𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟔: 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐎𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐫
Stiffen your back, and recall your recent actions. I might have made a mistake, being too excited for Jude’s return.
I should have pulled myself together since I’m leaving soon. Sweat drips down my back.
But the words I received were not of criticism.
“That’s not it. There’s something I want to talk about. . .However, it’s a bit difficult to discuss in the dormitory, so shall we have tea at my favorite shop?”
“Y-Yes!”
What could be difficult to talk about in the dormitory?
While wondering, I return along the path I just passed, holding my belongings. I walk straight through the alley, passing the turn to the clothing store. Then, after walking about fifteen minutes from the church, I finally turn right and continue through the intricate path.
“Here we are.”
I wonder how long it took to reach the destination. I feel like my sense of time faded along the way. I don’t even remember the directions.
Olivier-sama stopped in front of a hut-like place rather than a shop. Moreover, it’s quite run-down. There is no signboard, and even the lights are not on.
If the person who brought me here wasn’t someone Olivier-sama respects, I would have run away immediately.
As I gaze at the shop with a slightly open mouth, Olivier-sama calmly enters inside. I hurriedly follow her through the door.
The moment I step inside the shop, my field of vision suddenly becomes vibrant.
“Wow, amazing. . .”
“Fufu, surprised? The entire shop is enchanted. Uninvited guests can never enter, and if you enter a private room, conversations won’t leak outside. It’s perfect for confidential talks.”
I wonder if there are any disguises on the exterior, and inside the shop as well.
Speaking of enchantments, the magic I used at the church was mainly physical enhancement and healing magic. But I learned from Olivier-sama that there are other uses for enchantments. Enchantments are the most versatile magic, filled with possibilities.
How many enchantments are being used in this shop alone? I can’t even begin to guess what kind of effects these enchantments have. I can only marvel at the splendid interior.
“Olivier-sama, we’ve been waiting for you.”
We are guided by the shop staff and led to a private room. At that time, I catch a glimpse of the menu placed at the edge of the table where Olivier-sama had ordered iced tea, but there is no price written on it.
The glass that is brought to us immediately is exquisitely crafted, exuding an air of luxury.
I hope it’s a price I can afford. . .I stroke the wallet that has a little extra money inside, even over my clothes.
“Actually, after the apprentices left the church, I was assigned to the Demon Realm as a support for a certain Wizard. The duration is not fixed, but I don’t have much time left either. I will probably remain in the Demon Realm until I die.”
“Olivier-sama. . .”
“I’ve been working at the church ever since my powers manifested when I was young, aiming to become a Great Saint. I thought I could finally live as I pleased. But then I was told to go to the Demon Realm. . .There are so many places I want to see and landscapes I want to witness. I also want to visit the graves of my departed family and friends.”
As Olivier-sama spoke, her hands trembled. I don’t fully understand the circumstances surrounding her, being a noble with immense power, but it’s absolutely absurd that she can’t even freely visit her family’s graves.
Her other wishes are truly modest. After dedicating herself to the country for so long, it’s too cruel to still be told to work more and more.
“I apologize for asking such a thing of you, young one, but could you work as my substitute for two years?”
“If it’s me, I’ll do it!”
“Are you sure? I feel strange asking after requesting it, but the destination is the Demon Realm, you know? You might not be able to return for two years.”
Surprised by my immediate decision, Olivier-sama becomes hesitant. But for me, who doesn’t have a clear destination or job prospects, not being able to return for two years is not a big deal.
Two years is almost the same as the period I spent in the capital as an Apprentice Saint.
The time I spent just waiting and the time I can be of use to the person I respect. The latter is definitely something I can be proud of in the future.
Besides, even during my time in the capital, despite exchanging letters, I never once went home. And yet, now that it has come to this, it’s doubtful if I can even show my face in the village in the future.
At least for now, it’s impossible. Mainly because my mental state can’t handle it. So any reason that allows me not to return is a positive piece of information for me.
If there is any anxiety about going to the Demon Realm, it would be whether I can properly fulfill my role as Olivier-sama’s substitute.
She was chosen to go to the Demon Realm because she must have been excellent. I, on the other hand, am nowhere near her level. That’s only natural. Anyone in the church knows that I’m not someone who can catch up after just a few years of work. In the first place, it’s strange enough that I’m in charge of supervising the Saint apprentices.
Still, if I can give back even a little of what I received from Olivier-sama, I’m willing to offer those two years of a discarded woman. I gently envelop her trembling hands with both of mine and brightly smile, saying, “Two years will pass in the blink of an eye.”
