I Really Don't Know
I Really Don't Know
A disheveled morning.
I woke up blankly, and a yawn escaped me naturally.
Chirp, chirp, the morning birdsong tickled my ears, and I, still dazed, used it as an alarm, rubbing my eyes and sitting on the edge of the bed.
Since I couldn't wash anyway, Kylon's Cheonggyeol Mabeop meant my part was just to tidy up. So, I ran my hands through my hair and dry-washed my face with dry hands, and that was the end of my morning preparations.
Yesterday, I briefly wore a dress with a side slit, but today was the time to go back to the tailor and pick up my Saintess's Robes, which covered my entire body well.
Indeed, clothes should cover a person's body to truly be clothes.
Thinking that, I stretched, and then, knock, knock, Kylon's knock announced breakfast time.
"...Saintess-nim, did you sleep well?"
As I stepped out the door, Kylon's gentle voice reached me.
It felt subtly greasy, and I suppressed the goosebumps that instantly rose, forcing a smile.
"Yes, thank you for always looking out for me."
I felt like his expression and atmosphere towards me had changed a little, but as someone lacking social skills, I had no way of knowing such subtle changes in others' expressions.
Thinking that making a baseless assumption might make things awkward, I kept my mouth shut. Kylon's smile lingered on me for a while, then he also greeted Flora, who was approaching behind him.
Seeing that, I wondered if he was trying to flirt with Flora, and I nodded once before stepping into the hallway.
I'll change into my clothes at the tailor's later.
Thump, a chill seeped in behind my footsteps.
During mealtime, I was always the first to finish eating.
That's because I wasn't using a spoon, nor piercing food with a fork, nor needing a knife for the food.
For me, who couldn't properly taste, the only thing I could really appreciate was the texture, so there was no option other than Biscuit.
I could smell what others were eating to my heart's content, so there was no need to deliberately experience the texture of food I couldn't taste.
Meat was chewy, and even if it was soft, it would just be chewed and disappear meaninglessly.
Soup was the same; while I could feel differences in consistency, I couldn't taste it, so it felt like drinking thin soup. It was better to just drink water.
As I was dawdling, I felt Flora, who was next to me, staring intently at me.
And amidst the clattering of cutlery, I also felt the gazes of Linda and Agnes.
Normally, this would be the time they'd be busy cozying up to Kylon, so I couldn't understand why they were looking at me. I simply returned their gazes with a smile.
Why are they looking at me so menacingly?
I smiled wryly and crunched a Biscuit into my mouth.
*
Kylon and I headed to the tailor's to pick up the clothes I had left there yesterday, and afterward, I put on the white garment.
Its long-sleeved dress-like shape gave me a sense of relief that my entire body was covered, and I had securely tied a Dagger over the stockings I wore on my legs.
After putting on the Garter Belt, I draped a Cape over my shoulders. The soft fabric, which seemed to be of quite luxurious material, gently enveloped my shoulders.
I fastened the inner buttons and secured the visible outer buttons with a string.
Finally, wearing the Veil over my head meant everything was complete.
The long Veil, which reached my waist, gently covered all of my hair.
They say a Veil originally signifies detachment from worldly affairs by covering one's hair, but honestly, I didn't really know about such things. I wore it because it made me look like a Saintess, so I didn't care about its shape.
I had to maintain the appearance of a Saintess to be able to join this party.
"...I'm all ready. Hero-nim, and my sisters, thank you for waiting."
As I carefully said this, holding the hem of my skirt, Kylon gave me a faint smile, while Linda, Agnes, and finally Flora, all looked at me with displeased expressions.
Indeed, I just thought that women's hearts were still hard to fathom.
No, if Kylon's true self was also a woman, should I say it was the feelings of women in love?
Well, I could understand their wariness towards me even now, so I decided to just let it be and responded with a smile.
I wasn't trying to steal a Heroine's position, so what was there for me to feel guilty about?
I knew well enough that getting involved with Heroines like them never ended well.
So, I decided not to worry about it and waited for Kylon to start moving.
But Kylon's gaze didn't leave me.
He was looking at me, and the emotion in his gaze seemed a little strange, which made my Glabellum furrow naturally.
"......?"
I tilted my head and looked at Kylon.
My Glabellum did twitch, but who was I? A Saintess.
A Saintess who must always wear a gentle smile and a benevolent expression.
Therefore, my expression should not be distorted, so I just stared blankly at his face.
I wanted to ask him carefully, "Why are you doing that?", but the question never reached him.
"...Shall we go? Did everyone pack their bags well?"
After staring at my face for a long time, Kylon hastened the steps of the Heroines next to him and turned around.
It felt like my heart was pounding on the way to the third village. It was like going to an unexplored land. It was a game I had never truly enjoyed, but walking on the ground myself felt truly strange.
It also made me think that the game itself must have been well-made, as there was nothing strange about it even if I were to transpose it into the real world.
As I walked for a long time, Flora, who was walking right in front of me, glanced at me.
"...Saintess-nim. What did you do last night?"
Why was Flora suddenly talking to me? Surprised by the thought, I blinked for a moment.
And after that silence, I carefully replied.
"I think I just slept..."
"...Then what's that mark on your neck?"
Neck? What neck?
Was there something on my neck?
At Flora's words, my hand instinctively went to my neck. Then Flora groaned and told me again.
"It's the other side."
"The other side... you mean the left side, right?"
"Are you pretending not to know, or do you really not know?"
"I really don't know... What kind of mark is it?"
"...Never mind. It's fine."
Flora snorted, as if dumbfounded, and then closely followed behind Kylon.
My steps had slowed for a moment, and I, bewildered, watched the party move further away, feeling my left neck.
What could be there to make them act like this? Could it be that the atmosphere today was bad because of this?
Unfortunately, people couldn't see their own necks.
I should have had a mirror, but the funny thing was that mirrors were not allowed for a Saintess.
Mirrors were permitted for those who valued beauty, but once one became a Clergy, they had to adhere to the custom of severing ties with beauty and detaching from worldly affairs.
While I could secretly look, it was a principle not to carry one publicly.
The Veil, which covered beautiful hair, also played a part in this reason.
Ugh, I groaned and felt my neck, but for now, it seemed it wouldn't be easily visible, covered by the Saintess's Robes.
What kind of mark would be annoying just by its presence? A mark on the neck, what could it be?
I'll have to ask Kylon a little later.
Thinking that, I hurried towards Kylon, who was walking towards the next destination.
I walked quickly, fearing it would be hard to catch up if I fell further behind.
*
Another night of camping. Now, camping had become a part of daily life.
But even if it was daily life, being told to use a sleeping bag the day after enjoying a bed was unwelcome news.
A soft bed, the comforting feel of a blanket pressing gently against my body, that was good.
However, on a journey to defeat the Demon King, a tent and a sleeping bag could be considered luxurious.
This was all thanks to Kylon, who possessed the Inventory ability.
As the sun set and everyone finished their meal, I, leaving them behind, blankly looked around.
I had intended to watch their reactions and call Kylon aside to ask about the mark on my neck, but the timing just wasn't right.
At this rate, I wouldn't even get a chance to call him aside, let alone ask.
I complained internally, but what could I do? They were subtly clinging to Kylon and giving me suspicious looks. Wasn't it obvious that I shouldn't do anything more suspicious here?
In the end, I let out a heavy sigh, changed my clothes, and entered the tent alone. Inside, I hastily finished my prayers and settled into my sleeping bag.
A mark on my neck.
I felt it, but it wasn't swollen like a mosquito bite, nor was it itchy.
Wondering what it was, I made a puzzled expression and stroked my neck here and there when the tent opened.
"Saintess-nim. A word, if you please..."
Behind that, Agnes's stiff, sinking voice called out to me.