「Philia, thank you. Thanks to the information you gathered, I realized I do not need to worry about the priest」
『Were you worried?』
Yuu looks at me curiously.
「It was hard to tell with two trash people, but I considered the possibility that the trash parent was threatening him」
I learned from the books related to the Church that to become a priest, one must study under a Bishop for about ten years. During those ten years, the supervising Bishop judges whether the person is suitable to be a priest. In other words, even the trash at the Church was once recognized by a Bishop for their character. So, I thought there might be a reason why he was obeying the trash parent. It was a wasted worry, though.
『That guy is a hopeless bastard』
Surprised by her harsh language, I look at Philia, and she is extremely angry.
『To raise a hand against women』
So he was not just verbally abusing them.
『He is an existence that must be crushed. Ah, right! I thought about how to crush him, so I looked for his weakness』
She is very proactive.
「Did you find something?」
At my words, Philia grins.
『Whoa. Scary』
Yuu moves slightly away from Philia.
『A Bishop is coming to the neighboring village』
「A Bishop?」
『Yes. Can we use this?』
We can. It is extremely useful information. But how can we invite the Bishop to this village?
Yuu and Philia can move freely, but they are invisible. And even if they were seen, I do not know if people would take their words seriously.
If only I could move freely, but I cannot. Ah, what should I do?
『Hey, Rina』
I look at Philia.
「What?」
『When can I meet Carius and Taguas? I was helpful, right? I think it is Rina’s turn now』
Good thing I got permission to go to school.
「Tomorrow. I am going to school tomorrow, so let us go together」
『Really?』
「Really」
『Thank you』
Even without making a contract, if I had handed Philia’s pendant to Carius, she could have surely met her children. But I used her to solve my problem.
Philia, I am sorry.
「I am going to sleep now for tomorrow」
I do not want to see Philia smiling happily, so I go to take a bath. Tomorrow, I will definitely let her meet the two of them.
And I must somehow invite the Bishop from the neighboring village here.
-0-
「「We are off」」
At the entrance, I look at Father and Mother. Pretending not to notice their worried expressions, I say with a smile.
「Be careful」
「Understood」
I look at Father and nod firmly. Beside him, Philia is fidgeting restlessly.
「You must not let go of Agus’s hand」
「Yes, I will absolutely not let go of onii-chan’s hand」
I show Mother the hand holding onii-chan’s.
「It is okay. I will not let go of this hand until I deliver him to the classroom」
Both of them still look anxious despite onii-chan’s words.
「Shall we go?」
「Yes」
Onii-chan looked at Father and Mother with slight anxiety, but he quickly changed to a smile, waved, and left the house.
「Rina」
I look at onii-chan.
「That neck… it was like that for me too, but…」
Onii-chan looks at my neck and trails off.
「They will make unpleasant faces, right?」
The scars left when I nearly died from the curse. If I have these, people make unpleasant faces or avoid me.
It is truly unreasonable. Nearly dying from a curse, or being avoided even if you survive because of the scars. The one who cast the curse is the worst! Why must the victim be blamed? If I had done something to deserve being cursed, I would accept it, but I did nothing!
「I knew it」
「Yes. Because I remembered」
An adventurer with curse scars came to this village. He was avoided by the villagers for the reason that 「the curse might spread」. Even though the villagers knew that curses do not spread.
「My friends were fine. But I am not sure about Rina’s friends」
Onii-chan says while averting his gaze, and I smile.
「Understood」
Probably Rina’s friends avoided onii-chan.
「Good morning」
As we head to school, onii-chan’s friends call out to us. While responding to their voices, I glance at Rina’s friends. When they see my neck, they avert their gazes.
「Rina」
Agus looks at me with a sad expression. I cannot help but smile at that.
「Rina?」
「I am fine」
Yes, I am fine. Because they are Rina’s friends. They have nothing to do with me.
When we arrive at school, I look around. Philia is flying restlessly around me. It is a bit annoying.
「It seems Carius and the others have not come yet」
「That is right」
『Not yet? When will they come? Hey, not yet?』
Philia asks me repeatedly.
『Calm down, Philia. They will surely come』
Yuu calls out to Philia, but she does not seem to hear him.
『Ah, there they are!』
「Rina, Carius and the others are here」
Hearing Philia’s voice, onii-chan points in a certain direction. When I look there, I see Carius and the others with an atmosphere slightly different from before.
「They look more tired than yesterday」
Onii-chan mutters in a small voice and looks at the two of them with worry. Philia also seems to have noticed something strange and is confused.
『What happened? Something is strange. I thought I would see them healthy!』
『Rina. There are men watching those two』
When I look in the direction Yuu pointed, I see two men who look like thugs.
『They are grinning creepily. Stay away a bit. I will go listen to what they are talking about』
I see Yuu heading toward the two men. Philia looks worriedly at Carius and Taguas, who have come closer.
「Good morning, Carius, Taguas」
The two respond to onii-chan’s greeting with smiles. However, their expressions are somewhat dark.
「Are you okay? If there is anything, please talk to me anytime」
「Thank you, Agus. We are fine. You must be having a hard time too, right? We are fine」
Carius’s words sounded as if he was trying to convince himself. Philia is flustered and looks at me with a tearful expression.
『Please, tell me what happened to the children! No, let us make a contract! I will investigate! To think these children would have such, such expressions!』
I look in the direction Yuu went.
「It would be a nuisance if we stay here. Is Agus going to walk Rina to the classroom?」
Carius looks at me and onii-chan.
「Yes」
「Understood. See you in the classroom」
We part ways with Carius and Taguas and head toward the classroom where Rina studies.
Ah, I forgot to give them Philia’s pendant.
「Onii-chan」
「What is wrong?」
「Um…」
Should I give them Philia’s pendant in front of onii-chan? But we made a promise to stay together. Probably, it is better not to break this promise.
「Rina should do what she wants to do」
「Eh?」
「I do not know what Rina wants to do. Could it be that you are planning to do something bad? Like getting involved in crime」
At onii-chan’s question, I hurriedly shake my head.
「I would absolutely never do such a thing!」
「Then, I will support whatever Rina does. No matter what it is」
「Onii-chan」
Why does he support me without asking anything?
『Is Agus really eight years old? To be able to say those words at this age』
Nodding at Yuu’s words while thinking it is true.
『Rina. Why not tell Agus everything and ask for his cooperation?』
Eh?
Surprised, I look at Yuu.
『Ah, when I said everything, I meant you should not mention the ghosts』
Tell him everything except about the ghosts?
『I think Agus will cooperate even if you do not say anything. But I think it is better to explain properly before asking for his cooperation』
That is true.
「Huh?」
Yuu is in front of me. He was supposed to have gone to listen to the story of the two men who were laughing creepily.
「Rina? Are you okay?」
Ah, I spoke aloud.
「It is nothing. Um, I have something to talk about during the next break. Um, do you have time?」
I said it before thinking. But yes. I will tell onii-chan everything and ask for his cooperation.
「The next break? Understood」
I tilt my head at onii-chan, who smiled slightly happily.
It is not good news, but will it be okay?
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