Chapter 47
Chapter 47
Saint, You’re So Vulgar! – Chapter 47
Humans were beings who couldn't be judged by their appearances alone.
However, truly understanding another person meant peeling away their outer flaws with bare hands to peer inside, and that wasn't something easily done.
After all, wasn't it incredibly difficult to dirty one's own hands without hesitation, not knowing if the action would bring gain or loss?
The matter with Judith Haraway fit right into that context.
Asher found her difficult.
Judith was someone who always had bizarre rumors trailing her within the Church, renowned for her insincere attitude toward others.
In fact, even a short conversation left one feeling dismissed, so it was hard for her image to be anything but poor.
But peel back that attitude one layer.
Engage in deeper conversation and observe her actions, and the real Judith Haraway emerged.
She was simply someone with a different perspective.
That was why she could see things others missed.
Asher felt curiosity and fondness toward her.
Of course, this was from a human standpoint, not a rational one.
'Ah, she's just clumsy with expressing herself.'
She knew how to reach out to others' flaws, but seemed too shy to convey warmth while doing so.
Because of that, Asher treated her more comfortably and showed his trust openly.
That was why he'd entrusted everything to her during the preparations.
In hindsight, Asher regretted it.
"Why did it turn out like this?"
Asher said with a haggard face.
He was aboard a small rowboat, dressed in ragged sackcloth-like clothes.
That was fine.
They were infiltrating the enemy's camp from the start, so what did the outfit matter?
The problem lay elsewhere.
"K-Knight, do you really need to go this far? I mean..."
Why was Versia wrapped in a skirt?
Why on earth did he have to witness the horrific sight of his own body in women's clothing?
Versia was wearing loose women's garb that was little better than sackcloth.
She even had a long, black wig draped over her head, and her face was smeared with soot to blur her features.
Judith, dressed similarly in sackcloth-like attire, smeared soot on her own face as she replied.
"Why? We're pretending to be escaped slaves from the southern islands, remember? We'll cling to them begging for our lives, then naturally make contact with the island's master upon arrival."
"...And?"
"And what? With us looking like this, a skirt's better for hiding weapons, isn't it? You can't conceal even a dagger in thin pants like these. They might search us, after all."
"A skirt won't stop a search either..."
"It lowers their guard. And they won't search us."
Judith smirked crookedly.
"You're top-quality as a woman. Think from their perspective. 'Oh boy, a woman washes up on this dreary island? But top-quality goes to the higher-ups first as a courtesy, so should we hand her to the captain?' That's how it'll go. Hierarchies like that stand out even more in societies like this."
"Wh-Why use words like that! Top-quality? Higher-ups first? That's...!"
Asher's face flushed beet red as he gasped in shock.
No matter how you sliced it, treating people like that was inhumane.
Asher forced a stern expression and scolded her like a teacher.
"Words like that aren't good! Speech is the vessel of the soul..."
"Yes, yes, curse of the bitch."
"......"
Scolding was impossible.
At least while he was in Versia's body.
Judith clicked her tongue and continued.
"Anyway, the skirt's perfect. And lucky we have the wig tooI have no idea why pirates have one on an island like this. Plus, your knight's got a slender build. Not all bulky, so cross-dressing works somewhat. Otherwise, we'd have him dangling here like my knight."
Asher's mouth snapped shut at that moment.
The 'here' Judith pointed to was below the boatin the water.
Melvin was currently hanging upside down from the boat's keel, holding his breath.
Seeing him below the surface, grinning and thumbs-upping like 'trust me,' stirred a whirlwind of thoughts.
'...I can't let the Saintess endure that humiliation.'
He sighed.
It was heartbreaking that this was ultimately the only way.
Versia glanced at him and whispered.
"I'm fine. It's just awkward because it's been a while."
Of course.
She was originally a woman who wore skirts oftenwhat was there to be embarrassed about now?
Besides, it wasn't even her body, so no worries about tarnished honor!
Asher whispered back, trembling with indignation.
"I'm not fine...!"
But that changed nothing.
Impatience only grew within Asher.
'Ah, I need to meet the master of the eastern island quickly!'
So he wouldn't have to see this any longer.
Asher gripped the oars with a snap and rowed.
He grunted, picking up speed.
At that moment, splash! Melvin poked his head out from underwater, baring his teeth in a grin as he called up.
"Shall I kick some water to help?!"
"...Would you?"
"Yes, sir!"
Normally, he'd refuse, but he wanted to cross this sea as fast as possible.
With accelerationand as expected of a 1st Class Knight like Melvin.
His underwater kicks dramatically boosted the boat's speed...
"Ah, there it is."
They entered the eastern island without too much delay.
And made contact with its pirates.
"Now, scream for them."
"...For real?"
"Your knight's voice is too low, and I can't raise mine high enough."
The latter sounded like an excuse, but what could he do?
Asher flushed and took a deep breath.
Then, with the most desperate voice he could muster, infused with the tone of someone spotting hope, he shouted.
"H-Help! Somebody, please save us!!!"
He could see the pirates on the island's shore spotting them.
Their eyes widened, and having become especially sensitive to gazes since this body swap, Asher immediately knew where theirs lingeredon his body.
Chills ran down his spine at the lecherous stares.
Judith smirked crookedly.
"Well done. While you're at it, shake your chest a bit. Get them more excited."
"...You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?"
"No idea what you mean."
Was this revenge for making her snap during preparations?
Asher narrowed his eyes suspiciously at hera very reasonable suspicion.
Of course, Judith played innocent.
And unexpectedly, Versia defended him.
"No need for that. The Saintess is beautiful even standing still."
"...Thanks so much."
It wasn't the least bit thankful.
Asher's expression turned sullen.
* * *
Long story short, contact with the eastern pirates went exactly as planned.
They deviated not one inch from Judith's predictions.
"Mm? Escaped slaves? Begging to live? We'll let you... heh heh..."
"Buddy, no paradise where you fled from."
"No paradise? Then show 'em nirvana. Keh heh..."
Melvin stayed dangling under the boat until they backed off.
Only Asher, Judith, and Versia disembarked onto land.
Naturally, the pirates' attention focused on Asher.
"Come here...!"
Five or six pirates encircled the three, cutlasses in hand.
Yet their gazes clung persistently to Asher.
It was unavoidable.
Judith had a lean, elongated build that didn't emphasize femininity at first glance.
VersiaAsher's original bodywas hardly worth discussing.
Asher was suffering.
Mentally drained.
He wasn't one to favor violent solutions, but right now, he wanted to smash everything and grab the captain by the collar.
He endured the urge.
They arrived at the island's centera massive stone building.
From what he'd heard en route, this was the lair of the upstart faction's captain, one of the two powers splitting the east.
"Guess we should report to the captain first?"
"Keh heh, yeah. Starting tomorrow... take good care of us?"
One pirate reached toward Asher's rear.
Versia subtly blocked the path.
Thud!
Her rock-hard, muscular buttocks collided with the pirate's hand.
"Oh my."
Versia said in a falsetto.
The pirate blinked blankly, not grasping the situation, then yelped "Eek!" and stumbled back seconds later.
Was it that bizarre-looking?
Or maybe it just seemed that way.
Asher felt an indescribable turmoil.
His eyes met Versia's.
She smiled reassuringly, which only deepened his distress.
In any case, they entered the interior.
He wanted to end this charade as soon as possible, and it was just about to happen.
The three entered the captain's room.
Thud! The door shut.
Asher looked up.
There he was.
"......"
A young man with a fierce, bandit-like face better suited to mountains than seas.
A massive, muscle-packed frame.
"...A woman. It's a woman."
Asher swallowed dryly.
He schooled his expression to seriousness.
'A mana user...!'
As expected of a local overlordhis presence carried considerable power.
The man, with brown beard covering half his face, grinned with gleaming eyes.
The room's atmosphere turned threatening in that instant.
Lust hung in the air.
They'd come this far, so negotiation was key, but he had to prepare for failure.
'If so, subdue him...!'
He gripped a talisman in his hand for contingencies.
Like the pirates before, if he targeted someone with lust, it'd be Asheror so he thought.
Absolutely no one could lay a hand on this body.
Using it meant upholding chastity as his duty.
Tension peaked right then.
The captain rose from his seat.
Approached with heavy strides,
Thump!
And knelt, reaching out.
"What a beautifully structured woman."
...Toward Versia.
"Bear my child."
"?"
"A child of our blood could drive out the island's foes. Will you be my queen?"
"???"
Asher's mind blanked.
His lips parted soundlessly, then realization hit late.
Ooh...
A creepy unease and sense of crisis washed over Asher.
'What?'
Choosing Versia over him and Judith?
Structure? Was a sturdy frame his type?
Couldn't he tell it was a man up close?
Did he like men? No, unlikelythe soot must make it hard to distinguish.
What now? Reveal their identities?
Thoughts swirled chaotically.
Unprepared for this, Asher's imagination conjured the horror of the captain groping Versia's body.
His snap judgment followed.
The logic unfolding in Asher's head was this:
Escape the immediate situation.
Create peaceful dialogue time without offending him, while protecting dignity.
Yes! Make a reason he couldn't take this person to the bedroom!
Some reason... Ah!
'He won't touch someone who's taken, right?!'
In Asher's common sense, hitting on a claimed person was unthinkable and everyone knew it!
It was an universal truth even gods couldn't defy!
Thus, Asher acted.
Snap!
He pulled Versia into an embrace.
And urgently declared.
"Sh-She's mine...!"
The wary expression wasn't intentional.
Just how the situation aligned.
"Hm?"
The captain blinked, uncomprehending.
Asher squeezed his eyes shut and yelled again.
"Th-This person's mine!!!"
A lover's claim.
Thinking he'd done such a thing made him inexplicably shy, turning Asher's ears red.