After the Subjugation (4)
Right now...
There were a dozen things I wanted to ask, but the way she kept looking at me with that expression made my head spin.
Ugh... okay, first things first...
"But... where did all that money come from? How are you even able to rebuild...?"
Didn't she empty her piggy bank just to hire me...?
"Noah, what do people call me?"
"Th-the Priestess...?"
"Exactly. So I threw a little of that Priestess authority around. Heh..."
A mischievous glint colored Rubia's face.
"When...? You were stuck to me all day..."
"Remember when I spoke with Miss Jure alone last time? Everything was decided then. Well... Miss Jure is so capable it went smoothly."
"You flatter me."
Rubia and Jure locked eyes and shared a sly smile.
What the... both of them look like total masterminds.
"But... even so, isn't the whole process way too fa-fast? Miss Jure was... here the whole time..."
No matter how quickly someone moved, the speed of progress just didn't make sense. The Central Guild was near the capital. Going back and forth in a single day...?
"Ah, Auntie— ahem. Since it's you, Noah, I'll trust you with this... that part I handled with my Unique Ability."
Jure tapped her temple lightly as she continued.
"My Unique Ability lets me converse with others even across great distances, so I could take care of it easily."
Telepathy...!
Wait, though. There was definitely an NPC in the game with that kind of power... Telepathy and, uh... what else was it. Anyway, the one who served as commander in the final battle... was that Jure?
"C-can you do multiple people... too?"
"Hmm...? Yes. I can, though for now... about twenty is my maximum."
For now...?
Meaning it would grow further later? Then the commander I'd seen back then really must have been Jure.
Miss Jure... was a huge deal...?
"W-wow..."
"I-it's not that impressive. Haha... ahem! Anyway, I still have some remaining business, so I'll take my leave. The reconstruction should be finished in about a month."
"Ah, yes. Please take care of it, Miss Jure. If you ever have time, I'd love to meet again."
"It would be my honor. Then... please stay healthy."
With her professional smile firmly back in place, Jure bowed and vanished among the adventurers.
Once she was completely gone, Rubia carefully opened her mouth.
"Ah, so... there's something I wanted to talk to you about, Noah... um... I was thinking of donating the entire subjugation reward issued under Luci's name to Habron... what do you think?"
I nodded vigorously.
Absolutely yes!
"O-of course that's fine...!"
"Haa... I thought you'd agree, Noah, but... thank you for saying yes so readily. Really..."
Rubia's hand gently stroked my hair.
"No... you don't have to thank me... and 'permission' is a bit much..."
"This money all belongs to you, Noah. Asking is only natural."
"N-no, it's not..."
I didn't earn it through my own skill... it was all Luci's share. So of course we should use it for something he'd like.
"A-anyway... as long as it goes to something good, that's what matters..."
"Either way... thank you."
"Uuuhm... okay. Ah, and... whyyy... uh, um... never mind."
Next I wanted to ask why she hadn't told me...
But there was no real reason she had to. It was all Rubia's money, done with Rubia's power... so she didn't need to say anything.
Still... we were friends, so not being told left me a little hurt...
Feeling dejected, I let go of Rubia's hand. Then I fished around in my pocket for the jelly she'd been feeding me earlier and started squishing it.
Squishing it like this makes it a bit gross to eat later... but somehow this soft feeling calms me down.
"...Why didn't I tell you, Noah?"
While I was busy kneading the jelly, Rubia read my mind completely.
I always wonder how she notices so perfectly...
"N-no... there's no real reason you had to tell me... i-it's fine..."
Not wanting to look petty or like a total loser, I whipped my head away. Rubia carefully pulled me into a hug.
"Mm... I was just embarrassed. If I'd used the Priestess's name... I could have helped so many more villages. But I didn't. I looked away and pretended not to see..."
The faintest regret colored her voice.
See...? Now I'm the one who looks like the small-minded one again...
"Th-then... you can just do it from now on."
"Heh... I wonder. Whether I can actually do that again... I'm not sure."
Rubia turned her head and looked over Roholan.
"If Roholan had fallen... would I have put my strength into rebuilding it?"
I didn't know what had happened after I collapsed. But the expressions on the villagers' faces once I could read them... they hadn't exactly liked us. And no one had even mourned Luci.
But still.
"You would have, Rubia... because Hepais is here."
Even if it was just one person. If even a single person had helped us, Rubia would have done it. Whether in the game or here—it was the same Rubia. The one who always said she hated the world, that she despised it... and yet in the end sacrificed herself for it with a smile.
"And... even without Hepais, you would have helped Roholan. The Rubia I know isn't a bad person. She's so kind and foolish it actually worries me."
She always gives in whenever I beg... so yeah, Rubia's definitely kind. And a fool. She needs to learn how to refuse properly. You can't just give in to every request!
"So... I'll have to stay by your side and watch over you. Make sure you don't get scammed somewhere..."
Rubia's arms tightened around me.
"Haa... times like this... you really seem like a man trying to seduce me, Noah. It's so strange..."
Huk...!
Sh-she's joking, right...?
"U-uhh... th-there's no way...!"
"Heheheh... you're usually so dense... I can never get a proper reaction out of you."
Pulling back from the embrace, Rubia released me and stretched my cheek with a firm tug.
"But that's what I like about it."
The expression she wore as she looked at me was overflowing with happiness.
If anything... it feels like Rubia's the one seducing me...
"Bweeeeh—"
"Well then, shall we go take care of our own business?"
Letting go of my cheek, Rubia held her hand out to me once more. It was a hand I'd always taken without a second thought. But somehow, today... I was just a little more aware of it.
It's all because of that smile earlier. Annoying.
"Ah! You're here!"
Hepais had finished her preparations and was waiting for us.
"A-a carriage...!"
"You found quite a nice one."
Behind her stood a neat carriage—neither flashy nor crude—along with two horses. One was the cheeky horse we'd ridden here. The other was a slightly smaller, gentler-looking one. Lined up beside the carriage were the luggage we'd brought and Hepais's own belongings.
"Did you organize all this by yourself, Hepais?"
"Yes! There was nothing to do while I waited!"
"Why push yourself alone..."
"Ehehe... this much is nothing! Come on, climb aboard, Unnis."
Smiling brightly, Hepais shook her head and then bowed at the waist like some kind of butler.
"Pffft... you're surprisingly good at that."
"I was copying something I saw in a play once—was it okay?!"
"Yes. It looked completely natural."
With a soft smile, Rubia walked lightly over to Hepais.
"And... um... there's something I need to tell Hepais..."
Her gaze drifted down toward me. Then she whispered so only we could hear.
"Noah, will you say it?"
"M-me...?"
"Yes. It's your idea, after all. Wouldn't it be nice to show her a proper Unni side?"
"Unni... I don't wanna be Unni..."
"Then think of it as showing her a cool side instead. You've got so many scary rumors floating around that Hepais might be afraid of you. This will help ease that a little."
I chewed my lip and looked at Hepais. She was staring at us with an expression that said she was dying of curiosity.
Ugh... a cool side...
The Red Beast that Tears Magic Beasts...
Y-yeah... if all she knew were those rumors, and she'd seen me killing magic beasts... it would make sense to be scared...
"And... she might become a new friend, right?"
"A-a friend... a new friend..."
Not Hermila or Rubia... a new friend...!
"Ahem...! Ahem! Um... He-Hepais."
"Ah! Yes!"
"Th-that is... we'll help you."
Hepais tilted her head.
"With what?"
"Whatever business you have going to Karahan... I don't know the details, but... we'll help."
"Huh...?"
Hepais's voice trembled. Ugh... now I was starting to shake too.
"He...pais... we'll help you climb to the sum-summit—! Eugh... uht..."
Aaagh! My voice cracked!
"W-why...?"
"Ahem... well, because you helped us... so... we're repaying the debt."
I patted the greatsword hanging at my waist.
"I-I don't have any money, so I'll pay with my body."
Hepais's face twisted. Was it because she was laughing and crying at the same time? Her expression had gotten ridiculously funny.
"Theee... if you keep laughing and crying like that... hair will grow on your bu— hyak...!?"
"Don't joke around..."
Rubia jabbed me in the side and whispered.
It wasn't a joke... it's true...
"Hup— kkh... uuh... i-it's dangerous... you got so hurt in Roholan this time too..."
Mm... well, for now I'm older than Hepais... and I have to look cool and reliable... so even if I hate it, I've got no choice...
I walked over gently and wiped Hepais's tears. Then I puffed out my chest, thumped it twice, and declared with confidence,
"You saw how strong I am, right? So... uh, just trust your Unni...!"
Hepais, who had stopped crying and was staring blankly at me, suddenly let out a tremendous wail and threw her arms around me.
But... she was so much taller that I was practically being lifted off the ground. I was barely standing on tiptoe. This is hard...
"Uegh... He-Hepais?"
"Waaaaaah! Th-thank you... I was so... so scared... really scared, hic... I thought I was going to die... that I might die... I was so sca— hic... thank you, Unni... thank you so mu... heuuuugh..."
Hepais began bawling with incredible force, pouring out tears and snot without distinction. And all of it started soaking into my clothes...
I just washed this today...!
Uuuugh...!!
With no other choice, I reached up with one hand and patted her back.
"Mm... just trust your Unni. I'll definitely protect you. S-so hurry up and stop crying...?"
"Heuuwaaaaaah!"
Good grief... she started crying even harder. Now... now there was drool too...
I turned my head toward Rubia, sending a silent plea for help. But Rubia was watching with an expression that said she didn't like something about this at all.
"Kkeuaaaang!! Noah Unniiiii!!!"
"Uh, mm... y-yeah, Unni's here..."
I think I'm going to lose my mind...