CH 76

Is there no safe place anywhere in the world? (11) – unedited

In front of a large glass window, the Saint was seen with her back to the moonlight. As if from a fairy tale, there was a garden with a small lake behind it, and the Saint in a white robe surrounding her body looked like a beautiful princess in a dress.

As if she had known in advance that I was coming, the Saint guided me to the tea table, familiarly. The door closed behind my back, leaving only the two of us in this space, me and the Saint.

“Nice to meet you. I am Serdebella Renee.”

“I am Erina Holden.”

As I held her outstretched hand, I felt the soft touch of her flesh. Even though she was also a woman, her skin was so nerve-wracking that I wanted to hold on to it. My eyes were dazzled.

“Did the priest ask some questions while you were here?”

“No, well… I was so busy looking around the temple that I couldn’t even have a conversation.”

“Yes. Occasionally, the priest gave advice to the point where people got tired, so I was worried that it would make the believer uncomfortable for nothing.”

“It didn’t happen.”

When the Saint smiled in a happy mood, the atmosphere of the space, which had been heavy and severe, was brightly refreshed.

“All the priests were thinking of me, so sometimes they say things like that, but they’re not a bad person.”

“Yes, it seems.”

The Saint poured tea into the white teacup, which was draped with red petals. It was surprising how skillfully she arranged the sleeves of her clothes and served tea without a single attendant.

Judging from her image alone, she looks like a noble princess, but what I felt through a brief conversation was an easygoing personality.

In fact, even in the novel, there was a chapter where the Demon King Kayelhartz saved her when she was about to get caught up in an incident while wandering around on adventures and hanging out with the people of the mercenary guild because she didn’t like being confined to the temple. Yes, this is what the female protagonist looks like.

“Please have some. It smells great.”

The hot, steaming tea smelled of lemon. To be honest, I sprinted at full speed in the muggy weather, so I wanted to drink some ice-cold water. Anyway, out of courtesy, I forcibly swallowed hot tea.

Without a word, the Saint looked at me, who was sipping my tea silently. As our eyes met, she smiled deeply as her lips curved.

“I heard you wanted to meet me.”

The time has come. I put down the teacup.

“Yes, I have something to tell you.”

“Is it about Kayle?”

The Saint seemed to know everything. She knows that I will come to the temple, and she knows what I want to say.

“Yes.”

“I remember Miss Erina’s face. The way you were hugged by Kayle.”

Right. It would be rather strange if she doesn’t remember. How surprised she must have been when the man she had been in love with, who was reunited after two years, was holding another woman in his arms.

“Can I ask what your relationship with Kayle is?”

The benevolent Saint has changed into the form of a girl in love. It was an anxious and hesitant tone.

It was a question I had expected, but as I rolled my eyes, not knowing what to answer, I could see the Saint’s face was filled with anxiety as time passed. Even though she confirmed it, I could not say that I had nothing to do with Merson…..no, the Demon King Kaylehartz. My words couldn’t come out.

“… I got some help. I am still getting it.”

“Is this because Kayle is like a benefactor to you?”

“Well, it’s similar.”

The Saint was relieved and stroked her chest.

“Still, it’s fascinating. That he was paying attention to someone other than me? I was the only one Kayle had.”

I know it very well because I read it in the novel.

“Did Kayle say something about me? Anything is fine. Even if he didn’t usually do it, something must have happened after he ran into me that day…….”

There was no such thing actually. Rather, he didn’t have to tell me, because when I brought up a mention about the Saint, he said, ‘It’s only Erina for me,’ and this is not the answer she was hoping for.

I had no choice but to shake my head in spite of her earnest gaze.

“… I understand. He would have been reluctant to tell my story to you either. He killed my brother.”

There was a thorn in her words. It’s sharp enough that it hurts.

But unfortunately, the Saint understands what she said was also wrong. Merson could not bring up stories about the Saint simply because he had no memory, so he must have forgotten that he had killed the Saint’s brother.

Nevertheless, the Saint continued her words, fiddling with her fingers.

“My brother admired wizards. However, magic is innate, and black magic is forbidden, so it was impossible for my brother without talent to use magic in the first place. Then, he got tempted with the saying that eating the body of a demon would generate magical power, so he must have been involved in such a terrible thing. I understand. As a sister, as a human being. But sympathy doesn’t make sin go away. It was obviously a tragedy that was caused by my brother’s fault. I can’t blame Kayle.”

I know… but I don’t know what to say to comfort her. It was too short in just two years to talk about the shock of her older brother’s murder and to be able to talk about it casually.

Although her voice was still trembling because of the grief, she was resolutely and objectively trying to admit her brother’s death. Although Merson doesn’t remember anything about her.