Banishment is Fine: As a Genius Saint, I Can Shine Anywhere. - Chapter 4

“Oh, you’re awake. You were having nightmares again.  Are you alright?” Lionel looked concerned.

“I feel absolutely terrible… but I have to admit, sleeping in a proper bed is nice.”

Waking up to Lionel’s face wasn’t exactly ideal, but Meteora still took his offered hand and slowly sat up.

“Where are we?”

“A town south of where we were. You passed out on the way, so we didn’t hold back—we pushed the horses hard and got here before evening. This building used to be an inn, but it’s empty now. The town folks said we could use it as our base.”

That was a generous offer, yet Lionel looked displeased.

“Something wrong?”

“Yeah. The townspeople had a condition: ‘Once the Saint recovers, she has to go around healing people.’ That demand rubbed me the wrong way.”

“Well, isn’t that a reasonable request? No one’s going to let strangers stay for free.”

“I get that. But it’s the way they said it—like the knights are completely useless. As if all we’re good for is standing around while you do everything. We could help with farm work or repairs, but they didn’t even consider that.”

Ah, so that’s what bothered him—the implication that the knights were useless compared to the saint.

“I see… Yeah, I get why that would be frustrating.”

“It’s not as bad as the last town we stopped in, but these people are desperate too. I understand why they want a miracle.”

Lionel shrugged as if trying to convince himself.

“Anyway, get some rest tonight. I already told the town leader that your healing will start tomorrow.”

“Alright, I will.”

“…You’re not pushing yourself too hard, are you?”

“Huh?”

Meteora blinked in surprise at Lionel’s sudden serious tone.

“Pushing myself…?”

“You talk in your sleep. Stuff like ‘I know, I’ll do it properly’ or ‘I understand.’ You said similar things the last time you collapsed too. It sounded like someone was forcing you to obey.”

A chill ran down Meteora’s spine.

She hadn’t even realized she was saying things like that in her sleep.

Seeing the change in her expression, Lionel sat down at the edge of the bed, watching her closely.

“It’s not normal to only have nightmares when you’re sick. What exactly are you dreaming about?”

“…I don’t want to say it.”

“You still don’t think I’m worth telling?”

Meteora gasped.

“That’s not it! It’s just… it’s something I don’t even want to say out loud.”

“Because you don’t want to look weak?”

“No, it’s not that…”

She hadn’t expected him to press her this much.

And for some reason, that made her nervous in a way she hadn’t anticipated.