EP.132 Intruder (1)
There’s an intruder.
Bigtim confidently told me.
He’s not as perceptive as my sister, but he also possesses inhuman senses.
Moreover, he usually maintains a serious demeanor, so he wouldn’t make a foolish joke at a time like this.
There was no need to verify the credibility of his statement.
My detection barrier, set up around my room and the entire monastery, caught about two individuals.
I wondered when he had set that up and why my room was chosen as the center of the barrier.
However, it didn’t seem like the time to ask such pointless questions, so I kept my mouth shut.
I was grateful, though.
If an air conditioning knight illegally broke into our home and installed an air conditioner without us noticing, wouldn’t an ordinary person feel more confused than thankful?
That’s exactly how I felt right now.
I briefly thought that the entities who harmed the sister were those intruders, but it seemed unlikely.
According to the sister, the scars on her hand were entirely from her own mistake.
But the fact that rascals who weren’t invited had stormed into our monastery again remained unchanged.
I couldn’t let my guard down yet.
BIGTIM said he had already informed the Inquisition about the intruder.
So that’s why those pesky intruders left so easily.
Surely, that saying about reaping what you sow fit this situation perfectly.
”But you managed to convey that? I heard a voice coming from beyond the door earlier, and it sounded like that female inquisitor. Wasn’t communication difficult?”
”Heh.”
”Whoa!”
As if to answer my question, BIGTIM proudly displayed a notepad and fountain pen.
If you can’t speak, then just write! His flexible mindset drew applause.
Just the other day, he was like a broken robot, stuttering after suddenly being hugged by village girls.
Looking at BIGTIM overcoming his weakness so proactively made me feel proud for him.
”Um, if you don’t mind·····. Could I ask where we are heading to right now?”
The sister gently tugged at my sleeve and cautiously asked.
Her quivering voice revealed a clear worry.
”Ah, I’m sorry, Sister. The situation is so urgent that I completely forgot to explain.”
The more urgent the situation, the fewer words we used. It seemed to be a common habit for our party.
In a dungeon where you never know when your head might roll, actions always took precedence over words to increase survival odds.
”As I mentioned earlier, it seems some rascals have invaded this monastery. I don’t know if they’re the same individuals as those assassins before, but seeing BIGTIM suited up, it’s clear they are quite dangerous. But don’t worry! BIGTIM and I will safely escort you to a secure place.”
”Ah, um, so·····.”
At my reassuring words, the sister unexpectedly flushed.
Given that she was chased by the Inquisition, I couldn’t leave her unattended in a monastery now crawling with rascals.
Dawna. At the very least, I needed to entrust her to Apis.
I thought about splitting roles, having me protect the sister while BIGTIM chased the intruders, but quickly changed my mind.
Splitting up in a place where intruders roam at night is obviously foolish—something anyone who skimmed through some old detective novels would know.
I decided to postpone my concerns about the sister for now.
It was hard to believe that the sister would prepare something with the genuine intention of harming the saint, considering the situation.
Now I resolved to focus entirely on the immediate problem at hand.
The sister wouldn’t try to harm the saint.
I couldn’t explain why; I just had that feeling.
There wasn’t a single piece of evidence, nor had any verification been conducted—it was just a gut feeling. Yet, the moment I realized it, my body already instinctively followed that gut.
”By the way, it’s been said that intruders have invaded the location where the saint is housed not once, but twice, and yet, rather than preventing it, we haven’t sounded an alarm until now. Isn’t the protection of our monastery too lax? Especially since this is the capital of the system?”
”·····”
”Hmm·····.”’
Upon my pent-up complaint, BIGTIM subtly nodded, and though the sister outwardly disapproved, she sighed heavily, showing silent agreement.
”If the donations collected under various pretenses from all over the country had even gone towards security funds, this wouldn’t have happened. Right? I mean, it’s ridiculous that there’s enough money to gild the Meeting Room door but can’t find a mage to set up a first-rate barrier. Seriously, those old men at the Vatican·····.”
”Th-that’s only because of the conflict between the progressives who wish to nurture friendly relations with the Magic Tower and the conservatives who strongly oppose it·····.”
”Eh? No way, are they still fighting over that? Those geezers? I swear I saw that issue in the newspaper even when I was a student at the Academy. Wow·····.”
”Ahem! R-Regis! How could you refer to them as old geezers? Such disrespect towards the Vatican, who are close to God, assisting the saint! God will surely be angry!”
Though she looked like she was trying to stop me, the way the sister’s lips curled slightly upward revealed that her true feelings weren’t all that different from mine.
”Well, I had a chance to meet the so-called deity once, and to me, they didn’t seem like someone who would get involved in trivial matters of this sort. They didn’t show much interest in us at all.”
”Ha····. Are you once again talking about that absurd idea that the deity appears as a black box·····? If you say that, you’ll certainly be dragged into religious trial. I’ve warned you countless times to refrain from talking about it recklessly·····.”
”Ah, right····.”
”····Ugh.”
Just as we fell into an unexpected chat to ease the boredom during our journey, BIGTIM wore a satisfied smile.
”Anyway, what I’m saying is that the Vatican has too many problems─”
”Oh, I think so too♪”
Without any foreshadowing, a strange voice cheekily butted into our conversation, sending my senses into a frenzy.
Bwoooong─!
I drew my Cutlass Knife from my waist and swung it toward the direction of the voice.
It was instinctively triggered by that chilling voice brushing against my ear, which roughly stirred my survival instincts buried in calmness.
My thoughts momentarily froze.
It wasn’t just the feeling of loss from swinging the knife through the air.
It was the unbelievable reality that my sister and BIGTIM, who had been just a short reach away, could no longer be found no matter how much I scanned the surroundings.
Lick.
Then something warm and sticky suddenly stuck to my cheek.
It was only when I twisted my neck to confirm the mysterious presence that I spotted a woman’s figure quickly pulling away from me.
”Ack!”
”Hehe♪”
My arm swept through the air, as if chasing away a bug, and the woman lightly landed on the ground, giving me a cheeky look.
”Who are you? And where have you sent the two people who were here?”
”Hmm? If you’re curious about my name, isn’t it customary in this country to introduce yourself first?”
Is there anything more absurd than having to follow etiquette with someone who just randomly licked my cheek?
Even the saint had asked for my name first.
”What exactly are you up to····.”
”Hi! I’m Beta♪ Actually, I already know your name! You must be Regis Lowville, right? I’m not fond of long introductions, so let’s cut to the chase! That’s better for both of us, right?”
”What if I say I don’t want to hear this····? What are you going to do? Kill me or something····?”
”Hmm? Oh~ no! A fragile girl like me couldn’t possibly do something so barbaric! Don’t worry! I’ll just turn you into an emotionless doll and take you home~!”
”····”
In this strange situation, where nothing could be hastily concluded, one thing could be confirmed.
This woman is out of her mind.
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