Erika: My Friend Is Obsessed with Me
Chapter 44
Erica — When a Friend Grows Obsessive
Freedom had always been the foundation of his teachings.
He had made her choose each day for herself, teaching her the true value of freedom.
Bound to nothing, swayed by nothing.
‘……But he told me to live doing what I want to do.’
She could just insist that joining Tenearha was what she had wanted all along.
Even if the truth was simply that she wanted to do anything for her master.
“It’s fine.”
It was fine. Everything would be fine.
Master would be, somehow.
“Are you really okay?”
Chaud’s low voice came from right beside her.
Perhaps because they were beneath the low bed, the cramped space echoed like the inside of a closet.
Erica bit her lip tightly.
“…….”
The sorrow she had tried so hard to suppress leaked out just a little.
She still couldn’t tell if this was reality or an illusion, but right before her eyes was a friend she could confide in about this unbelievable situation.
“……Master is sick.”
Even as she spoke the words, it didn’t feel real.
She looked at Chaud.
Their eyes met, as he happened to be looking right at her.
“It’s some severe ancient curse…… The Saintess said even she can’t cure it.”
The words tumbled out incoherently. She didn’t know how best to explain it.
“But there’s a Holy Grail in the Imperial Family that can save Master…… And to borrow it……”
She mumbled before finally falling silent.
Silence fell.
The musty air beneath the bed choked her breath. Dust drifted in the darkness.
The rest of her words came only after a long pause.
“I think I’m going to join Tenearha.”
Because she had been watching him, she noticed.
Chaud’s eyes flickered with turmoil.
His turquoise eyes blinked several times.
Erica waited, looking into those eyes, but Chaud said nothing.
If she had known it would come to this—
‘……Maybe I should have agreed to pair up with him.’
Only now did that thought cross her mind.
She realized she would never be able to form a permanent pair with Chaud.
She hadn’t expected her life as a mercenary to end so abruptly and meaninglessly.
Leaving behind beloved Dangtus, she now had to start a completely new life in the Imperial Capital.
‘……I still can’t believe it.’
Lost in these swirling thoughts, she slowly closed her eyes.
Inhaling the musty dust in the tight, snug space beneath the bed.
Beside a silent Chaud, she quietly let out a breath.
Her heart gradually found a semblance of calm.
* * *
“Huh? Already?”
Erica was stunned.
“His Majesty, the great ruler of Syiad, is always swift in his decisions.”
“Sounds more like he’s just impatient—”
“Erica.”
“Mmph. Yes.”
It was exactly the second day since Erica had offered herself up as a bargaining chip.
The Holy Grail of Magreta arrived.
Four members of Tenearha appeared via teleportation, escorting the Holy Grail.
While that was hardly what the transport portal had been made for, thanks to it, the Holy Grail had been transported with incredible speed.
Even Hielia was flustered, having not expected it to happen this quickly.
“His Majesty must have……”
…been exceptionally pleased.
She couldn’t bring herself to say those words aloud. Instead, she maintained her dignity as the Saintess and smiled.
“The Temple will never forget such immense grace bestowed upon us.”
“His Majesty was also exceedingly pleased.”
Quite a large crowd had gathered in the reception room.
Marquis Nokbel delivered the Emperor’s handwritten letter.
Written briefly within were his delight at securing a rookie Swordmaster, along with words of praise for the Saintess.
An atmosphere of goodwill was settling between the Great Temple of Light and the Imperial Family.
Having exchanged what each desired most, the mood was thoroughly amicable.
“This is the Holy Grail of Magreta. Would you care to see it?”
“Yes.”
Hielia brought her hands together at her chest and waited.
It was a holy relic setting foot on its native soil for the first time in seven hundred years.
Marquis Nokbel carefully lifted the golden cloth draping the Holy Grail.
At once, rays of light burst forth like dazzling sunshine.
“……Truly.”
Hielia parted her lips slightly in admiration.
“Such profound Divine Power that it is difficult to fathom. It feels as if an ocean of grace has been contained within.”
The others nodded in agreement.
Even to the eyes of ordinary people devoid of Divine Power, an extraordinary aura undeniably flowed from it.
Just as everyone began admiring the Holy Grail of Magreta in awe—
“Um, Saintess, hurry it up.”
Unable to watch any longer, an impatient Erica whispered.
Now that the Holy Grail was here, shouldn’t they quickly take it to Master and do something!
She had said it would take years to lift the curse. Then it was only right to start this very second.
“Are we not done yet? Do I need to stamp a receipt of delivery or something?”
Erica recalled the procedure for collecting mercenary quest rewards.
It wasn’t yours until the one handing it over fully relinquished it.
She glanced at the several members of Tenearha standing behind Marquis Nokbel.
Every single one was a high-ranking knight, specially selected to transport the Holy Grail of Magreta.
Beside them stood Count Herace as well.
“…….”
Erica hadn’t spared Count Herace a single glance the entire time.
“…….”
Part of it was deliberately ignoring him, but once it became clear that he didn’t recognize her, she completely put him out of her mind instead.
She had no emotional bandwidth left to spare for a biological father with whom ties had been severed long ago.
“……Give me the enlistment contract. I’ll press my thumbprint right away.”
If this was the final step in receiving the reward, she wanted to get it over with immediately.
Before the Saintess acting as notary, Erica received the Contract of Kinship.
On one side was stamped the Emperor’s official seal.
“You need only trace the empty space at the bottom with your Aura.”
“With Aura?”
“Can you control the power lightly? If delicate Aura control is difficult—”
“Piece of cake.”
It was something she had resolved long ago. There was no hesitation now.
She drew a sharp dagger at once.
With a low, resonant hum—
She drove her Aura straight into the signature line of the Tenearha Enlistment Contract.
For a moment, she felt as if her energy was being drained.
A blinding flash of light burst out!
She felt strangely dizzy.
Her master’s words came to mind—that a Contract of Kinship was not something to be entered into lightly.
‘Whoa…….’
Though dizzy, she could feel it clearly.
The sensation of being bound to something was distinct, even if she couldn’t define it in words.
‘What a strange feeling…….’
In just a single instant.
She could tell with certainty that she now belonged to Tenearha.
“Splendid.”
Seeing the blue light seep cleanly into the parchment, Marquis Nokbel nodded.
“Welcome. Our formal greetings will take place in the Imperial Capital, but we will be seeing each other often from now on.”
Marquis Nokbel offered his hand. Erica took it lightly.
“Now, I trust you will devote all your blue light and red blood to protecting the Imperial Family.”
“Yes.”
Wondering if her brief reply sounded too insincere, she added:
“I’m good at everything once I set my mind to it. I’ll adapt quickly and become the top dog of the knight order.”
Did that sound reliable?
She gave a firm squeeze to the hand of Marquis Nokbel, who might well be her future superior.
Marquis Nokbel looked down at his tightly gripped hand with an expression that asked what on earth had just walked into his life.
Ending the brief handshake, Erica turned back to Hielia.
“Saintess. I’m mentally prepared.”
She was now a member of Tenearha.
There was no taking it back now.
It meant that no matter if Master came storming in shouting that this contract was null and void, it would be of no use.
“……Prepared to get beaten to a pulp by Master, that is.”
Now, it was time to go see Pechenik, whom she had avoided for two straight days.
She believed that if she made a sincere confession, he would understand.
While it was true she had secured the Holy Grail for her master, joining Tenearha had not been forced upon her.
She planned to explain clearly to him that she had volunteered for it herself.
“Erica. Please return to your room and wait. I will find Pechenik and bring him to you.”
Looking somewhat nervous as well, the Saintess lightly clutched her vestments and rose from her seat.
“Yes.”
With a fluttering heart full of apprehension, Erica braced herself for her confession to her master.
