Chapter 3 - This, too, must be the Goddess's will (3)
This, too, must be the Goddess's will (3)
Translator : Elizabeth
"Damn it... Not knowing such circumstances, I..."
The man who introduced himself as Daren flopped down onto the ground, covered his face with his hands, and repeatedly blamed himself.
"To think you were soothing the souls of this land with such a small and frail body, even while your own body was being eaten away by a curse..."
The woman who introduced herself as Chloe suddenly burst into tears and knelt weakly in front of me.
"......."
It seems they have become too immersed in the act.
I just threw out whatever words came to mind, but I never imagined they would accept it so sincerely. Is encroachment by a curse an actual phenomenon happening in this world?
"Those eyes of yours are not the brand of a demon, but holy proof that you are taking on the pain of this land with your whole body..."
With trembling hands, Chloe gently grasped the edge of my frayed sleeve and spoke in a choked voice. I almost got goosebumps at her careful touch, as if she were touching an entity she dared not approach.
"I appreciate your sentiment, but there is no need to be so concerned. I just..."
"Are you saying you merely did what had to be done...?"
Chloe cut me off and looked up at me with an expression close to worship.
"You are truly noble to a foolish degree..."
With a look as if she had been struck by lightning, Chloe bowed her head to me once more.
It is a truly baffling situation. How on earth should I handle this absurd turn of events?
"......."
I had a lot on my mind.
However, if there is one fortunate thing in this difficult situation, it is that I was able to hide my identity somehow. Just that fact alone is enough to make me sigh in relief for now. But of all things, my identity has been instantly upgraded from a demon to a saint-level nun.
"...Excuse me, why don't you both stand up for now?"
I couldn't tell whether I should be happy or unhappy about this. However, spilt milk cannot be gathered up again. It is too late to reveal the truth now.
Anyway, it is a hundred times better than being found out as a demon and having the situation spiral into the worst-case scenario. For now, I have no choice but to continue this act.
"I am still lacking too much to receive such treatment."
"No. Just sacrificing yourself at that young age is more than enough to place you among the ranks of saints."
"I merely submitted to the fate given to me. There is no other meaning besides that."
They were words I just spat out as they came to my mouth. But a voice so sorrowful that even I was surprised flowed out naturally. Was it because of the strange weight the word 'fate' carries?
Hearing my words, Daren and Chloe immediately flinched their shoulders greatly and wore stiff expressions.
"What a cruel fate this is..."
"To give such a harsh fate to such a young girl..."
Contrary to my intentions, the atmosphere sank even more profoundly.
"Do not worry, Sister. We will surely sever that harsh fate for you."
"That's right. Just trust us."
Suddenly, Daren and Chloe uttered unexpected words. As soon as I heard them, my head tilted in puzzlement.
"Pardon? What do you mean?"
"Because that is the very reason we came here."
"We have finally found the traces of the demon that made this land this way."
As soon as he finished speaking, Daren suddenly gripped the handle of the sword at his waist tightly and fiercely emitted a chilling killing intent.
"Not only us, but other comrades are also searching this vicinity thoroughly to find that bastard."
"Comrades... you say?"
My voice trembled slightly for a moment. Even so, Daren nodded even more resolutely and continued speaking confidently.
"That is correct. The culprit who caused the Sister such pain, the traces of that abominable demon who scattered curses on this land, have been found right near here."
"You weren't the only ones here...?"
"Yes! Our Dawn Knights are rapidly narrowing the encirclement of this forest."
Ah, so that's why Daren and Chloe are here. I thought they were ordinary adventurers, but to think they were members of a knight order.
"T-that is quite reassuring..."
Lukewarm cold sweat runs down my spine, giving me goosebumps. If I dawdle any longer, I might really get stuck with no way out...
Thud
Realizing that the situation was taking an unusual turn, I finally moved my stiff feet and slowly walked toward the exit of the abandoned church. Then Chloe, who had been fixing her gaze firmly on me since earlier, asked in a puzzled tone.
"Where are you going all of a sudden?"
I paused the hand that was about to grab the doorknob. Then I lowered my head slightly and took a small breath.
"I just wanted to get some fresh air..."
If things go wrong, I might become the culprit who made this land this way. Just for the sole reason that my race is a demon, I will definitely be falsely accused.
"You can't. It is too dangerous to go outside at this time."
However, Chloe, completely unaware of my feelings, rather urgently blocked my path and grabbed both my shoulders with a face full of worry.
"Where do you intend to go with such a weakened body?"
In Chloe's eyes, I must appear frail enough to break at any moment, yet also a tragic child carving herself away to save the world.
"Sister is the hope of this land. If something goes wrong with you, the Goddess will surely not forgive us."
I felt an inexplicable desperation in Chloe's subsequent words. Daren, standing behind her, also nodded heavily and added quietly.
"Chloe is right. Outside is currently filled with the shouts and killing intent of the knights chasing the demon."
Daren muttered that one sentence quite heavily, then swallowed a deep breath and continued speaking calmly again.
"Even that energy will undoubtedly be a fatal poison to the Sister's body, which is encroached by the curse."
As soon as I heard Daren's firm statement, I was left speechless. To think the acting I performed with all my might to avoid suspicion would hold me back in this way...
It is a difficult situation in many ways, but it is okay. Even if not now, there are plenty of opportunities to run away.
Creeak...
After all, Daren and Chloe's misunderstanding has already gone far beyond what I can handle. If I use this atmosphere well and look for an opportunity as naturally as possible...
"I doubted it, but you were really here?"
Just as I was rolling my brain somewhat seriously.
Suddenly, a strange woman's voice I had never heard before came from behind my back.
"What on earth are you doing in such a creepy place?"
Then, my body floated helplessly into the air. Someone had grabbed my hair strongly from behind.
"This isn't a place where someone like you can carelessly step foot."
My feet left the ground, and my flailing looked exactly like a captured beast. Daren and Chloe were staring behind my back with eyes mixed with confusion and fear. I stared straight at the two of them and blinked my eyelids once in puzzlement.
"I don't know who you are, but this is embarrassing. Please put me down quickly."
A calm remark uttered while dangling in the air. At that, Daren and Chloe standing in front of me immediately panicked and hurriedly opened their mouths.
"S-stay still...!! That thing isn't human!!"
"We will save you, so don't say anything and just stay still!"
Daren drew the sword at his waist with all his might and quickly took an attack stance.
"You evil demon! How on earth did you break through the knights' encirclement..."
It seems the opponent is formidable. Not only Daren, but even Chloe standing next to him is sweating profusely with a tense expression.
"I'm sorry, but the one I have business with isn't you guys, but this one right here."
"Pardon? Me?"
"So could you not interfere uselessly?"
"What business do you have with me?"
Judging by the situation, the demon standing behind me right now is probably the one Daren and Chloe have been talking about since earlier. The culprit of all this, it must be that demon. But why does that demon have business with me?
"You ask what business I have? Are you asking because you really don't know?"
"Yes. I really don't know why you are suddenly doing this."
"This is my territory. Did you think I would let you off just because we are the same race?"
As soon as she finished speaking, for some reason, the woman's hand gripping my hair tightened even more.
"How dare you play such disgusting house with insignificant humans in my territory..."
The demon's killing intent radiating from behind my back is quite bloody. I think I finally understand a little why Daren and Chloe froze while sweating cold sweat.
"Do not insult the Sister──!!!"
Just then.
Daren let out a shout close to a scream and charged recklessly toward the demon. Daren's sword cut through the air quickly and rushed in sharply. But the demon snorted as if Daren was ridiculous and lightly flicked the sword away with one finger.
Boom!!
An invisible shockwave instantly engulfed Daren. Daren was pushed back helplessly like a sheet of paper and crashed roughly against the old wall of the abandoned church.
"Cough, cough...!!"
"Mr. Daren!!"
Chloe ran to Daren belatedly, but the situation was already at its worst.
"Ha, you humans are truly foolish beyond measure."
The demon spoke calmly as if it were pathetic.
"To my eyes, she looks like nothing but a demon just like me?"
The demon's cool revelation immediately froze the air in the abandoned church.
But that was only for a moment.
" The Sister's body is merely encroached by a curse... She isn't a dirty demon or anything like that..."
"Right! Do you think we would fall for such an absurd lie?!"
Daren and Chloe's reaction was truly madness-filled faith itself. At the sight of the two people who never withdrew their trust in me even while vomiting blood, the demon rather loosened the grip of her hand slightly as if flustered.
"What is this... Have they been mind-controlled by this one...?"
"I didn't do anything."
At first, the two people's madness-filled faith was a headache in many ways. But now, I feel grateful for that madness-filled faith. Thanks to it, I can continue to hide my identity without any major problems.
"It just happened like this somehow."
A calm remark uttered while dangling in the air. Hearing those words, the demon immediately burst into a hollow laugh as if it were absurd.
"Don't make me laugh. Anyone can see that they are mind-controlled..."
"I don't know well why you appeared suddenly and are doing this, but please stop at this point."
The demon gave strength to her hand as if dumbfounded, then burst into a hollow laugh once more and threw me roughly to the floor.
"Ha, this isn't even funny. A demon taking the side of humans?"
A bloody momentum as if she would tear me apart at any moment. Looking down quite fiercely at me who had fallen to the floor, the demon began to gather dark red mana at her fingertips without a shred of hesitation.
"I tried to spare your life... but you are hastening your own death."
Just as the demon's dark red mana was about to be fired at me.
. . .
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