第１５４２堀：教会の友人たち (Part1)
**Chapter 1542: Friends of the Church**
**Side: Rurua**
We were currently making our way to the Litea Church in the capital of Hinsua.
At the royal castle, my husband, his personal guard, and Canaria-san remained behind to continue gathering information. We had split up to cover more ground, but…
“Deryu, are you sure it’s alright for you to be here with us?” I asked.
Deryu was arguably the most capable combatant among us, yet she had been assigned to our group.
“Well, I do worry about leaving things to Lyusi, but they are inside the castle,” Deryu replied. “When we weighed the available strength against the potential risks, it was decided I should be on this side.”
“It’s true that Ria, Kagura, and Dressa are also there, in addition to Lyusi… but they have their own roles to play as guards and more…”
As Deryu said, if we were looking strictly at numbers, there were more members back at the castle. However, when it came to my husband’s direct protection, only Lyusi was truly unencumbered.
Ria and Dressa were primarily there to support Canaria-san, and Kagura was officially present as a diplomatic observer from another continent. Kagura hadn't originally intended to join this excursion, but since she was involved in the negotiations with Lord Bamai, she was able to use those connections to accompany the group. Even if it was just for appearances, she couldn't simply sit idle.
That was why I felt uneasy.
“Given the nature of our enemies, we can’t afford to increase our numbers too much without drawing the wrong kind of attention,” Deryu continued. “Besides, Kirika and her team are providing backup from the shadows. We have to trust them. On the other hand, if you girls were to be attacked, it would be a defeat for Yuki, for Weed, and for the entire alliance, wouldn't it?”
“I understand that.”
The goal of the Dark Guild and the rogue Dungeon Masters was to erode the power of Weed and our allies. To achieve that, they only needed to kill one of us. By doing so, the Dark Guild would prove they possessed the strength to eliminate high-ranking officials of a rival nation. This would not only cause other countries to heighten their guard but also lead some to believe the Guild could be a useful tool.
It would be a validation of the Dark Guild’s worth.
That was something we could never allow. Therefore, we could not afford to fall, nor could we sustain any serious injury.
“We’ve also put out a request to the Adventurer Guild to keep a close watch on the capital area,” Kiyu-kun added.
“Exactly! Don’t worry your pretty little head too much~” Covil chimed in with a wry smile.
The two of them were accompanying us for now. After dropping us off at the church, they were headed to the local Adventurer Guild to gather intelligence. Since they were traveling as adventurers themselves, the likelihood of them being targeted was low, but…
“Please, both of you, be careful as well.”
“We will. Thank you for your concern,” Kiyu-kun replied.
“Leave it to us! If an enemy shows up, I’ll take them out in one hit,” Covil boasted.
I made sure to emphasize the need for caution. Despite their roles as adventurers, these two were key members of Weed and essentially represented our interests within the guild system. If they were injured, our reputation would suffer just the same.
As we spoke, Lilishe-sama suddenly raised her voice.
“Oh my~! It’s been so long~!”
Waving her hand, she ran toward the Litea Church of Hinsua standing before us. We followed after her to find her chatting warmly with a group of sisters who had apparently been waiting in front of the building.
“Priest Lilishe, it is wonderful to see you in such good health.”
“We were so shocked when we heard you were being transferred to another country so suddenly!”
“Yes! You had just finished looking after the immigrants from Vinosia, and then you were gone in the blink of an eye…”
…Their words stung my ears a little. I had been there when Lilishe-sama was summoned to Weed; I hadn't realized she had been pulled away in the midst of such a frantic schedule.
As I watched the reunion, the church doors opened, and an elderly priest stepped out from within.
“I thought I heard a lively voice. It is indeed you, Priest Lilishe.”
He, too, seemed to be an acquaintance of Lilishe-sama, welcoming her with a smile. In response, Lilishe-sama showed him the utmost respect, stepping away from the sisters to give a polite bow.
“Priest Godana, it has been a long time.”
“It gladdens me to see you well. And Saintess Rurua… I never dreamed I would have the honor of beholding your countenance and speaking with you so closely.”
With those words, Priest Godana knelt before me in a single, fluid motion. His action alerted the surrounding sisters to our presence.
“Eh? Lady Rurua? Now that you mention it, there was talk of… O-Oh, please forgive our rudeness!”
““Please forgive us!””
The sisters who had been chatting so familiarly with Lilishe-sama scrambled to kneel and bow their heads.
Er, well… while it was true that I was a former Saintess, and I was often greeted with such hospitality at Litea churches, it felt a bit awkward to be treated this way by people who had worked alongside Lilishe-sama. They had supported her far more than I ever had.
However, we wouldn't get anywhere if we stayed like this. I shook off my hesitation.
“Thank you for the warm welcome. However, I am now merely a Bishop. Please, do not stand on such ceremony.”
As I tried to ease their tension, Lilishe-sama joined in.
“That’s right~! Rurua-chan is very kind, so there’s no need to worry~!”
“Li-Lilishe?! You can’t speak to her like that!” one of the sisters hissed in a panic.
In any normal circumstance, she would be right. But…
“It’s quite alright. Priest Lilishe and I are working together on this matter. We are friends. I hope you will all feel comfortable speaking with me as well.”
When I offered them a gentle smile, the sisters looked uncertain, but Priest Godana seemed to grasp my intent. His eyes crinkled as he looked at us.
“I see. So Priest Lilishe and Bishop Rurua share a close bond.”
“Yes. I have been truly indebted to her,” I replied.
I meant that quite literally; she had been an immense help to us.
“...Is that so? That is wonderful to hear. Now then, perhaps you could introduce the other guests standing behind you?”
“Oh, that’s right~! These ladies are here to help us. They represent the Enaria Church, the Haile Church, and the Seraphina Church—faiths that, much like the Litea Church, work for the salvation of the people on the other continent. Starting from the right…”
At Priest Godana’s prompting, the introductions began. I suspected Lilishe-sama was intentionally doing this out in front of the church for everyone to see.