After being carried by Father, we arrived at the
"Fran?"
"I saw the red light calling for the Knight's Order's help through the window, so I thought you might be returning. Let's go to the room."
Smiling with a troubled expression, Fran began making his way toward the room.
"Fran, we need to speak with the Chief Priest..."
"The Chief Priest is not here."
"...What?"
"I'll explain in detail once we're in the room.
Once we reached the room, Father was given water after dashing through town carrying me, and we began talking in a small hall on the first floor. Fran quietly opened his mouth.
"Shall I tell you what happened after you returned, Myne-sama?"
Apparently, Father had come to the room not long after we left. When someone told him, "A noble from the other day seems to have entered the city. Please report it to the Chief Priest," Father immediately turned back to town to confirm my safety.
"I hurried to the Chief Priest's room to deliver my report. However,
Fran had no choice but to return to the room. On the way, he was apparently stopped by Deria.
"Deria? What did she want?"
"
Fran looked at me with resentful eyes that seemed to ask why I had come back, but there was nothing I could do about that look.
"A lot happened on our end too."
When I briefly reported what had happened on the way back, Fran narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Combining your report with what I know, the Chief Priest may have also received a request from the Knight's Order. By the time Daumel returns, the Chief Priest should be back too."
If the Lord was on the move, knights would be assigned as his escort, which meant the Knight's Order was surely short on manpower. Fran let out a quiet breath.
"Myne-sama, please change into your shrine maiden robes and wait until Daumel joins us."
With
Before long, Daumel returned to the Temple. It seemed reinforcements from the Knight's Order had arrived, and he'd been told to resume his escort duty.
Water was given to Gil and Daumel as well, and Fran gave them a rough summary of the situation.
"...That's strange."
Daumel furrowed his brow deeply.
"I didn't see
We tilted our heads at Daumel's words and decided to head to the Chief Priest's room once more. Daumel said firmly that something had happened requiring them to press Arno for answers about where the Chief Priest had gone.
"Shrine Maiden Apprentice, take this."
As if remembering something, Daumel took a ring from a small pouch and pressed it into my hand.
"It's evidence from the man earlier. There should be a noble's crest on it."
"I can't accept something so important!"
"It's small and not great quality, but it has a magic stone set in it. It'd be better to keep it on you just in case. Unlike Ferdinand, I don't have any magic stones to lend a Shrine Maiden Apprentice."
Being a poor noble, Daumel apparently didn't have magic stones to spare for lending to others. He told me it was better than nothing, even if it belonged to a criminal, so I tried on the ring. But it didn't adjust to my size—apparently it wasn't a Magical Tool.
"...It might be broken. For evidence, the crest alone is enough. Can you store Magic Power in it?"
"It seems to hold Magic Power, at least."
"Since the magic stone quality isn't good, it could break if you suddenly pour a large amount of Magic Power into it. Be careful."
With Fran leading, me in the center, and Father and Daumel flanking both sides, I kept my fist clenched so as not to drop the fragile ring as we headed for the Chief Priest's room.
Lacking combat ability and still a child, Gil stayed behind to watch the room. Having grown up being told that violence was wrong, the day's battle—with blood spraying and people dying—had clearly shaken Gil badly. I could see he was quite unsettled. If I could, I would have stayed by his side, but there was no room for that.
"Myne-sama, please be careful. Really."
"Gil, take care of the room."
On our way to the Chief Priest's room, we spotted the High Priest's entourage turning a corner up ahead. Beside the slightly paunchy, tanuki-like High Priest was an ugly, portly man with toad-like features. Their clothes were different, but their aura screamed corrupt official and shady merchant. Gray Priestesses and unfamiliar attendants trailed behind them in a group of about ten.
Fran swiftly turned the nearest corner to avoid running into them. It would be a longer route through the passage leading to the Nobility Gate, but it was better for me to get under the Chief Priest's protection without being seen.
Father picked me up, Daumel kept watch, and Fran hurried toward the Chief Priest's room.
"Daumel, who was that person with the High Priest?"
"Baron Bindewald. ...A noble who entered the city with forged permits. He's probably after you."
Daumel whispered in a low voice, and Father's arms tightened around me. With the Knight's Order, or at least the Chief Present around, they might be able to capture him, but Daumel was no match for the Baron in terms of rank or Magic Power.
The door leading to the Nobility Gate was visible. The moment we turned to head toward the Chief Priest's room, we spotted the High Priest's entourage blocking the hallway. We'd tried to avoid them, but they'd apparently gotten ahead of us.
"Baron Bindewald, that is Myne."
The High Priest pointed at me, still in Father's arms, a peculiar, unpleasant smile on his face. The toad-like man grinned with a mouth that seemed to split open, looking me up and down as if appraising me.
"Oh ho, so this is..."
Bathed in that sickening gaze that made my entire body break out in goosebumps, I couldn't help but cling tightly to Father.
"Hmm. I heard you'd returned, but you've come back to your protector's side, have you? Then those ones must have failed."
"Incompetents," the toad-like man rasped under his breath, then extended his hand toward me.
"Myne, I'll make a Contract with you."
"...I humbly decline. I already have an agreement in place."
"Hmph. Even if you're under protection, you haven't entered into any actual Contract, have you? If so, there's no problem if I secure one first."
Hee hee hee, letting out an odd laugh, the toad-like man waddled forward, his massive belly swaying.
"Is Baron Bindewald also planning to adopt Myne-sama?"
Deria appeared from behind the High Priest, holding Dirk, and spoke in a surprisingly bright voice. She looked delighted, saying things like "Being chosen by a noble is just wonderful" and "You'll match Dirk."
Hmph, the toad-like man snorted dismissively at Deria.
"Adopt? Into my family? With a filthy Commoner? Don't be ridiculous."
"But, Baron, you and Dirk..."
"I did not adopt that child. What I entered into with the infant was a Contract of Subordination."
Hee hee hee, the contract he produced while laughing appeared to be an official Parchment document, but the elaborately decorated contract clause section was doubled over. With a slimy smile, the Baron flipped open that portion, and where it should have read "adoption," instead appeared the words "Self-Eating Contract of Subordination."
"What? Then Dirk is..."
"In exchange for receiving a Magical Tool to protect his life, he'll be kept as a lifelong captive by his contracting partner."
At my words, Deria clutched Dirk tighter in her arms, shook her head desperately, and looked up at the High Priest with pleading eyes.
"That can't be! Th-that's... that can't be true, right? The High Priest said I could be with Dirk!"
"Don't worry, Deria. The infant will be raised here at the Temple for the Temple's sake. You'll still be able to be with him."
The High Priest told Deria with a kindly face. "This is a simple trade. I gain the infant, and in exchange, Myne simply leaves the Temple."
Deria's face went pale as she looked back and forth between me and Dirk.
"Myne-sama leaving the Temple in Dirk's place...?"
As Deria murmured in a daze, that massive belly moved into my line of sight, blocking her from view.
"Here is the contract for you. Now, sign it. Between what happened back in spring and today, you've cost me a great many pawns. I think it's time you made up for those losses yourself."
When the Baron took a step forward, we instinctively took a step back. The Chief Priest's room—where I might find help—was behind the High Priest's group.
"Chief Priest..."
The High Priest caught my whisper, twisted his lips into a sneer, and mocked me.
"Unfortunately, your protector the Chief Priest is not here. No matter how much you beg for help, it's futile. Hurry up and disappear from my sight."
The High Priest called out to the toad-like man standing a few paces ahead.
"Baron Bindewald, while neither the Lord nor the Chief Priest is here—whatever happens here, I will not be involved. I have no objection to you taking Myne by force. Capture her quickly and leave the city."
The High Priest's words sent a wave of tension through the scene.
Father set me down, took a step forward, and reached for his weapon. Daumel, who had to face a noble of higher rank than himself, gritted his back teeth as he took up his weapon too. Fran drew a short sword from the pouch at his waist.
"...You may kill everyone except the children. Capture them."
At the toad-like man's command, three men from within the entourage stepped forward. They had the same vibe as the man Father had defeated earlier—walking examples of what Self-Eating contracted ones eventually became.
Daumel took on the two who lunged at us, while Father and Fran handled the remaining one.
Compared to Daumel, who had received proper training as a knight, the Baron's private soldiers were weak in both combat ability and Magic Power, and they seemed to need time to build up their reserves. They weren't fighting well. Still, taking on two at once was tough—Daumel was holding his own, but he clearly looked like he was struggling.
Father and Fran, facing one opponent, seemed to have the upper hand at first glance, but they were having a hard time because they couldn't hold back the Magic Power. If it were weapons only, Father would have the advantage, but being attacked with Magic Power left them helpless.
The moment the man's ring flashed and Magic Power was hurled at Father and Fran, Daumel immediately pulled out his glowing baton and swung it. With a sharp metallic ring, the Magic Power was deflected.
"A noble...!?"
The instant Daumel drew his glowing baton, both the toad-like man and the High Priest changed their expressions. They bore down on Deria like they were going to spit on her.
"Deria, who is that!?"
"He's a knight serving as Myne-sama's guard."
Deria let out a small gasp and answered reflexively. The High Priest's eyes widened as he looked at Daumel.
"That shabby-looking man is a knight!?"
Had the Chief Priest been withholding information? The High Priest apparently knew I had a guard, but didn't know that Daumel was a noble and a knight. Daumel, dressed in plain clothes so he could visit the lower town, didn't look like a noble at all.
"Since the Knight's Order knows, we're running out of time. He'll have to disappear as well."
The Baron, who had been watching with a smirk until now, poured Magic Power into the ring on his stubby finger and swung his hand. A mass of pale blue-glowing Magic Power shot from the ring and flew toward Daumel.
"Watch out!"
I waved my hand, imitating what I'd seen, and shot out my own Magic Power. The Baron's blue-glowing Magic Power collided with my whitish Magic Power and deflected away.
It hit the wall with a bang, but as if the wall had absorbed the Magic Power, there wasn't a single scratch on it.
"A Commoner's Self-Eating being insolent..."
The Baron narrowed his eyes irritably and poured even more power into his ring.
I stared intently at the Baron's ring, being careful not to break my own, and poured Magic Power into it. With the Magic Power this ring could produce, all I could do was change the direction of his attacks. Even so, Daumel was already busy with two opponents and couldn't handle the Baron too.
...This was far better than being attacked physically.
If I were punched or tackled, I'd lose in an instant, but if all I had to do was deflect Magic Power, I could buy a little more time.
"Just how long can you hold out with that amount of Magic Power?"
Hee hee hee, the Baron laughed as he began firing Magic Power one after another like a lion toying with a small animal. I deflected each incoming blast with as little Magic Power as possible.
"Ngh..."
The Baron narrowed his eyes with displeasure and glared at me.
I clenched my fist so as not to lose the oversized ring and stared the Baron down. The Baron's gaze fixed on the ring on my finger.
"...What's this? You're already wearing a Subordination ring. Ha ha, what a farce. There's no need for any of this. My trouble's been solved for me."
The Baron looked at the ring on my finger and suddenly burst out laughing. The ring I was wearing was one given to Self-Eating individuals who had entered into a Subordination Contract. While wearing it, one supposedly couldn't attack one's master. It couldn't be removed without breaking the contract. And if one violated orders, the master could forcibly channel Magic Power through it to inflict pain.
"If you don't want to suffer, obey me."
In front of the Baron, who was laughing with smug satisfaction, I popped the ring right off. Since I wasn't actually under contract, I suspected it couldn't serve its intended purpose.
"It comes right off, you know."
"What!?"
Beyond the toad-like man's wide eyes, the High Priest—his face flushed red all the way to his thinning hair—shouted "How dare you!" and snatched Dirk from Deria's arms.
"Ah!"
Deria's eyes went wide as she failed to react in time to the sudden turn of events. The High Priest used a magic stone to forcibly drain Magic Power from Dirk. Dirk's face turned blue and he began twitching and convulsing.
"...Not much."
"Dirk!"
Deria screamed and reached out to take Dirk back.
Clicking his tongue, the High Priest swatted Deria's hand away and launched Magic Power at me. I hurriedly put the ring back on, deflected the Magic Power, gritted my back teeth, and glared at the High Priest.
"How could you!"
Anger flooded through my entire body. Before my intimidation could manifest, the High Priest thrust the limp, sagging Dirk in front of himself.
"Hmph. Can you bring yourself to attack a baby? Go ahead—push Deria into the depths of despair."
"Stop! Myne-sama! Please!"
With Dirk being used as a human shield, and Deria begging in a voice that was almost a scream, there was no way I could launch a Magic Power intimidation attack.
In that split second of hesitation as I held my breath...
I was grabbed by the Gray Priestess who had approached from the side.
"Kyaa...!"
"Myne!?"
"Good, well done! Hold her just like that."
The High Priest said this as he practically threw the limp Dirk at Deria. I could see Deria catching Dirk and clutching him while crying.
"Now we can complete the Contract."
Hee hee hee, the Baron laughed as he approached and cut my fingertip with a knife. Unlike when
"Ouch!"
Grinning with a nasty smile, the Baron produced the contract and moved in. As a last act of defiance, I clenched my fist, and blood dripped onto the floor.
"Open your hand."
That toad-like face came uncomfortably close, and I felt sick. Glaring hard, I clenched my hand with all my strength.
I fought desperately against the force trying to pry my hand open, but with my naturally weak grip, it would only be a matter of time.
"No, no, no! Stop it!"
"Let Myne go!"
With that angry roar, Father drove a powerful kick into the Gray Priestess's back. With tremendous impact, I was sent flying together with the Priestess toward the toad-like man who was right in front of us. I bounced off his squishy belly and fell sandwiched between the Priestess and the Baron, only to be immediately pulled free by Father, who had rushed over and lifted me into his arms.
"Sorry for the rough rescue. Did I make it in time?"
Even as he said this, Father's eyes weren't looking at me. He was staring at the Gray Priestess who was choking and coughing beside the Baron, and then he kicked her in the stomach. Vomit spewed from the Priestess's mouth.
"H-how horrible..."
Father coldly watched the High Priest and his Attendant tremble at the kind of violence never seen in the Temple.
"You're telling me that grabbing a small child, holding a knife to her, and forcing a Contract on her without consent isn't horrible?"
"You Commoner!"
The Baron, who had fallen to the floor alongside us, pushed himself up with his face crimson from humiliation, and swung his ring in a fit of rage.
The largest blast of Magic Power yet was fired off. A mass of blue light flew straight toward us. The distance was too close—I couldn't charge the ring in time.
Unlike me, who squeezed my eyes shut, Father quickly tucked me into his arms and dove sideways, rolling across the floor.
"Ugh!"
"Father!?"
He hadn't quite dodged it completely—Father's left shoulder to elbow was red and swollen as if burned. Seeing Father groan in pain flipped a switch inside me.
I rolled out of Father's arms, rose to my feet with deliberate calm, and aimed all the Magic Power I could muster at the Baron, who was charging his ring.
"I won't forgive you!"
The Magic Power overflowing from my entire body caused the magic stone in the ring to shatter with a pop like a bursting balloon. At the same time, the Baron—hit squarely by the surprise intimidation attack—dropped to his knees in disbelief.
The Baron trembled and tried to move his hands, but it was as if weights had been placed on them—they wouldn't budge. I wasn't going to let him do anything else.
"Baron Bindewald!?"
At the High Priest's panicked voice, I turned my gaze and fixed it on him. Without Dirk as a human shield, the High Priest was nothing to fear.
No sooner had I thought this than the High Priest pulled a black magic stone from his robe.
"Don't think I'll fall for the same trick twice."
The black magic stone in the High Priest's hand began draining my Magic Power in waves. Despite the High Priest's smug grin, I continued hammering him with Magic Power. But it was all just being absorbed.
"Tch, I let my guard down. I never expected someone with this much Magic Power."
At the edge of my vision, the Baron, who had once been on his knees, slowly rose to his feet. All traces of his contemptuous expression gone, replaced by a blank face, he drew his glowing baton.
The ones who had been in the Temple were not the Chief Priest, but the High Priest and his entourage.
Myne was overwhelmed and couldn't see them, but Daumel and Fran are fighting hard too.
Next time: The Black Charm.