It seems that the problem with Carius and Taguas will be resolved by the two adventurers whom Philia trusts. That is truly good.
But what should I do? I completely forgot that money is needed to request help from adventurers. How can I deliver the letter to the Bishop? Can I pay later? It is probably impossible… But let me try asking just in case.
「Um」
I look at Litton nervously.
「What is it?」
「Regarding the request fee, can I pay later?」
「Eh? Pay later?」
Litton looks at me with a puzzled expression. Minari, sitting next to him, also tilts her head and looks at me.
『Rina, I think that is impossible』
I know that, but I have no choice but to ask! I absolutely must have the letter delivered.
『It is a request to deliver a letter, right? In that case, I will pay for it!』
I am grateful, but since Philia said she would 「pay」, I cannot accept it. I cannot prove that she really said she would 「pay」 either.
「What are you requesting, Rina?」
Carius looks at me.
「There is a Bishop in the neighboring village. I want someone to deliver a letter to him」
「A letter?」
Litton glances at my neck and onii-chan’s neck. He must be checking the curse scars remaining there.
「I will deliver that letter. Um, could you deliver us to our mother’s friend’s house after going through the church?」
Carius looks at Litton.
「If it is just delivering a letter, there is no need for a request fee」
Eh, really no request fee?
「But I think even the church in this village can remove those curse scars」
「I do not mind the curse scars」
I look at Litton and shake my head.
「Eh? Then what business do you have with the Bishop?」
「The priest at the church in this village is cooperating with the noble who cast the curse」
「「Huh?」」
Litton and Minari show surprised expressions.
「Really? The church priest?」
Minari leans forward, placing her hands on the table, and asks.
「Yes, that is correct」
When I nod repeatedly due to her intensity, onii-chan intervenes.
「Ah, sorry. I was just surprised. Even so, the priest is ignoring the curse? Seriously, are there still such trashy priests? They said they investigated everyone, so was that a lie? Next time I see them…」
Minari mutters to herself, and her language becomes increasingly vulgar.
『She is scary…』
Yuu, frightened by Minari, hides behind me.
Did something happen with the Church?
「Minari」
Litton looks at her with a disappointed expression.
「Oh, sorry. The trash of the Church… ‘cough’. I have a history with that priest. Hehehe」
So something really did happen.
「I do not think you are lying, but how did you know that the priest is cooperating with the one who cast the curse?」
「We were lucky enough not to die from the curse, but it seems something happened to the one who cast it」
At onii-chan’s words, Litton sighs.
「If a curse fails, it rebounds on the caster. Well, even if it succeeds, it does not end well」
Eh, is that so? Does something happen even if it succeeds?
「Then, the mother of the one who cast the curse came to our house with the priest and demanded that our parents hand us over. She said that if they had us, the one who cast the curse would be saved」
「「…」」
Litton and Minari fall silent at onii-chan’s explanation. That silence somehow feels scary.
「Rina-chan」
「Yes」
My spine straightens at Minari, who looks extremely scary despite her smile.
「Give me that letter」
「Eh?」
「Do not worry. I will definitely, absolutely, deliver that letter directly to the Bishop in the neighboring village as soon as possible」
Hmm? Definitely, absolutely? Directly?
「If you are worried about handing the letter to us, you can give it to Carius」
「Yes. Leave it to me」
At Litton’s words, Carius nods firmly.
「Thank you」
I wonder. Anyway, it seems the letter will surely reach the Bishop.
I take the letter out of the bag slung over my shoulder and hand it to Carius.
Carius takes the letter, strokes it carefully as if it were precious, and puts it in his own bag.
「I am counting on you」
Onii-chan grips Carius’s hand tightly.
「Understood. I will definitely deliver it」
Carius also grips onii-chan’s hand tightly.
「Well, we do not have time to relax. It is almost time for school to end」
Litton looks at the clock in the shop. I also look at the clock, and it is time for all classes to end in about ten minutes.
「Minari, let us depart before school ends」
「Understood. I will prepare the horses, so Litton, please make a request at the Adventurer’s Guild」
「A request?」
「Hehe. We must thoroughly investigate that husband who betrayed our precious friend」
「Ah, that is true」
At their conversation, Philia bows her head.
『Thank you. They were also precious friends to me』
When we leave the shop with Litton and the others, he looks at me and onii-chan.
「It is better to act separately from here. A large number of people stands out. Especially four children stand out」
「「Yes」」
Onii-chan hugs Carius and Taguas tightly.
「See you again. Take care」
「You too, Agus. I will send a letter once things settle down. Please reply」
「I will write a letter too. Thank you for playing with us」
At Carius and Taguas’s words, onii-chan closes his eyes tightly.
『Agus, thank you. For becoming friends with the children』
Philia bows to onii-chan.
「Let us meet again」
「「Yes」」
Onii-chan, who has separated from the two, waves with a smile. Next to him, I also wave to the two.
『Rina, I will carefully observe the Bishop’s reaction after he receives the letter and report to you』
I glance at Philia and nod slightly.
Please.
「Rina, let us hurry home. Father and Mother will be worried」
「Yes」
We bow to Litton and the others, then run to return home quickly.
「Rina」
Onii-chan extends his hand to me. When I grab it, I put strength into my legs, which are already near their limit.
「I will have muscle pain tomorrow」
「That is true」
Onii-chan laughs. Caught up in the moment, I laugh too.
I am worried if the letter will really reach the Bishop, but I felt that Carius, Taguas, and Litton and the others are trustworthy. So, let us believe in everyone.
Surely, it will be fine. However, my legs really seem to be at their limit.
「Hah, hah, hah」
When we arrive home, I place my hands on my knees and catch my breath.
「Are you okay? Is it tough?」
Even though we ran the same distance, onii-chan seems to have already caught his breath. The three-year age difference is significant.
「Rina?」
I look at onii-chan and shake my head.
It is hard to breathe. I feel like vomiting.
Once this matter is resolved, I must build up my stamina. This is not good.
「Rina? What is wrong?」
The front door opens, and Mother rushes out in a panic.
「She is fine. We just ran all the way home. Rina pushed herself a bit too hard」
I nod repeatedly next to onii-chan, who is explaining to Mother.
「It is okay. I just tried hard」
Hah, I have finally calmed down. But my legs are trembling.
「Are you really okay?」
「「Yes. We are home, Mother」」
We show smiles to our worried Mother together with onii-chan. Seeing this, Mother smiles with relief.
As expected, it is better when Mother is smiling.
『Rina, the number of watchers has increased』
Yuu, who had disappeared, returns to my side. Then, he points to four locations with his fingers.
I glance to confirm, then look at Yuu and nod slightly.
「Now, let us go inside and relax. Tonight will be busy」
Eh? Is something happening tonight?
When I look at onii-chan, he has a puzzled expression, so it seems he does not know the reason either.
「Why will it be busy?」
When I ask Mother, she smiles sadly. I have a bad feeling about that.
「This is…」
When we enter the living room, onii-chan stops. While wondering, I also enter the living room, and then I understand why tonight will be busy.
「Tonight. I am thinking of leaving this village」
『Rina, this is no good. The reason the number of watchers increased is that they know you are trying to leave』
「Father, no」
At my words, Father and Mother shake their heads.
「Rina, I am sorry. Because of Father… We can no longer stay in this village」
「Father. Please wait just a few more days」
Onii-chan grips Father’s hand tightly.
「Hmm?」
Father looks at onii-chan sadly.
「Today, Rina and I sneaked out of school and entrusted a letter to certain people」
「Eh? From school? A letter?」
Father shows a confused expression at the unexpected content.
「Yes. To have them deliver a letter to the Bishop in the neighboring village」
Father looks at onii-chan with a surprised expression. Then, without saying anything, he hugs onii-chan.
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