Chapter 8: It appears to be a very large fish

It’s been ten days since I began the back alley operation with Kira.

Now I don’t have to sneak out of the back alleys to get the elementary school students to come looking for me. 

Thanks to this, I’ve been able to save some money quite nicely.

Combined with Kira’s, we have a total of 1,800 Rin saved.

By the way, the kids call me the “Angel in the back alley”

In fact, I’ve been called out a number of times. I was embarrassed at first, but I’m used to it now.

“Angel-sama~” I was called. “Yes!” Kira was gushing when I responded.

(I think I’ll tell Kira that we should have pudding for dessert at dinner next time……)

That’s how I felt as I looked at the pile of large copper coins.

—That’s when the incident happened.

“Hey, angel-onesan……”

When I was about to close up the store.

A boy came to visit me fearfully, and his face was familiar to me.

“Hello, Cain-kun?”

Curly blond hair and blue eyes.

That’s exactly what the adorable little boy, who looks like a real angel, was looking at me with a weak expression.

This is the child I healed yesterday from the welt on his finger.

Could it be that he got injured again? But I feel like he’s a little different from yesterday.

“What’s wrong?” When I approached him, Cain-kun lowered his eyebrows.

“Angel-onesan…… um… my brother…”

“Cain-kun’s brother?”

“……He got seriously injured.”

He looked like he was about to cry.

“Can you take me to your brother?”

Without a second’s hesitation, I said, and Cain-kun’s mouth dropped open in surprise.

“……Is that okay?”

“Of course, There’s a wounded person out there. It’s only natural.”

“Because the angel-onesan lives in a back alley.”

“I only come out of the alleyways most of the time. I don’t live in the alleyways. I stayed in an inn.”

I tried my best to explain. “Oh, I see…….” Cain-kun breaths out.

Could it be that all the students in elementary school have the same misconception?

While I was secretly feeling sad, Kira, who was listening behind me, slammed the accounting book shut.

“Finally caught you in the net, big fish.”

“Oh, you mean the fish! ?”

“……Well, that’s good. Let’s go.”

Kira and I followed Cain, who said he had a carriage waiting for us on the main street.

◇◇◇

“My house is in the neighboring town of Shem, next to the royal capital. I think it will take about thirty minutes to get there.”

Kira and I were sitting directly across from Cain, who had explained this to us.

(It’s been a long time since I rode in a carriage.)

Of course, living in the Great Temple, I never had the chance to ride in a horse-drawn carriage.

“It’s amazing. Modern carriages don’t hurt your butt……!”

In addition, the speed at which the scenery flows seems much faster than the carriage I rode in just recently…, which was twenty three years ago.

As I was impressed, Kira, who was resting his cheek on the window sill, said without looking at me.

“It’s just that this boy’s family has a superior carriage. The wheels make little noise, and the cushions on the seats are soft.”

(Boy! ?)

Kira looked sideways at Cain-kun as he was shocked at the overly unique phrasing.

Cain-kun’s shoulders trembled as he looked at him sharply, as if he was judging him.

“In the first place, you usually ride to and from school in this expensive carriage.”

“That’s…”

“The reason you came down that road yesterday was because you heard rumors about the angel, right?”

Cain-kun nodded hesitantly. I tilted my head.

“Kira, how do you know all this?”

“From his appearance and clothes, he looks like a kid of a high-ranking nobleman.”

Kira tells me plainly.

Indeed, Cain-kun’s outfit was very different from the other children.

The clothes are made of silk, and they are elegant, with lace everywhere, albeit discreetly.

And he seemed to be used to wearing it, so I think Kira’s words were correct.

“I mean, you wanted to see if the angel who appeared in the alleyway near the school was capable of healing magic, right?”

Cain-kun nodded again, looking at Kira with fearful eyes.

“It was a big topic of conversation among the students…… I also thought that she could heal Nii-san’s injuries.”

“And the angel was a perfect match.”

(So that’s what this is about……)

In reality, what I healed was a wisp of a finger on Cain-kun’s finger, but it still must have touched something in his heart.

I asked in a quiet voice.

“Well, Cain-kun. How is your Oniisan……?”

When I asked that, Cain-kun’s expression became shadowy.

“……Niisan has just inherited the title of Count from my father.”

Kira’s eyes lit up. I would say that he is sensitive to the presence of money.

“My father was originally the leader of a task force that defeated the demons that appeared in the territory. My brother took over that role.”

(Demons!)

I gasped.

The noxious miasma gas that erupts from the underground — demons are the monsters that are created by the miasma.

People get sick if they inhale the miasma, and demons continue to attack and torment the people of many countries.

As a Saint, I have been praying for a long time to suppress this miasma and prevent the appearance of demons.

Because the Holy Land of Snazil has been blessed with high-ranking Saints, there has been no damage from the miasma or demons until now.

“Over the last twenty years…… The demons rarely came into our territory, and my father told me every day that Evelyn was truly an amazing woman.”

The light flickered in Cain-kun’s eyes.

“However, a few days ago, she started acting strange. The miasma has started to appear near our territory. Two days ago, Niisan was bitten by a demon that came out of the blur and protected me…… We even called in a healer, but he was no help at all.”

With that, Cain-kun fell silent, looking like he was about to cry.

I was so shocked that I couldn’t even speak properly.

(What is Mary doing……!”

She drove me out of the Great Temple and told me she would take over as Saint.

With action comes responsibility. As a Saint, Mary has a responsibility to protect the people of this country at the risk of her life.

I gently put my hands on Cain-kun’s shoulders, who was about to drop a teardrop.

As we gazed at each other, it was all the more painful for me. Perhaps he hadn’t slept much, Cain-kun’s face was dark with fatigue.

“It’s okay, Cain-kun. I’ll save your Oniisan.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Because he’s Cain-kun’s favorite Oniisan.”

I tried to cheer him up, but Cain-kun’s face was still pale.

I cleared my throat.

“Listen, I also have a sister who’s very old.”

“……Are you two close?”

“No, we don’t get along very well.”

Cain-kun looks sorry for me and shuts up.

“We don’t get along, but I don’t hate her. She’s bossy, she’s selfish, she’s inconsiderate, she’s got a cute face, but she’s rotten to the core, she’s got a bad mouth, and she’s the kind of girl who gloats when she steals someone’s fiancé……”

“You really don’t mind?”

“Of course, Because she’s got a pretty face.”

“You’ve only complimented her face” Kira blurted out. No, that’s not true.

“So—what I’m trying to say is that I think Cain-kun’s Oniisan loves you, too.”

“……!”

“If Cain-kun looks sad, your brother will probably feel sad too. You don’t have to smile, but keep your head up. Okay?”

“Y-yes”

Wiping his tears with his sleeve, Cain-kun nodded his head.

I nodded back. Since I encouraged him—and as a former Saint, I have a responsibility to him.

(I must heal Cain-kun’s Oniisan!)

Some time later.

Did it distract myself a little?

“Oh, by the way, that boy over there……”

Cain-kun glanced at Kira, as if he had been wanting to ask him for a long time.

This was the first time they had met, as Kira had never been out in the open when I had been taking money from — or interacting with — the kids.

I was going to introduce him to Cain-kun!

“This child is Kira. My first friend.”

‘Ha? !”

Kira was somewhat taken aback, but I didn’t care and continued with my introduction.

He’s a little rough around the edges, but he’s a very nice kid, so you should talk to him a lot, Cain-kun!

“Eh, um…… I’ll do my best! Nice to meet you, Kira-kun!”

“……”

Cain-kun said this with great enthusiasm, and the carriage stopped when Kira fell silent.

It seemed that we had arrived at Cain-kun’s house.