Episode 193
"Hmm..."
Opening my eyes, a wooden ceiling exuding a cozy atmosphere comes into view.
"...Meow."
"Mew..."
Also, a cat doll has crawled into my pajama pocket and is curled up purring, while Serena's white owl is nodding off by the window.
'I've roughly checked on the sub-heroines, so now I just need to meet Aisi and then I can rest? No, I need to keep the cult in check too... and I should visit the Western Continent at least once...'
Gazing softly at the familiar scene, I organize in my mind the things I need to do during this vacation as I rise from my seat.
"Kania."
I called Kania as I always did, but.
"Hm?"
When she didn't open the door and come in for some reason, I tilted my head in confusion.
"That's strange. Has she not returned home yet?"
For Kania, who would open the door and enter the moment I just put the first syllable 'Ka' of her name on my lips, to not come even after I called her full name means she's not at home.
Or perhaps, something has happened.
"Come to think of it, she wasn't home yesterday either."
Realizing that she wasn't home yesterday either, I started to get up from my seat with a slightly worried expression.
"Meow..."
But then, the cat doll that had been curled up in my pajama pocket carefully wrapped its tail around my arm and made a sorrowful sound.
"What is this."
Seeing the fellow looking especially pitiful today reminds me of Kania who gave it to me as a gift, making me feel even more unsettled.
Surely nothing has actually happened, right?
- Knock knock knock
While thinking such thoughts with my arm held captive by the cat doll, someone knocked.
"Kania?"
I asked with a slightly relieved expression, but the one who opened the door and entered the room wasn't Kania.
"Ah, hello...?"
It was Irina, her face dyed bright red.
"I, Irina?"
She was making an expression as if she wanted to crawl into a mouse hole right this instant.
"What... is that?"
She was wearing the maid outfit I had given her as a gift in the past, redesigned with a quite bold design.
No, come to think of it, the outfit itself wasn't particularly bold.
It only became bold because Irina, who always wore loose clothes and even a cloak so she never exposed her body, was wearing it.
"I, I told you."
So I was blankly staring for a moment when Irina gulped and spoke to me.
"That I wouldn't let you pretend to be indifferent anymore."
Hearing those words, I quickly pulled the blanket over myself, then slightly poked my head out and asked.
"Um, Irina. What's going on? What's with those clothes all of a sudden, and why did you come here?"
"...Just a moment."
When Irina cautiously waved her finger, the door opened automatically and a covered dish came floating over.
"I, I came to bring breakfast."
Holding the dish and approaching me, Irina answered like that and opened the lid, revealing the breakfast she had made.
"I, I tried making it... how is it?"
A mouthwatering omelet and milk with steam rising from it. It wasn't something I usually ate, but it was a menu more than satisfactory for breakfast.
"I, I'm not very confident with sandwiches... and they're a bit lacking. And coffee isn't good for the body, right? So I prepared this... d, do you like it?"
Watching my reaction while fidgeting anxiously, Irina asked with her face blushing.
"...Thank you."
I had been staring intently at the puppy shape and heart pattern she drew on the omelet, then answered with a slight smile.
"But I didn't know you could do this too? I thought you could only cook meat..."
"I, I can cook well too. I can do it as well as that saucy girl... no, as much as Kania. So, you can ask me anytime from now on."
When I asked out of sudden curiosity, Irina flared up and answered like that.
"Haah...!"
"Right, speaking of which, where's Kania?"
Only then remembering Kania again, I asked while holding the cat that was hissing, and Irina, who had been quietly glaring at the cat, opened her mouth.
"Kania is currently in the Western Continent."
"Western Continent!?"
Hearing those words, I raised my voice in surprise, and Irina quickly continued.
"Don't worry. She went with the imperial investigation team."
"Imperial investigation team?"
"Yes, of course it's not a typical imperial investigation team. It's an investigation team composed of Klana's confidants."
What does this mean? Why did Klana suddenly dispatch an imperial investigation team to the Western Continent, and why did Kania go along with them?
"The reason is simple. To intercept the artifacts in the Western Continent before the Demon Lord or the cult can obtain information about them."
When I harbored such questions and asked Irina, she began to explain.
"After finding all the undiscovered artifacts using knowledge from the previous cycles and securing the artifacts and information first, we'll leak false information to the cult and Demon Lord who arrive later."
"Hmm..."
"As for the artifacts already occupied by the cult... Kania and Klana's confidants will do something about them."
Hearing Irina's explanation, I could roughly understand Kania's trip to the Western Continent. For such tasks, there would be no one more excellent than her.
However, several questions still remain.
"Couldn't you use the Demon Lord's army that mistakes me for the Demon Lord?"
"In exchange, you can't give detailed orders. What they've brought so far were all meaningless antiques. And the Demon Lord's army strategist is still suspicious of you, right?"
"That's true."
Nodding at Irina's plausible explanation, I soon frowned and asked again.
"I understand that part but... why did you proceed with such a big matter without me?"
"...You're asking because you don't know?"
Then, letting out a short sigh, Irina pointed at me and said.
"If we had informed you of this fact, you would have pushed yourself again and participated in the plan to head to the Western Continent. It's obvious."
"That's..."
"You said it gets harder from 2nd year onwards. So, you need to rest as much as possible during this vacation."
Saying that, Irina sat down right next to me.
"Don't worry too much. Serena is personally commanding it. So don't pay any attention and just rest well."
She whispered like that while scooping up a spoonful of omelet and holding it out to me.
"...Haah."
"Is it tasty?"
"Chomp chomp..."
I opened my mouth without thinking and ate the omelet Irina fed me, then nodded to Irina who was gazing at me with a strange look.
"Hehe."
Then, she lowered her head slightly and let out a proud laugh.
"For the time being... I'll serve you."
Then remembering the omelet again, she looked at me and said.
"By the time I join over there, Klana will have returned from the Western Continent to take care of you."
"K, Klana? But the justification is..."
"...There's a plausible justification that she's visiting home to fulfill obligations to perform duties for her engagement candidate."
Muttering like that with a cold expression, Irina held out the spoon to me once more.
"Kania will come last. As punishment for daring to provoke like that... no, anyway, we decided that. We'll take turns serving you until the vacation ends in the order I just explained..."
"Meow...!"
"Be quiet."
Irina, who had been pushing the omelet into my mouth, spoke with cold eyes upon hearing the cat's cry.
"Frey, that cat is strange. Can I examine it a bit?"
"Meow!!"
"See that. I told you I sense a strange energy? I'll check this and that. It'll be over quickly."
It seems Irina really dislikes cats. Is it because she likes dogs?
- Swish...
Thinking such thoughts while quietly petting the head of the cat that had burrowed into my clothes and poked its head out, I spoke with a slight smile.
"Kania made this one with black magic. It's a cute one, so don't be too mean to it."
"...Ah."
At the same time, Irina, who had been blankly staring at the cat that stuck its tongue out.
"Do you hate dogs?"
Soon asked such a question.
"Well, um..."
"Dogs are just as cute as cats. So, please find them cute too. Don't just treat the human pet and cat well."
When I was hesitating with my answer, Irina, who had been glaring at the cat curled up in my arms right next to me, suddenly grabbed the fellow and started muttering.
"What's so good about this ominous and gloomy-looking cat anyway. A bright and cheerful dog is a hundred times better... ouch!"
Then, having her finger bitten by the cat doll, she made a blank expression seeing it quickly hide behind my back.
"Pfft."
Watching that sight, laughter naturally comes out.
At the beginning of this year, I never imagined such small and happy daily life. I just thought I would have to fight alone until the end.
Of course, my body has become very unwell from receiving the penalty, but still, right now I...
"Are you happy, Frey?"
"Hm?"
Suddenly Irina changed her expression to a serious one and asked me.
"Exactly as I said. Are you feeling happiness right now?"
Hearing that question, I closed my eyes for a moment and fell into thought.
"...It seems so."
With a faint smile, I leaned my head on Irina's shoulder who was next to me.
"Though countless difficult things will surely come in the future..."
I whispered in a low voice.
"At least at this very moment, I think I'm happy."
After saying that and closing my eyes with a smile while leaning on Irina for a moment.
"Mm, mmm..."
".....?"
Irina suddenly started twitching.
"We, we promised. It's not the time yet..."
"Irina?"
"F, Frey."
Looking at her worriedly, Irina gently took my hand.
"I, I don't know about the others... but I'm more confident than the other four, you know? You know originally I'm the most excellent, right?"
".....?"
"S, so... please choose me in the end. I'll do my best to make you feel good..."
She started speaking with her eyes spinning while placing my hand on her chest, but.
"Kuuuu!!!"
...Hiek!"
When the owl that had been dozing by the window suddenly opened its eyes wide and flew over to sit on my shoulder, she was startled and separated from me.
"Ah, I understand. I understand."
When the owl shook its head with a firm expression, Irina lowered her head with a sullen look.
"Kuu."
The owl, which had been glaring at Irina until the end, then held out a letter envelope to me.
"What is this?"
Opening the letter envelope, a letter came out along with a white ring.
- It's a couple ring. I'll prepare an even better wedding ring later.
Wondering what it was, I read the letter, and a sentence written in Serena's neat handwriting pierced my vision.
- Please decide for yourself which finger on which hand to wear it on.
"......."
Reading the letter in silence.
"But this..."
Looking at the ring shining white in my hand, I muttered with a trembling voice.
"...isn't this the Stone of Purity?"
The couple ring I received as a gift from Serena for the first time in my life seems to be a ring made by carving the Stone of Purity.
Where on earth did she get the Stone of Purity again?
- Ding!
While thinking such thoughts and quietly trying to push the ring onto my finger, a system window suddenly popped up before my eyes.
Isollet Arham Baiwork [Capture Rate: 79%]
Detailed information...
"I'm going crazy."
In just a few hours, Isollet's capture rate has increased quite a lot.
Just what has been happening to Isollet for the past few days?
.
Meanwhile at that time.
"I've looked here and there, but there's definitely no curse!"
"...Is that the truth."
"Yes! I, Peroloche, will guarantee it!"
Peroloche, who had diagnosed Isollet lying on the bed, was speaking with a lively expression.
"Hmm, hmm. By the way, Professor."
The bishop of the Sun God cult, who had been quietly clearing his throat beside Peroloche.
"What do you think about the proposal we presented last time..."
Asked a question to Isollet, who was looking at him with dissatisfaction.
"I definitely sent a letter to Peroloche."
"No matter how personal a matter, it's only right for the cult to accompany the Saintess's movements. That is the natural duty we must fulfill toward the Saintess..."
"Stop that talk."
When the words were getting long, Isollet cut off his words firmly and asked in a low voice.
"So, the youngest holy knight admires me that much?"
"That's right. He wants to receive training as your disciple right now. If only the Professor permits..."
The bishop, hearing those words, started explaining with a slight smile.
"...Let me think about it a little more."
When Isollet answered like that, she frowned slightly and responded.
"Why are you delaying the answer so much? It shouldn't be that difficult a matter. And, given your current situation, isn't it a condition where you can't refuse in the first place?"
Hearing the bishop's complaints, Isollet.
"If it's just a disciple, that's one thing, but... if I take on a full-time disciple..."
Quietly stroking the beloved sword Frey had given her as a gift, she muttered.
"...I think my mind will be troubled in many ways."
"I see."
The bishop, hearing those words.
"It will be different if you meet directly. I'll bring the fellow to visit before long."
He began persuading with a benevolent expression.
"He's a child who will participate in the soon-to-be-held 'Verification Ceremony' and also in the hero party... oh my, this was confidential. Anyway, that's how promising his future is."
"......."
"Moreover, he's bright, cheerful, and pure. For you, famous as a solitary swordswoman, he would be quite helpful..."
"If you're done with your business, won't you please leave."
However, Isollet turned to the side and said that.
"...I'll visit again before long."
"Goodbye~!"
The bishop and Peroloche had no choice but to leave her room.
".........."
Isollet, who maintained silence for a long while after that.
"Promising future, and bright, cheerful, and pure..."
Soon muttered in a sullen voice.
"...It's a type I've seen somewhere a lot."
It was right at that point that her capture rate displayed on Frey's system window reached 80 percent.