A Monster That Cannot Pray

Well— there were some problems here and there, but anyway.

A week has already passed since I became a novice nun and started living in this city—Yulentina.

“Ah, it’s Frey. Running errands again today?”

“Yes. I heard there are fruits that are good for hangovers…”

“Geez, drinking alcohol while being with such a cute young lady. Isn’t it hard living with that drunkard priest?”

During that week, as I somewhat adapted to the city people… it’s not surprising that I started to be treated as Bernard’s caretaker in return.

“…It’s fine. He doesn’t cause trouble when drunk, so.”

“I see, I see. If that lecherous priest ever tries to do anything indecent, make sure to tell me.”

I don’t know how such an unfunny rumor—that I came to Yulentina because I had no choice but to protect my chastity after being pounced on by Bernard—started circulating among people.

“…Yes.”

Thinking Bernard would explain if necessary, I just lowered my head with a gloomy expression to add a bit of fun.

“What? Did something happen…?”

“Oh my, how pitiful… I didn’t know Father Ban was that kind of person…”

“This won’t do. We need to call Bernard and give him a good beating…”

“Poor Frey… It must have been hard enough with those arms and eyes…”

The surrounding merchants, looking at me with sympathetic eyes, naturally started condemning Bernard as a bad person.

“…I’m fine, so please don’t be too hard on the old man.”

By the way, the point here is to show a forced smile.

“Then, I’ll be going.”

“Alright…! Make sure to tell auntie if things get tough!”

After finishing my revenge on the pseudo-priest who had been sending me on errands for his hangover snacks since morning,

Knock. Knock.

“Ms. Mia. I’m here.”

“Ah, Frey!”

I greeted Mia, who had welcomed me the most over the past week.

“Fufu. It’s nice to see you walking around with your eyes open, you’re so pretty!”

Although it might have been annoying to have an uninvited guest coming from the morning, Mia, who had told me to visit anytime without burden, started patting my head with a bright smile today as well.

“These eyes are unsightly, so honestly, I’m still a bit uncomfortable walking around with them open.”

“Tut-tut. Didn’t the Father say so too? Rather than clumsily hiding and getting caught, it’s better to openly show them so you won’t be suspected when questioned later.”

“…That’s true.”

Actually, there was a reason why I was reluctant to walk around with my eyes open.

“Is it because I was too surprised at first?”

“……”

As Mia said, the day right after I became a novice nun… Bernard put a pendant around my neck that gave off an ominous aura, saying I could now walk around with my eyes open.

-Oh my, it’s Frey? We meet again after just a day… Heek!?

When I followed Bernard to visit Mia, I was quite shocked to see Mia step back in fright as soon as she saw me.

…I knew it, but seeing even Mia, whom I thought I had become quite close with, run away like that was quite shocking.

“Sigh. This is all because the Father didn’t give me a heads up beforehand.”

Anyway, now, as long as I was careful around outsiders, no one said anything about my eyes and arms.

“So, training as usual today?”

“I’m not sure if it’s training or if he’s just too lazy to move himself, but yes, let’s call it training for now.”

My recent situation was being constantly kicked out of the house under the pretext that I just needed to become more confident.

“Still, you’re walking around on your own so well… I’m proud of you, our Frey.”

“…I’m telling you, I’m not a child.”

“Heheh. I heard everything from the Father. You’re barely one year old, right? Then you are a child.”

“……”

I considered whether to talk about my past life or not… but decided it was better not to and kept my mouth shut.

“I should get going now.”

“You’re not upset, are you?”

To be honest, I was a bit annoyed at Mia for constantly treating me like a child.

But I was an adult who could easily endure and overlook such trivial matters.

“…Who knows.”

With a meaningful smile, I quietly got up and turned my back on Mia.

“Frey.”

Then, with a chuckling laugh, Mia called my name again.

“You’ll come again tomorrow, right?”

“Of course. It’s obvious I’ll be sent on some strange errand again anyway.”

“Pfft… Be careful on your way back. I’d like it if you called me ‘big sister’ tomorrow.”

“…Ahem, ahem.”

Instead of answering, I cleared my throat lightly twice. Then, opening the door with two hands, I turned my other two hands behind my back and waved lightly at Mia.

Of course, it’s true that Mia is older than me even if you combine my past and current life… but the word “big sister” was a bit too much for me to accept.

“Hee….”

Was I happy to have gained a life I couldn’t even imagine during the past year? Unconsciously letting out a light laugh.

I walked towards the church on the hill—which had now become my home—humming and skipping along.

“…Huh?”

Not long after, I could see the church unusually crowded with people.

‘What’s going on?’

Looking closely, I saw a group of city guards in uniform gathered, and for a moment I was startled, wondering if they had come to arrest me.

“Phew.”

Recalling Bernard’s words to be even more confident at times like this, I placed two hands on my pounding chest. With my other two hands, I tightly held the veil on my head.

“Stop. What business do you have?”

“Does a nun need permission to return to her church home?”

So, standing straight in front of the guard blocking my way with a grim face.

“That can’t be… This church clearly only has Father Bernard… Ah.”

“May I go in?”

Fortunately, perhaps having heard the rumors that Bernard had taken me into the church, I was about to brush past the guard who was clapping his hands.

“Sorry, but an important person is having an important conversation with Ban right now. I can’t let you through.”

“Ah, Captain.”

With a huge shadow suddenly covering my entire view.

“It’s not much of a substitute, but how about I keep the little miss company for a while?”

A giant that made me wonder if he was really human—with a height about twice mine.

“That’s okay, right? Monster girl.”

With a face full of killing intent, he reached out to me with a grin.

“…Hiccup.”

I’m dead. For real.

* * *

Gulp.

“S-so, what’s the matter? You busy man.”

Bernard, sitting casually on the church’s characteristically long bench, drinking warm tea to soothe his hangover-stricken stomach.

“I think you know better than I do why I’ve come.”

At the voice of the man sitting on the bench next to him, looking straight ahead.

“Geez, you’re as bothersome with your words now as you were before.”

He grumbled, frowning fully and draping his arms over the back of the chair.

“—Why did you bring a monster into the city?”

At the voice that followed, tinged with subtle anger.

“Huh—? Monster, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t play dumb. I’ve already completed my investigation before coming here.”

“Kek, I thought so. I was wondering why such a diligent fellow came so late.”

Bernard shrugged his shoulders and grumbled again, as if mocking.

“…Father Bernard. Even though this is Yulentina, a city that respects freedom, I hope you realize that this time you’ve crossed the line of what’s permissible.”

“You should realize whose favor you’re maintaining your current position by—Leon.”

The blonde man glaring at Bernard—Leon, the mayor of Yulentina.

“Have you grown attached to that monster already?”

“You should be more careful in your choice of words. My head is ringing from the hangover, so my fist might move first.”

“Ha… This isn’t funny. To think that Bernard, of all people, would be grinning in front of a monster. ‘Extinguished Ash,’ was it? A truly fitting derogatory name for you now.”

Despite Bernard’s warning, he continued to provoke him by repeatedly emphasizing the word “monster”.

Bang—!

The next moment, at the sight of Bernard clenching his fist and smashing part of the chair he was sitting on into powder.

“I warned you clearly, Father Bernard. I hope you won’t ignore your friend’s final warning.”

“…You’ll understand too when you see her. That child is different.”

“Is that so? But too bad. I have no intention of seeing that monster.”

He just sighed lightly and quietly stood up.

“…I’ll see you out.”

“That’s very kind of you.”

So, as the two men were leaving the chapel in an atmosphere that seemed like sparks could fly at any moment.

“Uwaaaah—!”

“…What’s that sound?”

“…Frey?”

They turned their heads at the shrill scream they heard as they opened the door.

“Hahaha! Now— this time I’ll throw you even higher, little miss!”

“S-stop—! Help me—! Old man—!”

Along with the laughter of the surrounding guards, they could see the small nun—Frey—being held in the hands of a man with a huge build and thrown into the sky.

“…Kuhup. Hey, still not going to look?”

“…This is maddening.”