CH 106

Maki watched excitedly as the two tall men glared at each other. In the meantime, Chiharu ignored them and moved towards the water. It wasn’t just Sauro, but the men in this world were quite tiring if you faced them on every issue seriously. If they wanted to fight, let them.

Oh, wait. Edwy was different, thought Chiharu. He was mature. She thought on the gentle face of Edwy, who she saw as like a younger brother, and she couldn’t help but smile. The waves came up and tickled her feet. Then they drew back and took the sand with them. Chiharu’s curly hair moved gently in the wind.

It was so quiet.

She looked down and took another step forward. The waves crashed at her feet. She took another step, and the waves drew back.

“Chiharu.”

A voice came from behind her.

“Chiharu.”

Maki had finally come.

“Chiharu.”

“Oh! Why can’t I be allowed to enjoy this vacation for just a second!”

“Because…”

Chiharu turned around with annoyance. Maki looked a little troubled as she held her hands up.

“Look at reality.”

Maki said as she pointed ahead. A crowd of merfolk were there, watching Chiharu’s every step. And in the sky, flew a flock of birdfolk.

“I knew that. I knew…”

She was just pretending that they weren’t there.

“Chiharu. Maki. This…”

Saia approached them and tried to give them some thin cloth. It was soft and yet strong. Thin and yet opaque. Very strange.

“What is this?”

Asked Maki. And so Saia spread it out and then expertly wrapped it around Maki’s waist so that it hit the floor. The extra fabric hung in the back. And all of this was done without touching her.

“This is the thing that all the merfolk wear!”

Chiharu shouted as she circled around Maki.

“Huh? It’s pretty, but I was going to go out for a swim. It will get in the way.”

“Maki, should you really be saying that after getting something so pretty? That’s not very lady-like.”

Chiharu said with exasperation as she folded her arms.

“Chiharu, excuse me.”

Saia then wrapped up Chiharu in a similar fabric. Now their legs were mostly covered.

“It’s so light, smooth, and easy to move in!”

“This was weaved with the webs of water spiders. They will not get in the way when they are wet, so you can swim in them. It’s a very mysterious fabric.”

Saia explained to the overjoyed Chiharu.

“Really? Huh. Wa-water spider…?”

“Yes. Are you interested? I can show them to you.”

“Uh, no. I think I’m fine.”

It was a subject better left untouched. Chiharu closed her eyes to the materials.

Then Saia knelt before them, and first he took Maki’s hand and then Chiharu’s. And he placed them on his forehead.

“Maki, Chiharu. I did not know that things would get so dangerous. And yet I have troubled you greatly over our chief. I am so sorry.”

He apologized sincerely. When they thought back on it, they had known there was a risk, but they could not abandon Amia, who had saved them. Chiharu thought that it couldn’t be helped. However…

“Exactly. Besides, not only did it turn into a huge deal, but it would have been resolved even if we didn’t go. Actually it might have ended sooner if you didn’t ask us to go.”

“That…”

Saia’s eyes wandered. But…

“Our chief had gone missing, and I did become a little frantic. However, I believe that it was because you two were there, that he came back quietly, and it did not cause more of a commotion than necessary.”

He said with another bow while still on his knees.

“Oh, it’s fine. Besides, nothing happened in the end?”

Chiharu said. Maki squinted at her suspiciously.

“Chiharu. Thank you!”

Saia raised his head and looked at Chiharu with an honest expression. However, Maki did not miss the slight curl of his lip when he did so.

“Maki.”

Saia turned to Maki now. He was still kneeling. Maki looked down at him. For the others that were watching, it would look like they were staring into each other’s eyes. Like a knight who was swearing his loyalty to Maki. Chiharu felt quite excited.

“Chiharu.”

Came Aeris’s voice.

“Did you finish fighting?”

Chiharu turned around. Now that she was distracted, Maki addressed Saia. And her expression was not sweet.

“Chiharu is the only person I have in this world.”

“What a coincidence. I feel the same way about the chief.”

There was no smile on his face either.

“A coincidence.”

Maki said with annoyance.

“Chiharu and I. We wouldn’t sacrifice others to save ourselves. Don’t compare us.”

“You say that, and yet you’ve already involved so many people?”

Saia said with sarcasm in his voice.

“I knew people would say that. It troubles me as well. If we just stayed in the castle, no one would talk and perhaps no one would be hurt.”

Maki said as she looked Saia right in the eyes.

“Then why don’t you do that?”

Saia said, as if it was what they should be doing. However, Maki snorted. Oh, she had already experienced this before, with those inlanders. She wasn’t going to feel hurt anymore.

“What makes you all so confident?”

“Confident?”

Saia sounded puzzled.

“This confidence that we Saintesses are objects that you own.”

“God sends the Saintesses to us. It is obvious.”

“Ha.”

Maki sighed derisively. It was unusual, but Chiharu had been very vocal when it came to this rescue mission. And Maki had ultimately agreed to it. She wasn’t as desperate as Chiharu was. And so she wasn’t as tired mentally or physically. And so she had thought about it more.

This mission had been quite dangerous. And yet Saia had asked them to do it as if it was nothing. This far exceeded the carefree nature of the birdfolk and merfolk.

The inlanders had looked at them with undisguised malice. However, Saia was different.

“We Saintesses are disposable compared to the chief. As long as he is saved, the rest doesn’t matter.”

As the words came out of Maki’s mouth, Saia became speechless.

“Or were you not thinking that far? What a coincidence, Saia.”

Maki said as the corner of her mouth curled.

“Yes, this world is nothing to me compared to Chiharu. Don’t think that we’ll save it without condition.”

Many people thought that they were just lazy and spoiled. And so Saia was shocked by how low her voice was. This was not like a Saintess at all.

“Maki. What happened?”

“Hehe. Saia looks just like a castle knight.”

Aeris said as he noticed the tense air. But Chiharu was oblivious. Maki relaxed.

“Oh, we just get along very well. We were talking about what is important to us.”

“I see. How nice.”

“Yes.”

Maki said as she brushed up her bangs. 

“Now, Chiharu. Apparently we can swim in this cloth. Let’s go into the water!”

“What? Oh, I suppose so. It’s a vacation, after all.”

“Yes. Let’s have the merfolk take us out to sea!”

“Uh, I don’t know about…”

And just like that, Maki and Chiharu were taken out to the water.

Aeris watched them with concern. Next to them, Amia said,

“Don’t worry. They’re not going to hurt them.”

“Merfolk do not think like humans. Humans can’t breathe underwater.”

“They know that. I think…anyway. Ah.”

Amia sounded less sure by the second. Still, Maki was pulled into the water. Aeris was worried, but could do nothing at this point. She jumped and plunged into the water. But then her face burst out from the surface.

“Haha! How fun! Chiharu! You try!”

“Uh. I don’t want… Ah!”

Chiharu was also pulled towards the water and jumped. She seemed a little angry, but seemed to not dislike it either.

“So beautiful. They are so lively. It is like watching life itself. Don’t you agree, Saia?”

“…Yes, Amia.”

Saia was looking down, as if refusing to look at the Saintesses. Amia glanced at him before returning his gaze to the sea. Then he started to talk as if to the water.

“The god of creation would not have wanted to save the world by sacrificing people.”

Saia raised his face in surprise.

“The monsters, us, the Saintess. All of us are creatures that live in this world. No one should be sacrificed for the benefit of others. While the monsters are killed, it is part of the cycle of life. They are not being sacrificed. And yet, the Saintesses are consumed in a one-sided situation. It is sad. We cannot forget that and treat them with disregard.”

“But…”

“Saia. Perhaps I should put it like this.”

Amia looked at Saia and put emphasis on every word.

“Through this rescue mission, Chiharu awakened to an ability to control monsters.”

Saia remembered Maki’s words. This world was nothing compared to Chiharu.

“Impossible.”

“Don’t be a fool. Don’t forget what is important.”

Amia said. And then he followed the Saintesses into the sea. This world was nothing. It was he who had forced those dark words from her mouth.

Saia could only stand there, stunned.