The Sanctuary of Hybras (4)
If there was one positive change since we entered the Sanctuary of Hybras, it was that we no longer had to keep watch at night.
Safe from the beasts and monsters that would attack without warning, all we had to do now was sleep peacefully in our room. Once you lose it, you realize just how precious a full night's sleep truly is. Looking back, taking turns keeping watch during a journey with only the two of us had been far too brutal.
I resolved that the next time we set out, I would make sure to secure proper travel gear. Magic-infused ones, preferably.
In any case, now that my fatigue had cleared, my day began with physical training. Cooping myself up in a room just because I was a "patient" didn't suit my personality, and physical strength was something that withered away if not trained daily. For my body to grow, a proper environment where I could eat well and rest was more than enough.
Near the building where I was staying—or rather, our lodgings—there happened to be a decent empty lot, so I ended up using it like a training ground. Now that the space was set up, there was no reason not to put in the effort. Even at this very moment, my future enemies wouldn't be slacking off.
Even though I've become a Swordmaster, I can't afford to be complacent. I have to treat this as just the starting line.
The original novel of this world was a reverse harem story. That meant it was a work that prioritized character appeal, and the female lead's harem was crowded with all kinds of male leads lined up like trophies. Every single one of them held grand titles like Archmage or Sword Saint. Since I would have to face such opponents one day, I didn't have a single moment to waste. I had to surpass even the original Rajen.
After running for quite some time, I was wiping off the water after washing up. As I dried my back with a towel, a slightly sulky voice drifted from behind me.
"I knew you'd do this. I told you to rest properly until I came."
Sirien was glaring at me, her eyes full of discontent. Her cheeks were slightly puffed up, making it clear she was on the verge of throwing a tantrum. I knew I'd get a scolding, but I didn't expect her to get angry right off the bat.
"I told you, this much is fine."
"But you promised me. You could have done your running after getting treated..."
"The morning air was just so refreshing, I couldn't help myself."
"Argh!"
Sirien threw a tantrum at my shameless excuse. Her small hand struck my back with all her might. A sharp *smack* echoed, and my back burned as if on fire.
"That's your punishment for not listening."
"Y-your slaps have gotten pretty stingy, haven't they?"
"If I hit you gently, you don't even pretend to be hurt."
"Ahem."
She used to be a child who only threw cotton-fist punches even when she was furious. Before I knew it, she had grown enough to deliver a back-slap that actually stung. It seemed I had raised a wild beast.
Well, it wasn't like Sirien's worries were baseless. There was definitely still poison lingering in my body. After moving around as much as I could, I felt an odd stiffness in my limbs. Perhaps my stamina had decreased while I was bedridden, as I got out of breath quickly, and my body didn't quite move the way I wanted it to, if only slightly. Still, it was a very minor issue. At this rate, it would take a few days. At earliest, I might be fully healed by tomorrow.
It was only natural, considering I had received enough healing for the Saintess of the Church herself to say she had "poured all her divinity" into me. Although Hibras's divinity had the worst compatibility with healing, efficiency could always be overcome by sheer, overwhelming quantity. Just like this.
"O Hibras,"
"Please lend us your lantern."
After our brief bickering ended, I sat down with my back turned to Sirien. With a calm prayer, Sirien placed both hands on my back. Starting from where her hands touched, a warm energy spread throughout my body. The divine power entering me was slow, like ink spreading in water, but it caressed every single spot it touched with extreme care.
Whether it was mana or divine power, all energy carries the user's will. The fact that Sirien's divine power was so gentle and considerate was a direct reflection of her personality.
"From what I can feel, the wounds are almost completely healed... but it's still not a full recovery."
"Considering I was hurt by a monster of that caliber, I've recovered easily enough. I don't mind if the treatment takes a bit longer, as long as there are no lingering side effects."
"Yeah. They said that should be fine. They said the residual malice left by the spider was just too strong, so it became half-cursed."
"That's a bit creepy."
Sirien only pulled her hands away after pouring her divine power into me for over ten minutes. By then, my body was filled with warmth. From behind, Sirien lightly tapped my back.
"Alright, that's it for now. How is it? Do you feel a bit better?"
"Thanks to you. I feel much better than before."
"Hehe. I'm studying hard, you know."
The corners of her mouth curled up slightly. Lately, Sirien seemed even weaker to praise than before. Though she brushed her hair back awkwardly, she couldn't hide her joy. Standing up first, Sirien tugged at my arm.
"Now let's go outside! I haven't looked around the whole place yet either. I wanted to explore it with you!"
Inside the Sanctuary of Hybras, there were barely ten people living, including us. In truth, it couldn't really be called a properly established order. The only one who had continuously done the work of the church was the Guardian, and the rest were practically ordinary people. It was on the level of a tiny village where a few believers resided.
Even those who did the work of the church had only recently begun to organize things in a hurry. Because of the lack of hands, it was common for one person to take on multiple roles. The woman right in front of me was a prime example.
"You saw her once yesterday, right? This is Melissa. For now, she's the only nun, and she's agreed to serve as my personal attendant. She'll be helping you out too, Rajen."
"I'm Rajen. I look forward to working with you, Sister."
"Please, you may speak comfortably. I heard you are the son of a count. Though I may be lacking, I will serve you with all my heart."
"Melissa is also the one who makes our meals. That soup from yesterday."
"Ah, it was delicious."
Melissa was a middle-aged woman with a quiet impression. At a glance, she looked to be in her early to mid-40s. A gentle smile played along the wrinkles around her mouth. She had definitely been wearing a believer's robe yesterday, but today she was in a nun's habit. The clothes showed absolutely no signs of age. She had probably started making them after Sirien received her baptism. It seemed she had only finished and put them on today in a hurry.
Even after our brief greeting, Melissa went around the building cleaning. Sirien stopped by the dining hall and brought out some apples. The two of us walked as if taking a stroll, making crunching sounds together.
"This is the vegetable garden. It's bigger than you'd think, right? They say everyone tends to it together."
The garden didn't look much different from what one would normally see. A fence lower than one's knees stood as if to divide the fields. Green sprouts had beautifully burst forth from the carefully tilled soil. Sirien crouched down and touched a sprout's leaf with her finger.
"You know, it's been a really long time since I've seen such a tiny sprout. In the garden, there were only fully grown flowers."
"But they planted new ones in the back garden every spring."
"Yeah. I saw that last spring, so it's been a year. The sprouts are so tiny and cute. They're so small right now, so how do they grow so big every autumn?"
It seemed Sirien had forgotten that she also had a time when she was very tiny, and that she was still quite small even now. It felt strange, like watching a kid who thought they were an adult. I had to watch my mouth, especially since my back was still stinging from earlier.
Her hand gently caressed the sprout, careful not to damage it. Sirien stood up after looking at the garden to her heart's content. The next place to head was the temple. The most splendid place in this secluded corner. It was also the place we had visited yesterday for her baptism.
The interior of the temple wasn't much different from what we had seen, but it was our first time entering the chapel or the prayer room. It was a quiet and simple space, with nothing flashy. I didn't think I would go in there often, so I just took it in with my eyes. After offering an incense candle with Sirien, we turned back.
"This is kind of fun. It feels like the two of us are on an adventure."
"We've had plenty of adventures. Aren't you sick of them by now?"
"Ugh. Those weren't adventures. An adventure has to be fun."
"What is this, a children's fairy tale?"
"What's wrong with fairy tales? I like them. Honestly, Rajen, you've always been such a little old man."
My eyes widened. A little old man? You're the one who's still just a kid! A retort rose to the tip of my tongue, but it quickly died down. I couldn't bring myself to say it. As a reincarnated soul, I didn't want to argue with a kid her age over such a topic. That... that would be far too pathetic in my opinion...
On our way out of the temple, we ran into a little kid. It was a boy named Ruan. He was eight years old at most, with a bright and innocent face that suited his age. The mischief written all over his expression made him look like a troublemaker no less than Therion. It was surprising to see a child in a place like this, but what was even more surprising was how precocious and cheeky kids had grown these days.
After a brief greeting, the very first question that kid Ruan spat out was this:
"By the way, what's the relationship between you two? Are you guys dating?"
"W-w-w-what?"
At the kid's words, Sirien completely short-circuited.