Page 224

(The timeline is before the previous chapters)

"...So, Alice, are you really sure someone is alright? Maybe it would be better if I went to duel the Archbishop and made her make an exception this time."

Shea didn't continue, her serious expression making Alice swallow back the words she had intended to say lightly.

It's understandable that Shia would be so worried, after all, this is her first time carrying out a mission alone.

"No problem, Shia! Really! Or rather, if you actually did that, everyone would think you're an idiot, right?"

Alice nodded vigorously, trying to reassure Shia.

"But what if the request is complicated, more troublesome than expected? What if you get lost? What if..."

"Stop, stop! This is part of the test, and only Shia could get lost like this!"

"He was just worried about Alice..."

Indeed, Shia's meticulous care warmed Alice's heart—but! If she kept talking, she felt she wouldn't be able to leave before sunset.

(...I have to use that move!)

Just as Shia was about to begin another round of rambling, Alice tiptoed and quickly kissed her on the cheek.

The effect is immediate.

The girl's unspoken words stopped abruptly. Then, her cheeks visibly flushed, a blush spreading from her ears all the way to her neck. Then, Shia subconsciously touched the spot Alice had just touched, and turned her head away in a fluster.

"A... Alice... You... You suddenly...!"

"Even after all this time, this is still very useful."

Seeing her shy demeanor as always, Alice couldn't help but chuckle.

"Then I'm off! Shia, you must have things to do too, right?"

"...Yes, Alice, be sure to contact me if you need anything."

"of course."

Shea's weak voice still carried a hint of lingering panic. Alice winked playfully before turning around with satisfaction, carrying her simple suitcase and leaving Shea's sight.

·····

The conversation that took place at the foot of Tianmai Mountain two days ago is so clear it feels like it was happening right next to my ears.

"Ugh……"

Inside the bumpy carriage, Alice couldn't help but sigh softly.

With nothing to do, she pressed her cheek against the cool car window and looked out, her mind wandering again.

Three years have passed since then. The chaotic aura has receded from the earth, the soul crystals no longer grow in the dark corners, and the world is slowly returning to its original state.

(However, for most people, life doesn't seem to be much different...)

The sun rose as usual, and people continued to busy themselves with making a living. Apart from the fact that those technologies that relied on soul crystals gradually became unusable due to the lack of energy, some adventurers who made a living by gathering slowly changed careers.

As for Alice herself, she made a decision after some time of reflection.

With her gone, Alice felt vulnerable to becoming a target of evil spirits. To increase her self-protection and to avoid becoming a burden as before, Alice ultimately chose the path of an exorcist. Of course, it wasn't that she didn't trust Shia's abilities, but it would be troublesome if some unexpected situation caused them to separate.

In short, she had trained hard for a long time, and this time she came out alone to complete the last independent trial that she had to complete before becoming a formal exorcist.

Come to think of it, this seems to be the first time I've been separated from Shia for so long—thinking about it, a long-lost feeling of loneliness welled up in my heart.

(When was the last time I felt this way... when I first became an adventurer?)

I can't quite remember anymore.

In the past, no matter how troublesome the evil spirits or how complicated the situation, as long as Shia and the others were by my side, I could feel extremely safe.

But people always have to grow up.

Alice lowered her head, looked at the special small coffin at her waist used to absorb spirits, and then gripped the silver short sword hanging on the other side. The cold touch calmed her heart a little.

(I also want to become someone who can stand on their own and fight alongside Shia...)

and also……

(...No, anyway, it can definitely be done.)

Alice murmured softly, as if trying to encourage herself.

The carriage swayed and lurched forward amidst the incessant sound of rain, finally arriving at its destination—a small town shrouded in damp mist—at dusk.

This place feels almost too quiet.

Perhaps because of the light rain, there were very few pedestrians on the street. The wet stone pavement reflected the dim yellow lights, and the air was filled with the smell of damp earth and decaying wood.

When you arrive in a new place, the first thing to do is, of course, —

"Hmm... this place doesn't feel anything special."

Although somewhat disappointed, Alice didn't dwell on it too much, as it was a perfectly normal thing to do.

She immediately perked up and found the client's residence according to the address on the letter. It was a particularly grand building in the small town.

Alice stood in front of the door, tidied her wind-blown bangs, took a deep breath, and gently knocked on the heavy door.

The person who opened the door was a young woman wearing a dark blue dress. Her flaxen hair was neatly tied up behind her head. She was elegant and had a beautiful face, but there was an unyielding worry in her emerald green eyes.

"May I ask who you are...?"

"I am Alice. You should recognize this, right?"

Alice waved the keepsake in her hand.

"Ah, so it's the exorcist..."

The woman scrutinized Alice carefully, and perhaps because she was uneasy about Alice's young appearance, she asked again to confirm.

Are you alone?

"That's right. To be honest, although there is indeed the presence of spirits here, it's not that complicated, and I haven't sensed any distortion or anything..."

"distortion……?"

I accidentally used jargon.

"No, it's nothing, it's just..."

"Ah, I almost forgot. Please come in, Lady Alice. I'll show you the way."

"Just call me Alice. 'Adult' and all that... that's too polite."

·····

Well, is this really a solo mission for beginners to practice? This mission is much simpler than I expected. Alice easily solved the stalking phenomenon that had been bothering the client for a long time in just a few minutes.

However, since it was already close to evening, it wouldn't be quick to start the return journey.

After saying goodbye to her client, Alice headed towards the hotel she had inquired about beforehand.

However, things didn't go as planned. The rain suddenly intensified, with large raindrops pounding the ground and splashing up in bursts. The rain, now raging and carrying a chilling aura, relentlessly lashed at Alice.

There was no other way but to find a place to take shelter from the rain.

Looking around, one can see a stone church standing quietly not far away, which looks like a good place to take shelter from the rain.

Alice ran over quickly and gently pushed open the slightly ajar door.

"Excuse me..."

The interior was brighter and warmer than I had imagined. The benches were neatly arranged, and a few candles lit in front of the altar cast a solemn yet soft light on the surroundings. The stained glass windows kept out the wind and rain, leaving only the crisp echo of raindrops tapping on the glass.

Nobody—

No, there's the aura of a spirit, and this feeling... seems somewhat familiar?

Before Alice could discern the direction from which the aura was coming, a voice just as familiar as the aura rang out from nearby.

Alice...?

"Huh...?"

On the bench at the very front, a petite figure stood up and turned her head toward Alice, who was standing blankly at the door.

Her long, silver-gray hair cascaded over her shoulders, and she wore a simple white shirt and a dark knee-length skirt, with a beige cardigan over it—she wasn't wearing church attire.

Now, that face, almost identical to his own but much more youthful, wore a look of surprise that seemed to say, "How could it be you?"

"Kaguya!? What are you doing here?"

"No, it's normal for me to be here, isn't it? Where do you think this is?"

"Uh... a church?"

"Then why are there still questions?"

"After all, there are many places like this..."

“I said, didn’t you see the sign with the church’s name hanging by the door?”

"Oh dear, it was raining so hard outside, I didn't notice when I rushed in."

"Reckless..."

Kaguya tilted her head with a curious look, as if she had just remembered something.

"To be honest, I came here because I had church affairs to attend to. But what about you? Why are you here alone? Where is that exorcist?"

"Kaguya's been a bit busy lately and hasn't been to Tianmai Mountain, so she might not know, but I'm almost a full-fledged exorcist, you know?"

"That... finally? I don't really understand why you insist on becoming an exorcist. You could just leave the fighting to that person and focus on reconnaissance, like before."

"There are all sorts of reasons for this... This is the final step of the assessment, and each person must complete a task."

"I see, that's why I didn't see her. So, is it all sorted out?"

"Well, it's designed for newbies, so it's not too difficult. It's just that I was looking for a place to stay when it started pouring rain... Well, the reason I came here was to take shelter from the rain."

As they spoke, the sound of rain outside showed no signs of abating.

"Hmm...it probably won't stop anytime soon."

There's nothing I can do about it, but luckily I'm not too busy.