Chapter 168

EP.168 On a Stormy Night (3)

The Hero was super excited about eating curry, but then realized there was no rice, leading to extreme despair as he clung to the floor like a piece of gum stuck down.

Why is it so lamentable that I can’t touch the weakened me?

I thought about feeling sorry for him and letting him touch me, but then seeing the furniture crushing under his spirit like snacks made that thought disappear quickly.

“Ugh, sniff… sniff…”

“Bro! He’s crying.”

As the Hero finally broke into frustrated tears, the Saint’s sarcastic finger pointed at him again.

Pointing at someone with your finger? That’s a no-no!

If it were the usual me, I would have stopped it right away, but—

With my tongue half-broken, I couldn’t blurt out anything recklessly, fearing it might ruin the rare improvement we had going.

“All right! If your head hurts, cut the nonsense and let’s deal with what’s in front of us! Hey, Bigtim! It’s getting on my nerves. Can you move the Hero to the next room for a sec?”

Nod.

Bigtim, silently acknowledging Apis’ orders, dragged the Hero out like he was cleaning up the floor.

“Is there… Is there really no salvation…?”

Even as the Hero sobbed their last words of regret, seeing him meekly get dragged away tugged at my heartstrings a bit.

Once his body is back to normal, I should fulfill whatever wish the Hero has as much as possible.

“Sigh…”

With the Hero’s departure, it seemed the tension in my body had finally loosened.

Suddenly, the Sister, who had been standing there, let out a heavy moan and fell to the floor.

“Hey, are you okay…?”

Apis’ caring words indicated just how serious the Sister’s situation was, as she clutched her heart, gasping.

Well, it was pretty much expected.

The Sister’s mind and body must have felt like they just stepped out of the mouth of a mountain-sized dragon.

Surprisingly, the fact that she hadn’t fainted was a miracle.

“I thought I was going to die… Welna… Sister. I thought I was going to die…”

“Sister, are you cold? Should Welna hug you?”

It was quite a sight to see an adult trembling all over, crying as she clung to a petite girl, but given the circumstances, we decided to let it slide.

“Sniff! Ugh!*”

“That’s right. That’s right.”

Who’s the older sister and who’s the younger sister here?

As I watched the Saint gently patting the Sister’s head like a child with a nightmare, those thoughts crept in.

“Wow~ You really did it, huh? To think you’d stand up to that Hero so boldly! Even Bigtim couldn’t do that in the middle of a poison puddle without changing color!”

With a big, hearty laugh, Apis casually praised the Sister.

It seemed like Apis admired how the Sister bravely faced the Hero without running away.

I agreed with her.

Had it not been for the Sister’s cool-headed response, who knows how the Hero’s intentions toward me and the Saint’s protective instincts might have clashed?

The Sister’s achievement transcended mere mediation of a fight; it deserved to be celebrated as a significant contribution to the peace of this world.

“Thanks to you, Sister… I’m a bit better now.”

Not wanting to remain silent after receiving such immense grace, I struggled to express my gratitude with my short tongue.

“You’re too kind, Regis. I did nothing this time. If you hadn’t interrupted, I would have no idea what could have happened…”

Maybe the fear etched in her bones hadn’t faded completely.

Her answer was laced with a delicate tremor.

Her breathing was heavier than usual, and her complexion looked a bit off.

Above all, her defensive posture, turning her back to me and hiding her expression, clearly showed just how exhausted she was.

She must have reached her limits in many ways.

Right now, she desperately needed rest.

“Sister, shouldn’t you take a break… Oh, huh…?”

Just then, my vision suddenly blurred, and a sense of relief washed over me as my core strength just faded away.

“Regis!”

As the Sister’s worried voice calling my name grew distant like a dream, the thin thread connecting my body and mind had already snapped long ago.

◈◈◈

“Who said taking a break was okay? You’re just sitting there like a potato…”

Just as Regis lost consciousness and nearly fell face-first, Apis managed to lift him up just in time.

Her rough actions were reminiscent of a rascal holding an old bag.

However, she cradled Regis carefully, making sure not to strain his smaller body, showcasing the consideration she rarely showed in front of others.

“Apis!”

“Don’t panic. It’s just the fatigue finally catching up. Oh right, this guy said he was just hanging out with mercenaries a bit ago. I kinda forgot with his face looking so young…”

Although all physical wounds had healed, the mental exhaustion from unfamiliar combat and the Saint’s rampage still weighed heavily on Regis’ mind.

If he were in good shape, it would only have been a slight burden to keep consciousness, but now, with his weakened body, that burden had become way too heavy.

“Seriously, you never look after yourself. I bet you just got your butt kicked all day and ran off like a mouse. That’s obvious.”

“Ugh…”

“Wait! Wait a moment! Apis!”

As Apis cruelly pinched Regis’ tiny nose with her fingers, Beltein uttered in shock.

It was an action triggered by the fear of the Saint’s reaction, yet it also came from genuine concern.

Whether it was her natural disposition or something to do with her brother, the exact reason was unclear, but Beltein had a soft spot for little kids.

The saying goes that women with ample breasts have great maternal instincts, but in this case, it clearly wasn’t just a rumor.

Anywho, those who had even a single encounter with Beltein would find themselves reconsidering the validity of that saying.

Beltein’s gaze frantically darted toward the Saint.

It was a landmine to harm Regis, and she couldn’t foresee that Apis’s actions held no malice.

‘Uh…?’

But in that moment, when confronted with a totally different expression from what she had imagined the Saint would have, a huge question mark loomed in Beltein’s mind.

“…..?”

Far from the anger she anticipated, the Saint’s face was unexplainably serene.

Not only that. The moment their eyes met, she tilted her head curiously like a cat with a lot of curiosity, looking almost innocent in a situation that should be uncontrollable.

Even taking it lightly as a joke, to remain silent while Regis was being tormented was unfathomable.

The former Saint would never even think of allowing something like that.

Besides, she had just attempted to mercilessly butcher the mercenaries who had attacked Regis a moment ago, so to question whether the Saint understood this was all just playful banter among comrades was almost ridiculous.

As Beltein dwelled in that astonishment, she noticed—

“Hey, catch this.”

“Uh? What?”

“What are you doing? Hurry up and catch him. I need to go find those thieves who ran off with the Holy Sword now. While I’m at it, I’ll clean up the trash around here too. Oh, don’t tell the Hero; if he finds out, it’ll be a headache.”

“Y-yes! Got it!”

Beltein carefully accepted the sleeping Regis from Apis.

The entire act was so sacred it rivaled that of a saint.

Even through the loose fabric enveloping him, the warmth of his body was as soothing as sunlight, and the delicate eyelashes that fluttered with his breath exuded a bewitching charm.

The soft hair that brushed against her skin emitted an indescribably pleasant fragrance.

He was cute. No, he was adorable.

For the first time, she felt an intense affection for someone other than her brother.

The remarkable guh-guh-guh of his faint breaths fanned the flames of her emotions in a dreamy haze.

“Just keep an eye on him while I’m out. And, as you know, try not to let him touch anything. He seems to understand the situation well, but you never know. Can’t you do that much since the Saint is around?”

“Yes! Definitely!”

“Oh, and go ahead and give yourself a good wash. I caught a whiff of sweat, blood, and mud just now—what a mess!”

“Huh! Yes! Wait, what?”

Those were bombshell words that hit Beltein’s ears.

Regis’ appearance in the story! Yummy sweets drawn by the Holy Spirit! Santa exists! Everyone!