I've Never Seen a Saint who can use Magic so Well-Chapter 125

Waking up early to pray wasn’t as easy as it sounds, especially since Areum had told me she was an atheist.

...Wait, hold on a second.

"Areum."

"Yes?"

"Does that mean the prayers have been effective?"

"Maybe... I thought I should do it since you said you were doing it too... so I didn't think much of it... Hehe."

Our student really knows how to say heartwarming things.

But still, I had to confirm it.

"Then, who were you praying to?"

"……"

Suddenly, Areum went quiet.

She turned her head, avoiding my gaze.

She gave me a quick, shy glance.

It was a cute move, but... this wasn’t the important part.

I asked again.

"Wait, seriously, I’m just asking out of curiosity... You’re not, really, right?"

"……Hehe."

Areum awkwardly laughed and scratched her cheek.

It was a silent admission.

"……"

Oh my god.

I thought the conversation we had before was just lip service.

But she was actually praying while thinking of me?

It’s not just the title Professor anymore. It’s far beyond the role of Saintess...

"…Ahem! I really appreciate your feelings, but... just to remind you, I’m still a human..."

"Sh-should I stop...?"

Areum bowed her head and asked in a small voice.

Her shoulders slumped, and she looked so dejected.

I didn’t expect her to get that down.

I suddenly felt like I’d done something wrong.

"……"

Thinking it over, do I really need to stop her?

After all, she’s not praying right in front of me.

In the end, the key point is that she respects me.

If I can tolerate a little embarrassment,

both Areum and I could be happy—it would be a win-win for both of us, right?

Okay, self-justification complete.

I slowly opened my mouth.

"Do whatever you want."

"Yeees! Thank you!"

Areum’s eyes sparkled brightly as she responded energetically.

Well, she looks happy, so I feel good too.

She really shines when she’s smiling brightly.

Beep— Beep—

The buzzer rang.

I slowly got up, picked up the coffee I had ordered, and returned to the table.

In the meantime, Areum had placed a few novels on the table.

"Professor, this is my current life pick!"

"Really? I trust your recommendations, so I’ll definitely read them."

"Oh, and this is another novel I recommend!"

"This cover is really pretty."

"Right?!"

Areum pushed the neatly stacked books toward me.

I lightly petted the cover of one book before moving it to the side of my bag.

If there’s something coming, there should be something going too.

I opened my bag and revealed a gift.

"Tada! A souvenir from my trip to Japan."

"Wow! Thank you!"

"How do you like it?"

"Yes! Especially this one! It's so cute!"

Areum grabbed the ends of the glasses cloth and lifted it to her face.

She smiled brightly, and her shoulders gave a little bounce in excitement.

It was such a cute reaction, I couldn’t help but smile.

"Could you pass this to Eunbyul and Jae-Woo? You’re still meeting with them, right?"

"Yes, we’re in a party together, running dungeons! I’ll take care of it!"

"And this..."

I leisurely sipped my coffee while introducing the next gift.

By the time I almost finished my cup, Areum’s gaze briefly dropped before returning to me.

Then, she flushed slightly and spoke in a shy voice.

"Professor... I think I’m getting somewhat used to holy power now."

"Really? You’ve worked hard, haven’t you?"

"Hehe... Ah, would you like to see?"

Areum respectfully clasped her hands together and extended them toward me.

A shimmer of heat rose from her palms.

The power she called holy power.

It was definitely a different energy from mana.

And it was different from the divine power I wielded as well.

From my perspective, it was clearly an unfamiliar energy.

As I pondered this, Areum hesitated and began to speak.

"I... I mean... Can I keep learning from you in the future...?"

Her tightly pressed lips and trembling eyes.

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She seemed to be holding her breath, her chest rising and falling slightly.

I hadn’t expected her to feel this way...

I paused for a moment, watching her, before slowly raising my hand.

Tap.

"Areum, I don’t teach you because I expect something in return."

I gently patted her head.

I wanted my words to carry weight, to convey my sincerity.

"I want to celebrate your growth and feel proud seeing you improve."

That’s what every teacher in the world takes pride in and enjoys.

It’s also why I chose this profession and what I value most.

"As long as you keep working hard like you are now, that’s enough. Got it?"

"......Yes, yes! I’ll work hard, really hard!"

A bright smile bloomed on Areum’s face like a flower.

Her smile, as bright and warm as sunlight, felt like it was shining on my heart as well.

I smiled along with her, brushing my hair behind my ear.

For some reason, I felt a bit shy.

"…But don’t overdo it, okay?"

"Hehe... Understood!"

She replied cheerfully.

This was the best sight, after all.

***

In a high-end hotel in Seoul,

Evan, who had been standing by the window, admiring the view, turned around.

He addressed Jason, who was leisurely sipping tea in a chair.

"Jason, you seem to be in a good mood."

"Haha! The Saintess beat me again yesterday. I’m brainstorming how to finally win."

"You’ve relayed my message that I’d like to meet her, haven’t you?"

"Of course!"

Jason replied energetically, and Evan gave a small nod.

When it came to getting things done, Jason was second to none.

The message had undoubtedly been delivered.

‘...A battle of wills, is it?’

If it wasn’t, there’d be no reason to drag things out.

Evan let out a deep sigh before speaking.

"Contact her again. This time, tell her I concede."

"Hahaha! Evan, to think she could make you pull that face. The Saintess really is something else."

Jason looked at Evan, whose expression had hardened, with an amused gleam in his eye.

When Evan turned back to the window, Jason shrugged and picked up his smartphone.

He started typing a message to Si-Hyun.

Her reply came back almost instantly.

***

The next afternoon. A private conference room at the Hunter Bureau.

Evan Harper sat in a chair, eyes closed, waiting for his visitor to arrive.

The air in the conference room felt still, as if time itself had paused, with only a heavy silence lingering.

Before long, Si-Hyun entered the room.

Section Chief Jang Han-Soo, who had escorted her, quietly closed the door behind her and left.

Now, only Evan and Si-Hyun remained in the conference room.

Once Evan confirmed that Si-Hyun had taken a seat, he immediately got to the point.

He already understood her preference for directness.

"From this point forward, what I’m about to tell you may sound absurd to you."

"…Absurd? That’s an interesting start."

"That’s inevitable."

Evan replied calmly, his gaze shifting to Si-Hyun’s wrist.

Noticing this, Si-Hyun raised her wrist and spoke.

"Is it about the watch again? Should I return it after all?"

"…Not the watch. It’s the bracelet."

"Oh?"

Si-Hyun glanced at the bracelet on her wrist.

It was an artifact she had received long ago from a porter.

A personal item that hadn’t passed through the Hero’s hands—something precious.

It also served as a remnant of her resistance.

"Up until now, or more precisely, even now, that item has been concealing your presence."

"…Concealing me?"

"Yes. Because of it, I can only perceive you through my physical senses."

"That’s generally how it works for most people."

Si-Hyun quipped lightly, but Evan continued the conversation, unfazed.

"Let’s return to the main topic. Do you recall when I told you that there was a clear difference between you and me?"

"The information you said you couldn’t share?"

"I’m going to tell you everything today."

Evan’s tone was noticeably formal.

Si-Hyun crossed her arms casually, waiting for him to continue.

"First, I am not a regressor."

"…Say that again?"

"I’m not a regressor, which means you, Si-Hyun, are Earth’s very first regressor."

"Hmm…"

Si-Hyun let out a soft hum, staring intently at Evan’s face.

Several hypotheses began forming in her mind.

Which one was the correct answer?

"When I first noticed your sudden appearance, I had to make a decision. Were you truly a regressor, or were you an invader?"

"……"

"When I heard the story of how you healed Jason and beat him up in the process, it was still too soon to decide. But."

Evan paused for a moment before continuing.

"I’ve now made my decision. Si-Hyun, I’ve decided to place my trust in you."

Si-Hyun tilted her head slightly, signaling him to go on.

Evan, maintaining his calm tone, spoke again.

"I will awaken you."