Chapter 16 – Church (1)
I opened my eyes.
Now I can see the familiar ceiling.
I turn my head and look for Mr. Einstein.
He wasn’t in the room.
Did you go down first?
After simply dressing up, I went down to the first floor of the inn.
As expected, Mr. Einstein came down first and took his place.
The food may have been pre-ordered, and delicious dishes are lined up on the table.
I walked over to his table and pulled out a wooden chair across from him and sat down.
He even protested with displeasure.
“Do you feel better if I wake you up?”
“I thought it would be rude to wake you up because you slept so well. You sleep comfortably, but don’t you want someone to wake you up?”
It’s okay if it’s Mr. Einstein.
I was ashamed to say that, so I slurred my words.
“… Wake me up next time.”
“Isn’t it the first thing to think about what will happen on your own?”
“You’re also merciless.”
“What can I do with my personality?”
Lie.
Do you think I would believe such a mouthful?
I know better than anyone that you are kind.
I’m not too young to notice the consideration he’s sending me.
It’s Mr. Einstein who took care of me when I was sick and when I was having a hard time.
Still, when I point this out, Mr. Einstein sometimes frowns.
Just like someone who has heard something they cannot hear.
I hate it when Mr. Einstein makes that face.
So I deliberately spit out the sound of Bolmen.
“Astein-san, do you know that there are times when you feel like a hero, but sometimes you don’t feel like a hero?”
He smiles, takes a bite of the grilled skewer, and swallows the dark beer.
A loud exclamation escaped from Mr. Einstein’s mouth.
“I’m sorry I’m not the hero from the children’s book.”
I didn’t mean to say it with the intention of getting an apology, so I got confused.
What did I say
Did I criticize Mr. Einstein without realizing it?
How can someone like me…
As I was putting on a gloomy expression, Mr. Einstein, who checked my expression, removed a piece of meat from the grilled skewer and fed it to me.
It was spicy, sweet, and savory meat at the same time.
“Ubum?”
“People tend to get sensitive when they’re hungry.”
“I’m not sensitive because I’m hungry.”
“You know, you know. Eat one more.”
It’s not a conversation you know at all.
He deftly pulls another piece of meat from the stick.
I stubbornly refused, but I had no choice but to give in to the meat that was forcibly squeezed in.
“Aria.”
Aria.
It is Ms. Einstein who tells you her name, not her title of saint.
I like the name Aria he tells me.
My heart flutters.
I think it reminds me of ‘me’ whose ego has faded.
I feel like I can engrave the existence of ‘me’.
“Is it delicious?”
I nodded.
I nodded quickly up and down to avoid showing my reddened face.
“It is delicious. The pre-meal prayer is still there, but you are forcing me to feed you. Does Mr. Einstein want me to be a bad saint?”
“How about something bad?”
“The goddess is watching.”
“Whether people are suffering or dying, is it a big deal for a nobleman who only does Guanyin to see?”
My expression hardened.
“… It is blasphemy.”
Mr. Einstein also hangs his head, perhaps realizing that he made a mistake.
“Yes, I did speak harshly.”
“It’s okay to make fun of me, but please be careful what you say about the goddess.”
“Is it okay to tease you?”
Isn’t that what you meant?
Let’s glar at him and he puts out his hand.
Are you trying to hit me again?
Instinctively, I covered my forehead with both hands.
“I’m sorry, eat another one.”
Mr. Einstein grinned and took another piece of meat and put it in my mouth.
I had both of his hands on my forehead, and I couldn’t afford to push his hand away.
Another piece of meat squeezes your lips.
“Hey, please stop.”
“Nope?”
His atrocities continued.
Eventually, my cheeks became full like a hamster.
It must have been so funny that Mr. Einstein burst out laughing.
“… Wow (too much).”
“It’s cute, hey.”
I mumbled desperately, intent on passing food down my esophagus.
And belatedly, I closed my eyes and offered a prayer of thanks before the meal.
Goddess, I’m sorry.
Take today’s daily sustenance first and look over the lamb who prays.
After briefly praying, I opened my eyes and saw Mr. Einstein staring at me.
“Looking at it this way, you’re a saint too.”
“… Do I look like someone unfit to be a saint? Then Mr. Einstein, who enjoys drinking in broad daylight, is unqualified to be a hero.”
When the crooked answer came out, he smiled softly.
“I didn’t mean it that way, so don’t stop me. I just said it because it was amazing that they didn’t force me to do things like ‘This is against God’s will’ like other religious people do.”
I let out a deep sigh.
“Did other clergymen besides me say that?”
“Um, mostly it was. So at first you were a bit curious. I thought that if I said anything, it would be the will of the goddess, but the conversation turned out to be surprisingly ordinary.”
“Belief doesn’t come from being forced.”
Mr. Einstein widened his eyes.
Didn’t I know I was going to say something like this?
He replied in a somewhat serious tone.
“It doesn’t.”
“Because coercion only invites rejection. My role is to guide people to the right path when there are people who want to believe.”
“She is a very proper saintess.”
“… Don’t make fun of me.”
We had a nice breakfast and had common conversation.
It’s mostly about the monsters that are located on Mount Ascendio, but I enjoyed it enough.
Talking to him calms my mind.
After the meal, I was drinking tea and Mr. Einstein was drinking dark beer.
Mr. Einstein suddenly turned his head to stare at the doorway of the inn.
“… Well? I saw who came.”
Maybe it’s the sharp feeling that a hero has?
Just as Mr. Einstein said, the door of the inn opened.
In an instant, I held my breath.
Is this what it feels like to have your heart stop?
A bittersweet sensation stings the lungs.
What you see is a familiar outfit.
This outfit is all too familiar.
As he looked around, his eyes were fixed on me.
“Here you are.”
He finds me and smiles.
His teeth chatter.
“Aria?”
Mr. Einstein looks at me with worried eyes.
I wondered where the noise was coming from, but it must have been from my mouth.
My body trembled.
Why did you come here
The question never came out of my mouth.
“Bishop Ronin.”
He had an innocent smile.
“It’s been a while, saintess.”
* * *
To put it bluntly, Einstein did not like this grinning man.
There are no unfavorable elements in the external appearance.
A well-groomed appearance, polite speech, and dignified behavior.
It would be nothing more than a psychopath to harbor hostility to such a person.
However, Einstein saw Arya’s extreme rejection.
She was a girl who was talking lively just before.
She is like that, but look at her now.
Aren’t you constantly bumping your teeth and not even making eye contact properly?
It was clearly agitated by the appearance of this man.
Einstein is not an idiot.
To put it bluntly, he belonged to the clever side.
If Einstein had been stupid, he would have been swept away by the world’s sects long ago.
The hero’s head rotated rapidly.
Aria in her bathroom treats her own body as dirty and self-inflicted.
Aria asks for a hug because she is scared of being alone.
And Aria, who is repulsed by her man who came out of her church.
Like pieces of a puzzle being put together.
All of that circumstance pointed to one assumption.
Arya went through something in the church.
It will never be a good thing
Astein, who quickly sorted out the accident, saw the man holding out her hand and greeting her warmly.
A thick bloody smell emanated from her eyes.
It was ‘fellow’.
“This must be the first time I see you like this. I am Ronin Edric, who holds the post of Bishop of Sexual Aegism. It is an honor to meet you, Hero Astein.”
I know this name.
Then you don’t have to introduce yourself cumbersomely.
Einstein went straight to the point.
“For what reason did you come?”
“Short words, you.”
It was a sharp tone.
Her purple-haired nun behind Bishop Ronin huffed and tried to move, but Ronin raised her hand to stop her.
“Please refrain from saying anything disrespectful to the hero, Gina.”
The nun, called Gina, bowed her head disapprovingly.
“… I’m sorry, warrior… Sir.”
Einstein waved his hand insincerely.
I can’t help but feel good when I bow down.
I’d rather not do it.
In the first place, the nun’s words of apology were not for herself, but for Ronin.
Einstein stared at Ronin slowly.
“So what is the answer?”
Einstein’s rude attitude deserves to raise his eyebrows, but Ronin responded nicely.
There must be a cold and sharp awl behind that knock.
In his view, Bishop Ronin was good at hiding his emotions.
“The cardinal wanted to investigate the unsavory things the hero had done. That’s why the external pretext is to urge an explanation of the incident the hero has staged.”
He deliberately muttered.
He meant that he had other plans, so ask him.
Einstein is annoying, but decided to go over to his tricks.
“… Just what?”
“It’s just a formal excuse. I have come here because I want to see the bright side of the saintess.”
Ronin’s friendly gaze turned to Arya.
Arya stared at him, her body trembling as if she had been electrocuted.
“Lord Ronin, Bishop.”
My words trembled, and my body trembled.
It was Arya, terrified like a mouse in front of a cat.
Einstein was unfamiliar with her trembling like this and felt sorry for her.
“I am very happy because you have a happy face.”
Ronin smiled brightly.
It was such a bright smile that Einstein’s pulse went out.
Arya’s face turned dark.
“Do you remember what I said before?”
‘I hope you have more hope.’
How could I have forgotten the words that echoed in her ears.
Arya bit her lip, delaying her answer.
“Oh, did you forget?”
“… No, I remember.”
“I see.”
Ronin brushed his parted hair.
Very little silence.
He opened his mouth.
“You seem to have found it?”
At Ronin’s words, Einstein furrowed his eyebrows.
Found?
What?
Ronin reached out to Arya.
Was it intended to be stroked?
As of now, there is no way to know.
Arya reflexively removed his hand.
She looked at her own hands with her blank face.
“Oh, this, this.”
Ronin looked at his hand, which had been slashed.
The corners of his mouth curved like a crescent moon.
“You are doing too much.”
“Sorry…”
Einstein shut Arya’s mouth.
She doesn’t want to hear her apology.
The reason for the action was enough.
Ronin’s eyes softened as he stared at them.
“I am very happy that the warrior is stronger than expected.”
Einstein frowned.
“If you’re just going to talk nonsense that I can’t understand, I want you to stop right away.”
“Haha, I’m also a person who suffers from public affairs, so I’m going to go back as long as I convey the message.”
“Delivery? Are you asking me to explain why you brought Arya?”
“That’s fine, but there’s still one thing left to carry from the church.”
Was there such a thing
Einstein rested her chin on the back of her hand and scratched her temple.
“What was it?”
“The word ‘Holy Sword’.”
