Book 5: Chapter 76
Book 5: Chapter 76
The Knights of Zackerhafen seemed to know that the magic airship belonged to the elves, and they offered to provide transport.
「We would appreciate it if you could contact us in advance if possible…」
One of the knights said with a troubled expression. I could only apologize to them.
I would have contacted them, but… we were in a rush too.
Asha and I entered the port town, escorted by the knights.
Although it was early in the morning, the harbor was already quite busy. Everyone seemed happy to hear that “Umibozu” had disappeared and that they were able to go fishing again.
We parted ways with the knights in front of the inn where Lark is supposed to be staying. As expected, the mayor definitely wanted to see me and asked me to come over later, but I said, “I would try if I have time later”. I do not mean to refuse him, but it makes me feel uncomfortable being treated like a “hero”.
Asha and I entered the inn. The employees were preparing breakfast at the time.
「Ah… Hey, Kook-san! Kook-san! He’s back! The boy, and also an unbelievably beautiful girl!」
A female employee ran upstairs while shouting loudly. …Ah, man. I understand the “unbelievably beautiful girl” part, but why am I just a simple “boy”?
Then, I heard footsteps of someone running down from the 2nd floor, and suddenly followed by the sound of someone falling down the stairs. “What the hell are you doing!” the female employee’s voice echoed. And then Kook-san walked down the stairs while rubbing his butt as the female employee supported him.
「Umm, are you okay?」I asked.
「That’s embarrassing. I almost broke my arm.」Kook-san said.
「Who cares if you get hurt! If anything had happened to the building, you would have been done for.」the female employee walked away in a huff.
「Oh my, how scary…」Kook-san whispered.
「Kook-san… How is Lark?」I asked.
「Oh, right. The young miss is sleeping right now. I mean, recently, she has been sleeping almost all the time.」
「Does that mean her condition is stabilizing?」
「That’s right. The young miss is actually making an effort to heal her body properly… Non-san and her master come to visit every day. There is not much to worry about, and the young miss has gotten better at perceiving her surroundings through hearing. But that is sad in its own way–」
「…Wait a moment. What about Dante-san and Mimino-san? Oh, and Zerry-san too. They went to see the sage, right?」I asked.
We returned from the Syvis Kingdom in a very short time, but it still took a long time to travel there by boat and a carriage. It should have been enough time to travel to the offshore archipelago, where the “Sage of Medicine” is said to be, and be back.
Kook-san furrowed his eyebrows.
「Actually, they haven’t returned yet. At the port, they’re talking about sending out a search team.」
**
Lark was sleeping peacefully on the bed. The complexion of her skin had gotten better – even looking through【World Ruler】, it seems that her vitality has recovered from the last time I saw her. Non-san’s【Healing Magic】is working well. Even though she said that even her master’s magic would have difficulty restoring vitality.
「Lark…」
In this room, Lark asked me to return her skill orb. She was furious that I had pulled out【Shadow King】out of her body.
Since that time, I had not seen Lark’s face.
(I would get angry too if【World Ruler】was taken from me without permission. Even more so if it was someone with unreasonable strength…)
It was my fault that I did not talk to her first.
Therefore, I have to discuss it properly with Lark once we come up with a plan to heal her.
We are the only family left to each other, after all.
「Let’s go, Asha.」I said.
「Are you sure? Don’t you want to wait until she wakes up.」
「It’s okay.」
I asked Kook-san to continue looking after Lark. Kook-san and his companions told me that they would stay by Lark’s side until she was healed.
(Lark has great friends around her even without a skill. I have to do what I can for her.)
The next place Asha and I visited was the church. I was worried about Dante-san and the others, but I thought it would be better to collect information from Non-san first.
The Zackerhafen church was a neat and clean white-walled building. Many people visited to pray even though it was still morning. The Saint Knight Kingdom has a deep connection with the church, and there are probably many devout citizens.
「——Oh, how very helpful……」
「——What other stories do you have?」
「——You have to guide lost young men such as ourselves…」
I entered the chapel and noticed something strange. There were bottles of wine at a table in the corner, and a woman was drinking wine with a copper goblet early in the morning. And about five men — men of all ages and appearances, flocked to women, pouring wine into her cup and kneeling on the floor begging for something.
「Ara? I think I’ve told enough stories, though?」
The woman was most certainly wearing a religious habit. Her habit was pretty much the same as Non-san’s – except for the purple embroideries – but she did not look like a nun at all.
Her hem was bare and her thighs were visible. The fingers of her right hand holding the goblet moved seductively, and her chest, which was supported by her left arm, seemed as if they were about to spill out.
Her long strawberry blonde hair glistened, hiding her right eye. She had a mole under her amethyst-like purple left eye. She wore makeup in a manner which heightened her sex appeal, which was very uncharacteristic for a nun.
Sex appeal, yes, sex appeal. She was simply a lump of sex appeal. A sex appeal monster.
「——Please, just a little more.」
「——Just the tip.」
「——I have lived for this moment alone.」
The men seemed to be busy trying to butter up to her.
「Wow…」Asha muttered.
The nun’s sex appeal was so strong that sparks manifested around Asha.
「Asha, don’t look.」
「Ah!」
I grabbed Asha’s face and turned it to the front. I felt like we saw something we should not have seen, but it has nothing to do with us, so I will just ignore it.
Curiously, other visitors don’t seem to notice that strange thing going on. They just sat on a chair of their choice and prayed.
(I wonder if those people are the norm of Zackerhafen’s everyday life…)
We headed to the back of the chapel, to the pulpit under where statues of five idols were erected. No one was giving out sermons at this time, but I recognised the person conducting cleaning duties by the side.
「?」
That person noticed our footsteps and raised her head to look up.
「——Reiji-kun!」
「I’m back, Non-san.」
Non-san dropped the broom in her hand and started running towards me.
「E-Eh? What’s wrong, Non-san?」
And she hugged me tightly.
I did not know what to do. I felt the sensation of her soft body and her warm body temperature.
「Thank you… for coming back safely… My dad and the others have yet to return – so, I don’t know what I would have done if even you didn’t return, Reji-kun…」
「Non-san…」
I see… No matter how strong Dante-san is, Non-san will naturally get worried if he goes out into the sea and doesn’t return on time.
I put my hand on Non-san’s back and hugged her tightly.
「It’s going to be okay. I will go look for them.」I said.
I have to go search for them. Rent a boat and go out to the sea. If I knew this would happen, I would have asked Matvey-san to send out the magic airship. But it would have been difficult without fuel.
「First of all, please tell me everything you know… okay?」I said.
「Yes… yes, I understan–」
Non-san paused mid-sentence when she looked behind me.
「Hee〜…so this is the Reiji you were telling me about, Non?」
The sex appeal monster stood there.
「Yes… Master.」
Non-san answered as such——Master? This person?