Chapter 87
Estelle's voice when calling for Sister Katarina carried emotions she had never shown me before.
Those emotions she had never displayed to me once.
Just four months apart, and she wanted to see me so badly... Yeah, since I was the one who actually raised her. She was still looking after the kids even now.
...It's not jealousy. Really.
Sister Katarina looked up upon hearing Estelle's call, flashed me a bright smile when she saw her.
"Oh, Estelle! When did you come back?"
She looked like she was about to rush over to Estelle right away, but she couldn't because of the kids clinging to her side.
So Estelle approached. I followed right behind her.
"You knew I was coming, right?"
"I knew, but I heard you went on a search mission, so I didn't think you'd be back yet. By the way...."
Sister Katarina's gaze turned toward me. I quickly greeted her with a nod.
"Hello, Sister Katarina. I'm Abel, the Hero who travels with Saint Estelle. I've heard a lot about you."
"Oh? Did Estelle tell you everything about me?"
...Yeah. I heard about everything you did, too.
Sister Katarina bowed her head after releasing the kids for a moment.
"It's my first time meeting you, Hero. I'm Sister Katarina, the caretaker nun at the Pope's Palace."
"Caretaker... so you like kids, huh?"
"No, I don't like them much."
Then why are you a caretaker?
"I'm a nun, so I can't touch hair...."
"You have no idea how much trouble kids are. Look right now. They just stick to me whining like this."
"Then why do you keep doing the job...."
"It's too bad."
Sister Katarina sat back down and let the whining kid play with her hair. Pulling it like that wouldn't hurt, would it...?
"The kids I take care of are all rescued during the Holy Knight Order's or the Church's relief activities."
"...Ah."
They were kids who had nowhere else to go. Estelle was in the same situation.
"So I can't just leave them be. It's too bad, and since I have the talent to play with kids, that's why I'm doing it."
But... isn't that like you actually like kids?
"So, Estelle, how long are you planning to stay?"
"I don't think I'll be staying that long. Just until the goods arrive."
Goods?
When I looked at Estelle with a questioning gaze, she said, "Dummy?"
"The rare metal safe I left with the blacksmith last time. I wasn't thinking straight that day and didn't bring it with me. So I contacted the Balua Temple closest to the Bourbonne City to have it picked up."
"Ahh."
Yeah, that's right. I had forgotten about it too. So many things had happened that my mind was a complete mess....
"Hmm, I see. Well, since you're here, why don't you play with the kids?"
"Eh?"
Sister Katarina smiled at the kids stuck to her.
"Kids, this big sister here is our Church's Saint?"
"Yes?"
"Really?"
"Yeah yeah, today's Saint is gonna play with you!"
...Dumping them on her like this?
Estelle looked at Sister Katarina in shock, but she couldn't say no in front of the kids. The children were looking at her with sparkling eyes, and Estelle was the kind of person who couldn't turn down their hopes.
"...Yeah, what should we play?"
Eventually, Estelle had no choice but to start playing with the kids Sister Katarina dumped on her. Sister Katarina quietly slipped away from her seat and came over to my side.
"...Is there something you wanted to say?"
"Oh~ You have quite the sharp eye, Hero."
...What are you trying to talk about?
I just stared at her silently, and Sister Katarina laughed with a smirk.
"Hey, no need to be so tense. I just want to check something."
"What?"
"You and Estelle are dating, right?"
Everyone I meet seems to know everything. Do they all have mind-reading powers?
"Is it that obvious?"
"No? I don't know about other places, but here there's nothing suspicious about it."
"But how...."
"I raised Estelle for over ten years. I can tell from the smallest glance."
"...You're right, Sister. Was that what you wanted to confirm?"
"Ah, there's one more thing."
Sister Katarina raised her index finger. Wondering what else she wanted, I looked at her, and she gave me a familiar teasing smile.
"So, did you get Estelle?"
"...Crazy."
The curse words poured out of my mouth. Wait, shit. What kind of nun asks something like that?
But Sister Katarina laughed, "Heh heh heh," amused by my reaction.
"Such a lively reaction. Showing that kind of reaction means I can take it as a yes, right?"
"...What are you even saying. Why are you asking me something like that."
"Just curious. Hmm, so you liked it? The chemistry was good?"
Is this complete psycho?!...The one who taught Estelle that way of speaking is definitely a psycho.
I sighed heavily.
"...That's sexual harassment, Sister."
"Hey, it's not like I don't know the age. It's fine."
Sister Katarina said it casually, laughing cheerfully. What kind of personality is this... She's too laid-back; it's a problem.
"Why are you curious about that...."
"I'm worried if our shy Estelle had her first night well. As her protector."
"...Haha."
"So, Hero, did you satisfy her? Estelle probably couldn't do much because she was so embarrassed."
...Stop asking.
I tried to end this embarrassing conversation.
"...At the very least, I have a question for you, Sister."
"Huh? The Hero has a question for me? I wasn't expecting this. What is it?"
"The... the way Estelle talks when she's embarrassed. I heard you taught her that."
"...Ah?"
You taught her! Why are you pretending not to know....
"Ahaha!"
Suddenly Sister Katarina burst into laughter. She held her stomach and giggled loudly. Estelle, hearing the sound while playing with the kids, turned toward us.
I gestured to Estelle that nothing was wrong and told Sister Katarina.
"No, you told her to say that, right?"
"Ahaha, of course I did. It wasn't funny because I said it; it was funny because it worked."
"...Eh?"
"This way, since Estelle became the Hero's lover, that method worked. Our shy Estelle must have appealed hard, huh?"
...This woman is pure evil.
"...What kind of mind would think that telling a girl who gets embarrassed to use that tone would work? It wouldn't work under normal thinking."
"Hmm? Really? I thought it was a proven method and taught it."
"Eh?"
A proven method? Based on what....
"That's the method my mother taught me."
"......Eh?"
"My mother is also as shy as Estelle. The method she used to seduce our father."
Shit, so the mesugaki way is a tradition passed down through generations?
...My head is spinning.
Sister Katarina laughed cutely. Now it made sense. Estelle's eye smile, the way she giggles... everything resembled Sister Katarina's actions.
...Just this woman caused it all.
"And seeing you collar Estelle now, it seems this method really works."
"...That... seriously."
If I had just said it honestly, I could have confirmed my feelings much faster?
Or not....
"...Sister, you should probably not teach that tone to the other kids."
Please.
"Huh? Of course not. Why would I teach something like that?"
"Eh? You did teach it to Estelle."
When I said it with an incredulous look, Sister Katarina laughed with a smirk.
"That's because Estelle is so pretty. A beauty that forgives anything. And with her shy personality, she was perfect to teach."
"...Hah."
"Unfortunately, among the kids I look after now, there's no one as shy as Estelle or as pretty as her."
"...When you say it like that, it sounds like your mother is a great beauty."
"Oh, right. If you saw my face, you wouldn't believe it?"
...Such confidence, haha.
When I looked a bit incredulous, Sister Katarina held back her smile slightly. Then, with a slightly serious voice, she asked me.
"Did you like Estelle a lot?"
"...Eh?"
"I meant, did you like the Hero a lot?"
"...I think so."
"That's good to hear."
Sister Katarina looked at Estelle playing with the kids, and her crimson eyes held warm affection.
...Yeah, you really like kids. Otherwise, there's no way you'd look at Estelle the way you did back when she was a pain in the ass as a kid.
"...Hero, you must not make Estelle suffer."
"I won't do that."
I answered firmly, and Sister Katarina laughed. Then she nodded once.
"Yeah, since the Hero is the one Estelle chose. I trust you."
"...I'll make sure not to betray that trust."
"Good answer."
Sister Katarina smiled gently. Seeing that, I felt one thing for sure.
...You really care about Estelle.
#
Sister Katarina told the kids playing with Estelle, "That's enough. Everyone, say goodbye to the Saint!"
"Saint, you're going?"
Estelle smiled gently as she saw the small hands reaching out toward her. Then she bent down and gently stroked the kid's head.
"I'll come play again later."
"Really?"
"Of course."
Estelle stood up and looked at Katarina.
"I came to talk to you."
"Oh? I just came because I had a question for the Hero."
"...Sis, you didn't say anything weird to Abel, did you?"
"I didn't say anything weird~. I asked if you and the Hero were dating."
"Ugh... why would you ask that?"
Sister Katarina laughed, looking amused at Estelle's embarrassed face.
"You need to know who your boyfriend is, right? Well, from the way he was speaking, he seemed so pure and nice."
"...Abel is pretty pure. Normally."
"Normally?... Oh, maybe he's different in bed? You must be a real beast?"
"No, that's not what I meant!"
"Ahaha! Estelle, you even know how to joke like that now? You've changed so much!"
"Ugh...."
Seeing Estelle's cheeks turn red, one of the kids laughed.
"Saint's face is so red~!"
"T-this is because I'm hot."
"Hot? But it's summer here, and it's cold...."
"...I just get hot easily."
Sister Katarina laughed, "Heh heh," after hearing Estelle's excuse.
"...Katarina sis."
"Haha, it's funny. You do get hot, but... you get cold more than that."
Estelle sighed lightly.
"...Anyway, we'll be staying here for a while, so I'll head out today."
"Yeah, sure. Come again later to look after the kids."
"Then I'll come to talk to you."
"Okay okay."
Sister Katarina waved lightly as she saw Estelle off. Estelle smiled at that.
'Even after four months, she's still the same.'
Estelle bowed to Sister Katarina in greeting, then returned to me. As she approached, she chatted with various expressions, happy and embarrassed and joyful.
Sister Katarina watched their scenes for a long time.
"Sister, you look really happy."
"Huh?... Ah, do I?"
A warm smile had appeared on Sister Katarina's face. She didn't hide it and told the kids.
"You kids, when you grow up, try having kids too. You'll understand."
"But Sister didn't get married?"
"Still, you'll understand."
"Eh??"
That only made the kids' questions grow.
#
"Hero."
"Abel."
"...What?"
""Eat my thing first!""
...The two of you, this is a public place, a dining hall.
"Celine, since Abel wants my thing first, step aside."
"What are you talking about, Saint. The Hero said he wants my thing first."
"When did Abel ever say that!?"
"He did with his eyes."
"What nonsense....!"
Two forks were held out right in front of my eyes. A piece of lamb was impaled on each fork. And they were slowly approaching me like they were competing to eat first.
"...Hah."
After visiting Sister Katarina yesterday, I came to the dining hall in the village to eat breakfast, and this is the situation.
"Just eat your own. It's rude in a public place."
...Anyway, all three of us have lamb steak. We could just eat our own. But my answer must have been a bad choice.
Both Celine and Estelle's expressions turned a bit cold.
"...You don't want to eat?"
"You say you don't need what I'm offering...."
"Why are you suddenly saying that!?"
Even though both of them knew it wasn't true, they were still acting like this. It was clearly teasing me.
"...I'll eat my own."
"How mean."
How mean.
"There are lots of people in the dining hall. You don't have to do that."
"Yesterday I ate it deliciously...."
"Aaaah, Celine!?"
This woman has no filter at all! And when did I eat with you?
Estelle, hearing Celine's nonsense, looked at me with unfocused eyes.
"...Abel? You said you were going to sleep early yesterday."
"I really did sleep early yesterday! Celine was just talking nonsense. So don't look at me like that!"
Really scary.
"Ah... what are you doing! Why are you lying, Celine!"
"I was joking."
A Saint wouldn't say such vulgar jokes!"
"Saint also uses low words toward the Hero all the time. Like 'shithead' or whatever."
"T-that's...."
Estelle was getting her own karma back.
...Why. I feel a bit smug.
"...Anyway, eat your own. It's the same lamb steak anyway."
""Yes....""
Both Saints answered sullenly and started nibbling at their food. Honestly, if it was a private room, maybe, but there are lots of people. No need to make a scene.
...Of course, I kissed Estelle roughly yesterday, but that was because Estelle was teary-eyed.
Just as I was enjoying the peace I finally found.
"Hero, Hero!!"
"Kid...."
Shit, who is it.
I turned my head to find someone calling my name loudly from the dining hall. And there was a Holy Knight in armor.
"...A Holy Knight?"
"Ah, Hero! There you are."
"What's the matter?"
The Holy Knight greeted me, Estelle, and Celine lightly.
"It's an emergency. A large number of monsters have appeared from the north of the Apollo Kingdom and are coming down. The scale is quite large, and two high-risk monsters have appeared."
"Eh?"
"We need the Hero's help. The ranks aren't confirmed, but they seem to be at least Leviathan-class or higher. These are probably... the remnants of the North Queen."
...Even killing the head doesn't end the problem.
I put down my knife and fork, stood up, and picked up the sword I had leaned against the side.
"Let's go right away."