64 – Patience-4

“I’ll go. Please, no, let me go!”

When the emperor asked the saintess’ opinion, Celia nodded restlessly.

The emperor’s messenger was a bit puzzled, but still thought it was fortunate.

Although the actual duties of the saintess are few, their symbolism and authority cannot be easily touched even by the pope or emperor.

It wouldn’t have been easy to participate in the journey of Baron Enerel, who would be angry with her for some reason.

“But, can I go…”

“I heard that other people have already participated in the journey. For now, I think you can take care of Her Highness’s treatment.”

“I heard that Mr. Nerwen followed him… but also Mr. Farseer and the princess?”

“Yes. All other warrior party members are following him.”

“thank god…”

Even if I never saw his face for the rest of my life, I thought it was inevitable.

Because she was no longer someone who could give him happiness. If somehow he could go back and find his happiness, that’d be enough.

But if you are a little, a little bit more greedy.

“I’ll go. I can do anything!”

“I’ll pass it on to His Majesty the Emperor. I’m sure he’ll be delighted.”

The carriage prepared by the emperor was comfortable and comfortable. Celia, holding her hands together, prayed even though she knew that she would not receive an answer today.

I didn’t expect him to forgive anyone else. However, it was clear that he was looking forward to his return, at least enough to put up with others.

If you have the strength to overcome it, you can be happy again. With some hope and anticipation, the carriage moved on.

“Was this the battlefield…”

The corpses of orcs were still strewn about the fields.

If it was a human soldier’s body, it was collected and buried in the ground, but there was not enough manpower to bury all the bodies of the orcs.

Still, they were gathered in one place and made like a mountain, and although they were a little small compared to the size of the corpse, pits were exposed here and there.

“Here, you were there…”

She was a saint who had seen terrible things, but wars and monsters always hurt her heart.

Enerel would have fought in this field. to protect those left behind.

He hasn’t changed in essence.

She should have been here too. Like Eleanor and Farseer, who risked their lives to fight together, they should have helped him.

Maybe the reason they were accepted was because they were recognized for their work.

The distance he traveled was not short, and the saintess had to continue the carriage journey with expectations and anxiety.

“This is it. Since you said you haven’t left this town yet…”

“We’ve finally arrived.”

Her silver hair swayed to and fro. As soon as she got off the carriage, full of joy and awkwardness, Celia set out to find Enerel.

“ah…”

He was laughing with the children.

The children who were running around with wooden swords seemed to be interested in Enerel, who was dressed as an adventurer and led a maid.

It was a bit awkward, but he laughed and got along with the kids. He accepted a little mischievous prank and laughed.

“Hero!”

Celia laughed and ran away. At that moment, she felt something strange.

“Wow! Sister of the priest!

“Where are you came from?”

Few people hated the young priest. Aside from the saintess’ beautiful appearance and comfortable atmosphere, it was common for apprentice priests to volunteer in rural areas like this.

There was no reason to dislike the young and beautiful priest, as would be the case with the old, complaining priest in charge of the church.

However, there was only one person who couldn’t laugh.

“…”

Enerel’s expression, which had been laughing until just now, was obviously distorted in an instant. As if the moon covered the sun, the light disappeared at once.

“Mister, where are you sick?”

A little girl who was hanging out with the boys could have been less distracted by Celia’s looks.

The child immediately realized that his complexion was strange.

“Oh, no. That’s fine.”

“Didn’t he know someone?”

“Yes. Yes, someone I know.”

Celia could feel it.

He was forced to smile, to the point of looking pitiful.

His anger toward the saintess did not disappear. If he had met Celia under a different circumstance, he would have been able to express his anger coolly.

But now, he didn’t want to show his anger. I didn’t want to make these happy laughing children depressed.

so i’m laughing A sense of duty is making him laugh.

“I, later… I’ll talk to you again.”

Celia left the place. While she was here, he couldn’t help but laugh.

/////

Dozens of magic circles appeared and disappeared. The magic powder she prepared slowly burned, then lost its light and scattered in the air.

“I don’t know with my skills. I can’t feel any traces of you.”

Among the human wizards, there was no one who could follow Farseer’s magic.

Since she said she couldn’t detect it with her own skills, there was little chance that magic was involved.

“As expected… is that so?”

“I can’t say for sure. Divine power or magic, elves’ magic or spirit magic… there are so many variables in the world, so it’s overflowing. But at least it’s not magic.”

In order to find someone more skilled in magic than her, he would have to bring in an old dragon who had studied the principles of magic for at least several thousand years.

No curse was placed on Nerwen’s body.

However, Nerwen’s attitude was calm.

When I persuaded him, I mentioned the male and female of the demon king, and at that time I thought it was a fairly probable hypothesis.

However, it was hard to believe that her current condition was the curse of the demon lord.

“Tell me more slowly. There are many mysteries in the body of an elf… but at least until they arrive, I will know most of them.”

Nerwen bit her lip.

“That’s… that’s complicated.”

“Did you say smell? Certainly, it’s a difficult subject to explain. Humans and elves have different senses, and it’s hard for me to understand how you smell.”

If there is no one who has no eyes, no matter how much others hear the beauty of color, they cannot understand it.

Even if you try to understand how beautiful the blue sky is, how enchanting the sunset sun shines, you cannot understand it.

“Besides that… my feelings are a bit strange.”

“Specifically?”

“I like him.”

Obviously, the elven elder mentioned that possibility, but at that time Nerwen listened with one ear and let it out with the other.

can’t like it You can’t do that to someone you love.

I’m not a child, and I can’t do the childish, clumsy thing of doing naughty things to get his attention.

I didn’t even want to draw attention. If you really wanted his attention, there could have been better ways than insulting him with your scent.

“Since when?”

“I don’t know, but I definitely felt it… after following him around.”

Or, maybe a little before that. There was no way an elf would become someone’s slave without favor and declare that he would serve for the rest of his life.

It was Nerwen’s own doctor who decided that, but she was so focused that she had to be careful about her thoughts and actions.

“Isn’t it because of the smell?”

“It smells… I can still smell it. But it’s insanely sweet…”

Addiction has faded a bit. There was no mad pursuit of him as in the capital.

However, the desire to see his face overtakes her. The longing to be together, even in the smallest things, dominates the whole body.

“Why, why, why, why…”

She is the champion of the World Tree. She has been noble since birth.

Serving the hero was understandable, but even taking that into account, his feelings were strange.

Specifically, she was controlled by him to such an extent that she did not want to break this curse even after reaching the World Tree.

She was only able to maintain herself because the person holding the leash showed no interest in her.

“If it’s the demon king’s curse, if that’s the case! If this is the remaining evil and insidious curse, this feeling shouldn’t change!”

If the demon king really cursed her with lust, and luckily the party didn’t collapse thanks to Nerwen’s ignorance and Enerel’s courtesy.

Now that drinker is gone. Although there were frequent cases where the spell without a caster was maintained, it was rare for the effect to change.

Even in this situation, she was afraid of his wrath.

It was he who hated him. I have no intention of denying that.

However, in front of the obvious truth, she made a clumsy excuse and suspended the punishment.

It’s okay to die. However, he can’t stand his hatred for her.

Even thinking like this showed her ideality.

“Good work. It must have been difficult to say. But, how about confiding in him? At least if you treat him kindly…”

“I’ve tried a few times… but every time I get stuck.”

Ceres, the maid who followed him around, drew a line whenever Nerwen approached him more than necessary.

I couldn’t even blame her. Enerel knew better than anyone that Nerwen was displeased with her.

Because Ceres was just expressing his will on behalf of him.

Nerwen was swimming in despair. Returning to the World Tree was a natural thing to do, but all they could do there was to lift the curse.

I couldn’t win people’s hearts. The blade of hatred could not be blunted.

That was her only burden.