I’ll Be Watching

The woman sitting across from me remained silent for a while. Her face was veiled, so I couldn’t see her expression, making it impossible to even guess what was going on. Behind the woman, I could see a wall with a large axe hanging on it. Not just an axe, but various menacing-looking bladed weapons hung on the wall, glinting.

…What was this? A warning that if things went wrong, she’d chop me down?

Thinking about it, I wondered if it wasn’t a profession optimized for torture. Whatever she did, if it wasn’t a serious injury, it would leave no trace if healed cleanly with Divine power….

Ah, no way. What grudge would someone I just met today have to do something like that? And… this is a Temple, isn’t it?

It might not be as pristine as the building itself, but there must be some common sense, right?

Even so, looking at those bladed weapons made me feel uneasy for no reason. Even more so because I didn’t know what the person sitting across from me was thinking.

Feeling parched, I gulped down the drink served on the table. It was pale and milky, and I wondered what it was… it was Milk. For some reason, it felt like I was drinking it for the first time in a very long time. As I silently sipped the Milk, I felt a gaze from beyond the veil, as if watching me.

…If you brought me here, at least say something.

Just as my body, tensed from the sudden situation, was slowly relaxing, the woman lifted her veil. Dark brown hair came into view. It seemed well-maintained, as it shone with a luster. And her reddish-orange eyes-

Were drawing very close. With a look of certainty.

My own hazy memories revived, and I recognized who the person in front of me was. One of the people who had sought me out during my Academy days, along with Veronica.

“It seems my misconception was not a mistake after all.”

“…Wh-what do you mean?”

“….”

While I bit my tongue, the woman who approached-no, Claire-grabbed my hand, and placed her other hand on my mouth. A warm light flowed out, and the pain from my bitten tongue disappeared.

I still thought her Divine power was incredible.

“I can clearly feel that man’s presence….”

“Th-that man, you say….”

Claire, who had risen from her seat, was seen picking up the axe. And effortlessly, with one hand. A chill ran down my spine.

“…Who else? Don’t you know that better yourself?”

At the same time as she spoke, CRACK! The axe was embedded in the table with a sound. The sharp, bluish blade was clearly visible, as if to show it wasn’t a decoration. Claire, who pulled out the axe, continued.

“What is your true identity…? A new type of monster? Did you devour that man and steal his essence?”

Her reddish-orange eyes, emanating an ominous light, swept over my entire body. Her face looked like she was contemplating where to cut me open to get the truth. I quickly shook my head.

“It’s not like that!”

“Lies. That man doesn’t have a family member who looks like this.”

My surprise at her having even completed a background check soon vanished due to the axe stuck at my feet.

“…Perhaps I should cut something to make you compliant?”

“Ah, no, wait a minute!”

Claire, who had raised the axe high, stopped her hand. As if to hear what I had to say.

“B-but if Divine power worked on me just now… wouldn’t that mean I’m not a monster?”

“…Now that you mention it.”

Claire, who had been nodding slightly and lowering the axe, raised it high into the sky again. Her face showed a realization.

“It could be a being that can be affected by Divine power.”

“No, then would I have come to the Temple so boldly, asking you to kill me?”

“…You’re a bold one.”

Despite her words, Claire lowered the axe to the floor. I sighed in relief internally. Why was she acting like this? When she was at the Academy, she wasn’t such a reckless… kid… or so I thought….

Claire, who was slowly stroking the axe blade, asked.

“Then what are you?”

I hesitated for a moment, then opened my mouth-

“If you try to gloss it over by saying you’re like a disciple, be prepared to lose an arm. The presence I feel from you isn’t something you can gloss over like that.”

“…I am Astarote Asha herself.”

“Yourself?”

Claire, who approached while dragging the axe with one hand, groped my chest. Her hand burrowed between my clothes like a snake, in an instant.

“Wh-what are you doing?!”

Claire didn’t reply and moved her fingers to grope my crotch. With an unrestrained touch. Then she tilted her head.

“But you’re a woman?”

“It’s complicated to explain….”

“Explain it.”

I briefly explained what I had experienced to Claire, who was fiddling with the axe handle.

…Of course, I didn’t bother to mention the reason I came all the way here.

Claire, who had been listening intently, twitching her eyebrows, spoke in an incredulous tone.

“Nonsense. Logically speaking, there’s no way a person’s gender could change because of alchemy, right?”

I guess so, right? I’m also flustered… So, could you put down that axe and speak?

Claire’s annoyed face was visible. It was a face she often made when talking about healing, so I unconsciously let out a laugh, and her ominous gaze swept over me.

I flinched and averted my gaze, and Claire muttered softly.

“…I’m already troubled these days… I still don’t like it.”

Then she secured the axe and hung it on the wall. I wondered if she believed me, but a cold voice was heard.

“It doesn’t seem like you’re a monster, but… I don’t fully believe your words yet.”

“…Hmm, I admit it’s a hard story to believe.”

Claire, who had been scratching her dark brown hair, crossed her arms and pondered, then approached me. I hesitated at the sudden closeness, and she let out a chuckle.

“What did you say your schedule was?”

“…I plan to stay one night at Veronica’s Workshop and then go to where Master is. So… my companions will be waiting, may I leave now?”

It had been a long time since we met, but it wasn’t a pleasant reunion. As soon as I thought that, Claire replied nonchalantly.

“Then instead of the Workshop, stay overnight here. I’ll be watching you all day to confirm if you are indeed Astarote Asha, or if you’re a monster.”

“What?”

“Why? Is there a problem?”

As she said that, she looked at the axe, and I shook my head from side to side.

Perhaps satisfied with my obedient demeanor, she grabbed my wrist, saying she would explain the situation to my companions, and opened the door.

“…What are you going to tell my companions?”

“I have it all figured out, so don’t worry and just follow me.”

Following Claire, we arrived at a place similar to a reception room, where I saw Cecil crunching on cookies and Claudia drinking tea.

…I felt relieved that they seemed to be enjoying themselves comfortably while I was having a rough time.

I wasn’t particularly upset.

“Shaa-nim!”

Cecil, who was eating cookies, ran to me with her mouth full and threw herself into my arms. Claire, who was looking at me with a peculiar look as I stroked Cecil’s head, spoke.

She said I would be staying here for a day.

But… strangely, Claudia nodded as if she understood. In a tone that suggested she somehow expected it. When the two of them finished their conversation, which felt almost amicable, Claudia got up from her seat and approached me.

“I didn’t know the person you knew was Saint-nim. I’ll tell Veronica-ssi, so don’t worry.”

“…Huh?”

Claire, who was beside her, interjected.

“She wasn’t one at the time, so you wouldn’t have known.”

“I see.”

…Wait, Saint? While I was stammering, holding Cecil, the conversation concluded with me staying overnight at the Temple.

While I was hesitating, unable to say no, Cecil spoke.

“Can’t Cecil stay with Shaa-nim too?”

I knew it! Cecil!

As I cheered for Cecil internally, Claire got down to Cecil’s eye level and smiled sweetly.

“I apologize. So… Cecil-yang? I’d love to do that for you, but… it seems difficult today. I’ll make arrangements so that you can next time, so will you understand just for today?”

“Hmm… Alright….”

Unlike before, she soothed even Cecil with a gentle and soft tone, leaving me no way out.

And so, only Claire and I remained in the room.

Honestly, I thought, ‘Would her doubts really disappear just by spending a day together?’ But… well, I was going to rest anyway.

…Of course, the reason and process were extremely ominous. Anyway.

Claire grabbed my wrist as I stood there glancing around, and led me somewhere. Passing the room where the axe was hung, this time it was a room with a bed. She rummaged through the closet and handed me some clothes. It was a Nun’s Habit.

“…Why this?”

“We have to be together all day, wouldn’t it be strange if you wore casual clothes?”

So I had to wear even these clothes. A sigh escaped me naturally.

“…Hmph. Then I’m going to change, so will you go out?”

“Why?”

“What do you mean ‘why’? Because I have to change…?”

Claire said in a firm voice.

“I said we’d be together all day, didn’t I?”

“….”

Are you going to come into the bathroom too? When I looked at her with dissatisfied eyes, Claire looked at the bladed weapons hanging on the wall.

“…Alright.”

With the thought of wanting to quickly return to my original body, I took off my clothes, and I felt a gaze that seemed to lick and examine every inch of my body.

It felt chilly once I undressed. When I put on the Nun’s Habit Claire gave me… my legs felt bare. No matter how I thought about it, I felt there wasn’t enough fabric on the sides. I wondered if it wasn’t too excessive, even if it was for ease of movement… but upon closer inspection, Claire was wearing something similar too.

Since Claire was also wearing it, I couldn’t grumble. After I changed, Claire approached and tidied my hair. For someone who had acted so menacingly, her touch was careful.

Once my hair was tidied, Claire opened the door.

…And so, my day at the Temple began.