Chapter 91 – Church
To be honest, I didn’t know what happened.
However, the breakthrough ran out, my magic power was gone, my physical strength had been drained and fatigue from the battle against Toulowe and Bro had reached its limit.
Mother and Sadiz chasing after me.
As my legs were about to stop at the sound of their voices calling to me, I was swallowed up by a black vortex that appeared right before my eyes.
Some kind of magic? The power of mother or Sadiz? It seemed that Tre’ainar was screaming something just before, but now I don’t know what it was.
I was so exhausted that I couldn’t resist anymore and left myself to the whirlpool, and before I knew it, I found myself far from conscious.
What the hell was that ….
“… wh … what’s going on?”
Then, when I realized it, I woke up again.
A fluffy bed on my back. Warm sheets. And an unfamiliar ceiling.
When I sat up and looked around the room, it reminded me of the infirmary in the academy building.
Is this a medical office?
“…… did I, get caught? I mean… it can’t be … the Imperial City?”
If so, it’s the worst.
But my prediction was soon disproved.
『No, tis not. Tis far from the Imperial City. Not even… in the Empire.』
“Oh, hiya.”
『You have slept quite a lot. Well, it means you used that much of your power…』
Beside the bed was Tre’ainar, who was sighing, ‘finally awake’.
“But, it’s not the Empire? What happened to me? What’s that vortex?”
『That… there is so much afoot…. and you… if I do say so myself… tis going to be quite the nuisance.』
“Eh?”
As I was stretching out my drowsiness, Tre’ainar, with a strange expression, suddenly said that to me.
Involuntarily, I was surprised and woke up at once.
“What do you mean?”
『First of all. Just before you were caught by Mamu and the maid, you were transferred far away by that woman’s magic… that was the vortex.』
“…… Huh? Wh, what? T-Transferred?”
『Tis so. To be clear, movement through space-time is super-high grade magic, above “giga-class”…… and forbidden due to its magical property to twist space and time.』
“Wa, wai, eeh? S-Space? So, this really isn’t the Empire? And who would do that? Don’t tell me… was it Shinobu?”
『Tis not that shinobi. And….. tis more troublesome.』
You think it’s more troublesome than Shinobu? A woman more troublesome than Shinobu is in this world…. No….. But…… Shinobu is a pretty nice person, isn’t she?
How should I put it, who it is…. Tre’ainar’s…. acquaintance? Someone you know?
“Besides… there’s…… mom and… Sadiz, that…”
I’m worried about this, but what about those two?
『I know not what happened, but… well, there should be no problem. That one may have a grudge against Mamu, but she will not take revenge at the moment. Tis surely why she kidnapped you with such great magic.』
“Eh, k-kidnap… I … was I kidnapped?”
『Ah…』
“Who was it? Who brought me, and where in the world am I?”
『That is… hnn?』
“Ah!”
At that time, Tre’ainar and I noticed a presence approaching this room.
Presences… Two of them…
“Oh, upsy daisy… sorry, barging in yo. Oh, you’re up!”
“……Un……”
I had been bracing myself, but suddenly suffered disappointment as if I had lost my strength.
Two women dressed as nuns opened the door of the room and came in… no, women were women, but…. compared to me they’re both…
“Oh, nice to meet you. Name’s ‘Karui’! I’m 13 years old attending the Cacretale School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! And, I serve as a sister of the church at times, a straight neat and tidy maiden!”
As I thought she was younger than me, that’s exactly right. Two years younger. Also cheerful and noisy.
She had short cut red hair, a happy-go-lucky, over-familiar attitude and got touchy without warning.
And…..
“……’Amae’….un”
A little girl was peeking at me while hiding behind Karui.
She’s trying to hide her eyes under the nun outfit’s deep hood.
For the time being, she muttered what seemed to be her name, bowed to me with a blank look, and immediately hid behind Karui.
“Nahahaha, no~, I’m sorry. This one is shy, but if you get used to it or allow her heart to open up, her attitude will change, so do your best to open your heart!”
Saying that, Karui laughed as she stroked the head of a small child named Amae.
No, do your best. No, no, no, before that.
“Wait, wait… there’s a lot going on, but… first, where are we? Why am I here? So, what are you? …… hey, wait a minute. Come to think of it, you… just now… ‘Cacretale’……”
Yes, the first step is to confirm the situation. There were so many different “what” I couldn’t get it all straight.
“Oh, that’s right. If we talk about the country… this is the Country of Cacretale. And this is the infirmary of the Great Church in the capital.”
“…… Ca, Cacretale!? That’s the big, isolated island nation!?”
“Yes, that’s it!”
“Well, then, isn’t it bad for me?”
Cacretale. I’ve heard it, if just the name.
An island country floating in the sea of the Surface World.
A country that had little to no interaction with other countries and was therefore cut off from information.
In the past, they did not participate in the Allied Forces, which was created by the rallying of most human nations in the war with the Demon Realm, and resisted the Demon King’s army on their own.
Because it was a secluded country, sneaking in was a punishable offence, and you would not be allowed to set foot in the country without permission.
I mean, I’m in that country, right?
“Well, for the time being, I don’t get it either, but it’s okay because the ‘High Priestess’ brought you in, right? In this country, where the civil war has ended, the High Priestess has the most power.”
“…… The High Priestess?”
The High Priestess? What’s more, there was a terrible civil war…. wait a minute…
“Well, such is the way of things.”
“””Eeh !!??”””
“No need to be hesitant. Well…… I’d be at a loss if thou lingered on without improving thyself.”
At that time, I was about to get a headache for a lot of things, but soon all my thoughts were blown away, and when I noticed, I was standing on the bed, reflexively bracing myself.
“Eh, ah…wha…”
“Hmm, that’s a good response. That’s fine. Were I an enemy, thou might have died had the guard been a few seconds slower…”
Sweat spouted all over my body in an instant.
There was a beautiful woman.
She had long black hair and a voluptuous and attractive body covered with a black priestess’ uniform.
In her hand, she held a shining scepter.
At first glance, she gave the impression that she’s just a ‘beautiful and sexy woman’, but I was so on guard.
It was because my body reacted to the strange power I felt from the woman in front of me.
“W-Who are you …”
Strong. And more terrifying than anyone I’ve ever met… much more than Mr. Aka… deep and dark.
“I… The High Priestess…. shall give you my real name eventually, Earth Lagann.”
“Oh, my name… ah, that’s right… so you’re the one who brought me here with that vortex magic?”
“Indeed.”
“…… You’re kidding… hey…… that…… my mother and…”
“Worry not. Mamu and I have much that binds us, but I didn’t do anything.”
“…… Really…… I wonder?”
“Ah”
When I glanced at Tre’ainar, he was looking at the woman with a serious face and his arms folded.
After all, do you know Tre’ainar?
Well, this person…. doesn’t seem to be human…
“Well, do rest up for a while. However, as I said before, I don’t want thee to linger too long. Thou were brought to this country because I need… something of thee.”
“…… Wha, eh, what?”
“Until then, thou should reside in this church. As for thy personal affairs, Karui and Amae who are here … Hmm? Say, Karui… what has become of ‘Tsukshi’?”
So, all of a sudden? You want me to do something? And there’s still another woman in this church…
“Oh, I think sister is probably at the dojo, right? I’m sure she’s still trying to give her favorite ‘Machio’ a healthy meal or something like that …… if Machio, who doesn’t know about the ‘supplementary prize’, wins ‘that competition’ …… they won’t end up together…. it’s such a sad fate, but… wait a minute! High Priestess, you just said that he can stay here!? No, no, no, this is a maiden’s garden!?”
“Hh… Don’t say that. This one has special permission. Above all…… this man… could be the cupid that binds Machio and Tsukshi. This one… at least for the moment…… is already stronger than Bro.”
“…… Eh!? Oh, that’s right!? No, no, no, seriously!? More than Mr. Bro!? Well, I was wondering what would happen after Bro left, but seriously?”
Suddenly, I got excited.
What the hell is that?
Do you also know Bro?
Then Karui, with her eyes shining, stared at me, and Amae also looked at me with a flash of interest.
I don’t know what it was, but the High Priestess smiled.
“In three months’ time… a tournament will be held in this country. The ‘Arcane True Zenith Fighting Competition’………… I will ask thee participate in said tournament and win the championship. Until then, thou will not leave this country. Well, I have taken numerous measures to prevent thy escape, but…”
“Ha!!?”
“The winning privilege of the championship is an ‘enormous treasure’. And, a ‘Supplementary prize’. Well, the winner will receive the supplementary prize as well. Only I and my church as overseers of the tournament are aware of it…. something amazing…. a tremendous honor…. do look forward to it and give it thy all.”
Arcane True Zenith? True Zenith…… that’s what Bro was using…. no, a tournament? And the winner? Why would I do that?
I mean… why would I ever do that when I was brought here without consent?
Not good…… I can’t organize anything in my head, and I can’t even retort.
Author’s Note
Now, I feel that the introduction is finally over and the story begins in earnest.
The theme of the new series is “Even if a warrior from another country or a magic school appears in the new world, if you look down on a person without knowing what you’re doing, you’ll make a harem, and the author will shave his head and apologize.”
This summer, not only measures against poor health from the heat, I will do my best to be careful not to become greasy.