I'll kill you after I finish this game!

That kind of attitude, as if observing the reactions of those around them with a cold smile, and treating people's complex emotions as a chemical reaction.

———Those who find pleasure in trampling on people's hearts, the witch Rusalka also belongs to this category, but she is the type who throws herself into it.

—In contrast, that guy called Red Spider only ever watched, manipulated, mocked, and observed...

It's like a spider playing with its prey caught in its web...

No, the girl immediately shook her head.

What was she thinking? She immediately abandoned the idea that she 'almost knew that guy very well,' because this... was a sense of acquaintance that she hated.

In short, what she should be thinking about is how to do it.

Go after that guy?

"...but at this very moment."

Fujii Ren muttered to himself, annoyed by these guys. In any case, it's impossible to pretend nothing happened.

Although I don't know what the other person is thinking, it certainly couldn't have been a chance encounter.

Although I don't know whether we should fight, I should chase after him first. It would be best to figure out his true intentions first.

Looking up at the sky that was about to turn into night, Fujii Ren seemed to be experiencing a surge of rage, perhaps due to some kind of stimulation, which manifested as a warlike tendency influenced by the relic due to his long-term [Active] rank.

P.S.: We're about to enter the Lotus Formation stage, after which another battle scene will begin...

Vicious~~~.jpg

Chapter Twenty: The Priest and the Night Walk, The Second Night of Horror Begins

Time passed by, and after searching the surrounding area for several hours, Fujii Ren still couldn't find the target.

Despite its ultra-high-speed movement and thorough search of Suwahara City, traversing between buildings at night, Red Spider was nowhere to be found.

Having paused for a while, Fujii Ren was certain that the other party was still in the city.

However, due to my lack of experience, I was unable to quickly find the other party's whereabouts.

Back to the point, why is that guy trying to contact her now? If we could track her down, we might be able to get some clues.

But the current situation is undoubtedly a case of empty promises.

The fact that no one could get results without help made Fujii Ren a little frustrated.

However, at the same time, she felt a little more at ease.

If the battle had already begun the moment she spotted the enemy, she wouldn't have had a chance to catch her breath.

The opponent is a veteran [Forming] rank, and although Fujii Ren is not afraid of the opponent, he will still be extremely cautious.

Should I go home now? Or should I go back to my senior's house? I'm really not satisfied that I didn't find that guy.

"...hateful."

Fujii Ren cursed under his breath. It seemed that his brain wasn't working properly at the crucial moment. He had thought he would be smarter.

As a result, facing our first real enemy ended in this way; it's truly embarrassing.

She couldn't possibly call Xiangchun an idiot; she herself was rather dim-witted.

"What are you doing, Fujii-kun?"

The familiar voice reached her ears, and it wasn't until Fujii Ren looked up in surprise and saw Himuro Reia's strange expression that she finally realized what it was.

Moreover, beside her was a voluptuous woman in a nun's habit, with long, light blue hair reaching her waist. The youthful yet alluring woman smiled and greeted her, saying:

"Good evening. Why are you sitting here looking so dejected? Did something happen?"

Himuro Reia, and someone she had previously heard say that her family lived near the church and that she had a very attractive older sister.

It was obvious at a glance that they were talking about this person, and the sudden encounter with these two people surprised Fujii Ren.

"No...it's nothing, it's just that I ran into quite a few acquaintances today."

Fujii Ren patted her skirt and stood up. Facing their greetings, she scratched the back of her head and smiled.

Not to be polite, but I have a feeling I'm going to run into a lot of weirdos today, as long as she's still lingering in this city.

"Fujii-kun hasn't been acting well lately. Is something wrong with your health?" Himuro Reia looked at Fujii Ren's face and asked with some doubt.

"Is that right?"

Sister Lisa adjusted her glasses, carefully examined the girl in front of her, and stroked her chin before saying:

"You do look a bit pale upon closer inspection. Are you alright?"

"Yes, it's nothing serious."

Fujii Ren felt a little reluctant. The thought that the priest was a member of the Black Round Table made her really unsure how to face Himuro Reia.

However, Himuro Rei acted as always towards Fujii Ren, truly behaving like her senior, slightly sternly raising her delicate face as she lectured Fujii Ren:

"In short, it's not good for a girl to sit on the ground like that, it makes her look like a delinquent. Besides, Fujii-san is wearing a uniform, she should be more mindful of her identity as a girl."

"......Feel sorry."

Fujii Ren always felt that there was a barb in Rei's tone. What had he done to upset this senior?

However, what the other person said is indeed true. Her personality is very withdrawn and boyish, probably influenced by both Kasumi and Shirou, or perhaps it's innate.

In short, seeing Rei-senpai, who is a part of his daily life, made Fujii Ren feel a little better, and his expression was no longer stiff and forced.

"What's wrong? Why do you look so strange?" Himuro Reia asked, puzzled by Fujii Ren's change in expression.

"...No, it's nothing." Fujii Ren shook his head and looked at the two of them directly, asking, "Let's not talk about me for now, what are you two doing?"

Upon hearing this, Sister Lisa's expression became somewhat embarrassed and forced, and she said, "Well... there was a reason for it."

“We’re looking for our priest. He’s a real troublemaker.” Himuro Rei didn’t seem to care about airing her dirty laundry in public and asked Fujii Ren quite directly, “Have you seen him? Like Lisa, he wears glasses and always has a smile on his face, and he has striking blond hair.”

"..."

Fujii Ren was speechless. How could she not recognize him? But she hadn't actually seen him today.

Or rather, she already had a headache dealing with Red Spider today, and then she encountered a blond priest who gave her a terrible feeling. She might not even be able to rest now, let alone encounter these two.

"I've seen priests dressed like this before, but I haven't seen one today. What happened to him?"

Fujii Ren subtly inquired about the priest, since his absence from the church meant he was acting alone.

"It's all Ling'ai's fault for always bullying her. She can't stand a few sharp words from him," Sister Lisa said with a light laugh, covering her mouth. On the surface, she didn't seem to have any sympathy for the priest.

“It’s not all my fault. He’s always been like this. If you bully him even a little, he’ll disappear.” Himuro Rei said with a hint of helplessness and disdain, “He’s so tall and strong, but so fragile. He’s really useless.”

"Well, at least Ling loves you being a little gentler with him."

"Is it my fault?" Himuro Rei glared at Sister Lisa with a blank expression.

Sister Lisa simply shrugged helplessly and said, "Is it my fault?"

"...So, it's the fault of both of you, right?"

Fujii Ren, rubbing her sweaty forehead, looked at the two women in front of her who were laughing and jokingly negating a certain poor priest. She felt sorry for the priest for a second or two and said, "Did the priest run away from home because he couldn't stand being bullied by you two?"

It seems that the priest at the Black Round Table also has his own social circle. He can tolerate being bullied by these two, which means he must value them quite a bit.

I guess he messed up something. Although I haven't run into that priest in Suwahara City since that night, he seems to be a very difficult person to get along with.

If one had no other feelings for Ling'ai and the nun, one could imagine that the priest's life living with them must have been quite miserable.

"So why are you acting all sympathetic towards him?"

Himuro Reia keenly noticed the hint of pity on Fujii Ren's face, and then spoke with a serious and earnest expression:

"Let me tell you upfront, that guy is pretty bad."

"...He's the senior's adoptive father, right?"

Even though he knew that the other person was a member of the Black Round Table and a bad person, hearing it from Himuro Reia-senpai made Fujii Ren feel inexplicably strange.

Even if the other party is a bad person, they have never been bad to Himuro Rei, right?

"While it's true what Fujii said, he didn't become a priest for nothing; on the surface, he seems like a gentleman." Sister Lisa's assessment of that person was similar to Himuro Reia's.

The nun did not deny Ling'ai's statement.

And indeed it was true; the other party had a kind and friendly smile on his face, and as far as the priest profession was concerned, he was quite a successful fellow.

The premise is that you must ignore the fact that the other party is essentially an ally of monsters.

"Fujii-kun doesn't seem like someone who can judge people well. We can't let our guard down around him. Of all the people I know, he's probably the worst guy..."

Himuro Reia scolded Fujii Ren, but Ren was already used to it.

However, Fujii Ren felt a slight chill run down his spine at Himuro Reiai's pointed remark. It seemed that his senior wasn't completely unaware of everything.

And what exactly is the relationship between the other party and the Black Round Table?

The priest was indeed a terrifying man, like a tyrannosaurus rex in sheep's clothing, as Fujii Ren had already witnessed that night.

"Mmm~ Mam~"

Sister Lisa chuckled and stepped forward, placing her hands on Himuro Reia's shoulders to stop her from continuing. She then smiled at Fujii Ren and said:

"Anyway, we need to keep looking for our priest. Fujii, be careful out alone at night, okay?"

After saying that, he pushed Himuro Reia, who was slightly resistant, away from there.

"Wait, Lisa, I haven't finished speaking... Lisa!"

Fujii Ren watched Himuro Rei and the nun leave amidst their commotion. Unlike the nun who left without looking back, Rei-senpai kept glancing back at her while muttering to herself.

At this moment, she could sense Himuro Reia's anxiety and unease. Her reminder was also a genuine expression of concern for Fujii Ren in her clumsy way.

"...Senior Ling'ai."

Muttering the name of Rei-senpai, who might be her enemy, Fujii Ren pondered until the petite figure disappeared from sight. She sincerely hoped that Rei-senpai Himuro wouldn't stand against her.

Fujii Ren stopped thinking and was about to get down to business when he caught a glimpse of a familiar figure out of the corner of his eye.

With his long, flowing golden hair and priest's attire, wasn't he the Valyrian priest that Lisa and Ling'ai were looking for?

"Uh?"

Fujii Ren felt a jolt of energy, as if he were sensing a deep cave, or more accurately, the Abyss of Hell, the kind of cave that has no bottom.