「Nice to meet you. You are the ones who sent me a letter, right?」
The Bishop introduced by Rudok spoke to us with a very gentle expression. But for some reason, I feel very nervous.
Is it because of Yuu? Or is it because of the serious expressions of the guard knights around us?
『He is smiling… but isn’t this person somehow scary? Also, the atmosphere of the guard knights around him is very frightening』
As I endure the urge to nod at Yuu’s words, onii-chan bows and greets him.
「Nice to meet you. I am Agus Lanca」
「Nice to meet you. I am Rina Lanca」
When I hurriedly greet him after onii-chan, the Bishop smiles and nods.
「It must have been hard. I am Arteto, belonging to the church in the Royal Capital. I have heard the story from Rigus-dono and Kana-dono, but could you tell me the circumstances that led you to send the letter?」
「「Yes」」
When we look at each other and nod, Bishop Arteto looks at us with a serious expression.
Onii-chan started speaking from when he woke up in pain from the curse. While listening beside him, I place my hand on my neck.
As Bishop Arteto listened, he looked at the scars remaining on my and onii-chan’s necks and made a slightly stern expression. And when the story turned to the mother of the one who cast the curse and the priest, he let out a big sigh and shook his head.
Onii-chan continued the story, and I nodded along or answered when onii-chan prompted me. Occasionally receiving questions from Bishop Arteto, we finally finished the story up to entrusting the letter to the adventurers.
「May I touch the scars remaining on your necks a little?」
Having finished listening, Bishop Arteto looks at onii-chan and me.
「Yes. It is fine. Rina?」
「I am fine too」
Hearing our answers, Bishop Arteto gently touches the scars remaining on my and onii-chan’s necks.
「Thank you. It is quite a severe curse」
When Bishop Arteto says this with a stern expression, a guard knight nearby calls out to onii-chan.
「Excuse me, may I check as well?」
「Eh?」
Onii-chan looks at the guard knight curiously.
「Ah, he is researching curses. Could you please show him the scars on your neck for a moment?」
「Yes」
The guard knight gently touches the scar remaining on onii-chan’s neck with his finger. He immediately removes his finger, looks at Bishop Arteto, and nods.
「As expected. Thank you」
Watching the exchange between Bishop Arteto and the guard knight, onii-chan tilts his head.
「Ah, sorry. I was checking the depth of the curse」
The depth of the curse? Does a curse have depth?
「Thank you both for telling me」
Bishop Arteto extends his hand in front of onii-chan and me.
「These are candies from a famous shop in the Royal Capital. Please accept them as a thank you for telling me the story」
「「Thank you very much」」
In Bishop Arteto’s hand, there were two blue candies wrapped in thin paper. onii-chan and I each take one and put the candy inside into our mouths. The sweetness that spreads gradually makes the tension leave our bodies.
「It is delicious」
When I look at onii-chan, he is rolling the candy in his mouth with a happy expression.
「Yes, it is delicious」
「What are you eating?」
Eh?
When I look behind, I see Suna looking at onii-chan and me.
「Oh, there was another one. But this candy is a bit big」
Bishop Arteto returns to the carriage, takes something, and comes back. Then, matching his eye level with Suna, he hands her a small bottle.
「Please eat it after getting permission from your mother」
「From Mother?」
「Yes, from Mother」
Suna stares intently at Bishop Arteto.
「Suna, what is wrong?」
When onii-chan asks with slight worry, Suna looks at us and smiles.
「Onii-chan, onee-chan. This person is cool」
『Pfft. As expected of Rina’s sister! Ahahaha』
I glare slightly at Yuu, who is laughing loudly, and bow to Bishop Arteto.
「I am sorry」
「No, it is fine. It is a happy thing to hear. Thank you, Suna-chan」
Suna looks happily at Bishop Arteto, who is laughing cheerfully. The guard knights also watch the two of them with amusement.
「Suna, it seems Mother is looking for you」
Noticing Mother looking around in a panic, onii-chan calls out to Suna.
「Ah」
Suna makes a slightly troubled expression. Seeing this, onii-chan extends his hand to her.
「Shall we go to Mother together?」
「Yes」
「Rina, let us go together too」
Onii-chan looks at me, so I nod. Then, we all bow to Bishop Arteto and head toward Mother.
「Onii-chan, thank you for talking」
「You do not need to worry about it」
「Suna, you went to see your brother and sister. I was worried because you did not come back」
Mother notices Suna and runs over to us.
「Is the talk over?」
Mother looks at onii-chan and me.
「Yes. We told everything」
「Agus and Rina, thank you for your hard work. Lunch is ready, so please eat it. Suna and I have already eaten」
After patting onii-chan’s head, Mother points to the house.
「Understood. Suna, should you not ask about that?」
Onii-chan looks at Suna, who is holding the bottle carefully.
「Ah, Mother. Can I eat this?」
Looking at the bottle Suna is holding, Mother tilts her head.
「What is that?」
「A cool person gave it to me」
At Suna’s answer, onii-chan laughs and looks at Mother.
「Bishop Arteto gave it to me. He said I could eat it if Mother permitted」
「I see. What is inside?」
Mother takes the bottle from Suna and checks the contents.
「It looks like sugar candy. It is fine if you eat up to three pieces a day」
「Yes, three pieces」
Suna held up three small fingers and smiled. Mother looks at such Suna with a smile, then takes three sugar candies out of the bottle and places them in her hand.
「Eat them slowly and savor the taste」
「Yes」
Suna was eating each piece carefully. After patting Suna’s head, Mother looks at onii-chan and me.
「Please eat lunch slowly. There is nothing to worry about anymore」
「「Yes」」
I return home with onii-chan and eat lunch in the dining room.
「When will the living room be fixed?」
「Knowing Father, he will surely fix it immediately」
After finishing lunch, we go outside, and I see guard knights gathering around Bishop Arteto.
「Did something happen?」
「Agus, Rina」
When I turn my gaze toward the voice, I see Father looking slightly confused.
「What is wrong?」
「Bishop Arteto invited us to come along if we would like」
At Father’s words, onii-chan and I tilt our heads together.
「Invited to what?」
「Ah, right. I had not explained that yet. It seems they are going to arrest the priest, the one who cast the curse, and those who harbored them」
They are going to catch the bad guys.
「And he asked if we, the victims, would like to come along as well. We will not participate in the arrest, but he said that witnessing their end would surely make us feel relieved」
Onii-chan and I look at each other.
「Certainly, I want to witness their end, but… Rina, do you want to see?」
『I want to see! The end of those trash!』
I nod at onii-chan’s and Yuu’s words.
「I want to see too」
To witness the end of those who killed the real Rina and tormented my family.
「Understood. I will tell him we will go together」
Father goes to Bishop Arteto’s side.
「Are you okay?」
Mother looks at onii-chan and me with worry.
「It is fine」
Onii-chan says with a smile.
「I am fine too. We will just be watching, after all」
Surely, there is no danger. We will just witness the end of those who killed the real Rina and made my family suffer.
「Agus, Rina」
Rudok and Fogas come to our side.
「Bishop Arteto has entrusted us with guarding the three of you, so do not leave our side」
「「Yes」」
When Father returns, he points to the carriage behind him.
「He says we can ride in that carriage. Come on, let us go」
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