WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Haruto
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ The Dark Fantasy Doctor Was Mistaken for a Saint ◈
Chapter 90: The Intent Was Good (1)
──────
* * *
After parting ways with Perisia at House Hausen, Marquessate, I changed cars several times along the route my father-in-law had arranged.
Finally, I got into the car Otto was driving.
Rustle.
As I changed into my recognition-obscuring mask and robe inside the car, I thought,
‘How much longer do I have to live like this...?’
Going to work was far too complicated.
Still, there was no helping it.
There were just too many people after me.
Master said they used methods no less cumbersome whenever they visited Limbus Pit.
Maybe it was because this was a dark fantasy world.
Even going to work without worrying was difficult.
“We have arrived at the trading company, Director.”
The magnificent building beyond the window greeted us.
Right after the establishment of Maier Clinic was confirmed, the trading company president had suddenly caught the construction bug and put up a new building.
“A Grade 1 trading company needs a building that lives up to its reputation! Wahaha!”
The result was a trading company building more lavish and magnificent than any other on the street.
As Otto stopped the car in the separate parking lot beside the building, he spoke.
“I will fetch the holy knights.”
“No, Otto. I’m stopping by the trading company to collect the medicines we need for the clinic. I’ll get out as well.”
“Understood.”
With Otto following behind me, I headed into the trading company building.
The moment I passed through the revolving door and entered the first-floor lobby of Merkuer headquarters, a cleaner diligently polishing the marble floor greeted me.
“Good morning, Director!”
“Hello. How has your slipped disc been lately?”
“It has improved greatly since you treated me, Director.”
“Don’t overdo it. We don’t want it rupturing again.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
I exchanged greetings with the cleaner and employees as I headed toward a corner of the lobby.
After hearing that I would come to collect them myself, they had arranged the medicines along one side of the corridor in advance.
“This is today’s allotment, Director. Two boxes of painkillers, three boxes of disinfectant, one box of insulin, and one box of vaccines.”
“Thank you for your hard work so early in the morning. What should I do about the receipt?”
“It has already been prepared, Director. Please just sign it.”
The quill pen glided over the receipt, completing my signature.
Otto approached the medicine boxes to carry them.
“I will take these to the car first...”
Before Otto could finish speaking,
Bang!
Someone flung open the door to the reception room.
A mass of living muscle pushed through the doorway.
“I have been waiting, Saint!”
Bulge, bulge.
Muscles rippled as though those sound effects might actually ring out.
I quietly called to the muscular man.
“...Holy Knight?”
“Indeed!”
His booming shout made the chandelier on the ceiling tremble.
Morning sunlight reflected from his gleaming forehead, making Otto frown.
Below his curled beard, his holy knight uniform looked ready to burst at any moment as it cried out for help.
“Holy Knight Gregor Ardenu! I rose early once again today to devote this body to serving the miraculous saint!”
“...”
Gregor Ardenu.
A genius senior holy knight who had reached Rank 4 at the age of twenty-four. He looked to be in his late thirties, but he really was in his twenties.
There were countless words to describe him.
Incorruptible. Accomplished in both letters and arms. Hulking.
Yet the Church knew him by one nickname above all others.
The Inquisitor Who Failed Out.
Though he was an inquisitor, he was a holy knight too kindhearted to harm heretics.
As a result, despite his overwhelming talent, he had become an unwanted figure within the Church.
The reason he had been appointed as my guard was entirely because of my own choice.
When I chose him, the Church had even recommended other holy knights instead.
“Saint? There are more outstanding holy knights, so why...?”
“Even so, I prefer this man.”
But I chose Gregor as my guard.
Why?
Because I thought he would be fun.
And because I thought I could trust him.
In a world filled with betrayal and schemes, ability was not what mattered.
Trust was.
That was why I chose Gregor.
I believed that a man incapable of harming others would never betray me, no matter what happened.
“Your muscles look healthy as always. I look forward to working with you today, Holy Knight.”
“Kuhup! Praise from the saint always makes my pectorals tremble!”
His minor flaw was that he could be rather overwhelming.
And that he was overly sensitive.
Still, aside from those minor flaws, he was an entertaining person.
“I simply cannot bear it any longer!”
At that moment, he suddenly spread both arms wide.
A sense of unease came over me at the sight of the thick veins bulging along his arms.
“My heart swells like a river overflowing its banks! Come, hurry into my embrace! French hug!”
A huge shadow fell toward me.
I reflexively stepped aside.
A mass of muscle passed right by me.
...The scent of baby skin lotion tickled my nose.
Why did a mountain of muscle like this smell like powdered formula?
“...? Kugh!”
Having missed me, the muscleman crashed straight into Otto, who was holding the medicine boxes.
Otto was crushed against Gregor’s thick chest.
Only after hugging him for some time did Gregor realize that something was wrong and lower his gaze.
“...Hm?”
His eyes fell on Otto, buried in his pectorals.
He seemed to have finally realized that he was not hugging me.
But he did not mind, instead feeling Otto’s upper-arm muscles.
“Oh...”
He let out a low exclamation.
“Otto, your muscles are firmer than they appear. With a foundation like this, I could even teach you my individual muscle group isolation training regimen...”
I stopped listening there and turned away from Gregor.
Leaving him to ramble to himself, I greeted the lower-ranking holy knights assisting him.
“Hello, everyone. Thank you for working so hard from so early in the morning.”
“It is an honor to see you, Saint.”
“If it’s not too much trouble, could you help carry these boxes? I know it’s not part of your mission, but they’re too heavy for me to carry.”
“Not at all. You may command us as you wish.”
“It’s not a command. I’m asking for your help.”
“Understood.”
“Oh?! The thickness of these latissimus muscles...! When did you train like this?!”
Leaving Gregor to feel up Otto’s entire body behind us, the lower-ranking holy knights and I carried the medicine boxes to the car.
It was another peaceful morning, no different from usual.
* * *
The car set off carrying the medicine boxes, the holy knights, and one enormous mass of muscle.
As I watched the scenery pass beyond the windows, Gregor’s voice came from the passenger seat.
“Saint.”
“Go ahead.”
“Last night...”
Gregor turned around from the passenger seat.
Boing.
His curled beard made its presence known along with the sound effect.
“On the way back to your residence, my subordinates detected suspicious activity.”
“That makes five times this month already.”
“Please do not worry.”
He said this as he struck his pectorals.
“We arrested them before dawn.”
“Who were they?”
“Well...”
His beard lost some of its liveliness and drooped.
“They killed themselves the moment they were caught, so we could not learn anything. They may already have been undead.”
“...That must have been difficult. Are you all right?”
I offered comfort to the delicate(?) holy knight who could not stand the sight of corpses.
The holy knight shook his head with a grave expression.
“I am fine. You are kind, Saint.”
He slapped his own cheek with an audible smack.
“Anyway! It seems the black mages keep targeting you, Saint. There is no physical evidence, but I have that feeling. You should be more careful on your way to work from now on. At least until you enter the Academy.”
“Understood.”
Black mages were troublesome for this reason.
It would have been nice if this world had techniques such as mana tracking, like in an ordinary fantasy.
But this dark setting had none of that.
Mana was just mana, and to track magic, one ultimately had to follow its traces.
That was why the less well-known the black magic was, the more endlessly they could keep trying.
‘The people said to have been following me were probably undead too.’
It was not for nothing that so many nobles hid their identities in this world.
When I fell silent for a while, Gregor spoke.
“Do not worry too much. I swear on every muscle in my body that they will not touch even a single hair on your head.”
“That is reassuring, Gregor.”
“Hmngh...!”
The holy knight snorted, brimming with confidence.
Realizing it was his way of showing consideration, I gave a bitter smile beneath my crow mask.
While we spoke, the car was already heading toward Limbus Pit.
The scenery beyond the window was as it always was.
A procession of people being driven out toward Limbus Pit stretched in that direction.
But today, something was different.
Before the metal gate marking the border between Limbus Pit and Civitas Square, the overpass that should have been high above the road lay on the ground instead.
The overpass had collapsed in the middle of the street.
Huge chunks of steel had fallen and completely blocked the road through the center.
People had gathered in front of the collapsed slabs of metal.
“Help! Someone’s trapped in here!”
“Get back!”
“I said someone’s in here!”
“I know, so get back!”
An arm protruded through the fallen railing.
Pinned beneath the steel slabs, someone cried out for help with an unseen voice.
Yet the guards were busy controlling the onlookers instead of beginning a rescue operation.
“It is an attack by black mages! Everyone, stay alert!”
One guard shouted.
Only then did I understand their response.
A black mage might attack during the rescue.
The guards could not help but be cautious about carrying out the rescue.
Gregor and Otto’s expressions darkened as they looked at the overpass.
“Otto.”
“...Are you going to save them?”
“I do not think I can go against my nature.”
“I will notify the clinic that you will be late.”
Rather than taking another route, Otto turned the car toward the overpass.
My hand was already reaching for the door handle.
That was when it happened.
“Stooop!”
Gregor shouted from the passenger seat.
“Saint.”
The holy knight spoke in a low voice.
“My instincts tell me there is a high chance that this is a trap.”
“I know.”
“By proper escort protocol, I should not permit this rescue operation for your safety.”
“But you will not do that, will you?”
Gregor nodded.
“I was cast out after breaking the rules of the Inquisition Office. I have regretted putting conviction before the rules, but you acknowledged that part of me, Saint.”
Crack.
He slowly unclenched his fist.
“Wherever the saint goes! Even if it is a path of thorns, I will step onto it first. Even if it is a poisoned cup, I will drink from it first! That is my duty and honor!”
Haaap!
With a battle cry, Gregor ripped the car door off and leaped outside.
Using the torn-off door as a temporary shield, he said,
“I will take the lead!”
“...This is already the third time. I will pay for the car repairs, then bill the Church.”
“Eek.”
His beard drooped.
He could already see the Church docking his pay.
* * *
With Gregor in front, I headed toward the overpass.
A twitching hand was visible beneath the wreckage of concrete chunks and steel slabs.
I checked the pulse.
Fortunately, it was there.
“Get back...”
“Wait. This person is...!”
The guards tried to stop me, but once I revealed that I was the saint, they withdrew without another word.
Together with the lower-ranking holy knights, I began clearing the debris.
As we removed more rubble, the person beneath it was gradually revealed.
He was a man around thirty.
His face was ash-gray, and his lips had nearly lost all color.
A mass of concrete covered almost everything below his pelvis. Only one arm and the upper part of his chest extended beyond the wreckage.
Strands of hair scattered beside his face trembled faintly under a coating of exhaust soot.
“...Save me.”
“Don’t worry. I will save you.”
Holding the injured man’s hand tightly, I spoke.
“But can you tell me how it suddenly collapsed?”
“I was... crossing the overpass at dawn, and then suddenly...”
His voice was too quiet for me to hear clearly.
Beyond the alley entrance, the sound of people gathering began to rise.
The murmuring of passersby standing on tiptoe to peer over the collapsed overpass.
“Get back!”
“Get back! Is this a show to you?”
The guards shouting as they controlled the crowd.
The busy footsteps of subordinate holy knights kicking broken concrete fragments aside with their feet.
Then, as though a single thread cut through the center of all that noise,
Clop, clop.
Clear hoofbeats sounded from deeper within the alley.
Before I could even remove my hand from the patient’s wrist, a carriage pulled by four horses came charging madly toward us through the narrow alley entrance.
The horses charged forward with their eyes rolled back until only the whites showed, foam spilling from their mouths.
“An attack!”
The guards immediately thrust their spears forward, but even when pierced by the spears, the horses did not slow.
They even snapped the spear shafts lodged in their bodies as they continued charging toward us.
It was obvious whom the horses were targeting.
“Gregor.”
“Understood!”
Pop.
Buttons tore free.
“Would I allow wicked vermin to interrupt this sacred moment?!”
Gregor tore open his holy knight uniform jacket and charged toward the carriage.
Muscles filled with divine power shone brilliantly, asserting their presence.
“Open your eyes wide and watch carefully, wicked vermin! Behold the beautiful divine martial art of the Ardenu School!”
Carrying the car door he had ripped off in place of a shield, Gregor charged at the mad carriage like a rugby player.
Then the gleaming mass of muscle collided with the four frenzied horses.
Crash.
I did not see exactly how the collision happened.
It had happened too quickly.
But in that instant, I saw something enormous smash into one wall of the alley and bounce aside.
The horses’ screams, the shriek of splintering wood, the short, dull cry of the carriage axle breaking.
All those cries tangled together in a single beat.
Then, when dust from the wreckage billowed thickly through the alley once more,
Gregor struck a pose through the dust.
“Hmngh...!”
The holy knight exhaled through his nose and struck a side chest pose.
I said to him,
“I will pay for repairs to that building too, then bill the Church.”
“Eek.”
“And as for taking your shirt off... It is a violation of your duty to maintain dignity, but... I will speak to the bishop about that.”
“Eek.”
His beard drooped.
Gregor Ardenu, age 24.
One month after becoming the saint’s guard, he achieved the landmark feat of filing his tenth incident report.
Footnotes:
Join our discord at https://dsc.gg/wetried
