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Chapter 163: Chapter 163

Originally, a rainforest refers to a forest where it rains a lot.

The ’Black Forest,’ which Argio considered his hometown, was also like that.

Capricious rain fell almost every other day, a jet-black fog that often held poison set in, and the ground was murky, hiding its friend, the swamp.

"I like rainforests."

Inside that forest, so dense that not even sunlight could enter, all sorts of gold, silver, and treasures overflowed.

Poison was medicine, and an outstanding poison could also become an outstanding elixir.

That splendor bloomed atop all kinds of corpse piles....

"Therefore, I will see you in 15 days."

"Yes, Divinity."

"There is always treasure in a rainforest."

An ecstatic treasure that turns everything into a beast.

***

"Oh!"

A youthful voice rang out in the garden of the religious order’s headquarters.

"Brother Jio!"

"Student Cha Isold."

Cha Isold had seen a welcome face after a long time.

"I stopped by because the garden was beautiful, but I didn’t know I would see this precious face."

The platinum-blond Jio approached Cha Isold with his characteristic refined smile.

Cha Isold also ran up to Jio, holding his partner’s hand, and greeted him with a bright face.

"It’s been so long!"

"Yes, it has been a long time."

"I’ve been well!"

"Oh dear... you’ve stolen my question."

"Were you well, Brother?"

"I, too, have been having peaceful days."

"That’s a relief."

Cha Isold asked with the pure curiosity and goodwill unique to a child.

"Does it not hurt anymore?"

"..."

Giovanni wore a soft smile, as if it were painted on his face.

"It didn’t hurt then, either."

"There was a lot of blood."

"It was blood that had to be shed."

"Was it something you did wrong, Brother?"

"It was taking responsibility for a connection."

"What’s that?"

"A story like this...."

He looked at Cha Isold’s partner and continued.

"I think it should come after you introduce Student Cha Isold’s partner first."

"Ah, right!"

As Cha Isold looked at his partner in surprise, Prospective Priest Iruda looked at Cha Isold with a subtly crumpled face.

It was because the topic of their conversation was so bizarre.

"Don’t tell me I’m only just now occurring to you?"

"We were holding hands, so I was always thinking of you, Ruda!"

"If you didn’t speak just that little bit more prettily, you would have been in big trouble."

"I was just so happy to see Brother that I forgot to introduce you, Ruda...."

"..."

With a sense of ’I have a lot to say, but I’ll endure it,’ Iruda let out a small sigh.

"...It’s a pleasure to meet you, I am a prospective Priest Iruda."

"It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sister. I am Seo Jio, who has, however inadequately, received the sun’s light."

"The sun’s light...."

Iruda looked up at Jio.

"Are you perhaps a priest...?"

There was the pure white uniform he wore under the jet-black cape, but more than anything, the atmosphere simply made one think that.

The man who introduced himself as ’Seo Jio’ had platinum blond hair like clean marble basking in the sun, and blue eyes that seemed to shimmer with light.

It was the most ideal appearance one would imagine for a ’Priest of the Sun’.

’His energy also doesn’t seem like that of an ordinary person.’

A warm energy, enough to be described as ’having received the sun’s light,’ was certainly overflowing.

Iruda could feel a greatness unique to a god from him, and this would be difficult unless one was a priest greatly loved by a god.

And something, a little more....

"Ah, my. I am not a priest."

"...You’re not a priest?"

"I am merely a believer who serves the sun."

"That...."

She wanted to refute it somehow, but it was difficult to speak rashly as he was an unfamiliar adult and someone Cha Isold liked.

There weren’t many adults who liked a child who tried to argue point by point with someone they’d just met.

’I’ll have to talk a bit more with Cha Isold later.’

As if sensing Iruda’s feelings, the man named Seo Jio smiled faintly.

"It seems you have a question, but are you sure you’re fine not asking more?"

"...I feel it would be impolite to an adult I’ve just met."

"Sister Iruda, you are cautious and polite."

Iruda felt a stable goodwill from that voice, one that seemed like it would last forever.

"Do you like sweet things?"

"...Yes?"

When Iruda questioned the out-of-the-blue words, Cha Isold shot his hand up.

"Me! Me, me! I like them, sweet things! Snacks! Snacks from you, Brother!"

"This priest’s heart is so very pleased that your desire for snacks is this strong."

Seo Jio’s face looked extremely pleased as he said that.

’Ah, they’re similar.’

The man, who just moments ago had been wearing an ideal priest’s smile, let out a cheerful laugh beyond imagination and squished Cha Isold’s cheeks.

From that action, which had no strength in it at all, Iruda could feel the depth of his affection.

"It seems you’ve lost a little weight?"

"Huh? I gained weight!"

"I would like it if you gained just 15kg more than this."

Iruda had no choice but to cut in.

"If he gains that much, he’ll be a pig. He’ll roll around."

"Become a pig, hup...."

"You can’t."

Iruda was horrified, imagining a Cha Isold pig rolling around, unable to even walk.

She didn’t know why, but this person named Seo Jio really seemed like he could turn even a perfectly fine kid into a pig.

She could feel that will.

A hesitant Iruda continued speaking.

"...I don’t really like sweet things."

"In that case, do you perhaps not enjoy snacks themselves?"

"No, it’s not that, but...."

"Do you have a separate snack that you prefer, Sister Iruda?"

"...Dried medicinal herbs."

"Aha."

Even though it must have sounded strange, Seo Jio readily nodded his head.

"It seems you like bitter things."

"It’s just... I like chewing on things that are good for the body. Then my mouth isn’t bored, either."

"To already know to think of your own health, what a clever attitude this is."

"..."

"A child who knows the value of medicinal herbs is rare."

Her hand holding Cha Isold’s tightened at the heartfelt goodwill that poured out as if breathing.

"Ruda-ya, your face is red."

"Be quiet, Cha Isold."

It was because this was the first time she’d received such blatant praise from an adult.

’Why is he coddling me this much?’

An era where the perception that children will grow up fine on their own if you just leave them be was rampant.

In a world that, as a result, saw children not as ’delicate beings to be protected and sheltered’ but as ’beings who die easily and thus require management,’ an adult like Jio, who was so gentle to a child, was extremely rare.

’No wonder he seemed to get along so well with Cha Isold....’

It was clear that sunshine gathered with sunshine. Her face felt hot.

Cha Isold was, at least, a friend and partner she had to walk with, but Seo Jio was an adult who was dependable in anyone’s eyes.

Iruda, who had no memory of being doted on for no reason by such a being, stammered.

"I-I just eat them because they’re helpful."

"To be this humble, too."

"That’s not it...."

"I am relieved that a child like Sister Iruda is Student Cha Isold’s friend."

Seo Jio smiled, filled with a sense of admiration.

"Surely, Sister Iruda will become a wonderful partner."

"..."

"Since the day is so nice, I will give you a small gift."

Saying that, Seo Jio gifted Cha Isold and Iruda each a small paper bag.

"I hope these are the gifts you wanted. You may use them however you like."

He, who had gently curved his eyes, soon straightened his back and bid farewell.

"Today, I stopped by for a moment, having received a call from the Solar Cult. On my way back after a light greeting, I met you all, so I think it will be an even better day."

"I was happy too! Brother, will you come again?"

"If possible, I will show my face again soon. I will pass on Student Cha Isold’s well-wishes to his guardians, but, Sister Iruda."

Seo Jio looked at Iruda and asked kindly.

"May I pass on your well-wishes as well?"

"...Ah, me? To whom?"

"To Student Cha Isold’s guardians, of course."

"Why that?"

"They would be extremely happy to know he has made such a good friend."

"...Uh...."

Iruda, who had been opening and closing her mouth, lowered her head, her face turning bright red.

"...Just do as you wish."

"Thank you for your permission, Sister."

Seo Jio, who gave a small nod, smiled one more time and then left the garden.

Perhaps because he was a high-grade Hunter, his gait was very neat, he made almost no sound, and for some reason, a nice scent emanated from him.

"..."

"Brother Jio is a good person, right."

"...Huh? Ah, yeah."

She had never seen an adult like that.

"Is he always that affectionate?"

"Mm, he dotes on you more the younger you are."

"Such a natural monument in this day and age...."

"I’ve been wondering, what’s a natural monument?"

"Creatures that will all die soon without the help of the entire universe."

"...Y-you called me a natural monument, too."

"I’ll protect you."

It was a greatly exaggerated explanation, but Iruda didn’t think her words were that wrong.

As long as the whole world didn’t gather its strength to cooperate, things called natural monuments were not easy to preserve.

’They say birds of a feather flock together, and it’s really true.’

She didn’t know there was one more person like Cha Isold in the world.

’And such a grown adult, at that....’

An adult who shows goodwill to everyone, but gives even more affection, especially to young ones.

She thought that kind of thing only existed in specious storybooks, but today she felt, ’Wow, that’s actually possible.’

Iruda fiddled with the paper bag placed in her hand.

"..."

Natural goodwill given without her having proven any sort of value.

’...This smells nice, too.’

She was curious why on earth he gave such a gift, and if he always carried such gifts around, but for some reason, a corner of her heart felt ticklish, so Iruda hesitated, unable to bring herself to open the bag.

Just then, a curious sound came from Cha Isold.

"Hm? What’s this, Ruda-ya?"

"Why, what is it?"

"Is this rubber?"

"...Ah, it’s jelly. It’s not rubber."

"Then it’s edible, right?"

"Of course it’s edible."

Jelly must be quite an expensive food item, but he’s giving it as a gift so casually?

’It seems like he made it himself, too?’

It was a bag with its opening tied with a ribbon, with no brand name written on it.

At the gift that strongly gave off a handmade feeling, Iruda hesitated a few more times before opening her own bag.

Perhaps because it was a good quality ribbon, it untied smoothly, revealing the contents inside.

"..."

Iruda tilted her head.

"...What is this?"

"There’s something you don’t know, too?"

"I don’t know things if I don’t learn them, either."

"Eum...."

Cha Isold also tilted his head.

"Is it a flower?"

"It’s a dried flower, but."

"Is it edible?"

"...Did he really give me medicinal herbs?"

"Ew, this is medicine?"

"I-I don’t know either."

They were small, golden flowers, clustered together fluffily like sheep’s wool.

"..."

However, Iruda felt it.

’...The Sun....’

The Sun Goddess is casting her gaze upon it.

’Wait, why?’

What is this, what is this thing.

What on earth did he give her that the Goddess is coveting ?

***

"Hunter."

Ju-hyeon, who was waiting at the religious order’s entrance, asked with his characteristic smile.

"Was it an enjoyable visit?"

"Yes, the Solar Cult’s garden was beautiful."

"They say the place where the Solar Cult stays is, in its entirety, a greenhouse."

"The entire temple branch was filled with the sun’s warmth."

"It must have been a wonderful sight."

"And...."

Following Ju-hyeon’s guidance, Jio continued.

"I saw many welcome faces."

"You said you met Priest Kang Seo-dam."

"I saw Brother Cha Isold, too."

Giovanni spoke with a warm smile.

"He’s made a good friend, it seems."

"A good friend, you say...."

As Ju-hyeon muttered his words and was about to open the back seat door, Jio asked.

"May I sit in the passenger seat?"

"If you wish, you may certainly do so."

"Thank you for your consideration."

Jio and Ju-hyeon got into the front seats of the car side-by-side.

"It was a Sister named Iruda. She was extremely mature."

"It seems you looked upon her very favorably."

"She was commendable and yet pitiable. She was very bright."

"She must be a child who will become great."

For ’Jio,’ the eyes of the Source, of all people, to say such a thing.

"Was everything else alright?"

"In 15 days."

Jio said.

"I will be going to the rainforest."

"It seems a conquest proposal came in."

"I like it."

"I’m glad to hear that."

Ju-hyeon asked.

"Do you like rainforests?"

"..."

Before he knew it, Jio’s hair, as he looked out the window, was dyed red.

"...I like them very much."

That was Argio’s house, and his hometown.

It was a massive, rotten tomb.

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