A Monster That Cannot Pray

To be honest, when I was caught by the giant with a face full of killing intent—the man they called the captain of the guards—I really thought I was going to die.

When my body suddenly flew into the air, I thought if I had to die, it would be from falling…

“Uh, ugh…!”

I never imagined he literally meant he would play with me.

“Uwahaha—! Look, I said I’m sorry, little miss!”

If it weren’t for Bernard, who burst into laughter as soon as he saw me and pushed the giant away with one hand to catch me instead.

I’m sure I would have fainted the next time I was thrown.

“I-I said… I didn’t want to…! I said… I was scared…!”

“Hey, hey. Frey. Let go a bit, you’ll get undressed like that.”

Anyway, I was still shouting from behind Bernard’s back, tightly gripping his priest’s robe with all four arms while trying hard to put strength into my still trembling legs.

“Even though I said no, hic… you kept calling me a monster…!”

Even though I shouted with a voice so tearful it sounded pitiful even to my own ears, it only made me look more miserable.

No… Honestly, I really flew about 10 meters, you know? I saw my life flash before my eyes as I fell, you know? I want to praise myself for not wetting myself until the end, you know?

…But why is it so quiet?

“Sniff.”

As I looked around, trying hard to compose my indignant feelings.

“Hey, Wigo. The kid said she didn’t like it. Hurry up and apologize.”

“Uwuu— Captain! That’s too much—!”

“…Ahem.”

“…You’re all something else.”

The atmosphere had turned to condemning the giant who had been laughing heartily at me until the end.

By the way, is that blonde man with the nasty-looking personality who came out with Bernard the important person?

“Are you done crying, Frey?”

At Bernard’s voice that followed, along with a hand patting my head with a smirk.

“Who’s crying, sniff, I’m not…!”

This wasn’t crying, it was just this young body hiccuping on its own.

Swallowing what I thought was a truly pathetic excuse, I raised my head.

“Your eyes are all red, how can you say you weren’t crying.”

“I’m telling you, sniff, I wasn’t…!”

Bernard started teasing me, repeatedly wiping my eyes with his sleeve.

“Um— little miss?”

Right after, the giant, Wigo, approached me with a face full of guilt.

Now that I look closely… it wasn’t that his face was full of killing intent, it was just naturally fierce-looking.

“…What.”

“I’m really sorry about this. It’s what my daughter likes best, so I thought you’d like it too… I didn’t know you’d be that scared.”

Honestly, I was scared, but it seems he had good intentions… and it wasn’t something to receive such an apology for.

“If you promise to be a little… no, a lot gentler next time… I’ll forgive you.”

Only then did I recall what I must have looked like until just now.

Feeling my face flush hot, I nodded to Wigo saying it was okay.

“Kup, haha! I’m really grateful for that!”

So, Wigo laughed heartily again and smiled fiercely at me.

“I apologize, Mr. Mayor. I hope I didn’t interrupt your conversation.”

He bowed his head towards the blonde man—the mayor—who had been standing behind me at some point, looking at me with sharp eyes.

“No. We were just finishing our talk and coming out.”

The mayor, who had been looking at me for a moment with a fully frowning face.

“See, I told you. Your thoughts would change when you saw her in person.”

At Bernard’s voice, speaking to him with a mocking smile, he frowned his already fierce expression like a demon.

“…Let’s pretend today’s conversation never happened.”

“What should I say when a guest comes?”

“I’ll just say what I always say.”

Apparently, it seems true that he had an important conversation with Bernard, as he sighed deeply.

“Yulentina always prioritizes the safety of its citizens.”

After saying that to Bernard, he naturally reached out and lightly tapped my head once.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes, Mr. Mayor.”

He turned his back and left the church as if nothing had happened.

“…What was that suddenly?”

“It’s nothing you need to worry about. More importantly, did you do the errand well?”

So, towards Bernard who was yawning widely despite it almost being midday.

“Do you think I’m the same as you, old man? Of course… here… uh?”

I tried to hand over the hangover snacks I had been holding until just now.

“Frey.”

“…Yes.”

“By any chance, are those things scattered on the ground over there what you’re trying to take out now?”

“…It seems so.”

Looking at the red fruits that looked like plums scattered here and there on the church yard’s soil.

“…You’ll eat them if I wash them, right?”

I asked Bernard with an embarrassed smile.

“I’ll clean up, so go buy them again.”

All I got in return was the sight of Bernard clenching his fist with a bright smile.

“Tch… Just eat them after picking them up… They won’t kill you even if you eat them…”

As a last struggle, I tried to persuade him that I knew well from eating them often, that they wouldn’t kill you even if you ate them.

“I’ll make jam with the ones rolling on the ground later. Stop grumbling and go, little one.”

In the end, after receiving a light flick on the forehead, I had to go back to the market as if being chased out.

* * *

So, after Frey left the church again, grumbling.

“Phew. Geez, that Mia… I told her to keep her a bit longer.”

Bernard, who had been glancing towards the direction of the dining room, sighed lightly while talking to himself even though there was no one to hear.

“Nngh— Just when I decided to do some work for once, unnecessary interruptions come in.”

Grumbling that he was already dying from moving around every night in secret from Frey.

“Alright! Everyone come out! Let’s quickly prepare before Frey comes back!”

He shouted towards the people who had been hiding here and there in the church to avoid Leon for a while.

“Whew, I thought my gall bladder was going to burst.”

“No, more importantly, did you do something wrong to the Mayor again, Father Ban?”

“That Wigo, he really should consider his size… poor Frey. How scared she must have been… Father. Couldn’t you have saved her a bit earlier?”

Then, three or four people bustling about as if preparing something again.

“Now, now. Stop badmouthing me and let’s focus on the welcome party, shall we?”

So, the preparations for Frey’s surprise welcome party were nearing completion.

“Let’s surprise her so much that she cries. Hehe.”

There’s no need to explain whose plan this was.

“…Somehow, it doesn’t seem like something a priest should say.”

“Shh. Who knows what that ill-tempered fellow might do if he hears.”

“Hey, I can hear you, so let’s just get on with the work.”

* * *

…I’m really dirty and petty.

“Ugh, so annoying—!”

In the end, unable to contain my anger on the way to the market again, I shouted.

“Some people are busy all day with studying and cleaning… while he just drinks alcohol and orders me around…!”

Venting the stress that had accumulated over the past week, I sighed deeply.

“Haa….”

No matter how much dissatisfaction builds up, it cools down so quickly when I think about the times I was rummaging through trash on the streets.

‘…I should buy some snacks on the way.’

So, thinking I might treat myself with the leftover money from the errand, I headed towards the market again with renewed energy.

‘Hm? That’s….’

Near the entrance of the market—in an alley where people rarely pass, I saw a black-haired man I had never seen during the past week.

‘An outsider? Come to think of it, it’s been a while since I’ve seen black hair.’

Lest I attract unwanted attention… I pulled the lower arms holding my veil into my chest to hide them, then tried to pass by quickly with my eyes barely open.

“Tsk.”

For some reason, I heard a sound like someone clicking their tongue at me, but.

‘It can’t be. It’s not.’

I tried hard to ignore that sound and rushed towards the market.

So, after carefully hiding myself in the market crowd and looking back cautiously.

“…What?”

As if I had seen an illusion—the man had disappeared without a trace.

“What’s wrong?”

“Eek!?”

Right after, a familiar voice suddenly came to my ear.

Screaming at the sensation of my heart sinking, I turned around.

“Mi-Mi-Mi-Mia?”

“Ah, you scared me. Why are you so surprised? I’ve been calling you for a while.”

Seeing Mia covering her ears tightly while calling me, I must have screamed quite loudly.

“Mia… Wasn’t there someone in that alley just now?”

I asked, hoping.

“Hm? Was there someone? I don’t think I saw anyone. Why?”

Mia just tilted her head and answered like that, as if she really hadn’t seen anything.

“…It’s nothing.”

I thought that maybe I had seen a hallucination… but the feeling of my heart pounding that kept coming made me think I absolutely shouldn’t ignore it.

“Um… Mia.”

“Yes. What is it, Frey?”

“Could you… come to the church with me tonight?”

I carefully asked Mia.

“…Hmm. Our Frey, did you want to sleep together with big sister?”

Mia started approaching me slowly with a mischievous smile.

“Th-that’s not it…!”

Only then did I realize how my request must have sounded, so I hurriedly waved all four arms saying that wasn’t it.

“I know, I know. Our Frey is an adult after all. Pfft.”

“Ah, really…!”

Mia patted my head with a bright smile, saying she was planning to stop by the church briefly after finishing work today anyway.

“Then, since it’s a special occasion, shall we fit you for some casual clothes in advance?”

“Ek. But, I still have an errand…”

“Oh, it’s fine, it’s fine. If the Father says anything, this big sister will cover for you.”

“…Okay.”

So, while I spent time watching Mia’s work until evening.

On the other hand, I had to struggle to calm my pounding heart that kept racing due to an ominous feeling.