Chapter 257

「Uu……nn . ……huh, where am I?」

Melissa opened her eyes . She looked around sleepily not knowing the situation .

It’s already in the evening and the room is filled with light created by magic and moonlight .

I chased away those people from the Solon Church, so only me and Melissa are in the room .

「K-Kakeru? Ah……!」

She recognized my face and then remembered what happened .

Melissa sat up and asked me silently while slightly looking down .

「Kakeru……you stayed here the whole time?」

「Yeah」

「For days?」

She asked slightly happily .

「Nope, just for a while . It has only been less than half a day since then」

「Eh? But, I received sickness from that many people……since it isn’t half a day yet……」

「I lent you my recovery ability」

「Ah……!」

I lent her many times up until now, so Melissa immediately understood from her experience .

I asked Melissa before to sneak within my troops after lending her my stamina and recovery to protect my women and the slave soldiers .

With that experience, she immediately understood what I did .

「I see……thank you, Kakeru」

「It’s nothing much . Rather than that, are you always doing it like that?」

「Un, I’ve been doing it since recently」

「Recently?」

I furrowed my brows a bit and asked back .

「It’s Solon-sama’s blessings . Recently, I’m now able to shoulder other people’s injuries even it’s already “for a long time”」

「I’ve been thinking of asking that . Before, you can only do it in the present moment right?」

「Un . I realized I was able to shoulder other people’s pain even after some time has passed, so I thought that it might be that case, so I tried」

「I see . Was that something you came up with first?」

「……? That’s right, why do you ask?」

Melissa tilted her head and asked back .

She is doing it in her own will . That was enough .

「Nope, just wanted to ask」

「I see . ……I really failed this time」

Melissa’s face blushed with red and buried her face between her knees .

「Why so?」

「I didn’t think that Kakeru would stay here the whole time . “That”, I didn’t want to let Kakeru see it」

「By “that”, you’re talking about that appearance after you shouldered other people’s injuries and ailments?」

Melissa buried her face even more and nodded .

「I didn’t see it myself, but I’ve heard from others . I can imagine . “That” appearance, it’s so ugly, right? I didn’t want to Kakeru see……」

「Ugly? Not at all」

「Eh?」

「It was beautiful」

「Thank you, Kakeru . But it’s fine even if you don’t comfort me . That appearance, even I……think it’s hideous」

「I’ll tell you one thing . About my standards of beauty」

「Eh? Un……what is it?」

「It’s when my woman, is doing the thing that she wants to do」

「Ah……!」

「That was what you wanted to do right?」

「……un, that’s, true」

「If so, then it’s beautiful without a doubt」

「……thank you」

Melissa’s face turned even more red, burying her face .

『Kukuku, in front of you, even a Saintess is a mere maiden』

Eleanor said in a playful tone .

I heard from Melissa herself that she did that act with her own will .

Since that’s the case, there’s no need for me to stop her . I should let her do what she wants .

Suddenly, the door was knocked .

Melissa flinched and looked towards the direction of the door .

「Melissa-sama? Did you wake up?」

「W-What?」

「Ohh, you have awakened . Arsenius-sama has come . We hope that Melissa-sama would meet with him quickly」

「I got it . I’ll go now」

Melissa quickly regained her composure and got off the bed .

She was a shy maiden a moment ago, but her face instantly turned to that of a dignified saintess .  

「An acquaintance?」

「It’s the bishop」

「A colleague then」

Since that’s the case, I shouldn’t bother them .

I opened my Different Dimension Warehouse and took out my Warp Feather . Melissa woke up too, so I should leave for today .

I thought like that and tried to warp, but .

「K-Kakeru」

「n? What’s the matter?」

「We’ll finish our talk quickly so, can you wait for me?」

Her expression looked as if she was pleading yet it was filled with expectations .

Knowing how red her face a moment ago, I could tell what she wants just from looking at her face .

「I got it . I’ll wait for you」

「Thank you! I’ll call you after we finished talking okay?」

「There’s no need for that」

I released my aura and enveloped myself .

The camouflage aura that uses Eleanor’s powers . It’s a technique that hides me from other people .

「K-Kakeru? Where did you go?」

「I’m just right here . I’ll stay by your side so I’ll know when you’ll finish talking」  

「ーーthank you!」

Melissa showed a happy face again .

After that, her face turned serious, making her look like the “Saintess” .

She opened the door leading to the corridor . A man was there .

That man who knocked led Melissa .

Camouflaged, I followed Melissa who followed the man .

In the drawing room, Melissa faced a man who was wearing clerical clothes that were grander than what Melissa wears .

The man looked like he’s in his forties, has decent height, and looked very plump .

Judging from how he looks……he’s probably 170cm but over 120kg .

This kind of man is……probably .

『A man that fattened himself through authority . That is the most likely case』

It looks like Eleanor thought so as well .

「It’s been a while, Arsenius . Why did you come here?」

「Congratulations, Melissa-sama」

「What are you saying suddenly?」

「The miracle that Melissa-sama showed, the effect of the blessings was superb . The people of Nuktar are racing against each other to be part of our Solon Church’s religion」

「That is good news」

「This is all thanks to the miracle Melissa-sama created . You should hear it if you listen carefully, the voices of the people of Nuktar praising Melissa-sama」

Arsenius flattered Melissa .

「Did you come just to say that?」

「Melissa-sama is quick to the point as usual……about the Pope, you must know about it」

Arsenius’s expression changed drastically .

He looked like a frivolous person who was flattering Melissa before, but his face quickly turned to that of a conspirator .

Melissa also changed her expression, she furrowed her brows .

「Is the condition not really good?」

「That is not a proper way to describe it, Melissa-sama . The Pope is soon to ascend to our God’s place」

「……right」

Melissa nodded with a bitter face .

「It is a very delightful event . However, there is a problem . That’s right, the problem about who is going to be the next Pope」

「What do you mean?」

「I will go straight to the point . Please become the next pope」

He〜 .

『Hou』

My reaction was completely the same with Eleanor .

We thought that things started to get interesting .

However .

「I refuse」

Melissa refused instantly .

「Can I ask why?」

「Because God has not said so」

「I see」

Arsenius nodded and quickly made a meaningful face .

「What then if God commands so?」

「……what do you mean?」

Melissa furrowed her brows .

「It is nothing much」

Although Arsenius said that, he’s definitely lying .

There’s no way that it’s nothing much .

Since he asked in that way, if Melissa agreed to him and nodded, then the “words of God” will be like so .

It’s probably politics .

『That is the most likely case』

Eleanor agreed .

Melissa staredーーno, glared at Arsenius for a while .

The first one to withdraw was Arsenius .

「This seems to be too early after all」

After realizing Melissa doesn’t look like she’ll agree, Arsenius withdrew quickly .

Then after saying out some honeyed words, he left the room .

「Fuu〜……」

Melissa let out a sight .

『It looks like she really doesn’t want to do it』

Seems like it .

The pope, in other words, the highest position in the Solon Church .

It looks like Melissa doesn’t plan to be one .

It’s the opposite to that time with Fiona and Marie .

If Melissa doesn’t want to do it……then……

I will stop it at all cost .