Erika: My Friend Is Obsessed with Me
Chapter 37
A horrific curse poured into his body, and the agony of burning blood vessels spread outward from his heart.
All manner of hallucinations invaded his mind.
There was no escape. He ran, tearing his way through the agonizing illusions over and over again.
He thought he would rather die, but he couldn’t even tell if that thought was truly his own.
There was neither time nor space there. Only sheer, harrowing agony ruled his soul.
He drifted like a speck of dust in endless eternity.
Then, faintly, he heard a small voice.
“……Happy birthday!”
Was it the voice of his deceased daughter?
Or was it the voice of the disciple who had, before he knew it, become even more precious?
At that soft, angelic whisper—
‘…….’
In a split second, consciousness returned.
Though his body and mind were thoroughly battered, he could not let this chance slip away.
Gripping the Temple Return Stone, he swiftly crushed it in his hand and succeeded in escaping.
It was a Temple Return Stone he had received long ago as a reward from the Saintess.
A blinding flash erupted—!
As he broke the stone he had thought he would never use in his lifetime and teleported to the Great Temple of Light,
the faint thought that crossed his mind was:
‘I’m glad…… I didn’t bring Erica along…….’
He had never felt so relieved to have come to the ancient Ruins Area alone.
His disciple hadn’t suffered this terrible agony with him, and that brought him profound relief.
‘Then that’s all that matters.’
That was it. He had no regrets like wishing he hadn’t gone to the ruins.
It was already done.
Even if he were to lose his life to curiosity, it was better than dying crushed beneath the weight of boredom.
‘……Nothing can be done about it.’
Pechenik let out a wide yawn.
Looking up at the sunset sky, he stretched.
He hadn’t expected his recuperation at the Great Temple of Light to take this long.
Was Southern Dangters peaceful?
It felt like he had been away from the Mercenary Guild for quite a while, and counting the days, that was indeed the case.
No one would be particularly worried, but he thought he ought to at least send a letter to the Mercenary Guild.
Telling them he was doing well and healthy, so not to worry.
Even if the contents of that letter would be a lie.
Peek.
Peek number two.
Two S-rank mercenaries crept between the corridor’s pillars.
Scurrying swiftly back and forth.
“Erica. But why do we have to sneak around?”
“What, you want to stroll around out in the open?”
They weren’t guests invited to the upper levels, nor were they nobles visiting to offer a thousand burnt offerings.
No matter that the maid had hesitated for a long while before giving them the location of Pechenik’s room, that hardly meant they had permission to trespass in the upper quarters.
“Gasp, hide.”
The two pressed their backs firmly against the pillar.
They heard the sound of footsteps approaching.
Multiple footsteps echoed from the end of the corridor. Five people?
“……Are you certain they never went to the Illusionary Forest?”
A dignified woman’s voice.
“……Why did you send only them in the first place? That contradicts my instructions entirely.”
“……The thing is, they grew greedy for glory and acted on their own…….”
“……Your story doesn’t add up. Locking them in the punishment cell so hastily seems excessive.”
“……But, Saintess!”
Erica’s ears perked up.
‘The Saintess?!’
The Saintess from legends, fairy tales, and bards’ songs? For real?
‘I want to see her face!’
Erica felt a flutter of excitement.
They said she was blindingly beautiful—was the description of an angel descended to earth truly accurate?!
If she returned to the Dangtus Mercenary Guild, this would be bragging material for at least three months.
‘Still, we can’t get caught, so hold it in.’
She desperately suppressed the urge to poke her head out from behind the pillar.
Except.
Behind the narrow pillar, Chaud, who was stuck right beside her, began to squirm. His fingers lightly brushed against hers.
Erica glared daggers at him. What do you think you’re doing right now?
Chaud grinned softly and took her hand anyway, leaving Erica utterly dumbfounded.
“Let go.”
“I’m nervous. I want to hold hands.”
“What? Nervous, my foot!”
She thought she had scolded him quietly enough, but—
“Who goes there?!”
Dammit.
Thanks to Erica’s famously loud voice, their position was immediately blown.
Erica meekly stepped out into the middle of the corridor alongside Chaud.
“…….”
They were met with five people from the Temple.
Three men in Holy Knights uniforms. One middle-aged figure in a high priest’s robes.
And in the middle of them stood a beautiful woman clad in pure white ceremonial vestments—
‘Good grief……! She’s a literal goddess!’
The Saintess!
Erica was dazzled. Overwhelmed, she began smacking Chaud beside her.
How on earth was she going to describe that beauty once she got back to the Mercenary Guild?!
How could she possibly gush enough to do that heavenly beauty justice?!
“Th-This humble servant greets the Saintess!”
“……Humble servant?”
In her fluster, the archaic mannerisms of a peasant tenant slipped right out.
Having humbled herself to the dust before a literal goddess, Erica calmly wiped her sweat.
“We are mercenaries, you see…….”
“Mercenaries?”
“Yes! Not to brag, but we’re among the few S-rank mercenaries in the south, specializing in duck dancing—no, no, everything from long-range attacks to naval combat—”
This was a golden opportunity to promote herself directly in front of the Saintess.
Connections with the Saintess would be of immense help in securing SS-rank commissions from the Temple.
Unable to pass up such a once-in-a-lifetime chance, Erica hurriedly fumbled around and produced her S-rank mercenary plaque.
And just as she was about to rattle off her qualifications like a merchant pitching a product—
“……Could you perhaps be,”
Saintess Hielia spoke. Her voice was clear and melodious.
“the ones who fought the Basilisk alongside the 8th Squad?”
“S-Saintess! That is surely a lie—”
“Yes, ma’am!”
Erica answered, pumping her fist.
“We took down that giant snake!”
A gleam of interest sparked in Saintess Hielia’s eyes.
With deep, transparent eyes, she gazed intently at Erica as if discerning the truth.
“We are S-rank mercenaries specializing in monster raids! If the Temple ever has another crucial mission like that, leave it to us and—”
“Saintess, do not be swayed by the words of these base wretches! It is an absurd lie!”
“Huh? Why would I lie?!”
“How dare you speak so insolently in this sacred presence!”
A blade flew toward her throat.
As the sword drew closer, it felt as though blood might bead on her skin at any second.
“…….”
Chaud laid his hand on the hilt of the sword at his waist.
Erica’s eyes darted over, and startled, she grabbed his arm with a firm grip.
“Hey, hey, stop that. You can’t cause trouble.”
Seeing Chaud’s eyes, which looked ready to slaughter everyone on the spot, Erica tried her best to calmly dissuade him.
“Where are the Holy Knights of the 8th Squad? They can vouch for our identities.”
“Why are you looking for those locked away in the punishment cell?!”
“……Punishment cell?”
“Tsk, what a contradiction! They claimed that bringing you mercenaries would provide witnesses, but both sides are utterly foolish.”
“Wait…….”
Erica found it incomprehensible. Seriously, wasn’t this bizarre?
“They risked their lives carrying out a mission for the Temple. Why on earth are they locked in a punishment cell right now?”
“Because their words cannot be trusted—!”
“Why wouldn’t you believe them? Does the Temple not believe the words of mortals?”
“……What?”
“Then what do you believe? The voice of God? Can you actually hear that?”
“…….”
“Saintess, since I can only hear human voices, tell me—did anyone even listen properly to the knights of the 8th Squad?”
“…….”
“Do you refuse to listen unless it’s the word of God?”
“Y-You insolent—”
“Stand down.”
The Saintess stepped past the group and advanced two paces forward.
With a neat gesture, she indicated the Holy Knight’s arm.
It was a command to sheathe the blade, yet he merely hesitated and did not move.
“Saintess, these people—”
“How much further do you intend to humiliate me?”
“…….”
Only then did the sword pointed at Erica’s throat pull back.
The Saintess stepped into the space between them.
“It is my own shortcoming that prevented me from looking after the people of the Temple properly.”
Their steady gazes met. Erica thought the Saintess’s eyes were like the boundless sky.
“I swear to you, if there is any wrongdoing within the Temple, I will set it right.”
