Because of the Hero Summoned from Another World, I Got Replaced and Made the Backup—And My Childhood Friend the Saintess… - Chapter 13: The Person I Love

Act 02: The Church’s Saintess

Chapter 13: The Person I Love

This happened back when I was still living in my hometown.

There was a boy who kept appearing in my dreams.

He had kind eyes, a strong will, and a quiet honesty about him. He was nothing like the other boys in the village—he stood out in a way I couldn’t explain.

I’d never met him before. And yet… I liked him.

I didn’t know why, but I was certain he existed. That he was out there, somewhere.

Later on, I came to understand—it was all thanks to the power of the Goddess.

After I was taken in by the church as a Saintess, I ended up serving at the one beside the royal castle.

“Divine Revelation.”

It’s a ritual held once every ten years, where one hears the voice of the Goddess.

A Saintess is someone who can receive that divine message during the ceremony.

Not long after arriving at the church, I underwent the Divine Revelation—and I heard the voice of the Goddess.

She spoke of a great crisis that would soon threaten humanity.

She told me how it could be stopped.

And… she spoke of him.

The boy from my dreams.

A boy from a quiet village.

The hope of all mankind.

My Hero.

The person I—

Love.

The boy brought to the castle by His Highness the Crown Prince ended up living there as a candidate for the Hero.

He studied under noble tutors, trained with the knights, and poured everything he had into becoming a Hero.

And I was always by his side.

Sure, I had my own lessons—studying and practicing the Goddess’s magic—but they weren’t nearly as intense or demanding as his.

So I’d finish up quickly, then head over to watch him train.

No one from the church ever told me to do that.

I just… wanted to.

The boy I’d seen so many times in my dreams looked even cooler in real life.

He always looked straight ahead, never wavering, never backing down.

Compared to the nobles who lazed around the castle all day, he felt like a completely different kind of person.

Even among the knights he trained with, he still shone the brightest.

It never once felt strange to think of him as the Hero.

Honestly, I couldn’t imagine anyone else.

“Thanks, Arianna. For always being here.”

Every time I healed him with the Goddess’s magic after he collapsed from training, he’d always thank me.

That made me really happy.

I practiced hard to get better at magic—just for him.

Back then, it was the only thing I could do for him.

He wasn’t the talkative type, but when it was just the two of us, he spoke more than usual.

Maybe I was the only one close to his age that he felt comfortable talking to.

I understood that.

Even so…

If the reason he talked more was because he enjoyed being with me,

Well—

I wouldn’t mind that either.

“Hey… do you think we’ll end up getting married someday?”

“Huh? Where’d that come from?”

“No reason. Just… wondering. I mean, who knows what the future holds, but everyone kind of assumes we will.”

“Would you hate it? Marrying me?”

“Fufu… who knows—?”

The Hero and the Saintess always end up together.

A long time ago, when a Hero and a Saintess appeared in this kingdom, they defeated the Demon King, got married, and even had children.

Apparently, it’s happened before—just like now.

A Demon King shows up. They search for a Hero. A Saintess appears.

The two of them join forces, defeat the Demon King… and fall in love.

So I figured… maybe that’s how it’ll go for us, too.

I laughed it off, kept it light and teasing, but—

Deep down, I really did want to be with him.

There was this quiet little corner of the castle where no one ever went.

That place became our secret spot.

You could see the sky clearly from there, and seasonal flowers always bloomed at our feet.

Under the dreamy night sky, we’d sit together, gazing at those delicate flowers… and slowly open up about what was in our hearts.

Whenever we had a bit of free time, we’d sneak off to that peaceful corner.

We both had studies and training during the day, and even though I watched him practice, we couldn’t exactly sit around chatting.

So really, the only time we could just talk was at night—after everything else was over.

“Even if they say all this training and study will help the kingdom someday… it’s kinda hard to actually feel that, you know?”

One evening, while we were enjoying a quiet moment together, I ended up letting something slip.

Ever since I’d been brought here because of my “Saintess potential,” I’d spent my days training and studying…

But honestly? It was hard to believe any of it truly meant something for the future.

It wasn’t like I was in deep despair or anything.

I just couldn’t picture what lay ahead. And maybe—I just wanted him to hear that.

Being with someone you love is wonderful… but this feeling was something else entirely.

“…Yeah. I get that. Sometimes I catch myself wondering the same thing. All this training and studying for some enemy I’ve never even seen… What’s the point?”

He wasn’t making fun of me.

He understood.

And just knowing that made everything feel a little lighter.

“Have you ever wanted to just… run away?”

Day after day of tough lessons and exhausting training.

Even I got sick of it sometimes—and my load was nothing compared to his.

So I couldn’t help but ask… had he ever felt like throwing it all away?

“More times than I can count. Like, when the teacher totally loses it on me, or when the knights hit me so hard I nearly black out—Yeah. I’ve thought about it.”

“Then… why don’t you run?”

That’s when I saw it—

His eyes, lit with this brilliant, unwavering spark.

And in that moment…

I couldn’t look away.

That light in his eyes completely drew me in.

“Before I came here, His Royal Highness saved me. Back then… I had no reason to live. I was right on the edge of death. But he found me… and reached out his hand. His eyes were so full of strength, full of hope. He looked like he was glowing. And in that moment, I made up my mind. If I was supposed to die back then… then I’d use this life of mine for him instead.”

“For the Crown Prince?”

“Yeah. Not to defeat the Demon King. Not for honor or glory or any of that. I just wanted to use this life he saved—for him. He gave me a reason to keep going. That’s why, even when things get tough, even when I feel like giving up—I won’t run away. Because if I run… then I can’t live for him anymore.”

Unlike me, he had a goal—something he chose for himself.

Something he truly wanted to do.

Not like me, just drifting through each day, doing whatever the church asked of me, with no real sense of purpose.

He said it was the Crown Prince who gave him hope.

But to me… he was the one who shined even brighter.

Overflowing with life. With meaning.

He was just like the boy I saw in my dreams as a child.

The one I fell for.

As I watched his profile, I couldn’t help but think—

He’s the one who truly deserves to be called a Hero.