Chapter 3
Yes, I had definitely been a bit harsh with my words today—calling it deception, teasing, and all that. It was already astonishing that El, the vice high priest, hadn't reprimanded me for my rudeness.
"I-I'm sorry, I messed up. From now on, I'll definitely call you El."
Flustered but trying not to show it, I spotted the tears welling up in his eyes and panicked, yanking out a wad of tissues from the dispenser nearby—probably dozens of sheets—and thrust them at him. I worried that maybe the sensitive El had been hurt after all.
Come to think of it, I've gotten really comfortable around El.
I fidgeted anxiously, watching him, when the thought suddenly struck me. The fact that I could so boldly share my beliefs with the vice high priest and worry about his feelings like this was proof that I saw him as someone close.
'What... what are you doing right now?'
'You told me to sit, so I did.'
'When I said sit, I meant on the chair. Why are you... kneeling on the floor?'
Suddenly, I recalled my first meeting with El. That day had been chaotic in so many ways.
When I got word through the Mercenary Guild that El wanted to do business with me, I visited Helene Restaurant for the first time. The opulent building had left me utterly intimidated.
'Commoners and nobles shouldn't sit in the same place.'
Back then, as a commoner mercenary, I was all too used to the nobles' arrogance. No matter that I was hailed as a hero or one of the empire's three Sword Masters, to them I was just a lowly commoner sellsword.
Most nobles got a sick thrill from seeing someone as powerful as me grovel before them. To earn my pay, I had to indulge that vile pleasure, and I assumed El had summoned me for the same twisted satisfaction.
'Ah, please... don't do that, please.'
I still remembered the shock of it. El had looked at me—kneeling before him—with eyes brimming with utter devastation, crying like a child.
Utterly thrown by a total stranger bursting into tears, I'd panicked and ended up hugging him to soothe him. Looking back now, El and I had shared an embrace from our very first meeting—a bizarre start to our relationship.
'I, I just wanted you to be happy... Why show me something like this? You should stand tall, proud—you're that kind of person.'
El had rambled strangely like that, but he never called out my impertinence for hugging him. Though, given his build, it was more like I'd clung to him.
I still remembered that day's El, gazing at me with tears in his eyes. The thick lily scent wafting from our closeness. Those silver eyes, glistening with tears yet gleaming with an obsessive light.
His gaze was a little odd, sure, but crying, El was endlessly beautiful. The epitome of sacred, pure kindness. A fragile, delicate lifeform. Like the wings of a celestial butterfly—infinitely noble and lovely, yet shattering at the slightest touch.
Yes. The first time I saw him, I'd thought he was like an angel.
'Never kneel before me. Don't bow or humble yourself. I'm no noble, and even before that, I'm no better than you—I'm just like you. So in front of me, just be you.'
That was when I knew. This client was endlessly kind and gentle. There was a strange sense of familiarity, like he'd known me forever, but I couldn't suspect him. He was just too good a person.
'I should keep my distance from clients... but I went and made him the one exception.'
I sighed inwardly. I'd already grown too close to El. He was a precious friend now.
'I hope I didn't hurt him...'
El was so tender-hearted it was hard to believe he held such a high position as vice high priest. I fretted that my words might have wounded him deeply.
As I sat stiffly, stealing glances, El wiped his eyes with the tissues I'd given him and let out a soft chuckle. The redness under his silver eyes was oddly seductive, making me avert my gaze slightly.
"Even though we're client and contractor... I still want to get closer to Shushu."
His eyes still faintly damp, El slowly covered the back of my hand with his own. His large hand was warm. His gaze scanned my face, checking if I was uncomfortable.
I've gotten used to this much, at least.
I wasn't one for much physical contact, but with El, it never felt bad. I gave a small nod of consent, and he took my hand, pressing it gently to his cheek. Even though my palm met cool mask instead of warm skin, it felt strangely intimate.
"You have to call me El. That's how I want Mir to call me."
El's eyes curved into delighted crescents. As always, it was the face of a pure angel who knew nothing of evil.
Was it the warmth from his hand reaching my ears? I felt my own ears heating up as I nodded.
"Want some more to eat?"
"I'm good."
After the commotion, we resumed our meal. Dining at Helene was always like this—delicacies so rare I wondered if I even deserved them.
"Don't forget to grab some food from the counter on your way out."
El urged me gently, as always concerned about my slender frame. Whenever we met, he'd have them pack extra Helene dishes for me, nagging me to eat properly.
At first, I'd refused out of embarrassment, but when he threatened to send Helene's head chef to my place daily if I didn't take it, I caved in terror.
I'm fine, but it'd be great if Aria ate it.
Everything at Helene was gourmet perfection. Even Aria, who barely touched her food, would nibble at Helene's dishes. Now, I'd probably have to beg if he stopped offering. Not that I had any pride to speak of.
"...Thank you, as always."
"I should be the one thanking you. For letting me carry out God's will. I'm grateful."
El's radiant smile was like the sun itself. If the benevolent sun god ever manifested, surely it'd look like him. His kindness made my chest tighten, and I found myself smiling softly too.
I watched the waiter clear the table, then meticulously wiped my hands with the hot towel provided.
"Shall we do it now?"
I asked casually, and El nodded with a bright smile. I dragged my chair over to sit beside him.
"Could you hold my hands?"
I extended both hands toward him. El shyly lowered his eyes before gently taking them. His large hands easily enveloped mine, filled with the searing warmth befitting the Sun Temple's vice high priest.
This was the strangest moment in our peculiar deal.
'If you really want to repay me, would you hold my hand?'
A few deals in, when I'd asked if there was anything more I could do—my conscience pricked by his overly generous pay—he'd answered like that.
Hand-holding was no big deal, so I'd agreed without fuss, and since then, it became part of every meeting.
Life in the temple must be so lonely.
For El to ask a lowly mercenary like me to hold his hand, he must have been terribly isolated. And why not? Before meeting him, every priest I'd encountered had been awful people. Maybe the naive, kind El was being ostracized there.
Maybe, just like that boy.
A past memory surfaced, and I bit my lip hard. A few years back, I'd rescued a boy being bullied at the temple.
A boy with dead black eyes. Ever since, my view of the temple hadn't been great.
...I wonder if he's okay.
Truth be told, my memories of that boy weren't all good. More bittersweet, if anything.
I blinked slowly and looked up at El. Our eyes met—he'd been staring at me the whole time. Through his mask, only his sparkling silver eyes were visible.
They were different. Those pitch-black eyes that seemed to embrace all the world's misery, versus these kindly, innocently gleaming silver ones.
El, endlessly kind, and that filthy-tempered street urchin boy. They couldn't be more different.
But why do they overlap so much in my mind?
Maybe that's why I'd let my guard down around El so easily, despite my wariness. Because he reminded me so much of that child.
"El. Does anyone at the temple bully you?"
The question slipped out impulsively. El's expression hardened instantly. His grip on my hand tightened fiercely.
"No one in this world can bully me anymore, Mir."
His voice, icy cold as it slipped through his lips, startled me. I looked at him in surprise, and he flinched hard, forcing a hasty smile.
"Ah, I... no, it's nothing. I'm fine. No one bullies me."
His firm tone was noticeably stiff—I couldn't have missed it. It was an odd reaction.
He doesn't like talk like that.
But I didn't want to pry into what he preferred to keep hidden. I nodded casually and wiggled our clasped hands silently.
El blinked a few times and let out a deep breath.
"I always look forward to this moment. You know that?"
His low, honeyed whisper brushed my ear. It sent a strange shiver through me.
"You're hurt again."
Glancing down at my hand, El murmured with evident distress.
Hasn't this healed yet?
When I'd fallen, recalling my past life, I'd scraped my palm on the ground.
A normal Sword Master would've healed instantly from something like this.
Despite being a Sword Master, my recovery and defense were abysmal. I'd reached this level by slaying magic beasts without proper training in stamina or endurance—it was all raw offensive power.
If this were a game, it'd be like dumping every stat point into attack.
Sighing at my easily fatigued body.
"You always come back injured, even after I heal you."
El sighed softly, and silver light burst from his hands. Squinting against the glare, I watched in awe as the wound mended perfectly.
If only holy power could heal Aria too...
I bit my lip. To cure Aria, I'd tried everything—including holy power.
Temple healing was typically nobles-only. For a commoner to access it meant pouring in vast sums.
'Holy power... doesn't work on the young lady at all.'
The priest we'd barely afforded had said that. Certain races like fairies or beastkin rejected holy power outright, and some human mutants did too.
Holy power was the temple's symbol. If word got out it didn't work on her, we'd be branded heretics. In the end, we'd paid more to silence him—and gained nothing.
"You don't have to do this every time."
Feeling awkward receiving the vice high priest's healing for a mere scratch, I scratched my head. He drooped his eyes sadly.
"I do it because I want to. Won't you let me?"
Ah, seriously.
I couldn't refuse those clear eyes. I averted mine slyly and let him heal me obediently.
It's still amazing every time.
Gazing at my flawless palm, courtesy of holy power, I glanced out the window. The sun was already dipping low.
Aria will worry if I'm late.
"Thank you again today. May I head out now?"
El blinked slowly, smiling wistfully but nodding.
"Of course. You must be tired—go rest."
El was truly kind. I smiled back and gave a brief bow.
"See you next week."
I opened the door and stepped out steadily. A sticky gaze clung to my back.
The vacation was over.