Chapter 52

The family introduced to us by the priest lived in an ordinary house.

I feel bad for showing up unannounced.

Despite this, the family did not show any displeasure—rather, it wasn't a matter of that, but their expressions were stiff, and the tension was palpable.

We were led into the house, offered food, and seated, but...

"Miss Rini, please do not touch the food served here."

"Is there poison in it?"

"Yes... It's not necessarily poison, but it wouldn't be strange if something was mixed in."

In the dining room of the house, there were six chairs at a large table, and we sat in two of them. Rini and Sami-chan were communicating telepathically.

It's clearly suspicious...

Sami-chan and I sat next to each other, and a middle-aged man sat across from us. A middle-aged woman brought the food. They seemed to be a married couple.

There are six chairs, but perhaps only this couple lives here. It's already dinner time, but there are no other signs of life in the house.

"Please, help yourselves."

"I'm sorry, it's a simple meal..."

The couple encouraged us to eat, each in their own words.

The man's face was pale, and the woman's hands were trembling.

...Hmm.

Sami-chan said not to eat, and I think it's best not to. But—

"Thank you, stew."

The steaming, white stew looked incredibly delicious.

I wondered if this was made for the couple to eat, not for us.

And then, we were served it due to the priest's sudden call. It would have been impossible to make a new meal in such a short time.

"It looks delicious."

I said this and picked up a spoon.

Then, a panicked voice echoed in my head—

"Miss Rini!?"

"I want to try it."

"But this is clearly...!"

"Right. But it wasn't made for this purpose."

The meal was made to be enjoyed. It couldn't fulfill its purpose because we were here.

Thinking about this, I wanted to enjoy it...

"Rini is strong. If I take medicine immediately, it will be fine."

"...Miss Rini. I understand, but please, if you feel anything abnormal, use an item immediately."

"Okay."

Sami-chan frowned with worry...

But she nodded without stopping me.

"Itadakimasu."

It was difficult to hold the spoon with my cat hands, but I carefully picked it up. When I scooped up the stew, the soup dripped back into the bowl. There were potatoes in it, I think. I took a bite—

"It's really delicious!"

The temperature was just right, not too hot. The potatoes were fluffy and enveloped in the soup, slowly sliding down my throat.

The gentle milk aroma, the saltiness, and the subtle sweetness were all delicious!

I placed my left cat hand on my cheek. I smiled, and suddenly, the spoon in my right hand was snatched away—

"No...! Don't eat it...!"

The woman who brought the stew stopped me.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry... What have I done...!"

"...I'm sorry... Just get some water..."

"I'm really sorry, I'm so sorry..."

The woman took the spoon from me, covered her face with one hand, and collapsed.

The man, who had been sitting across from us, stood up and rushed to her. He didn't look at Rini or Sami-chan and offered her water.

Still, the woman didn't stop apologizing...

"What was in this stew?"

Sami-chan moved the stew away from me, stood up, and walked to the couple.

The couple hesitated for a moment, but the woman slowly whispered.

"It's a sleeping pill... Given to us by the priest..."

"It's not a poison that could harm the body, right?"

"We were told that. ...Just to make you two sleep. That's all."

It seems the stew contained a sleeping pill.

Hearing this, Sami-chan moved away from the couple and turned to me.

"Miss Rini, are you okay? How do you feel?"

"I'm fine."

It was probably a mild enough drug that one bite wouldn't cause any problems.

So—

"I'm going to eat."

I moved the stew that Sami-chan had pushed away back to my side and grabbed Sami-chan's spoon. My spoon had been taken.

"Miss Rini!?"

I heard Sami-chan's worried voice but ignored it and started eating quickly. It was hot, but not scalding, so I put it in my mouth quickly. Of course, it was delicious.

I wanted to savor it, but if I took too long, the sleeping pill would start to affect me.

I finished the plate, and then my head started to feel fuzzy—

"Ah, item... box..."

...I'm sleepy. Sleepier than I thought...

It feels like when you watch a cutscene or motion in a game that you can't skip, even though you've seen it before. Your brain just shuts down...

I managed to mutter, and a list of items appeared in front of me. I couldn't really recognize them... But, I think this one...

"Use... it..."

A heavy weight on my chest. This weight... It's okay. This.

My eyes wanted to close. Or maybe they were already closed.

So, with my last bit of strength, I used my cat hand's claw to prick the end of the weight. Then, I pulled my hand away and let my sleeping body tilt, causing the weight to—

—Splash!!

"...Cold."

It was cold.

"Miss Rini...!"

"Are you okay!?"

"Where did that water come from!? Did you spill the water from the table!?"

"Just get something to wipe it up!"

"Right!?"

I was drenched. Sami-chan, worried to the point of tears, wiped me down and tidied me up.

Meanwhile, the couple, forgetting their despair, ran to get something to wipe up the water and the floor.

...Yeah.

"The recovery potion is amazing."

The sleepiness was gone!

I had been continuously dousing my father with [Recovery Potion (God)], and it definitely works. Drinking it would probably be more effective, but I've proven that it works through the skin as well.

In game terms, it's like a status effect being instantly cured.

But, you know, being doused with liquid is still cold.

I've doused my father many times, but now I finally understand how he felt. Recovery potions are meant to be drunk, not poured.

While I was coming to this realization, the couple brought something to wipe up the mess.

Sami-chan, with tears in her eyes, wiped me down and tidied me up.

Meanwhile, the couple seemed to have calmed down and bowed to us.

"I'm really sorry."

"I'm really sorry."

"Okay."

"...But, thank you for eating the stew."

"Okay. It was delicious."

When I said this, the woman frowned.

"If you're going to reflect on your actions, can you tell us why this happened?"

"...Okay."

"Right..."

The couple nodded in agreement with Sami-chan's words and slowly began to speak.

"This village... is controlled by that cult."

"Controlled?"

"Exactly. We have no freedom. If they give us an order, we have to follow it."

The couple looked grim.

A table for six. Six chairs. ...Yet, only the couple lived there. The answer was—

"We have our children held hostage."

—The children who should be here are not.

"We only see them in the morning when we go to pray at the church... So, we know they're there. But, we can't do anything about it."

"Did the villagers never think about fighting back?"

"The church appears to have only one priest. But one day, a dozen strong men came. Some families resisted..."

"The children of those families can no longer be seen at prayer time. ...They might not even be here anymore..."

"The village is doomed."

"The church probably wanted you, the elf. Please, run away. From this village..."

"There's a back door. ...I'll show you."

The couple said this and nodded to each other.

It seems they were going to help us escape. But—

"Will it be okay?"

Helping us escape means going against the church.

"Our children are in the church, right?"

At my words, the couple gasped.

"It's okay... No, it's not okay. But I can't forgive myself for deceiving you..."

"...I'm sorry. Please, before we change our minds..."

"...Please escape before I become a terrible person again."

The couple bowed their heads.

...With their children held hostage. The decision to help us escape must have been a difficult one.

Rini and Sami-chan understood. It was probably not a well-thought-out plan from the beginning.

But, it would have been better for the couple if they had let me eat the stew and fall asleep.

"Thank you for telling us."

But they stopped me immediately after I took a bite.

And now, they are making the decision to help us escape.

"I'll help."

Because I'm the strongest four-year-old!

"Leave it to me!"

—Let's destroy the church and save the children!