Chapter 1 - The Incompetent 'Hollow Saint' (1) (無能な『空っぽ聖女』　１)

translated by: myonnie

"Tiana, why are you this hopelessly useless, I wonder?"

"...I-I'm, sorry."

I place both of my hands on the cold floor and bow my head low.

The Great Saint Sylvia, who is standing in front of me, snorts in amazement when she sees me like that.

"Haha, I mean, Tiana almost has no magic power. It can't be helped."

"Nevertheless, it's really strange that she's still a saint like us."

I can hear the other saints like me giggling next to Lady Sylvia.

"Well, she's the 'Hollow Saint', you see."

Those words pierced deep into my heart like thorns, an ache oozing from the pain.

...I, Tiana Everett, am one of the saints of the Fallon Kingdom.

Born with an enormous amount of the holy magic power that only saints can use, the temple took me in when I was two years old.

Apparently, I used to be a candidate for the next Great Saint, but my magic power capacity has decreased over the years. At my current age of seventeen, it has almost completely dried up. Despite my status as a saint, I can't heal anyone's illness or injury, exorcise demons, form barriers, or purify the land.

'Useless! Get the hell out of my sight!'

'I'm sorry...'

I spent my days doing chores such as cleaning and laundry while being cursed and beaten by those around me. I can't ever leave the temple since it'll cause a ruckus among people if the word spread that saints can lose their power.

Before I knew it, I acquired the nickname, 'Incompetent Hollow Saint' in the Fallon Temple.

(Why did I lose my magic power...?)

There were cases of magic power increasing with natural growth, but not with decreasing. I have no clue what was happening to me; the only answer I've ever gotten is mockery from my surroundings, 'cursed even as a saint' or 'bad karma'.

"...!"

A sharp pain runs through me as Lady Sylvia's high heel steps on the back of my hand. Resisting and running away will only anger Lady Sylvia. I bit my lips and bear with it.

(It's because I'm useless that I can only apologize like this. I can only endure it.)

"You should thank me for letting you, who can't do anything, to stay in the temple as a saint."

"T-Tha... ank you, very much..."

I somehow manage to voice the words of gratitude, and Lady Sylvia beckons me to lift my head. What entered my gaze is Lady Sylvia's bright red lips curving into a smile.

I have lived with Lady Sylvia since before I can remember, and not once has she ever smiled at me.

It gives me an incredibly bad feeling.

"But that'll end today. I'll give an amazing job to someone as useless as you." Before I can recover from my confusion about her words, Lady Sylvia continues, "I'll have you go to Reavis Empire. Of course, as the saint of our country."

"Eh..."

Opposite of me, who is holding my breath, the other two saints are bursting into laughter.

Reavis Empire is a country located a short distance from here. In the past, it produced many saints and the Great Saints; it was more prosperous than any other.

However, after the death of their former Great Saint, no more saints were born in the land, and it suffered the increasing demons, the spreading plague, and the unfruitful harvests.

Because of that, the empire becomes the laughingstock of the entire world, to the point that it reaches my ears.

(W-why is she sending someone powerless like me... to that country...?)

"Lady Sylvia, don't you think there's nothing Tiana can do even if she goes to such a country?"

"Of course. But His Majesty ordered to 'send a saint to the empire' no matter what. There's no way I can send any of you girls there, no?"

Saints are very precious, no matter in what country.

Our country has Lady Sylvia, the Great Saint, and us three saints, but having only one saint will be good enough in the other countries.

...Though counting the hopeless me as one saint is ridiculous.

"Besides, Tiana is a saint with holy magic. We're not lying."

"That's true. Even if her magic power is reaaally small."

"B-But, the empire will be in trouble..."

When I timidly say so, Sylvia easily agrees, "I guess so", like there's no problem with that. "Only the empire will be in trouble, and we won't. That country will destroy itself on its own anyway."

"That's...!"

"You couldn't accomplish anything until now, and finally you will be useful to the country for the first time. Be happy with that!"

My vision shook as it filled with despair and gradually dimmed.

It's obvious what kind of treatment will I get if I go to a country that's seeking salvation from the saint. They're suffering, and yet I can do nothing to help.

(I might incur the wrath of the entire country, and worse, I might end up worse off than I am now...)

I shudder at the mere thought of it and plead to Lady Sylvia to reconsider. "P-Please, I beg you... I will do anything but that, please... ugh!"

But I'm immediately struck with Lady Sylvia's wand and fall to the ground.

"What the, 'I will do anything'? You couldn't do anything, yet look at that cheeky mouth."

"...Cough... uhh...."

Lady Sylvia approaches me, grabs my hair, and pulls my face closer to her.

"Three days. The empire will pick you up in three days, so prepare yourself until then. You know what will happen if you run away, right? Let's go, both of you."

"Yes~ We will continue to work hard for Lady Sylvia in this place!"

"But once Tiana is gone, we won't have anyone to maintain our wand anymore. What a shame."

"Right! Though, that's all she can do with her tiny amount of magic power anyway."

As I roll on the floor and stare at the three people happily chattering as they leave, tears fall from my eyes.

"What should I do..."

My murmurs quietly melt into the air, never reaching anyone's ears.

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I'm not really used to writing in first-person POV (the fanfictions and novel translations (CN/KR) I read usually are written in third-person POV, so I'm sure my translation is rather awkward)... Tell me if you have corrections and suggestions!

-myonnie