The Paladin Owns the Relic

95 – The Maiden by Day (4)

The deepest part of the Holy See.

Tiella stepped into the taboo realm that no one could enter except for the priestess during the day, some archbishops, and the pope.

I, who was being dragged along, also accidentally stepped on her foot.

It’s a pretty garden. Like a flower that blooms all year round, the surroundings are all green. Among them, there are many red flowers, probably to honor Ra.

A quiet hallway. Where no one was there, only red lights shimmered. It’s just a simple hallway, but thanks to the stained glass that splits the light, it was sacred.

“Is it okay for the small person to set foot here?”

“What kind of language are you talking about?”

Tiella laughed as if she was having fun.

“I brought it myself. There will be no one else to put her words on.”

As expected, it’s like a child in heaven!

I don’t really want to go because it’s obvious what I’m going to order just by looking at it!

Smart.

Tiella knocked on her door. The answer came after a while.

“…Who are you?”

“Open the door. Arpina.”

“Tiella.”

A voice mixed with a sigh opened the door.

“You say I don’t have to come to you…?”

Our eyes met.

[‘Sun God’s Prayer’ is activated.]

Look at the floating status window.

It’s still pretty. Her silver hair fluttered, and she was as elegant as what she was wearing. Is that all? Looking at that expressionless face, I felt like I would forget everything around me and go all-in for a moment.

Calm down. Zahard. Can’t fall

“Hello?”

“…….”

Boom!

The door was closed again.

“TTITTIELLA?!”

“Why.”

“Didn’t you say you brought other guests!”

“In the first place, I didn’t say that I was going to visit you.”

“That’s right too! All, another priest! This was not planned…!”

“Plan and sleep.”

Tiella stretched out her hand. The whole door was ripped out.

“There is no need to pay attention when meeting close friends.”

The door was thrown out and fell into the hallway. I whistled.

It’s hot. Chief Tiella. The daytime shaman’s head isn’t just anyone’s job!

“Stand upright.”

“Yes.”

I bowed my head. This time, he said goodbye clearly.

“My name is Zahard, the Heretic Questioner belonging to the 5th Heretic Inquisition.”

“Ah, this is Cardinal Arpina. It’s insignificant, but it’s in charge of the voice of the church.”

The round and round eyes greeted each other. I urgently stabbed Tiella in the side.

“I told you not to be reckless…!”

“What can you do with just one door? Wouldn’t it be okay to wear it again?”

“That can’t be sweet…!”

Kwajik.

The door is partially embedded in the wall. Tiella patted her hands.

She raised her head in satisfaction.

“Perfect,”

“Not perfect! It’s not perfect at all!”

Arpina stretched her shoulders as if she was used to it. Glancing at me, she asked Tiella.

“…Tiella. Why did you bring heretic questioner Zahard?”

”You must have heard the explanation about this guy?”

“Even if you don’t want to hear it, you can hear it. Even if I don’t want to listen to the wind that blows inside the church, it comes to my ears.”

“Then the story will be fast.”

Tiella reopened the broken door.

“Talk with the two of you. It is ideal.”

“Yeah?! Tea, Tiella?!”

“There are many problems with the door. Arpina. Replace it with a proper one next time.”

“Isn’t it because you always break it?!”

Tiella strode out. The door in the wall creaked.

Arpina wiped her face. She glanced at me.

“Why… Are you here?”

“I came because I asked you to come too?”

“…No way.”

Alpina tore off my body here and there. Her expression stiffened as she confirmed her condition.

“…Even with just the flowing prayers, it’s higher than the archbishop’s level…! Now, Heretic Questioner Zahard. Didn’t you say you were sixteen?!”

“Isn’t it?”

“Have you ever been chosen by Ra? Is it something like an unofficial apostle?”

As expected, it is sharp. I nodded. There’s no need to hide it.

“La loves me especially.”

-…Heh.

Ra snorted. But she didn’t really deny it. To antagonize.

“Huh, is that so? If so, hidden talents who haven’t surfaced…”

Arpina hurriedly dusted her chair. Looking back, her room was a mess.

Books scattered all over the place. A bag of sweets lying in the corner. A bed full of bread crumbs.

Alpina shrank a little.

“Doesn’t it look very shabby? Hey, sit here for now! I’ll get you some tea!”

Well, I expected this much, but…

If I had come later, it would have been a garbage dump.

It’s a common problem for people with depression.

. . .

Arpina took a deep breath. She worked hard to rebuild her signature poker face.

You need to calm down. She might be the last chance she’s ever had.

Calm down.

Good thoughts, not bad thoughts…Good thoughts, not bad thoughts…

“The tea is served…!”

Caught on the threshold. Just fell over

The car I had been riding on hit Zahard’s head with heat.

Chaw ah!

Tuktuk.

“……”

The Heretic Questioner Zahard raised his hand. He lightly wiped his face with his sleeve.

“…Did you drink well?”

“Sorry, I’m sorry… I’m sorry… How can I do this…”

I was hastily wiped. Why did you make a mistake again? Really.

It’s a problem. I’m a bunch of problems The hurriedly wiping handkerchief kept wiping the mess.

Zahad snatched his handkerchief away.

“I’ll clean it.”

“…Ah.”

I’m not good at wiping.

“Sorry… Sorry…”

I feel intimidated. Even more so when it comes to people you don’t know. I look into my eyes and become terrified.

It wasn’t like this before. Rather, it was full. Confidence overflowed.

The basis for that was because he was the one who was chosen.

But now it’s different. My body without any strength was weak as if it would collapse at any moment, and I had to pretend to be resolute in order to deceive others.

A situation where every moment is a pain. The more you pretend to be calm, the more it breaks inside.

If it cracks again like now…

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”

The melancholy accumulated in my heart bursts out.

“I’m sorry for being stupid. People like me should die, so why am I still alive?”

“Sleep…”

“I’m sorry for the inconvenience. I’ll wash your clothes. I’ll do something for you. I’m sorry.”

“What…”

“If you feel bad, I’ll compensate you somehow. I’m really sorry. Please don’t be angry.”

The words come out like a rapid-fire cannon. The tears I tried to hold back kept running out of my eyes.

You have to be patient. It’s in front of someone you don’t know. Have to be patient

But since Tiella brought it… I wonder if it’ll be okay.

What’s okay? Just be patient Don’t act weak.

But…But…

Threads of complicated thoughts are intertwined. Arpina is broken.

“…Sorry.”

At the end, it ended with an apology. Just like when talking to Tiella.

. . .

For some reason, I was fine.

As expected, my prediction was correct. A depressed Cardinal Arpina. A woman who loses all her power and is afraid of when she will be kicked out.

A depressed, broken priest in the process of becoming a vampire.

My clothes were damp. I raised my holy power.

Wow…

With the haze of smoke, Ra’s priestly clothes quickly became dry. I chuckled.

“Your Highness, Cardinal Arpina. Ruler. Look. I quickly became soft.”

Alpina, who was procrastinating, raised her head.

“Ha, but a scumbag like me…”

“Do you want to touch it?”

I took Alpina’s hand and put it on my clothes.

“Isn’t it soft? Aren’t you wet at all?”

“…Huh…Yes…”

“Since I’m fine, would you like to start talking about what I was talking about? Sit down for a while The floor is full, so you have to come up.”

I headed to the simple kitchen attached to the room. I rinsed the teapot lightly and brewed new tea.

It is a bonus to set simple snacks. I poured a cup into her glass and carefully set the coaster for her.

From noble mtl dot com.

It’s a bonus to shake off the blanket that was spread over her shoulder and cover it. The black curtain was not opened. Because it’s obviously bad for your skin.

“Are you okay?”

Alpina sniffled. She wiped away her tears and bowed her head.

“…Yes. Sin, sorry. Because you look weird.”

“No. What. I also get depressed often. I often curse when my pinky toe bumps into a desk leg. Everyone does. It also collapses when bad things happen.”

I spread rice cakes. Arpina asked without a doubt.

“…That’s right. When something bad happens… people fall apart.”

“Has something bad happened recently?”

“Not recently. It’s been a few years. About four years… I think it’s passed.”

Arpina sipped her tea. She let out a deep sigh. She raised her little hand and touched the teacup.

“Zahard the Heretic Questioner. Tiella obviously has an idea, I think she brought you. Maybe… Am I wrong?”

“Tyella-sama knows that, right?”

“What I am saying right now is that you cannot leave except here. So…”

Arpina looked at me cautiously.

“Can you make an oath to the sun god?”

Her little hand wiggled. Arpina said urgently.

“Mu, of course I know that this is a very rude story. But this is very important…”

“I swear in front of Ra’s watch, I won’t talk about the conversation outside.”

Something difficult.

I shrugged.

“Are you okay?”

“…The Heretic Questioner Zahard is very unstoppable.”

Arpina hesitated. She took a deep breath.

For the first time, the eyes that had been hesitant became lively.

“The reason Tiella called you here is because she has something to do with me. To be precise… It’s because of my body problems.”

“Is she suffering from an incurable disease?”

“That, how…”

“No, well… I’ve been too stiff ever since I came in, and I can’t seem to use my strength properly.”

“…Tea, can you spot it?”

“It wasn’t obvious during the Holy Trial.”

“…Whew.”

Arpina sighed. She nodded slightly.

“That’s right. Zahard The Heretic Questioner. I know now she has an incurable disease. To be precise, it’s more like a curse.”

She lifted her veil over her head. She shrugged her shoulders slightly.

The inside of her collarbone. There were exactly two holes in the depths.

A wound that won’t heal. A curse left by the most vicious of vampires.

“…The archetype of all vampires. There are people called Jinjo.”

I deliberately waited while knowing everything.

“…No way!”

“Yes. That’s right.”

Arpina grabbed her clothes.

“My body is now… becoming a vampire. It’s not long before it’s destined to turn into the true ancestor’s limbs.”