“Stop teasing me.”
“I apologize.”
Weig lowered his head with great formality.
“But it is true that you will have a higher chance of being selected.”
“I am not doing this because I want to become a Saint!”
“And that type of attitude makes you more suitable for the Saint role.”
Lubella could not beat Weig in a conversation since the man had gone through all sorts of adversities and knew how to be cunning. Lubella pouted and turned her head away.
‘She is still young.’
Her emotions were clearly visible. He could not criticize her for it since she had lived inside a small bubble all her life. Thus, this trip was necessary for her to gain experience and fix her naïve attitude.
‘But compared to the other candidates, she definitely fits the Saint role the most.’
Even as a Saint candidate, it did not mean that everyone was dutiful and kind like Lubella. For example, there were some people who made Weig wonder how the hell they passed the test. Compared to them, Lubella was basically an angel. But she also had some flaws.
‘She doesn’t have tenacity.’
“After this trip is over, you will be returning to the Church again.”
Weig said this out loud to test Lubella. He clicked his tongue after seeing Lubella’s expression darken.
“I’m repeating this again, Lady Lubella, but it’s not enough to just be patient and nice. As followers of Karuwiman, not only do we have to comfort people, but we also must protect them. So, we must have strong hearts.”
“…I know.”
Lubella heard this many times before, and she nodded to show that she understood. However, her voice was tiny.
‘It’s not easy.’
Physical abilities could be strengthened by training like mad, but mental fortitude was much more complicated. Speaking further about this topic only served to stress Lubella, so Weig switched to another topic.
“Now that I think about it, I’m wondering if our friend is doing well.”
“Our friend?”
“You know, that young man who asked you to teach him how to be kind.”
“Ah!”
Memories flooded back to Lubella. It was not an old memory, so it was easy for her to remember.
“I was really surprised then. I didn’t expect someone to ask a question like that.”
“Yes, but it seemed like it was important for that young man.”
As the Holy Knights strictly protected Lubella, a person needed a lot of courage to even ask to meet her.
“I also think so. His eyes were very serious when he asked me. I want to find out if my advice was helpful to him and how he is working towards his goal.”
Lubella quietly prayed to herself that he would find light in his path.
* * *
The followers of Karuwiman arrived in the large city. They first secured a place to stay, and since they were in a big city, they visited a shrine for Karuwiman. But as Lubella was in the process of traveling around the world as a Saint candidate, they could not use the shrine for their own means and Lubella went out of her lodging with a couple of Holy Knights. Even in the city, she had to see how people lived firsthand and interact with them.
However, Weig, her closest bodyguard, was nowhere to be found. Weig had received an order from the Church, so he was absent for a bit.
“Let’s try going over there.”
Lubella pointed to a dark alley with a few people. From a glance, it looked dangerous, so the Holy Knights had conflicted expressions on their faces. However, no one could stop her since this journey’s purpose was for Lubella to see even the lowest points of what this world had to offer.
The Holy Knights hoped that nothing eventful would happen. However, contrary to their wishes, menacing cries came out of the alley.
“P-please save me!”
“I told you that I will spare your life if you just give me the item! Why can’t you listen!”
Punch! Punch!
“Agh! Arghh!”
Fearful cries, threatening voices, and the sound of hard fists hitting flesh echoed down the alley. It was easy to understand the situation.
Without hesitation, Lubella and the Holy Knights hurried to the alleyway.
“Stop!”
The first Holy Knight to arrive shouted in the direction of the cries. At once, the punching sound ceased. Lubella arrived a little later and began to assess the situation. The first thing she saw was a person collapsed on the floor. Seeing that the person’s face was puffy in different areas and blood was flowing out from his lips and nose, it was apparent that he was hit many times. With tears in his eyes, the man looked at Lubella and the Holy Knight as if they were his saviors.
Then, Lubella shifted her eyes towards the offenders. There were four of them. Seeing their ungainly appearance and manners, they looked like gangsters or thugs. The offenders seemed to be taken back by Lubella and the Holy Knight’s appearance—all except for one person.
“Oh? Is it not Lady Lubella and the Holy Knights? What sort of business brings all of you here?”
“You…!”
Lubella was shocked. The person who was leading this violent attack—was Zich!
“I didn’t think that we would be reunited this soon. Can I ask you what reason made you come here in such a hurry?”
“What reason?”
At Zich’s shameless attitude, Lubella was left speechless. But she soon regained her composure and screamed, “So that I can help save people obviously! I should be asking what you are doing! Did you not tell me that you wanted to live kindly? Then what are you doing right now!”
It had really been a long time since Lubella was so angry, but Zich tilted his head as if he could not understand why, and that angered her.
“But I’m acting according to your advice?”
“In what way are you following my advice!”
“You told me to give my services to people who need help.”
Zich pointed at the three thugs behind him.
“That’s why I’m helping people who need my help.”
‘I-I told him to help people who are in need, so he is helping thugs?’
Again, Lubella was left speechless by Zich’s outrageous, almost ingenious, interpretation of her words.