My consciousness has finally recovered.
'Urgh… who's, pinching me?'
I awoke to the feeling of my cheeks being pulled. I slowly opened my eyes, as they felt very heavy for some reason.
"Who's… pinching me?"
Then, the face of a girl enters the corner of my view. A blonde girl, with a petite and cute face like a cat. She tilts her head, a smile slowly forms on her face.
"Sleep well, champ?"
"Who… are you?"
"Awww, so cute. The name's Beatrice Deralious Ameniel. But you can call me Beatrice, cute boy."
"Wha…"
Confusion, puzzlement, and slight shock. Those are the three main emotions currently circulating through Seichi right now. He rises up, taking a deep breath, before standing up completely and pick up his sword.
"Hey, not gonna say anything?"
"What is there to say…?"
"Am I a cute girl?"
"Wha…!"
She snuck in between his left armpit and looked up at him. It was shocking because of his new height.
'I grew taller?'
"Am I? To you, of course."
"What are you talking about? Why ask such a ridiculous question?"
He quickly distanced himself, but her relentlessness continued still.
"C'mon, answer my question please?"
"Am I cute to you?"
"Please, just a word, yes or no? Yes? Or no?"
"..."
She blocked his advance, she stubbornly asked the same question, and she even went as far as hugging him tight to get her answer. But, even to the end, Seichi did not answer. More like, he was too weirded out to give her an answer.
'Her facial expression doesn't change one bit… What is her motive?'
Of course, to the novice of love, Seichi doesn't think of the most unlikely feeling ever to be directed towards his face. No, he sees this as some kind of plan this girl named Beatrice is trying on him.
'Money? No… she's part of this church, so I should quickly go see that Agnes woman.'
She looked like someone important, as she was the only one from what he can remember to have gold embroideries on her robes. Her luscious body was also something as well, but Seichi only thinks that solidifies her position as someone important. In his past life, the important people almost always have big mounds like Agnes.
'Though… hers isn't bad either. Maybe she's also like Agnes?'
He tries to pry Beatrice away from him, and her bear-like hug made it harder but he eventually got to detach himself from her.
"C'monnnn, please? Just a yes or no~."
''I don't know what you're trying to do, but please stay away from me."
"What~? Why~."
Her whiny voice was ticking him off. It was itching him to use violence, the most optimal way to solve this current problem, but luckily for Beatrice, someone came to their rescue.
"Apprentice Beatrice! What are you doing to the esteemed summoned one?! Get off of him this instant!"
Agnes's loud, commanding voice made the stubborn Beatrice cave immediately. She didn't change her expression, even when Agnes marched over to them with a frown on her elegant face.
"Apprentice Beatrice, might I have to ask what in the world are you doing to the esteemed summoned one here?"
Agnes stands before Beatrice, her shadow covering the short Beatrice as she shrinks back a little from the intimidation in front of her. And by intimidation, her giant mounds were almost right in her face.
"U-Uhhhm… It's really nothing, high priestess. I was just curious, is all."
"Curious? About what for you to cling to and annoy the summoned one?"
"I… think I might like this one."
Right then and there, it felt like everything had stood still. Agnes, still frowning, asks Beatrice again but with a lower, more serious voice than before.
"What, was that?"
"I might have taken a liking towards him, high priestess. I was wondering if he think that I'm cute, and so I was clinging to him to find out."
"Is this… true, summoned one?"
"..."
When the attention was directed towards Seichi, he just sighs and nods, tired of this whole ordeal.
"...Apprentice Beatrice, I must ask you to return to the dormitory and get ready for today's training. Me and the summoned one have business to attend to."
"Awww~."
"Don't, I do not want to hear another sound from you. Now go, shoo."
Agnes made way for her, and Beatrice hesitantly went as ordered. As the situation settled down, Agnes let out a sigh of her own as she faced the Chosen Undead.
"Chosen Undead, I have orders for you today."
"Uhm."
...
"So, this is the final third?"
"God, it took you two days?"
In a room somewhere in the main church building, located in the center of the site, a meeting is held with the attendees being Agnes and two other summoned ones.
"I apologize for sending you out to fight an unfair battle until now. It's just that none responded until yesterday's night."
"Well, whatever. So, what are we going to do now instead of just defending the main chokepoints?"
Agnes, a high priestess of the Followers of Wisdom, was in contract with three summoned ones. The three summoned ones include the gray-haired Seichi, our Chosen Undead who's now a lot taller, muscular, and a little more handsome due to it.
His sudden teammates on this Quest are a Paladin and Assassin. Both are women. The Paladin was dressed in plated silver armor, with her chest looking pretty heavy, blonde hair with purple tips, a kind face that contradicts her aggressive tone just moments ago, and this unnerving feeling that Seichi is getting from just staring at her.
The Assassin on the other hand was no different than the young men that Seichi's seen in his past life. Dark hair shorter than his, lean but muscular, little clothes, dark chocolate-like skin and she's been giving Seichi weird glimpses and stares. The Assassin also has this unnerving feeling to her, but it's more profound in some ways than the Paladin's.
'Hmm…'
"What's with that rusty sword? Do you guys not have anything else?"
"It's, not ours. It's his when he was summoned. I talked about getting him a new weapon from the armory, but he declined."
"Really…?"
The two women looked like they were about to eat him alive. Seichi wasn't shaken, no, he tries to not be scared but he's pretty intimidated underneath his calm facade. This is the first time he's dealt with women older than him, since most of the time it was the ones his age bullying him.
"Alright, if you have no more questions, then I'll give you your task for today. We'll press the first attack, it'll be from the village up north."
"Won't we be facing off against those Warmonger guys? They have five people on their attack team, six if you're counting the support of that avatar thing."
"I will decline if you're going to do such an obviously foolish action. We're pawns, but we're not slaves."
"Relax, summoned ones. We are confident of our victory, because we've got him."
Agnes points her finger towards Seichi, making him slightly flustered as the two women suddenly show interest in him.
"What do you mean?"
"Yeah… what can one guy do to change a five on three?"
Agnes smiled, obviously ridiculing the two doubtful women.
"We of the Followers of Wisdom have summoned a special existence, and we're confident that he will overcome the challenge even if you two aren't with him."
"Oh? Pretty confident there, high priestess. What kind of existence is this nobody then? Mind 'enlightening' us?"
Obvious sarcasm was fired and the tension grew tighter.
"It will be revealed in time, once you three enter combat. Believe my words, victory will be with you or rather with him."
The room wasn't pleasant anymore. It was suffocating, and Seichi was about to have enough of it. He stands up, and leaves the room with some words.
"Up north, right? Sure, I'll fight for you."
His confident words left the two women shocked and flabbergasted, while a kind smile spread on Agnes's face.
'Yes, go forth, Chosen Undead. I believe in your capability.'
...
On the assigned carriage that's tasked with delivering the three summoned ones, the atmosphere inside is very hard to discern. Seichi was just minding his own business, dulling out his thoughts and just looking down, but the stares from the two women were not very ideal for him to keep minding his own business.
"Hey, kid."
"..."
"Oi, I'm speaking to you here, you little shit. Answer or I'll cut your throat open."
"...What is it?"
Finally, after some hours had passed, some chatters resounded within the dead air carriage space.
"You, you're something special if that high priestess bitch is saying nice things to you. Tell me, did you fuck her good or something yesterday?"
"...What? No?"
The Assassin's interrogation went through Seichi's head on one ear and out the next. But, due to his increased Intelligence, he can't help but be puzzled by the words she's saying.
"Then, what is it that she's got her high hopes placed on you?"
This time, it's the Paladin woman. Her helmet was beside her, along with a very big white shield and a twin hammer.
"...It's not something you two should be curious about. As she has said, you'll find out when we fight side by side."
"Enough, we're not ones for random ass surprises. We're thorough, and you're a variable to our plans."
"I reassure you, your plans or whatever isn't going to go sideways or down south. I'm just here to complete the high priestess's orders so that I can ascend the Tower."
"Really?"
The two are very doubtful towards Seichi, but there's no harm in battling beside him. As the high priestess has said, their objective for today is to advance and attack the north, where the church of the Warmongers are at. Their numbers are going to be important if they wish to have any chance of living.
Warmongers, a church dedicated to the God of the Jungle and War, Oreli. They have five summoned warriors on their side, three that they've summoned on their own, and two that've converted over to them from their previous raids.
The Followers of Wisdom summoned three, one Assassin skilled in Agility based combat, a Paladin that's capable of fighting back and defending, and finally the main protagonist, the Chosen Undead. This small team of three are going to go up against five individuals who have the Level advantage.
This will be Seichi's first time working in a team effort. His Skills are not much, but they have a variable of uses. His experiences are too few to count, but this clear disadvantage won't matter if he doesn't say dead.
'Let's clear this and reach all 10 of my Stats.'
Before going on this Quest, he tried to complete the Legacy Quest by doing a cheeky move of converting Stats, but that didn't work. So, the only way he could think of is reaching Level 10, which won't be too hard if he kills the toughest first.