As soon as I returned to the village, I reported the demon sighting to Uncle Hans.
A vigilante group was immediately formed, and an evacuation order was issued for civilians to quickly evacuate from the hill.
In the end, the picnic ended ambiguously.
"Rea, where did that demon go?"
"......I was so flustered that I don't remember well. I was busy running away."
"Well, it's fortunate you're safe."
Chait had cleaned up all the demon's remains.
Before erasing the traces on the forest path, he told me to keep my eyes closed just like at first.
When I didn't comply with that request, he embraced my head with one hand, blocked my vision, and finished everything.
"But it's strange. There shouldn't be anything here for demons to target."
"Why?"
"As you know, we're far from temples."
Uncle Hans pointed to the southern Nemper Mountain Range.
"Demons go crazy just seeing priests. That's why they occasionally appear in the south and the capital. The few remaining in the north are regularly dealt with by subjugation teams organized by His Grace the Grand Duke."
Ah, right. That's how it was.
They say the most irreverent and the most faithful, the two extremes actually connect? Demons simply couldn't resist anything with faith.
Even if not priests or clergy, believers with holy power or village saints who were revered were also among their main prey.
Conversely, the power to deal with such demons was also divine power.
But here in the north was a place that used magic power rather than holy power as its main source energy. Since there weren't many targets that demons would find attractive in the first place, their population was naturally significantly lower.
Indeed, there hadn't been even traces of demons for the past few years.
"Chait."
After Uncle Hans disappeared, I spoke to him who was firmly guarding my side.
"Yes, Sister."
"Could the demon appearing also be because of your holy power?"
"......Yes."
"I see."
Then was my near encounter with a demon eight years ago also because I was with Chait?
"I'm sorry."
He made a troubled expression.
"Why are you sorry?"
"You were put in danger because of me. I tried to make sure this would never happen again after that day."
He furrowed his eyebrows.
I patted his back.
"It's not your fault. It's not like you were playing a flute in front of a snake pit, and have you ever seen a person apologize when mosquitoes come to suck blood?"
"......"
"Don't apologize for every single thing that didn't happen by your will. Of course, I'll properly collect payment for sealing my memories."
"I'll do anything. You can hit me like before until your anger subsides."
"Don't speak carelessly. If it's a broom, I've already switched to a sturdy one."
"That's fine."
Chait bowed his head deeply.
"If I can be forgiven that way."
"......Enough, go back and give me a massage instead."
I said without looking back at him.
I heard the sound of him swallowing beside me. Then laughter like a sigh scattered softly from his lips.
"As much as you want. If it's something like that, I could do it for a lifetime."
"A lifetime is a bit......"
I pulled my lips while crossing my arms.
The future is still unclear, I've gained nothing, and we're being swept along, but Chait was still the Chait I knew.
"I might ask about your past again someday. About what you were doing in the south too."
When I become convinced that the future won't flow in the direction I know. When I feel responsible for correcting it.
Then I'd have to sell my own services to find another way.
"Answer me properly then. I'll give you plenty of time to prepare."
"......"
Chait's gaze grew distant.
His red eyes stared at the sunset-tinged peaks of the Nemper Mountains.
If you take a train around that mountain range, you can reach Kahiten territory.
Go down a bit more from there and you'll reach the capital where the imperial palace and Bringston marquis family's townhouse are located, and if you go even further down......
"You did go to the south, right?"
I had exchanged several letters with Chait during that time. All the correspondence had southern resort addresses stamped on them.
I thought this guy was living well and properly at the seaside with the money I gave him.
"Did you do something else there?"
"If by something else, what exactly are you referring to?"
Judging from what we just experienced, the possibility that Chait has connections to Arkidne Temple has increased.
If Chait had been confined in a southern temple during his childhood, then I would have pushed this child back into a terrible nightmare.
"......"
Even while asking about his past, I was afraid to know his past.
Afraid that he might have spent three miserable years 'because of me.'
"For instance......"
I raised my voice a tone and chattered cheerfully.
"Like meeting a quack theologian and studying temple matters, or meeting a quack healer and learning how to handle divine power, or meeting a quack monk and awakening sacred arts under a waterfall?"
It was an intentional joke to change the subject.
Chait's lips seemed to part slightly, then closed tightly again.
Looking at it......
'He's holding back laughter again.'
"Couldn't you think of something a bit more realistic and creative?"
"......"
So you've decided not to beat around the bush anymore.
What exactly do you need to eat to have realistic yet creative ideas?
"......Ah!"
I asked mischievously.
"Did you date a female priest?"
Yeah, this is just my wishful thinking.
"Hey, it's okay. These days the secular world isn't bad either, so try persuading her well."
"Who is there?"
Chait suddenly lifted his chin, took a deep breath until his shirt buttons were about to pop, and looked at me with eyes that said I was pathetic.
If there isn't anyone, then there isn't—is there really a need to roll your eyes like you're looking at stupid livestock?
Really hurting people's feelings.
"What about you, Sister?"
"Huh?"
I flinched momentarily at the sudden question.
"I told you before. My standards are too high, so marriage is out of the question."
"Then what if."
Chait unnecessarily paused before asking.
"What if a man who meets your ideals appeared, would you marry him?"
"My ideal type?"
What nonsense is this kid suddenly spouting?
"Yes. As you said before, a man in his late 180cm height who's reliable, rich, and powerful."
Wow, this kid's memory is no joke.
I nodded and responded, picking up words I vaguely remembered babbling myself.
"If such a man liked me, of course it would be wonderful, but......"
Even if there was one, I probably couldn't marry him anyway.
But since there obviously won't be one, I didn't bother adding more words.
"So you're saying you would?"
"Well......"
While mumbling at the near-interrogation, I suddenly felt this wasn't right.
"So there's no girlfriend in the south?"
"There isn't."
"No hidden children either?"
"Why would there be such a...... No."
"Oh dear."
It's already early March.
'I wish the heroine had a setting of being a seven-month baby. Then I could buy a few more months.'
How exactly was Corellia born in the original story? What kind of amazing woman melted this stone-like guy?
I'd like to know that secret.
'Then I could pass it on to other girls to at least create some possibilities.'
At this rate, it'll be a catastrophe.
"Chait, do you know about 'Wooshimgyeol'......"
"I don't want to."
"Gah! Don't you know any words other than 'I don't want to'?"
"No."
Chait slightly turned his head and said to me.
"I like you."
"......"
A strange expression and calm gaze. Too bland for a confession, too embarrassing for a joke—I ended up shrinking my neck.
"Well, thank you."
It became somewhat awkward for some reason. I should just say I like you too, but why am I hesitating over something like this?
Ahem. I covered my mouth with my fist, coughed a few times, then patted Chait's back.
"Don't be like that, and if there's a good person, just tell me anytime."
"As I've told you dozens of times before, even if heaven and earth were to turn upside down, that will never happen."
"This time too, it's because I......"
"Yes."
The guy interrupted my words with a smile.
"Because you won't marry, Sister."
"Huh."
Is it my fault again?
Just as I was clenching my fist to hit him, Chait continued.
"Ah, maybe not anymore."
"Huh?"
"Didn't you say you'd marry if your ideal type appeared?"
"Ah, that's......"
"Sister, you might get married."
What kind of nonsense is this?
Marriage already went far across the water due to matching failure, and even if there was someone, there's no way a reliable, rich, powerful man in his late 180cm height—as Chait mentioned and I probably said—would suddenly pop up in this rural corner.
In the end, it's all just pipe dreams and nothing more than Chait's ridiculous excuse repertoire.
The northern region's greatest gossip lover, Baroness Marianne Delin, was genuinely sorry that the owner of her longtime regular cafe was single.
So pretty with such a bright future, yet she'll grow old and die without a partner!
That's something this Marianne (love messenger) absolutely cannot tolerate.
During a peaceful family dinner, Baroness Delin lamented to her husband, Baron Delin.
"Honey, I've been thinking all day. No matter how much I think about it, I don't know."
"Mm, this trout tastes amazing."
"Isn't there a good way to help our Miss Rea?"
"Oh! Adding peppers to the steamed fish makes it so much more refreshing!"
"Oh really, honey! Are you listening to me?"
"Hans Poponi's catch is definitely the freshest."
"......"
Baroness Delin quietly clenched her fist. The dining table became momentarily chaotic.
Soon after, the Baroness asked again.
"Honey honey honey, so what should we do?"
"Hmm, my sweetie. How about the method we used when setting up Rupert?"
"......Ah!"
Baroness Delin clapped her hands.
Honestly, Rupert had nothing except being the eldest son of a baron family.
The guy who had been chasing after the cafe owner who kept refusing him for years—how did he manage to reach marriage?
"Our kid has a decent face."
It was exactly his looks.
Rupert Delin was stupid, had a terrible personality, and was full of baseless confidence, but his physique alone was quite useful.
Baroness Delin immediately recalled Rea Pinbolt's appearance. Though a bit hazy, examining each facial feature, she was definitely a cute and pure beauty.
If she asked a portrait artist to add some shading to highlight the plain impression, minor flaws would be quickly compensated.
Just adding Rea's portrait made that way to the matching conditions of 'Wooshimgyeol'......
"Someone interested would appear right away, right? Kyah, Miss Rea getting married!"
The Baroness exclaimed joyfully and kissed Baron Delin's cheek.
"Thank you! Our honey honey honey honey is the best!"
"Huh? Yeah. Right?"
Baron Delin, who had been reading his wife's mood, smiled awkwardly.
Then suddenly a small worry crossed his mind.
'She's doing this with permission, right?'
"......"
Well, people have portrait rights, so surely she wouldn't just register someone else's personal information without permission. Though she's the birth mother of the dimwitted Rupert Delin, she can't be that ignorant. Hehe.
Baron Delin decided to think nothing of it. Rather than that, he was worried about whether he'd have a blue bruise around his eyes tomorrow and face embarrassment.