The Truman Show – 2

A team was assembled to go to Madini Village.

The composition was as follows:

Twenty-two apprentice Priests and nuns to take on the menial tasks,

Six Priests and nuns to lead them and care for the poor,

Four Inquisitors to ferret out and subdue any subversive elements,

Two Holy Knights to protect Saint’s safety,

One attendant to assist Saint by their side,

And one Saint.

Originally, there were twice as many Inquisitors and Holy Knights, but I refused, saying it would be a burden to the Pope.

The Pope stubbornly resisted, saying it couldn’t be done, but when I spoke firmly, they reluctantly reduced the numbers.

Even with the reduced numbers, it was still a luxurious lineup.

According to Maria, it was an unprecedented level of support for a relief effort.

“We will depart.”

With the Holy Knight, who volunteered to be the coachman, speaking, the carriage began to move.

The stopped carriage lurched into motion, and my body swayed.

Inside the carriage, Maria and I sat facing each other.

As the carriage shook, her massive assets swayed.

I had nowhere to look, so I looked outside through the small window in the carriage.

I could see people seeing me off. Anyone would think they were seeing off a head of state.

“It’s your first time leaving the Order, isn’t it?”

Maria said, as if blocking out the noisy sounds from outside.

“That’s right. Isn’t it Sister Maria’s first time out in a while too?”

“That’s right. When I was an Inquisitor, I often went out on missions, but I haven’t been able to recently.”

Maria, sitting demurely, affirmed.

-Clatter clatter

While we were talking, the horses began to descend the slope with cheerful footsteps.

It seemed we had left the headquarters.

“If we go down this hill, we will completely leave the Order’s territory.”

Maria added.

The scenery visible through the window gradually changed.

The densely lined buildings became sparse.

I leaned comfortably against the backrest, surrendering my body to the vibrations of the swaying carriage.

It was a three-day journey by carriage. If I didn’t take a comfortable posture, my back would definitely hurt.

In my previous world, I had a well-trained body, so I could ride a horse for three days without any problems,

But my current body is so untrained that it’s embarrassing to compare it to my previous one.

It’s only because my senses and knowledge of Martial arts haven’t disappeared that I can react,

If it were a life-or-death battle, I would definitely not be able to defeat the Holy Knights of the Order.

“Would you like something to drink?”

As I was quietly looking at the scenery outside, Maria spoke.

She already had a water bottle in her hand.

“Please.”

“Yes.”

Maria smiled.

Maria seemed to be in a good mood lately.

With a gurgling sound, water from the bottle fell into the cup.

In the meantime, the carriage completely left the Order and entered a somewhat bumpy dirt road.

A wide expanse of golden wheat fields came into view.

The movement of the wheat swaying back and forth in the wind created golden waves.

A cool autumn breeze entered through the open window.

“Saint, here’s your water.”

Maria, slightly rising from across, handed me the cup.

I reached out to grab it, and just then, the carriage hit a rock and lurched.

-Clunk

The carriage moved violently up and down, and Maria, who had risen in an awkward posture, naturally fell towards me.

“Eek!”

With Maria’s scream, the water in the cup spilled on me.

Lukewarm water fell on my chest, soaking my clothes.

“S, Saint. I’m sorry.”

Her upper body was resting on my thigh.

I could feel something heavy pressing down on my leg.

Maria hurriedly took out a handkerchief and wiped up the spilled water, but it was already soaked into my clothes, so it was of little use.

“Give it to me. I’ll do it myself.”

I took the handkerchief from her to wipe the water from my neck.

Maria briefly pulled her hand away, saying she would do it, but I snatched the handkerchief from her hand like a kite snatching a mouse.

While I silently wiped the water from my body, Maria glanced at me like a large dog that had caused a major accident.

“If, if you give me the handkerchief….”

When I was done cleaning up roughly and wondering what to do with her handkerchief, Maria murmured in a mosquito-like voice.

Maria, who was blushing red, reached out her hand, and I exhaled the air full in my lungs through my nose and handed her the handkerchief.

“T, thank you… no, I’m sorry.”

Maria apologized again for spilling the water, and I raised my hand to stop her.

It wasn’t necessary to apologize since the carriage shook at a bad time and spilled it.

But, she really spilled it by mistake, right….

I watched Maria, who had already retrieved the handkerchief and put it in her inner pocket, hoping it was a mistake.

During the three days to Madini Village, Maria’s bizarre behavior was repeated.

Losing her balance in the carriage and spilling water on me, or hugging me, or if I was taking a nap, she would be sitting next to me and leaning her head on my shoulder….

The hardest thing to ignore was during the camping.

I briefly left my seat under the pretext of scouting, but I didn’t want to imagine what she would do in a deserted place.

I just thought like this.

Maria, my bones are rotting.

After experiencing these things, we were able to arrive at Madini Village.