episode_0122

The tour of the capital ended sooner than expected.

That makes sense.

This is because the only thing worth seeing in the square was shops.

“How about taking a tour of the Bertain Mansion instead?”

“Anything is fine.”

Are you happy just because you left the Holy Land?

Aurora nodded and smiled.

“Hehehe.”

It’s a little strange, to say the least.

“… Why have you been laughing like that since a while ago?”

“Nothing. I think it will be a more fun trip than I thought.”

Then I look back and forth between Elin and Luke.

I couldn’t understand why he was doing that.

Luke tilted his head and opened a portal.

Let’s go into the Bertain Mansion.

“Oh, you’re here!?”

“Oh my…! It’s faster than I thought?!”

Inside the mansion, servants moving busily.

I wondered why.

“I didn’t know the saint was coming today.”

“… Ah.”

Because it was a surprise visit, I wasn’t prepared for anything.

“I wish you had told me in advance.”

“I definitely said I would go soon.”

“Usually we don’t use ‘soon’ as ‘tomorrow’.”

Aurora came out as if she was being treated unfairly.

Zero grabbed Aurora’s nape.

“This time, the saintess was impulsive. Didn’t she know that the holy country would be in chaos when she came out?”

“Eeeeek… I’m sorry… !”

The scene where Aurora shrank her head like a turtle was quite precious.

Wherever you go, there will be no case of a noble saint being grabbed by the neck by an escort.

“I was really worried about overwork, so I gave you permission to take a vacation. So, please be careful.”

“Of course. You have your sister and Luke too?”

“Yes? I’ve never been on a security mission before.”

“But you planned the travel itinerary yourself, right? If something dangerous happens there… … .”

Aurora mumbled and smiled broadly.

I didn’t have to listen to any gossip.

What if the saint gets harassed at the travel destination Luke suggested?

On that day, Luke becomes a public enemy of the Holy Nation.

“We have selected only safe places, so you don’t have to worry.”

“Then that’s fortunate.”

It was when Aurora, freed from Zero’s grasp, was giggling.

Udangtang-

“Welcome to Bertain, Saint!”

A woman rushing up the stairs.

I thought the person who would make such a fuss would be the maid.

“The Duchess of Bertain, my name is Natia Bertain… Ugh… .”

Surprisingly, it was Natia who jumped up so fast that I was out of breath.

If I think about it, it was right for something to happen so quickly.

The saint is visiting, but the mansion is unprepared.

When the Duke returns, won’t he punish Natia severely?

“Be, I didn’t hear you were coming to Bertain… What brings you here… ?”

Natia, who soon put on a fox-like mask.

A fake smile appeared on his lips.

“Ah, I have an appointment with Luke. This is not an official visit to Bertain, so don’t worry.”

Aurora spreads out her index finger and places it on her lips.

“Since I came out secretly, wouldn’t it be better to do it quietly?”

It means that they will forgive your rudeness if you don’t spread rumors throughout the neighborhood that the saint has visited.

“Stop right now!”

Natia stopped the busy servants.

“Thank you.”

“No. I didn’t know the situation and almost got rude again, haha… .”

Natia quickly rolled her eyes and took in the atmosphere.

“If you need any guidance on Bertain―”

“It’s okay, Mom.”

Elin cuts off Natia’s words.

“The next head of the Bertain family is here, so I can’t let my mother suffer.”

I’ll take care of it, so get out.

If I were to translate it, it would look like this.

“Still… … .”

“That’s right, Duchess. Since Princess Elin will be our guide today, I will be grateful for your kindness.”

Aurora chimed in.

The position of a saint is not achieved solely through overwhelming divine power.

How many candidates for sainthood are there in the Holy Land?

To maintain the heavy title of youngest saint, you have to be quite quick-witted.

Aurora is something that is read in a split second.

Elin’s stern expression and cold voice.

If I accompany Natia here, I won’t see any flirting, and I’ll just feel uncomfortable.

That wasn’t what Aurora wanted, so she was happy to help Elin.

“… If you say so, please take your time and look around.”

Natia’s smile looks like it could break at any moment.

Before I made a fool of myself, I hurried down the stairs.

Now, the landlady Bertha, who used to verbally abuse Elin, is gone.

There is only an old fox wagging its tail to its next owner.

“Then I will guide you to the room where the saintess will be staying.”

Swish-

Elin, whose hair has become fresh.

There was gratitude in the eyes looking at the Aurora.

Knock knock knock.

The steps of those taking the lead have become much lighter.

“You’re giving me a room like this?”

“This room is only open to the highest level guests.”

“… It would be fine as a regular guest room too.”

“Please accept it, Berthain, for your honor.”

The dazzlingly large room was just the beginning.

Aurora was constantly amazed as she toured the Bertain mansion.

I thought the large mansion lobby might be like that.

“… Is this a bathroom?”

But it’s a bathhouse the size of a small church.

“Wasn’t it a training ground?”

It’s a restaurant that can easily accommodate 100 people.

“Why is this in the mansion… … .”

I was constantly amazed by the blacksmith shop, alchemy workshop, and study on each floor.

“… It’s a mansion that would make even the royal family jealous.”

“I can’t say that it’s insulting to the royal family.”

Frankly, Luke agreed.

Since becoming the next head of the household, Elin has moved from the annex to the main house.

I still get surprised sometimes.

I wondered if it was necessary to live this extravagantly when I didn’t have a large family.

And I got angry.

The main building is so large that you can’t even use it all.

Because he locked Elin up in a room that was used as a storage room when she was young.

Of course, now they are people who can’t even respond to a single word from Ellen.

“There’s a lot more to see than in the capital.”

As I looked out the window, the sun was slowly setting.

It took a long time because I looked around slowly without using the portal.

It’s also because Aurora uses a wheelchair.

Aurora returns to the restaurant.

The chef, very nervous about the saint’s arrival, prepared the best food he could.

“Wow… This is my first time eating such delicious food.”

Aurora says that gluttony is a sin, but she keeps stuffing food into her mouth.

After a sumptuous dinner.

“Saintess. There is something I would like to discuss separately.”

Elin approached Aurora stealthily.

Aurora smiled brightly as if she had been waiting.

“Is this about Luke?”

“!”

The stupid hairs standing up.

If I were to translate it, it would be something like, how did you know?

“Haha, when it comes to love, I’m an expert.”

A holy country where romantic relationships between priests are strictly forbidden.

It’s human nature to want to do something even more when it’s forbidden.

Many people came to Aurora for confession.

If a priest and a nun fall in love, that’s fortunate.

Bride and groom.

Nuns and nuns.

It was also common for people of the same sex to fall in love and come looking for each other.

He asked, lowering the corners of his lips that were already rising.

“Let’s hear what the princess is worried about?”

“… How can I become a mature person?”

“Oh my.”

I thought I was all grown up when I was smothered in ice cream and giggling during the day.

I had such cute worries.

“Is wanting to become a mature person because you want to look attractive to Luke?”

“… Yes.”

“Hmm, then I guess there’s no need to do anything more.”

“Yes?”

From a third party’s perspective, it’s just a matter of time.

If you keep pushing until you become an adult.

Of course, Luke would have to fall too.

But what Elin wants isn’t the later.

“You just have to truly care for the other person.”

Even a slight push will make your emotions surge as if you are rolling your eyes on a steep slope.

Aurora giggled and advised.

“I’m not sure exactly, but Luke looks very lonely.”

“Teacher?”

Ellen didn’t feel anything at all.

Besides, I didn’t understand it.

No, why are you feeling lonely when Ellen is right next to you?

“Luke has been like that since his college days. No matter how close we are to each other, it’s like there’s a wall between us? He acts like a stranger.”

“… !”

There were more than one or two things that came to mind when I saw that sight.

He is a weirdo who puts ice in his coffee and drinks it.

I have a weird taste for spicy food sometimes.

A difficult question is a evasive way of speaking.

Sometimes Luke behaved in a way that was difficult to understand.

Come to think of it, Luke may have never told anyone the truth.

Then it makes sense that he looks lonely.

“So, please help me, Princess.”

“… How?”

“Everything is okay. Don’t worry, I’m here for you. I don’t know what you’re worried about. When you open your heart, you’ll find out. ”

“Um… .”

“It’s the sun that takes off a traveler’s outer clothes, right?”

“The sun… ….”

Elin pondered Aurora’s words for a while.

* * * * *

That night.

Knock knock.

Someone knocked on Luke’s door.

“Who are you?”

“It’s me.”

“Your Majesty?”

Elin doesn’t knock or anything.

Of course I didn’t think it would be Elin.

Squeak-

I opened the door obediently.

Anyway, I’ve already set up a six-layer barrier.

If he was going to come under the covers, he would have sneaked in during the night.

“What brings you here―”

The idea was thoroughly betrayed.

Oh my gosh.

Elin ran in as soon as the door opened.

I jumped up and threw myself on the bed.

If it were original, it should have bounced off the barrier.

Woof-

In the meantime, Elin had lifted all the barriers.

… 6 layers at once.

Was it meaningless in the first place?

Luke realized the truth too late.

I sat down on the bed with a sigh.

“This is a new way. I got it.”

“… … ”

“But you never thought I could send you back to the portal―”

Chorrrruk-

A chain shot out of thin air and sucked away Luke’s mana.

Because if I keep going like this, I’ll have to show you that I’m coughing up blood.

“Surrender. I won’t kick you out.”

He raised his hand immediately.

I was too careless.

Absorbing mana without hesitation.

“… Lie here.”

Ellen knocked on the seat next to her.

This is clearly Luke’s bed.

The way he was lying down looked very familiar.

I guess there’s nothing I can do since I’ve already written today.

Fluffy.

With that thought, Luke lay down.

How will they make things difficult for me this time?

If you hug me tightly, I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep even a wink.

It was when I was worrying about that.

Tub.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

“… … ?”

Elin placed her small hand on Luke’s head.

Tsdam tsdam.

Slowly sweep Luke’s hair down.

“What’s going on all of a sudden?”

“Just. I don’t think I’ve ever said something like that.”

Ellen stroked Luke for a while without saying anything.

Because his touch was warmer than I thought.

“… … ”

Luke accepted Elin’s hand without saying a word.

“Thank you. For being by my side.”

“… I don’t know what it is, but I don’t think you’ll accept it just because you do this.”

“It doesn’t matter. Just…don’t worry.”

“What are you talking about?”

“All.”

“… … ”

“You have been by my side until now, so I will be by my side from now on.”

This is a big deal.

I can’t believe Elin can already say something like that.

I thought I was a child my whole life.

Didn’t it cover too much?

Elin buries her face in Luke’s arms, trying to seduce him.

It didn’t stick at all.

Just saying warm words.

He gently stroked her head.

It was amazing.

Even though I feel like it’s cute.

I never felt comfortable.

Right now, I’m worried about the bad ending.

The anxiety about death coming faintly.

Everything flies away.

Swish.

Luke didn’t deny his increasingly drooping eyelids.

“Good night, teacher.”

I dozed off to the merciless words that melted my tension.

That day was the first time in a long time that I didn’t have a nightmare.