Chapter 57
After leaving the Adventurers’ Guild, I passed through the church’s massive stone gate.
The cool, tranquil interior made the heat outside seem like a lie. The only sound echoing beneath the high ceiling was the dry tap of my leather shoes on the flagstones. Afternoon light streamed through the narrow slit windows, turning the dust dancing in the air into golden shafts.
I took a seat on the heavy wooden bench at the very back. The air was sharp with the scent of old beeswax candles and the dampness the stone walls had absorbed over hundreds of years.
Pretending to pray, I gently placed the fingers of my right hand against the pulse in my left wrist.
After a while, a priest appeared from behind the old altar. As he passed in front of me, he didn’t break stride, but made the same gesture of clasping his own wrist at his chest.
The priest disappeared into the imposing wooden confessional.
A few seconds later, I quietly drew open the curtain of that dim little room.
“It’s been a long time, Noah-sama.”
A faint scent of aloeswood drifted through the wooden lattice. From the darkness beyond came the faint rustle of clothing, followed by a quiet voice that sent a tremor through my eardrums.
“I’m glad to see you’re well. So Luciano-san was assigned to Millheim. It’s truly reassuring to have someone like you as our eyes here.”
I peered into the darkness of the cramped little room.
Luciano continued his questions in a prayerful posture.
“Now then, what brings you here today?”
“I plan to leave for Albusvolt soon. I wanted to report that—and… the Adventurers’ Guild may start looking into us before long. I’ve been a little conspicuous.”
“Understood. We’ll make the necessary preparations on our end. …As for the Guild’s inquiry into your identity, they already contacted us the other day. Naturally, I denied any connection to you, and took the opportunity to make sure they got the message.”
“Got the message?”
As I asked, I sensed a cool smile from beyond the lattice.
“I temporarily halted the dispatch of healers to the branch. I’m sure those people now understand firsthand what it means to have no clergy present.”
I couldn’t help giving a wry smile. The School seemed to have taken over the Relief Bureau completely.
“…Don’t overdo it, all right? The goal isn’t to make enemies.”
“I understand. We plan to lift the suspension shortly.”
“All right. I’ll do what I can on my end to win the Guild’s favor. The more they owe us, the easier it’ll be to get things done.”
Having said all I needed to, I brushed the dust from my knees and stood without a sound. As I listened to Luciano murmuring a low, false prayer behind me, I left the church, where the afternoon light streamed in.
I stepped out from the shadow of the stone church into the sunlit plaza.
Amid the crowd, a flash of “color” caught my eye.
It was Lyle, waving energetically when he spotted me.
“Hey, Noah! Over here!”
As Lyle hurried over, I saw a striking yellow-and-red scarf wound around his neck in such abundance that it was impossible to miss.
“What’s with the getup?”
“Oh, this? It’s the latest fashion in Millheim. A first-rate adventurer has to look intimidating, starting with his clothes. …What do you think? I look strong, right?”
Lyle placed a hand on the hilt of the sword at his waist and struck a pose with his legs spread wide.
Behind him, Elena tilted her head back with a deep sigh.
“You don’t look intimidating. You just look like a flashy show-off. If you go into the forest like that, you’ll be the monsters’ first target. Try learning the meaning of ‘stealth’ for once.”
Elena’s merciless words made Lyle’s face turn red.
He looked to Kai beside him for help, but Kai said nothing and quietly covered his eyes with one hand.
“Come on, Noah gets it, right?”
Lyle looked at me pleadingly.
“Yes. You’re really standing out.”
I said with a wry smile. Lyle puffed out his chest. “Right?”
But perhaps he couldn’t bear Elena’s stare and Kai’s silence, because he fiddled with the knot of his garish scarf again, nervously adjusting it.
“Honestly, you’re such an idiot.”
Seeing that, Elena finally burst out laughing, and Kai’s shoulders began to tremble faintly, too.
“Now that Noah’s back, let’s head back to the inn.”
With his face still bright red, Lyle strode off, his prized scarf fluttering behind him. Following after him, we set off across the flagstones once more, our laughter ringing out.