83. The Saint Protests! Give Me Holy Water! (2)
Six pairs of eyes watching from nearby.
Eyes that were far from friendly.
*Of all times, this had to happen when I'm with Estia...*
How troublesome.
Still, it was better to deal with the tail before entering the house.
If our hideout got exposed, things would get even more annoying.
Before entering the alley,
I asked Estia.
"Estia, is there any food over there you'd like to eat more of?"
"Mmm, all of it! I want to try a bite of everything!"
"Choose one. Today I'll specially buy you what you want."
"Then... I'll have that one!"
Estia pointed her finger at the displayed food.
"Skewers, is it?"
"That's called skewers? Then give me skewers!"
Skewers with green onions and chicken grilled over fire.
To Estia's eyes, that seemed to be the most delicious-looking thing.
I approached the shop owner, bought two skewers, and handed them to Estia.
Estia's eyes sparkled as she received the skewers.
"It, it looks delicious! I'll eat these skewers especially well! Thanks for buying them!"
"...Yes, enjoy them."
Nom nom—
Estia held skewers in both hands and munched away.
Her entire attention was focused on the skewers.
I watched Estia like that and whispered.
"...Estia, enjoy your meal."
"I'm already enjoying it!"
"Good."
No matter what happens around you,
just keep enjoying those skewers.
Things will proceed in an instant.
I touched the sword at my waist and headed toward a deserted alley.
*When was the last time I killed someone...*
Only the fact that it had been a very long time came to mind.
Skewers.
These are delicious!
*I hate vegetables, but grilled green onions are tasty!*
I never knew the market was such a great place!
Estia put the skewer in her mouth and walked holding Lee Jun-woo's hand.
Step— Step—
"...What?"
I wasn't looking ahead.
Why did it suddenly get dark around me?
Estia turned her head to check her surroundings.
A deserted alley surrounded by buildings.
*Why did oppa bring me to a place like this?*
Co, could it be...!
"A surprise present! You're going to secretly give me Holy Water! Oppa! I'm not a Saint who's fooled that easily!"
Oppa has this kind of delicate side too!
Come on, hurry and give me Holy Water!
Estia held out both hands, expecting a surprise present.
However, the surprise wasn't what Estia had been hoping for.
Rustle—
"Wh, what! Oppa! Who are these people! Who are they!"
"They're people who were tailing us."
"Ta, tailing!? Then what about my surprise present?"
"There isn't one."
"That can't be!"
Estia was shocked.
And with a resentful expression, she glared at the six hooded men.
To her eyes, those six people looked somewhat familiar.
"Hmm? I feel like I've seen them somewhere? What is it?"
"Estia, are they people you know?"
"I don't know their names! But they seem like people I know!"
As Estia finished speaking,
the six men removed their deeply pulled hoods.
Only then could Estia recognize their identities.
"Now I remember! Holy Knights! Oppa! You guys came to rescue me!"
The clergyman with bloodshot eyes knelt and said.
"...Lady Estia. What were you doing here? Please return to the Church with us. Outside is dangerous."
"...It didn't seem that dangerous though."
"It is dangerous. That fellow next to you is the most dangerous. Don't be deceived by that wicked heretic. Now, come this way. The Church needs a lot of Holy Water. We desperately need the Saint's help."
"Uh, uhhh..."
What should I do?
If I go to the Church, there's lots of Holy Water!
Sh, should I go back?
Confused by the sudden situation, Estia.
She raised her head to look at Lee Jun-woo's face.
*Should I go back...? Oppa doesn't give me much Holy Water... but if I go to the Church, there's tons of Holy Water...!*
But instead,
if I go back to the Church, I won't be able to see the market like today.
Holy Water or freedom.
Estia began to agonize over what to do.
"I, I should... what should I do...?"
"It's simple, Estia. Do what you want to do."
"Wh, what I want? What I want to do? I, I've never done that before..."
"Then try it this time. I'll give you the chance to choose."
"O, oppa!?"
Lee Jun-woo released Estia's hand and shouted.
"Will you take the hand of the Church that tormented you again, or will you live a new life with me? Choose, Estia."
"I, I am..."
"Our Church desperately needs the Saint's help. Please, return to us..."
"Ah, uhhh..."
I, I don't know!
I don't know!
But still...
There's just one thing I know!
*The place where I felt comfortable was... next to oppa...*
Locked in a high room,
making Holy Water every day was boring.
But after coming to this mansion, there are kids and oppa, so it's been good.
I wasn't very lonely.
Having made her decision, Estia shouted toward the kneeling Holy Knights.
"I, I'm sorry Holy Knights! I'm going to stay here! I won't go back to the Church! The Church only gives me Holy Water! But here they give me lots of other things too! I'm not going back!"
Estia said this and grabbed Lee Jun-woo's hand.
"We need... help... I said the Church... needs help... I said..."
The Holy Knights with bloodshot eyes, upon hearing that voice, began rushing forward, shouting as if having a seizure.
"Y, you fucking—we treated you like a Saint—!! Get your ass back to the Church right now—!! We're short on Holy Water, you fucking—!!"
"Hiii...!!"
Th, that person's crazy!
Save me!
"Stay still."
Lee Jun-woo spoke to the frightened Estia and rushed forward.
"Estia, keep your eyes closed until I tell you to open them."
"O, okay!"
Gasp!
Estia closed her eyes as Lee Jun-woo said.
In her ears, she could hear swords clashing and the Holy Knights' screams.
Despite hearing such fierce battle sounds, Estia absolutely didn't open her eyes.
Because she believed Lee Jun-woo would win,
there was no need to check.
*...The sounds got quieter! Is it over...?*
After one round of battle passed,
Lee Jun-woo took Estia's hand and said.
"...It's over, so let's go home."
"Ca, can I open my eyes?"
"...Not yet, open them when I tell you to."
Gasp!
With her eyes closed, Estia followed Lee Jun-woo.
Near Estia with her eyes closed, the alley was full of Holy Knights' corpses, brutally cut by swords.
Coming out of the blood-stained alley,
Estia asked Lee Jun-woo.
"Oppa, but if I had said I'd go to the Church! What were you going to do? Would you have just let me go?"
"No, even if you said you'd go, I would have refused. I would have kidnapped you again somehow."
"Hmm, really? Hehe."
I don't know if saying he'd kidnap me is a good thing!
But somehow I feel good!
Estia was very satisfied with Lee Jun-woo's answer.
"Oh, right! Oppa, I dropped my skewer! Buy me another one!"
"..."
"Answer me! Buy it! Buy me one! Buy me a skewer!"
Buy it for me—!
Estia whined and demanded a skewer.
Lee Jun-woo checked his wallet once.
"Haah... We need to eat dinner too, so just eat one."
"Hehe, thanks oppa!"
Having gotten what she wanted, Estia returned home with the skewer in her mouth.
At least for that moment,
the word "Holy Water" didn't come to Estia's mind.
After finishing dinner,
I rested alone in my room, recalling the day's events.
*In terms of skill, they were about mid-level among Holy Knights. Still, since there were six of them, it was quite difficult.*
I almost got a wound on my arm.
Their effort was worth acknowledging.
Well, now they're dead and gone from this world.
It seemed Holy Knights weren't beings to be taken lightly.
"As expected, the eyes are the problem..."
Maybe it would be better to use magic now.
Since there's also the risk of injury.
Thinking that, I got up from the bed and opened my subspace.
And from there, I took out one bottle of Holy Water.
"It's evening now... I suppose I can start."
Time to fulfill Estia's wish.
If I delayed any longer, I might witness Estia's armed protest.
It was better to grant her wish quickly now.
I opened the door and headed to Estia's room.
Knock knock—
"Estia, I'm coming in now."
—No! If you don't have the goods, I won't open it!
"I brought Holy Water."
—Come in right now!
Was Estia's room unlocked by Holy Water?
Not very cost-effective.
I opened the door as Estia said and entered her room.
Estia was sitting at her desk, looking at me with a solemn expression.
"The goods!?"
"Here they are."
"Give it! Right now!"
Estia held out both hands, demanding the Holy Water.
However, I had no intention of easily giving Estia the Holy Water.
Now I really had to do this before it was too late.
"Holy Water! Give me Holy Water!"
"Estia, later a teacher will come to teach you Divine Power."
"Holy Water over a teacher! Give me Holy Water!"
"So until then, we'll train to control your withdrawal symptoms as much as possible."
"Give me Holy Water! But wait! Why is someone else teaching me instead of oppa?"
"Because I can't use Divine Power."
Anyway,
today I wouldn't hand over an entire bottle of Holy Water to Estia at once.
I took out the item I'd brought in my pocket and showed it to Estia.
"A, a spoon!? Su, surely oppa! You're not telling me to drink Holy Water with that—"
"Your guess is correct, Estia."
If originally she used a cup,
today it's a spoon.
I scooped Holy Water with the spoon and brought it to Estia's mouth.
"Try drinking Holy Water slowly for once."
"Th, this isn't Holy Water! It's a lie—!!"
Estia cried out.
And,
as I expected, the feeling of eating Holy Water with a spoon was probably...
*Similar to torture...*
It must be similar to the feeling of eating cola with a spoon.