Chapter 196
The person they encountered during the festival was Erika, an A-rank adventurer and a friend from Clael's school days, as well as the leader of the Fairy Sword.
Erika, with a stunned expression, stared at Clael's face, whom she had unexpectedly run into.
"Clael... why are you in the royal capital? No, more importantly..."
Erika's gaze shifted diagonally downward.
There stood Reina, clinging affectionately to Clael.
"Who is that girl? She looks much younger than you..."
"Ah, this girl is..."
"You're Erika, right? Nice to meet you!"
Just as Clael was about to introduce her, Reina stepped forward ahead of him.
"I work at the Grand Shrine. My name is Reina. It may be presumptuous, but... I'm sometimes called the Saint!"
"Saint Reina... So you are..."
Erika looked back and forth between Clael and Reina with a confused gaze.
"I've heard about you. Clael took you in and raised you, right? I also heard that you two separated a while ago?"
"I moved from the shrine in Eggbell, but we've stayed close ever since. Very close, in fact...!"
Reina said suggestively and clung to Clael's arm.
For some reason, Erika flinched and her face stiffened.
"I-I see... You two certainly seem close."
"Yes, very close!"
"...Well, we're like family. We get along well."
What is this... this strange tension?
Even though the two were just talking normally, it felt like sparks were flying behind them—was it an illusion?
"So... what are you doing here, Erika?"
"What do you mean... I live in the royal capital. It's not strange for me to be here, is it?"
"Ah, that's true."
"What's strange is you. Are you visiting your family or something?"
"No... I've been living in the royal capital for a little while now too."
Clael answered without hiding anything.
"I received an assignment and became the theology teacher at the Royal Academy. I'm currently living in the staff dormitory on campus."
"Huh...?"
At those words, Erika's eyes widened in disbelief.
"You live in the royal capital...!? You never told me!"
"I didn't say anything... is there a problem?"
"Of course there is! Why didn't you contact me?!"
Erika stomped her feet in frustration.
Her face turned bright red, and her eyes filled with anger.
"If you moved to the royal capital, the least you could do is send a message! Then we could've had a meal together or something..."
"Huh? Did you say something?"
"I didn't say anything! You clueless idiot, you carefree fool!"
"Huh...?"
Why is she so angry?
Sure, Clael hadn't mentioned he moved to the royal capital... but it's not like they were in the habit of updating each other regularly.
She hadn't sent him any letters either, so why was Clael the one getting scolded?
(She's always gotten mad over things I don't understand... Is this what they mean by 'a woman's heart is like autumn skies'?)
"I apologize..."
"Lord Clael, there's no need to apologize."
As Clael apologized, Reina stepped in from the side to support him.
"There are plenty of other graduates from our school. You can't possibly update every single classmate. Unless you're particularly close... it's not something worth sending a letter about, right?"
"Wha—!?"
Reina's words seemed to further fuel Erika's anger, sharpening her gaze.
However, Reina maintained her usual calm expression and smiled sweetly at Erika.
"Um...?"
(...No, seriously, what is this?)
Clael didn't understand why Erika was angry, or why Reina was pressing up against him as if to show off.
What exactly was happening in this space?
"Erikaaa! Erikaaa!"
As the two faced off (?), a familiar voice called out to Erika from the crowd.
It was the voice of Tina, a member of Erika's party, the Fairy Sword.
"Ah..."
"They're calling you. Aren't you going?"
"...I'm going."
Reina tilted her head, and Erika twisted her face in frustration.
Then... she reached out with her right hand and lightly tapped Clael's chest with her fist.
"...Let's meet again soon. And next time, stop talking in that creepy polite way."
"Creepy...?"
That was a harsh thing to say.
He had only been speaking politely because Reina was there—was it really that unpleasant?
"Well then..."
"Yes, until next time..."
Erika disappeared into the crowd.
Judging from the situation, she had probably been walking around the festival with her party.
"Mmm..."
"Reina."
Reina began rubbing Clael's chest over his clothes.
"No... there was a bug."
"A bug? In this season?"
"Yes... bad bugs appear regardless of the season. Please be careful, Lord Clael."
"...Yes."
Looking up at him from below, Reina gave Clael a mysterious sense of pressure, and he nodded in response.