A Daughter's Opportunity
It's best to drink in moderation.
"...I'm exhausted."
After emerging from the lengthy meeting, I unconsciously reached into my front pocket only to realize there were no cigarettes. I awkwardly withdrew my hand. The meeting had been so draining that I actually craved a smoke. The content had been so tedious it was painful to listen to. Given that they'd gathered people who knew next to nothing about devils and only possessed raw power, it was only natural... but honestly, in my view, this meeting had been a failure. In the end, the only conclusion from that marathon session was that everyone should just handle things on their own.
Had Her Holiness really arranged this gathering for something like that? If so, I could only feel disappointed.
"You look quite dissatisfied, Inquisitor Jenkinson."
I froze. At that moment, Her Holiness's voice suddenly came from behind me, startling me into turning around.
"Your Holiness. It's not like that."
Embarrassed that she seemed to have read my thoughts, I answered carefully. Her Holiness smiled and nodded.
"Well, it's only natural that the meeting lacked substance. The real purpose of this gathering was to instill a sense of urgency in them. However..."
Her Holiness continued with a gentle smile.
"Now that high-ranking devils have begun to move, even if this display merely makes them shrink back, it will be a great help."
I nodded at her words. So that's what it was... a warning directed at the high-ranking devils? The Church possessed the power to gather such formidable individuals in one place at any time. By boldly showing them that fact, the Church aimed to intimidate the high-ranking devils into hesitation?
'I see... that explains why she made such a public spectacle of the attendees.'
No wonder she'd openly bragged about this meeting everywhere. So that had been the reason. Now that I understood, the choice of participants also made sense. If they'd truly wanted serious discussion, they would have summoned devil specialists or the defense officials from each nation. But every person gathered here was simply one of the continent's most renowned powerhouses.
Having finally grasped Her Holiness's true intentions, I nodded. At that moment, she spoke again.
"Since the meeting is over, there's a matter I'd like to entrust to you..."
Rustle.
It was then. Limia, who had arrived without notice, looked at Her Holiness with slightly surprised eyes.
"Oh? Did I interrupt something?"
When she asked while scratching her head, Her Holiness smiled and shook her head.
"Not at all. Well... let's speak of it next time, Inquisitor Jenkinson."
With those words, Her Holiness stepped aside. I turned my gaze to Limia. This woman was still...
"Still huge, I see."
At my assessment, she laughed and naturally took her place beside me.
"And you're still a monster, aren't you?"
Look who's talking... Even as that thought crossed my mind, I asked her,
"So what brings you here?"
What business could this woman possibly have with me? Receiving my questioning look, she grinned brightly and said,
"Have you been well?"
"If you came all this way just to exchange pleasantries, you can leave now."
At my cold response, she muttered with a slightly hurt expression,
"You're so cold. For us."
What exactly was "us" supposed to mean?
"What exactly are we to each other?"
I asked, genuinely curious. She answered with a smile,
"Well... ahaha, more importantly, the meeting seems to be over, so why don't you come to the inn?"
I stared at her in disbelief as she brushed off the question and made this sudden suggestion.
"...Do you understand what it means to call a man to your room at night?"
It was already evening. The hour when night was approaching, and she was inviting a man to her room? Did this grown woman even comprehend the implications of summoning a man at night?
"Hmm, you think I don't?"
Seeing the sly smile she wore in response to my question, I finally realized she was trying to seduce me. It was an incredibly direct seduction. But... it was exactly the kind of seduction I'd expect from her.
"...I'll have to decline. I don't particularly feel like it here."
Yet I refused. It was strange. No matter which woman I met, in this Holy Kingdom I never felt any desire to embrace them. Personally, I had no wish to engage in what might be considered "sacred" acts in this sacred land in any other sense.
"Only here?"
She persisted stubbornly. I answered indifferently,
"...Then I suppose I could keep you company."
Well, that's what I said, but I hadn't actually intended to meet her again. However...
"Good. See you next time, then."
Watching her beam with satisfaction and walk away, I felt oddly unsettled. Why did that woman show such interest in me? Our first meeting hadn't exactly been pleasant. Honestly, I'd handled her rather roughly. And that had been the end of it. In other words, what she would remember of me was the man who had forcibly subdued and knocked her unconscious. So why was she showing me such favor? No matter how I thought about it, I couldn't understand.
'...I just don't get it.'
So I gave up trying to understand and simply leaned against the railing with a sigh. Yes, if I couldn't understand it, it was better not to try. That way... my mind could be at ease.
'So there is a chance after all.'
Limia, having parted from Jenkinson, smiled. Honestly, she'd thought rejection was inevitable, but this was far more positive than she'd expected. In other words, she still had an opportunity. That alone was enough to put her in a good mood.
"You look happy."
Someone called out to her. 'This voice...'
"Father!"
Turning around to confirm the owner of the voice, Limia approached with a delighted face and simply lifted him up. Given her already enormous stature, hoisting a grown man into the air made him feel like he was practically flying.
"Wow, this is one of the advantages of having a big daughter. The sensation of flying feels quite nice."
The man who casually spouted such nonsense was none other than her father. The continent's greatest eccentric—or perhaps its richest man. Count Gimor del Ofrel.
"What brings you here?"
When Limia set him down and asked with a smile, Gimor straightened his disheveled suit and replied,
"I came on business, but I heard you and that friend of yours were here, so I stopped by. So where is my friend Greg?"
Gimor spoke with a smile, and Limia answered,
"He left right after the meeting ended."
Greg had boarded a train and departed the moment the meeting concluded. At her words, Gimor openly showed his disappointment.
"Ah, then I came for nothing. Oh well. Since we're here, shall we have a meal together, my daughter?"
At the suggestion, Limia was about to nod when a sly smile spread across her face.
"Would it be alright if one more person joined us?"
She made the request, and Gimor nodded without hesitation.
"Hmm? As many as you like."
With Gimor's permission granted, Limia moved with an excited expression to find Jenkinson once more. This was her chance... She wanted to introduce him to her father in advance.
My master always used to talk about how wonderful the position of Brewing Priest—the post he once held—truly was. After tasting the Holy Kingdom's wine, you'd find the wines of other countries utterly undrinkable. So if I became a priest, I should definitely aim to become a Brewing Priest. Not something like an Inquisitor, he would say. It was probably from then on that I developed a strange fascination with the Holy Kingdom's wine.
"Is this our first meeting? Ah, I'm called Gimor."
The greeting pulled me from my reverie, and I finally came back to my senses. This place was the city of Rahel, quite far from the Holy Kingdom. In other words, we were in the Yura Kingdom. We'd come all this way using that expensive magic circle. The restaurants in the Holy Kingdom tended to be rather modest, after all... so I could understand why this man had chosen to move to this location. Of course, remembering what Her Holiness had said, I'd tried to use it as an excuse to avoid this gathering, but instead I'd only received her approval. It was only natural. The man before me was someone even the Church couldn't easily disregard.
Gimor del Ofrel. The richest man on the continent, known to possess more wealth than even the emperor.
"I am Jenkinson Beckett. Brother Gimor."
When I bowed my head in greeting, Count Gimor stroked his chin as if something had occurred to him.
"Jenkin...son? Ah! Now that I look at you, aren't you Greg's son? How is Greg doing? I wanted to see him today, but he ran off and I didn't get to see his face at all."
Only now recognizing me, he greeted me warmly. I nodded. In truth, I was already acquainted with this man. It would have been stranger if the heads and heirs of two neighboring territories didn't know each other. Of course, I'd been very young at the time, but I still remembered that even then he'd already been somewhat of an odd character.
"He's doing well."
At my answer, Count Gimor examined my face and spoke with admiration,
"My, you've grown beyond recognition. That little brat who used to follow the Inquisitor around has grown this much... and become an Inquisitor himself. What a strange turn of events."
I laughed at his words.
"It's thanks to what I learned from her that I am who I am today."
If not for her, I wouldn't even be in the Church. So my words weren't wrong.
"Yes, I suppose that's true. By the way..."
Gimor's eyes narrowed as he looked at me. I felt puzzled by his gaze. What was he trying to say? Just as I was thinking that and reaching for the wine in front of me to take a sip—
"So when do you plan to show me my grandchild?"
Cough!
At that absurd question, I ended up spitting out the wine. His question was so shocking from my perspective that I couldn't help but be flustered.