episode_0066

“What?”

What are you talking about? It was so out of the blue, I couldn’t even understand it.

Touching carelessly? Frivolous behavior? Considering the situation and condoning it? It wasn’t that he didn’t understand the words. Glenn was proud that he could follow the conversation to some extent even when others used difficult words, thanks to his long reading. However, there was not a single part of Esther’s words that was easy to accept.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Could you explain it in simpler terms?”

In the end, I ended up being sarcastic. I even used polite language. My usual complaints exploded.

Of course, Esther’s reaction was not good either. However, it was more moderate than expected.

“My child…is stupid for not considering that he is stupid…I will not report that blasphemous act, that act of touching the body of the highest authority in our religious order without permission, to our religious order and will not send it to a hearing! There were also the saint’s meticulous and considerate words that it was because he was overcome with emotion due to his safe return, and the Benedictine monk also told him to be lenient…so I will let it slide! ”

“Huh? Interrogation? Were you going to punish me or something?”

What is this?

Of course, Glenn was keenly aware that the person who held the highest position in the Air Grants sect was Militia. However, Glenn felt uncomfortable because it sounded like they were trying to put someone on trial as a heretic just because they hugged him.

Is this such a serious matter? Esther now looked frustrated as she looked at Glenn’s bewildered face.

“Hey, idiot! Don’t you know anything? Since long ago, touching high-ranking priests or saints indiscriminately has been a felony! It’s a serious sin that can result in your eyes being gouged out or even the death penalty, you know! That’s when the church was still as powerful as it was back then! Even now, there are almost no people within the church who would try to touch a saint or a bishop indiscriminately! Because they know that long history, and they know very well that their authority must be respected! If you did it in front of a lot of people from our church, you’d go straight to jail, jail! ”

Esther’s appearance, which included even cursing him and not hesitating to vent her anger on him, seemed to suggest that this was a rather serious matter.

For a moment, Glenn almost felt anxious and thought, ‘Huh, was it really worth going that far?’ However, in an instant, Glenn came up with a counterargument. It was a counterargument that made him feel quite happy.

“If you’re talking about contact, you’ve already done it before.”

“What, what?”

Esther, who had been pushing Glenn with great momentum until now, hesitated seriously. Finally, Esther took a step forward. To be exact, she quickly came close to Glenn. Glenn flinched slightly at the momentum, but did not step back or anything.

Regardless, Esther raised her arms with a look of astonishment and grabbed Glenn’s arms tightly. Even though she was strong, Glenn didn’t feel much strength.

“When, where, how? How dare you?”

“Hey, hey! Don’t touch me and ask questions!”

“Answer me, do it! Hurry up! This…”

“Oh my, seriously… It was the duel, the duel. After the duel was over, I hugged the saintess. For quite a long time.”

Why did I have to tell Natnat about such a sweet memory in the first place? That’s right. Glenn was definitely standing in the open space for a long time, embracing the weeping saintess right after the duel.

Of course, no one reprimanded or criticized him during the clean-up after the duel was over. On the contrary, I remember receiving some envious looks.

“And even then…you’re standing there like this? No, no…you were recommended and appointed as a knight? You even had an appointment ceremony? And you committed such a thing?”

“That’s a bit harsh. Oh! And…Strictly speaking, the saintess was the one who hugged me first back then.”

With a hint of pride, Glenn added, of course, that the real motive was the vicious pleasure of ‘getting screwed by someone you trusted.’

Upon hearing that, Sister Esther looked as shocked as if she had been hit on the head with a hammer. She lowered her hands that had been holding Glenn’s two arms. Then, she lifted her left hand and placed it near her mouth.

Very seriously… I thought about something and then blurted it out.

“No problem.”

“What… did you say?”

What the hell is this?

“If we take your argument at face value…the person who first attempted contact, the saintess…the saintess is so compassionate…she often embraced and hugged children without hesitation…you…are small…that is…”

This guy is real! It’s okay to lose your shit now, right? Right?

“Not guilty, not guilty! The saint is a good person, so definitely not guilty!”

“You’re being sarcastic! You’re just being blatantly biased, man!”

As he said that, Glenn bent down. Since this was a place where water flowed along the river, there were quite a few pebbles nearby. He picked up one of them.

“Are you biased? I tolerated your stupid actions with a heart as big as the ocean, but you’re biased? You really want to taste the religious trial? Huh? Do you think you’ll come to your senses if you experience it yourself, surrounded by a circle and receiving the gaze of countless high-ranking priests, huh? ”

“It’s so vivid, like someone who experienced it themselves!”

“Shit, shut up, man! Someone showed mercy by bringing up painful memories, and this is still… Anyway, I’ll let it go this time, but next time, it’ll be a mess, okay? Of course, I’ll make time for it and do it when you sleep. ”

“What, how do you do it?”

“It means to cut off the source of your reckless delusions!”

Sister Esther blushed slightly and spoke in a tone that belied any religious dignity, and hurled a proper slap at Glenn. It could be considered a threat, but Glenn remained indifferent.

I’ll do my best. Is this what you call a threat? Above all…

“Well, let’s say that… Tilt your head to the left a little.”

“Huh? What? What are you doing?”

“Hey, look… Tilt it first.”

“What the hell are you doing, again?”

Again? Again. What did I do when!

As Sister Esther tilted her head to the left, even though she was still sullen, Glenn swung his left arm. It was the arm that had been holding the pebble a moment ago. Along with the sound of the wind, something passed by Sister Esther’s ear.

“What the heck!”

“Kaaa?”

Just as Sister Esther was about to object to Glenn’s sudden actions, a wild animal’s scream was heard from behind her. Sister Esther’s alertness returned for a moment and she turned her head. Behind her, about 50 meters away, a wolf was running away in a hurry.

But, it didn’t seem like an ordinary wolf.

“A small wolf raised by goblins. Damn, as expected, as we approach the central part of the continent, more and more monsters are popping out. ”

Glenn threw a pebble and chased the wolf away. He probably hit it, so that’s why he heard the scream.

And, Sister Esther could appreciate it. Unlike Glenn who had seemed indifferent and even listless just a moment ago, the man now seemed alert enough to be considered a ‘high-level adventurer’.

“Go back and inform Briwen and prepare for defense. I’ll patrol the area and if there’s anything, I’ll kill it and go back.”

“What, what?”

“What is it? It’s a den.”

“Oh, I got it.”

Esther, who had lost all of her venom from a moment ago, quickly left the place without realizing it. However, Glenn could see that even though she was a little absent-minded, she had not neglected her work. Wow, she really wasn’t just randomly chosen to be my travel companion. She even took care of all those laundry and water jugs.

In an instant, Esther moved behind him. Glenn grabbed the back of her neck with his right hand and turned her neck slightly.

“Okay, then…would you like to do some exercise before lunch?”

Glenn couldn’t help but be impressed by the fact that he had found a way to relieve his stress at such a good time.

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“You fight so smoothly.”

Esther, who was running better than expected, carrying a water bucket and various laundry, suddenly muttered. It was all thanks to the screams of wild wolves coming from behind. There was another loud noise, and then it was quiet.

What? You don’t have to run in a hurry. Esther sighed. What kind of defense is that? Defense. You know how to do it yourself. She didn’t forget to complain.

Saint. Militia Airgrants.

A friend of the same age who I met while running away to this church and became incredibly close with at an incredibly fast rate. After meeting her, I felt like my body and mind, exhausted and wounded from my noble life, were gradually healing.

No, it was true. I no longer had to see those annoying faces, and especially as I became absorbed in church life and forgot the painful memories of being hurt by that idiot, the wounds from the previous difficult and tiring times were considerably fading away.

And then, I witnessed it with my own two eyes, and a vein appeared on my forehead.

I couldn’t just sit by and watch the Order flounder around, unable to properly stop that disgusting young bastard of the Bronkhorst family, the Opperspelle, from baring its fangs at the saint.

So he stepped forward. He properly took on the role of a shield. However, all he got in return was a disciplinary action, and the bishop took proper measures to ensure that he had no part in this matter.

‘Why, Your Majesty! Because I am of noble birth? Because I am a commoner who was raised from the bottom by the saint? I never thought there would be anyone in this church who would question such a thing? You are so damn good at making decisions for the sake of honor, aren’t you?’

So, he openly mocked him. He showed his anger in front of the bishop who came to explain that it was a decision to protect himself.

But the bishop smiled bitterly. Ah, I see. This measure…as expected…

“You, you already know the answer, but you’re just talking nonsense?”

Millie, it’s you.

Yes. Milicia Airgrants knew. In this duel, he had long since foreseen the future in which his friend would be reckless enough to risk his life to protect the saint.

So, she begged the bishop to do whatever it took to keep her out of this duel. So the bishop took the simplest approach, and Esther was disappointed and furious.

‘I can’t even be of any help to you?’

In fact, on a topic he knew, he would develop his delusions in such a way. In fact, he would deliberately vent his frustrations in his mind, knowing full well why Millie had forbidden him from interfering with her. Whenever he heard news from outside, he would feel anxious, but he would beat his chest because he couldn’t vent his anger.

Then, the very next day, after the chaos had ended with a miraculous event that occurred in the cathedral grounds, as if it were a lie, he ran to the saint as soon as his confinement was lifted.

‘Come on in… no, come on in, Esther. Sorry for worrying you.’

‘Sir, Saintess… no… why are you even asking for forgiveness, you idiot…!’

While crying, I hugged her. In fact, I was the one who should have comforted her. I was the one who should have encouraged her. Instead, I was comforted. My wounded heart was healed by her.

And I swore. I would throw away my recklessness and throw myself into protecting her. Although… I’ve never really fought much, except for when I was little and would fight with boys… I swore that if anyone ever came to bully Milicia in the future, I would be the first to step forward and protect her.

But, that oath was broken in less than a day.

The uninvited guest’s appearance was so sudden.

‘Glen…? Wait, where have I heard of him… Could it be that adventurer?’

I had heard of it. No, it was a name that almost every member of the church had mentioned at least once recently.

Red-Eyed Glen. The hermit returned and rescued the saint from the swamp. It was a scene that reminded me of an old legend… My eyes naturally turned fierce at the rumors that were enough to make me feel bad, and I asked the saint to find out the truth.

‘Oh, you mean Glenn? Yeah… If it weren’t for him, I probably wouldn’t have been able to talk to Esther like this. He’s the one who saved my life… no, my destiny. And he’ll continue to be by my side…’

Stop. I didn’t want to hear what happened next. I didn’t want to believe it. No, more than anything…

I didn’t want to see it. The sight of my friend, more precious and noble than anyone else, struggling in love. It was shocking. It was astonishing in itself.

‘I thought I would live my whole life as a virgin like you.’

Esther knew the debaucher known as the Warrior. He seemed to be kind and well-behaved to everyone on the outside, but he was always involved in scandalous affairs with many women.

The scene in which the warrior was actually seen talking affectionately with some nuns in the monastery created an atmosphere that was difficult to explain with just ‘kindness’.

So, it was ridiculous when such a guy followed the saint around. Although she had never been a member of the warriors’ party, Esther knew. Surprisingly, the warrior consistently pretended not to know the saint’s heart.

And, she paid attention to her other companions, as if the saint was the last one.

The action was fatal, and the saintess almost gave up on the hero. Perhaps, she was so depressed that she felt that she might even bid him farewell if he returned from his journey.

And as soon as the warrior was gone, the Bronkhorst’s scoundrels started a commotion, and somehow it was settled. And with that, Esther thought it was over. She thought that now she was the only one who could stay by her side and help her.

The warrior who had the highest possibility was wandering around looking for another woman, so even if he returned, there was no way to believe him. In the end, I thought that Esther’s own sense of responsibility was extremely great.

And then it appeared.

Dirty clothes. Small body. Big glasses. A shabby-looking face. Red eyes.

‘This guy is a bodyguard? Really?’

He was such a worthless guy that I wanted to blurt out such sentiments. He was such a worthless guy that I felt ashamed of myself for getting so angry at him for a moment.

Operschpel was of noble birth, so he was handsome, and his age was a problem, but his face was also quite handsome. He was a warrior, of course. But this guy Glenn, other than the fact that he looked young, had nothing that made him look better than the other two.

‘No, that’s not true.’

After her first meeting with Glenn went awry, Esther went to the saintess with a different opinion, and the impression she got was one of firmness. The saintess made her decision without a moment’s hesitation.

‘Glenn, you can’t compare to those two. That’s right. The expression is correct. However, the premise is wrong. It’s not that he’s not worthy of comparison. Glenn… my knight escort Glenn… has become someone so precious that he can’t even be compared to those two.’

Why?

Many questions and doubts raced through my head, but only one word emerged.

And Esther saw. Half-dazed, and at the same time…completely in love, the ethereal expression of the most beautiful, goddess-like woman on the continent.

‘Because you were the only one who supported me when I needed you the most.’

A shocked expression.

A shocking answer.

And, his own shocking reaction.

‘too bad.’

I am?

Those words never left Esther’s mouth.

After that… Esther lost even a little bit of self-restraint and became venomous at the sight of him acting like ‘that idiot’ outside of the saint’s eyes, and even the rudeness of touching the saint’s body without permission.

Even though he is the only one who can support the saint’s future.

‘I still can’t admit it… Even if the way you opened your mouth wasn’t similar to that ‘idiot’… I would have been a little more inclined to admit it…’

Anyway, not now.

At least until he was completely killed in front of Esther’s eyes.

Esther wanted to scream her feelings into Glenn’s ear at the top of her lungs, “I can’t give you the wheat before dirt gets in my eyes.”