Chapter 535: The Cardinal's Worries
Chapter 535: The Cardinal's Worries
So she is mad.
I’d casually slipped it in while they were happy, so for a moment I thought I might get away with it… But they’re not idiots. No way that was going to happen.
I guess I should consider myself lucky it ended with just this, all thanks to the necklaces.
And it wasn’t just Diana; the other two reacted as well.
Leia’s happy expression clouded over slightly as she tightened her arms around me, and Sara’s face stiffened.
Well, to be fair, a hint of happiness still lingered on both their faces.
But for their expressions to harden even while feeling so happy…
I thought they were already mentally prepared to accept Matilda, but maybe they weren't?
Or was the timing just too sudden?
As I was pondering this, Sara spoke up in a stiff voice, as if this was something she absolutely had to say.
“Guwon. You performed the Apostle Appointment on Matilda?”
“Uh, yeah.”
“…I don’t think you would, and I trust you, but I have to check just in case. You didn’t accept Matilda as a substitute because you failed to confess to Rachel, did you?”
Even with her stiff expression, Sara’s eyes were fixed on me, full of trust, as she asked the question.
At some point, Diana had also stopped her light smacks and was watching me, as if waiting for my answer.
“No.”
The moment I gave a firm no, I felt the tension leave both Sara’s and Leia’s bodies at the same time.
After glancing at all three of them, I spoke in a lighthearted tone.
“Don’t you guys trust me at all? Of course not.”
“I told you I trust you, you idiot. It’s just… if that were the case, it would be too pitiful for Matilda. As the main wife, I felt it was my duty to confirm it.”
As Sara said this, she turned her head to the side and blushed, looking slightly embarrassed.
She’s pretty cute, still fiddling with her necklace.
And to think that was the reason her expression hardened.
Seriously, are you girls too nice for your own good?
“Hmph. I am the main wife, I’ll have you know.”
“What are you talking about? I’m…”
“No. I’m saying don’t fight over that kind of thing at a time like this.”
“Fufu.”
As I spoke in an exasperated tone, Leia giggled in amusement.
I feel like she’s pressing her chest against mine even more than before, but I’m happy, so it’s not a problem.
“Anyway, I’ve appointed Matilda as an Apostle, too. So, you know, please get along with her from now on.”
“Fine. But just so you know, I’m not being swayed by a gift. I’m letting this slide because I was already prepared for the day your demonic grasp would extend to Matilda.”
Sara murmured this as she looked at me with narrowed eyes.
If you’re going to say that, shouldn’t you take your hands off the necklace first?
And what do you mean, demonic grasp? Call it a sacred touch. A sacred touch.
“Of course. Thank you.”
“Hmph. You certainly are shameless. Is that all you had to say, then?”
Diana didn’t seem to have any intention of resuming her smacking attacks, but she shook her head as if she was fed up.
“Hm? Is there something else?”
Silvia, who I was actually planning to hang out with, isn’t even here. I was hoping to spend the day with you girls.
The moment I asked, Diana’s eyes suddenly blazed as she glared at me again.
Wh-What? Did I say something wrong?
“Are you truly asking because you do not know?”
Yeah. Honestly, I have no idea what you’re talking about.
But if I say that, I’ll just get hit with another round of pat-pat attacks.
No, I mean, that’s cute in its own way, but now is not a good time to get on Diana’s nerves.
I guess I’ll pretend I know.
“Ah, ahh! You mean that! That…”
“Y-You don’t have to say it!”
When I bluffed, Diana’s face turned red and she hastily reached out with both hands to cover my mouth.
Seeing her reaction, it must be something embarrassing.
What could it be? Something embarrassing to do during the day…
It’s obviously not sex, so what else… Ah. No way. I see. So that’s what it was.
So despite acting all reluctant, it seems she plans on doing it after all.
“W-Well then, I have something to attend to, so I’ll be going! See you this evening!”
As I grinned behind Diana’s hands, she hastily said her goodbyes and tried to leave the room.
She’s trying to escape. Well, I suppose I’ll let her go for now.
“Alright. Do your best. See you tonight.”
At my words, Diana flinched several times and was about to flee the room when she suddenly spun around and rushed back toward me.
“A-And thank you for the necklace!”
Even in all that, it seems she didn’t forget to thank me.
Diana wrapped her arms around my waist, gave me a tight hug, and then bolted out of the room like an arrow.
Honestly, why is my Diana so cute?
I’m really looking forward to tonight.
“…What on earth did you do to Diana?”
“Guwon. You shouldn’t tease Diana so much.”
“I-I didn’t do anything. Anyway, you two don’t have anything to do, right?”
“I’m sorry.”
Diana had to leave for unavoidable reasons, but Sara and Leia should be free.
I was planning to spend time with these two, but even Leia gently pulled away from me with a slightly apologetic look.
“I was thinking of stopping by the temple today.”
N-No! Then again, it has been a while since Leia went to the temple.
While I was stranded, she apparently searched for me without rest. She didn’t come with me to the temple last time, and she’s been practicing swimming ever since.
Today, her day off from swimming practice, would be the perfect day to visit.
“I see. Okay. Have a good time.”
Perhaps I looked a little down, because Leia opened her mouth with a slightly troubled smile.
“But if you ask me not to go, Guwon…”
“No, you should go. You need to go home and see your family once in a while. Besides, I don’t want to monopolize you and get on High Priestess Sophia’s bad side.”
I said it with a bit of a joke so Leia wouldn’t look so troubled, and she finally covered her mouth with her hand and giggled again.
“Fufu. I don’t think that would happen. Well then, Guwon. I’ll be back.”
With that, Leia caressed her necklace and, as if in return, gave me a kiss before leaving the room, her tail swishing happily from side to side.
Just before closing the door, she turned back, gave me another bright smile and a slight bow, and then shut it.
She’s a real angel. An angel.
After Leia left, only Sara and I remained in the room.
Naturally, my gaze turned to the last one left.
“Wh-What’s with that look?”
Sensing something from my gaze, Sara took a rare, hesitant step back and spoke cautiously.
“You got nothing for me?”
“Even if I did, you’re not supposed to demand it first! There’s a limit to how shameless you can be! Are you an idiot?!”
Sara shouted in disbelief when I pointed at the necklace.
What’s with her, acting all surprised now? It’s not like this is the first or second day I’ve been shameless.
“Yeah. So, you got nothing?”
“O-Of course not?!”
“Really?”
“Ugh…”
Sara had loudly denied it, but when I wrapped my arms around her waist and brought my face close, she blushed and averted her eyes.
But since I had brought my face right up to hers, it didn’t look easy for her to avoid my gaze.
“Come on, hurry! Let that feeling of gratitude for me, welling up from the bottom of your heart, explode forth… Keuk!”
“Y-You really are an idiot! I told you there’s nothing! You spent all day yesterday on a date with another woman right in front of me, so I deserve at least this much!”
Sara landed a body blow on me as she spoke, then spun around.
“…Well, I am grateful, though.”
“Hey. If you’re embarrassed, just be honest and say you’re…”
“What?!”
“I didn’t say anything.”
Usually, when we’re alone, she’s more willing to do embarrassing things, but she’s being particularly shy today.
Is it because she’s embarrassed about what happened this morning? She could just think of it as part of our play. No, of course, I don’t get turned on by being hit.
I chuckled inwardly at Sara’s attitude and reached for her waist, pulling her toward me once more.
“Kyaa! Wh-What are you doing now?”
“Diana and Leia are gone. I’m not letting you get away. You’d be wise to just play along with me.”
“Haaah… ‘Play along.’ Doing what?”
Sara, who had been blushing in my arms, sighed and looked bored as soon as I said that.
What’s with that? I’m holding back from doing anything naughty because you seem so embarrassed.
Do you actually want me to? Should we do something naughty right now?
“…Hmm? What should we do?”
“You’re asking me?”
“Hm. Alright. In that case, Sara, we’re going to gather information.”
Looking at Sara’s incredulous expression, I finally decided how to spend the afternoon.
“Gather information?”
“Right. We haven’t been to the dungeon in a while, so we don’t know what might have changed. We should at least gather some information. When I was stranded, you guys announced the existence of the ice cave, right?”
That’s right. The place I was stranded was the passage leading from the ice cave to the 4th Floor.
And since they obviously didn’t have a map like I did, they couldn’t pinpoint the exact location on the 4th Floor. So, to get help with my rescue, my party announced the location of the ice cave.
The original plan was to announce it only after finding the passage from the ice cave to the 4.5th Floor, but they prioritized rescuing me over keeping it a secret.
Not that it mattered much—getting out to the 4th Floor from there was impossible for most adventurers, though it was manageable for a party with a high-level mage.
If Diana hadn’t used up so much mana fighting the ice cave’s fake boss, the Emperor Penguin, she could have stopped the water flow for a long time and rescued me safely.
No, even without that, if that whale hadn’t suddenly appeared, I would have been rescued without a problem.
In any case, since the location of the ice cave was made public, there might have been some progress we don’t know about.
“That’s a surprisingly responsible thing to say.”
“Surprisingly? I’m always responsible.”
“So, where are we going to gather this information?”
“Well, obviously the Gui—”
“Hey. Guwon.”
Before I could finish, Sara called my name in an icy voice.
“Yes.”
“You’re just going to see Rachel, aren’t you?”
“…Among other things?”
It wasn’t like the thought hadn’t crossed my mind, so I answered honestly.
“You really…!”
“What! You’re the one who said it before! That you liked her! That I should try to win her over! Right?! Did you say it or not?!”
As Sara flared up, I turned the tables on her, overwhelming her with a barrage of words.
“W-Well, I did, but…”
Sara trailed off, flustered, clearly not expecting me to come at her like that.
“Then there’s no problem, right?!”
“U-Uhm…”
Heh. I win. You shouldn’t have teased me like that. Sara, this is what you call reaping what you sow.
With a triumphant smile, I wrapped my arm around her waist and headed for the Guild before she could regain her composure.
“Gueeegh…”
“Uwaaaah…”
“Gonna… diiieee…”
“Hey! What’s with all the dying groans! Stand up straight!”
And when we got to the Guild, I saw some familiar faces right at the entrance.
The three zombies looked so lifeless I doubted they were the faces I knew, but the bronze-skinned beauty carrying them and spewing curses was definitely someone I recognized.
And how could I forget that face? She’s the one who took my virginity.
“Stop working them to the bone…”
“What?! Which bastard… Huh?! You, you…?!” “Guek!”
Hearing my mumble, the bronze-skinned beauty, Alicia, who had been about to curse while glaring in our direction, froze the moment she saw my face, her eyes wide.
Then, she casually set down the zombies she was carrying—who I assumed were the trio from the Arachne Clan—no, she slammed them on the ground and strode over to us.