Chapter 98: Things that never change (14)

‘I-is this right?’

After Lina’s sermon… no, incitement, I thought as I looked at the excited holy people.

It was very comfortable to watch from the mental world, but the priests were leaving as soon as the worship was over, and the holy people were flocking around me.

Seeing the contrasting figure, I thought that even I didn’t think it was a proper worship service.

[I know from experience, you can’t make them understand unless you speak this strongly. Gently reading the Bible? They’ll be seduced by heretics and sell their house and family.]

‘Aren’t you the heretic…? When you think about it, you’re the demon king.’
[···]

Looking at Lina’s silent attitude, it seemed that she herself had forgotten.

Actually, Lina only cares about meeting the first hero and doesn’t care about anything else.

Maybe the demon king and magic, those things are just a means, not the purpose, she wasn’t particularly interested…

Recently, Lina’s first impression seems to have changed from an evil demon king to a stupid first saintess (magic custom type)… Since I’m in her debt, I decided to pretend I didn’t know.

Actually, I can’t even do automatic saintess mode without Lina. At least I didn’t have the ability to captivate the holy people.

“It was a good chat.”

“Ah, Cardinal.”

Besides, Bruno didn’t say anything either.

Whatever it is, Lina must have been right.

Having judged that, I smiled brightly at the voice I heard.

“I was actually trying to hide it while the Saintess was here, but you already know it in such detail. I’ll organize the data and send it to you soon.”

“Yes…?”

“I’m talking about the wicked people who do business in God’s name.”

“Ah, yes… That’s right. We have to root them all out!”

Huh, Bruno, who used to click his tongue at whatever I said, is showing this attitude.

“Oh, really. Should I mention it to the Grand Inquisitor?”

“Ah, no! Absolutely not!”

Why suddenly Maleus? In the first place, selling God’s name in the Holy Kingdom is no different from treason.

But there are people who take that dangerous act, risking their lives?

Bruno was impressed by Lina’s words, but I couldn’t understand his subsequent actions at all.

“Do you have any reason?”

“W-well, I think he’ll be disappointed…”

Besides, Maleus is really serious about the holy fire even in my opinion.

If he finds out that Su-hyeon and I have become like oil that burns brightly, he’ll be very disappointed, right?

I didn’t want to be out of the eyes of Su-hyeon and Maleus, no matter what anyone else said, so I strongly shook my head at Bruno’s question of whether to prepare the inquisitors.

“Ah, the hero is coming! Then I’ll be on my way!”

“Indeed… Is it because of the hero that you’ve had a change of heart?”

“Huh? H-how did you…”

I turned my head slightly to look at Su-hyeon, and Bruno carefully asked me.

Change of heart… When I think about it, it’s true that I accepted magic to save Su-hyeon…

How much does this sly old man know? Feeling a little uneasy, I brought my index fingers together and twisted my body.

“No, well… He’s a really nice friend, you know? He’s also very responsible…”

“Responsibility… Did you happen to spend a night together…”

“Oh… How many times was it? I can’t remember because it was so many.”

I sent him a letter, and as soon as I started praising Su-hyeon, he immediately asked if we had slept together.

We’ve spent countless nights together. When I answered without much thought, Bruno stared at Su-hyeon with a surprised look.

I knew it, he misunderstood him as a bad person, right? I hurriedly opened my mouth to avoid the bad ending that happens in the Holy Kingdom.

“W-wait a minute! Su-hyeon… No, the hero is a very nice person even though he looks like that, you know? Really, really! I can’t live without the hero!”

Su-hyeon is my own hero, and the kind hero who was summoned last in the game.

My protagonist who will defeat the demon king and get a happy ending together.

So my life cannot be established without Su-hyeon, and he is the man I must protect first.

Thinking that way and defending him with all my might, Bruno’s expression gradually hardened.

In the end, he sighed and left, saying, “It would be a big problem if the Grand Inquisitor knew.”

Yeah, if Maleus knew, Su-hyeon would be burned at the stake right away. So I have no choice but to protect him.

“Ah, goodbye!”

Fortunately, Bruno passed by without any problems, even though the rumor that Su-hyeon was a bad guy had spread widely among the high-ranking people in the Holy Kingdom. I gave Bruno a big farewell.

That old man, he’s a little uneasy because he talks to Maleus often.

When the now sleeping Lina wakes up, I’ll have to think about how to send him into exile.

“…The culture seems a little different from the church in the kingdom.”

“Sera, are you feeling okay?”

“Saintess! That was a great sermon!”

“Kaellia, could you lower your voice a little…”

Soon, the hero party was visible in the distance. As if they had been waiting for the conversation to end, they immediately started saying a word to me.

Natalia seemed surprised by my sincere saintess mode, and Laura still asked about my health.

And Kaellia, who still doesn’t know whether to leave Su-hyeon’s side… Why are they holding hands?

“Ah, this? In case Kaellia gets lost…”

“I guess so. I understand.”

Somehow her voice was a little rough. A voice that sounded like she was jealous.

I felt upset for no reason, so I thought about holding Su-hyeon’s other hand, but I decided to stop.

In the first place, this is the cathedral. There are many people watching, so it’s a little embarrassing to do that.

“Here.”

“Huh? This is…”

In the end, Su-hyeon took off his cloak and put it on me, unable to do anything. Then, he quietly began to whisper in my ear.

“Laura and Natalia don’t seem to feel anything strange… I guess that kind of clothes aren’t strange in this world, but you’re different, right?”

“…. Stupid, you’re too late to notice. How many people are here, they’ve already seen my bare skin.”

Su-hyeon smiled slightly at me, and Natalia didn’t know what to do at that appearance. And even Laura was quietly watching the two of us.

Because the distance between our faces was too close, I hurriedly pushed Su-hyeon away.

“Oh, it’s a pretty outfit… Is there any need to hide it?”

“The Holy Kingdom is close to the northern mountains, so there’s a pretty cold wind even in spring. If you don’t have a cloak in this state, you’ll catch a cold.”

Kaellia, of course, and Natalia and Laura also seemed to be curious about why I was hiding the saintess’s robe, but I mentioned the reason that the wind was cold.

In fact, the snow hadn’t melted in the Holy Kingdom even in March. I said that Su-hyeon was worried about me because of the cold wind, and I said it clearly.

“So… Well, that’s why this Insulation equipment is essential.”

There’s no point in telling them that this world is a game for nothing.

As much as it’s a smut game, the only people with different common sense are me and Su-hyeon.

So, to add justification to the excuse, I took out the cat ear headband that I had been storing with black magic.

As Kaellia said, it’s quite warm even in the cold wind…

“Sera?”

“What was that just now… What on earth is it?”

“Sera… She’s still out of her mind…”

“Are you still keeping the gift I gave you? I’m so happy!”

I was able to learn black magic from Lina for a short time during that one night before the worship time after arriving in the Holy Kingdom…

When I think about it, these guys wouldn’t have known that. And even the magic that spread from the cathedral for a very short time.

What will Lina say when she wakes up? No, more than that, the quick-witted Inquisitors would have noticed that black magic was activated in the cathedral?

“Um… Should we run away first?”

The good news is that the holy people didn’t notice this small difference, and most of the priests left the cathedral.

So, if we get out of the cathedral before the Inquisitor uncles, especially Maleus, comes, it’s a perfect crime.

“S-Sera!”

“Let’s run first! There’s a delicious restaurant in the Holy City, so I’ll introduce it to you!”

Thinking that far, I took Su-hyeon’s hand and started running. Then, my companions followed me with surprised faces.

Kaellia couldn’t stop laughing, “Hahaha!” as if she was so excited about something, and I also started to feel happy for no reason.

“Sera! Just calm down a little…”

“Hahaha! This is kind of fun!”

When I think about it, have I ever run around in the Holy Kingdom to my heart’s content?

No, more than that, I hardly had any experience running with so many people in the old days.

Because of the small black magic I caused, there will be a small commotion in the Inquisition, but I won’t be found out anyway…

Thinking that way, I kept laughing because it felt like I was playing a game of ringing the doorbell and running away with my friends.

That’s right, I remembered. In the old days… So, before I was cooped up in my room, I had a friend who played with me like this.

The more I talk to Su-hyeon, the clearer the memories become. You’re really my protagonist.