CH 43

Maki and Chiharu planned to listen while they rested, but they were so tired that they fell asleep.

Chiharu had been surprisingly calm when she had first fallen towards the water. She had taken swimming lessons at school a long time ago, and so she could swim just fine. However, the impact she felt when she first hit the water had robbed her of a sense of direction at first. The moonlight had not been bright enough to show up on the water, and even if she knew that she would float to the top, having to hold her breath in the darkness had made her feel afraid.

Still, she pushed those feelings aside and tried to rise to the surface. It was then that something wrapped around her waist. She nearly exhaled in shock, but then she was immediately pulled out of the water.

“Wh-what?”

“Calm down, Chiharu.”

“Who are you?”

“How sad. Do you not remember the scales?”

“The merfolk…”

The young man!

“Now, the gazers are after us. Catch your breath as we head towards the shore.”

“Yes!”

Chiharu wiped her face with her sleeve. The young merman held Chiharu as he swam adeptly in the water. Behind them, she could hear splashing.

“I am using my tail to fend off the gazers.”

Interesting. But why were the gazers… They arrived on land before this could be answered, and she reunited with Maki.

Nyran had carried her like a princess after that. Was this a romantic situation at last?

Chiharu thought for a split second before remember the smell of the lake and how she had felt like a drowning rat. It was not romantic at all. Even if the person was a prince or the chief of the sea.

Chiharu would later talk to Maki about this in a heated voice.

“I do like the idea of being swooped off my feet like that. But, doesn’t it only happen when you’re in trouble or in pain? Is that when you fall in love?”

“Hmmm. You mean like someone who helps you when things are hard?”

“It was hard and embarrassing. I felt both sorry for him and annoyed. That’s all I felt.”

“Annoyed?”

“Like, I wanted to be left alone and was also worried about my weight.”

“I get it, Chiharu. Maybe only people who are capable of enjoying romantic scenes become romantically involved?”

“But I am rather romantic?”

“That’s an insult to people who are.”

In any case, the five men were relieved when they heard that Maki and Chiharu had fallen asleep.

After hearing about the matter of the Saintesses leaving the castle, Kaider said,

“In other words, the Saintesses were disguised as Norfe and Chouze. That’s why they were women at the hotspring, daughters of noblemen in the capital, and now they are Kenneth and Ryan. I see.”

“Yes.”

“And they have been let loose for half a month in the dwarf lands.”

“Let loose…”

Nyran chuckled.

“Well, I’m sure that your sarcasm comes from the fact that you were completely fooled all of this time.”

Edwy said. Kaider looked annoyed.

“Kaider.”

“What is it? White Philosopher.”

“What do you mean? Women at the hotspring?”

“Oh, that…”

Kaider looked uncertain.

“I was looking for Norfe and Chouze and…”

“And?”

“I saw a woman with dark hair from far away.”

“So you were peeking.”

“He totally was.”

“I can’t believe it.”

Kaider was cornered. Nyran was still laughing. You were there too!

“Ohhh, we have more pressing matters to discuss!”

“That’s true.”

Kaider insisted. And the Midland people drew back.

“Still, why did they do it when they were being taken care of so well?”

“You saw Norfe. They are strongly independent.”

Nyran answered Kaider’s question. Hmm. He was very observant. Edwy thought with a little irritation. However, they had to move on.

“Well, enough about them leaving the castle. They are safe now, anyway. The problem is the gazers.”

“Yes. They were clearly targeting Norfe and Chouze.”

“Maki and Chiharu.”

Why? He didn’t want to hear about versions of Maki and Chiharu that he didn’t know.

“I’m sorry. But they were nearly taken away by the merfolk on the merfolk island as well. And they are quite friendly with the bird people. I also heard that a gazer came to see Maki and Chiharu on a train.”

“That! I have not heard that before. So that is when they met the chief.”

“The birdfolk didn’t make a report?”

“Like saying that they are safe, or that they know where they are.”

“They just do as they please.”

But enough about them. There was no way to control the birdfolk.

“The merfolk chief said that the monsters were happy. And he said to think about why the Saintesses were sent to the human territories.”

“Do they know something?”

“Merfolk have been around since the beginning. They know God’s will and the workings of the world. It is said that they have watched over the world throughout history. Kaider and Nyran, you two met with the chief as children, didn’t you? Those bonds are important.”

“Yes.”

“Are the Saintesses summoned because the monsters have grown loud, or have the monsters grown loud because of their appearance? And what is their relation to miasma? There are many mysteries.”

Edwy said quietly. Kaider scratched his head and said,

“Well, we can always kill the monsters as they increase. Wouldn’t it be better to have the Saintesses stay in Midland? The miasma is thick here. However, it’s become thinner at a rapid pace ever since Norfe…Maki arrived. I understand that people want the Saintesses to visit. However, there is no guarantee of their safety when this close to the dungeons.”

Nyran nodded.

“There will be nothing we can do if we lose them.”

“Oh, ‘there will be more after three months.’”

“WHAT?”

Kaider and Nyran turned on Edwy.

“Don’t get me wrong. That is what the inlanders said to Maki and Chiharu during the unveiling at the castle.”

“They said that!”

“Damned inlanders!”

“By the way, it was the stupid royals, Norfe and Chouze that said it.”

“Ah.”

Nyran and Kaider said in unison.

“They used those names then.”

“I like them even more now.”

“I want to take them home with me.”

“YOU CAN’T!”

The three midlanders said together. There was as short stare down before Aeris spoke.

“We will have to look into the circulation of magic stones and the amount that is imported to each region. At the same time, we should find out how the miasma has changed in the elf and beastkin lands since Maki and Chiharu came here. If the other lands experienced the same change, then there will be no need to make them go to those places.”

“Oh, you seem to have had a change in opinion.”

“Grudo. I do not know how much of a burden the generating of these stones is for them. The elves are important to me as well. But so are Maki and Chiharu.”

Everyone nodded. Except for Edwy. He looked at Maki and Chiharu as they slept. And then felt embarrassed about how rude he was being.

“The problem is that they will clearly not wait around quietly.”

He said. And he was right.