I should at least make my presence known. Even though I was here first, it would be bad to be thought of as peeping. Never mind bad, the priest would probably rush over in a rage and try to slay me on the spot.
Flinching in shock, the Saint looked around for the source of my voice.
"Up here."
The Saint arched her neck as far back as she could and saw me sprawled out on a branch above.
"Mister Mercenary. Thank goodness, so…you've been here," she laughed.
Once, I had corrected her that my name was not Mercenary, but since there was nothing else she could call me, she had settled into referring to me as such. As long as Zero kept scheming to make me her manservant, my name would remain taboo.
"I was looking for you. You disappeared all of a sudden…do all people who are fallen beasts sleep up in the trees?"
"I'm keepin' watch. It's what a guard's gotta do."
"Ah," the Saint murmured. Her voice was faint. For a brief period, there was a pause as if we were searching for something to talk about.
It seemed like she had something she wanted to say, but she couldn't muster up the courage to say it.
"Um…about the incident with the Father, I'm sorry."
"…What?"
"He's not a bad person…he's very honest, and kind too. That's why I was surprised…at how he said such horrible things to you…"
"Why are you apologizin'? It was the Father that treated me like a wild animal. I figure you're different."
"But," the Saint mumbled.
"I didn't really care in the first place. I really am a wild animal, and a monster. I'm not mad now either. 'Specially not at the Father."
"Not at all…! A monster…I would never…"
I sneered. When it came down to it, even the Saint's so-called kind heart was cold after all.
I got up and leapt from the branch.
The Saint ducked and let out a little yelp.
"Were ya gonna say that ya don't think fallen beasts're monsters? Well, well…how innocent c'n ya sound?"
I moved forward a step. The Saint looked at me with frightened eyes.
"That's because, Miss Saint, you've been blessed to this day. You've just been lucky enough to never have been attacked by a fallen beast before."
"Mister Mercenary? I…was it something I said…? I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to…"