[Quest Complete!]

[You helped the saint complete his revenge. Moreover, you greatly accelerated the recovery of the Light Spirit that was supposed to sleep for a long time!]

[Quest penalty converted to reward: You can now build an unshakeable trust relationship with the High Cardinal. You’ve secured ‘Saint’ as a candidate for Noah’s guardian. The High Temple becomes your steadfast ally.]

[However, rewards can only be fully received upon completion of the linked quest.]

Then a new quest arrived.

[Quest Occurred!]

[Avoid being falsely accused as a dark mage at the blessing ceremony prepared by Young Marquis Caiman.]

[Failure: Loss of Noah’s sponsor qualification, loss of possibility to build trust with the High Cardinal]

Huh? The possibility of building trust with the High Cardinal will disappear?

‘Even if I get falsely accused of being a dark mage, it’s a fact that I saved the saint and Light Spirit, so they won’t treat me as an enemy.’

It seemed I could make them my allies given enough time.

‘But if it specifically states the possibility will be lost…’

Doesn’t that mean I’m not the only one being targeted at the blessing ceremony?

I looked at the Light Spirit again.

―❛◡❛♪

The spirit watched me, blinking its black eyes.

Looking at its fluff, a plan started forming in my head to reverse the young Marquis’s scheme.

I smiled slyly and asked.

“Want to come back with me?”

―(ᐖ )( ᐛ)(ᐖ )( ᐛ)(ᐖ )( ᐛ) !

It danced happily with a big smile.

Hey, looks like it’s an emoticon spirit.

* * *

“Still haven’t found Calliphe Offensa?”

Henrik, the captain of the Special Magic Unit, complained irritably.

His master, Young Marquis Caiman, didn’t seem particularly urgent, believing Calliphe would show up. Even if she didn’t appear, that would work in their favor.

But Henrik didn’t want this carefully prepared show to go to waste.

“Send people to each portal. If you see Calliphe Offensa and Duke Ortega, use the teleport scroll immediately to bring them here.”

“Yes, Sir Henrik.”

“Geez, where the h*ll did they crawl off to for that d*mn picnic?”

After sending his subordinate away, he turned toward the High Cardinal.

Since he had been interrupted while trying to deliver something important to the High Cardinal, Henrik returned to the main point.

“My apologies for this, Your Holiness.”

“…Just state your business and leave.”

This was the High Cardinal’s office.

No one could enter without the permission of the room’s owner, the High Cardinal, but Henrik and his subordinate were coming and going freely.

Henrik smirked.

“Well, don’t be so cold. After all, I’m here to help you.”

He took out a small bottle from his chest and placed it on the High Cardinal’s desk.

The contents of the bottle were white powder that sparkled like sugar. It looked similar to the holy power the High Cardinal uses when verifying someone’s magic power.

“When verifying Calliphe Offensa’s magic power at the blessing ceremony, put this in the waterfall.”

“…Does this turn the waterfall black?”

“Yes. It’s a substance refined from several monster cores.”

“…!”

The High Cardinal glared at him.

“After preventing us priests from purifying monster cores, you were making something like this?”

“Don’t misunderstand. We only used what was needed to make this item, and moved all remaining cores to a safe place.”

“Where is this safe place you speak of?”

“That’s none of your business.”

Henrik leaned in and thrust his face threateningly close to the High Cardinal.

His voice dripped with mockery.

“Just make sure you dissolve this in the waterfall, old man. Get enough on your hands to avoid suspicion, and stir the waterfall with those hands. Got it?”

“…”

“If you cooperate well with the blessing ceremony, my master will help the High Temple with spirit stones from now on. You have to protect the High Temple, right? If just you cooperate, everyone at the High Temple and all the believers will be happy.”

The High Cardinal’s fists trembled with rage.

Henrik tapped those fists lightly.

“Then I’ll take my leave, Your Holiness.”

Henrik left the office, leaving behind the silent High Cardinal.

Walking down the corridor with light steps, he laughed softly.

“Yes… make sure to get that powder thoroughly on your hands…”

A definitive way to silence those who couldn’t reveal plans to others was to make them complicit.

* * *

Now that the village matter was settled, we needed to return to the capital for the blessing ceremony.

Of course, this was after telling Allen about the young Marquis’s plot at the blessing ceremony and asking for his cooperation.

“Let’s return to the capital before it’s too late. Allen and Imelen should leave before us.”

However, Lynen shook his head at my words.

“The saint sister cannot go to the capital. Since she hasn’t escaped her monster form yet, it would be better for her to stay here. For her own sake too.”

“That’s ridiculous. You want me to separate from my sister again after finally finding her? I absolutely won’t do that.”

Allen immediately protested. He seemed determined to never leave Imelen alone.

Rationally, Lynen was right, but Allen’s decision wasn’t mere stubbornness either.

But since there was no immediate way to return Imelen to her original form, bridging their difference of opinion seemed difficult.

“What if there’s a way for Imelen to stay proudly at the High Temple?”

That is, if I didn’t know someone who could provide a temporary solution to this problem.

“What? There’s, there’s such a way?”

“Of course.”

I manipulated my diamond earring.

Unlike the magic tower that handles orthodox magic, this was a dedicated caller given by Dovion, the secret merchant of <Marino> who sells magical items with various effects, promising to come running anytime.

“Dovion, come out for a bit.”

The earring flickered for a few seconds, then a young man landed gracefully while swirling his flashy gypsy-style cloak.

It was Dovion.

He cutely narrowed his fox-like violet eyes.

“Oh my, client… no, benefactor. Why did you call me after so long? I’ve been waiting so- eek.”

Dovion, who was scanning the unfamiliar people with slight nervousness, suddenly saw Noah and his eyes went wide.

“You…?!”

“…?”

“Why here…”

Noah blinked in confusion. His expression seemed to say ‘What’s with this mister?’

“What? You know Noah?”

“N-no no no?”

Dovion, startled, immediately denied my question.

“Just looks very similar to someone I know. Oh my, looking again they’re different. Yes. I must have been mistaken… eek?”

While rambling, this time his eyes met Lynen’s.

Lynen’s eyes narrowed.

Dovion was the person who provided crucial information as an internal informant when catching an illegal magical tool organization.

Though he survived by becoming my exclusive merchant in return, it seemed Lynen didn’t like him.

Dovion quickly hid behind me like a frightened mouse.

“I-i-isn’t that Duke Ortega from the North? Why is he here?”

“Haven’t you heard the rumors about him being my fiancé?”

“I know that! But suddenly appearing without mental preparation like this… Benefactor, you’re not going to hand me over, right? Right?”

As he clung to me, Lynen pulled Dovion away, resembling a detective from the violent crimes unit.

“If you cling again, I’ll treat you as a criminal.”

“Kyaaah, Benefactor! I’m going to die! Save meee!”

Instead of answering, I kicked his bottom with my foot.

“Ugh…”

“Stop whining and quickly bring out your items. You must have made many useful things by now?”

“Ah, of course! You should have said so earlier!”

Dovion brightened up and pulled out a belt full of lined-up potions from inside his cloak.

“This potion makes your voice as small as an ant’s so you can communicate with ants, this one makes you fearless for 1 minute so you’ll pick fights with opponents you can’t handle, and this one is a pill that makes our child’s chest bigger… Ow!”

Thwack! I hit the back of Dovion’s head.

“Why did you make something like that?”

“There was some demand though. Parents desperate to make their daughters’ chests bigger…”

Thwaaack!

[Conscience +1]

“Don’t piss me off.”

“…Yes ma’am.”

The inappropriate medicine was immediately disposed of.