episode_0032

*

The fight with Kunat didn’t last long.

In fact, nothing would have changed even if it had lasted longer.

After all, the Devil’s power she wielded would crumble helplessly before my hands imbued with Holy Power,

and she showed no intention of returning to Hell even after having a large needle spewing Holy Power plunged into her chest, so even if the fight continued, it would only prolong the stalemate.

Moreover, the noise generated while we were fighting only attracted the attention of the monsters.

Kunat, with the needle in her chest, mocked me, telling me to get torn apart by the monsters, but when I offered to relieve the pain caused by the needle, she wagged her tail like a dog and nodded her head.

Seeing the unidentified, fearsome Devil acting so docile, the needle must have been quite painful.

Unlike Lucia, who was covered in pure white bodily fluids every time she fought a monster, Kunat elegantly melted the monsters away with a simple gesture of breathing fire.

Kunat, having annihilated all the monsters, approached me like a dog running to its owner.

“Now, as promised, remove the needle.”

“Hmm…”

“…Billy.”

“Nah.”

Kunat glared at me and snarled.

“Don’t be ridiculous! Don’t take my words lightly. A promise with a Devil is a Contract in itself. If you don’t fulfill it, you’ll suffer terribly!”

“Uh-uh, that’s just your opinion.”

I shook my head and placed my hand on Kunat’s chest.

Pressing down on the area near her solar plexus with my finger, I could feel the hard needle pressing against her flesh.

Kunat groaned in pain. I slowly absorbed the Holy Power from the needle.

Kunat, who had been clenching her teeth so hard that the veins around her neck stood out, realized that the needle embedded in her chest was no longer emitting Holy Power.

“This… this is,”

“Just keep the needle, you’ll be fine as long as you listen to me.”

Kunat seemed to grasp the situation immediately.

She grabbed my shoulders and pushed me back, shouting.

“Billy! If you break a Contract with a Devil, their soul goes to Hell…!”

“The promise was only to ‘reduce the pain.’ Don’t you remember?”

“What…?”

I spoke in a polite tone to turn Kunat inside out.

“How are you feeling? Is your chest a little more comfortable?”

Hearing those words, Kunat just stood there dumbfounded, letting out a hollow laugh as if she couldn’t believe it.

Of course, since the needle was still inside her body, there would still be a foreign body sensation, but at least the pain from the Holy Power would definitely be gone.

Of course, I could always return the pain to her if I wanted to.

Kunat quietly pursed her lips, caressing her chest.

“Glad to hear it’s more comfortable. Guess I won’t be dragged to Hell.”

“Ha…”

Seeing that stupid face of hers, I felt somehow satisfied.

I could understand why Kunat maintained her cultured tone.

A polite attitude is more effective when you’re trying to screw someone over.

Kunat, who had been standing there blankly for a while, quietly muttered.

“That’s right… wow.”

Just as a wild dog living with people needs to be leashed, a needle must be embedded in a Devil who will live with us in the Monastery.

If she ever did anything stupid again, or spouted nonsense, I could always emit Holy Power from the needle to restrain her.

“Billy, how dare you… play tricks on a Devil?”

“Why? Isn’t that what you Devils do all the time? Contract scams.”

“You… you bastard.”

Well, let her say whatever she wants.

Anyway, I had no intention of removing that needle at all.

Kunat trembled all over as she stared at me.

It seemed like tears were welling up in her eyes.

I guess so.

It must be a tremendous humiliation for a Devil.

She must have thought that such wordplay was a Devil’s exclusive skill, but to be turned against by a human… a Priest, no less.

Moreover, according to her own words, she was a Devil strong enough to devour other Devils, so it must be an even greater humiliation.

Kunat lowered her voice with a miserable expression, as if she were drinking muddy water.

“I’m really… saying this again, but you belong in Hell.”

“Yes, yes, that’s what you think.”

“…I will definitely prepare a place for you in the deepest part of Hell.”

“…”

“Look forward to that day, Billy.”

Of course, it was a threat that didn’t work on me at all.

I slowly raised my hand and brought it under her chin, then gently scratched her chin and said.

“From now on, you’ll only bark when I tell you to.”

*

As the morning sun dawned, Lucia stirred for a moment before slowly sitting up.

Even after rubbing her eyes with her small fists, Lucia sat there blankly for a moment, as if the sleepiness hadn’t gone away, then slowly turned her head and met my eyes.

“Good morning, Lucia.”

I greeted her casually, but in my heart, I was offering a fervent prayer to the Goddess.

‘Please, please let Lucia not remember what happened yesterday.’

Her bold actions last night must have been due to the alcohol, no matter how I thought about it.

I understand that she has feelings for me, but what woman would act like that towards a man she likes?

Even though I don’t know anything about romance, I know that such a woman doesn’t exist in the world.

Maybe such a woman would approach a handsome young man, but that would never happen to me, at least.

Anyway, if she was that drunk, it was quite possible that she wouldn’t remember anything.

Forgetting things because you didn’t know your alcohol tolerance at your first drinking session, isn’t that a rite of passage that every adult goes through at least once?

I also had a memory of making a big mistake the first time I drank.

That was also the reason why I didn’t enjoy drinking.

Based on my experience, I judged that there was a good chance that Lucia wouldn’t remember what happened last night.

“Ah…”

Lucia slowly opened her mouth.

“Aaaah…”

Lucia’s eyes, still covered in sleep dust, slowly widened.

I had the illusion that her eye sockets were swelling up.

Her clear eyes, which seemed to contain the blue sky of this morning, slowly began to sway from side to side.

At the same time, her cheeks were turning a red color that contrasted with those eyes.

Finally, Lucia jumped up from her spot.

“Euaaaaa!”

…Oh dear.

She remembers.

Damn it.

“Euaaa, Father! I’m so sorry!”

Lucia cried and prostrated herself on the floor, bowing her head.

Is this a sign of extreme politeness and apology? Or is it because she’s too ashamed to lift her face?

Through the scattered, hazy gray hair, I could see her ears turning bright red.

They looked almost as red as Kunat’s skin.

“Lucia.”

“Ugh… I must have gone crazy.”

Lucia stammered, her voice tearful.

“I… I don’t know… why I did that… I don’t… know… Ah, the alcohol, it must have been because of the alcohol…”

I interrupted her.

“Lucia.”

“Yes… Yes?”

“Just say you made a mistake.”

“Yes…?”

I slowly approached her and quietly stroked her head.

“Instead of saying you were crazy or it was because of the alcohol… it’s better to say ‘I’m sorry, I made a mistake.’”

“…”

“At least you have to admit that it’s your fault, and then ask for forgiveness.”

Lucia nodded her head slightly while keeping it on the floor.

“I’m sorry… I… did something bad, Father.”

“It’s okay.”

“…Ugh… Father, I’m sorry…”

“Have you repented?”

“…Y-yes.”

“For what?”

“I won’t… drink anymore…”

I interrupted Lucia again.

“That’s not it.”

“…”

“The alcohol isn’t at fault, you are.”

Lucia swallowed hard and answered.

Perhaps because she had been crying since morning, her voice was cracked.

“That’s right… I will… be more careful from now on… I’m sorry…”

“Okay…”

“…Father, please… don’t hate me.”

“Haha.”

To say such things so casually,

What she did last night was indeed embarrassing, but to say such things so freely is also embarrassing for an adult.

She’s definitely a child.

I spoke to Lucia in a gentle voice.

Now that the scolding was over, and Lucia seemed to have repented greatly, there was no need to be strict anymore.

“Why would I hate Lucia?”

“…Are you not angry?”

“I’m not angry.”

“Really…?”

“Yes.”

“…Waaah.”

Perhaps relieved and having her tension released, Lucia started crying even louder.

Seeing this, I feel like she’s back to the Lucia I knew.

A clumsy, timid, and tearful girl.

I quietly spoke to Lucia.

“Lift your head. The floor is rough.”

Lucia shook her head.

“Why?”

“Because I’ll be crying… my eyes will be swollen… my face… will be ugly.”

“…”

Certainly, a girl’s heart might not want to show others a face ruined by tears.

I quietly took my hand off Lucia’s head and said.

“Tell me when you calm down. I’ll prepare breakfast. Anna packed a lunch box yesterday. Let’s eat together after you pull yourself together a little.”

“Uhee…”

Lucia answered in a voice soaked with tears.

Her appearance was so cute that I couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.

I took out the lunch box that Anna had packed from the luggage I had brought.

As I was preparing a simple meal by spreading a handkerchief on the floor, Kunat, who had returned to her cat form, quietly opened her mouth as if whispering.

“Aren’t you going to apologize?”

“For what, tricking you? Would I? You little shit.”

“No, not that.”

“…? Hitting you?”

“I’m talking about strangling Lucia. You violent Priest.”

“…Ah.”

Lucia was slowly getting up.

With her head bowed low, as if not to be seen by me, Lucia was touching and fixing her face with her hands, and the red handprints remained on her neck.

“…I should apologize after breakfast.”

“What about me?”

“You go apologize to the real Kunat that you devoured.”

“She’s a Devil too, why only me…”

How dare she, calling Lucia a Devil.

When I glared at Kunat, she grumbled and went to a corner of the room, curled up, and lay down.