Chapter 45
“Hmm, she’s not wrong, is she?”
Everything Shain poured out to me was spot on.
Every word was correct, and my head automatically nodded in agreement.
‘Well, come to think of it, I’ve never actually experienced a battlefield in this life.’
In this lifetime, I’d only glimpsed it occasionally through newspapers or rumors.
I was even so scared of stray arrows that I avoided places where knights trained.
‘But I’m different now, aren’t I?’
So, I tried to recall the war documentaries I’d seen in my past life…
‘Wow, that really snaps me back to reality?’
I’d be lucky if I didn’t just go there and burst into tears! Just imagining it is terrifying!
‘Shain is right. I really can’t be a saint like that, nope.’
That spirit of sacrificing myself to help others? Yeah, that spirit definitely doesn’t exist in me…
‘I only became a saint to cure my own incurable disease, after all.’
Why do you keep forgetting, Ciela Eisenz? Your dream is to live a long, leisurely life as a wealthy person of leisure!
“You’re right. I was thinking wrong.”
I readily agreed and nodded to his words.
I must have been deeply immersed in the excessive compulsion to spread the Arthe faith.
In fact, I was even grateful for Shain’s harsh words that appropriately cooled me down.
It really gave me a sense of caution.
But then.
“No, why did you say… Haa.”
“Huh?”
Why is this sub-male lead, who just poured out harsh words, making a face like he just realized something?
‘What? Is he feeling guilty now?’
Seeing his somewhat dissatisfied face, it seemed like there might be another meaning hidden.
Like, maybe it really bothered him that I agreed so readily?
‘Sigh. Which tune am I supposed to dance to?’
He gets annoyed if I argue, and doesn’t like it if I agree.
He’s not easy to deal with at all, I thought, as I quietly waited for his next words.
Soon, he slowly smoothed out his deeply furrowed brow. The anger in his eyes was now completely replaced by exhaustion.
“Just act as you usually do, Lady. Why are you just silently listening?”
“……?”
Huh?
“Ah, no. Then what should I do besides listen?”
What is this High Priest saying now?
‘As I suspected, he even finds fault with me for quietly agreeing!’
*Ding-ling!*
[Envy: Kyaaaaaah!!! Why! Since last time! Why can’t you! Just say it honestly! Shain! Tell her you’re worried!!!]
[Envy: What are you! Bringing her here for! Huh?! Why can’t you! Speak! Uwaaaaaah!!]
[Envy: My money source depends on one word from you, depends on it… Oh dear, my grandson!!!]
[Envy pounds the bed with his fists.]
While I was speechless, Envy was spouting nonsense.
The most nonsensical of all was the status window he flashed first.
‘Worried? Do you think that makes any sense right now, Lord Envy?’
Is that the attitude of someone who’s worried?!
Even if I searched with my eyes wide open, there was no one in front of me who looked worried about me.
… Or so I thought.
“No. It’s not that. Please forget everything I just said. I’m tired, so my words were too harsh.”
Shain pressed his fingertips against his eyelids and denied everything he had just said.
Seeing Shain like that for the first time, I was speechless for a different reason now.
‘Was he really saying that because he was worried?’
His words were sharp, but if you reinterpreted them as worry, they kind of made sense too.
‘Uh… That’s flustering.’
Well, I never imagined I’d hear words of concern from none other than Shain Adiel.
Even though his phrasing made it hard to tell if it was concern or harsh criticism.
‘Should I say thank you?’
Hmm, even I think that’s a bit much.
Since there didn’t seem to be anything else to say, I thought about just nodding and moving on.
He didn’t seem to be waiting for my reply anyway.
But just as I was awkwardly about to step away, the rustling sound from my sleeve somehow held me back.
‘…He looks really tired.’
Coincidentally, I had one last candy left. I was just idly fumbling with the only remaining wrapper in my sleeve pocket.
“My apologies for holding you up on your way. I’ll take my leave then.”
Shain exhaled a breath—whether a sigh or a groan—and turned away from me.
Since there was no reason to stop someone who was leaving, I also decided to go on my way.
Yeah, that’s what I thought.
“J-just a moment, High Priest.”
Why did my hand grab him on its own?!
The moment I tightly grabbed his sleeve, regret washed over me, but the milk was already spilled.
He looked at me with a puzzled face. It was the first time I’d seen him look flustered.
“It’s just, High Priest…”
I gnawed on my lip and then awkwardly pulled out the candy wrapper from my sleeve pocket.
*Rustle, rustle.* The sound drew his gaze to the candy wrapper I was holding.
“What is that?”
“It’s just… you looked tired. It’s a candy that helps with healing. Well, if you find it hard to believe, you can just throw it away…”
Adding that last part about throwing it away was probably unnecessary. Even as I said it, my head shook weakly in denial of my own words.
‘Ugh, I don’t know either!’
I gave it because I was worried; it’s not like he’d actually throw it away, right?
I placed the candy wrapper into the hand of his that I was still holding. I felt Shain’s hand flinch, but I pretended not to notice and let go of his sleeve.
“Well, I’ll be going now. See you next time.”
Even though all I did was give him a candy wrapper, my ears felt hot for some reason.
‘It would be much easier to proselytize to a stranger, really.’
Trying to explain at length and hand candy to someone I ambiguously know was incredibly embarrassing.
“Lady, wait…”
“Ahem, hmm!”
I heard Shain calling me from behind, but I just cleared my throat and quickened my pace.
Whether ‘thank you’ came from him, it would be awkward, and if a cold remark came out instead, I’d be hurt, so I naturally avoided it.
Fortunately, Shain didn’t try to chase after me to say what he wanted. But instead…
*Ding-ling!*
[Arthe: Shain is glaring at you like he wants to kill you…? Feels like he might pierce the back of your head,,Σ(‘◉⌓◉’)]
[Envy: At this point, you should look back, okay?]
[Envy: Hey, Ciela. Is that all the affection we’ve built together? A handsome long-haired pretty boy is staring at you with eyes full of obsession?!?!]
[Arthe: Uh-huh, so what?ㅎ He’s no match for our Teteté, right?ㅎ]
[Envy: ? Why is this god picking a fight all of a sudden?]
[Envy: Are you ignoring the long-haired pretty boy now? Do you really want to be resisted by everyone?? Wanna fight?]
[Arthe: Nope, doesn’t matter, anyway the husband is black hair, red eyes.]
[Arthe: My.Man.Black^-^]
The two gods, enjoying their banter after a long time, whispered to me about the situation behind me.
‘Even without you telling me, I can feel the back of my head burning…’
I wonder when I can escape that gaze. Probably because he’s someone I’ve always been afraid of, my throat tightened at the fact that Shain was staring intently at me.
My steps towards the church naturally sped up. But not long after…
*Tap!*
Someone lightly grabbed my wrist and stopped me. Before I could be surprised, a familiar voice came from beside me.
“You’ll trip if you go like that, Ciela.”
His languidly falling voice didn’t contain a single trace of worry.
But strangely.
Unlike when I faced Shain, a soft smile spread across my lips.
I turned my head to look at the man who stopped me, Tete.
He was dressed in a light shirt today. Not a single part of him was untidy, but his eyes were heavy with sleep.
‘It feels like just the other day when I was startled by that face.’
Time solves everything, they say, and now, months later, I can naturally face him.
“I know. I’ll walk slowly. Okay?”
Slowing my stopped steps, I looked at Tete. He nodded, matching his pace to my stride.
“Yeah.”
His lips curled into a faint smile as if to say, ‘Good,’ for walking slowly. He even gave me a light pat on the head.
‘What am I, a cat?’
When he’s a cat himself, but acts all restless because he can’t pet me when he’s human.
*Swish, stroke.*
‘Hmph. Well, it feels good anyway.’
The dull ache that had been rising vanished in an instant with his touch.
“Hehe.”
My heart, which had sunk a bit from Shain’s harsh words, melted away softly.
As a soft smile escaped my lips, Tete also chuckled softly. Then, glancing back, he asked,
“Ciela. Do you want to go?”
