Chapter 106

Maki watched excitedly as the two tall men glared at each other . In the meantime, Chiharu ignored them and moved towards the water . It wasn’t just Sauro, but the men in this world were quite tiring if you faced them on every issue seriously . If they wanted to fight, let them .

Oh, wait . Edwy was different, thought Chiharu . He was mature . She thought on the gentle face of Edwy, who she saw as like a younger brother, and she couldn’t help but smile . The waves came up and tickled her feet . Then they drew back and took the sand with them . Chiharu’s curly hair moved gently in the wind .

It was so quiet .

She looked down and took another step forward . The waves crashed at her feet . She took another step, and the waves drew back .

“Chiharu . ”

A voice came from behind her .

“Chiharu . ”

Maki had finally come .

“Chiharu . ”

“Oh! Why can’t I be allowed to enjoy this vacation for just a second!”

“Because…”

Chiharu turned around with annoyance . Maki looked a little troubled as she held her hands up .

“Look at reality . ”

Maki said as she pointed ahead . A crowd of merfolk were there, watching Chiharu’s every step . And in the sky, flew a flock of birdfolk .

“I knew that . I knew…”

She was just pretending that they weren’t there .

“Chiharu . Maki . This…”

Saia approached them and tried to give them some thin cloth . It was soft and yet strong . Thin and yet opaque . Very strange .

“What is this?”

Asked Maki . And so Saia spread it out and then expertly wrapped it around Maki’s waist so that it hit the floor . The extra fabric hung in the back . And all of this was done without touching her .

“This is the thing that all the merfolk wear!”

Chiharu shouted as she circled around Maki .

“Huh? It’s pretty, but I was going to go out for a swim . It will get in the way . ”

“Maki, should you really be saying that after getting something so pretty? That’s not very lady-like . ”

Chiharu said with exasperation as she folded her arms .

“Chiharu, excuse me . ”

Saia then wrapped up Chiharu in a similar fabric . Now their legs were mostly covered .

“It’s so light, smooth, and easy to move in!”

“This was weaved with the webs of water spiders . They will not get in the way when they are wet, so you can swim in them . It’s a very mysterious fabric . ”

Saia explained to the overjoyed Chiharu .

“Really? Huh . Wa-water spider…?”

“Yes . Are you interested? I can show them to you . ”

“Uh, no . I think I’m fine . ”

It was a subject better left untouched . Chiharu closed her eyes to the materials .

Then Saia knelt before them, and first he took Maki’s hand and then Chiharu’s . And he placed them on his forehead .

“Maki, Chiharu . I did not know that things would get so dangerous . And yet I have troubled you greatly over our chief . I am so sorry . ”

He apologized sincerely . When they thought back on it, they had known there was a risk, but they could not abandon Amia, who had saved them . Chiharu thought that it couldn’t be helped . However…

“Exactly . Besides, not only did it turn into a huge deal, but it would have been resolved even if we didn’t go . Actually it might have ended sooner if you didn’t ask us to go . ”

“That…”

Saia’s eyes wandered . But…

“Our chief had gone missing, and I did become a little frantic . However, I believe that it was because you two were there, that he came back quietly, and it did not cause more of a commotion than necessary . ”

He said with another bow while still on his knees .

“Oh, it’s fine . Besides, nothing happened in the end?”

Chiharu said . Maki squinted at her suspiciously .

“Chiharu . Thank you!”

Saia raised his head and looked at Chiharu with an honest expression . However, Maki did not miss the slight curl of his lip when he did so .

“Maki . ”

Saia turned to Maki now . He was still kneeling . Maki looked down at him . For the others that were watching, it would look like they were staring into each other’s eyes . Like a knight who was swearing his loyalty to Maki . Chiharu felt quite excited .

“Chiharu . ”

Came Aeris’s voice .

“Did you finish fighting?”

Chiharu turned around . Now that she was distracted, Maki addressed Saia . And her expression was not sweet .

“Chiharu is the only person I have in this world . ”

“What a coincidence . I feel the same way about the chief . ”

There was no smile on his face either .

“A coincidence . ”

Maki said with annoyance .

“Chiharu and I . We wouldn’t sacrifice others to save ourselves . Don’t compare us . ”

“You say that, and yet you’ve already involved so many people?”

Saia said with sarcasm in his voice .

“I knew people would say that . It troubles me as well . If we just stayed in the castle, no one would talk and perhaps no one would be hurt . ”

Maki said as she looked Saia right in the eyes .

“Then why don’t you do that?”

Saia said, as if it was what they should be doing . However, Maki snorted . Oh, she had already experienced this before, with those inlanders . She wasn’t going to feel hurt anymore .

“What makes you all so confident?”

“Confident?”

Saia sounded puzzled .

“This confidence that we Saintesses are objects that you own . ”

“God sends the Saintesses to us . It is obvious . ”

“Ha . ”

Maki sighed derisively . It was unusual, but Chiharu had been very vocal when it came to this rescue mission . And Maki had ultimately agreed to it . She wasn’t as desperate as Chiharu was . And so she wasn’t as tired mentally or physically . And so she had thought about it more .

This mission had been quite dangerous . And yet Saia had asked them to do it as if it was nothing . This far exceeded the carefree nature of the birdfolk and merfolk .

The inlanders had looked at them with undisguised malice . However, Saia was different .

“We Saintesses are disposable compared to the chief . As long as he is saved, the rest doesn’t matter . ”

As the words came out of Maki’s mouth, Saia became speechless .

“Or were you not thinking that far? What a coincidence, Saia . ”

Maki said as the corner of her mouth curled .

“Yes, this world is nothing to me compared to Chiharu . Don’t think that we’ll save it without condition . ”

Many people thought that they were just lazy and spoiled . And so Saia was shocked by how low her voice was . This was not like a Saintess at all .

“Maki . What happened?”

“Hehe . Saia looks just like a castle knight . ”

Aeris said as he noticed the tense air . But Chiharu was oblivious . Maki relaxed .

“Oh, we just get along very well . We were talking about what is important to us . ”

“I see . How nice . ”

“Yes . ”

Maki said as she brushed up her bangs .

“Now, Chiharu . Apparently we can swim in this cloth . Let’s go into the water!”

“What? Oh, I suppose so . It’s a vacation, after all . ”

“Yes . Let’s have the merfolk take us out to sea!”

“Uh, I don’t know about…”

And just like that, Maki and Chiharu were taken out to the water .

Aeris watched them with concern . Next to them, Amia said,

“Don’t worry . They’re not going to hurt them . ”

“Merfolk do not think like humans . Humans can’t breathe underwater . ”

“They know that . I think…anyway . Ah . ”

Amia sounded less sure by the second . Still, Maki was pulled into the water . Aeris was worried, but could do nothing at this point . She jumped and plunged into the water . But then her face burst out from the surface .

“Haha! How fun! Chiharu! You try!”

“Uh . I don’t want… Ah!”

Chiharu was also pulled towards the water and jumped . She seemed a little angry, but seemed to not dislike it either .

“So beautiful . They are so lively . It is like watching life itself . Don’t you agree, Saia?”

“…Yes, Amia . ”

Saia was looking down, as if refusing to look at the Saintesses . Amia glanced at him before returning his gaze to the sea . Then he started to talk as if to the water .

“The god of creation would not have wanted to save the world by sacrificing people . ”

Saia raised his face in surprise .

“The monsters, us, the Saintess . All of us are creatures that live in this world . No one should be sacrificed for the benefit of others . While the monsters are killed, it is part of the cycle of life . They are not being sacrificed . And yet, the Saintesses are consumed in a one-sided situation . It is sad . We cannot forget that and treat them with disregard . ”

“But…”

“Saia . Perhaps I should put it like this . ”

Amia looked at Saia and put emphasis on every word .

“Through this rescue mission, Chiharu awakened to an ability to control monsters . ”

Saia remembered Maki’s words . This world was nothing compared to Chiharu .

“Impossible . ”

“Don’t be a fool . Don’t forget what is important . ”

Amia said . And then he followed the Saintesses into the sea . This world was nothing . It was he who had forced those dark words from her mouth .

Saia could only stand there, stunned .