To Hell with Being a Saint, I’m a Doctor

As they stepped on the tiny fragments of ice and arrived at the shore, the Guardians and Iriel gasped for breath.

“Huff… Huff…”

“Are we…have we arrived? Heave…”

After traversing the treacherous sea, the sensation of stepping onto land was indescribable.

Was this what it felt like to walk in heaven?

Even just collapsing onto the sandy beach brought an involuntary smile to their faces.

The sight of them laughing like mad increased the vigilance of the guards.

With smooth movements, they drew their swords from their waists, radiating an intimidating aura, and asked,

“Where do you come from? No, how did you get here?”

“We came by boat, then ran from up ahead.”

“You expect us to believe that?”

Believe it or not, it didn’t matter.

As Ray shrugged his shoulders, he muttered briefly,

“We can’t send intruders back down the mountain. We’ll deal with them here.”

One of them said this as he brandished his aura sword, while another hesitated in the back.

The remaining guard also appeared puzzled.

“Something’s off, very off.”

“What’s wrong now?”

“Look, don’t they seem familiar to us?”

“Huh?”

As they sniffed the air, a familiar scent reached their noses.

“…Are you saying they’re of the same kind?”

“It seems like it.”

“You should have said that earlier!”

After their brief discussion, they sheathed their swords and approached Ray in a friendly manner.

“I almost sliced you. Never seen your face before. Hahaha, please forgive this misunderstanding.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Wow, what a generous guy! Let’s head back to the mountains.”

One of them slung an arm around Ray and guided him away, while the other drew his sword again.

His attitude towards Ray was worlds apart.

He spoke in a cold tone,

“You can’t pass. Don’t even think about closing your eyes in the Hero’s Land. Your bodies will be thrown far into the sea.”

“What, what did you say?”

Ray then addressed the man beside him.

“These are friends who happened to come with us. I’d prefer if we could avoid confrontation.”

“These worthless weaklings?”

Suddenly, the two Sushinwi, known as representatives of God and protectors of the Saint and the Saintess, were deemed insignificant weaklings.

The man nodded and sheathed his sword with a lack of enthusiasm.

“It’s not a big deal. But if they make even a slight move there, I can’t guarantee anything. As you know, I have my own duties.”

“Thanks.”

“And… we’ll hear the story of those with you in the mountains.”

The other man, seemingly less sharp, awkwardly let out a laugh.

“Hahaha… Let’s not fight among ourselves.”

“…I was too sensitive. Sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“What a magnanimous person!”

The lively guard thumped his back and led them into the forest.

As the two disappeared, the remaining man fiddled with his sword.

He seemed anxious to eliminate any potential threats.

Iriel sighed as she watched his retreating figure.

“Hurry back. Something seems bound to happen.”

Looking around, he wanted to contemplate the idea of being of a hero’s lineage, but the relentless barrage of questions forced him to abandon his thoughts.

“Huh, so you crossed that sea to get here?”

The curiosity in their eyes was almost overwhelming.

“We were originally outside. Had to do some pretty outrageous things to get in here.”

“For all that, you seem pretty unscathed.”

As they talked, they began to see more and more large houses.

The houses, built of wood, were impeccably joined as if crafted by a skilled artisan.

‘It looks like a village.’

The streets were clean, and there were several scenic spots nearby.

The sanitation was exceptionally well maintained.

The place had an overall well-organized feel.

After about twenty minutes of walking, they saw a wooden house on a hilltop.

It was slightly larger than the others.

The man knocked on the door.

“Are you there? I need to talk to you for a moment.”

Soon, a woman emerged, yawning.

“Talk? At this hour? Are you asking for a beating?”

“Same as ever. Can we talk inside?”

“Who said you could come in? Let’s talk outside.”

At her words, the man nodded and replied,

“This guy here seems like he’s from the outside.”

“Outside?”

“Yes, beyond that sea.”

“What nonsense. Are you still half asleep?”

The man braced himself against her pitying gaze.

“It’s true! If you don’t believe me, smell him.”

Ray was horrified.

Since when do people identify others by smell!

Before he could voice his objection, the woman sniffed him.

“Ah, it’s true! A similar yet different smell!”

“Step back now. I’ll wear out.”

“Your scent is different, cleaner and fresher than his grimy stench.”

“What did you say!”

The woman, chuckling, pushed him away, her laughter echoing as she retreated.

“Go back. The conversation from here on isn’t for you.”

“But…”

“Go. This is an order from your superior.”

Unable to contest her stern tone, he hesitated, then sealed his lips and bowed his head.

“I’ll take my leave.”

As he trudged away down the hill, the woman mused aloud,

“Saein and Eil, huh. You bear a striking resemblance to both. You must be their child.”

Despite her sharp observation, Ray showed no sign of surprise.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“…Let’s go inside for now.”

After opening the door and gesturing inside, his expression was so grave it looked as though he might attack at any moment.

Ray tensed his muscles, prepared to counterattack, and entered the house.

‘Could he be quite formidable?’

He seemed far more capable than the guards they had previously encountered.

The subtle flow of mana around him was so refined that it tingled against the skin.

As soon as they were inside, she locked the door and swiftly reached out from behind.

Her small hands were charged with destructive mana.

‘It would be problematic to get caught.’

Ray ducked to evade the grab, then looked up to see the stern-faced woman standing before him.

“Why are you dodging?”

It was natural for him to dodge when someone swung at him with the intent to crush.

She swung her hand again.

Her hands traced a mystic curve, aiming for his shoulders and hips.

He pressed down on his elbow and ducked diagonally, narrowly missing her strike once more.

“Wow! You dodged that! Blood doesn’t lie after all!”

“Why are you doing this to me?”

“I’m just happy to see you!”

“Happy, my foot! You’re trying to kill me!”

Their conversation continued amidst the skirmish.

It took a while before they could have a proper conversation.

Sitting at the dining table, furrowing her brow, was Hael.

She was apparently an old friend of Eil and Saein.

They used to play together, but it seemed she had been left alone at some point.

As Hael listened to Ray’s story, she asked, confused.

“So… you’re the child of Eil and Saein who went outside… but why did you come back here?”

“To take everyone outside.”

“…What?”

“The world is peaceful, so there’s no need for us to stay hidden. It’s excessive to always wait here just because the gods said so.”

He argued that it was too much for someone who had eliminated all the dangers of the continent alone.

“So you’re saying we should revolt against the gods?”

“Revolt sounds harsh. Let’s just say we’re resisting a little.”

“Hahaha, that’s funny. But it’s impossible.”

She shook her head.

“Impossible, you say? Let me ask. What were you planning to do by taking us out?”

Her lips smiled, but her eyes were somber.

Ray smiled back and replied.

“The Goddess Priyas created a ‘lineage’ to birth a hero. But now, you can never become heroes, even if you spend your entire lives trying. I’ve eliminated the last threat. Essentially, you no longer have any purpose for the Goddess Priyas.”

“…So?”

Her voice lost its previous strength.

“So, I’ll help you become heroes in a different way. The Goddess Priyas’s purpose is ‘the birth of heroes and peace in the world.’ So as long as the result is achieved, doesn’t the process matter?”

“…….”

Despite his words, Hael’s expression remained unchanged.

“That goes against the rules of the mountains. It’s not something I can decide. Simply put, we can’t leave.”

“This is frustrating. We don’t have to stay here, do we?”

“But we can’t just leave this place either.”

She spoke while stroking the table, her expression inexplicably forlorn.

Ray sighed and muttered to himself.

“Ah, this is like being trapped in a cage, not even like a bird.”

He spent the night at Hael’s house.

Starting the next day, he tried to converse and engage with those he met along the way, but he couldn’t think of any effective plan.

One thing he could sense was that they lived like dogs tied to the leash of discipline.

“Tsk tsk. These people are so closed-minded.”

Ray, an advocate for open thinking, clicked his tongue in disapproval.

If things continued this way, he wouldn’t be able to achieve his goal and would have to return.

Before the waterway closed, he had to find a way to persuade them.

There’s no place where money and fists don’t talk.

Especially in a place focused on training in strength, this should be even more true.

“Today’s training almost drove me insane. I can’t stand it without drowning in alcohol.”

“It’s harsh because of the times we’re living in.”

As they exchanged drinks at a village corner, a young man approached, his face covered with a suspicious mask.

His steps were unsteady as if he were drunk, making the two young men chuckle.

“Looks like that guy had a tough day too. Training’s unbearable without a drink.”

“Hahaha. Hey, careful, or you’ll break your nose! Walk safely!”

The masked man loudly muttered in a drunken voice.

“Why was I born on this damn island! If I were born outside, I’m sure things would be better! What is this, we’re not livestock, trapped on an island for hundreds of years! I want to go outside at least once!”

“……”

“……”

Amidst the awkward silence, the two young men resumed their drinking.

“So it’s not just me who thinks like that. Hahaha…”

“It is that difficult, indeed. I, too, wish to see what the outside world is like, even just a glimpse.”

They licked their lips and looked out at the sea.