Sepakai (GXG) (GIRLXGIRL) (GL)

43

“It is an honor to meet you Priestess Aronda. I am Rosalith Cuulbacall, and I am traveling with these adventurers as part of my training.”

Rose-san stepped forward next to me, and after showing Aronda-san the holy seal on her chest, gave her a polite bow.

“I come to you this day with a report and request your ear.”

“I have been waiting for you Priestess Rosalith. I was aware Iris-chan was returning, and you would be coming with her.”

“Eh?”

From behind her glasses, Aronda-san’s gentle gaze focused on me as a wave of confusion hit me in the head.

“It must have been hard for you, Iris-chan.”

“………”

I see. Rose-san had said something similar when we were leaving Relton. The Goddess Illya already knows what happened. And so now Aronda-san knows as well. Which means that right now she is talking about everything that happened in Relton.

“My friends were there, so no, it wasn’t.”

“……..Yes. In the short while I haven’t seen you, you have become much stronger.”

Aronda-san’s gaze grew soft, narrowing her eyes and stroking my head before turning her eye behind me. Currently the person at my back would be Saluena who has been standing there as if she were my shadow this entire time.

“And then you…..are her correct?”

“Indeed. I am Hadion. The Dark Violet Knight who betrayed humanity and turned her blade against the Goddess.”

“Hold on!? Oh Aronda-san, Hadion is, I mean Saluena is…….”

Why is this honest to a fault woman admitting to her own betrayal? Sure it might be technically true, but that’s not what really happened. Hadion only did those things because she was being controlled by Osnell.

“How wonderful, welcome back. Also, you have my heartfelt gratitude for saving Iris-chan like you did.”

But Aronda-san was reacting like I thought she would. Her calm demeanor hadn’t changed, and she was even smiling.

“……..”

Rose-san was just as surprised as I was. As a matter of fact, her mouth was left hanging open in shock after she had opened it to try and defend Saluena like I did.

“…….I have done nothing to earn your gratitude. My contributions pale in comparison to that of those here: the elf swordswoman Tosrillon, the half-wolf maiden Carotayle, and my sister Rosa.”

“Oh, is that so? Then Tosrillon-san, Carotayle-san, and Priestess Rosalith, you each are deserving of my gratitude as well. For returning Iris-chan to us, thank you very much.”

“N-No……”

“We’ve been with Iris for half a year now, so the decision was a no-brainer.”

“Yeah yeah, no-brainer. But if you really want to show your gratitude, then maybe you can show your appreciation with something a little more tangible like mugagumwa!!”

“Hey you, I just told you not to do anything unnecessary. Now keep quiet for an eternity, okay?”

Toslin wrapped her arm around Carol’s neck. She then put her hand over Carol’s mouth, completely cutting off her breath. Well if it was a complete stranger I might try to stop them or call for help, but I can just leave these two alone.

Aronda-san didn’t seem particularly surprised about the situation either and wrote it off as just a bit of play as well. But that’s not to say she wasn’t surprised at all. It’s just that her curious gaze was instead turned to Rose-san.

“Priestess Rosalith……a little bit ago, did Hadion-sama refer to you as a sister?”

“……yes. The other day we exchanged a sisterly pledge with each other.”

“Hoh, then congratulations are in order. I must say, as a fellow priestess, I am quite jealous of you.”

“No, as a priestess I am still inexperienced, a novice who is still bound by a vow of chastity. There is still much I need to learn, and every day I am acutely reminded of the experience I lack.”

“Fufu, and yet I still find myself envious. In such a limited amount of time, you have fortuitously met a partner you feel destined with and bound yourselves together.”

Aronda-san broke off Rose-san’s seal right in front of her eyes before bestowing her blessing.

“May the Goddess bless you and your loved ones.”

“…….thank you very much. And may you be blessed as well, Priestess Aronda.”

Rose-san returned the prayer, but was I the only one who thought she looked depressed as she did so?

1. Instead of a psalm, the literal translation here would be ‘curse song’. It’s a type of chant onmyoji would sing to cleanse a place of evil spirits.