The next day, I started working immediately.
Since the king had given his permission to accept those without proper jobs into my territory.
We cleaned up the mansion's interior after we had lunch yesterday, and I think we did a fairly good job at that. However, due to many years of neglect, the roof was badly damaged and would leak if it rained. We couldn't fix it on our own, since it needed some carpentry work.
And so, Aaron went out to arrange some carpenters to do the woodworking.
That left the two of us――me and Myne that is. I'm fine with going alone, but Myne decided to tag along for some reason. She left her intimidating black axe at the mansion though, so I had no reason to worry that she'd cause a riot.
While I was thinking of such things, Myne who walked by my side glared at me.
[You thought that I was going to cause a riot, didn't you?]
[Ee…]
She saw through me!? Somehow after all this time, both of us can see through each other well.
Even when we kept our faces straight.
It's impossible to lie my way out of this one.
[Yeah, I did.]
[Nn!?]
[Now now, how many times already do you think such thing has happened during our travels together? You blew away that low quality holy knight, and that time when you broke the bones of the warriors who tried to provoke you. I don't want to see those kind of scenes here]
Myne sighed to those words.
[I had considerably held myself back during those times.]
[Seriously…..you say that you held back?]
I'd seen too much personally, so I wasn't really worried about the party, but more to how Myne would react to them.
How strange was that….you might ask, but this girl here was the holder of Mortal Sin skill Wrath. Apparently, if there was a day when she released all of her pent up anger, suffice to say that it'll be raining blood that day.
That's why, when she said that she held back, I had feeling that she really did so. I myself had some difficulties with controlling the Gluttony skill and often had a hard time due to the outburst of powerful urge.
At present, the only reason that the Gluttony skill hasn't gone rampaging was because Luna protected me from inside. It wasn't due to my own power.
By the way, after that battle at Gallia, Luna had frequently appeared in my dreams. We mostly talked about Myne. And I ended up realizing this.
Luna was Myne's...…..
[Ne? Fate, are you listening?]
[Yeah, I'm listening. What is it?]
[Muu, listen closely!]
Myne jumped up and pulled my ear down, so that she could bring her mouth closer. The more I tried to release myself, the more painful it got.
[Where are we going to go now?]
[I'll answer, I'll answer so please let go]
After being released I first checked on my ear. Okay, it seems alright.
When Myne was talking, I should stop my mind from wandering away. Otherwise, I might eventually lose my ear. I thought she had never done this before during our travelling together….
I pointed at the residential area where I'm heading to, and answered to Myne's question..
[We'll arrive there soon. it's like the slum area. We are going to the church there.]
[Fuuhn, going there to pray? That's so unlike Fate….]
[So rude. I also pray from time to time]
Even though I said so, I realized myself that I seemed to have lost my belief to gods ever since I arrived at the kingdom. I used to pray everyday when my father was still alive, but ceased to do so after I became alone.
Thinking back, the gods weren't all that great if they couldn't even save my father who had great faith in them during his sickness. At that time, I guessed my faith got buried somewhere in my heart.
[Anyways, a lot of people who lives in the slum go to the church, so it's a good spot to go if you want to recruit people. I'd want to avoid using compulsion. So it's better to go to the church.]
[With Fate, it's always has to be proper]
Myne clicked her tongue, seemingly annoyed. I wonder why she hated doing things by the rule. I had a feeling that she just wanted to be relied on for a bit..
Then, let's try this.
[But it's good that Myne is coming along with me. After all, this is the first time I've ever done this, so I was kinda worried.]
How about that…..? A smile bloomed on her previously expressionless face.
[Can't be helped, it's Fate after all. Mufufufu]
She's become in a good mood! So she really wanted to be relied on after all!! Although that laugh was a bit creepy!!
And then she said something outrageous.
[Okay. If the church doesn't listen to you, I'll destroy it.]
I take my words back! She's most definitely not someone I should rely on. I'm a fool to think that I could rely on her even for a moment.
If they don't listen to you, then just beat them down until they listen. Un, this is indeed the Myne that I've known so well.
[I guess I' just do it myself. After thinking about it carefully, there is no need to bother Myne with it.]
[Right…]
Sorry I had to retract the offer. It's just an attempt to brighten her mood up. Not that I knew a better method to do so.
[How about this, you'll watch the negotiation from my back. There, like a small threatening presence?]
[I see, that should be fine too]
I stroked my chest in relieve. This way I won't need to worry about property damage.
And then, as we walked toward the church, my feet stopped in front of the place I felt familiar with.
It's…..nostalgic here.
Whilst I was drowned in my thought, Myne who was walking behind me bumped into my back.
[What's wrong? Nn? ...….is there something with that almost collapsed old house?]
Myne asked me while tilting her neck.
Certainly, the house was in a bad shape just as she said. Even so, this was the place where I lived in for five years. It's been abandoned for too long though. Perhaps since when I became Heart family's employee to flee the Burixes.
[Just for a moment, should be fine, right?]
Without waiting for Myne's reply, I stepped forward, as if it's a natural thing for me to do.
I pushed the door open very easily. The padlock was no longer there after all.
The interior hadn't been ransacked. That's a given. There was nothing precious inside to begin with.
Inside, was a bad made of straws, and remnant of candle on an old beat up table. It's as if the time was frozen ever since I left.
And, just because I came back here, it doesn't mean that anything will change. This place had become something like that.
Uncaringly, Myne spoke from behind me while I looked around.
[Fate, let's go]
[Ah, right.]
When I was about to exit the room, Greed who had been silent all this time decided to speak via"Mind Reading".
『Are you thinking to return back here?』
[No way, I don't want to die yet. Everything has only begun.]
『That's not it. If, you don't catch up to Myne immediately, she'll get mad and destroy all the houses around here.』
[Un, let's go]
Let's stop the nostalgia here. I left the old house and started walking again, along with Myne towards the church built in this slum.
=====