CH 161

Without any warning, Mayer pressed August for answers. The man looked like he was on the verge of shaking the priest by the collar.

“Your Excellency, please calm yourself…” The priest attempted to resist the pressure being exerted by the captain, but it wasn’t easy. He struggled for a moment, barely able to get the words out. “She has not started a relationship yet. I am merely talking of what could happen in the future.”

“Hmm…” Hearing that Jun was still single, Mayer eased up. Only then did he lean back on his chair, a displeased frown still on his face.

August felt a certain suspicion taking over his mind. He asked, “By chance, does Your Excellency… hold Sister Jun in your mind?”

“Hold her in my mind? What do you mean?”

“As a partner, or…”

Mayer frowned at his cautious questioning. “What nonsense is this? Do you think I am feeling jealousy or the like? I merely worry about our vice-captain being unable to focus due to unneeded stress.”

For a moment, August was speechless. As a priest who had dedicated himself to the Goddess, he had no affairs with the opposite gender. But even he could tell that Mayer Knox was talking contradictory baloney. He tried to somehow draw it out and make the man face his true feelings. “If not jealousy then… there was no need for you to overreact about Sister Jun having a lover.”

“She has a rather dubious eye for people,” Mayer replied impassively. August didn’t think that was something for him to say, though, not with how he acted like a husband with delusional suspicions despite being Jun’s superior. But regardless of what he thought, Mayer persisted with his attitude, or should it be said making excuses? “Then again, I am sure Jun has no thoughts of romance for the time being. She is well aware that dungeons must be approached with utmost rationality. After we have defeated the demon lord, then… Then I can choose a man for her with all my heart. I would feel some peace of mind then.”

Could a man that Mayer approved of even exist? August doubted that was possible. He had reacted so sharply to the possibility of Jun meeting another man, so what was he on about? This was hopeless. Mayer was being jealous, yet he didn’t even know what he was feeling. Oh, Saint Marianne! You granted every quality to the human called Mayer Knox, but why did you leave out the ability to look into his own heart?

On this day, August felt helpless despair for the first time in his life. He faced the bullheadedness of his captain as well as skepticism toward the Goddess he served.

* * *

“As I see it, Sister, I think it is better that you simply give up regarding the matter of His Excellency.”

“What? Hang on now, Reverend.”

“And dating too… Mm. Well, I will not speak of that as I am not certain… but in any case, I have done my best.”

“Wait, wait just a second, Reverend! Reverend August!”

After pouring out all he had to say, August walked away hurriedly as if he wanted no more involvement in the matter. I cried out after him, but he kept on striding without even looking back. Before long, he was gone. What the heck had he talked about with Mayer? I gazed after August’s disappeared figure, dumbfounded. If it was so bad for the priest to say that much, then there really was no solution. I clutched at my throbbing forehead with a pained groan.

Although Mayer’s attitude was confounding, at least I was comforted by how my treatment in the Dark Knights had become quite befitting of a vice-captain. Things had improved to the point that the corps members often greeted me first these days.

“Hello, Vice-captain! The weather is good today.”

“Good morning, Vice-captain. Will you be dining in the officers’ mess?”

“Uh, Vice-captain!”

They had been avoiding me like the plague all this time, but now they were impatient to get a single word in. Sometimes there would even be discreet contesting over who would talk with me first, and interest in the special unit had increased too.

“By any chance… Will the member count of the special unit remain fixed?”

Seeing how quickly the special unit had become stronger and with word getting out that I had handed over the dragon equipment I got to them, everyone was eager to join. The other members of the Dark Knights were convinced that they stood to gain something by joining me. Rather than thinking of them as shameless, I mused that they were desperate to climb the ranks if even a little. Of course, it would be a lie to say it wasn’t burdensome as it was my first time ever receiving this kind of attention.

“Mm… The present goal is to develop the special unit to at least level 50. There are no plans to accept members for now. Well then, I’m a little busy, so…” I gave a noncommital answer with an awkward laugh, then quickly escaped before they held me any longer.

“Ah, Vice-captain! One moment, please!”

Oh, so this was how August felt as he ran away from me… Who knew I’d be empathizing with him so soon? I hurried my footsteps.