Encounter 10

Encounter (10)

I answered Elika's question without much thought.

"It's a good opportunity, so I'll take it."

You said that you originally intended to decline, but is this an offer with a reason to refuse?

Being a disciple of the Brilliant Knight, isn't it a chance that will never come again in her life?

"Do you think so too?"

Even so, Elica still had a sad expression on her face.

Even the opportunity to rise to that high place in an instant was not very attractive to her.

Of course, it is her life and the choice is hers, but if I were in her position, of course, I would have accepted it coldly.

"You didn't want to become a paladin like that?"

"It's not that I don't like it, it's that I don't want to find meaning."

"You said you were going to become a priest. In that sense, I think there is a big difference between being a priest."

Elica wrinkled her face slightly, then meekly affirmed.

"Well, yes. But also, if you become a disciple of that person, you won't be leaving this monastery."

"Oh, did you mean you didn't want to leave your friends behind?"

"········No. I really like those guys. I just don't want to leave the monastery."

He said so, but that seemed to be the biggest reason.

I don't know why you're talking to me like this right now because I want to hear more than that.

While staying at the monastery, every time I met her, all I did was say hello. When was the last time you became close enough to give advice on your concerns?

"Think carefully, and do what you want."

Still, I decided to give an honest answer.

"It would be good to follow that brilliance knight and experience the wider world, or it would be good to stay here in the monastery and enjoy small happiness. is something no one can know, so I don't know which one will be the one you won't regret."

Elika grumbled at my words.

"That's a very vague answer."

"It's your life. And I don't think you'll listen to me anyway."

After being silent for a while as if she could not deny it, she burst into laughter.

"That's right. Thanks anyway."

She turned and went out of the room again, but she turned her head again.

"Oh, and when you leave, please tell me. I'll show you off with my face reflected."

"You don't have to."

"If you don't tell me, it's enough to just ask Priest Thein. And you're going to hide that too? Why were you lying down in the forest?"

I waved my hands in annoyance.

"Stop leaving."

"yeah."

After Elika answered, she turned around and went outside.

I continued to ponder while looking at the closed door.

***

"If I become a disciple of Sir Myak Jerel, will I have to leave the monastery?"

Tom asked, muttering, who was blankly fiddling with the glass of water.

Heron, who was sitting next to him, closed the book he was reading and answered.

"Perhaps not? Maybe he will not stay in our convent, and perhaps he will not go to the Papal States."

"Hey, it's a papal decree… isn't that a huge success? But, what's wrong with Elika? If it were me, I would have knelt down and bowed down as soon as the lord said it."

"What anew. Is he the kind of person you would want such a thing?"

"Even so, I didn't expect it to be this much. Sometimes I don't know what the hell he's thinking."

Tom leaned back on the chair and let out a sigh of frustration and dissatisfaction.

Heren stared at Tom like that and asked.

"By the way, do you really care?"

"·······What? What?"

"Is it okay if Elika becomes a real disciple of Lord Zerel and leaves the monastery?"

"What are you talking about? If that's the case, there's nothing more to ask for. Do you really think I'll be jealous of her?"

"No, it's not like that…"

Tom snorted and brought the glass of water he was holding to his lips.

"You like Elica."

And at Heren's words that followed, he spouted out the water he was drinking.

Tom, who had been coughing and coughing at the hearing of Saree, looked at Heren in complete embarrassment.

"What, what, what are you talking about? Who likes whom? I like him? Who likes such a bastard!"

"Tom."

Heron put on a pathetic expression.

"Everyone knows except for Elika. Did you hide it because you've been hiding it all this time?"

"············".

"So put it all aside and just be honest for once. Do you really want Elika to become Sir Jerel's disciple?"

Tom avoided Heren's gaze and scratched his head.

It's been 3 years already.

Tom, Heron, and Elica. It was at about the same time that the three men entered the Lobelgio Monastery.

Tom and Heren were orphans who lost their parents and siblings to the war, and Elika to the demonic riots.

Even when they first entered the monastery, they despaired of their own situation and were busy making a point for each other.

And, as Heron said, Tom liked Elica.

She thought she had completely hidden it, but in reality, everyone knew it except for Elica, who was unaware of this kind of thing.

Tom, who had been silent for a long time, said in a reluctant tone, as if he had no choice.

"I told you, because I hope so."

"············".

"Of course, I don't want Elika to leave the monastery. However, I sincerely hope that you will accept Sir Jerel's offer. He will not be stuck in a monastery like this for the rest of his life, but will be able to become a much bigger person than he is now. ."

Tom's words were sincere, without a single lie.

It was unimaginable for him to block the path of a precious friend just because of such selfishness.

Heron shook his head.

"So he wouldn't want that in the first place."

"Maybe now, but you won't know later. It's not that he doesn't want to become a paladin, it's that he doesn't really want to become a paladin. Do you really want Elica to turn down the offer?"

"Is that possible? I'm also frustrated."

They both sighed at the same time.

"Do you want to convince the other nuns by talking to them? Is it counterproductive?"

"Are you talking? Stop it."

Since they were two people who knew Elica's rebellious temperament, they hadn't yet told Zel'el's proposal to the other monasteries.

If others found out about this, the monastery would be completely turned upside down, and of course they would urge Elica to accept the offer as a group.

And if I made it so big, it seemed like I would reject the offer without thinking any more.

"There are still a few more days left, so let's try hard to persuade the two of us during the rest of the time. But in the end, if we don't change our minds, it won't do much."

Tom nodded his head and said as if he had suddenly made up his mind.

"And if I ever leave the monastery, then I'll just go ahead and run."

"···········?"

"I'm going to confess to him."

This was unexpected, so Heren opened his mouth.

"Suddenly? Are you serious?"

"uh."

"······· Not a joke, but I might be beaten properly."

"It would be much better then. If he gets serious and refuses, he'll really want to die."

Tom said stretching out.

"It's time. Let's go have dinner."

The day was almost over and the sun was setting in the sky.

After talking, the two went out of the room.

As we headed out of the building to find Elica and head to the restaurant together, I saw a few friends my age gathered in one side of the yard.

Seeing one of them having a nosebleed, Tom and Heren approached them.

"Hey, what's going on? Matt, why do you have that face? Who did you fight with?"

The children around him were calming the injured boy.

Instead of the boy, another girl explained what had happened.

"I had a fight with Rex. That bastard got into a fight again and had a seizure."

With that said, Tom and Heren were able to get a rough idea of the situation without listening to further explanations.

It was Rex who had previously broken her nose bone.

He was still unable to mix with the monastery children, and he often quarreled with other children.

Heron asked, examining the boy's wounds.

"Where's Rex?"

"I was beaten hard and then ran away. That bastard is nothing."

The boy smirked and said, as if his anger had not yet cleared up.

Then another boy helped.

"Rex ran to the forest behind his monastery."

"·······What? Why over there?"

"I don't know. So I was talking about what to do now…."

The forest behind the monastery, the forest where some priests and paladins had previously disappeared.

A place rarely visited by people of the monastery because there are rumors that an unknown monster lives in the depths.

"Just leave it alone, you bastard. After a while, you'll get scared and come out."

Tom frowned and looked around the forest behind the monastery.

"First, wash your face. I'll look for it."

"What? Let's just leave it alone."

"But what if he doesn't come back? It's almost over, but it hasn't been long since Elica broke her nose, but if the nuns find out, I can't get over it this time."

It was better to find Rex quickly and bring him back before things get more annoying and quietly pass it on.

Heron said.

"I'll go with you."

"Okay. You find Elika and go to the restaurant first with them. It won't take long."

Before Heron and the other children could say anything more, Tom immediately turned and ran into the woods behind the monastery.

"Oh, anyway, that bastard, Rex…."

Rex, who had just entered the monastery, was still unable to adjust to the life of the monastery.

When Tom first entered the monastery, he was similar to him, so he understood and moved on, but somehow it seemed to be getting more and more troublesome.

Thinking that we should build a proper negotiation this time, Tom proceeded into the forest without hesitation.

'Where did you go?'

After all, all the stories about the monster were just rumors, and the disappearance was just an incident that happened before, so there was no fear.

In fact, Tom, Heren, and Elica even entered the forest several times without the priests knowing. Of course, that was when the sun was shining.

Rex probably couldn't even go that deep, so Tom turned around, scanning the outskirts of the forest. We had to find it before it got dark.

"······································································!

After wandering around for quite some time, something suddenly came into his sight.

Legs protruding out of the lush greenery.

Recognizing immediately that it was Rex's leg, Tom felt relieved and suspicious at the same time, and hurried closer.

"Rex, you crazy bastard!

Tom pushed through the bushes and went inside.

But the incomprehensible scene unfolding in front of me had no choice but to harden.

"······uh?"

Suddenly, Tom turned his head at the sound of a noise coming from nearby. Slowly, his complexion turned pale.

Until dawn, Tom and Rex, neither of them returned from the forest.