111 – Winter (2)

How long had it been since I had seen his expression like that?

After Reiges, who had rarely erased emotion from her face, strode into the audience room where there might be a threat, Dauna chewed on that thought for a while.

”To make Rowville angry to that point… saintess… What the hell are you doing…”

”Yeah, too! You’re mad at that, right? Is that so!?”

Marianne quickly caught up with Dauna’s devastated monologue.

It was an unconscious action stemming from a desire to resolve this weighty doubt in my heart as soon as possible, even if it meant the rudeness of daring to ask a question to a part of the hero whom the entire nation looked up to.

Reis, who had a reputation in the monastery for being mild-mannered and even slightly foolish, took offense at the saintess, not anyone else.

It was a sight that couldn’t help but be astonished to Marianne, who was used to him laughing off even the vicious bullying of his fellow priests with a shy smile.

Moreover, the drop in visual information also played a part in stimulating Marianne’s doubts.

It was to the point of giving me goosebumps at the sight of a person who had looked over the wounded with benevolence just a moment ago, staring beyond the door of the audience room with a cold gaze reminiscent of a wax figure.

”Kuhmm, you sure… did you say Marianne…?”

”Hut! I’m sorry, I’m sorry! No matter how different you are from your usual outfit! In addition to not daring to know Dauna-sama, a member of that hero’s party! Asking questions before even saying hello! I apologize for the rudeness! Sister Beltane’s exclusive secretary who oversees all the affairs of the monastery here! Marianne! Greetings, albeit belatedly!”

”Oh, that’s right. Oh, I see. I didn’t say this with the intention of blaming you, so please raise your head.”

Downa, who belatedly realized her own outfit, suddenly blushed and averted her gaze from Marianne’s words and actions, as she bowed her head in an effort to slam her body into the floor.

In fact, Marianne’s failure to identify Dauna at once was ambiguous to say that it was her own fault.

There are only a handful of people who can recognize a woman in a nurse’s uniform who has no practical use for it, and who only specializes in emphasizing the prominent curves of her body, as a mage who sits at the pinnacle of humanity.

It was not a pleasant thing for Downa herself to continue talking about this flimsy outfit she wore impulsively. hastily changed the topic.

”Kuh, kuhm! Rather, according to what I have inferred from your words and actions, it seems that Rowville’s behavior is still the same here… Just in case, do you remember seeing him with a face like that before?”

”Oh no… It was the first time in my life that I saw Priest Rageis, who was like a docile sheep, rage to such an extent…”

”Hmm! yes! Of course you do!”

It was Marianne who felt a whitish sense of incongruity in Dauna’s slightly elated words and actions.

Such a feeble impression was quickly dissipated by a firm conviction welling up from within the thought.

‘Priestess Rage… You really were a member of the hero’s party…!’

That Reiges was once a member of the hero’s party.

The information itself was Marianne, who had already heard about it from Sister Beltane, but seeing the reality with her own two eyes like this made the approaching reality itself unique.

”Well, it wouldn’t be too much. Rowville’s stuffy finite personality has always been a hot potato in our party. It’s because he’s good at talking, and in fact, it’s not inferior to calling him Hogu. Doesn’t everyone give their allotted reward to the beggars on the street, to the point that even though their bodies are in danger right now, they always reserve a prayer that can only be used once for a party member.”

”Ah, that’s right…”

Marianne inadvertently spilled her frightened words at the sudden change in attitude of Downa, who became more talkative.

However, Downa’s chatter, reminiscent of a mistress complaining about her husband-to-be, showed no signs of stopping.

how long has it been like that

It was around the time that Marianne’s clear consciousness was weakening like cheese in the oven at Downa’s chatter, which seemed to last forever.

”But there’s only one thing about Rowville. There are things I will never tolerate.”

”·····to?”

Words uttered with emotions distinctly different from those heard so far.

The thoughts inherent in those words were so thick and heavy that Marianne’s consciousness, which had been scattered for a while, suddenly stood up sharply.

”In front of a ruthless man who carelessly treats the lives of others, he…”

◈◈◈

Contrary to the momentum of the unknown heat that boils down from the danteon, the accident in which a decision of some sort has been concluded has become endlessly chilly.

”Oh, brother…”

”Don’t come closer. I must have told you. Holy Maiden.”

I wonder if the cold rejection that came out of my mouth was just an auditory hallucination caused by a strong wind.

Once again, I firmly restrained the saintess who carelessly tried to close the distance with me.

”Huh, huh…!”

Red eyes that clearly reaffirmed the reality that cannot be ignored.

The sorrowful feelings that were slowly rising inside her were forming water droplets on her thin eyelashes before she knew it.

If it was me, it was clear that I would have softened my heart at this point.

I thought it was something I couldn’t bear to say as a priest to speak harsh words to a girl who was shedding tears so sadly, and it was also something I hated the most to reprimand and persecute someone.

However, at this moment when I keenly realize what kind of tragedy my irresponsible choice could cause, my heart was not so bold enough to insist on the easy path again.

”If you take one step closer from there, I will never come back to see the face of the saint.”

”·····!”

The saintess’ movement stopped abruptly.

A calm tone, not like my usual one. cold expression.

It must be because those two elements were giving heavy sincerity to the rant I just uttered.

Right after that, the saintess’ expression, painfully distorted as if her stomach had been pierced, seemed to indirectly show how terrible it was for her to never see me again.

There were two reasons why the saintess didn’t let me come any further.

The first was to protect the nun, who was wandering between death and near death due to the power presumed to be wielded by the saintess, from her.

The second reason was that if I saw that pitiful expression from close range, it seemed that my strong determination, which I had long hardened, would become blunted in an instant.

”Uh-oh!”

Chunk.

It was then.

At the very moment when the unpleasant noise of heavy metals entwined vaguely rippled from behind the saintess, the rosary blade that I had previously held in my hand was brought to my neck like an arrow.

”·····!”

Crunchy!

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Just as lightning casts aside the sound, when I came to my senses, there were already familiar chains stretching out from the back of the saintess in front of me, ready to devour me.

However, that unexpected attack did not reach my body.

A sharp blade that I lightly shoved into my neck. It was because a line of blood leaking from the tip stopped the body and spirit of the saintess in an instant.

”If you try to take me by force, I will slit my throat right here.”

”Uh-huh!”

The saintess trying to forcibly tie me up as I tried to leave her.

It was within the scope that could be fully assumed, and I also had a way to easily overcome it.

sleep The most effective means of negotiation for me to intimidate the saintess who fears scarring my body more than anything else.

The reason I’ve been reluctant to do this is because I’ve always been concerned about her mental health.

There was no reason to save this card until now, when a person’s life could be lost.

”Le, Reiges… four, priest…”

”Do not worry. Sister. I’ll get you out right away.”

”Ah, ahh…!”

It was certainly a good thing that the nun’s necrosis had returned to the point where she could speak to the nun whose body had turned purple.

In this bitter cold, it was not strange that this condition, which had improved for a while, worsened again at any time, so it was forbidden to be vigilant.

I had no way of knowing why the saintess had brought her to this point.

Even for me, who had been observing the saintess at close range for a long time, it was difficult to get a hold of her mind.

An extension of the usual tteengkang. minor whims. Side dish complaint.

Perhaps it was an atrocity committed by the thought that if the nun who took care of me instead of me, who was unable to attend due to health problems, disappeared, I might visit again.

Pudeuk.

The fire that had been burning in his thoughts swelled his body again.

It was because the faint hopes he had for the saintess had completely collapsed at this moment.

A small hope that no matter how much the saintess commits an outrageous act, she will never make a mistake once.

A slight expectation that she would never do harm to the nun who had cared for her as devotedly as I did.

The reason why such ephemeral things sprout in the collapsed place is a strong sense of disappointment towards an existence that does not care about the lives of others if it is for its own purpose.

And there was only disgust enough to tremble at myself for neglecting her until she reached that point.

”Then I’ll just go. Holy Maiden.”

”Huh, huh! Ugh! Oh, brother…! Oh, baaa…!”

Was it because he was hugging the nun?

While I was opening the door to the audience room, which felt much heavier than usual, the tearful appeal of the saintess terrifyingly stroking my back caught me for a moment.

The answer I gave to that was extremely simple.

”I am not your brother. Holy Maiden.”

It wasn’t until now, and it’s a fact that it won’t be in the future.