Benika Arendia (2)
The cardinal’s office was stripped of every luxury, furnished with only the bare essentials. Inside stood Benedict, the de facto master of this remote parish, Grandpa Carlo, Cheska, Bout, and a bald man I’d never seen before. The stranger wore robes of the same color and cut as Benedict’s, so he was clearly another cardinal. The scars covering his face made it hard to be sure at first. With essentially every person responsible for Entat Parish gathered in one room, they were obviously here to discuss something important.
So why the hell was I here?
I decided to greet Cheska first, since I hadn’t seen her in a while. “Long time no see, Cheska.”
“Yes! Lady Levia! I missed you so much!”
“...?”
“Um… Lady Levia. May I hug you?”
“Uh… sure, I guess?”
The moment I gave permission, Cheska dropped into a smooth crouch and wrapped her arms around me. Hmm. Cheska really does have a big heart. Now that I’ve experienced it a second time, I can say for sure—
Wait, no! Who the hell are you?
The Cheska I knew was a beautiful, sadistic girl who glared at people with utter contempt. This was not her.
“Haa… I thought so last time, but now I’m certain. Lady Levia, your body gives off such a wonderful scent…”
“?!?!?!”
Why are you sniffing the top of my head?! Stop it, you pervert!
A chill shot down my spine. I shoved her away instantly.
“Aww…”
Don’t you dare sound disappointed!
“Who are you?! Who are you and why are you pretending to be Cheska?!”
“Pardon? I am Cheska. Your one and only escort knight, Cheska Franc.”
“Don’t lie to me! Or did you get something weird implanted in you again? Benedict, this girl is acting strange. What’s wrong with her?”
I demanded an explanation from Benedict. A person could change, but this was too much. The sadistic beauty had turned into a perverted hugger!
“Could I hug you one more time? Come on~”
“Get away from me, you pervert!”
I pushed Cheska’s approaching face away while urging Benedict to answer faster. “Hurry up and explain. What happened in the last month to make her like this? Something weird got planted in her again, didn’t it?”
Benedict looked troubled. “This is the first time I’ve seen Cheska behave this way… but I don’t believe the Seed of Sin has been planted in her again.”
“I already know there’s no Seed of Sin or whatever. If there was, I’d have seen it!”
Maybe it was a side effect of forcibly removing the seed? That seemed like the most likely answer.
“Ahem… If we could set that aside and move on to the main topic.”
A third party cut through the mystery-solving. It was the bald cardinal, who seemed to be here as a guest.
“Given the nature of the matter, that would be best. Cheska, that’s enough. You’re making Levia uncomfortable.”
“Yes…”
She said she understood, but I caught her trying to sneak closer again. Don’t you dare, pervert.
“Is this the only chair? Having to stand while we talk… Entat Parish really doesn’t know how to treat guests.”
“Haha. My apologies. We rarely have visitors, so we never prepared extra seats.”
“Tsk, if I scold you for that answer I’d only look like the bad guy. It was a joke. Don’t mind me.”
“Now that the late introductions are out of the way, shall we begin with proper greetings?”
At Benedict’s suggestion, the bald cardinal nodded and stepped forward.
“Nice to meet you. I am Cardinal Dominic, father of the eleventh saintess candidate.”
“I am Bout Saikott, commander of the Holy Front Knights.”
“I’m well aware of the Holy Front Knights’ hardships. Thank you for your service.”
“I am Archbishop Carlo.”
“Ooh… what an honor…! The famous…!”
“Enough. I have cast that name away. I would prefer it not be spoken.”
What is this ‘name’ that makes Grandpa Carlo look so serious? Was it connected to the past Bout had promised to tell me about later?
“My mistake. I nearly committed a grave error. And this young lady must be… the thirteenth saintess candidate.”
“Nice to meet you, Uncle Dominic. I’m Levia Leviathan.”
Thirteenth? There were already twelve saintess candidates before me? Just how many were there?
“Haha… hahaha! I’d heard the rumors, but she really is a bold one, isn’t she, Benedict!”
“Levia… I don’t mind, but please show proper etiquette to others.”
“Strip me of the saintess candidate title, then. I’ll be perfectly polite.”
“...”
“Pfft… pahahaha!! Now this is a treasure! Your daughter is truly entertaining, Benedict. Asking to be stripped of the saintess candidate position!”
“Why are you laughing? I was being serious.”
This bald old man sure knew how to rub people the wrong way. Was my request that funny?
“Just to be sure… you say that while knowing what a saintess actually is…?”
“How would I know something like that?”
“...You truly don’t know?”
You have to tell me for me to know.
“Nope.”
After hearing my answer, the bald—no, Cardinal Dominic—silently looked at Benedict. I turned to look at Benedict too. It felt like the right thing to do.
“...I will explain later. Later. Isn’t there something more important right now?”
It feels pretty important to me. Stop dodging the subject, Dad.
I could see Cheska and Grandpa Carlo giving him the exact same look, silently asking why he hadn’t told me yet.
“I should have told you sooner. I’m sorry. I will explain everything later, so please stop looking at me like that.”
“Benedict, I’ll say it again with all sincerity. If you don’t fix that terrible habit of yours, one day it will cause a disaster.”
Well said! Bald—no, Uncle Dominic is awesome! Nice one!
“...I will keep that in mind.”
“Now that the introductions are finished, please state the purpose of your visit, Cardinal Dominic.”
“No need to be so cold, Archbishop. Didn’t I already apologize?”
“It seems there’s been a misunderstanding. Allow this old man to rephrase. What I meant was… why has the Grand Inquisitor come to Entat Parish?”
Grand Inquisitor…? Dominic?
At Carlo’s sharp words, the atmosphere froze in an instant. Benedict and Cheska already seemed to know; they only tensed up rather than showing surprise. But the moment Bout learned Dominic’s identity, his face hardened. His hand flew to his sword hilt, clearly ready to draw at the slightest provocation. Grandpa Carlo followed suit, radiating open hostility.
It made sense for the parish leaders to be nervous about a Grand Inquisitor—not just any inquisitor—showing up, but why the outright hostility?
“Have you come to interrogate the young ones? Or that fellow? Or perhaps me? If, and I mean if, you have come to interrogate Levia…”
Holy power began to flow from Grandpa Carlo’s eyes, and killing intent seeped into his voice. “You had best be prepared to die.”
“I understand your reaction. I know the reputation my children have earned. However, I have not come to interrogate anyone.”
Dominic’s gaze shifted from Carlo and landed on me.
“I have come to make a request. To that child.”
“A request?”
“Thirteenth saintess candidate Levia Leviathan. Please prevent my daughter’s ruin.”
“Huh?”
“It seems a Seed of Sin has been planted inside my daughter. I would like you to remove it. That is why I have come here.”
“So what you’re saying… is that I have to leave Entat Parish and go to wherever the eleventh saintess candidate is…?”
“Correct.”
“By myself?”
“Of course not! The children of Entat Parish will devote themselves entirely to protecting you!”
“...”
Helping a complete stranger because another stranger asked me to…
“It must be difficult. It’s only natural to feel reluctant when a stranger makes such a request…”
“Sure, let’s do it! Let’s go! Wherever it is!”
Of course I’m going! They’re offering me a safe, escorted trip!
Removing a Seed of Sin? I’ll just do the same whirly-twirly-chubabap thing I did with Cheska and it’ll be fine!
“...?”
Dominic stood there stunned. Benedict gave him a wry smile. “I told you Levia wouldn’t refuse.”
I heard that little mutter at the end—‘though she probably has some other scheme in mind.’ I heard every word, Dad.
“Thank you. Truly, thank you. I will never forget this kindness—”
“Spatial pouch.”
“Huh?”
“Large capacity.”
“What…?”
“Are you pretending not to understand, or do you really not get it? Obviously I want compensation.”
“...”
“You asked me to prevent your daughter’s ruin. You should pay up.”
Where does this bald old man get off trying to get a freebie?
“...”
“...”
“...”
What? Why is everyone staring at me like that? Isn’t this obvious? Why would I help a total stranger for free just because another stranger asked? Free sightseeing is one thing, but a request is a request.
“Make it portable and with a huge capacity! Got it?”
“Hah… truly! Benedict, it seems your daughter won’t starve no matter where she goes. Very well. I accept.”
Dominic laughed heartily and stepped back. Where did this bald old man think he was going?
“Where are you going? We’re not done.”
“Not done? What else is there?”
“The contract. We need to write a contract.”
“...”
As if I’d settle for a verbal agreement. It has to be in writing. With everyone here as witnesses. Hey! Don’t think you can take advantage of me just because I’m a kid!