The Saint's Dramatic Confession
According to Chloe, if she returned to the military academy, something similar might happen again. Honestly, I never even considered the possibility of her coming back after doing something like that.
Just to seal the lips on the incident, those noble groups who had tormented Chloe would undoubtedly use their connections. So we had to go along with her and uncover the truth behind the mutation monster incident before she vanished without a trace.
After hearing our story, Chloe asked.
“...How exactly do you plan to find the evidence?”
“We have to trace the distribution route of the mutation stones. If we follow that trail, it should reveal that the mutation stone I was fed came from somewhere. Checking whether the stone we have matches what was used should provide solid proof.”
Upon hearing the Saint's words, Chloe nodded. She carried the actual mutation stone and had already located the transaction records. That would be the most definitive evidence.
And more importantly, the person who did this to Chloe was estimated to be my childhood friend. How could I possibly skip out on that?
“I don't want to be a bother to you, Hero-nim...”
“A bother? How hurtful of you to say. I simply want to help.”
“...You were completely hesitant just moments ago and suddenly turned kind. I can't figure out which stance you want to take.”
...Chloe, don't make this any harder than it already is.
“You rejected me as a companion, remember?”
“...So does that mean I'm still not considered one?”
“Huh?”
...Is that how it works?
“Fine. Please help me!”
“...Ah, yes.”
Chloe flashed a bright smile as she looked at me. She seemed genuinely happy, like someone who had finally found hope.
What am I supposed to do with this? I'm not interested in loli types... or anything like them.
“...Should I not help, Hero-nim?”
Why are you saying that?
“What on earth are you talking about, Holy Saint?”
“...It was just a joke.”
...I don't think that was a joke at all.
Whether I knew why or not, the Holy Saint narrowed her brows and shot a glare at Chloe. Chloe suddenly clung to me in reaction to that gaze and declared.
“Hero-nim, the Holy Saint is glaring at me!”
“...Heh heh.”
Please leave me out of this.
“Holy Saint, if that's the case, we can just go to the cathedral, pick up the priest's robe, and head out.”
“No~♡ Since Chloe and I need to cross the border, we'll need something to prove Chloe's identity.”
“Is there something like that?”
“There is a token that proves I am the Holy Saint of the cathedral. We have to get it from the papal court.”
“We have to go all the way to the papal court?”
The Holy Saint looked at me and gave me her signature smug smile.
“You idiot♡ Do you really think we can make it to the papal court? Of course we ask the branch to request the item~♡ Hero-nim, you really are too stupid to even think of that♡”
“...So how long will it take?”
Well~? It depends on the situation, but it should arrive within a week at the latest.”
“We need to reach the cathedral branch as quickly as possible.”
“Exactly~♡ So starting tomorrow, we'll be traveling by carriage~♡ What if Hero-nim bangs his head against the carriage again~♡”
...I really don't like that.
This village had a larger scale, so there were carriages and post-horses heading out to distant cities. Since Lancaster City was a major metropolis, there would definitely be a relay station there, and we could take a direct horse-drawn carriage straight to the city.
“Won't the price be too high?”
“The distance is long, so it'll cost a bit~♡ But we have no choice. Since this happened, we need to reach Lancaster City as fast as possible.”
“True.”
I glanced at Chloe, who was still glued to my side.
“...Could you move a little?”
“Why?”
“Why, you ask...”
“I like being right next to Hero-nim.”
I felt like a criminal. Even if she understood my feelings, or whatever her real intention was, the Holy Saint pulled Chloe away from me.
“Kyaa, Holy Saint, what are you doing!”
“As for you, what exactly are you doing, you little stray cat?”
“A stray cat? I just spoke normally, didn't I?”
...Even if it's Chloe, why are you getting so aggressive?
“F-for now, let's hurry. We need to depart early tomorrow morning.”
“Ah, I'd like to sleep right next to Hero-nim!”
Chloe mumbled something embarrassing but her eyes sparkled with excitement.
She looked exactly like a child who desperately wanted to sleep with her father. As someone who knew the truth, I couldn't accept it at face value.
I turned to the Holy Saint and said.
“...I'll just book a separate room.”
“...Yes.”
[Chloe's identity proof needed to cross borders safely]
As soon as Abel left and the door closed with a thud, Estelle turned to Chloe and spoke in her characteristically low, heavy voice.
“...What exactly are you thinking?”
Chloe flinched at the Saint's unexpectedly stern tone. However, she refused to be intimidated and boldly countered.
“What do you mean, thinking?”
“Why are you suddenly clinging to our Hero-nim like this?”
“Our Hero-nim~? Holy Saint, you must have misspoken. Hero-nim is not yours. Why do you say ‘our’?”
And if there's a reason you can't like him, why even bring it up?
Estelle and Chloe stared each other down. Their heated exchange sparked the kind of fire you could almost see crackling between them.
Among the two, Estelle was the first to snap.
“Hero-nim is someone I take care of and protect! That's why he's 'our' Hero-nim!”
“Take care of~? From where I stand, it's all just harsh words!”
Direct hit. Estelle had a half-teasing, half-shy habit of throwing savage remarks at Abel.
But even after taking a direct hit, Estelle showed no sign of backing down. She raised her voice even higher and retorted.
“It doesn't matter how I speak to Hero-nim—Chloe has nothing to do with it!”
“Have you never thought about how it would make Hero-nim feel bad!?”
“You know Hero-nim understands my true feelings, right?”
“You talk like that, and you think Hero-nim is a mind reader? What nonsense are you saying, Holy Saint.”
There was nothing to refute. Estelle could not easily counter Chloe's words.
Would Abel really understand her true feelings? It was only a guess based on the fact that he didn't seem to dislike her outright.
Seeing that the situation was turning against her, Estelle quickly changed the subject.
“...Hero-nim does not like children like you!”
“...Ch-, children?! I'm a proper adult, you know!”
Chloe's age was sixteen. In any country, sixteen already exceeded the legal definition of an adult. Her body may have been small, but she was undeniably an adult woman.
Hearing Chloe's words, the Holy Saint actually let out a scoffing laugh.
“Just being an adult by age isn't enough. Small chest, small hips—there's no trace of a woman's charm at all~?”
“You think Hero-nim would like some provincial lump like that? Hero-nim is the type who judges women by such things...”
“Yes.”
Chloe's firm, decisive statement made her tilt her head in confusion.
“...How are you so sure of that?”
“Apart from anything else, I know for certain that Hero-nim likes breasts. Whether it's when he looks at me or when he met the Holy Saint from the Lunaria Church, he could only stare at them~♡”
“...Really?”
“Yes~♡ So Hero-nim probably has no interest in you~?”
“Ugh... how can you be so sure!”
“Then try testing it.”
Estelle spoke with complete confidence, and Chloe trembled with nervousness in response.
“W-whether a woman's charm is only that kind of thing isn't true!”
“...That's true. But having an attractive figure is one of the clear factors that can make a woman appealing, isn't it? Right? A~♡ You probably don't know because you don't have any~?”
“...What?!”
“If my words are wrong, refute me.”
She was angry, but Chloe also knew. She understood how attractive a woman's body could be to men. She couldn't refute, but she suppressed her anger and trembled.
“I won.”
With that, Estelle could smile victoriously.
Golden Truth
The next morning, we followed our plan and stopped at the relay station to hire a horse-drawn carriage to Lancaster City. From now on, we would spend two days traveling by carriage. It felt like a proper road trip.
“Hero-nim~!”
“...Chloe, what is it?”
“Eh? I want to sit right next to Hero-nim!”
“...Move away.”
I didn't want to become a criminal. Chloe's face hardened slightly at my firm response, and the Holy Saint laughed softly to herself.
...What's so funny?
“Hero-nim, you seem to be mistaken about something.”
“What sudden nonsense are you saying?”
“I'm sixteen! I'm a proper adult, you know!”
...?
“I heard.”
“...Yes?”
“I know Chloe is an adult.”
“But why do you...”
Separately from being an adult, her appearance screamed “criminal.” I didn't want to hear the loli jokes.
“I prefer men who are at least 160 cm tall.”
“...Yes?”
“...Yes?”
...Why does the reply come twice? The Holy Saint sitting in front also turned around and asked.
“...Holy Saint, why are you suddenly acting like this?”
“...Does Hero-nim place importance on the height of the opposite sex?”
“Yes?...um.”
If asked whether it's important, then it probably is. Something too small like Chloe just doesn't feel right. It gives off too much criminal vibes.
But if it's someone like the Holy Saint, even if she's not exactly 160 cm, I think she would still be attractive when considering other factors.
...Don't get the wrong idea. I'm talking purely about appearance, ignoring personality.
So whether it's important or not, of course...
“It is important, right?”
“...Is it...?”
The Holy Saint's shoulders, which had always been held high and proud, suddenly slumped. Chloe next to her couldn't hide her disappointment either.
...Did I go too hard with my words?
Even if not to the extent of Chloe, the Holy Saint might have had her own concerns about being short. So I quickly changed the topic.
“...Still, there are many things more important than height.”
“...!”
“...What are they!?”
The Holy Saint perked up her head, and Chloe even went straight for the question.
What? Well, there are many, but the most important one is...
“A kind heart. A beautiful face is even better.”
Of course, appearance and personality are the most important factors. I think this applies to men as well as women.
At that, Chloe pressed herself even closer to me.
“...Hero-nim, isn't my kind heart bad?”
“I think you're not that bad, Chloe.”
“Then are you not beautiful?”
Beautiful? Well, just her face is pretty. I think her purple hair and sparkling amethyst eyes are quite charming.
“You are pretty.”
“Then why don't I work?”
“...W-we only just met, after all...”
...Why are you so persistent?
Honestly speaking, Chloe wasn't my type. Objectively, she was pretty, but her figure and height were... Rather, I preferred women like the Holy Saint or Elfride.
But that doesn't mean I like the Holy Saint. I emphasize again: I'm judging purely by appearance.
Still, saying it outright felt awkward... so I tried to circle around it as much as possible. Just as I opened my mouth with that thought in mind, the Holy Saint spoke firmly.
“Tone it down, Chloe. Hero-nim looks troubled.”
Unexpectedly, she helped me out. I had been worried Chloe and I would team up to pester him.
“...What, Holy Saint. Are you trying to intimidate me right now?”
“W-why would I intimidate you?”
“Because the Holy Saint is trying to... the Hero-nim...”
Binding Chain
“Uuuugh!”
...Excuse me?
“Holy Saint, what are you doing using magic on Chloe!”
A thin chain of light had wrapped around Chloe's lips. She was casting magic without any incantation.
“...I was going to say something useless.”
“...?”
Useless?
I briefly thought back to the actions the Holy Saint had taken so far. The way she always seemed to worry about my words and then fired savage remarks at Chloe.
...I feel like I almost understand what Chloe was trying to say.
“Holy Saint.”
“Yes~?”
“......Um, actually...”
“Why do you keep stalling~? Don't be such a coward and just say the main point already~♡”
“...You don't like me, do you?”
After Chloe's explosive statement yesterday, the Holy Saint's strange behavior and panicked expression were more than enough to raise suspicion.
The Holy Saint's eyes widened at my words.
...Eh...?
The Holy Saint was flustered. She and I had been together for quite some time? Not all the way back, but definitely in recent times. Her expression change was instantly noticeable.
“...No way?”
I really meant no way. And just as I was about to turn that into full certainty, the Holy Saint smiled smugly with narrowed eyes and added.
“What sudden nonsense were you saying~♡ There's no way I could like a useless guy like you~♡ It's self-centered, that is♡”
...My mind snapped back into place.
Yeah, no way a woman like that would like me. Who would say something like that to someone they like?
I smiled awkwardly and added a touch of apology.
“...Um, I guess so. Sorry, I must have been mistaken.”
“In your mind, you weren't already thinking of names for grandchildren, were you~? Kyaa♡ That's gross~♡ Marrying a goblin Hero-nim? No way~♡”
“...I never thought of that at all.”
“You're lying~♡”
...You bastard! I hate you too!
With Estelle's sharp remark, Abel turned his gaze out the window, looking slightly displeased.
However, Abel didn't know. That Estelle's two cheeks were flushed red from the harsh words she had used to scold herself.