episode_0056

56.

“What happened? Can’t you tell by looking at me?”

The blonde girl is in terrible shape, barely a scratch on her. A scan reveals her name is Hestia, and she’s completely drained, both physically and mentally.

She’s a minor, so hands off. She’ll be of age in a year.

She leans against the church wall for support, catching her breath.

“Tell us. We’re here to find out the truth.”

“Hmph… you stupid cans… Orcs are citizens? They’re monsters, demons! This magic… don’t you recognize it? It’s the magic the orcs released. Oh, well, dummies like you wouldn’t notice.”

“……The magic is clearly flowing wildly, but I’m not sure if that’s the truth. I’ve heard that orcs have coexisted with our kind for quite some time. But if there were stories about this magic, the church would know.”

“Who are you? A nun? That scandalous outfit… Really a nun? What’s your affiliation?”

She’s quite a chatterbox. Probably hasn’t had much company lately, what with being chased by orcs or whatever.

‘Well, even considering that, she’s at the age where she’d talk a lot. Ah—this makes me feel old.’

“I’m Erina, from the Pai Church.”

“Pai Church? You… that’s quite something.”

Her nun’s habit reveals her entire cleavage, her blindingly bright blonde hair, and a hint of silver. Even another woman would find her stunning.

Even if she weren’t a cleric, whatever she did, her selfish beauty and amazing figure would have made her famous.

Still, she’s a dangerous element within the Fried Church, so I won’t let my guard down.

“I don’t like the orcs either. But they weren’t unintelligent or irrational. Besides, I heard some helped evacuate the citizens.”

“Are you leaving out the Elf auntie?”

“What?? Auntie??!! Haha. Humans are funny jokers—?!”

‘Wow, this is the first time I’ve seen Ms. Austi get so angry. I’d be angry too, though.’

Let’s put aside the marveling. Important conversation first.

“Ms. Satsuki, it seems like a misunderstanding. Don’t we need a place to talk comfortably first?”

“……A misunderstanding, it doesn’t seem like this girl has any intention to attack the knights. What do you say? If you cooperate with the search, we’ll provide a meal.”

“…Cheap, using food. Fine. It’s not a bad deal for me. A good girl like me wouldn’t have weapons on her, right?”

Satsuki orders her subordinates to search Hestia.

The search is quick, considering her dusty appearance; she has nothing on her.

“Captain, nothing but a statuette.”

“A goddess statue…. Could I have that?”

“No way! The Fried Church needs to take that!”

“Let’s see… the orcs started releasing magic after that statue was recovered, right?”

Erina feigns consideration. This heretical judge girl must have recovered a statue that was suppressing the magic in this area.

It’s not in the records, but the orcs seem highly sensitive to magic. Or perhaps it was suppressing the orc’s magic as well, but the cause seems pretty clear.

“……!!”

“That’s right.”

She’s too young, her expression betrays her.

“Th-the meal?”

“I’ll treat you. We’re leaving. Please cooperate for a bit.”

Satsuki signals, and her troops retreat in an orderly fashion. The knight who did the body search escorts Hestia, making sure she doesn’t run off.

The meal is simple fare suitable for knights; nutrition over taste.

Hestia, starving, devours it.

She’s exactly the right age to eat like that, so Erina watches her, feeling like she’s looking at a younger sister.

“…Thank you for the meal.”

Hestia instinctively folds her hands, offering a prayer of thanks to the goddess.

“Ms. Satsuki, it seems like a misunderstanding. But plainly put, I can solve this.”

“What? Who are you? ……No, even so.”

Satsuki attempts to stand up to argue against Erina’s bold attitude, but the divine power she feels is overwhelming, and her voice drops sharply.

“Solve it? That doesn’t sound very convincing to me.”

“Trust Erina.”

An elf telling experienced knights to trust a human is enough to leave them speechless.

“However, I can’t guarantee the orcs will return to normal. It’s possible that was their nature all along. For them, everything is a ‘possibility’ right now.”

“Then nothing’s solved.”

Satsuki strokes her chin.

“Idiot. It’s about solving the magic problem. Even if it’s impossible.”

“I’m not sure. I understand the concept, but I haven’t felt it myself.”

“Just trust her, you humans.”

“Hm. Why don’t you suggest a method?”

Erina smiles and answers.

“We just need the goddess statue. And if I have to add to that, then faith.”

“Hmph! So you’re trying to steal it?”

“Steal? Aren’t you, as a cleric, supposed to do what you need to do? If you’re worried, watch.”

Hestia hesitates. She’s never heard of calming magic. The sheer amount of magic swirling in the air is unprecedented. Her irritability is partly due to exhaustion, but it’s also surely the overwhelming magic weighing on her body.

“…What’s the risk?”

“None.”

Erina’s firm words stir Satsuki’s heart. Although she’s trying to ignore her personal feelings, she keeps finding herself drawn to Erina, her heart racing.

Her body heats up. A subtle feeling, something like rising up from deep inside.

Love… no, the subtle soft feeling she gets when she thinks about a potential lover.

Realizing this, her face reddens.

‘What am I thinking about a nun…’

“Then I’ll entrust this to you. As the on-site commander, I believe the Fried Church has some responsibility. This is a judgment about the situation not a religious one, so please understand.”

“……If the situation doesn’t improve, I intend to bring that nun up on religious charges.”

“I don’t care. I was already on your bad side anyway. You’re slow with the news.”

“……Tch.”

Satsuki finally feels relieved. If it ends without conflict, it would be best case scenario. A conflict with orcs is far better than a conflict with a fellow cleric.

Erina receives the confiscated statue.

“Let’s go to the church.”

Satsuki keeps her knights on standby and resolutely addresses Austi.

“Ah, Ms. Elf, you stay here. Just in case you do something rash.”

“I understand. I trust Erina and will wait here.”

Austi nods slightly.

Compared to other elves she’s met, this one is quite friendly. Is she gentle because she is religious, or is it just her personality? Judging by the lively look in her eyes, it seems more likely to be the religious aspect.

In the church’s chapel, beneath the multicolored stained-glass windows, half-shattered, Erina carefully places the statue she holds.

Whether she can do it or not. The moment the answer shows some possibility, it becomes something certain.

“Merciful Goddess…”

The statue originally functioned as a seal, and she wants to restore its power.

The method: to ask the goddess directly. The statue has that power, and this is the prayer for it.

“She looks like a saint…”

“Watch your mouth. That’s not something to be said so casually.”

The presumption is laughable; mere childishness from someone unfamiliar with the ways of the world. It’s not worth reacting to.

It’s just her own indiscretion that bothers her. She must have thought that. The sight of her praying so reverently is like something from a fairytale.

She cannot believe she had such a thought, and that she uttered such words.

“Goddess, please grant us your wisdom…”

Erina’s prayer is nearing its end.

「Your power is sufficient.」

Along with a burst of light, a beautiful, delicate voice, like a fine musical instrument, resonates in the collapsing church.

“I-it can’t be?! G-Goddess???”

“Goddess…?”

A miracle. The ultimate experience for a cleric. The moment of intense longing unfolds right before them, leaving them speechless.

「Follow your will.」

The divine power within the light spreads out from Erina, time seems to stop, the light particles freeze.

In that light Erina masters how to control the magic through the statue. But only temporarily, with the goddess’s help, not something she can do by herself. Grace is necessary and not a skill.

The light particles gather back into the statue, absorbing the surrounding magic.

‘What…? It might just be my imagination, but this magic feels similar to divine power…’

“Wh-what exactly are you?”

“A faithful servant of the Goddess.”

The magic isn’t entirely gone, but it’s definitely weaker, leaving Hestia flabbergasted as she shouts.

She doesn’t want to get any more involved than this. She just wants to return to the main church and report this. She naturally rejects what defies reason, and fear and disgust begin to eat away at Hestia.

“The magic is greatly reduced. But I think we need to meet the orcs…”

Erina knows very little about the orcs. Only that they were quite aggressive, and that due to some incident, they now form a city here in Seltia, coexisting with humanity.

Her methods for gathering information are vague. Information from other territories is scarce for someone uninterested.

“Do you intend to see them personally?”

Satsuki now gazes at Erina with respect.

But she also realizes that the fire in her heart hasn’t died down; rather, it has slightly increased in some mysterious way.

“Hearing and seeing are different things. Of course, I’ll be accompanied by the elf, Ms. Austi.”

“I don’t want to. I’m going home. Give me back the statue.”

The statue has served its purpose and is nothing more than an empty shell, so it is readily returned to the strong-acting Hestia.

“…Very well. As it’s fate, our unit will assist you.”

“Thank you.”

Erina sets forth with a sense of mission towards the orc settlement.