Saint Maria Theresa.
Our new companion stood straight and introduced herself.
"Um... I am Maria Theresa, and I will be climbing the tower with all of you."
She only managed a few words before her face turned red with embarrassment. There were only four people here—myself, Cynthia, Alfredo, and Rox—so who could she be so shy in front of?
As Theresa fidgeted, Alfredo tilted his head, looking puzzled.
"You can use healing spells?"
"Y-Yes."
"Why are your eyes wrapped in cloth? Can you see us?"
She lightly touched the white cloth covering her eyes and answered.
"I... can see."
"You... can see?"
"Yes..."
Alfredo, frustrated, pounded his chest with his fist and turned to me.
"Does she always speak so frustratingly?"
Before I could respond, Cynthia grabbed his collar with a fierce expression and answered for me.
"She's not as frustrating as you, who can't even count potions and makes me go to the market twice."
"N-No, that's-"
"Shut up."
"...Alright."
Alfredo stroked his beard, forcing a smile to appear nonchalant.
After clearing her throat a few times, Cynthia stood next to Theresa and helped with her introduction.
"Lady Theresa is a renowned healer within the Papal Palace. I don't know how much you all know about her, but she's practically a legendary figure in the Holy Knights, so show her the proper respect."
Her gaze was fixed on me.
She likely wanted me to make sure Rox and Alfredo understood Theresa's position.
I nodded in agreement with Cynthia's words.
"Theresa is a companion I personally chose. If there are any shortcomings, I hope you will support her instead of criticizing."
Theresa was startled and clutched her nun's habit.
"Support me?! We've only just met, how could you possibly—are you planning to tie me up with tight ropes in a secluded place and..."
"No! That's not what I meant by support. I mean understanding if she makes mistakes."
"Oh..."
I took a deep breath.
Phew—
I called Rox and explained to him.
"Lady Theresa has never been outside the Papal Palace and has no experience in this field, so I need you to take good care of her."
"Got it. She's never fought before, right?"
"Yes, she said she has never been on a battlefield."
"So, her healing abilities were only used within the Papal Palace?"
"Correct. She has only healed those returning from battles, so think of it as protecting her while she stays by your side."
"Okay. Simple enough."
Theresa observed our party's dynamics and quickly identified our roles, then asked me.
"Is Sir Verdin the leader of this party?"
"That's correct."
"And is Lord Rox the vice-leader?"
"If you want to put it that way, yes."
"Then what is Cynthia's position?"
Cynthia's position? I hadn't really thought about it.
Technically, she was an ally for the time being, making her equal to me or slightly higher than Rox.
'Somewhere between leader and vice-leader.'
It's a bit ambiguous.
"Cynthia is equal to me."
"Equal to you?"
"Yes, although she's part of the party, we're temporary allies. There's no hierarchy between us."
"Oh..."
"We're separate parties temporarily joining forces to climb the tower. That's all you need to understand."
I said this for a reason.
In our upcoming adventures, mutual respect was essential. In my previous life, I experienced significant discord due to lack of order among companions. To prevent a repeat, we needed to establish boundaries early on.
I stood Cynthia beside me and reminded Rox and Alfredo of her position.
"Cynthia and I are equals, so keep that in mind."
Of course, if she fully integrates into my party in the future, my approach would change.
'Not now.'
I'll wait for them to find their place.
Eventually, everyone would follow my orders.
Cynthia, feeling slightly better, looked around and suddenly asked, tilting her head.
"Wait a minute? Where's Judah?"
She looked at me.
"He left."
"Left? Where?"
"Back home."
"Home?"
That's the only way I could explain it.
Anything else would be a lie.
I don't lie to my companions.
"Yes, he said he couldn't continue with us anymore."
"Why suddenly?"
"I don't know, but he said he didn't want to adventure with us anymore."
"...Really?"
"Really."
Cynthia knew.
I don't lie about these things.
"I can't understand. When did he leave?"
"The night we arrived at the Papal Palace."
"He didn't leave a message for me?"
"No, he didn't."
Thinking about it, Judah had spent quite some time with us before I joined, yet he left without a word.
Cynthia scratched her forehead with a bitter expression, then turned her back on me, muttering to herself.
"He could've at least said goodbye..."
I knew.
She pretended to be strong, but deep down, she was very sensitive.
"You better be ready to die when I see you again."
Though she had a rough mouth.
* * *
Back at the mansion, I immediately asked Theresa for healing.
"Please take care of me."
"You might feel a slight warmth, but it's not an offensive spell, so please relax and breathe calmly."
"Understood."
Lying on the bed with my hands clasped and eyes closed, Theresa placed her staff on my chest and began chanting.
It felt like a song sung by southern nomads for those departing, her voice echoing repeatedly, lulling me to sleep.
'Did I fall asleep?'
No, if I were dreaming, I wouldn't even be aware of this. My closed eyes saw a clear blue sky.
It felt like I was floating somewhere between reality and dreams.
'If this is a dream, I don't want to wake up.'
The comfort made me wish to stay like this forever.
"You can open your eyes now."
Theresa's voice brought me back to the room as my eyes opened naturally.
"...Did I fall asleep?"
"No, you just kept your eyes closed until I finished chanting."
"I see."
Although I had received healing many times in my past life, it felt entirely new after such a long time.
Sssshhh.
'As expected.'
Theresa's ability was incredible.
Not only did she heal all the wounds from my recent battle, but she also restored the energy I hadn't recovered since facing the apostle Monestier, all within half a day.
'Impressive.'
Choosing her was the right decision.
Achieving my goals requires not just my own strength, but also the alignment of my companions.
I knew how crucial this was from my previous life's painful lessons. This time, I needed a stronger party to challenge the tower.
As the white light enveloping my body faded, Theresa stepped back and offered a short prayer.
I waited until she finished her prayer, then expressed my gratitude.
"Thanks to you, I've regained my strength."
Theresa fidgeted and took a step back, bowing her head in embarrassment.
"It was nothing... If you need healing again, please don't hesitate to ask."
"That's reassuring."
"R-Reassuring? Where?"
"I said reassuring."
"Oh..."
A small flaw, perhaps?
She had the continent's greatest healing ability and was a member of the Papal Palace, so her character was impeccable.
Yet she was hard of hearing and had a peculiar mental world.
Rustle.
Rox, who had been watching my recovery, grabbed his coat and stood up.
"Shall we go now?"
"Where to?"
"To get Judah, of course."
I shook my head.
He had already left the Adventurer's Hall, and even if we went to find him, we'd have to head to the tower.
'We're not ready yet.'
There was no rush to meet him.
'But.'
Baphomet's strange actions before leaving for the tower. Why did he meet my brother's mother, 'Katharina'?
And what did Katharina discuss with him, knowing his identity?
Several questions crossed my mind, but I didn't dwell on them.
'...Right.'
I had something to do first.
The promise I made to Katharina before the incident with Monestier.
'Find your brothers, that's what Father said.'
The date we agreed upon was approaching.
The day to follow the near-compulsory order to find the three brothers—Tony, Johnny, and Lonnie—at the academy.
'Well, visiting the academy shouldn't cause any problems.'
I couldn't read her intentions.
"Do you know his current location?"
"No, it's impossible after he left the Adventurer's Hall. I think he killed the bug I secretly planted."
He must have done it on purpose.
I planted the bug before he left for the Papal Palace, knowing he wouldn't remove it to keep me reassured.
'I don't know why he revealed his location until meeting Katharina.'
After recovering, I armed myself and spoke to Rox.
Click.
"I'll be away for a while."
"Away?"
"I'm going to meet my brothers at the academy. It'll take about a week, but nothing major should happen, so don't worry."
"That's quite a long time."
Indeed, I hadn't spent more than a week away from the tower.
"I have no choice. The academy is far, and I can't use the warp gate there in my current state."
"So, what should we do while you're gone?"
Theresa glanced at me. Cynthia also lowered her book, curious about my answer.
"Head to the arena."
"The arena?"
"Yes, engage in matches until I return. It's a place where you can improve your skills without relying on abilities."
"...Will we be alright without you?"
"You'll be fine. As long as Cynthia and Alfredo are with you."
Cynthia perked up her ears but pretended not to hear, looking off into the distance.
"Cynthia, Lady Theresa can't use her abilities in the arena, so don't take her there."
"...There will only be three of us."
"Exactly, making it perfect for showcasing your skills. You should be able to easily defeat those in the Gold Class. Just focus on gaining experience."
After a moment of contemplation, she nodded in agreement.
"Alright. We'll wait for a week."
So, we each embarked on different paths for the next week.
Unaware that the most bizarre incidents would occur, leading to the death of one of our companions.
"Divery, please prepare a carriage to the academy where Lord Tony resides."