Chapter 37 - Syltina and Tedla - I (1/2)

“Hey, I’ll be off to somewhere for a bit.”

“Eh!!”

“Roger. See you later.”

“Sure.”

“Eh?”

Tedla raised a confused voice, as he slowly waved to Alhart who had disappeared into the crowd as soon as they entered Fiminan.

“Um, where has Alhart-san gone to?”

“I was told we have an old friend in this town, so he went to meet him for a bit.”

“An old friend……”

“He will be meeting us later, so until then, let’s get some shopping done.”

“Ah, yes.”

Tedla looks around and tilts his head as he follows Syltina around as she walks through the crowd while looking at the shopping list.

“Doesn’t it seem like there are fewer people compared to yesterday?”

“Well, if you think about the uproar yesterday, then that’s a given.”

“Yesterday……”

“It was a plan that Kuro, Tyr, and I hatched. I had Kuro transform into a demon.”

“Ahh, so, that’s why.”

“It was just supposed to bring the Saintess’ fake composure down a notch, but, as soon as the demon appeared, she looked like she wanted to get out of there fast, didn’t she? We’re the only ones who know that yesterday was a fake though.”

From there, they were silent for a while.

Syltina shops according to the shopping list as Tedla follows her around.

The ice was broken when they were halfway done with the shopping.

“Let’s take a short break.”

“Yes.”

An alley slightly removed from the main road. Syltina sat on one of the wooden crates as was her habit. In turn, Tedla also sat down on the nearest crate in the same way after setting down their baggage first.

“……What are you people planning?”

“……”

Tedla, who seemed to be thinking about something while looking down, quietly asked.

Oddly enough, it was the same question that Frackt threw at Alhart the previous day.

“…… Why are you asking such a thing?”

Syltina asks, even as her body language reflected that she was not even the least interested.

However, the sharp glint dwelling in her eyes seemed as if she were ready to eliminate an enemy if need be.

“I’ve been thinking about it for a long time. The reason why you took on being the Saintess’ escorts.”

Tedla spoke as he cast his eyes downward once again as if avoiding Syltina’s gaze.

“That’s because a request came.”

“Yes, I understand that…… but…”

He remembers the exchange that took place in the castle several months ago.

“You have not asked for the King’s life.”

“……Heeh.”

A sword-like glint dwells in her narrowed eyes.

“At that time, that place, you swore in front of the King. That’s why I did not become suspicious. However, thinking carefully, you said that ‘a request from the guild came’ when you accepted it. You never asked for ‘the King’s life’.”

“……”

“I didn’t notice it at first since you said it was ‘to escort the Saintess’, but what you’re carrying out right now is the guild request, isn’t it? Then, who in the world would make such a request? What was the reward? What were the details? That time when you pledged your oath, who was it actually intended for?”

“Fufu,”

Syltina abruptly chuckled.

“It seems like you’re apparently less objectionable than the Prince and the Saintess, huh!”