The Saint Disappeared with Her Memories — Her Broken Engagement Decided the Kingdom’s Destiny - Chapter 10

“And one more thing,” I called out to my companions as they stood up to prepare. Before we went to meet Anctuan, there was something I absolutely needed to convey.

“What is it?” Nadine turned around, her serious gaze unchanged from usual. Having stopped them just as they were about to leave to eagerly prepare, everyone returned to their seats and settled into listening positions.

“From now on, I’m an ordinary civilian. So, you can call me by just my name without honorifics, and you don’t need to use formal language with me. And of course, please be careful never to call me the Saint in public.”

That’s right. I no longer needed to act like the Saint as I had until now. I needed to change how I spoke and how I was addressed. We should call each other normally as companions and converse in ordinary language. I had to be thorough about this to avoid troublesome situations.

More than anything, I also wanted to close the emotional distance between us.

The three of them showed different expressions upon hearing my proposal. Emily looked somewhat troubled, Nadine appeared convinced, and Jamel clearly showed confusion.

“Uh, hmm… Well, but. Even though you’ve left the temple, wouldn’t addressing you without honorifics or formal language be disrespectful?”

Jamel frowned with a troubled expression. Changing long-standing habits all at once was probably difficult for him. But being addressed with honorifics and formal language made me feel distant.

Moreover, if we continued speaking that way, someone might accidentally call me “Saint.” I felt we needed to boldly change this now.

Before I could respond, Nadine stood up and looked straight into my eyes.

“Understood, Noella. From now on, please take care of me.”

Hearing my name spoken plainly from her mouth, with her way of speaking changed, made my heart skip a little. Until now I’d been called “Lady Noella,” so suddenly being called “Noella” felt very intimate.

“Yeah. Please take care of me too, Nadine.”

Surprisingly, Nadine had accepted it smoothly. Precisely because she was always strict, once she decided something, she might follow through decisively. Her straightforwardness was very welcome.

Meanwhile, Emily remained seated, clutching her hands on her knees with a slightly troubled expression.

“It might be a bit difficult. After all, Lady Noella is also my master.”

I had no intention of denying her honest feelings. Indeed, a master-disciple relationship probably wasn’t something that could be easily changed. And I was happy to feel that she still regarded me as her master. Her pure, respectful gaze had always been a source of strength for me.

“Hmm. That’s true. For now, let’s just make your way of speaking a bit more casual.”

I thought gradually changing things might be one approach. Rather than forcing change, letting it happen naturally would be best. Emily’s expression brightened.

“Understood! I’ll do my best!”

It seemed difficult for Emily to change immediately. She could take her time and get used to it slowly. Seeing her smile made me feel warm inside too.

Finally, Jamel seemed to be feeling the most resistance. Long-standing habits probably weren’t easily changed. Muttering something under his breath, he finally raised his head.

“Ah, um… Noella.”

This might have been the first time I’d been called that by him. It felt somehow strange. The unfamiliar sound made me feel slightly ticklish.

“Yes, Mr. Jamel.”

“…Hmph.”

After Jamel said my name, he seemed to blush slightly. I could clearly tell he was the least accustomed among us. For him, who had treated me with respect for many years, this change must be significant. Being addressed this way by him for the first time made me feel a little embarrassed too. I wondered if my face was turning red.

“Mr. Jamel. From now on, please take care of me.”

I decided to address him with “Mr.” Was this the right way to speak with an older man? The respectful way of speaking to an elder. I still wasn’t sure. Until now, even when I acted as the Saint, I’d never had opportunities to speak with older people as an ordinary woman.

“…Likewise, I’ll be counting on you. Noella.”

Seeing Jamel’s embarrassed expression as he spoke made me smile unwittingly. Seeing shyness appear on his aged face felt fresh. I still had so much to get used to myself. I needed to work hard to adapt quickly.

I could feel the atmosphere flowing between us gradually changing. Our relationships—Saint and guardian knight, Saint and disciple, Saint and elder sage were transforming into equal companions. Though there was confusion in the process, we were definitely taking a step forward.

Yet strangely, I felt that within these unfamiliar conversations lay the shape of my new self. Not as the Saint, but as simply Noella. A step toward living that way.