No, How Can an Atheist Become a Saintess!? – 109
EP.109 Summer and the Sea (5)
Ria woke up to a splitting headache.
She had definitely drunk too much last night.
The first can had been fine.
It was a light drink—barely even tasted like alcohol. She’d finished the whole thing without feeling much of a buzz.
It was the complete opposite of what had happened back in the Dwarven Kingdom, where a single sip had burned all the way down.
The problem was—
“…Ah.”
Yeah. That was the problem.
That one can had made her way too confident.
There had been plenty of other drinks with low alcohol content. Not just chuhai, but beer too.
Ria squeezed her eyes shut, forcing her sluggish brain to recall the hazy memories of last night.
The clearest thing she could remember was—
Dragging Anna away from Lee Si-yoon and hugging her.
“……”
What the hell had she been thinking?
Not long ago—well, actually, months ago, to be exact—she had fully supported whatever was going on between Si-yoon and Anna.
After all… Anna didn’t know anything.
She had spent her entire life in the church. She had been raised by the church. Naturally, her understanding of certain things was… lacking.
Sure, she had technically received some basic education about it, but it wasn’t like she’d ever had the chance to experience romance.
There weren’t even any men around her.
…And in a way, Ria wasn’t all that different.
But there was a huge difference between thinking, ‘I can always fall in love someday’ and believing, ‘I’ll never have that chance.’
At least Ria knew how to hold a normal conversation with a guy.
That’s why she had supported them.
Because if it were Anna, she would probably be the type to just watch from a distance, keeping her feelings locked away.
She might not even realize she was in love.
She might never even consider confessing.
In the current situation, there was a real possibility that Anna would remain tied to the church for the rest of her life.
Ria felt guilty about that.
Wouldn’t it be better if Anna had the chance to fall in love before that happened? Maybe, just maybe, if she started dating someone she truly liked, she wouldn’t have to become the Saintess.
Of course, Ria wasn’t saying Anna should just date anyone.
But if it was someone she genuinely cared for… wouldn’t that make her happier?
The idea of Anna choosing her future without even considering such possibilities—it just didn’t sit right with Ria.
...And yet, for that exact same reason, she had pulled Anna away from Lee Si-yoon last night.
There were already two women around him.
And from what Ria had seen, there were more waiting for their chance.
Every time she stepped into the Hunter Association building, she could feel it.
Si-yoon himself might not be doing anything wrong, but still. Throwing Anna—someone so naive about romance—into that kind of situation?
There was no way she wouldn’t end up hurt.
“……”
Is that really it?
Ria hesitated.
Was that really the reason she had pulled Anna away?
…Or was she actually afraid that Anna would drift further and further away?
Was it the same feeling she’d had back in the Dwarven Kingdom—when she’d seen Anna’s hands covered in blood?
A fear that someone might take Anna far, far away from her.
After all, when people get into relationships, they start spending less time with their friends.
Some even bring their partners with them when they meet friends.
And if that happened, then the bond Ria and Anna had built over the years would inevitably change.
That was natural.
Ria knew that.
And yet…
Why does thinking about it make her feel like this?
She had never felt this way about any of her other friends before.
“……”
Ria tightened her grip on the blanket she was hugging.
“Kkugh.”
…And the blanket groaned.
It was the kind of sound a person might make when their waist was being crushed.
“Ughyahh!?”
“…Huh?”
Wait.
This… wasn’t a blanket.
Sure, blankets felt warm where they touched her skin, but—
A blanket wasn’t supposed to be this soft.
Or this squishy.
It wasn’t supposed to fit so perfectly in her arms, either.
And it definitely shouldn’t be pressing in slightly at the middle while still being this plush.
“…Ah.”
Ria’s face burned as memories of the last time she had gotten drunk resurfaced.
It wasn’t just the warmth she had felt against her cheek that was making her flush, either.
Slowly, she lifted her head.
What she found was Anna—her face a little pale, but still wearing a gentle, saintly smile.
“…Did you sleep well, Little Miss Ria?”
Ah.
That saintly expression?
Definitely fake.
And definitely meant to tease her.
*
I don’t particularly like the smell of alcohol.
Especially not when it’s coming from someone who’s been drinking.
I mean, who would like it?
That strange, lingering human scent—especially when mixed with the faint sweat of someone who hasn’t showered properly on a hot summer day—it’s not exactly pleasant for anyone.
But, well…
There was something strange about this situation.
Because the scent coming from Ria’s body didn’t really bother me.
And neither did the feeling of her clinging to me, hugging me tight.
Because it was Ria.
Even if I ignored the fact that she was beautiful or had a great figure, she was still Ria.
She wasn’t just the heroine “Lee Chae-eun” from the novel anymore—she had come a long way from that.
Besides, I had barely even called her by that name to begin with.
She laughed easily, was honest to a fault, constantly teased me, and yet still took care of me in a thousand different ways.
Most of all, she protected me, standing by my side even in the most dangerous moments.
It’s hard to dislike someone like that.
In fact, at this point, I couldn’t even think of a single reason to dislike her.
At the very least, there was no real chance of her ending up with Lee Si-yoon.
……
Though, even if there was, I probably still wouldn’t hate her.
At least, I wouldn’t react the way the original Saintess did, outwardly despising her.
That was never going to happen.
Unfortunately, even after spending fifteen years in this world, the truth remained:
Deep down, I was still a man.
Which meant there was a little guilt mixed in with all these thoughts.
Ria trusted me completely—that’s why she was acting this way.
And if someone asked me whether I had any improper thoughts about this situation…
Well.
I’d have to lie.
“Mmng.”
Ria stirred, shifting her body slightly, and the movement tickled a little.
I let out a small chuckle—
“Kkugh.”
—only to let out a strained noise a moment later.
Because Ria had just tightened her grip around my waist.
Wait.
Hold on.
Hold on.
This actually hurts.
Forget my stomach being crushed—my spine was about to snap in half.
I had to remind myself that Ria wasn’t just “physically strong.”
This was someone who could swing a sword with those slender arms and decapitate a monster in a single strike.
She wasn’t just strong “for a human”—she had fantasy-level strength.
If she really put her full strength into it…
Would my spine survive?
“Ughyahh!?”
Just as I was debating whether I should start tapping out, Ria flinched.
She must have finally realized what—or who—she was hugging.
Slowly, she lifted her head, her face already turning bright red.
Even before our eyes met, I was already grinning at her.
A very, very deliberate grin.
After all, I had chosen not to push her away.
And yet, she had nearly crushed me.
……
Well, not that it would’ve made much difference even if I had tried to escape.
Yesterday, Han Yu-ri had cackled at the sight of me sitting stiffly on Ria’s lap, while Gloria had stared at me like I was some kind of strange artifact.
And there I had stayed, unmoving, like a doll.
……
Hmm.
Yeah.
I think I am feeling a little vengeful about this.
Looks like I’ll be teasing her about this all day.
This one’s on you, Sister Ria.
So just sit back and take it.
*
“What's wrong, Ria?”
I paddled through the water with my hands, moving my inflatable tube closer to her as I asked.
“Are you too embarrassed to look at me? You were clinging to me so much yesterday.”
Even out here in the ocean, well… clingy was one way to put it.
The meaning might’ve been a little different, but still.
We were both wearing the same swimsuits as yesterday, but in a situation like this—where only one person is embarrassed—the other person automatically has the upper hand.
“Or did you lose all affection for me in just one ni—Ack!?”
Before I could finish my sentence, Ria flipped my tube over from underneath.
For a moment, I was completely submerged, bubbles rising as I sank beneath the surface.
Then I shot up, sputtering, and shouted,
“What was that for!?”
“Oh, wait, were you there?”
“What do you mean was I there!? You flipped me over on purpose!”
When I protested, Ria just scoffed and started wading away again.
“What, are you upset?”
“I am not—”
She suddenly spun around, looking flustered for some reason.
Then, after hesitating for a moment—
“I’m not upset!”
She yelled it so loudly that even the other kids playing a little farther away turned to stare.
…Yeah, she was totally upset.
I didn’t say it out loud, but I definitely thought it.