Chapter 9

――Completely infuriating.

Dragging my body with a slither, I moved forward as if crawling through the dark depths of the earth.

...Ah, my body feels so heavy today. My throat is dry. I’m hungry.

I really don’t want to move a step. But I have to deal with those who failed. ...Really, I opened the gate especially to get rid of the Holy Maiden, and they just sent her back.

Slither, squish, slither.

...So, you’re here, you useless ones.

Under the sky where a red moon shone and miasma filled the air, I found the people I was looking for.

Both the man and the woman from another world exuded a smell that made even me want to vomit. —As expected, the parents of the Holy Maiden.

Slither. As I approached, the woman noticed me. She let out a strained scream and frantically pulled at the man’s sleeve.

"Hey, hey! There’s something in the darkness...!"

"Huh? What is it...?"

At that moment, the moon, which had been hidden by clouds, suddenly appeared. Seeing my figure illuminated by the moonlight, the two of them screamed.

"K-kyaaaaaah!"

"Whaaaat! A monster!!!"

They trembled violently and plopped down on the spot, as if their legs had given out.

Hmph, are you that afraid of my appearance? Then I’ll make you unable to see it.

I waved my hand with a whoosh. Purple liquid splattered, and the two of them writhed in agony as it hit their faces.

"Uwaaaah! My eyes! My eyes!"

"It hurts! It hurts!"

...Their voices are so grating. Painful? Compared to what your child endured, this is nothing.

"Hey, is anyone there?"

As I said this irritably, I sensed a presence with a swoosh.

"―Here."

"Quickly dispose of those two. They’re too noisy."

"Understood."

With that, I turned around and slithered away. Behind me, I could hear a chilling sound.

Ah, really infuriating.

I cursed inwardly.

—Why is the holy light increasing when I brought the weak Holy Maiden here, on the verge of disappearing, after infiltrating the Goddess’s seal?

Slither. A huge mirror floated up from my slimy body. In the mirror, the Holy Maiden’s face was smiling calmly. The mirror began to glow faintly white around the edges.

...This is bad. Not only is she not weak, but if left alone, she will shine even more brightly. I have to stop her at all costs before that happens.

Slither, squish, slither.

...Ah, I’m so hungry.

I can survive without eating, but the hunger that never goes away has always tormented me.

Suddenly, the mirror caught my eye.

In it, the Holy Maiden, who seemed so small and easy to crush, was biting into something fluffy, white, and round. Her cheeks puffed up, and her eyes narrowed in happiness.

...What is that? ...It looks delicious...

My supposedly dead stomach growled.

◇

"―It seems that with 'Telepathy,' I can see various things about Ai."

I was telling Yuri-sama about what I had discovered over the past few days.

Next to me, Ai was munching on her fluffy white bread, which she seemed to love for breakfast. When our eyes met, she smiled.

"Various things, you mean?"

Yuri-sama stopped her fork and waited for me to continue.

We were having breakfast together.

Ai had her favorite white bread and fresh fruits. Yuri-sama and I had scrambled eggs and bacon.

"First, I hold hands with Ai like this."

I held out my hand, and Ai, who understood, placed her hand on mine while still stuffing her cheeks with bread. It was like a clever dog doing a trick, and I couldn’t help but smile.

And her expression, which seemed to say, "Did I do well!?" was so bright that I could almost see big ears and a fluffy tail on her...!

Smiling at her cuteness, a few words floated up in my head.

‘Holy Maiden Ai: Skills - Monster Detection, Telepathy (Target: Queen Edeline)’

‘Can I get a compliment?’

...Hehe, it seems to have worked. Her feelings are so clear.

"Perfect, it worked really well! Thank you, Ai."

As I ruffled her hair and thanked her, Ai giggled.

"Like this, when the skill is activated, I can see Ai’s condition and feelings. But she doesn’t seem to understand it much herself."

While fixing Ai’s messy hair, I explained to Yuri-sama. The king pondered.

"...Hmm. Does this 'Telepathy' only work on you?"

"It seems so. The name in the target field is only mine."

"That means only you can understand Ai, or rather, the Holy Maiden."

I nodded at the king’s words.

Since then, Ai has sometimes spoken in her own words. But she’s either very shy or still wary, as the words she hides are far more numerous than those she speaks.

Moreover, Ai couldn’t read the words that described the Holy Maiden’s skills.

The strange characters were not the language used in this country. In fact, they were characters I had never seen anywhere on the continent.

...But why can I read them? Is this also an effect of Telepathy?

As I pondered, the king said,

"Then you need a position. To help and support her, and to act as a bridge between her and this country. ...Edeline, will you take it on?"

I smiled.

"Of course, I intended to from the start. Ai is my precious daughter."

I hugged Ai tightly, and she smiled happily, her face covered in bread crumbs.