Chapter 36

"…You mean it's about to break?"

"Yeah, probably."

Taken aback by the answer I hadn't anticipated, I gasped. Rufus, standing beside me, also wore a look of great surprise.

"You've used magical artifacts before, right? No matter what, their effects weaken over time and they eventually break."

"……"

"That one has been around for an incredibly long time. That's why even His Holiness was very cautious about how to use it, using it only minimally and constantly protecting it with his own holy power."

I've only used the ring I received from Rufus, but from the look on his face, it seemed to be the same for such items.

"But how many times have they used it in this short period? How many people have they swapped bodies with? There must be a limit to the number of people that can be swapped at the same time. As a result, the magical artifact may have reached its limit, causing several people to return to their original bodies."

Including the "experiment" Tabatha mentioned, they've been swapping a large number of people, including us, in this short period. It's clear they've been overusing the magical artifact.

As the archbishop said, it might have reached its limit.

"So, if it breaks completely, everyone will return to their original bodies?"

"Ah—"

At Rufus's words, I let out a surprised gasp. I hadn't even considered such a possibility.

"That's a high possibility."

"……"

"However, we don't know how many more times it can be used before it breaks. It could be just once, or it might still be usable many more times."

The archbishop continued, "But I think it's really at its limit. Even His Holiness was worried about how many more times it could be used."

As he said this, he seemed to recall the Pope and covered his face with both hands. His hands were trembling slightly.

Of course, I hated this man. The archbishop was the one who caused all this. Still, seeing him lose everything and act like this was pitiful, and I couldn't bring myself to scold him.

"Saedy, is there anything else you want to ask?"

"No, I'm fine now."

"Understood."

Rufus asked if I wanted to hand the archbishop over to the temple, but I shook my head. There might be more questions in the future.

Besides, he would continue to pretend to be mad here, tormented by his guilt. It would surely be much harder than I imagined.

After telling him we would come again, we left the place.

◇◇◇

"Saedy, are you okay?"

"Ah, sorry. I was just thinking."

On the way back in the carriage, Rufus had been looking at me with a worried expression, noticing that I had been silent.

…Is Mabel still using that magical artifact? It would be best if it broke completely on its own, but from what I heard, she's not stupid.

I had heard from the man who took Norman's body that the artifact's power was running out and it couldn't be used anymore.

However, as long as the artifact hasn't completely broken, it's possible that Mabel is lying about it not being usable anymore. She might have sensed something because we returned to our original bodies.

This time, I learned that everything Tabatha said was true. From now on, I can trust her words to some extent.

"Rufus, thank you. I feel like we've made progress."

"Yeah."

"Once we get back, we should think of a way to—kyaa!?"

Just as I was about to say that, the carriage suddenly jolted violently. Losing my balance due to the tilt, I ended up falling onto Rufus.

He caught me firmly, and we ended up in a position where I was on top of him, hugging him.

"S-Sorry…! I'm really, really sorry."

When the shaking stopped, I quickly got off him, repeatedly apologizing.

On the other hand, Rufus was looking down, covering his eyes with one hand. I couldn't see his expression clearly, but his skin and even his ears were bright red, making me feel even more embarrassed.

"…Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

"Um, I'll, go check outside."

"Y-Yeah."

Rufus, after bumping his head on the door twice, got out of the carriage. My heart was still pounding loudly.

Perhaps because I've never been in such close contact with a man, I felt extremely uneasy. He was warmer and smelled better than I imagined, and he was strong. Just thinking about it made my face heat up.

When Rufus returned, his cheeks seemed to be swollen and red. When I asked if he was okay, he replied, "Maybe not." He didn't seem to be doing well at all.

"…It seems the road has collapsed."

"Huh?"

"It seems impossible to return to the capital tonight. After talking with the driver, I think it's best to return to the town."

"Okay, please do."

Although we won't be able to return today, it's fortunate we weren't caught in a landslide.

Besides, I'm with Rufus. Even if we return home tomorrow, my parents will understand.

The carriage changed direction and started moving again, but Rufus's ears remained red the entire time.