Chapter 265

The next day, I’m planning to go to the church once again .

It’s because I need to ask about the woman called “Caroline” that the two men mentioned .

I killed those men for targeting Melissa, but if that woman called Caroline is able to become the pope, Melissa’s case would be resolved if I help her .

Thinking of that, I plan on going to the church .

「Otou-san, you’re going out today too?」

When I was preparing in my bedroom, Hikari opened the door and entered .

「Yeah, I’ve got some business in the town」

「Is that so……」

Hikari looked a little lonely .

「What’s the matter?」

「I thought of playing today with Otou-san . But it can’t be helped since Otou-san’s going out」

「……hmm . You want to go too?」

「Is it okay?!」

Hikari’s eyes shone .

「Of course . Depending on what happens, there might be battles」

「Hikari will do her best!」

Hikari said and was about to turn to her Demon Sword form, but .

「You don’t need to change forms yet」

「Is that so?」

「Yeah . Let’s go today while holding hands」

I said and reached out my hand . Hikari immediately took it with a happy smile .

While holding hands with my beloved daughter, I released an aura and enveloped myself along with Hikari .

The Demon Sword’s camouflage using Eleanor’s aura .

When I’m enveloped by this, I can let other people see what I want them to see .

I can freely change my appearance and I can also make myself invisible .

While turning myself to the “Shou” appearance I made yesterday, I made Hikari invisible .

「Let’s go then」

「Un!」

I walked while holding hands with Hikari .

I left the bedroom and out to the corridor .

Along the way, I saw Miu lecturing Colaria . She’s teaching her about how to polish the vase adoring in the corridor .

「Please take careーーehh?!」

Colaria was surprised seeing my appearance, but Miu beside her bowed her head naturally while saying “Please take care, Master” .

I returned with a nod and after I passed by them, I could hear from behind .

「That was Kakeru-sama?」

「Un」

「But he didn’t look like……」

「The MofuMofu is Master’s」

I heard that conversation between them .

I Mofu-d Miu while I passed by, so she probably figured it out .

I left my mansion and walked to the town while holding hands with Hikari .

Hikari is with me, so I only went to the church after looking around the lively town for a while .

I pushed the door and entered .

I saw there many believers praying . I looked around .

「Kya!」

Hikari let out a small scream . She almost tripped .

And at the same time, one believer passed me on the side .

「Are you okay?」

「Un . I bumped just a little」

Hikari said while smiling .

「There’s many people so you might get bumped again . Hikari, come closer」

「Un!」

I thought of letting Hikari turn to her Demon Sword appearance, but I could tell that Hikari wanted to continue holding our hands, so I said that .

It’s a subtle weakness of the camouflage aura .

Although I can turn someone’s appearance invisible, it’s not like they would disappear .

In crowdy places, the chances of bumping into other people are higher since they can’t be seen .

Someone who possesses equal or greater powers than Eleanor could see through it, but there’s no such person in this church .

I looked around the church once again . And then, one woman found me and walked towards me .

「Shou-san, you came today too」

「Meryl huh」

It’s the girl who let me (Shou) convert yesterday .

「You’re just in time . We’re offering our prayers to Solon-sama . If it’s fine with you, please come as well」

「I’ll come later」

『Hmph . You don’t plan on going at all』

Eleanor said, but I ignored her and continued my conversation with Meryl .

「Rather than that, I want to ask about something . Do you know someone called Caroline?」

「Caroline……?」

Meryl placed a finger to her temples and tilted her head .

「I’m sorry, I don’t know」

「You don’t know?」

That was unexpected .

Those men told me they want her to be the pope, so I thought that she’s a famous person within the Solon Church .

「You really don’t know? She’s probably someone with a high status」

「Let me see……」

She gave it another taught, but she made a sorry face again .

「I’m sorry, I really don’t know」

I furrowed my brows . This is contrary to my expectations .

Was he listening to us? A middle-aged believer praying at a distance joined our conversation .

「Meryl, if you say, Caroline, shouldn’t it be that one? Ainon’s Caroline」

「Ah! The place Cuttles-san frequents」

「You know her?」

I asked while looking at Meryl who remembered and the man who made her remember alternately .

「It should be that girl who can hear God’s voice」

『Probably that one』

Eleanor agreed .

Someone who can hear God’s voice……judging from the situation, it should be her .

☆

Ainon, it’s a town near the border of the Calamba Kingdom, and its main industry is sericulture .

It’s a lively town with a large population, and I visited that place together with Hikari .

By the way, I didn’t use the Demon Sword’s camouflage . I’m in my original appearance and Hikari can also be seen by passers-by .

「Oh! You have a good one there, Customer」

「n?」

After I entered the town and walked aimlessly, a certain store’s store owner called out to me .

It’s a bald muscular uncle .

He said after looking at Eleanor that I’m carrying .

「From how it looks, it’s the fourth generation demon sword replica right? The details are so well reproduced」

「Hmph . You got that right . I believe it won’t look different at all even if you place it together with the real one」

I casually said matching it with what he said .

Demon Sword Replica .

Since I started to carry Eleanor around, it started to become a fad .

It first became trending among children, and after that, it upgraded to one with gimmicks that can release auras .

The Demon Sword Replica that is continuing to evolve in places that I’m not aware of . It seems like the fourth generation is being sold now .

「What about matching this with it, huh? It’s a cloak hand knit by skilled tailors using Ainon’s famous black silk thread . It’s a fine piece arranged to react to the Demon Sword Replica’s aura and start to flutter」

The storeowner said and showed me the folded cloth . It seems to be this store’s merchandise and he also called out to me to sell that .

I took it in hand and spread it out .

「This is……」

『It’s modeled from your dark cloak』

「Not only the Demon Sword Replicas, but this kind of things are also being sold?」

「It’s the best selling stuff recently . How about it, you’d like to buy one?」

「I guess so . I’ll have it」

「Thank you for your patronage」

The store owner showed a business smile and wrapped the cloth .

I paid with Calamba silver coins while receiving the item and asked .

「By the way, do you know someone called Caroline?」

「Caroline? Ahh, that liar」

「Liar?」

「You’re talking about that woman, right? That one who’s claiming she can hear the God Solon’s voice」

It’s that Caroline . However .

「What do you mean she’s a liar?」

「I don’t know much about it, but……it seems like she could really hear God’s voice at the beginning . But recently, they’re saying that she can’t hear God’s voice anymore . So, even those guys who are coaxing her calling her as the “Child of God” since she can hear God’s voice, they’ve started rumors about her being a liar or even a swindler」

「I see……」

That’s why those men got pressured and took drastic actions huh .

They’re probably one of the remaining people that believe in Caroline .

「When did she stopped hearing it?」

「Who knows……I don’t really know much about it……ah, that’s right」

*Pon* The man dropped a fist to his palm .

「It’s since that bastard Oros disappeared」

『Hou……?』

Eleanor reacted . Was it a name she knows?

『Maybe you should fix that bird brain of yours after all』

「n?」

「I see〜, Oros-san huh〜」

Hikari knows too?

That means……it’s someone I’ve met .

Someone I’ve met in Calamba and……since I can’t remember, it’s probably a man .

……。

Is it one of the eunuchs?

『You did great』

I flicked Eleanor who said that in a teacher’s tone with a finger .

But, I see . One of those three eunuchs huh .

Those three eunuchs . If I’m not wrong, they have connections with the demons .

And after they disappeared, that woman called Caroline stopped hearing the God Solon’s voice .

There’s probably something .

「Where can I meet that Caroline?」

I asked the store owner .

I became more eager to meet her .

☆

Using the information I got from the store owner, I went to Ainon’s church .

It’s a church within the several ones you can find in Ainon . It’s a church that is smaller than the one in Roizen .

I entered and saw one girl inside .

「Oh God, please let me hear your voice once again」

She placed her hands together, praying alone inside the church .

I thought she was praying, but that doesn’t seem to be the case .

「Please, I can only rely on God」

Her words were equal to that of begging .

The girl said repeatedly . “Please let me hear your voice, please let me hear it once again” .

She only repeated that .

“Is she Caroline?”, I thought and when I was about to call out to her .

「Oi! When are you going to stop that」

A man appeared from deep inside the church .

The man was carrying a buck and a mop, tools for cleaning .

「I can’t clean the damn place . Go away already」

「……」

「Don’t ignore me」

The man grabbed the girl’s head and forcefully made her face him .

「Ah!」

「Don’t ignore me . I’m going to clean up, so go away」

「S-Sorry! Uhh, uhm, uhm」

「I’m telling you to fucking leave」

「I’m sorry . I can’t hear what you’re saying」

「Haa? That again, huh . You’re saying, you can hear God’s voice, but not of common folks, huh?」

The man disdained the girl .

The girl furrowed her brows in distraught .

She really looks like she’s troubled . She really can’t hear him?

「Enough, just go away . I’m cleaning up」

The man showed the buckets he’s holding . Seeing that, the girl finally realized and moved away in a hurry .

「You’re really……tsk……」

The man started cleaning . The girl showed an apologetic look and walked away .

「Onee-chan」

Hikari ran towards the girl .

She stopped in front of Caroline who walked away dejectedly and looked up to her .

「Onee-chan, are you Caroline?」

Hikari asked .

Seeing Hikari’s cute and innocent smile, the girl replied .

「S-Sorry . I can’t hear what you’re saying」

「Fue? You can’t hear Hikari?」

「I’m really sorry! W-What should I do, can she read letters?  She should be able to, right? Her voice is clear and sound so she should be」

The girl looked around in panic . From what she said, is she searching for paper?

「Hikari」

「Ah! Otou-san . Uhm, Otou-san, it looks like Onee-chan can’t hear Hikari’s voice」

「No, she probably can hear your voice . Maybe she can’t recognize your words in her cognition? Or maybe it’s something else?」

「That sounds difficult」

「Yeah . She’s saying something about letters, so I guess she can write?」

「Yes, I can」

「I see, then through writing……mu?」

I looked at the girl .

Right now……we talked?

『That seems to be the case』

Eleanor said . It was not just my imagination huh .

I looked at the girl surprised about that, but the girl was looking at me with a face more surprised than mine .

Finally, with a few words .

「Are you……God?」

She asked .