Ch.69Chapter 69 – Prayer Ceremony (3)

Early the next morning.

I had become a delivery person.

It had been a while since I’d carried a load on my back.

Beside me, Sera was walking at the same pace.

Of course, with a full load on her back as well.

“It’s been a while since I’ve done this.”

“Has it?”

“During my F-rank days, carrying loads was what I did most.”

There’s an unwritten rule that high-rank adventurers shouldn’t take jobs from lower-ranked ones, so I hadn’t taken many delivery requests since my promotion. It really had been a long time.

“I’m sorry…”

“Well, this much is nothing.”

Christina apologized awkwardly from beside us.

Since she wasn’t as strong as Sera or me, she only carried one box on her back and a basket in her hand.

She probably wanted to carry more, but what could she do when she lacked the strength?

“Seems business was better than expected.”

“Yes. Thanks to that, everyone was happy about making some profit for the first time in a while.”

Christina said with a smile.

Apparently, from the first day of the festival, those sandwiches had sold better than expected, and they had run out of ingredients.

They managed to urgently procure additional ingredients, but then they didn’t have enough people to transport them.

So Christina had come to the inn early in the morning. I had originally planned to go to the guild, but after being dragged around between Sera and Eve yesterday, I was just resting today when I ran into her.

So I decided to help out and carry the load despite my heavy body.

Of course, I had planned to go alone, but Sera followed along as well.

“Yesterday was really fun, wasn’t it?”

“I’m glad if it was.”

“You enjoyed yourself too, didn’t you, Kay?”

I nodded slightly.

Thanks to my sacrifice, I had also enjoyed myself in my own way.

Just like Eve who went home satisfied, and Sera who was still in a good mood this morning, I had enjoyed myself just as much.

“But is it okay to buy this much?”

“If there’s any left over, it just becomes our church’s daily bread. So it’s fine.”

With the number of people at the church, it wouldn’t be a problem to use up any leftovers.

Still, I wondered if vegetables would be okay since they spoil quickly if not eaten soon.

As we talked while moving, we soon arrived at the festival venue.

Christina led the way to where her church people were working hard, and we put down our loads there.

“By the way, will you be coming later?”

“Sera says there are some shops we haven’t seen yet, so…”

I had originally planned to rest, but after helping Christina, I received a suggestion to look around a bit more together.

We thought about inviting Eve too, but Sera strongly insisted that she would be tired, so that idea was rejected.

“You won’t be coming on the last day, right?”

“Right.”

On the last day, there’s an event where the saint of the Emiris Order gives a blessing.

Since they have their own order’s saint, escorts from the New Kingdom would have come.

We had already agreed to stay away that day.

That would be the climax, but I didn’t particularly feel like I’d be missing out.

And while resting was good, there were also things that needed to be done soon.

“It’s not really cold yet, but we should start preparing for winter.”

As Sera said, we needed to prepare for winter now.

Of course, I didn’t know what to prepare, so I had to rely on Sera.

“We’re planning to smoke the leftover meat from this event or make sausages. What are you planning to do, Sera?”

“Since we don’t have a house, we’ll probably just buy preserved food to store, get some fur, things like that.”

“Right, since you’re living at an inn. I suppose the inn will take care of the food.”

Christina said with a smile.

“With all the various things happening this time, I’m worried that we’re starting our winter preparations a bit late.”

“There’s still plenty of time before it gets really cold.”

The two girls continued talking about household matters for a while.

Since I didn’t know anything about it, I thought I might as well go around by myself.

“I’ll leave you two for a bit.”

“Oh, where are you going?”

“I’ll just walk around and come back here.”

Sera seemed to be wondering what to do for a moment.

“You two chat and rest for a while.”

“Okay.”

Sera answered, looking slightly disappointed.

But she soon started chatting happily with Christina.

Perhaps because they were peers with only a one-year age difference, they quickly blossomed into conversation and began to smile.

‘I’ll go get something to drink or buy something.’

There was a place I had seen yesterday while looking around with Eve and Sera.

I thought I’d finish the day by having something warm to drink, resting, and buying some preserved food on the way back.

Perhaps because it was too early compared to yesterday, there weren’t many people at the venue, and I easily reached my destination.

“But there are a lot of people here.”

It seemed that the few people who were around had started gathering here, perhaps because the weather was getting a bit colder.

The line was quite long, so I decided to stand at the back and wait.

I absentmindedly watched the snow falling from the sky as I observed people leaving the line one by one.

This kind of leisurely pace wasn’t bad at all.

Before coming here, I might have been a relaxed person who enjoyed this kind of atmosphere.

‘…Well, I’d need to remember something first.’

As I was thinking self-deprecatingly about how I always hit a wall or find no path when trying to remember, and was about to check how much the line had moved—

Someone was tugging at my clothes.

“Huh?”

“…You’re just now hearing me? That’s too much.”

A girl was lightly pulling at my clothes.

She had blonde hair similar to Christina’s.

Come to think of it, her height and appearance were similar too.

The difference was that unlike Christina, who was as flat as a field, this girl had breasts that made a definite statement, and red eyes.

“Did you lose your parents or something?”

“Do I look like someone who can’t take care of myself to you?”

The girl spoke as if she found it absurd.

But addressing a stranger as “you bastard” from the first meeting?

What bad manners.

“So what do you want?”

“…You seem to be looking down on me in a strange way, but whatever. At least your words are polite.”

Excuse me.

It’s rich coming from someone who calls people “bastard” out of nowhere.

I was just trying to be polite, not stooping to her level.

‘What a twisted person.’

I wonder where she learned such an attitude.

“Anyway, pretend to be with me.”

“Suddenly?”

“What’s sudden about it? Others would be crying with joy to do this for me.”

I was starting to feel dumbfounded by her ridiculous words.

As I looked ahead and behind, I realized why she wanted to pretend to be with me.

“…Don’t tell me you don’t want to wait in line, don’t want to draw attention by going straight to the front, so you’re going to stand with someone who’s already been waiting?”

“And I chose a big guy who looks scary at first glance. Someone who, thanks to that helmet, no one would dare oppose.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at her brazen attitude about cutting in line.

Of course, it was a laugh of disbelief.

“Why don’t you just go to the back of the line?”

“No. I barely managed to get some free time, and it’s cold.”

The girl said that and forcibly moved in front of me.

“In exchange, I’ll pay for your share too.”

I was about to push her away when she made such an offer.

‘I’ll have to order something expensive.’

Alright, I’ll endure some dirty looks in exchange for something expensive.

But I decided not to intervene if anyone complained.

The girl, now standing right in front of me thanks to me, said with a satisfied expression:

“As expected, you adventurers are such beggars, falling for money.”

“Get out, you brat.”

I quickly grabbed her by the back of the neck and pulled her out of the line.

+

To cut to the conclusion, I did get a free drink.

As soon as I pulled her out of the line, the girl kept clinging to me, which ironically made us look like we were together.

Setting aside her lack of manners in every word, she seemed to be the type to keep her promises, as she paid for both her share and mine.

“Saved some money.”

“…What are you, a pig? Ordering three expensive items.”

I was enjoying saving money inside my helmet when the girl added unnecessary comments.

“I came to buy for my companions too. It was a trap card, you know.”

“…Whatever. As long as I can have something sweet and warm, that’s enough for me.”

The girl said that and moved away from me.

“Well, goodbye, you beggar.”

I was about to retort, but she had already disappeared into the crowd.

“Yeah, goodbye, you bratty little miss.”

There was no reason to chase after her and get into a heated argument.

I headed back to where Sera and Christina were with the drinks.

When I returned, the two were still engrossed in conversation.

“…so, how should I…”

“With the master’s personality, maybe just pushing forward would…”

“Push what forward?”

I don’t know what they were talking about.

But when I spoke up, Sera was greatly startled.

“Oh, you’re back?”

“Just now. What conspiracy were you two plotting?”

When I asked jokingly, Sera shook her head vigorously.

“Absolutely, absolutely nothing like that, Kay.”

“Yes. I swear to God, I wasn’t thinking of anything strange, Master.”

Seeing them both earnestly denying it in unison was quite cute.

It was healing compared to that rude girl from earlier.

“Here, have something to drink.”

I handed out the warm drinks I had bought.

They were quite sweet.

“It’s been so long since I’ve had something like this…”

“Don’t cry or pray, okay? I’ll take it back if you do.”

Christina looked like she was about to offer a loud prayer of joy, so I quickly stopped her.

If she did that in front of so many people, the embarrassment would be mine.

If she wanted to do it, she should do it when I’m not around.

“So, Sera and I are going to look around a bit more before heading back. What about you, Christina?”

“I’ll come along. Today was my day off except for carrying those things.”

Christina said with a smile that it was thanks to her hard work distributing flyers yesterday.

Indeed, the flyers I saw yesterday were no longer visible.

Instead, seeing the enormous number of abandoned membership forms, I felt a bit sad.

‘Not many believers gathered, I see.’

In fact, there might not have been any at all, but I decided not to ask.

Some things deserve consideration.

“Then I’ll guide you to the shops people have been talking about since yesterday.”

“You’ve been seeing them?”

“While distributing flyers, I overheard people talking about popular shops. I’ll mark them on the map for you.”

At those words, Sera handed over the map, and Christina began marking it.

As I watched her check each spot, I gently asked:

“Are they all meat restaurants?”

“Places known for grilling meat well…”

Christina seemed to realize something and glanced at me cautiously.

Indeed, she was trying to get some free meat out of this opportunity.

‘She seems to be getting craftier too.’

Of course, this level was just cute.

“…Is that not okay?”

“No, it’s fine. Just be honest. We’re friends.”

When I said that to Christina, she nodded with a smile.

Meanwhile, Sera seemed to be staring at Christina with slightly widened eyes.

Thinking it was just my imagination, I set our targets, excluding the places we went yesterday.

“Then let’s go!”

Christina exclaimed excitedly.

I allowed Sera to hold onto one of my arms as we headed toward the nearest destination.

And just as we arrived at our target shop.

There wasn’t a long line, but there was a queue, so we were about to get in line when—

“Why are you here?”

“…Are you pretending to be with me now, beggar?”

That girl from earlier was glaring at me with her arms crossed.

“Who is this person?”

“Someone who cut in line earlier.”

“How rude. You were happy about saving money thanks to me, weren’t you?”

The girl said, narrowing her eyes.

Sera looked at her with slight disbelief.

“Your manner of speaking is quite rough.”

Sera, seemingly a bit annoyed, tightened her grip on my arm.

As a result, only my arm caught in her grip started to hurt.

“…Whatever. Don’t mind me. I have to leave soon anyway.”

“Indeed, it’s about time for children to go home.”

“I’m not a child.”

She glared at me as she spoke.

“If you think about it, I’m probably about the same age as those you’re hanging out with. If anything, aren’t you like their dad?”

“…That doesn’t sound entirely wrong.”

Both Sera and Christina.

I did have to take care of quite a lot for them.

Plus, in Sera’s case, I was waking her up almost every early morning.

Being called a dad, I couldn’t really deny it.

The girl was glaring, while Sera and I were just staring back, slightly displeased.

Thanks to this, an awkward silence began to fall.

“Now, now.”

Christina broke the atmosphere.

“They say even a chance meeting is fate. Let’s get along, at least while we’re in line together.”

“Me? Why should I with the likes of you?”

“I’m Christina, a nun of the Evgenia Order.”

Christina smiled and took the girl’s hand to greet her.

I hadn’t thought about it from her usual behavior, but she really was a nun.

Perhaps unable to spit in the face of that benevolent smile, the girl clicked her tongue once and began scanning the surroundings.

Since they both had similar blonde hair and somewhat similar faces, it gave the impression that Christina was the older sister and this girl was the younger one—like a kind-hearted older sister and a grumbling younger sister.

Finally, as if she felt she had to surrender, the girl turned her head slightly and opened her mouth.

“Kara.”

“Miss Kara?”

“Yes.”

Kara introduced herself while gently removing Christina’s hand.

“Nice to meet you. May Evgenia bless this meeting.”

Kara only averted her gaze, seeming a bit embarrassed, in response to Christina who was praying with a smile.