To Inpula Church Territory (1)

“Let’s depart for Inpula first thing tomorrow morning. Even if we continue tracking, I don’t think we can face whatever it is—be it a lich or a vampire—with our power alone.”

Not long after Alec and Yona returned, Ludvik and Bigrin also came back.

Until then, everyone had been waiting, and Ceres concluded firmly to those gathered around.

“I understand what Sir Scarlet might be thinking, but I don’t want to die a dog’s death here. If you want to continue tracking, do it alone with Sir Scarlet and the Crusader Order. We’ll depart for Inpula as soon as day breaks tomorrow.”

Ceres firmly closed her mouth, as if unwilling to hear any objections.

Scarlet, who had been sitting on the seat until then, remained silent for a long time before quietly nodding.

“Let’s return to the Church Territory together. That seems best.”

It’s not that Scarlet doesn’t feel regret.

But after all, it’s already been five days since this undead incident occurred.

If the culprit behind this incident had remained here until now, they would have already shown themselves to confront them, and a battle should have taken place.

But in the Semec they found, no life remained, and instead, it had become an empty village with nothing but silence.

The Crusader Order had patrolled and checked the condition of the cemetery as well.

Not a single corpse remained, and there were no traces of any magic left.

Looking at it that way, it indeed doesn’t seem to be the work of a lich.

It would inevitably be the work of a vampire, but vampires are indeed difficult to track.

Even if they were to start tracking right now, it’s hard to think it would be meaningful.

‘It would be better to go to Inpula and send dispatches to each cathedral. That blood-crazed bastard will surely cause trouble.’

That’s the result of his calculations.

Scarlet wasn’t short-sighted enough to insist on staying here.

Moreover, he now had someone he wanted to investigate further.

‘There’s definitely something.’

Scarlet’s gaze, hidden inside his helmet, turned towards Yona.

The adventurers sitting on the back seat, talking amongst themselves as if they had nothing to do with him.

And among them, the woman with dull white hair who particularly stood out, Yona.

Scarlet had clearly seen it.

On that day when they faced the undead, when she undid her sacred robe to heal her companion, the tattoo that covered her entire right arm.

Although he couldn’t see it clearly because the color was faded, it was definitely writing.

Who would believe that something covered densely with writing from shoulder to fingertip was an artificially made tattoo?

That’s why Scarlet was observing Yona carefully.

He thought there must be some connection, although he didn’t know what kind of relationship she had with heretics yet, but he was sure there was a connection.

Perhaps she might even be connected to the evil organizations called the Dark Associations that are currently active in various places, so Scarlet’s suspicion of Yona was deepening.

*

“Anyway, Rubina. The Inpula Church Territory is an amazing place. If you stay there well, I’ll come visit often to play with you.”

Rubina was staring up at Yona with her black eyes rolling.

Although sleepiness was hanging heavily around her eyes, Rubina rubbed her eyes to drive away sleep and listened attentively to every word Yona said.

“There… scary things don’t happen?”

By scary things, she probably meant what happened at Capatia Port.

Yona grinned and nodded her head vigorously.

“Of course not. The people there really, really… um… that’s right, they love to help people who are suffering and struggling.”

This was the answer Yona came up with after much consideration about how to explain it so Rubina would understand.

“But big sis, I’m not suffering or struggling anymore…?”

However, that answer was beautifully torpedoed by a single sentence Rubina uttered with a clear face.

Even so, she couldn’t do something like taking Rubina to the mage community again.

After all, she would be returning to being a man after receiving magical treatment at the community.

How shocking would it be for Rubina if the person she had been calling big sister until just before suddenly became a big brother?

“But since big sis says so, I’ll do it. If I behave well and be good there, will big sis come to get me?”

“Yes. That’s right. If you’re good, very good and obedient, don’t fight with friends, and stay well.”

“Okay. Then I’ll do that!”

Although Rubina smiled brightly, Yona felt a prick of conscience in a corner of her heart as she looked at her.

“Then Mr. James, you’ll return to your village after we arrive in Inpula, right?”

“Hmm, I suppose that’s how it’ll be. I’m starting to miss the children too.”

“You’re not saying you miss your wife?”

“…I do miss her. O-of course.”

Leaving James, who for some reason slightly turned his head to avoid Yona’s gaze and barely answered, behind, Yona looked at Kairoc again.

Kairoc’s destination just happened to be similar, but it’s the North Cantasia River above the community for now.

“Lizard, what about you?”

“As I said, I’ll go to the North Cantasia River. We can go together as far as the community.”

The North Cantasia River is past the community anyway.

In other words, Kairoc plans to continue going together, so Yona took a breath of relief.

“Come to think of it, Alec, are you going to the community together?”

“Of course.”

Kairoc’s gaze turned to Yona.

“I asked Alec, though.”

Only then realizing that the answer had popped out of her own mouth, Yona made a dumbfounded sound, “Ah,” and then waved her hands, shaking her head.

Alec himself, the actual person in question, was just staring at Yona with a blank expression.

“Ah, no. I didn’t mean it like that.”

“…What did you mean then?”

“I-I meant that there’s no way this baldy wouldn’t go where I’m going… th-that kind of meaning. That meaning. No other meaning.”

“I don’t know what other meaning you’re talking about. Anyway, I really don’t understand what human females are thinking.”

“No, that’s not it!”

As the misunderstanding deepened with each word, Yona’s face started to turn red.

She knew in her head that she should have asked Alec, but she couldn’t understand why that answer had popped out of her own mouth.

Trying to explain it felt like she was sinking deeper and deeper into a quagmire.

“He, he has a reward I promised to give him!”

At those words, Kairoc looked at Alec again.

But Alec also didn’t understand what Yona was talking about.

Reward? He hadn’t agreed to receive anything like that.

Wasn’t it just out of goodwill that he followed along in the first place?

Rather than goodwill—there is something a bit more, private, but anyway.

In any case, Alec doesn’t know what reward Yona supposedly promised to give.

“…What reward? I don’t think I agreed to receive anything like that.”

Yona quickly racked her brain.

She hadn’t promised any reward.

But if she just said she was going with Alec… I mean, didn’t Kairoc know from the beginning?

No, he didn’t.

Kairoc joined at the adventurer’s guild, so he wouldn’t know about the conversation that took place between Alec and her before that.

Then, if she said it was some kind of reward that would entice Alec…

Ah.

“I mean my, my breast-fondling ticket!”

At those words, silence fell over the carriage for a moment.

The impact of what Yona blurted out was huge.

Ceres had an expression that said, “What crazy nonsense is this?”

Bigrin had an openly contemptuous expression,

Ludvik had an expression of “Oh—” as if impressed.

And Scarlet showed no expression at all.

“That…”

After a long silence, Alec spoke with difficulty.

“…Didn’t you already use that?”

At those words, everyone’s expressions intensified.

Ceres now had an expression of utter disbelief,

Bigrin was glaring at Yona with an expression as if she had seen something extremely disgusting,

Ludvik was looking at Alec with an expression of great curiosity, as if he wanted to know something.

“Re-refill… no, that’s not it. Th-that was too, you know? Unavoidably… A-anyway, it’s been renewed! It’s been renewed! Got it?!”

Yona, her face bright red, was shouting and trying to come up with reasons.

From Alec’s perspective, the situation wasn’t calming down at all, but rather unnecessary misunderstandings were continuing to amplify, but anyway, one thing was certain.

From Alec’s standpoint, there was no reason to refuse.

“Okay. Then we’re going to the community together, right?”

“Y-yes! That’s right! That’s what I mean!”

“Okay, so stop shouting. Everyone’s staring.”

Only then did Yona seem to come to her senses and look around.

And she realized the decidedly abnormal gazes of the people looking at her.

Breast-fondling ticket.

The words that it had already been used.

And the words that she would give it again.

Yona understood more clearly than anyone else what impact this conversation of three sentences had on those present.

“…No, actually, it doesn’t mean that…”

Even if she tried to say this, it was already words that would neither be accepted nor understood.

Yona herself knew this.

“Well, um. For now, Miss Yona?”

Ceres cleared her throat lightly a few times and then cautiously called out to Yona.

“For now… I mean, even if you’re clergy, there’s no rule of celibacy, right? Moreover, since Miss Yona is a healer, not a priest, there are even fewer such regulations. Do you understand?”

At Ceres’s words, Yona hung her head low.

Yona had no idea how to clear up this misunderstanding.

Would this misunderstanding even be cleared up?

Maybe it would be better to just leave them to think whatever they want.

But that thought didn’t last long either.

“So, Miss Yona? Um… I think it might be dangerous to have the idea of ‘let’s have a child first and then see’, that’s what I think.”

“That’s not it at all!”

I must clear this up.

Yona thought that this couldn’t go on like this.