* * *
''Sister?''
The voice was emitting a melancholy melody that was different from the usual.
For a moment, I wondered who it was, but the voice didn't change so easily, nor was the change in pitch enough to give away its identity.
But.
''What's wrong?''
It was no surprise that a question mark appeared in my mind when I saw something I didn't recognize on his face.
An eye patch. No, it was almost a mask in size.
I thought I'd seen an eye patch similar to that in a game in a previous life, covering every part of the face except the mouth.
I think it was the pumpkin lady from Souls or something.
Anyway, the image of the nun covering the placenta of her face with an eye shade that looked exactly like the one that the character was wearing was somewhat unfamiliar to me, who was used to her beautiful bare face.
I was well aware that it was not a good idea for a man to comment on a woman's fashion, but I wondered if it would be rude not to comment on such a change, so I finally decided to speak up.
''Is this some kind of trend?
''I'm covering my face for the time being due to some circumstances, so please don't think it's a trend.''
Why are you angry.
It was impossible to read her emotions from her expression due to the blindfold covering her face, but when she was grumbling and sulking so openly, I couldn't help but notice that she had some sort of complaint against me.
For a moment, I wondered if there was anything in my recent behavior that would make Sister feel unhappy, and then I was lost in thought.
''Sister. If you'll excuse me, Sister. Father Reyes was just talking to me first, and don't you think it's a bit too rude to interrupt a conversation between two people who might have been exchanging virtues without any warning, let alone to usurp the subject of the conversation?''
Young Lord Rosevelt, who had been consciously setting aside for a moment, cleared his throat, making his own discomfort abundantly clear.
''I sincerely apologize for my sudden absence. ''
Sister's response was swift and appropriate.
She knelt down on one knee and lowered her arms, and the series of sincere apologies flowed like water.
''Hmph, if you've realized your mistake, that's fine, but I hope you'll refrain from such lawlessness in the future, so you can go inside.''
''Thank you very much for your merciful treatment.''
Sensing that the situation was improving somewhat, I decided that this was my chance, and gingerly picked up the fork the nun had slammed down on the table, shoveling the last of the food on her plate into her mouth as she desperately tried to come up with an excuse to leave.
''But I'm afraid you're going to have to hand over Priest Reyes to me.''
''What!''
''Huh!''
The nun's act of throwing oil on the dying embers almost made me spew out the contents of my mouth.
''Excuse me, did I hear you wrong, by any chance?''
''You heard right. I'm asking you to hand over Priest Reyes to me.''
''How dare you!
Young Lady Rosevelt, who was about to utter such a stereotypical statement at any moment, hastily covered the corners of her mouth with her hand, which was about to curl ugly with insult.
The nun, on the other hand, continued to speak as if nothing had happened, still kneeling on one knee with her head bowed to the floor in a reverent posture.
''With all due respect, it is the Saintess's mealtime, and the task of attending to the Saintess is a holy act reserved solely for the Saintess's dedicated guardian priest, so it is my duty and responsibility to ensure that Priest Razis is present with me at this time to prepare for the Saintess's enlightenment.''
''Ha, that's strange, I thought the saintess's meal is still an hour away!''
''Due to unavoidable circumstances, we have decided to advance the existing schedule by one hour for today only. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.''
''What, what, what, are you expecting me to believe that?''
This unanswerable phase, where it's hard to take sides, but also hard to dismiss, has left an air of unease around me that lightly surpasses the moment I went to a friend's house and was confronted with the sight of my friend fighting with her mom.
Instead of mediating between them, I was forced to watch their eyes, wondering if even my inhaling and exhaling would be too much noise.
''You are so rude! You are so rude! How could you be so rude! How could you allow me to be subjected to this ignorant treatment by someone who must not know that I am an honored member of the Rosevelt family!
''I apologize. We'll make amends for our disrespect later, but for now, I'd like to ask you to hand over Priest Reyes to me.''
''Ha!''
A few minutes passed like lava and the sea colliding.
''What do you think, Priest Rages!''
Sparks flew all the way to me.
It was as if a child had delegated the judgment of an occasional conflict to the nearest adult.
Young Lady Rosevelt, who seemed too excited to realize that the makeup around her eyes had crumbled, casually handed me the gavel that would decide whether this trial would be won or lost.
''Hee hee, yes, I have an idea, how about this, do we continue our discussion with me, or do we follow the nun? ''I'm letting Priest Reyes decide!''
No, it's up to him.
Judging from the confident manner in which Lady Rosevelt was smirking and giving me the evil eye sign, it seemed that she had already decided in her heart that I would side with her in this battle.
''Ms. Roosevelt. With all due respect, it is the sacred responsibility of the Guardian Priestess of the Saintess to assist the Saintess in her daily affairs, a responsibility derived from the sublime discipline that has been handed down from generation to generation since the founding of our Order, and it would be unseemly for you to place such a responsibility on the scales like a bet on a gambling table----.''
''Hoo-hoo, I guess you don't feel like being chosen!''
''----''
Uh, I held back a sigh now.
His expression was still veiled, but the slightest movement of his shoulders. Furthermore, her tone, while maintaining her natural calmness, was unable to shake off the irritation that crackled like static electricity.
It wasn't hard to tell that the nun's side of the conversation was equally tense.
The nun is irritated. That's refreshing.
Perhaps it was because she was distracted by such a rare sight.
''So, take your pick, which one are you going to choose, Father Lazis, me, of course, ----.''
''Oh, I'm a nun.''
Like a spinal cord reflex, the words that came out of my mouth startled even me, much less them.
''Yes?''
''Huh?''
''Ah.''
Needless to say, a silence descended between me and them, honeyed and mute, that was fiercer than a midwinter wind.
◈◈◈◈
''Haa----. What the hell did you want to do----.''
''No, it wasn't my will either----.''
A small reflection session in the hallway. Neither I nor the nun could look up.
Immediately after the words slipped out of my mouth, she began to rampage like a character in a monster movie, saying, "You'll see!" and using a vocabulary that was so out of place that even the hot spots at the end of paragraphs were a mere trace.
This averted a terrible disaster when a guest, me, came between Father Ranovel and the Rosevelts, but it was a mere straw that broke the camel's back, as it lit the fuse for another disaster.
''You can't just cut and dry like that, when there are so many other ways to end things amicably, such as pausing to consider, or withholding an answer, or any number of other things.''
''I'm sorry, what was that----. The smell of your perfume is clouding my judgment----.''
''I don't know anymore. You're notorious for being the kind of person who would take a talent against your will and claim it as his own, and since you've so openly offended someone like that, you should know that you might as well not be able to walk where the sun doesn't shine for a while.''
''Yes----. I'll keep that in mind----.''
''By the way, weren't you the one who initiated such a dangerous person?
I was able to stop this sinful mouth from carelessly spilling words again, this time not too late.
No, but you were still laughing out loud with your upper and lower lips curled into your mouth when I said it.
That's really too much.
''By the way, what was that unavoidable circumstance that caused you to move the original schedule up an hour earlier? Apparently, it wasn't just something you said to save face.''
''That's none of your business, nor is it your place to inquire, so I'll ask you to keep your mind off of it, as it's simply a matter of a few distinguished guests making an unexpected visit.''
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