Along the way to the village called Patras near Ainon.
Caroline is there walking together with the believers of the Solon Church she brought with her. I’m following her while my appearance is hidden by my camouflage aura.
「Haa……haa……」
「Are you alright, Caroline-sama」
「Do you wish to take a break?」
The believers who followed Caroline asked worriedly.
「I’m fine, more importantly, let’s hurry to the village」
「We do not need to hurry, it is not like Patras would disappear」
「That’s true. Or rather, there is a church school in Ainon made for Patras, so we could’ve let them come instead」
Caroline slowly shook her head after hearing the believers’ words.
「I want to see everyone’s soul as they are usually. That’s why I’m going」
Hearing Caroline’s words, the believers were surprised for an instant, then got impressed.
「Understood. If that is so, please drink water at the very least」
「You can do it while walking, so. Please」
「Un, thank you」
The group headed towards Patras while supporting Caroline.
『Kukuku, she’s finally had a charisma pulling others』
「Yeah, it’s not just because she’s the Child of God. They are following her due to her own charisma」
Although I’m enveloped by my camouflage aura, Caroline can still hear my voice.
So I watched over her from a distance where she wouldn’t hear my voice, while chatting with Eleanor.
『With this, there shouldn’t be any problem for her to become the Pope』
「Instead, I’m bothered by whether pushing that role to her is okay」
『Hmm. In the first place, it was something that that Immortal Saintess didn’t want to do after all』
「If Caroline didn’t awaken, I would’ve pushed it to her without any problem」
『Since this has happened, you want to respect her will huh. Kukuku, you are really soft to good women』
Eleanor teased me, so I flicked her blade with a finger, creating a beautiful sound.
Suddenlyーーa group appeared in front of Caroline’s group.
It was a group of armed men, they look like bandits.
I counted them with a glance and saw roughly a hundred of themーーthere’s quite a lot of them.
「He, he, he……」
「Today’s a good day. I didn’t think we’d meet such organized prey in this crappy place」
The two men in front of them approached Caroline with vulgar expressions.
The faces of the believers changed.
「C-Caroline-sama」
「Please run away」
Although their faces paled, all of them showed enough courage to prioritize Caroline’s escape.
『Just this number of enemy, you should clean them up quickly』
「……no, wait」
『Umu? What’s the matter』
「Caroline seems a bit strange」
I looked at Caroline while I said that.
In comparison to the people around her being scared and limp, Caroline wasn’t afraid.
She stared straight at the group of bandits with clear eyes.
「W-What’s the matter, Caroline-sama」
「I’m going to take a look」
「Look……? You meanーーeh?」
「Are you saying, the light of those bandits’ soul?」
The believers were stirred.
Most of them were like “why at a time like this”.
「Ah……! It’s dim……」
The next instant, Caroline showed a disappointed expression.
「It’s true. Oh wait! This isn’t the time for that」
「Since you’ve taken a look, please hurry up and run away」
Caroline showed the believers the light of their soul as usual, but the bandits looked like they didn’t care, they weren’t surprised.
And while that happened, the roughly 100 bandits got closer, they’re finally right in front of Caroline.
『Let’s do it』
「Yeah」
I nodded and sprinted while unsheathing Eleanor.
From a distance where my voice couldn’t be heardーーI instantly appeared near the bandits and swung Eleanor.
Blood clouds danced and added the fact that I’m invisible, the bandits were slashed without resistance.
「Guhaa!」
「W-What happーーUGYAAAA!」
「What isーーGOFHUHU!」
The bandits fell into panic. All of them didn’t understand what’s happening, dying without even knowing how to counterattack or resist.
I glanced at Caroline and saw the other believers as well.
Most of them looked stunned, as if they completely cannot follow the situation.
「Let’s do it, Eleanor!」
『Umu? Ahh, that divine punishment huh』
Eleanor understood my intent correctly due to our long relationship.
I pulled out Eleanor’s powers and dropped a dark lightning.
One by one, I dropped a dark lightning in each of the slaughtered bandits.
「It’s God」
「It’s divine punishment! This, I’ve seen this before」
The believers became stirred.
I’ve done it before and there is some among them who witnessed it.
Divine punishment towards those disrespectful ones, trying to attack the Child of God.
That story spread within the believers.
ーーand.
「Hmph!」
I cleaved Eleanor horizontally, releasing a flying slash.
The huge boulder that is several tens of meters away was sharply torn apart.
The believers looked confused, the didn’t know what happened.
One woman appeared from the other side of the crumbling boulder.
It’s a woman wearing high-class clerical clothes of the Solon Church.
It’s a woman I’ve met before, if I’m correct……was it Eudora?
『You are really soft on women』
「Haa? What do you mean」
I asked Eleanor back, but the answer came from a different direction.
「Head Priest……eh? No way」
「It’s dim……no, this it’s dark even」
「Ehhhhhhh?! That person is like……this? ーーHa! Don’t tell me, this group of bandits were……」
The ability activated by Caroline was also used on Eudora, letting the believers see the light of her soul.
『Kukuku, although you completely forget about men, you still remember a woman’s no matter how bad they are』
「Mu!」
Usually, I’m able to refute Eleanor with our usual bantering, but this time made me feel a bit embarrassed.
– –