Aftermath (3)

The several days of cleanup were all finished. After searching through the various information related to the city of Paramer, we all packed our things and prepared to leave.

Dimona shot a glare at Maya.

"You said you'd properly explain about that child."

"This child was only used. She was made into a monster's vessel and suffered for over ten years."

"But still..."

Of course not. But I roughly got our stories to match. When I winked at Maya, she gave a slight nod.

"Maya. Wronged."

"Is that true?"

"Of course. On top of that, I've decided to take this child in."

"What?! Why?!"

"That's..."

I cupped Maya's cheeks with both hands. I thrust her out in front of Dimona.

"Don't you feel sorry for this child?! As a priest of Sun God Ra, do you not feel even a handful of compassion?!"

"Ugh."

"Maya. Pitiful."

"Ughhh."

Dimona, who had been avoiding my eyes, bared her fangs.

"Don't change the subject! If this child was used by the mastermind behind Paramer... then doesn't that mean the danger remains the same?!"

"I can handle it."

"How?"

"Ta-da."

We held out our hands. At the sight of the gleaming pair of rings, Dimona foamed at the mouth.

"C-c-c-c-c-c-couple rings?!"

"Those go on your ring finger. These are more like... friendship rings?"

"Friendship rings with Maya. Symbol of the contract between Boss and Maya."

Maya tugged firmly on my sleeve.

"Boss. Maya's nest. Moving castle."

It's not quite that.

Irene, who had been listening quietly, turned to look at me. Her cold gaze was filled with hostility.

"Would you care to explain, Zahard?"

Her eyes looked ready to devour someone. But I had a secret weapon.

"Deploy."

"Okay."

Following the order I had given her beforehand, Maya lightly grabbed the hem of Irene's clothes.

"Sorry for hitting you."

The gaze looking up at her was incredibly cute. She had always been cute, but now that she was properly dressed and washed up clean, she was even cuter.

Irene casually lifted Maya up. She looked the small frame over from side to side, then held her in her arms.

Captured.

"An adopted daughter wouldn't be so bad."

Looks really do rule the world!

Dimona burst out in anger.

"What are you talking about?!"

"Do you not feel sorry for this child, Judge?"

"You're the last person who should be saying that!"

Dimona clutched her head. She snatched my hand. She peered at the ring.

"...This is a Sacred Relic too, isn't it? So that's why you were so confident?"

"Busted."

"What about returning it to the church?"

"It's mine?"

"...Ah. Fine. Take everything, why don't you."

Dimona let ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠out a sigh. Once the matter of Maya's treatment was vaguely settled, the next person after her, Ashval Haltz, spoke to me.

"Inquisitor Zahard."

"Your Excellency."

"Thank you for resolving the Paramer problem. This is my personal reward."

The old lion of the Empire handed me something. A small pendant.

"...This is?"

"My token. If you ever need help, bring that and come to my territory anytime."

What a windfall!

"If I visit, will you lend me money too?"

"Haha. A devout priest has quite the sense of humor."

Ashval Haltz grabbed my shoulder. After glancing around the ruined Paramer, he let out a satisfied sigh.

"...I never thought you would survive, but now that you have, you've gained far too much. Not only did you claim Paramer's achievements, you even secured the justification to rebuild the crumbling support base of the Third Imperial Princess. The honor of being Paramer's savior will allow the Third Imperial Princess to remain on the front lines of the succession struggle once more."

"That's good, Your Excellency."

"It's all thanks to you. And above all..."

Ashval swept his greedy gaze over me.

"You don't seem like the kind of talent the church should leave buried."

"Pardon?"

"Would you have any interest in serving Her Highness the Imperial Princess?"

My good mood instantly cooled.

"No?"

The Third Imperial Princess, Sophia Pra Ma Nix.

She has no support base to speak of, and only barely managed to put her name in the fight for the throne through personal popularity alone. A total flower garden for a head!

Why would I go under someone like that? It would definitely be more exhausting than now.

"I'll be satisfied with the pendant, Your Excellency."

"No need to decline. Because of the Paramer rescue matter, you're already closely entangled with us whether you like it or not."

"Hahaha! It was merely a miracle of Ra, a coincidence piled upon coincidence! You may forget all about it!"

"If even the hem of one's clothes touches, is that not a bond! If we stood on the battlefield together, we've already boarded the same ship! Haha!"

This sly old fox.

My mood cooled ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠in an instant. So this was his angle, subtly trying to pull me into his faction.

Oh, for crying out loud. He was just currying favor for nothing.

My tone naturally sharpened. My willingness to be polite flew away along with it.

"We're leaving."

"I'll see you off."

"Not necessary."

"You've gotten prickly in just a day. But that's charming too! Those with power should act accordingly! It's like looking at myself in my youth."

"Back off. Are you not going to back off?"

"Why are you being like this between us!"

"What 'us'?! What relationship do we have?!"

The commotion didn't end there. The sound of a carriage rang out. Someone was entering the quiet Paramer.

A carriage engraved with the serpent's crest. Believers who leaped down knelt.

"We behold the most noble scales."

Estelle gave a slight nod.

"What is it?"

"There was a message from the Elder Council. If the work is finished, you are to return to the church."

"You were watching me?"

"......"

There was no answer. Estelle glanced over at Isabella.

"Let's go. Isabella."

"...Yes."

A gaze full of regret brushed past me. I whispered to her.

"Big Sis Isabella."

"Uh... uhhh...?"

"If you get fired, come to me. I'll treat you well."

Isabella's face turned red. She glanced at me sideways and poked me in the side.

"...Shut uuup..."

Estelle left immediately. When I said I would send compensation separately later, she simply gave a slight nod as if to say, do as you please, and that was the end of it.

Combining Estelle's promise to help once with her own authority and the treasure, the scales would roughly balance out.

No debts owed. What a relief!

The mercenaries who had been cautiously watching also left.

"Well, we already got the advance payment..."

"We nearly died out there."

"With this, our price will go up even more."

"The Savior of Paramer... Hans of the Early-Death Sword... Damn! Isn't that cool!"

"The bastard who nearly died early is the only one running his mouth."

"I did not?! Fuck?! You wanna die?!"

Daniel walked over. He gazed at Rosemary with glistening, tearful eyes.

"Priest."

Rosemary growled.

"What."

"When might I see you again?"

"You won't see me. I won't see you."

"I will come find you."

"Yeah. Piss off."

"......"

Behind the dejected Daniel, the mercenaries muttered among themselves.

"Love is always hard, Captain."

"Remember, there's no tree that won't fall after ten knocks."

Rosemary isn't a tree, though. She's a cat.

Daniel glanced at me. He bowed his head deeply.

"Thank you. Young priest."

"I'm fully grown?"

"...Pfft. I misspoke. I thought the world was full of only incompetent priests, but I was wrong."

"So?"

"I will donate regularly."

A satisfying answer. I whispered quietly.

"If you're going to, donate only under my name."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Daniel waved and left. Though he was full of regret, he soon turned his head away cleanly.

"Priest Rosemary! I'll come for you someday!"

Rosemary spat on the ground.

"Ptui, ptui."

"You don't like him?"

"I hate that type the most. Ugh."

Hector's group mounted their horses. Their postures were somewhat clumsy, as if they had learned in a hurry.

"Captain. Well then..."

"Yeah. See you later."

They also departed first. Last were the elves.

"Uh, uwehhhh..."

Flora clung to me. I had wondered why I hadn't seen her last night, and it turned out she had been up all night playing with the Tear of Yggdrasil, because dark circles were drawn all around her eyes.

"If we part... when will I see you again...?"

"See me? What's there to see? We'll meet when the time comes."

"Hiiiing..."

"Go fix the World Tree or something. Don't forget to fertilize it."

"...If anyone heard you, they'd think the World Tree was a neighborhood sapling."

"It's basically the same. Isn't it?"

"...Hehehe."

Flora laughed. She leaned into me and rubbed her head against my chest.

"Th-that..."

"That bitch..."

"Grind..."

Some strange sounds came from behind.

Flora looked up at me. The elves behind her also crept closer, as if they wanted to be held too but were gauging the mood.

"Savior. I will never forget this kindness."

"I'll miss you."

"Please come see us anytime. I-I'm ready, so..."

Arwen. Muna. Wisia... was it?

I pressed down firmly on their heads. As if their bodies were itching, the elves panted.

They subtly stuck out their ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠rear ends.

"...Just go."

"Hiiiing."

Flora came close. She stood on her tiptoes and lightly pressed her lips to my neck.

"...Hm?"

I felt something being engraved on my neck.

A spirit...?

"I planted a little one, Savior. With this alone, no elf you meet in the forest will be hostile toward you."

"Th-th-th-that!!"

"They say a proper elf is the first to draw the bowstring!"

Dimona foamed at the mouth. Rosemary growled.

Flora blushed.

"For elves, time is very long. Compared to humans, it's practically like living forever. And since you're an Apostle... I think you'll probably live a similar span of time to me."

"...So?"

"I'll wait. Savior. If you want to see me, just ask the spirit for the way. That child will surely guide you."

Flora smiled brightly. She waved her hand gently.

"I'll miss you. Savior..."

"Stop looking at me so longingly and go."

"So cold. Ughhh... but still gooood..."

The elves left. Were they all gone? I let out a sigh.

Whew. Even farewells are noisy. Still, it's not so bad.

Bonds are complicated things.

I glanced back at the church ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠group.

"Well then, we'll be..."

A group of people suddenly entered Paramer. They wore the priestly robes of Ra.

The distinctive emblem of inquisitors shone on their shoulders. Dimona, who had been studying the faces of those who had brought horses, scowled deeply.

"...The Third Inquisition Office."

One of those at the front leaped down from his horse. On a face I had seen at least once before, a stylish mustache stood neatly.

"Divine Judge Dimona. I never expected to see a workplace colleague like this. I offer my heartfelt condolences."

"Indeed. Divine Judge Finrod. What brings you here?"

"The reason, well, could there be more than one? The sinner Dimona, who disobeyed the church's orders and arbitrarily brought the Inquisition Office's paladins here."

The man called Finrod drew his sword.

"I hereby inform you that your position is revoked, and that you have been referred to a Divine Trial. I declare that the judge of this Divine Trial is myself, and I order you to comply peacefully."

I let out a sigh.

Archbishop Dwayne... this bastard, to the very end!