This is the story of what happened during the window of time between Shannon being carried away in a princess carry by Roze and her eventually waking at dusk.
As for what we were doing in the meantime, we were making the rounds to visit various acquaintances—the item shop, the weapon shop, and several eateries where we were regulars. As I’d expected, my grim appearance with this eye patch and prosthetic leg took everyone by surprise. However, by acting positive and avoiding a dark expression, I think I managed to keep them from worrying more than necessary.
I considered this a successful outing. Even with a body like this, if I refused to mope and kept my eyes forward, those around me would treat me normally rather than offering awkward pity. As a man, I couldn't bear the thought of looking pathetic or uninspired. It was a standard I needed to maintain from here on out.
Of course, the more I acted that way, the more Master and the others watched me from behind with eyes filled with increasingly heavy emotions.
N-No, really, everyone, I’m not forcing myself to be cheerful, okay? I’m genuinely fine. You don't have to overthink it.
I’m not lying! Believe me!
...Well, one way or another, we returned to Le Bouquet around mid-afternoon.
Or rather, we tried to.
"Aha! Greetings, my friends! Huzzah, it seems I’ve managed to catch you after all. A man as radiant as I is surely favored by the Goddess of Fate herself! Hahahaha!"
"..."
In the lobby’s lounge area sat a very noisy individual.
It was, naturally, Roche.
"Oh, perfect timing, everyone. He said he was sent by the Cathedral on an errand for all of you."
Apparently, he had been waiting for us while enjoying some of Roze’s handmade tea. At the appearance of this now-familiar nuisance, Master slumped her shoulders, Yulitia gave a small, wry smile, and Atri looked at him with half-closed eyes, clearly finding him exhausting.
"Ah, Mademoiselles, please do not gaze at me with such passionate stares! Even I might start to feel bashful!"
"You really haven't changed a bit, have you..."
"I am always my own beautiful self!"
His voice carried so well that it was a chore for everyone to ignore his usual narcissistic prattle.
Still, even the way he drank tea was incredibly picturesque. The air around him seemed to sparkle, and one could almost imagine the elegant notes of a violin playing out of thin air. Even the standard Light Armor of the city's knights looked like a prestigious, first-class garment when he wore it. It was a bizarre phenomenon.
Was this guy really just a rank-and-file knight? Part of me wondered if he was actually the scion of some noble house... but no, probably not.
"Have you been waiting long?" I asked.
"No, I simply grew thirsty. I asked Lady Roze for a moment's rest, and by a stroke of luck, you all returned. How fortunate."
I had a feeling he was lying. Once again, this guy was using a casual smile to provide cover so we wouldn't feel guilty about making him wait. What a handsome bastard.
Regardless, I could more or less guess why Roche was here.
"Is this about the reward?"
Presumably, it was about the bounty for the Grim Reaper and the Ruffian. Roche set down his teacup.
"Yes. Are you all available tomorrow?"
"Nothing planned so far."
"Excellent. Then I would like you to come to the Cathedral. Anze is enthusiastically making preparations."
"Anze is enthusiastically making preparations" was a phrase that filled me with a sudden sense of dread. Was that going to be okay? She wasn't getting carried away and trying to turn this into some massive, over-the-top ceremony, was she?
"Spare me anything too extravagant, all right?"
"I understand. However, formalities are important. Even if you are friends, we cannot afford to handle this half-heartedly."
I suppose the Cathedral had its own standing to maintain as the ruler of the Holy City. How bothersome.
Suddenly, Roche’s demeanor shifted, taking on a more serious air.
"—Furthermore, regarding Lady Ruerie’s treatment."
I felt our collective breathing grow shallow as we braced ourselves.
Ruerie’s treatment—in other words, her punishment.
No matter how unavoidable her circumstances might have been, the fact remained that Ruerie had been complicit in the Ruffian’s crimes. We couldn't just sweep that under the rug. It was only by luck that we were the ones targeted and were able to save her. If any other party had been the target, there was no telling how many tragedies might have followed.
Therefore, if the Cathedral intended to hold her accountable, I felt we had to accept that. But—
"First, her adventurer license will be temporarily revoked. ...Though for Lady Ruerie, 'temporary' might be a moot point by now."
That... was likely true.
She had lost two companions, and both she and the older woman had suffered wounds to the heart that were far too deep. There was no way she could continue adventuring, nor did I think she should. Stories of adventurers laying down their swords forever weren't rare in this country.
I remained silent, waiting for him to continue.
"Next... after a preliminary judgment, Lady Ruerie showed deep signs of remorse, stating she would 'accept any punishment.' Therefore, she has been sentenced to probation while performing social service through the church’s Rehabilitation Program."
"..."
"I believe one of the Cathedral’s most capable Sisters is currently whipping her back into shape."
That meant...
Roche gave a faint smile.
"When I went to check on her, she seemed quite spirited. If you like, you should stop by and see her tomorrow as well."
"...I see. That’s a relief."
I was genuinely relieved. In short, she was going to be retrained through social service until she regained an upright spirit.
I had heard that it wasn't uncommon for women who committed crimes in this country to be sent to remote convents in the frontier for atonement. Considering my lack of knowledge regarding the law, it seemed they had taken her circumstances into account quite generously.
"So, Lady Liesel and the rest of you, I want you to receive this reward with your heads held high. The fact that Lady Ruerie can smile today is undoubtedly thanks to you."
"...I suppose you're right."
Master and the others, who had been reluctant about the reward, seemed to find a bit of resolve after hearing Roche’s words. I was never very good at saying the right thing to comfort people, so I was grateful Roche was considerate enough to look out for the three of them as well.
Finishing his tea, Roche returned to his usual theatrical self and stood up.
"Then tomorrow, I shall come here to fetch you! Mademoiselles, and my friend, farewell! Hahahaha!"
"Yeah. Thanks."
After his dashing exit, the air in the room felt significantly lighter. I watched Roche’s back for a moment, grateful for the existence of such a noisy but dependable friend.
Still, the fact that Anze was supposedly "enthusiastically preparing" continued to nag at me. Since she was essentially a concentrated mass of pure goodwill, I had no idea what she might do. It wouldn't have been out of character for her to smile and say, "Let's rent out the Grand Chapel and hold a massive public ceremony!"
Well, surely the Saintesses or the Cathedral's high-ranking officials would veto something like that...
I'm counting on you, Roche. Since you're like a brother to her, please keep her on a short leash.
The day after Master and Shannon finally reconciled, the escort arrived at Le Bouquet exactly as promised. When we finished our preparations and headed down to the lobby, we were met with the same radiant noisiness as the day before.
"Aha! Wolka! What a magnificent morning! Don't you think it's the perfect day for you to receive your accolades? Hahahaha!!"
"You're way too loud."
"I simply cannot suppress my brilliance beneath the sun!"
Leaving the loud one aside, another girl stood next to Roche, her presence overflowing with a celebratory aura and a smile just as bright.
It was, of course, Anze.
"Good morning, everyone!"
"Morning. You came too?"
"Yes! After all, I am Lord Wolka’s Patron!"
"I told you a thousand times, you're the party’s Patron! You're trying to sneak that one past us again, aren't you!? ...E-Er, well... t-that won't work, you hear!?"
Master immediately snapped at her, but she was quickly deflated by Anze’s blindingly happy aura. She looked at me with eyes that asked, "Why is she so energetic?" I didn't have an answer.
I tried asking directly.
"Anze, you're... surprisingly energetic, aren't you?"
"Yes! Because today is the day Lord Wolka finally receives his reward!"
Why did that make her so hyper? I was starting to get worried that there was some kind of catch. Was it really okay to follow these two?
"If you're ready, let us depart at once. The church has long been fully prepared."
"Right..."
Well, it was too late to back out now. I just had to hope everything would end without a scene. Accompanied by the two of them, who were acting like siblings, we left Le Bouquet.
As we walked through the pleasant morning sunlight, I leaned toward Roche.
"Roche... you aren't plotting something, are you?"
"Hmm? How hurtful! I would never dream of deceiving you! Hahahaha!"
I had my doubts.
Beside me, I could hear the conversation between Master and Anze.
"Anze, you aren't planning to do this on the scale of a ceremony, are you? Anything over the top would be trouble..."
"Yes, we haven't done much of anything at all... Oh, but if it's just for Senior!"
"Mm. Wolka should be praised in a ceremony instead."
"Yes, I think so too, but..."
Hey, stop that. A ceremony was a public event, right? That was way beyond what I deserved. Sure, defeating a Grim Reaper was apparently a historic feat, but I had only won because of my knowledge of the original work. It wasn't pure skill. It was important to stay humble.
"Wolka. I've been meaning to ask, do you dislike honor?"
"It's not that I dislike it..."
I thought about Roche's question. I wouldn't pretend I had no ego, but honestly, honor that didn't fit your station was just a massive pain.
For example, the highest rank for an adventurer, S-rank, was a title given to heroes who fought on the front lines. There was a strong social expectation that such people shouldn't just live a carefree life in the city. Rising to S-rank meant bearing the responsibility of being a symbol of hope for the populace.
Living a life of luxury with fame and glory sounded like a dream on paper. In reality, though, honor came with a corresponding status and burden. When I imagined the social obligations and human drama that would follow, moderation seemed much more appealing.
I gave my answer.
"I didn't risk my life because I wanted fame."
The reason I had fought so desperately back then was simply because I wanted Master and the others to live.
And as anyone could see, that wish had already been granted.
"Everyone is alive and here... for me, that’s a more than sufficient 'reward.'"
I meant it. We were supposed to have been wiped out in that battle. To have returned to the Holy City with no one missing and to have resumed our peaceful lives—it was incredible. Thinking about that scene from the original work, I could almost tear up.
—The problem was.
"Wolka... Wolka, you're always saying things like that...!"
Master and the girls, who knew nothing about the "original work," could never understand that perspective. Oh, man, Master and the others were getting all heavy-hearted again! They were definitely reading way too deep into this in the wrong direction!
But I couldn't exactly tell them the truth.
"P-Please don't overthink it. I was just that desperate at the time." I could only offer those weak words to soothe them, which earned me an exasperated look from Roche.
"Good grief. Really, why aren't you a knight?"
"Don't give up on me now!" I snapped back.
Amidst the banter, we arrived at the Cathedral. The Grand Chapel’s doors were thrown wide open as usual, welcoming the steady stream of worshippers.
I cautiously asked Anze, "...I'll ask just in case, but you aren't planning to do this here, are you?"
"I did consider that, of course, but..."
Of course she did.
"Don't worry. Do you remember the Small Chapel in the back that I showed you before? We will be holding the ceremony there privately, with only those involved."
Thank goodness. The thought of receiving a reward in a massive chapel while being stared at by hundreds of people made my stomach churn.
We walked through the same corridor as before and arrived in front of the Small Chapel.
"Now, are you ready?"
Roche looked positively delighted, and Anze was practically vibrating with anticipation. Why were they more excited than the people actually getting the reward? I was starting to feel really uneasy. I'm trusting you guys, okay?
"Then—please, enter."
Roche stood to the left and Anze to the right as they grandly swung the doors open. It felt like a scene from a movie before an audience with a king or a high-ranking noble. I thought that to myself jokingly to ease my nerves.
It was supposed to be a joke.
In the chapel, three girls were waiting.
One was sitting on a pew in the front row, another was in a wheelchair, and the third was... wait, what? Was she floating in the air? What on earth?
The girls seemed to have been passing the time with small talk. The one on the pew immediately turned around and stood up.
"Oh, they're here! Honestly, I'm tired of wait—ahem! ...We have been expecting you, members of Silvery Grey."
I knew the second I saw them that none of them were ordinary Sisters.
Their clothes were the giveaway. They wore magnificent liturgical robes made from the finest fabrics. They were worlds apart from the simple habit Anze wore. Those were vestments for the highest-ranking members of the church, and if there were girls wearing such things—wait a minute.
"Wh—Whaaa!?" Yulitia let out a stunned cry.
Even Atri’s eyes went wide, and Master’s mind seemed to have ground to a complete halt.
Their reactions were only natural. Even I knew who was standing there. I couldn't help but know.
"It is a pleasure to meet you. Now, please, come this way."
"..."
No... no, no, wait, hold on.
I knew Roche and Anze were in suspiciously good moods, but this was beyond anything I’d expected. Only a narcissist bigger than Roche could have predicted this.
Giving a perfectly ordinary reward to a perfectly ordinary A-rank adventurer.
There was no way anyone could have guessed that these people would show up for that. Hey, you can't just tell me to "come this way" and expect me to say "oh, thanks" to people like them!
"It's all right, Lord Wolka."
As I stood there frozen, Anze gently took my right hand from behind.
"You needn't worry about etiquette; just be your usual self. Come."
"H-Hey."
Practically dragged by the hand, we were forced toward the altar. The girl who had stood up earlier welcomed us with a pure, radiant smile.
Pure white hair and pure white liturgical robes. Except for her eyes and skin, almost everything about her was a brilliant white.
She was a Saintess.
She was a Saintess in every sense of the word.
I didn't know their faces, but I wasn't so dense that I could look at that magnificent presence and ask "who are you?"
The white-clad girl pinched her skirt and gave an elegant bow.
"I am Restardia, the Saint of Hakua. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
Following her, the young girl in the wheelchair, whose eyes were covered by an eyepatch, spoke up.
"I am Yulirius, the Saint of Star Eyes. Nice to meet you."
Finally, the girl lying on the crescent-shaped cushion floating in the air spoke in a monotone voice, punctuated by a yawn.
"Yawn... mm... Saint of Fortune and Woe. Arcasiel."
...Ah, I was starting to put it together. Since they were at the top of the Holy City, it made sense that they’d heard about the incident in Gouzel. In fact, given how much of a shock it had been to the city, they probably had a very detailed report.
Specifically, a report on who had defeated which monster.
The pure white girl—the Saint of Hakua—deepened her refined smile.
The reason these three were waiting for us was—
"I have heard much about you... I am delighted to meet you, Lord Wolka."
Damn it, Roche!! You set me up, didn't you!?
I turned around to glare at him, but Roche was just waving at us with a cheerful smile from the doorway.
Son of a—!