Ganic, the serious child-father, indeed understood the baby monster's heart well. It seemed the creature perceived him as something close to a doll or toy, but... if he himself said he liked it, what could be done?
"There doesn't seem to be anything particularly dangerous, so you're free to wander around."
"But Captain, we need to protect you."
"You said this is a place filled with memories. If you wander around, your memories might return too."
At my words, Palides hesitated for a moment. Then, twisting his body awkwardly, he slowly stepped backward.
"Then I'll go take a look for a moment. There's a place I vaguely remember and want to confirm..."
[I'll go take a look as well, Captain!]
Palides and Tristan moved somewhere first. Following them, Nadab, who had been fidgeting, also asked for my understanding and turned away.
Seeing the Dullahans looking excited somewhere, I felt a strange mood. Perhaps because it felt like confirming these guys were the Twelve Sinners.
Ignoring my complicated feelings, I turned my head. I was walking along the first-floor corridor, and at some point, I had entered a walkway connected to the central courtyard.
In the center of the rather desolate courtyard was something unclear whether it was a fountain or a pond.
[Ah!]
The baby Lizardman who discovered the water jumped in before I could stop him. Thanks to that, Ganic who was being held also fell into the water together.
[Argh, this guy!]
[Gyuu!]
[Ack, wait! Captain! Ah!]
The baby Lizardman grabbed Ganic's shell and splashed around doggy-paddling. Jigor, who looked pityingly at Ganic being shaken senselessly, imitated Ganic's tone of speech and spoke with feigned dignity.
[Since that's how it is, just play in the water. Kids need to tire themselves out playing to sleep early anyway.]
[Jigor! Ah, wait a minute!]
"Play well, Ganic."
[Even you, Captain! Wait, baby! Don't shake so hard! I'm getting motion sickness!]
Having cheered on Ganic who was caught in an inescapable trap, I immediately turned around with Jigor. The desperate calls from Ganic heard behind my back must be auditory hallucinations.
[Seriously, everyone's not even kids, getting excited over a familiar place.]
Upon reaching past the corridor to where Ganic's shouts couldn't be heard, Jigor muttered in a pathetic tone.
Even so, Jigor was also continuously looking around the surroundings.
This place seemed to be a chapel.
Walking leisurely across the center toward the podium, I asked Jigor indirectly.
"Aren't you going to look around?"
[I am the dignified knight Jigor! I won't be shaken by this level of memory!]
I laughed at Jigor's appearance shouting valiantly for once. When I held out my palm, Jigor quickly sat down and fluffed his fur threateningly.
He seemed to be shrugging his shoulders in his own way, but he only looked like a round black fur ball.
"Jigor."
[Yes!]
I looked down at Jigor who answered spiritedly while looking up at me.
This child is one of the prophets who betrayed God?
"By any chance you..."
"Lady Anelli!"
[Huh!]
Surprised by the sudden call, I shook my body greatly. I almost dropped Jigor! If Jigor's wings hadn't healed, it would have been a big problem.
"Oh, sorry."
[It's fine, Captain!]
Jigor, who answered vigorously, flew up above the chapel as if to prove he was fine. Having confirmed his intact wings and feeling relieved, I frowned and looked behind.
The one who ran into the chapel was Xenon.
"Suddenly...!"
"Lady Anelli, Lady Anelli!"
At the extremely urgent call, I missed the timing to get angry. He didn't seem to see my frowning face as he shouted fussily.
"Lady Anelli, something is strange here!"
"Hmm?"
I forgot I was going to scold him and hardened my expression seriously. Xenon looked around with a completely frightened expression and bowed his head toward me.
The voice whispering quietly was very serious.
"There's a ghost."
My tensed nerves went limp and a sigh came out. A ghost, really.
"It's true."
I gazed at his endlessly serious golden eyes and shook my head while turning my body.
"Lady Anelli!"
"Yeah, this place is quite old and gloomy."
I answered dryly and resumed walking.
It's a place untouched by human hands for a long time, so some people might feel a creepy atmosphere. Since Xenon is very cowardly by nature, such fuss isn't surprising.
Looking around again after hearing Xenon's words, the surroundings were certainly eerie. Dust-covered chairs looked like they'd break immediately if one barely sat on them, and on the front wall where holy statues should have been, only black stains remained.
Cracked murals had faded colors making it hard to guess their original shapes.
Stained glass that should have beautifully shone in sunlight was also broken in places. If it had been intact, it would have been pretty.
"Aren't you scared, Lady Anelli?"
"No."
"But I'm scared."
"So?"
"Can't you hold my hand?"
Wondering what nonsense this was, I looked back at Xenon, and he gazed at me with quite pitiful eyes.
"Where did you leave Nesi to be alone..."
At the absurd feeling, a hollow laugh came out. I, who was going to scold him coldly, ended up sighing and held out one hand. Xenon, who had been pale with fear, brightened up and quickly grabbed my hand.
Cool fingers entangled. It felt exactly like being wrapped in vines.
"By the way, have you looked around?"
"Looked around?"
As if hearing it for the first time, he asked back with a puzzled voice.
"You said you'd check."
"Ah, yes."
"Is there no problem?"
"Yes."
The answer seemed somewhat insincere so I glanced at him, and he noticed my gaze and faced me. When our eyes met, his eyes curved greatly.
"Why?"
Xenon was originally quite expressive in daily life too. He showed immediate and clear reactions to even small stimuli.
In that sense, this smile now could be said to be nothing special but...
I felt a strange sense of unease for some reason. While tilting my head and looking fixedly, he suddenly led me.
"What kind of hole is this?"
Since my hand was held, I ended up being dragged by him to atop the podium. I couldn't tell from far away, but approaching the podium, I could confirm the collapsed floor.
The pitch-black hole looked exactly like a giant monster's maw. The cross-section of the broken floor was sharp and pointed, making it look even more so.
'Cold air seems to rise.'
While approaching, stone fragments I accidentally kicked lightly bounced and rolled into the hole.
We reflexively held our breath and pricked our ears. No sound of falling was heard.
I don't know if it's because the fallen stone was small, or because it was deep enough that sound couldn't be heard.
"The bottom isn't visible. Is it deep?"
"...Who knows."
I don't know if it's deep or not, but I certainly thought one mustn't fall in. Jigor, who noticed my reluctant feeling, asked indirectly.
"Aren't you curious?"
"Not particularly."
There must be a basement below. With such a large hole, surely the surrounding ground isn't safe either.
I tried to step back immediately, but Xenon was holding me so I couldn't move away.
"You can let go of my hand now."
"But I'm still scared."
"Don't lie. You're smiling right now."
Who would believe you're scared with that face.
When I firmly cut off his whining and tried to shake off his hand, Jigor, who had been looking around above the chapel, fluttered down. It was perfect timing.
"If you don't let go, I'll tell Jigor to peck you with his beak."
"Hey."
"I'm serious."
Thinking it worked out well, I called Jigor to my side and threatened, and Xenon pursed his lips. Even so, seeing laughter in his golden eyes, he didn't seem completely sulky.
He must think I'm saying empty words. I'm serious though.
[Captain?]
"Jigor, done looking around?"
[Yes, but Captain.]
Jigor, who circled around me once, asked with a puzzled voice.
[Who are you having a conversation with?]
"Who, obviously..."
I, who was about to answer indifferently, hesitated.
'Asking who I'm having a conversation with?'
I looked at Jigor's dark eyes and slowly turned my gaze. Xenon's white, cool hand gripping mine was visible.
Following his arm up with my eyes, I could confirm Xenon's face smiling gently.
"I told you."
The face I thought had turned pale from fear. But looking carefully, it wasn't simply a matter of emotion. The skin looked bloodless and flaky, and the area under his eyes was slightly darkened.
Xenon, no. 'Something disguised as Xenon' smiled even more brightly seeing my stiffened expression.
When lips that were torn unusually long moved, a kind voice rang strangely in my ears.
"I told you there's a ghost here."
I swallowed my breath and hurriedly shook off that hand.
"Jigor! Transform!"
[Yes? Yes!]
Jigor flustered and returned to Dullahan form. The moment I raised my head to confirm the Dullahan's appearance and was about to point to catch this guy immediately.
In the few seconds I briefly took my eyes off, the guy was gone.
* * *
Xenon and Samuel were in the central lobby directly connected to the monastery entrance.
"Uh, Lady Anelli!"
The moment I saw Xenon who discovered me and raised his hand in welcome, I stopped walking without realizing. At my figure stopping awkwardly, Xenon made a puzzled expression.
"Why are you doing that?"
"Xenon?"
"Yes?"
"Is it really you?"
"...Yes?"
That vacant answer and those blinking golden eyes were definitely Xenon. But the fake Xenon I met a while ago had also naturally mimicked that sloppy atmosphere.
I looked over Samuel and Xenon's faces dryly, but nothing strange was visible.
But due to the earlier incident, distrust had taken root in my mind. After pausing briefly, I suddenly held out my hand.
"Hand."
Surprised by the sudden words, Xenon nevertheless reflexively placed his hand on my palm.
His bare hand, which he had removed his gloves to sense magic, was bigger and harder than I thought. Also, warm heat circulated faintly.