## Chapter 538 – An Unexpected Encounter
“Huh? That voice…”
“Hmm? Looks like that holy knight from last time is here again.”
“When you say the holy knight from last time…”
“Ah, I mean the knight I restrained with Chain Bind last time. Looks like she’s here again. Face and figure are top-notch, but her attitude is not what you’d expect from someone from Solario.”
Actually, Ms. Lelia is from Escal, not Solario.
Chainber, my father, and I walked towards the source of the sound.
“Let me goooo! I’m going to destroy this whole set!!!”
“Ah, please calm down, Commander!”
“Why are you acting like this after coming all the way here? Just quickly take off your clothes, pose, and get it over with.”
“If we take pictures, they’ll be sold all over the world, you idiots! You guys are getting photographed too! Aren’t you embarrassed?!”
“What’s the problem with spreading the teachings of Soli?”
“Actually, I just asked the director if we could include the pose my husband wants me to do.”
“Geeeeeeez!!!”
Ms. Lelia was being held by two of her subordinate holy knights, shouting.
“Ms. Lelia.”
“Who is it! Who called my name… Oh? R-R-R-Rent, sir!?”
As soon as Ms. Lelia saw me, she stopped struggling and stared at me in shock with wide eyes.
“Huh? Oh my, it really is.”
“Hello, Rent, sir.”
“Hello.”
“W-Why is Rent, sir, here… No, but who is that next to you… That damn old man who restrained me last time!”
“Hehehehe, we meet again.”
“Ah, you’re the one from last time. Thank you for stopping our Commander back then.”
“I was in danger too if I didn’t stop her back then, so it’s only natural. No need to thank me.”
Thanks to that, I got to see something good.
That’s what Chainber, my father, seemed to be implying.
“W-Why are you two together…”
“Chainber, my father, is Ms. Tikia’s father.”
“T-That old man is Ms. Tikia’s father…?”
“Yes, I happened to come to the magic city with Ms. Tikia today, but she said she had some business, so I followed him.”
“T-That can’t be.”
Ms. Lelia said in a voice filled with despair.
“I-It’s over… There’s no way out.”
“Um… Ms. Lelia, why are you so depressed?”
Of course, as someone from Escal, she might be embarrassed, but since she already had the experience of being photographed, wouldn’t it be a little better?
“W-Well…”
At that moment, a man who looked like a director, sitting on a chair in one of the sets, said.
“Let’s postpone your turn for now and shoot the other actors first. If you have something to talk about, do it in the lounge.”
“Ah, then I’ll go first!”
One of the subordinate holy knights who was holding Ms. Lelia suddenly raised his hand.
“Hehehe, it seems my son-in-law and that holy knight know each other.”
“Yes, we’ve worked together on missions before.”
“Then I’ll be working here, so son-in-law, why don’t you take that holy knight and listen to what she has to say for a bit.”
Chainber, my father’s job is to subdue people like Ms. Lelia who might go on a rampage, so wouldn’t it be better for him to come along?
But maybe it’s because he knows my skills and can trust me with it.
…Or maybe he just wants to see the filming set.
Anyway, it would be easier for Ms. Lelia to confide in me if we were alone, so it’s probably better this way.
“Okay. Ms. Lelia, where is the lounge?”
“Ah, I’ll show you the way.”
Guided by one of the holy knights, I went to the lounge with Ms. Lelia.
There was no one in the lounge.
It wasn’t a large lounge to begin with, but it had a slightly luxurious atmosphere.
Is it because Ms. Lelia is the commander of the 13th Knight Order that she’s getting special treatment?
“The lounge is small.”
“It’s prepared separately because it’s dangerous if I go on a rampage like last time and hurt the other actors.”
It was basically an isolation room.
“Then I’ll go to the set to film. Rent, sir, please take care of the Commander. Commander, please try to cheer up.”
“Shut up!”
*Squeak*
The door closed, and only Ms. Lelia and I were left in the room.
“…So, Ms. Lelia. Can you explain what’s going on?”
“Ugh, well…”
Ms. Lelia slowly began to speak.
“Rent, sir… You remember when we met last time, right? When High Priest Maren said that I had to do another photoshoot for Miss Solario.”
“Yes, I remember.”
“After carrying out the mission with you and your lovers, I was fine because I didn’t meet High Priest Maren while we were suppressing that strange religious cult village. Even after we returned, he didn’t say much. But… things went wrong.”
“Things?”
“No, it’s not that things went wrong, but rather an incident happened. Rent, sir, you know about it too, right? The incident in Caramel… the descent of Soli’s fragment.”
“Ah… yes.”
After all, I was the one who summoned Soli.
“That incident was truly shocking in Solario. Upon hearing the news, High Priest Maren was practically ejaculating with excitement.”
That’s amazing, High Priest Maren.
“Many Solario believers even went on group trips to the land where Soli’s fragment descended to pray. It was so hard to stop High Priest Maren from going himself…
Instead, he was able to calm down by listening to the situation through the communication magic tool in the Adventurer’s Guild. But…”
“But?”
“The content he was listening to was the problem. Soli said that the fragment was wearing very unique… clothing. That… she was wearing clothes that were even thinner than underwear.”
That’s the micro bikini I put on Soli when I summoned her.
“After hearing a detailed description of the outfit, High Priest Maren said. This is… this is a revelation. Barely hiding the genitals is an outfit that evokes intense lust! Soli has given us a new enlightenment by descending her fragment! He said.”
“You’re good at imitating High Priest Maren.”
“I’ve been with him for years.”
And Ms. Lelia sighed deeply and said.
“And then High Priest Maren said. We must widely promote the outfit that Soli revealed to us… We must make the outfit that Soli chose known worldwide. That outfit is…”
Ms. Lelia took out a white micro bikini from the inventory at her waist.
“This is it. This… this perverted outfit that barely covers the nipples and genitals, Rent, sir!”
Tears welled up in Ms. Lelia’s eyes.
“Does this make any sense! To wear this… this kind of outfit and take pictures again! Yes! Nipple patches and this are practically the same! Hahaha! But… but!
I don’t want to take pictures again after doing it once! And these bastards are even trying to take pictures of my crotch on a ‘crash plate’! I told them I have no experience, and they got even more excited, saying that’s even better… Damn it!”
*Thump* Ms. Lelia sat down on the floor and said, touching the ground.
“This outfit is completely trending now… Clothes of this design are being sold instead of underwear. Even worse, devout priestesses are walking around wearing only this kind of clothing.”
This can’t be!
Then, is Sol, the capital of Solario, now a bikini city?!
“Why did I become the commander of the holy knights in a country like this…? My youth? Where is it…?”
Ms. Lelia, who was continuing her lament, was having very negative thoughts.
I couldn’t leave Ms. Lelia like this, so I spoke to her first.
“Ms. Lelia.”
When I called her name, Ms. Lelia came to her senses a little and looked up.
“Ah, R-Rent, sir. S-Sorry. I haven’t even had any alcohol, but I’m showing you such an unsightly side again…”
“It’s okay, I’m used to it.”
“Ugh… S-Sorry.”
“But if you hate it that much, should I try to ask them something? I don’t know if it will work, though.”
If she really hates it, I want to respect Ms. Lelia’s opinion and do something about it.
But Ms. Lelia shook her head at my words.
“No, it’s okay. What I said just now… was just a complaint because my mind is not organized. My subordinates are right. Since I’ve come this far… I have to do it. Ah, but…”
Ms. Lelia dropped her head and said.
“I’m a little anxious. Will there really be someone who will take a woman who has appeared in such a magazine all over the world… No, before that, there aren’t even any men or decent encounters in sight. Ha, hahaha…”
She’s very, very dark.
“I-It’ll be okay. Ms. Lelia, you’re beautiful, skilled, and have a good personality.”
Although she has bad drinking habits.
“You’ll definitely meet a good person.”
“I’ve been hearing that from my subordinates for the past five years.”
“Ugh…”
“Ah, do you know what? Hehehe… I went on another arranged date.”
“Really?”
“Yes! This time, it was the son of a baron from Escal, not Bridan. There were rumors that he had a bit of a strong libido, but High Priest Maren, who introduced him, said that was a plus. Well, I thought I could accept a strong libido too. It’s not like I’m at an age where I can pick and choose?”
Somehow, the more she talked, the more self-deprecating her tone became.
“So I met him. He was a bit of a narcissist, but that’s how nobles usually are. The conversation flowed smoothly… I was a little hopeful. Ah! This time, I’m finally going to walk down the aisle! But…”
*Clench!*
Ms. Lelia’s fist clenched tightly.
“He asked me how many people I’ve slept with.”
“H-How many people you’ve slept with?”
“Yes. I was a little angry, but I thought, ‘Well, if I prove my virginity here, he’ll like me even more?’ So I proudly said, ‘Zero!’ I was so excited, thinking that I would succeed in this arranged date. But… but…”
*Thump* Ms. Lelia stood up and shouted with a completely tearful expression.
“He sighed, saying that it was completely different from what he thought! It turned out that the noble was a subscriber to Miss Solario! And a subscriber who read the issue I was in!
He said that after seeing me in the nipple patch, he came with the expectation that I would be a lewd woman who eats up men while looking normal on the outside. Ha! Seriously! Damn it! I was so pissed that I punched him right there, and the arranged date was over! Hahahahaha!!! Ha, ha…”
*Drip* Tears fell from Ms. Lelia’s eyes.
“Why… why am I so unlucky with men? They’re all perverts… No, that man from Bridan was okay. But I was too strong, so he left… Aha, ha, hahaha…”
“M-Ms. Lelia…”
“I’m sorry, Rent, sir… I’ve said too much to you again… I’ve shown you such an ugly side so many times that I feel like I’m becoming too talkative. You hate it too, right? A troublesome and whiny woman like this… *Sniff*, *sniff*…”
She hasn’t even had any alcohol, but she’s like this.
Her heart must be deeply wounded.
“Um… when was that arranged date…”
“A week ago.”
That’s not enough time for the wound to completely heal.
What can I say to encourage Ms. Lelia in this situation?
After thinking carefully, I came to this conclusion.
It’s to give Ms. Lelia a little reassurance.
“Don’t worry, Ms. Lelia. You’ll definitely find a good partner. You’re a very attractive person.”
“Sniff! Sniff! What if… what if I don’t? I’ll be a spinster for the rest of my life.”
I said to Ms. Lelia, who had become completely negative.
“Hmm… if you don’t… how about I take responsibility and take you?”
“R-Rent, sir, you’ll take me?”
“Yes, Ms. Lelia, you’re a very attractive and wonderful person.”
She has bad drinking habits, but she has a good figure, a good face, and is skilled.
And she’s also very sincere.
“If no one takes Ms. Lelia, I’ll take you.”
Ms. Lelia stopped crying at my words, which I said with a smile, and said with a slight smile.
“To comfort me… haha, thank you for saying that, even if it’s just empty words. It made me a little happy that Rent, sir, a S-rank adventurer and hero, said that he would take me.”
It’s not empty words.
