Chapter 22
Chapter 22
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Summer Break (5)
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A monster in the form of a woman appeared before Elena's eyes.
At a glance, it looked human, but there was no mistaking it for a monster. A faint aura of mana unique to monsters spread thinly around the woman.
-Whiiiiiing...
"......"
The female-shaped monster appeared with the sound of the wind.
Judging purely by appearance, it even resembled Elena a bit. Long straight hair, snow-white skin, and even wearing a white swimsuit.
'Though what the monster's wearing feels more like a cloth garment than a swimsuit.'
As I pondered if it might be the restless spirit of a woman who drowned at sea and turned into a ghost monster, Elena had already drawn her sword.
Her attack, infused with dark mana into the slender rapier, surged toward the ghost's body.
-Swoosh!
'...U, uuu...!!'
It had seemed docile at first, but the moment Elena launched her attack, it let out a strange wail and entered combat—an undead-type monster.
Not knowing its name, I'd tentatively called it a ghost. It unleashed ominous mana straight at Elena.
-Whiiiiiing!!
"Haaah...!"
-Crack!
Elena parried what looked like a soul-like attack with her dark-mana-infused blade, continuing the exchange of blows.
After that, the fight followed a similar pattern. Each time Elena attacked, the ghost weakened bit by bit, while she deflected all its draining assaults in a war of attrition.
Though it was my first time seeing this monster, even to my eyes, it was obvious Elena had the upper hand.
'Maybe it really was needless worry, just as Elena said.'
Knowing the future, she must have been aware of the monster that would appear and its general level.
Even so, I still didn't understand why she kept the monster's identity a secret from me too and insisted on subjugating it alone like this.
'It doesn't seem like a monster dangerous enough to hinder me.'
Was there still some secret only Elena knew?
Even so, in case I might be of help, I watched her battle with the ghost as closely as possible...
-Clang!
"Ngh...!! Take... this!!"
-Splash!
"......"
Honestly, her outfit made it impossible to focus.
Having only ever seen her in academy uniforms or loose dresses, watching her fight in something so revealing made it impossible to concentrate on the battle.
It stood out even more because it was an outfit the usual Elena would never wear.
She refused even slightly low-cut dresses, so there was no way she'd parade around showing something like lingerie to others.
'I wonder if I'll get a chance later to ask why she's wearing it.'
Say the wrong thing, and I'd have to confess to tailing her tonight too.
Having a fiancée full of secrets meant I had to be cautious in many ways. Probably would for a while to come.
"Haa... This ends it...!!"
While lost in those thoughts, the battle neared its end. Elena gathered the last of her mana at her sword's tip.
'U, uuu...'
The moment her sword swung toward the ghost, trembling and sobbing in place, I thought the fight was over.
-Whish!
"......Huh?"
A low murmur escaped Elena's lips as the ghost suddenly vanished.
...And before she could reset her stance, its shadow reappeared behind her.
'U, uuuuu...!!'
"Ah, damn it..."
Anyone could see she was in trouble now, so I couldn't hold back anymore. I leaped in front of her.
Scoldings about tailing or surveillance could come later—I couldn't stand by and watch Elena get hurt right in front of me.
-Crackle!
'Whoooaaah?!'
"Elena, you okay?!"
"Wha—what...? Cedric, why are you here...?"
"Explanations later! First, tell me this thing's weakness!"
"...Light attribute. Sword of Radiance works well, but can you use it?"
"I learned that ages ago!"
The moment she spoke, I shifted the mana flowing into my sword from fire to light attribute and swung at the monster.
-Fizzle!
'U, uuuuu...!!'
A starkly different reaction from when it fought Elena just before.
It clearly showed agony, shrinking to half its size in one hit. I followed up with several more strikes.
'U, huuu...'
Even to the end, it let out an eerie voice as the ghost monster faded away completely.
"...Did we get it?"
"Ah, don't jinx it like that."
"...Jinx?"
"Saying stuff like that is the cliché where the enemy revives after you think it's dead."
"R-Really?! How does that even—"
"No, obviously joking. How could a dead monster revive? Just don't tempt fate."
"...I see."
Taking Elena's jokes at face value is tough. She says things that sound like real events so casually.
"Anyway, thanks. Might've been dicey without you. Thanks a bunch~."
"...Glad you see it that way. But first, I owe you an apology, Elena."
"Huh?"
"Truth is, I had Eri monitor when you'd go subjugate the monster. I was worried you might be throwing yourself into danger alone."
"Ahh, that explains why you're here at this hour."
"It ended up helping you in the end, but the intent came from distrusting you, so I'm sorry."
"Nah, whatever. I wasn't even mad, no need to apologize..."
...Mom once said women saying they're not mad are always lying.
But right now, Elena really didn't seem upset. If anything, after subjugating the monster, she'd returned to her usual self from her recent prickly demeanor.
"You forgive me...?"
"Forgive what? And honestly, I half-suspected it. Eri clings way too persistently. Even for a personal maid, following you to the bathroom is a bit much. Wasn't this intense at the palace either."
"...You noticed."
"I even bought the swimsuit on purpose without letting on, but seeing you here... guess I slipped up despite that."
"...To clear up a misunderstanding, I didn't say anything about the swimsuit to the end. First time seeing your outfit when I got here too."
"Oh, really? Surprising. Thought she was just an emotionless maid, but she's got a human side after all."
Rather than Eri lacking dedication... Elena's just clever.
Hard to refuse a direct plea from Elena, complete with aegyo. Eri slipping once or twice was understandable.
"Ugh, went out of my way to keep quiet till the end so you wouldn't see me like this. Now that you have, it's embarrassing."
"...You don't seem all that embarrassed saying that."
"You've already seen it, so what? Covering up now doesn't erase it. Should I freak out and squeal while hiding? Like peppers are gonna drop or something?"
"Pep— *ahem*."
I barely held back from saying they already had. Felt like even Elena might snap if I poked that.
With that, she picked up the black robe from the ground and draped it over herself again.
"Well, since it's come to this, follow me for a bit. Got some cleanup to do."
"...Something else left?"
"Gotta rescue the kids kidnapped by Nereia. Tide's out now—perfect time to go."
"......Right."
I had a ton of questions, but for now, I followed behind Elena.
Half-doubting, I followed her to an underwater cave on a nearby uninhabited island off the coast.
The kind that floods at high tide, entrance submerged, making it hard to access.
Of course, Elena swam in casually like she'd been dozens of times before, so I followed her into the cave.
-Splash!
"Everyone okay? I'll take you out one by one now, so stick with His Highness Prince Cedric here and move."
"Out...?"
"W-We can leave?!"
About ten girls around Elena's age.
Even beyond the recorded missing persons, a few more. Looked like Elena was right about this 'Nereia' monster kidnapping them.
And one odd detail: they were all wearing white swimsuits similar in design to Elena's.
'Now the puzzle's starting to come together.'
To summon that Nereia monster, she needed to wear a white swimsuit.
And she didn't want to show it off, so no requesting backup from me or the palace.
The frustration that had built up during the inspection cleared instantly. Reconfirmed Elena wouldn't act strangely without reason.
"The Nereia we just took down was originally a monster formed from the souls of girls sacrificed to appease the 'Sea God's Wrath'."
"...Sacrificed?"
"Local custom: whenever tsunamis or typhoons hit, they'd tie up prime-age girls and offer them to the sea as ritual. In pure white undergarments to prove clean hearts."
"......First I've heard of it."
"They don't tell outsiders. Probably even Count Marstern doesn't know. He's only inherited the territory recently, and fishermen often kidnap and offer them on their own whim, then play dumb."
"...Not a village with great traditions."
"The Nereia we beat is what formed from those girls' grudgeful souls. She's been kidnapping girls thinking those in 'white swimsuits' were like her—victims—and hiding them to protect them. Probably scavenged or hunted food from outside to share."
"......"
After hearing the explanation, it left a bitter aftertaste. We subjugated the monster to resolve the kidnappings, but the root problem lay with the village itself.
"Day one, dealt with some creeps targeting the ritual. Made a bit of a scene, so they stopped showing after. Was gonna patrol and clean them up too."
"...So that's why you disguised as a commoner from day one."
"What, you knew that far? You really surveilled me all week."
"......Sorry."
"Enough with the apologies. I didn't explain properly either."
She shrugged it off nonchalantly, heading back to the mansion as if it were nothing.
"Should've just told you from the start. Nereia's a pushover to light attribute counters, but I suffered pointlessly, and you got dragged in too. Sorry about that."
"...No need to apologize. Elena."
"Anyway, you were kinda cool back there? Timing was so perfect, even a guy would swoon."
"......Another joke?"
"Who knows? Think what you want. Heh."
That's Elena—always phrasing things to invite misunderstandings.
No wonder I keep falling for it.