"An amulet?"
"Yes. This is the one."
Anko came back from the monastery to the alleyway where I was hiding.
Anko told me she had received an amulet from Renko and handed it over to me. It appears the plan worked.
"A letter?"
Picking up the so-called amulet, I immediately realized there was something inside of it.
After tearing out the outer cloth, I checked the contents. And sure enough, as I expected, there was a small letter folded inside.
"Tonight, at midnight, in the woods north of Old Joh."
An invitation to have a secret talk in a secluded forest.
However, the forest north of Old Joh? There are some strong monsters there, will it be okay?
Certainly, people will rarely enter a forest where strong monsters appear, at midnight. It makes for a suitable place for a secret meeting. However, it seemed to me that, while it would pose no problem for me, it might not be the same for Fran.
He even sent me a letter requesting my help. Perhaps Fran is unable to gain experience for some reason. Most likely he has been locked up in the Kamel church ever since his... rebirth? Or whatever should you call it. If so, then it would be suicidal to go to the north forest alone.
Will someone be coming in his stead? or are my fears unfounded? Well, we'll find out eventually after we get there.
"Shall this Anko clear the monsters in the surroundings while you speak, My Lord?"
"Thanks, that'd be great. You're very helpful, Anko."
"Yes. Leave it to this Anko!"
How cute.
――After that. Until the appointed time, we spent the rest of the day strolling around the outskirts of Old Joh. We couldn't walk in the sunlight, but just walking hand in hand from tree to tree in the shade gave us a cozy feeling. I guess sometimes taking a laid-back day like this isn't so bad.
However, we had an argument once it came to what to do for dinner. I suggested that we went back to the mansion, had dinner, then came back again, but Anko apparently wanted to eat just the two of us in the dark forest. I was reluctant to accept since it was cold and dark and there was nothing good about it, but Anko was still firm about it, so we clashed. In the end, I had no choice but to give in and concede.
We set up a fire and ate the salted grilled meat of some mysterious animal that Anko hunted. It wasn't very tasty, but Anko seemed happy, so I think it was okay.
"Well then, it's about time."
The long and short hands of the clock were about to meet at the top.
I was standing alone at the appointed place. Anko was going around, cleaning up the monsters around, slaughtering them as they appeared.
Then.
Two minutes past midnight, a woman dressed in all black showed up.
"――I was surprised. There are no monsters at all."
A young woman with long black hair pulled back in a ponytail and a sharp gaze. She was rather tall for a woman, and the red lipstick contrasted against her white skin.
"My partner likes it to be clean."
"Ohh, that woman? Then?"
"I am Second. And you?"
"Name's Renko. Ohh, so you are..."
I was Renko, the nun, the one who came to the secret meeting.
She was staring at me with an even sharper gaze as if sizing me up.
As expected, Fran sent a messenger. That means there must be some reason why he can't move.
...
...No, before all that. There's one thing I can't help but wonder about.
This person referred to herself with 'atai' instead of 'watashi'. Can it be...?
"Say. Can I ask you something before we get down to business?"
"What is it? Just don't start on any nonsense."
"Is your real name Rei?"
"――!!"
Ohh, nice reaction. She had a look on her face as if asking "How the hell do you know my name!?" It appears she's like a child who can't hide her emotions.
"Thanks. I understand with just that."
"...What are you talking about? You got the wrong person. I don't even know someone with that name."
"I leave it up to you to decide whether to believe me or not, but right now Cubero and Besaid are at my house. They asked me to check on the safety of their 'young lady' if I came to the Sacred Country of Kamel."
"...Hmmm. The woman called Rei is dead. Right here is just the nun called Renko."
"I see. Then shall we cut to the chase?"
"Wh...Geez, what's the deal with you?"
I sensed the atmosphere becoming strained, so I cut that conversation short. As expected, Renko was surprised since I just simply shrugged off that matter.
"So? What did you call me for? No, let's not try to probe each other. Who am I supposed to help?"
"! Hmmm...If you understand that much, it makes the story easy."
She was very expressive, both stunned and surprised, then took one deep breath and opened her mouth, her expression turning serious.
"――I want you to help my master, Raspberry Bell-sama."
Her expression after saying that screamed, "How about it, surprised, huh?"
Still, hmm...
"Who?"
"Are you kidding me!?"
She almost screamed in response.
"Sorry, I don't know them. Are they famous?"
"She's the SAINT of the Kamel faith! That's a name that even babies know across the Sacred Country!"
Ohh, the saint! I've always been curious about her existence. I see. So her name is Raspberry Bell...
...No, wait. So then is that so? Did Framboise I become a saint!? That macho-looking guy? The Kamel faith's saint? You got to be kidding...?
"Wait. I need a moment to take it in, I feel dizzy..."
It's so far removed from the image I had in mind of him that the words "Saint Raspberry Bell" didn't register in my brain properly. Or more like, my brain stubbornly refuses to accept it.
"Hmph. If you were going to be surprised, you should've been honest and been surprised right from the start."
No. It's not that simple. In the first place, the vectors are completely different.
However, although I was surprised, I was also convinced. In other words, Fran, for some reason, is being celebrated as the saint of the Kamel church. In addition, she's being revered. Not like some novelty to attract attention, but as a saint to attract believers. I'm sure the church doesn't plan on letting her go. No wonder she's on house arrest.
"In any case, I understand now. I only need to help the saint. Where is she right now?"
"Eh...Wait a minute. What's with that wording? It's as if saying you're going to go help her right now."
"I can use transfer magic. I can just transfer the saint to my house and we're good."
"...Ohh, now it's me the one who needs a moment. I'm feeling dizzy."
Did I say something strange?
Ahh! It's that.
"I'm sorry, I see now. If she were to suddenly disappear, they'll hunt her down. And you don't want her to live in fear of others seeing her, right? I totally agree with you. Alright, then let's go and destroy the Kamel religion."
"Hey...I'll hit you."
I was scolded. But why? I don't understand.
"I think it's a good idea to crush the problem at the source."
"Are you trying to place Raspberry Bell-sama in such a dangerous situation? Besides, if they find out who you are, it'll become an all-out war. It's not that simple."
I see. She might be right. At present, there is no way for me to successfully hide my identity. If by some chance, it came to light that I was the culprit who had wreaked havoc in Kamel, there's no denying the possibility that it could trigger the outbreak of war.
"Then, how about we kill the Pope and all the cardinals...?"
"Stop with this idiocy! No matter how strong you are, there are things you can do and things you can't do. Do you plan to lurk all around the Sacred Country and look for each and every one of them?"
"Isn't there a chance to get them all together or something?"
When I ask, Renko puffed air with a surprised expression.
"I-If you ask me if that happens, they do come together...But are you crazy?"
"Who knows. What do you think?"
As I answered and stared back at her in a perfectly sane manner, she crossed her arms and fell silent.
Then, after a few seconds, Renko broke the silence, probably after having gathered her thoughts.
"...I'm against it. It's a bad bet."
"Then, do you have a plan?"
"With the current cards we have, it seems that your first suggestion is the best."
The one to get the saint and use transfer to get away, huh?
If you think about it, it's indeed full of problems. If the saint were to suddenly disappear, the Sacred Country of Kamel would be in chaos and if by chance she were to be found in the Castall Kingdom, there would surely be a major war. In other words, she wouldn't even be able to leave the house. The only thing that would change would be the location of their confinement. It might work as a stopgap measure, but not as a fundamental solution.
"...I don't know if I can agree with that plan no after you said it yourself. It would be a bother being chased. And you want to steer away from problems, right?"
"Yeah. Then there's not much to say..."
I didn't like the idea of an escape that might leave a bad mark and potential future problems, and Renko wasn't willing to take unnecessary risks. Our opinions clashed head-on. At this point, the conversation wasn't moving anywhere. If I had a better idea, the story would be different, but this seemed to be the limit for me and Renko.
Remaining silent, we continued to think.
Then, after a few dozens of seconds, Renko took a look at her watch, raised her eyebrows, and said with a sigh.
"Tch...Time's up. I'll try asking Raspberry Bell-sama about it. I'll meet you back here tomorrow at the same time."
"Alright, got it."
With only that, she quickly left. Her speed showed the height of her AGI.
If saint Raspberry Bell is really the Fran I knew, he... she would probably agree with my idea. She was a strict hierarchical person who placed more importance on those relations regardless of things like online games. I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if she lectures Renko saying something like, "You should listen to what senpai says".
In that case, I think it's best to have a better strategy set.
...I'll go back home and ask Winemon.
＊ ＊ ＊
"You should listen to what senpai says."
"B-But."
"Seriously. Don't make me repeat myself."
"...Yes."
An extremely beautiful woman with long red hair with white mixed in, and a slender figure like that of a model, was giving instructions to Renko, her handmaiden.
She stroked her own hair with practiced movements and then gazed gloomily at the sky outside the window.
A window with a lattice that never lets you out. After blowing air, the windowpane became cloudy.
With her finger as white as snow, she drew an umbrella...She then started to write her name on one side but rubbed it off with the side of her finger.
This happened all the time. And the love umbrella was never completed.
"It's difficult, really..."