Chapter 52
Reina flew through the sky, and shortly after, the carriage she had ridden into town and the escorting Temple Knights arrived.
"S-Saint... please don't go off on your own."
"More importantly, you could fly...?"
The knights, out of breath as they arrived, looked relieved to see Reina unharmed, though they also seemed somewhat taken aback.
(Well, I mean... I can't really blame them.)
If the person you're supposed to be guarding suddenly sprouted wings and flew off somewhere, anyone would make a weird face.
"Sorry, I just..."
"Just flying off like that isn't good. Everyone, thank you for your hard work."
"............"
The knights gave Clael an awkward look.
What dwelled in their eyes was doubt. They looked at Clael as if they didn't fully trust him.
"Is something wrong?"
"No... We had heard that the person who raised the Saint was here at this shrine, but you seem quite young."
"Ah... I took Reina in at this shrine when I was eighteen, so I'm twenty-three now."
"Twenty-three... So there's an eight-year difference with the Saint..."
"............?"
Clael tilted his head at the knights, who were now wearing grim expressions.
It was true there was an eight-year age gap between him and Reina... but so what?
"Yes, there's only an eight-year difference. Just eight years."
The one who interjected was Reina.
For some reason, she was clinging to Clael's back, pressing her cheek to his from behind as she spoke happily.
(She was always a bit clingy... but was she this childish?)
Reina was a fifteen-year-old young lady.
Before attending the academy in the royal capital, she hadn't acted this childishly, but today she was being unusually clingy.
(Well, it's been a while since we've seen each other. I guess that happens.)
"Um... Saint, don't you think you're standing a little too close...?"
"It's not a problem."
"No, it definitely looks like a problem..."
"It's... not a problem, okay?"
""""Eek!?""""
The five Temple Knights in front of them all recoiled at once.
What on earth just happened?
"Reina?"
"Yes? What is it, Clael-sama?"
He turned around, but all he saw was Reina's radiant smile.
For a moment, he thought he saw something else... like the face of a plushie, but it was so brief he figured it was just his imagination.
"By the way... Reina. I'm happy you came back, but wasn't there somewhere else you wanted to go? Like... a summer resort by the sea a friend invited you to?"
In the game, there was an event where a friend invited the protagonist to a summer resort during their first-year summer vacation.
There, they would coincidentally run into a romanceable character and get involved in a fairly important incident.
"One of my friends did invite me... but I wanted to see you, Clael-sama, so I declined."
"...I see."
(Right... In the game, Reina had cut ties with her family, so she had no reason to return home. Because I intervened, that part of the scenario changed...)
That meant... things were going to get tricky.
Since Reina didn't go to the summer resort, the incident that was supposed to happen there wouldn't be resolved, and that might lead to a rather serious disaster.
(There are still two weeks until the event triggers. It's not something I need to deal with immediately, but...)
Ignoring it and letting it escalate would leave a bad taste.
I should probably think of a way to deal with it.
"Clael-sama... Could it be that my return is a bother to you...?"
Her expression shifted from joy to a somewhat sad tone as she spoke.
Clael hastily waved both hands at her, who was anxiously whispering into his ear.
"N-No, not at all! That's absolutely not the case!"
"But... Clael-sama, you looked like you were deep in thought..."
"That's... um, it's about the Temple Knights here. I was wondering if it would be better to have them stay at the shrine too. We do have guest rooms, but they haven't been cleaned, and gathering supplies for five people on short notice would be tough..."
"Ah, if that's the case, it's fine. These people will be leaving soon anyway."
""""What!?""""
At Reina's words, the Temple Knights cried out in surprise.
"S-Saint! That's a problem!"
"That's right! We were assigned as your escorts during your leave!"
"Um... that's what they're saying, though?"
"It's fine."
Reina smiled sweetly and tightened her embrace.
She hugged him from behind, pressing her cheek against his once again.
"I'll be fine without any escorts... Isn't that right, everyone?"
""""Eek!?""""
Again, the Temple Knights recoiled.
No... what exactly were they seeing?
Because Reina was clinging to him, Clael couldn't turn around, but maybe there really was something behind him.
"U-Understood! We'll report that to His Eminence the Cardinal!"
"P-Pardon us! G-Goodbyeeeeeeeeeeee!"
The Temple Knights fled the shrine as if running for their lives.
Without even a chance to stop them, they left their charge behind and galloped away on horseback.
"Um..."
"I-I'll be staying at a nearby inn. Let me know if you need the carriage."
The one who said that timidly was the coachman, who had remained silent and shrunk into a corner.
He too quickly left the shrine, leaving only Clael and Reina behind.
"...Starting today, it's just the two of us again."
"............Yeah."
She was just saying something completely ordinary... so why? Why did a chill just run down his spine?
(T-This is weird... Was Reina always this... sultry-sounding...?)
Clael didn't know.
That Reina was suffering withdrawal symptoms from not seeing him for several months.
And on top of that, she had learned through the Holy Spirits that Clael was considering a matchmaking meeting and had let an old friend stay at the shrine.
"Ufufufufufu..."
Reina, clinging to Clael's back, wore a beaming smile—but her eyes were disturbingly devoid of light.