episode_0029

We came out of the forest.

While leaving the forest, he walked at a fast pace without stopping, so it was quite difficult to keep up with him.

“Jihoo, if you’re having a hard time, should I give you a piggyback ride?”

I’m being carried by Arna… . I think it’s a good idea.

“Yes, carry me.”

At that, Isella, who was ahead of her, stopped and looked at us.

He looked like he had a lot to say, but he looked at me being carried by Arna, then sighed and turned around again.

“Then let’s go faster.”

Since I wasn’t walking, the two elves moved much faster.

I must have been quite heavy, but Arna carried me around and ran around without showing any signs of fatigue.

We drove all day like that, and by nightfall, we ended up at a temple a little far away from the human village.

Because it was night, lights were lit throughout the quiet temple, as if no one was there.

“Who will be there at this time?”

As far as I know, no matter how priests or priests are, they do not live in temples.

If it were a place where important items were stored, there would be guys like paladins guarding it, but it didn’t seem to be a place like that.

“Hmm… .”

Judging by his reaction, it seems like Isela doesn’t know much either.

“Let’s wait.”

We sat on the temple steps and waited for a while.

It was a much smaller place compared to the place where the saint had imprisoned me.

There was a shrine dedicated to a god, and pillars with religious patterns engraved on them were erected here and there around it.

It was a little different from the gorgeous and large kingdom temples I knew, and in comparison, it seemed a little similar to the old temples I used to see where I used to live.

And in front of where we sat, there was a thick spire-shaped sculpture.

It wasn’t anything like a goddess statue, it was just a decoration with no clear meaning.

After looking around, I heard someone walking from behind.

“Who are you at this time?”

And then I heard a man’s voice trembling slightly.

He came out of the shrine at the end of the stairs where we were sitting, looked at us with a puzzled face, and then his expression brightened when he saw Isella.

“Godmother!”

Uh, godmother… . That’s the kind of relationship. That’s surprising.

The man approached Isela, held her hand, and smiled brightly.

“What’s happening all of a sudden?”

A man with curly hair wearing what looks like a priest’s uniform. He has a good impression and looks bright, giving off a priestly feel.

“I want to ask you something. Is the time okay?”

“Of course it’s okay.”

But I don’t think the feeling will be of much help.

I don’t know how old he is, but he looks quite young, and that’s because he is just about to become a priest and begin his religious activities.

Anyway, we entered the temple together.

Inside, there was a small altar and several chairs to sit and pray.

We took a seat in the middle.

“Because he has something that looks precious. I came here because I wanted to know what it was.”

The priest looked at me with puzzled eyes, and I immediately showed him the holy relic.

“This, this.”

Contrary to expectations, the response came right away.

“How do you have this?”

“Huh? hmm… I don’t know.”

The priest was surprised, but then began to explain in an excited voice.

“This is a sacred relic that was stolen from the Rodian Kingdom about 200 years ago. You know Rodian, right? It is a human kingdom across the sea.”

That’s where I was. The reason it is called a human kingdom is because, unlike this place, it was a kingdom where only humans lived purely without any other races.

Other races were often seen as nothing more than slaves, and even then I rarely saw them while I was there.

“There is a record that 200 years ago, the Kingdom of Rodian, whose national power had become considerably stronger, crossed the sea and attacked our church’s temple on the coast, stole the sacred relics, and returned.”

They’re bastards, right?

I had only vaguely heard about it, but it was beyond my imagination.

“But the person who has it… I can’t believe you’re with your godmother. That’s amazing.”

Isella nodded with her arms crossed, and Arna held my arm tightly and spoke to the priest.

“They say Jihu was a warrior. A hero who fought the devil. Right?”

“Yo, hero? Then no way… Are you a Rodian warrior?”

“Yes… Well, it was like that.”

Because it seems like I’m the only one who thinks it should be a secret. I don’t think there’s any need to hide it.

“I heard that there was a war with the demons until recently, and that they are still in a state of confusion… A man who was a warrior there is here with a holy relic… .”

The priest stroked his chin and smiled with interest.

“It’s not something to talk about in a war where people are dying, but it feels like they are being punished.”

“So, that’s it. How do I use this holy object?”

Isella stopped talking because it was not related to her original purpose.

The priest nodded with a smile, as if he had roughly said everything he wanted to say.

“Please return the sacred relics to the religious order.”

yes. That’s right.

“No. You know I didn’t come to you to hear that.”

That is correct.

Isella stood up and tapped the priest on the head, stroking it. The priest smiled sheepishly, nodded, looked at the relic again, and spoke.

“How to use… I don’t even know how to use the holy relics. The purpose of sacred relics is to preserve them as treasures, but they are never actually used.”

“Then, is there anyone who might know?”

“Well, I don’t know. In fact, it has been quite a while since the sacred relic was stolen, so no one will know accurate information about it. It might be quicker to meet a priest from the Rodian Kingdom. You may not be able to do that, but… .”

Is that the conclusion?

Of course, meeting a Rodian priest is not something that can be called a method.

Steal this, run away, then go back and ask how to use it? Who would do something crazy like this?

Isella looked at me.

“There’s nothing we can do for now.”

“Sure.”

“Um, then you are returning the sacred object… .”

Isella snapped her fingers and hit the priest who had not yet let go of his regrets on the forehead. The hit was so hard that the priest retreated, clutching his forehead.

“Nothing happened today.”

“Keuheuk… You can say it verbally… .”

“I’ll go.”

Then we went outside. So the priest followed us out.

“Godmother, are you leaving already?”

“Why?”

“Oh, no. just… .”

Isella looked at the priest with an indifferent face, pulled his head, hugged him, and kissed his forehead.

“I’m glad you’re doing well.”

“… … Thank you.”

“I’ll come again next time. There are kids who came with me today.”

“Yes! By the way, my sister said it would be nice if you could come. I recently had a baby.”

“Oh, really?”

Arna, who was watching Isella greeting me, grabbed my arm and pulled me in as if she was surprised.

“I think this is the first time I’ve seen my aunt do something like that.”

“Really?”

Even though it’s a hug, it’s really strange to even kiss someone on the forehead. Come to think of it, Arna didn’t do that to me either.

“Sister.”

“Huh?”

“Please do this here too.”

As I parted my bangs and covered my forehead, Arna smiled and kissed my forehead.

Arna slightly burned her lips on my forehead and then pushed me away with a slightly flushed face.

“G, let’s go home and do more. Here I am… I think it’s dangerous.”

Yeah, I’m going with my aunt and I shouldn’t get wet.

Still, it was cute because it was hard to see Arna flustered.

At first, he acted like he didn’t know anything, but now he seems to instinctively distinguish between what is okay and what is strange.

Or have I gotten better?

“Ah, why.”

I playfully hugged Arna, put her face on her chest and lightly rubbed it.

Of course, it’s good when you’ve just washed it and it smells fresh, but it’s also good after you’ve moved around a bit. No, anytime is fine.

“Ugh… .”

Still, you shouldn’t overdo it. I apologized a while ago, so I can’t do this again.

“Ha, that… Just hold on a little longer, Jihoo.”

Arna exhaled as calmly as possible and stroked my head, and I got away from Arna.

Eventually, Isella came to where we were waiting.

“Let’s go.”

As they left the temple together and were on their way back to the forest, Arna held Isella’s arm tightly and asked,

“But what kind of person is that man? I told my aunt that I was her godmother.”

“The human being I met a long time ago… My grandson. Because their mother died young. I watch it often.”

So, it means that it has already been looked after for three generations. Hearing this, I can feel the lifespan of an elf.

“Well, I see.”

Arna must have felt something similar to me as she let go of Isella’s arm and glanced at me.

“Then the first person you knew is dead?”

“That’s right. It’s already been quite a while. He even died a little early. So does his daughter.”

Although there is magic healing, the people who live here live rough and their lifespans are very short.

Their lifespan is already shorter than that of elves, but if you’re not careful, it’s really instantaneous.

It was morning when I stood in front of the road leading into the forest again. Isella stopped there.

“You guys can go by yourself, right? I have a place to go.”

“You are going to meet the sister of the priest from earlier, right? I heard you had a baby, I heard it all.”

“Yes. While I came out to see it.”

Arna looked like she wanted to say something, but she didn’t say anything for a while.

Isella waited for a moment, looking at Arna, who looked like she was about to speak, and then turned around.

“Going.”

In the end, Arna held my hand without saying anything.

“Let’s go too.”

“Yeah, didn’t you have something to say to Isella?”

“Oh, I forgot. I’ll tell you later if I think of it. Let’s go quickly, my sister will go and give me a kiss.”

really… . I decided to go home and do it.

I nodded, unable to suppress a happy smile.

“Let’s go quickly!”

–

Isela went to Ende village.

What she visited was the priest’s older sister, a girl whom he had cared for since she was young. Isela was a little nervous because she hadn’t seen him for a while.

When I went to the front of the house early in the morning, I saw her greeting her husband as he was leaving the house.

“I’ll be back. Serena.”

“Be careful. Oh my. Lawrence. Hey, my mother is here.”

Today was the first time I saw them getting married.

After I became an adult and started living well on my own, we didn’t see each other much.

Seeing that Isella seemed to be living quite well, a happy smile naturally appeared on her lips.

“Ah, hello.”

Lawrence, seeing the elf for the first time, bowed with a slightly frightened expression.

Isella smiled and nodded and looked at the baby Serena was holding.

“Why have you been here for such a long time? You missed me.”

“I’m busy too.”

“Hehe, ah, Lawrence, I’m going to be late. Let’s go quickly.”

“Uh, okay. Then let’s go.”

Lawrence hurriedly ran away.

“What do you do?”

“I’m working on exterminating things like upper level guards and monsters around me. Once I save up some money, I plan to buy a few cows and raise them. I think it would be safer that way.”

Isella nodded and took out a money bag from her pocket.

“Tell him to stop starting tomorrow. Your baby… If I don’t want to make it like you guys.”

“Ahaha, Mom too… .”

However, there was enough money in it to cover such a story. Serena checked the heavy silver bag and looked at Isella in surprise.

“Where did you get all this money?”

“I received a lot of compliments from here and there. Because the only thing I want to spend money on is taking care of you.”

Isella smiled and stroked Serena’s head.

Serena, who had a dazed expression on her face, soon smiled brightly.

“Thank you.”

Isella nodded and turned her gaze to the baby.

“The baby is pretty. Because I resemble you.”

“Hehe, right? Everyone around me said I was cute. It will be prettier when it grows up.”

Isella recalled Serena being held in her mother’s arms in the same way.

I can’t believe that such a child has suddenly become a mother again. I felt that human time passes really quickly.

“Mom, please protect this child too.”

“Then. Of course.”

Isella smiled as she carefully stroked the baby.