Chapter 59. Let’s Catch Up!

After returning home for the first time in a while, I did a quick clean of my dust-covered house.

“Is it really okay not to greet Johann?”

Don’t knights usually report their safe return to the Emperor when they come back from the battlefield? I had doubts, but I decided to trust Jesuf.

He said there’s no need to do it every time since I’ll be going back and forth often. This came from no less than the Emperor’s right-hand man. He explained that even when knight orders return from a major war, only a few representatives including the knights order’s commander go, not every single knight rushing to the audience hall.

Moreover, since undead subjugation isn’t a large-scale war, everyone just submits reports without individually requesting an audience with the Emperor to inform him of their successful mission.

He said it’s the same for battles where they recruit mercenaries from Elmon.

Hmm.

Thinking about it, it made sense.

I recalled my past as a healer mercenary with Marc. Although it was often commanded by the Imperial Knights or noble knight orders, it was far from the ‘large-scale war’ Jesuf mentioned.

Well.

With undead popping up at irregular intervals, it would be troublesome for the Emperor to commend the knights each time.

Seeing me still uneasy, Jesuf pleaded for me to just go home, mentioning that other purifiers haven’t even been near the palace for years. It seemed he wanted to go rest quickly too.

“I’m not a knight commander, just a mere purifier. There’s no need to seek an audience with the Emperor every time.”

I muttered to myself while opening the window for ventilation.

After all, the position of a purifier was quite ambiguous. A rare resource, but of low status, you could say.

There’s no law saying nobles can’t become purifiers, but strangely, all currently active purifiers were commoners.

Well, considering the population ratios, it’s not that strange.

Anyway, the conclusion was this:

Jesuf is right. There’s no need to greet Johann.

“Alright. I guess this is clean enough?”

I looked around the house.

My cozy home, small, but with everything I need.

I’ll have a comfortable time without having to be mindful of anyone.

Showering in the single bathroom, fully enjoying Elmon’s peaceful scenery through the wide-open green-painted wooden window, spreading jam thickly on a baguette bought from the bakery and stuffing it in my mouth.

Was I really on the battlefield until recently?

It was hard to believe.

It felt like I had come to a completely different world.

“No wonder people don’t realize we’re still at war with the undead.”

They just skim through newspaper articles and hear about it in passing.

Only those subjugating on the front lines were suffering.

It was sad that I was one of them, but I decided to push away complicated thoughts for now.

Lying down on the bed felt so good.

Of course, it couldn’t compare to the luxury of the imperial palace, Hilton, or the room provided in Sahara, but how should I put it? My small, modest home is the best. Even the old furniture that occasionally creaked felt endearing.

The true comfort was the best.

“Well then, goodnight.”

Not knowing who I was saying goodnight to, I closed my eyes. Although the sun hadn’t set yet, I slept deeply without even dreaming.

Was I that tired?

It felt like I had just closed my eyes for a moment, but when I opened them, it was morning.

* * *

“Marc! It’s been so long!”

After washing away the fatigue, I felt energized to meet my friend.

I searched my memory to find Marc’s house.

What if he’s gone for mercenary work? I worried a bit on the way, but since it was within walking distance, I decided to go anyway.

Fortunately, Marc was home.

“Seraphina?”

Marc, looking disheveled as if he had just woken up, widened his eyes upon seeing me. His face instantly lit up with joy. I’m glad I decided to visit.

“It’s been so long! I found out about your dispatch from the newspaper!”

“Hehe. Sorry. I had to leave suddenly…”

I couldn’t finish my sentence because Marc suddenly hugged me tightly.

“How could someone as small as you subjugate undead?”

His voice seemed to tremble slightly. Now that I noticed, his arms holding me tightly were shaking finely with the emotion of reunion.

“Marc.”

“What?”

“Are you crying?”

“……”

Why aren’t you answering?

Are you really crying?

I tried to pull away from him. But Marc held me tight, as if trying to hide his face, and wouldn’t let go.

“Marc, let go for a second. Come on.”

When I coaxed him verbally, he reluctantly loosened his arms.

As I lifted my head, I saw this guy as big as a mountain with moist eyes.

“Look, I came back healthy. Why are you crying?”

“Who says I’m crying?”

Marc denied it while roughly wiping his eyes.

This guy…

With his eyes tinged red, he muttered worriedly.

“Did you really purify undead? The newspaper had articles about your activities in the Grodes Mountains and the Sahar Desert.”

“Yeah. I’m no joke.”

I said proudly with a grin, and Marc let out a deflated laugh. He shook his head as if he couldn’t believe it.

“You’re perfect as a rear healer.”

“How long has it been since we found out I’m not a healer!”

“The front lines are too dangerous.”

“It’s not dangerous at all with heroes protecting me.”

Although I fainted twice in the Grodes Mountains, and Mihail mercilessly pushed me into the durahan legion in Sahara, I pretended everything was fine.

I just covered everything with a smile.

Then Marc looked at me with a complicated expression. How should I put it? It was a gaze that seemed awkward and distant.

He stammered as he asked.

“Are the heroes really right beside you?”

“Huh? Ah, that’s…”

For commoners, heroes are like beings from the heavens. It seemed Marc was feeling a sense of alienation hearing that I was staying with such heroes. In a way, it was a natural reaction.

I quickly tried to smooth things over. I didn’t want Marc to feel distant from me. After all, no matter what anyone says, he was the only friend who approached me without calculation when I was an unremarkable Seraphina.

“They’re just superiors, superiors.”

“Superiors?”

“Yeah. They completely boss me around. Do you know how many knights are under these heroes? I’m just one of those many subordinates. They take me here, take me there. They’re just desperate to give me more work.”

Hmm.

Come to think of it, it’s all true.

For a moment, I feel like crying?

“Anyway, I might not have many days like this to rest. Let’s go out and catch up!”

To shake off the gloomy feeling, I slapped Marc’s back hard. He let out a small groan and then chided me for having a heavy hand.

I laughed out loud.

It felt good to see Marc becoming comfortable again.

“No alcohol.”

“Why! You know how much I love drinking!”

“Love it? Since when? You can’t even drink well.”

Marc looked at me as if something was strange.

Oops.

The old Seraphina used to avoid alcohol, saying she’d get drunk after just three sips of beer.

But now it’s different.

Even a pitiful alcohol tolerance is precious!

“I’ve come to appreciate the taste of alcohol.”

Because life is bitter.

I glossed over it with a bright smile and gestured to go out quickly.

* * *

Is there anything that makes you feel the joy of life more than going to a neighborhood pub with a friend?

The drinking session that started with a promise to have just three sips due to Marc’s worried face had long since surpassed that limit.

“Seraphina, I never thought I’d enjoy drinking with you like this!”

“Hehehe. There are days like this too!”

My tongue was a bit twisted.

But who cares!

This is so nice!

Even though it was still early evening, the atmosphere surrounding us two was fully ripe.

At first, Marc tried to stop me when I shouted “Just one more sip!” with flushed cheeks, but when I got too excited, he finally gave in, saying he’d take me home, so drink to my heart’s content, and filled my glass.

And we really got excited.

“Wahaha! That was hilarious back then! That blond guy crawled over like a corpse, begging for a heal!”

“Yesh, yesh! I was like, ‘I really wanna fix him up!’”

“And the look on his face when he thought he was getting healed by the light! That expression! Hahaha!”

“Sheriously, man. I felt sho bad because it didn’t work at aaaall……”

“Puhahaha!”

With my tongue quite twisted, I chatted excitedly.

Marc and I had so many memories.

We could probably talk all night and it wouldn’t be enough.

Surely that’s the case, but.

In the blink of an eye, the background had changed.

Huh? What’s this?

This wide and flat surface is really comfortable.

“Maaarc. Did you carry me… urp.”

“Seraphina, hold on a bit. No, no.”

“Ugh, eeeeek!”

A vague memory of throwing up something passes by.

When I lift my eyelids again, I’m lying on a comfortable bed.

Ah. Marc must have brought me home.

He really is a good guy.

From now on, I should only drink with Marc. Even if I drink more than three sips, he’ll bring me home safely like this.

He’s the only one I can trust anyway.

Just then, I could see him standing by the window next to the bed. He turned around at the sound of me stirring, having been looking out the window.

His face was hard to see due to the backlighting shadow.

“Thanks, Maaarc.”

Is this a dream?

Why does Marc’s hair look silver in the moonlight?

I thought it was a bit strange, but I didn’t have the mental strength to pursue that thought further.

The effects of alcohol circulate, circulate through my blood vessels.

And the whole world spun round and round.

Just before falling asleep, I squeezed out my last bit of mental strength to express gratitude to my friend.

“Maaarc, I only have youuu.”

Crunch.

The sound of grinding molars came from somewhere.

Is it coming from outside the window?

With that thought, I was sucked into the world of sleep.