Chapter 52
The story continues off the page
Floaties for Everyone
Swim lesson at the water park, and she's demonstrating on you
On the 4th floor, there are places all across the Lazesta Continent where demons lie asleep.
This is kept strictly secret, because whether intentionally or not, someone might awaken a demon.
One of them.
Sailos Cathedral.
A golden sphere was sealed beneath the cathedral.
In respect for the holy knights' devotion, the weapons they had used to seal the demon were planted before the seal.
A sword, a spear, and a shield.
Thick, hazy smoke filled the golden sphere.
Normally, it should have been sleeping peacefully.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
The demon Arhelak, who had awakened a few days ago, had been pounding on the barrier nonstop.
“A-what should we do, Archbishop?”
“…….”
Even at Sister Maria's question, the Archbishop couldn't bring himself to answer. He gripped his staff tightly and shut his eyes hard as he prayed, but no one heard him.
Most of the gods of the Lazesta Continent had died 1,500 years ago during the Liberation War.
So these prayers were not directed at the gods.
Hope, dreams, the future, life.
Things that serve as hope for humans.
They do not ask the gods for power. They only vow that they themselves will overcome it.
“Should we request support from another cathedral?”
At Maria's question, the Archbishop gave a gloomy reply.
“We already did.”
“Huh? Then—”
“But Arhelak is also a relatively less dangerous demon. Apparently, the other sealed demons also wake up once in a while and then fall asleep again.”
“Huh? So this isn't unusual?”
“So they say.”
But the worry on the Archbishop's gaunt face was plain to see.
Was it really true?
Had it simply woken up for a moment?
Would it fall asleep again if enough time passed?
Questions bubbled up above her head like bubbles, but Maria couldn't argue against it.
Because the other bishops had said so.
It was probably right to just go along with it.
“So, Maria, there's no need to worry too much. It's late, so go to sleep.”
“Yes, understood.”
She answered that way, but her feet refused to move.
The Archbishop looked at Maria for a moment, then left first.
“…….”
Left alone, Maria.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
The demon's ceaseless attempts to break the barrier felt like a heartbeat, and also like war drums announcing the start of battle.
Beneath the barrier, three weapons came into view.
The legends of three people from less than fifty years ago.
“Holy Knight.”
The three who had died gloriously after fighting the demon.
Maria knelt before the sword of Holy Knight Dukarion and closed her eyes.
Again, the Lazesta Continent does not pray to the gods.
“Holy Knight Dukarion.”
So their wishes are directed only toward people, and reach only people.
“Like the day you protected me when I was still a small child.”
Please.
“Please protect us.”
After finishing her brief prayer, Maria slowly stood up and did a little cleaning inside.
Before she left, she fled in fright, feeling as though the demon's red eyes were watching her from within the hazy smoke of the golden sphere.
“Eeek!”
She'd tried to act tough, but maybe it really was too much for her?
Because she respected Holy Knight Dukarion, she'd taken the sealing room cleaning duty, but she was suddenly dying to hand it off to someone else.
When she stepped into the room, her roommate nun, Hella, was lying on Maria's bed.
She had clearly lost rock-paper-scissors and agreed to use the top bunk, yet every day she lay in the lower bunk.
She was even smiling while looking at her phone, a piece of what could only be called modern technology.
“You're going to wrinkle my blanket!”
“Oh, you're here? Maria, look at this. Isn't it amazing?”
“What now? If it's another animation about someone getting eaten by a giant like last time, it's not funny.”
Why did people on the 3rd floor watch that kind of thing?
Turning being eaten by a gigantic beast into entertainment.
For us, it's a matter of survival.
“Not that. What do you think about our praise team doing something like this too?”
“Praise team?”
Because she was the praise team leader, Maria poked her head over with interest.
Then she saw women dancing in choreography, wearing almost nothing!
“Good grief!? What is this! What am I looking at!”
“Ack! Agh! Don't hit me! This is called an idol. Seriously, aren't these girls gorgeous?”
“What's gorgeous about them? For nuns who are supposed to train body and mind and keep themselves pure, this kind of thing—”
The idols on Hella's fallen phone kept dancing.
Maria stared blankly at them, as if she had suddenly been possessed.
“What, why are you looking so serious? Fine, I won't watch it, so don't snitch to the bishop—”
“Th-this! Who is this person?”
Maria hurriedly pointed at the woman dancing in the center of the phone screen.
“Huh? That's Seo Hajin, the leader of an idol group called Prism—”
“Seo Hajin? More importantly, this! Don't you know what this is?”
The faint golden glow dimly visible behind Seo Hajin.
Hella answered blankly, not understanding what Maria meant.
“This? It's lighting, you know, something that shines. On the 3rd floor, when we perform on stage, we use separate—”
“No! No, no, no! This isn't just lighting!”
The light she had seen even in her dreams.
The great power of the saints, said to be usable only by the chosen ones.
“It's divine power!”
* * *
“…….”
“Ahem, khup.”
Meracle's consultation room.
Over the paperwork, I shot a sidelong glance at the man sitting in front of me.
His name was Kim Deokgu.
Gender: male.
Age: 49.
There were several things in the file I wanted to point out, but by far the most eye-catching was his weight.
213 kg.
His obesity was obvious at a glance, and our chair was trembling.
“Huu, khup! Huu, huuk!”
Even while sitting still, he seemed short of breath, breathing heavily with odd sniffing sounds mixed in here and there.
“Ahem, Mr. Kim Deokgu.”
“Ah, khup! Y-yes!”
Look at that, so energetic.
“Well, as you know, you're a bit older. And with your weight, it's hard to get a good ranking for looks.”
“Khup! But don't young women like dependable men? Like a bear?”
“Ah, yes. But there are still certain standards for that. Ah, I see you didn't fill out the occupation field separately, but perhaps—?”
“I-I work in distribution. Khup.”
“Distribution? What kind, if you don't mind my asking?”
“I sell weapons. A-and armor. Potions too.”
“Oh? So you work in military supplies?”
That sector would probably make quite a bit of money.
“Khup! Ah, no. I make a living selling game items. Khup!”
“…….”
Dammit.
What am I supposed to do with this?
Someone please give me a miracle.
I think I'm about to sweat.
For reference, Mr. Deokgu was already sweating buckets.
“Ahem, Kim Yang-a. Bring him a towel.”
I opened the door, poked my head out, and called for Kim Yang. Kim Yang peeked inside, then deliberately took the towel I used instead of the one she uses and brought it in.
“Wipe off your sweat. The office is pretty hot, right?”
“Khup! Ah, yes.”
By the way, Kim Yang was wearing a coat because she said she was cold.
“By any chance, do you have any assets set aside?”
“A-assets. Khup! A Full Metal Gauntlet and—”
“Not game items. Cash, real estate, stocks, cars. That sort of thing.”
“…….”
“…….”
An awkward silence.
The man spoke as if he'd been waiting for that.
“I'm the president of the Spectrum fan club! Khup!”
“Ah, I see.”
Spectrum.
It was the name of the fan club for the female idol group Prism.
I knew that so well because a total of five Spectrum members had come in today.
“A-about that, Mr. Deokgu. Let me tell you first.”
I closed the file folder.
“Y-yes?”
“Seo Hajin did not come here. And even if you register as a member, you still wouldn't be matched with Seo Hajin.”
“……Why not?”
Why, you ask.
Do I really have to say it out loud for you to be satisfied?
How far are you going to make me out to be a bad person?
“Ahem, in any case, we can't accept registrations that are aimed at a specific customer. Sorry.”
“Khup! There isn't anyone who loves Hajin as much as I do.”
“That may be true.”
I won't deny it.
“But you know marriage isn't a one-way street. You also have to think about Seo Hajin's feelings.”
“Khup! I'm really confident I can make Hajin happy.”
This conversation isn't getting through at all.
“Haah, let me say this again: Hajin hasn't registered as a member with us.”
“B-but the word was going around among the Spectrum leadership. Khup! That Hajin seemed like she'd register here.”
Leadership?
“Who exactly is it?”
“That's a secret. Khup!”
“If you tell me, I'll let just you know separately when Hajin comes in.”
“Khup! Khup!”
What is that?
A pressure cooker?
“I heard there was an insider. I don't know the details either, but they told me Hajin had been looking at a business card from here.”
“……That's it?”
“Y-yes! That's all.”
Look at him stammering because he's excited.
In the end, he didn't seem to know the details, so I soothed him and sent Mr. Deokgu back.
Just in case, I even brought up the membership fee, but he said he couldn't afford it right now because of Seo Hajin's 'Goodbye Concert' tickets, so he didn't register.
Thud.
The door closed.
“Kim Yang-a! Open a window and air the place out!”
“I-I already am. I-I am.”
“Uwaaah! Elves have sensitive noses!”
Kim Yang hurriedly opened the window, and Renea, who had been crouching in a corner clutching her nose, was there too.
I'm really sorry to say it, but there really was a sour smell.
Isn't washing up before going out again basic courtesy no matter where you go?
“Wow, they said idol fans were scary when they got obsessed, and it was true.”
“Th-there. It's really sca-scary.”
Kim Yang shuddered as she sprayed air freshener.
“It really is difficult. I don't want to judge people by appearance, but someone like that is a bit—”
At that moment, Kim Yang and I both looked at Renea.
“Uh, Ms. Renea? I think there's something you need to know.”
“Hmm? What is it? Could it be sashimi bibimbap again for lunch today?!”
To the beaming Renea, who was full of anticipation, I carefully chose my words.
“People like that usually get an F grade.”
“I suppose so?”
“You know you're an F grade too, right?”
“…….”
Renea's smiling face froze.
She seemed to finally realize what I was trying to say.
“Ms. Renea might also have a chance of being matched with people like that—she's taking out her bow! Stop her! Kim Yang, stop her!”
“C-calm down! Calm down!”
The two of us lunged together to stop Renea as she suddenly whipped out a bow.
A little later, after we barely managed to calm Renea down, she went out to get some air, still huffing.
“Haa, why am I so drained even though we don't have any customers today?”
“A-agreed.”
Nodding, Kim Yang stole a sidelong glance at me.
“B-but boss.”
“Why.”
By the way, I paid the money back.
A bit from stocks going up, and a lot from the customers who flooded in thanks to the Luminous Plaza ad this time.
“S-so, Seo Hajin... she won't come, right?”
“…….”
After glancing around to check whether anyone was listening, I casually held out my phone.
On it was a chat with Seo Hajin, where we were arranging a schedule.
That's right.
She had already contacted us.
“……?!”
Kim Yang stared at the screen in shock.
“R-really?”
“Yeah, Kim Yang-a. Let's try to land a big score too.”
An idol, no less.
Even if 27 is considered old in the idol industry, in the marriage market it's still young and fresh.
“B-but why is she looking for a, a matchmaking agency?”
“Well, everyone has their own circumstances, don't they?”
Kim Yang's question was reasonable, but if they're the ones spending money, was there any need to nitpick?
“B-but what if that customer from earlier comes again?”
“Deokgu? Tch, can't be helped. Even if it's hard to introduce him to Seo Hajin, we should find him someone suitable.”
“Possible?”
“If you look for the strengths, there's probably one or two.”
“Wh-what is it?”
“…….”
“…….”
A brief silence fell.
Then I snapped out of it and slammed my hand on the desk with a bang.
“Kim Yang-a! They could be a potential customer, and that's how you're going to judge them? They're someone who's working hard to live their life too!”
“W-we're in the business of judging people.”
“……That's true, but still, you can't talk about them behind their back like this. Got it?”
“Ah, okay. So, the strength. What is it?”
Strength, huh.
I wracked my brain and barely managed to come up with something.
“His stutter is kind of cute? Ah! You stutter too. You're similar.”
* * *
Renea came into the office after agonizing over the future to the fullest.
If she couldn't live as an F grade, then she'd have to work hard from here on out, so she rekindled her motivation.
“Boss, Kim Yang! I'm back. I was a little sensitive earli—”
Bam! Bam!
At first, I thought someone was hammering nails somewhere.
But that wasn't it.
Kim Juseon was crouched in a chair and being mercilessly headbutted by Kim Yang.
“W-who—! Who—!”
“Ack!? My bad—kkuuk!”
“Similar?”
“Don't do it! The boss will die!”
“Paseee-!”
“Bossaaaah!”