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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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Six pairs of eyes watched me from the shadows. Their gazes were hostile.
‘Of all times, this had to happen when I’m with Estia…’
This was troublesome. I needed to deal with them before we got home. I didn’t want them discovering our hideout.
Before entering the alley, I asked Estia,
“Estia, is there anything else you want to eat?”
“Hmm, everything! I want to try a little bit of everything!”
“Choose one. I’ll buy you whatever you want today, just this once.”
“Then… I want that!”
Estia pointed at a display of food.
“Skewers?”
“Is that what they’re called? Then I want skewers!”
Grilled skewers of chicken and scallions. That’s what Estia wanted. I bought two skewers and handed them to her.
Her eyes lit up.
“It… it looks so good! I’ll enjoy this skewer especially for you! Thanks for buying it!”
“…Enjoy.”
Munch, munch
Estia held the skewers in both hands and ate happily, her attention completely focused on the food.
I whispered,
“…Estia, enjoy your food.”
“I am!”
“Good.”
No matter what happens around you…
Just keep enjoying your skewers.
This will be over quickly.
I touched the sword at my waist and headed towards a deserted alley.
‘When was the last time I killed someone…’
It had been a long time.
Skewers.
These are delicious!
‘I hate vegetables, but grilled scallions are good!’
I never knew the market was this fun!
Estia, munching on her skewers, walked hand-in-hand with Lee Jun-woo.
Thud-thud
“…What’s going on?”
‘I wasn’t looking, but why did it suddenly get so dark?’
Estia looked around and saw a deserted alley surrounded by buildings.
‘Why did Brother bring me here?’
D-Don’t tell me…!
“A surprise present! He’s going to secretly give me holy water! Brother! I’m not that easily fooled!”
He has a surprisingly thoughtful side!
Come on, give me the holy water!
Estia held out her hands expectantly. But the surprise wasn’t what she expected.
Rustle
“W-What! Brother! Who are these people! Who are they!”
“They were following us.”
“F-Following us?! Then what about my surprise present?”
“There isn’t one.”
“No way!”
Estia was shocked.
She glared at the six hooded figures. They looked vaguely familiar.
“Hmm? I’ve seen them somewhere before? Where…?”
“Estia, do you know them?”
“I don’t know their names, but! I think I know them!”
As if on cue, the six men removed their hoods.
Estia finally recognized them.
“I remember now! Paladins! Brother! You came to save me!”
The paladins, their eyes bloodshot, knelt down.
“…Saintess Estia. What are you doing here? Please return to the Church with us. It’s dangerous out here.”
“…It doesn’t seem that dangerous.”
“It is dangerous. That man next to you is the most dangerous. Don’t be fooled by that wicked heretic. Come this way. The Church desperately needs you. We need your holy water.”
“U-Um…”
What should I do?
The Church has a lot of holy water!
Should… should I go back?
Estia was confused.
She looked up at Lee Jun-woo.
‘Should I go back…? Brother doesn’t give me much holy water… but the Church has tons of it…!’
But…
If I go back to the Church, I won’t be able to explore the market like today.
Holy water or freedom?
Estia started to weigh her options.
“W-What… what should I do…?”
“It’s simple, Estia. Do what you want.”
“Do… what I want? What I want? I-I’ve never done that before…”
“Then this is your chance. I’m giving you a choice.”
“B-Brother!?”
Lee Jun-woo released Estia’s hand and said,
“Choose, Estia. Return to the Church that tormented you, or start a new life with me.”
“I-I…”
“The Church desperately needs your help, Saintess. Please… come back to us…”
“U-Ugh…”
I… I don’t know!
I don’t know what to do!
But…
There’s one thing I know!
‘I felt safe… with Brother…’
Being locked up in that tall room…
Making holy water every day was boring.
But after coming to this mansion… I had friends and Brother.
I wasn’t lonely.
Estia made up her mind and shouted at the kneeling paladins,
“S-Sorry, paladins! I’m staying here! I’m not going back to the Church! The Church only gives me holy water! But here, I get other things too! I’m not going back!”
Estia grabbed Lee Jun-woo’s hand.
“We… need your help… the Church… needs your help… you said…”
The paladins, their eyes bloodshot, lunged at them, screaming,
“You… you ungrateful Saintess! Come back to the Church right now! We’re running out of holy water, damn it!!”
“Eek…!!”
He’s crazy!
Help me!
“Stay behind me.”
Lee Jun-woo reassured Estia and stepped forward.
“Estia, close your eyes until I tell you to open them.”
“O-Okay!”
Estia squeezed her eyes shut.
She heard the clash of swords and the paladins’ screams. But she kept her eyes closed, trusting Lee Jun-woo. There was no need to look.
‘…The sounds are fading! Is it over…?’
The fight ended quickly.
Lee Jun-woo took Estia’s hand.
“…It’s over. Let’s go home.”
“C-Can I open my eyes now?”
“…Not yet. Open them when I tell you to.”
Estia followed Lee Jun-woo with her eyes closed.
Around her were the bodies of the paladins, their bodies riddled with sword wounds.
As they left the blood-soaked alley, Estia asked,
“Brother, what would you have done if I had said I wanted to go back to the Church? Would you have let me go?”
“No. Even if you had said you wanted to go, I would have refused. I would have kidnapped you again.”
“Hmm, really? Hehe.”
I wasn’t sure if being kidnapped was a good thing, but! It made her happy!
Estia was pleased with his answer.
“Oh, right! Brother, I dropped my skewer! Buy me another one!”
“…”
“Answer me! Buy me one! I want another skewer!”
Estia whined.
Lee Jun-woo checked his wallet.
“Sigh… We need to eat dinner too, so just one.”
“Hehe, thanks, Brother!”
Estia, having gotten what she wanted, happily munched on her skewer as they walked home.
For a moment, she forgot all about holy water.
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After dinner, I rested in my room, thinking about the events of the day.
‘Mid-level paladins, skill-wise. But six of them was still quite a challenge.’
I almost got injured. Their effort was commendable.
Well, they were dead now, but… I shouldn’t underestimate paladins.
“My eye is the problem…”
It might be better to use magic from now on. It was less risky.
I got out of bed and opened my subspace. I retrieved a bottle of holy water.
“It’s evening… time to get this over with.”
It was time to grant Estia’s wish. If I delayed any longer, I might witness her “violent protests.”
I went to Estia’s room and knocked.
Knock, knock
“Estia, I’m coming in.”
-No! I won’t open the door unless you have it!
“I have the holy water.”
-Come in!
So holy water was the key to Estia’s room?
Not very cost-effective.
I opened the door and entered. Estia sat at her desk, looking at me with a serious expression.
“Where is it!?”
“Here.”
“Give it to me! Now!”
Estia held out her hands. But I wasn’t going to give it to her that easily.
It was time.
“Holy water! Give me holy water!”
“Estia, a teacher will be coming soon to teach you about divine power.”
“I want holy water more than a teacher! Give me holy water!”
“So, until then, we’ll train to control your withdrawal symptoms.”
“Give me holy water! Wait! Why is someone else teaching me, not you?”
“Because I can’t use divine power.”
Anyway…
I wasn’t going to give her the whole bottle at once.
I took out the item I had brought with me and showed it to Estia.
“A… a spoon!? D-Don’t tell me, Brother! You’re not asking me to drink holy water with that-“
“You guessed correctly, Estia.”
Normally, she would use a cup…
But today, a spoon. I scooped up some holy water with the spoon and brought it to Estia’s lips.
“Let’s try drinking holy water slowly.”
“T-This isn’t holy water! This is a lie!”
Estia wailed. And as I expected, drinking holy water with a spoon…
‘…must feel like torture…’
It was probably like drinking cola with a spoon.
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