The Black-Stockinged Nun Is Actually a Boy?! [4]

Evening fell over Constantinople, casting the skyline in shades of misty gray-blue. The last light of the setting sun, like a weary traveler, slowly disappeared behind the city’s ancient walls.

The Walls of Constantinople—monuments that had witnessed the rise and fall of ages—stood tall, solemn, and silent under the darkening sky.

“Halt. Show me your exit passes.”

One of the guards at the city gate slung his rifle over his shoulder as he approached Helen.

“Big Brother Philip, it’s me!” Helen looked up, flashing a sweet, innocent smile at the soldier.

The guard—Philip—blinked in surprise. He hadn’t expected to see Helen here and leaned down, puzzled. “Sister Helen? What are you doing here this late? You’re heading out of the city? It’s not exactly safe out there.”

“We ran out of kerosene at the church. The shops inside the city are already closed, so I figured I’d head to one of the farms outside to pick some up.” Helen tossed out an excuse with practiced ease. He knew the area outside the wall was less secure than inside, but patrols did operate within a 20-kilometer radius, so it wasn’t chaos like some post-apocalyptic wasteland—more like organized disorder.

“Well, be careful. Come back quickly,” Philip said, glancing with concern at Helen’s delicate frame. “Route 3’s been a bit rough lately. Some of the patrols are avoiding it. Watch yourselves.”

“May the Holy Light bless you, Brother Philip,” Helen replied, placing a hand over his heart in a ritual prayer gesture and flashing another angelic smile.

Philip scratched his cheek awkwardly. “Helen… let’s see the other sister’s pass too.”

Natalie, who’d kept her head low this whole time, immediately tensed up.

“May the Holy Light bless you, Brother Philip,” Helen repeated the gesture again, that same sweet smile plastered on his face.

“It’s the rules. Please show the pass,” Philip muttered, his face reddening.

“May the Holy Light bless you, handsome Brother Philip~” Helen chimed again, now upping the charm with a devastatingly adorable smile.

“Alright, alright—go on through!” Philip finally cracked, practically leaping out of the way.

On the other side of the gate, an older gatekeeper chuckled quietly. “You like her?”

Philip’s face turned beet red. He held a finger to his lips, shushing him.

“Ahaha, don’t worry. That Sister Helen from District 33? Tons of young men are head over heels for her. She’s a beauty, after all.” The old guard grinned. “Keep at it, lad—you might get your chance.”

“I don’t stand a chance,” Philip mumbled, lowering his head. “Word is, even young master Leo of the Ares family’s taken a liking to her.”

“Bah. Love’s about mutual feelings, not status,” the old man said, still smiling.

...

Now outside the city, the noise of the metropolis faded behind them. Helen and Natalie sat in the back of a farmer’s wagon, nestled among grain sacks as it rumbled down the dirt road.

Out in the fields, the last farmers were vanishing into the dusk, their heavy footsteps trailing off into the earth. Cattle and sheep had already been herded into barns. A few herders’ calls echoed faintly through the air—soft, distant, swallowed by the surrounding stillness.

The scent of tilled soil and fresh grass hung in the air. A lone birdcall cut through the silence, only to be quickly muffled by the serenity that blanketed the countryside.

They were west of Constantinople now—on the road to Europa.

This was fertile land, vital for agriculture and trade, and more importantly, the empire’s lifeline. If this area fell, the city itself would be like a chicken with its neck bared—just waiting for the goblins from the East to strike.

“So beautiful,” Helen murmured, glancing up.

Unlike the light-polluted cities of his past life, the sky here glittered with stars, like jewels scattered across deepening velvet. There was a stillness here he hadn’t felt in a long time.

Even better than the game’s skybox.

“Sister Helen, what’s in that sack you’ve been holding onto?”

Seated beside him on the creaky wooden cart, Natalie eyed the burlap bag in his lap curiously.

Helen gave the sack a lift. “Guns and ammo.”

Natalie: …

“Before we get to your farm, we’ll stop somewhere secluded and do some shooting practice. Don’t worry—I brought a kerosene lamp,” Helen added seriously.

“S-shooting practice?” A terrible premonition began creeping up Natalie’s spine.

Helen nodded. “Yeah. We’re heading into live combat, after all. We need to brush up on our aim.”

Natalie’s legs started to shake. “Sister Helen, have you… ever actually fired a gun?”

“Nope~ But after tonight’s practice, I’ll have technically shot one, right?” Helen gave a ditzy smile. “Relax. It’ll be fine.”

Tears welled up in Natalie’s eyes. “Sister Helen, please don’t mess with me! We’re going to be facing those things!”

“But I really haven’t practiced,” Helen said, patting her on the shoulder with mock sincerity. Good thing I have faith in you, future Tier 4 frost witch…

Natalie clearly didn’t share his optimism. Nearly in tears, she whispered, “Is it just going to be the two of us handling these demons? Can’t we… request help from the Church’s Inquisition?”

Helen shook his head. “If they show up, they’ll probably put us on trial before they even look at the demons.”

Natalie stared at him, confused. “Why would they do that?”

Helen smiled gently, then explained.

The Church’s Inquisition was tasked with capturing, containing, and punishing supernatural individuals—specifically those unregistered or guilty of violating divine law.

While they did have the authority to deal with heretical supernatural creatures like demons, the moment word got out that “demons appeared in Constantinople,” everyone would be implicated.

“So if I’d actually gotten the city guard to believe me… I’d be spending the rest of my life in prison?” Natalie murmured, stunned.

Helen nodded solemnly.

“Then why are you helping me…? You’re just like those guards, aren’t you…?” Her voice faltered as she realized something. “I’m sorry, Sister Helen. I’ve dragged you into this.”

The moment she’d told Helen about the demon, she’d sealed their fates together.

Now she understood why neither the guards nor the nearby villagers had believed her.

If demons really had appeared in Constantinople, the Church’s foundation in the empire would be shaken—and the Roman branch of the Radiant Church would become a laughingstock.

True or not, it would have to be declared false.

“It’s fine. This falls under our parish, after all. It’s our responsibility to handle it,” Helen said with a comforting smile.

District 33 was close to the city wall. Its church served as the administrative center for nearby rural chapels—so Natalie had come to the right place.

Those countryside churches were mostly run by clerics from District 33, who only visited on weekends to lead prayers. They had no real military capability.

Only District 33’s church had weapons: one Tier 2 cleric and three Tier 1s.

“Young sisters, we’re about to reach Gray Farm—don’t fall asleep back there!”

The farmer driving the wagon pulled back the curtain, calling to Helen and Natalie, who were wedged among sacks of grain.

“Thank you, sir. We’ll get off here,” Helen said cheerfully.

The farmer blinked. “Huh? But there’s still a ways to go. This is just open field.”

Helen smiled warmly. “You’ve already done more than enough. From here, I’d like to pray with the other sister for a while.”

The moment he heard the word pray, the farmer shut his mouth and nodded. He brought the cart to a halt and helped the two “nuns” down.

“You’re Sister Helen from District 33, right? Be careful out here—try to head back early.”

Just as they stepped down, the farmer suddenly offered a quiet warning.

Helen looked up, alert. “Did something happen?”

“I dunno what’s going on, but yesterday, all around the outer plains, small towns, and villages… a huge crowd of vagrants showed up. All kinds—different races, even some from the Far East. They’ve got no discipline, roam around in groups, stirring up trouble.”

The farmer’s face was tight with unease.

“They speak in weird languages too. And now they’re starting to reach this area. Sister Helen—please be careful.”

---

This is a fan translation of 黑丝修女姐姐居然是男孩子？ by 水滴磐石 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!