Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: 8. MacDullin Abbey (5)
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Vivian finished her morning training and took a break.
She didn't have to worry about meals since Ian and Mercy had prepared them before leaving.
Vivian glanced at Kati, who was sitting at the edge of the table in a position like she was baking bread.
Her vacant gaze toward the river looked like glass beads.
'Hmm...'
It wasn't like this before, but today Kati's stare felt particularly prickly.
To be precise, it had been that way since Marie was around.
Vivian didn't know what was going through Kati's mind, but Kati was bothering her too.
'Ian and her are too, um, what should I say...'
Ian, Kati, Mercy.
She vaguely sensed that these three had been together for quite a while.
But even so, Kati stuck to Ian way too much.
When Kati was in cat form, she wouldn't leave Ian's lap, sometimes licking his face or hands, or rubbing her head against him affectionately.
She hadn't noticed much at the training hall since she was mostly in human form then.
Lately, she'd been in cat form more often, so Vivian had realized it.
'She's a cat and all, but isn't that a bit too much...?'
Ian's reaction, accepting it so naturally, surprised her too.
'Is that okay...? Her true form is a very pretty demonkin. Hmm...'
She knew she had no reason or right to interfere between them.
Still, it bothered her.
"Um, Kati?"
Kati turned her head and looked up at Vivian.
Separate from what bothered her, Kati in her cat state was just too adorable.
It was hard to imagine her usual sleek figure and cool demeanor.
This fluffy little bundle of fur was so lovable she wanted to kidnap it right then.
"Uh, um..."
Vivian hesitated.
She wanted to pet her.
She wanted to hold her.
But were they that close?
Would Kati hate it?
They'd grown somewhat close while living together, but she couldn't be sure.
For a moment, she agonized in front of Kati, who was tilting her head and staring blankly.
She couldn't hold back.
"Ex, excuse me...!"
Vivian carefully scooped up Kati and placed her on her lap.
Kati, looking puzzled, twisted her head this way and that before settling comfortably on her lap.
"Eek...! So, so cute...!"
Vivian gently stroked the now stably seated Kati.
And Kati stayed still.
"Hee, heehee... Ah..."
But it didn't last long.
Kati hopped down and scampered up a nearby tree.
"Ugh..."
At her current level, Vivian could climb a tree like that.
But she decided to hold back.
'She let me pet her for 3 seconds longer than last time...! It'll increase more from now on...!'
Vivian thought positively.
But still, Kati's behavior toward Ian bothered her.
Cuteness and annoyance were separate things.
"Hoo..."
Vivian sighed again, feeling troubled.
This time, it wasn't because of Kati.
It was because memories of telling Ian she felt slighted kept popping up.
She hadn't shown it in front of him, but it had been nagging at her ever since.
"Ughhh-!"
She had carelessly said she felt hurt.
She had no business doing that.
Considering everything Ian had done for her so far, it was utter ingratitude.
'But I really was hurt...'
Ian had spoken as if pushing her away.
Like he'd send her off anytime if she wanted.
That calm declaration had wounded her.
'I don't want that...'
The kids were precious, and she hated to part with them, that was true.
But Vivian wanted to live as a hero alongside Ian.
She was sorry to the kids, but her desire to follow Ian was stronger.
She couldn't look after them forever.
"Hmph..."
Thinking about it made her feel hurt again, and she pouted.
'No, I can't act like this.'
It was too childish for a 25-year-old.
To snap out of it, she lightly slapped her cheeks with both hands.
Thanks to Ian's diet and care, her healthy cheeks jiggled softly.
With her palms on her cheeks, Vivian decided to think objectively and coolly like a mature adult.
'Why did Ian say that?'
When grasping friction or conflict, you had to put yourself in the other's shoes first.
She did that when mediating fights between kids.
Think about the other's perspective and your own, sort it out, then have an honest talk.
Most misunderstandings and conflicts arose from lack of honesty.
Vivian believed they could be resolved through dialogue.
'Did I give him a reason...?'
Ian was a manager who'd been with the 1st Party for a long time.
Compared to Sylvia, whom she'd seen so far, Vivian was sorely lacking.
'Maybe I didn't meet Ian's expectations... Or maybe my expression looked too reluctant?'
That was plausible.
Leaving the kids behind did weigh on her.
'Still, I really prefer Ian more... No, preferring him means wanting to become a hero following him...'
As Vivian wandered in immature thoughts, a sudden realization hit her.
'Ian, who was kicked out of the 1st Party...'
"I see..."
Vivian murmured as if enlightened.
She didn't know if this realization was true.
But at least, she knew what she wanted to say to Ian.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Th-there's no way anyone would take someone like me! This is slander-!"
Helena spat out her surging words and ran off blindly.
When she first heard someone was looking for her, she hadn't thought much.
Just that someone was looking for her.
That was her objective recognition.
She knew colleagues with high mid-term rankings had gotten good offers from outside.
But she never imagined it would be her.
And from Ian, the manager of the 1st Hero Party that Aria—whom she admired—belonged to!
In truth, Ian had only hinted at the possibility.
But with that one word, Helena imagined herself becoming a hero, surpassing even Aria, slaying the Demon King, saving the world, being hailed as the empire's hero and the Holy Flame Church's saint, martyred in the distant future with a grand funeral amid everyone's wails, and remembered as a great figure in history.
That was impossible.
She had no such value.
Helena suited her current position best—being ignored by everyone.
She knew bone-deep where she belonged.
Even if it was just a possibility.
That possibility was still honey forbidden to Helena.
-Thud!
Running blindly, Helena bumped into someone.
"Ah, fuck..."
A rough voice ground out a curse.
Lifting her head, she saw a nun scowling through the gap in her iron helmet.
Mid-term ranking 1st.
Salome, overwhelmingly rated the top among the 30 probationary nuns.
The two others beside Salome wore similar expressions.
"Ah, Hel... You tin can bastard, what are you doing?"
Hell, the hell of biting cold death mentioned in scripture.
That was Helena's nickname.
"S-sorry... I wasn't watching where I was going."
Helena smiled awkwardly as she stood.
"That's why I told you not to wear that tin can indoors, huh? How many times do I have to tell you?"
"Sorry! I was cleaning the bathroom. The smell was tough. Haha..."
"It's not like it's your first day... Ah, seriously, how did someone like you become a nun? Does the Lord even have a brain...?"
Salome, spouting blasphemy, clamped her mouth shut.
A regular nun was approaching from behind Helena.
"Let's do our best, okay? Helena? Got it?"
Salome spoke sweetly now, tapping Helena's helmet like a cheek slap.
"Yes! I'll work hard!"
Salome's group withdrew.
Rachel, who had been watching from afar, met Helena's eyes then quickly turned and vanished.
"Rachel..."
Before she could think, the regular nun approached abruptly.
"Helena?"
"Eek! S-Sister Agatha."
"What are you doing, leaving a guest?"
"Th-they must have come to the wrong person! Right?!"
"Sigh... Helena."
"Yes...?"
"Go back. Now."
"Yes...!"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Hey, Mercy."
"Yes."
"From my experience, my gut feeling says that in closed-off places like this, when you pit them against each other, things get seriously filthy."
"How much?"
"Hm. About as much as that harpy shit pile you mention often?"
"That's considered clean in human society."
"...Anyway, peer bullying or sadistic education from the leaders—stuff like that is bound to happen a couple times. Like in the Managers' Guild. Am I being oversensitive?"
"Well... You've never been wrong in what you've said so far."
That's because it was mostly about a future I knew.
The initial discomfort was the same, but this time it's pure instinct.
I don't know this MacDullin Abbey, and this is my first public exam in the 3rd round.
I haven't met many people yet.
This uneasy instinct lodged firmly in my brain.
High accuracy, but no basis, so it's ambiguous to fully trust.
"Why not just ask directly?"
"Usually, they don't answer questions like that..."
-Clunk.
The returning nun bowed lightly in apology.
Helena, following her, bowed deeply.
"Sorry! Mr. Yan!"
...What? Didn't she say she knew me?
"...It's Ian."
"Gasp! Sorry! Mr. Ian!"
"Sit down first."
"Yes!"
"Why did you run away?"
"I couldn't rationally accept that the former 1st Party manager would be interested in someone ranked 30th like me!"
"Meaning I'm irrational?"
"...Ack. N-no!"
Seems right though?
"I'm not saying I'm taking you right away. I just wanted to check you out a bit. You've only been here a day."
"Yes! Understood!"
"But that helmet... Is there a reason you can't take it off?"
"No... There isn't?"
"Is there or isn't there?"
"There isn't?"
"Helena."
The nun, unable to listen further, called her softly.
Helena flinched, then took a deep breath as if resolving herself.
"Hoo, hoo... Then I'll take it... Do I have to?"
This is driving me crazy.
"Isn't face-to-face talk basic?"
"Y-yes!"
The helmet slowly lifted.
Passing a sweaty nape, the end of braided orange hair appeared first.
Then the youthful girl's face, grimacing from removing the helmet.
Her bangs stuck to her forehead from sweat.
Bright orange hair fully revealed.
Tense expression, but overall round and cheeky-looking.
"I'm Helena...!"
Helena stared wide-eyed at the space above my head.
I looked up, wondering if something was there—nothing.
Scared to meet eyes...?
Helena fidgeted with the helmet at her side anxiously.
Despite such symptoms, her face tried to smile brightly.
Her eyes were the same orange as her hair.
She wore a necklace with a softly glowing peridot.
The color combo was just like an orange.
I didn't know her abilities, but she'd match well with Vivian side by side.
Strawberry and orange.
"Um, M-Mr. Ian? Why are you staring so..."
"Ah, yes. Sorry."
The reason my mouth shut briefly was something else.
Her eyes were red and moist.
That wasn't sweat.
No matter how I looked, it seemed like she'd been crying...
Asking would be rude.
"Straight to the point."
"Yes!"
"I'm looking for someone specialized in protective miracles."
-Thud!
The helmet dropped.
"Sorry!"
Helena hastily picked it up.
Erasing her panicked look, she smiled again.
"Protective miracles, why, no, um... I see!"
Just like Rachel.
Hiding something.
What is it.
What's hidden in this abbey.
"But I can't disclose other colleagues' info!"
"Of course. I know. I'm curious about you, Helena."
"M-me?"
"Yes. Even Helena, ranked 30th."
"......"
An earthquake hit her orange eyes.
Still avoiding eye contact, but I could read her emotions from that alone.
"I-I'm ranked 30th!"
"Protective miracles?"
"...Terrible?"
"A question?"
"Terrible! I'm sure!"
I wanted to shove gold coins in her face, but I held back.
Pressuring her like that wouldn't make her a good comrade.
Above all, no guarantee Helena was the one I sought.
"Hm... Could be. But one thing I'm curious about."
"Yes!"
"From the view of a former 1st Party manager, the probationary nuns here seem... not showing proper protective miracles. What do you think?"
Rachel had tensed and panicked at this question.
What about Helena.
Given her ditzy behavior so far, she might drop a big hint.
"Pardon?"
Helena, who asked back once,
genuinely tilted her head in pure puzzlement.
"Is that so?"
"I'm an outsider, so maybe not."
"I see. Um... I don't know why you feel that way. Sorry! I've always thought all my colleagues do their best!"
No tension or suspicion at all.
What... Did I misread?
"Of course, mine are still terrible!"
Can't rule out I was wrong.
No point asking more now.
The regular nun was supervising, so couldn't dig too deep.
"Alright. Thanks for talking."
"No! It was an honor!"
"One more thing."
"Yes!"
"Interested in hero parties?"
"Yes! But my rank is low..."
"Regardless of rank."
"I'm 30th..."
"Even 30th."
"......"
Helena pondered long.
She fidgeted, body twitching like she wanted to bolt.
I expected either extreme panic like before
or an innocently naive answer.
But
Helena's voice, after deep thought, was so serious and calm it felt like another person.
"I..."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ I don't know, huh...
If you don't like it, say no; if you do, say yes.
What emotion is "I don't know"?
Only vague clues gathered.
Not certain, but I have the power to make them certain.
"Mercy."
"Yes?"
"Write one letter for me."
"Sure. Where to?"
"To the Captain of the Holy Flame Church's direct Papal Knight Order. Tell them to come to MacDullin Abbey as fast as possible."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Abbess Miriam felt heavy-hearted even without any particular issue.
There was an apostle in this abbey.
Just that made her feel watched.
'Sigh... What's wrong with the probationary nuns? Sister Lydia, the supervisor, says there's no issue with them...'
-Click.
Someone entered without knocking.
She wanted to scold the rudeness, but seeing who it was, she scolded herself inwardly instead.
"A-Apostle..."
"Miriam."
The second apostle, Ian, barged right in.
He no longer hid the apostle's gold coin.
"I command as an apostle."
"Pardon...?"
"From now on, no one involved in the public exam inside this abbey may leave."
Declaring lockdown, Ian continued smoothly.
"And bring all exam personnel to me."
Among this abbey's staff, only Helena knew Ian.
So using Miriam minimized exposure risk.
"Pardon...?"
"This is not a request—it's an order."
Miriam recalled in her head all schedules, personnel times, and preparations for the exam.
Procedures and rules.
All ignored.
And the man before her could ignore them.
If he intended to follow procedures, he wouldn't have come like this.
"Understood."
"...Oh, just thought of something."
"Yes?"
"Let's hold the exam today."
"Pardon...?"
"I plan to take one of those 30 today, and if one drops out before the exam, it wouldn't look good for the abbey."
"Yes..."
"So better to hold the public exam today. How many days until the exam date?"
"Well, two days..."
"Perfect. Rankings won't change drastically in two days. Inform all observers too."
"......"
Ian felt inwardly pleased.
He'd felt bad about abusing her so high-handedly.
But this considered the abbey's schedule, right?
"Understood..."
Whatever.
Miriam had no decision-making power anyway.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "MacDullin Abbey?"
Sylvia and Aria arrived in Superbia and headed to Agnes Abbey.
Since it had ties to Aria, they thought Ian might have stopped there.
Abbess Petra answered reluctantly.
Aria's status in the Holy Flame Church couldn't be ignored.
"...Yes. Aria."
She omitted "Sister."
If Ian was the guardian who took young Aria and made her succeed.
Petra had been like her true parent, caring for child Aria.
An insurmountable wall had formed between them at some point.
After hearing Ian was ousted, that wall grew firmer.
Aria didn't mind.
"Let's go, Sylvia."
"Yes."
Sylvia and Aria.
Two members of the 1st Party headed to MacDullin Abbey.