Chapter: 392
“Phoebe! You’ve finally arrived!”
Joy beamed when she saw Phoebe’s face.
That smile was one of joy at meeting a long-lost friend, but it also held an anticipation for the reactions that her friend would show.
Even for Phoebe, training in the Allen Knights would surely be a mess!
The thought of the Saintess lamenting was just too amusing.
I wonder if this is how Lady Allen felt when she invited us.
I know it’s not a good attitude, but I just can’t help but smile.
Hmph. Shall we start with a duel against Allen Baek?
Joy recalled the first time she stood before Benedict.
Though she thought she had become accustomed to real combat with steady training in the Knights, she remembered how she was knocked away in one strike by Benedict who appeared from nowhere.
It’s true that Phoebe is more accustomed to combat than I am, but against someone as out of the ordinary as Benedict, she won’t be able to help it.
She will definitely be extremely flustered.
With such mischievous thoughts, Joy looked at Phoebe, but unfortunately, reality didn’t unfold as she imagined.
Despite suddenly being thrown into a duel, Phoebe demonstrated more than one person’s worth of performance.
Of course, supporting the front was the least she could do.
There’s no way the exceptional clergy Phoebe would fail to perform her role.
What surprised Joy was that Phoebe went above and beyond with ease.
“Thank you! Saintess! You saved my life!”
She quickly formed Divine Magic the moment she saw the front in danger.
“Hu! Were you prepared?”
“Joy! Magic!”
“…Right. Four!”
Phoebe anticipated and countered Benedict’s attack even before Joy could react.
“Sloppy Saintess!”
“Understood!”
Even without Lucy providing details, Phoebe understood the meaning and created a variable with her magic.
The image Phoebe showed during the duel with Benedict was not that of a frail Saintess, but rather that of a saint moving amid the frontline.
While Joy couldn’t bear to see her friend in trouble, she couldn’t help but let out a sigh of admiration.
No wonder Phoebe earns the respect of so many clergy.
Feeling reassured that Phoebe was beside her, Joy engaged in battle even more aggressively than before.
“This is great! It’s gotten more exciting!”
Though they had gained stability with the addition of the incredible clergy Phoebe, the wall that was Benedict was too high.
Even across the continent, there were only a few monsters they could face, so Luca’s party still fell short.
“I can’t believe you’re this strong without even graduating from the Academy! The future of the kingdom looks bright!”
After Benedict knocked out those standing against him without a care, Joy and the others collapsed to the ground.
They had exhausted all their stamina trying to hold out against the monster that was Benedict.
At this moment, Phoebe was no different. Sliding down against the wall, she struggled to catch her breath.
“Stupid Papa, so childish. A big guy trying his best to win against his daughter? Come on!”
The only exception was Lucy. Possessing extraordinary stamina from the start, she maintained her composure even after taking on the most challenging role against Benedict.
“That’s my Papa you’re talking about! So annoying!”
Just as Lucy expressed her genuine annoyance, a loud bang echoed from afar.
It was quite a loud sound, but only Phoebe was startled.
Those who had recently been staying at the Allen Family could easily guess who was the source of the noise.
“Sloppy Saintess.”
Phoebe, looking around, hurriedly turned her head at Lucy’s voice.
“You look like a clumsy oaf, but you actually move better than expected, huh? You’re not just all fluff, I guess?”
Although Lucy’s tone was provocative as usual, Phoebe couldn’t pay attention to those words.
Lucy’s bright smile, radiant without a trace of darkness, completely captivated her attention.
Even looking through the crystal, she had marveled at Lucy’s beauty, but seeing it directly was simply breathtaking. How could someone even look so divine while covered in sweat?
The fact that she hadn’t seen that before made Phoebe feel somewhat petty.
Feeling a bit of jealousy, Phoebe suddenly realized that the divine aura within Lucy had changed.
The warmth of the divinity had become softer. And it seemed like there was an increase in the amount residing within Lady Allen. Most importantly, it felt much more natural for the divinity to circulate through Lady Allen’s body.
She must have achieved significant growth while I was away. Truly the Apostle of God.
“Clumsy Saintess. Have you gained some weight in your ears?”
“…Ah. I’m sorry, Lady. I was thinking about something else for a moment.”
“You can think about something else in front of someone as cute as me? That’s really rude. Do you think being a big girl is everything?”
Phoebe didn’t flinch at the sight of Lucy pouting her lips.
Having dealt with the dark clergy at Jushin Church until recently, the childlike complaints of Lucy didn’t seem too bad.
Lucy, not pleased with Phoebe’s calm demeanor, descended upon her, tugging at Phoebe’s cheeks.
“You puffy-cheeked Saintess! How dare you act so cocky!”
“I am innocent, I swear!”
“Right. Lucy, let go of the Saintess. Instead, play with me.”
While Lucy was fooling around with Phoebe, Frey, who had regained her strength, trotted over and shoved her cheek against Lucy’s.
Seeing this, Lucy said nothing and just stared at Frey before tugging on her cheek as well.
“Ouch! Ouch!”
“You told me to do it, you perverted swordsman.”
“…Lucy, that’s mean.”
Watching this scene unfold, Phoebe couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
*
Days had passed since Phoebe’s return when Benedict finally mentioned that he could no longer continue the duels.
“I have a schedule with nobles around Allen’s people.”
Benedict explained that he didn’t want to go either, but I didn’t care about that.
There had been too many instances where I had suffered because of Benedict.
Successfully making him cower and jump like a coward with my eloquent tongue, I gathered my weary friends.
With the dueling sessions with Benedict no longer possible, there was no reason to stay in the Allen Family.
Everyone grumbled about losing their short rest, but when they heard what I said next, their expressions changed.
“We’re going to raid a dungeon?”
“Is there really a chance to escape this hell?!”
“Are we betting again this time?”
Maybe it was because the last dungeon raid had been relatively relaxed. The three who had been with me previously expressed joy at the fact that we were going back to a dungeon.
They all thought experiencing real combat was much better than the hellish training in the Allen Knights.
I silently watched them rejoice.
The purpose for visiting the dungeon this time was completely different from the last. Last time it was to improve our raiding skills, but this time we were going for some hard labor.
I wondered if they could maintain such expressions even after spending about twenty hours in the dungeon hunting monsters.
[Do you realize that your expression is exceedingly evil? ]
‘Really? I guess I must be thinking some rotten thoughts then.’
<...Perhaps try to be a bit more reserved? >
‘Must I? We’re just family after all!’
The grandfather who had fallen silent sighed and then lamented in a slightly complicated tone.
[It’s the first time I feel relieved to hear your cocky tone.]
‘What does that even mean?’
I’m glad I have the Mesugaki Skill! This damn skill has caused me so much trouble!
“Lady Allen. Can I join you this time?”
As I was about to press my grandfather, Jack quietly butted in.
Concerned about being abandoned the last time, he asked me with a glimmer of desperation in his eyes.
“Do you really want to go with me?”
“Yes! I don’t want to be left alone in this hell again!”
“You look super desperate. You’re like an abandoned puppy—so pitiful!”
“Th-that’s…”
“But what do I do? There’s no spot for the inferior disciple this time either. Sigh. Looks like you’re destined to be alone again.”
It was a pity, but now that Phoebe had returned, there was simply no place for Jack.
Their relationships were too sensitive, and as a character, Jack’s performance was also too mediocre to be prioritized.
Perhaps upset about being abandoned again, Jack seemed concerned. Phoebe cautiously spoke up.
“Um, Lady. Could we at least all go together? Even if we exceed the number, we can rotate.”
“Sloppy Saintess! Don’t pity an abandoned dog. There’s a reason dogs get abandoned.”
“…Is that so?”
It’s not that I don’t feel sorry for Jack. Nevertheless, the reason I couldn’t take him along was partially due to efficiency, but it was also because someone else would undoubtedly take him.
Since the last time I visited the House of Burrow, Karia had already decided to take Jack with her to work him out. If she came along, Jack would be able to escape this hell.
And I couldn’t tell if the place we arrived at would be a worse hell than here or merely a similar one.
“Employer! Long time no see.”
Coincidentally, the evening I decided to go to the dungeon, Karia visited the Allen Mansion.
After meeting with Benedict and chatting, she came to me to recount what had happened between the Second Queen and Heyshan.
“At first, they were really awkward with each other, right? But once they started talking, they quickly became friends again.”
Initially, the Second Queen, who had committed the offense, had been fully prepared to bow her head, and the reluctant Heyshan also understood the Second Queen’s position. Thus, they talked in a warm atmosphere without any issues.
“Thanks to that, I was able to strike a deal with the Second Queen easily.”
Karia’s words conveyed a slight air of mischief as she mentioned that she hadn’t just brought information on the First Queen, but also other things.
Ah, the Second Queen has become quite the patsy.
No choice. How could someone not become a patsy in front of someone capable of reading emotions and thoughts from mere gestures?
I’m truly glad to have Karia on my side. If Karia were on the opposite side, I wouldn’t know how much worse it would be.
“During that process, I got information that the professors allied with the First Queen are actively moving within the Academy. Their exact purpose is unknown, but it’s best to be cautious.”
With a warning, Karia handed over a note listing several names of the professors. Most of those names were ones I had anticipated.
Those who had cooperated with the First Queen in the main story were all still here.
Including Luca’s name as well.
Chuckling to myself at the thought of him, I returned the paper to Karia.
“Isn’t it better you keep it?”
“Auntie, you really don’t pay attention. Do I look stupid enough to be fooled by those shabby folks?”
Having more events is actually a welcoming thing. It means there are more opportunities for me to grow.
So the thing I need to do now isn’t worrying about the professors’ movements, but rather growing strong enough to overcome whatever hardships come my way.
“By the way, did you find out about the dungeon I mentioned?”
“I sent my disciple to handle it. You can use it freely until the end of vacation.”
“Really?”
“But Employer, what will you be doing there? They say the monsters are filthy plentiful, and the rewards aren’t great, so people tend to avoid it.”
“Auntie must be blind, only seeing what’s before her, huh? The overflow of shoddy trash monsters is actually a great thing.”
It’s perfect for a hard labor trip!
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