The Saint's Girl

"Wait here."

Yohan nodded after one of the knights ordered him to stop and wait in front of a large double door in the western part of the palace. There were many guards standing around in the area. They glanced at Yohan curiously but did not dare to say anything.

"Come in, the saint and the crown prince are inside."

Yohan widened his eyes. "Wait, the crown prince too?"

The knight roughly slapped away Yohan's palm holding his robe. "Don't touch me, otherworlder!" he shouted.

Yohan raised both hands while rolling his eyeballs. "Wow, relax, man."

When Yohan entered, Alastair was also inside and glanced at him. This was the first time he saw the crown prince's face up close. Previously, he had seen his face in the hall during the summoning, but he did not really pay attention to his face.

"Sit down, otherworlder. What is your name?" the crown prince asked.

"Yohan Dharmawijaya."

Yohan glanced at the high school girl who had accidentally dragged him into this land of nowhere. She had been wearing clothes from this country.

"My name is Destrian Nobert. I am the crown prince of this kingdom."

Yohan nodded. "Greetings, your highness."

"I am so glad you are well, Mr. Dharmawijaya. I was really worried when you collapsed and were covered in blood in the hall. Ah, my name is Kiara."

Yohan looked at the girl. "Calling me Yohan is fine," he said.

Yohan did not know why, but the atmosphere in this room really made him uncomfortable. He did not know what the purpose of the high school girl calling him here was, but if she was just worried about the condition of his wound, then he hoped this meeting would be over soon.

"Yohan, I want to see if-"

"Your Highness!"

Yohan and everyone else in the room turned their heads when a servant girl entered with a panicked expression.

"What is it, Tehanu?" the crown prince asked.

"Prince Elys fainted after vomiting blood. I've called a healer to check on him, but-ah, please forgive me."

The servant girl who reported the news only realized that there was someone else in the room.

The crown prince looked worried. "Alright, I'll go to his room." He then turned to Alastair, who had been standing in silence. "Alastair, please take care of the Saint."

Alastair bowed respectfully. "Yes, Your Highness."

After the crown prince left, the air in the room was a little lighter. Yohan did not know if he felt uncomfortable because of the crown prince, or if he was just reluctant to be in the room.

"Captain Alastair, sit here with us," Kiara called.

Alastair shook his head. "I'll just stand here, your holiness."

Kiara's face looked disappointed, but the girl tried to accept it. She looked back at Yohan and gave him a kind smile.

"What will you do here next, Mr. Yohan? Are you going to participate and help the kingdom?"

Yohan raised one eyebrow at the question. "I don't know, even if I stay quiet and lazy, this kingdom still has a responsibility to take care of me. I'm here because of them and you, right?"

Kiara's face looked surprised at Yohan's words. "W-What do you mean, Mr. Yohan? Are you blaming me?"

Yohan laughed softly. "No, I'm not. Don't make that face, I'm not blaming you. After all, it was me who decided to grab your hand when your body was sucked into the portal. I could have just left you."

Kira cleared her throat softly. "Are you really not going to do anything?"

"Hm, let's see, I was curious about the famous Nox area. Captain Indark offered me to join as a hunter. Maybe I can see how scary that always-dark area is."

Kiara widened her eyes. "Eh? Isn't that dangerous? What if something happens to you, Mr. Yohan?"

Yohan chuckled. "You should be worried about yourself, Miss."

"Huh?"

"Are you sure you're capable of saving this country?"

Yohan's question instantly made Kiara stop sipping her tea. The girl's face looked surprised and unhappy. Yohan knew that perhaps the girl had taken his question the wrong way and thought he was underestimating her.

"What do you mean, Mr. Yohan? Are you saying that I don't need to do it?"

Right! The girl immediately raised her voice.

"Not really. Honestly, I don't care about what you're going to do here. Let's just say, I'm worried about your safety. You're just a high school girl. You're too young to deal with the monsters in the Nox area."

When Yohan mentioned the monsters in the Nox area, Kiara's face showed a slight look of worry. Of course, what was to be expected from an innocent high school girl like her? Even before she came to this country, Yohan was certain that the girl had never faced a problem big enough to ruin her life. Most likely, she was a good girl with a good family.

"Why do you speak like that, Mr. Yohan? Are you saying that I am incapable? Do you want me to abandon this duty and save myself? Only I can save this country. How dare you say that?"

Yohan sighed. "You are too easily carried away by your emotions, Miss."

Kiara's face turned red with anger. "Stop it! Stop what you're saying, Mr. Yohan. I will save this country from disaster, and you have no right to say otherwise."

Yohan scratched his head with a lazy expression. "Yes, well, whatever you say, Miss. I appreciate your kind heart. Just make sure you remain safe."

Kiara slammed the table until the cup and teapot on it fell and broke on the floor. The few servants who were there were startled. They quickly left to follow Kiara as she strode away in a fiery rage.

Yohan sighed as he glanced at the girl's leaving. "Hmp, so naive," he muttered.

"Why are you talking like that?"

Ah, Yohan forgot that Alastair was still watching them. He immediately laughed softly even though Alastair was loyal to his flat expression.

"I was just warning her. She's still young, right? She's not from this world either."

"You think my country is not worth saving?"

Yohan shook his head. "I'm not saying that. I think there must be some other way than letting a teenage girl like her dive headfirst into such dangerous territory. Well, I haven't seen the Nox area with my own eyes, but the hunters have given me quite detailed information."

"She won't go there alone. The knights will help her."

Yohan laughed softly. "Yes, I know. Ah, by the way, I will accept your offer. Make me one of the hunters."

Alastair was surprised. "Eh?"

And Yohan just smiled broadly as if deciding to become one of the hunters was not a big decision.

***