What's This, Hero?!?
I opened my eyes to a ceiling I didn't recognize. This had to be the ceiling... or was it just a roof? It looked like one.
Where am I? I ran my fingers through my messy hair and sat up. The room spun. My head throbbed. I had no memory of what I'd done last night.
...Did I get drunk?
One wish just vanished... Ugh.
I scanned the area. No one around. The structure looked like a barracks tent.
...The Saint and Celine must've slept in separate ones.
I smoothed my hair as best I could and stepped outside, hunting for the Saint's tent. My head hurt... I needed a hangover remedy.
A kind soldier pointed me toward the tent where the two women stayed. I knocked on the flap.
"Saint-nim~? Are you awake~?"
A moment later, the Saint I called didn't poke her head out. Instead, another Saint leaned out—brown hair glowing with a red tint in the sunlight, ruby-like eyes sparkling. Celine.
"Good morning, Celine."
"...Hero-nim, please stay outside first."
"Eh?"
Why?
"...I don't know what to do with this..."
Celine looked genuinely serious. I asked her the same.
"What's wrong?"
"...You don't remember anything from yesterday?"
"Yes. Did I do something weird?"
Celine narrowed her eyes at me. Why the glare?
"Snort! Ahahah!"
"Celine?"
The Saint I was staring at suddenly burst out laughing.
What is this? What did I do last night that made her laugh like that?
"Celine, seriously, what happened yesterday!?"
"Phuhu... Never mind. Come in."
"Wait, Celine! Why—?!"
A flustered voice came from inside. The Saint sat up in bed, clutching the blanket like a cocoon.
Huh? She was awake?
But why's she acting so shocked? Her face is red too...
"Saint-nim, I told you to wait outside because you're sleeping."
"Eh? No, that's not it."
...What now?
...I don't know. My head hurts. Doctor, make it better.
"Saint-nim, my head hurts."
"...I don't know..."
"Huh?"
In the past, she'd check my condition instantly. Instead, the Saint turned away and refused to meet my eyes.
If you pretend not to know, what am I supposed to do?! Who'll fix this headache?!
"Phuhu!"
"Celine, why are you laughing? You should laugh with me too."
"Such a funny thing. Ah... really... it's hilarious."
Celine giggled and approached me.
"You said your head hurts, right? Let me heal it. It won't be as fast as the Saint's, so be prepared."
"If you do, thank you."
Celine placed her hands on my head and poured in divine power.
Whoa. It's different from when the Saint does it. Her power feels warm and cozy. This one feels refreshing and cooling.
"...The feeling is different."
"That's because we're fundamentally different. We serve different goddesses."
"Oh... I see."
The divine power changes depending on the deity we worship. I learned something new.
"It's done."
"Thank you."
...Good. Celine, you're now Hangsukhaeso Mk. 2.
Celine pulled her hands away and turned to the Saint.
"Saint-nim, you should prepare soon."
"...I'm already ready."
"Then stand up."
"...When the Hero leaves, I'll get up."
...Why am I the reason for that all of a sudden?
I asked her seriously.
"Did I really mess up yesterday?"
"Messed up..."
Celine smirked and laughed.
"It might have been a mess-up, or maybe not depending on the situation."
"...Eh?"
What kind of ambiguous line is that?
"Saying things like that when drunk means you secretly wanted it."
"What did I even say...?!"
What does that mean!?
Celine stared at me, then put a finger to her lips.
"It's a secret."
"...What?"
"Understand why the Saint is acting strangely around you for a while. You did something to cause it."
"What?!?!"
...What did I do last night?!
#
I stepped out of the barracks first. Celine somehow coaxed the Saint outside. The moment the Saint saw me, she jerked her head away and avoided my gaze.
...I can't remember, so I don't get why she's doing this. Annoying.
Then, in front of another barracks, I saw a familiar face. The Hero of Trust—Elfride, with her radiant golden hair tied into a high ponytail.
"Elfride!"
I waved as I approached. She jumped like she'd been caught off guard.
Why is she like this too...?
"Ah-hem, Abel... Did you sleep well?"
Elfride cleared her throat politely. I felt puzzled and answered.
"Yeah, my head hurt a bit, but now it's fine."
"Ah-hem. Last night you drank too much too quickly, so you slept early."
"Oh..."
The soldiers kept pouring me drinks until I couldn't take it.
"I couldn't control myself, that's all."
"Ah-hem. I see."
But Elfride kept clearing her throat. Is her throat sore?
"Got a cold, Elfride?"
The Hero catching a cold? What now.
But Elfride looked a little upset.
"It's not a cold... Haa, what do you think this is because of... you..."
"Eh?"
"...Never mind. Anyway, are you going somewhere?"
Elfride quickly changed the subject.
...What was she going to say?
"...Yeah, I'm heading to Cafe Shiro first."
"The capital was close, but here there are closer places."
"Still, I thought it might be confusing if I went somewhere else first. I'm going in the order Elfride suggested."
"Uh-huh. I see."
Elfride looked at me quietly. When I tilted my head, confused, she mentioned I had extended my hand first.
"The wish grant changed this time too, didn't it?"
"Ah, yeah."
"Then use it right away."
She must have had something in mind.
"Yeah, what is it?"
"Two months from now, August 12th, is my birthday."
"Oh, really?"
"Then, please visit the Bathory ducal territory. There's probably going to be a party. Please attend and brighten the place."
"Of course I'll go. Even without the wish, I'd have come if you'd told me."
It's a friend’s birthday party. How could I skip it?
Besides, there was only you there... I'd go even if it was just out of pity.
Elfride smiled faintly, pleased with my answer.
...Pretty.
"Then it's settled."
"I can use it later, right? I haven't decided yet..."
"Do as you like. It's your choice when to use it."
Elfride offered me her hand.
"See you next time, Abel."
The pretty hand she offered. But the skin wasn't smooth. Scars and calluses dotted everywhere. Marks of her effort showed clearly.
It wasn't pretty, but somehow more beautiful than a flawless hand. Was I imagining it?
Looking at that hand reminded me of what happened with Elfride since the last regular report. Our closeness had grown a lot.
It's an unexpected, slightly over-the-top connection for me... but I'm not the kind of person who steps on the hand that reaches out to me.
I gripped her hand tightly and laughed.
"Yeah, Elfride. See you next time!"
"...Yeah. I'm looking forward to it."
#
"Saint-nim."
"Wh-why...?"
Annoying.
"How much longer are you going to keep this up?"
"I-I don't know...!"
"...Haa."
On the way to Cafe Shiro, the Saint kept doing exactly that whenever I called her.
She wasn't as blunt as usual, which was good, but the problem was she kept getting flustered and stalling every time I spoke. It didn't seem like she was mad—she just couldn't answer. I couldn't figure out why.
It was annoying, but the Saint's reaction was the real issue. Every time she hesitated, her face turned bright red. It was... incredibly cute. Too cute to be a problem.
Do I really have to feel this way about her?
...Did my outward appearance bias seep in without me noticing?
"Have some rest for a while. You'll be exhausted."
"Exhausted...?"
...What kind of exhaustion?
Every time Celine advised me, I felt like I was sinking deeper into a maze. But Celine never explained clearly, and the Saint kept reacting this way.
By the way, exhausted... what did I do?
"Oh."
Wait, did I use my power during the battle with the monsters? While I wasn't looking?
No, you can't! If you get weak, who'll protect me?!
The thought made me grab the Saint's shoulder urgently.
"Saint-nim! You didn't use that power, did you?"
"Eek!?"
"Eek???"
What? She made such a cute noise...
"...W-what are you doing, Hero-nim!?"
The Saint pushed me away with a pop.
"Ah... Were you surprised?"
Even so, was pushing really necessary... Ouch. My shoulder stings a little.
When I looked a bit down, the Saint seemed startled. Her shoulders twitched slightly.
She turned her head away and spoke in a mumble.
"That kind of thing isn't what the Hero thinks, so don't worry."
"...Oh, I see."
"...Yes."
The Saint fell silent again and walked on quietly.
She really acts like a completely different person.
"...Why does she do that?"
"I wonder~."
Celine walked by with the easy smile of someone who knows everything. I asked her.
"Celine, can't you tell me the truth?"
"I can't. If I do, the Saint will kill me."
...Why would she kill you?
"What exactly did I do?"
"It's not exactly what you did, but what you said... Honestly, I don't think it was wrong~."
"Eh?"
The moment Celine finished speaking, the Saint stopped dead in her tracks.
"...You made the Hero angry, didn't you?"
"...Eh?"
The Saint's face flushed bright red. She grabbed Celine's arm and muttered something for a long time. Celine smiled like it was amusing.
"...What?"
Don't exclude me, you two.
---
"What's this, Hero?!?"