A Journey Unwanted

[Realm: Álfheimr]

[Location: Heart Kingdom]

[Pulchritudo]

Robert’s eyes immediately fell upon the crumpled figure lying several paces beyond the church entrance.

It was one of the Heart Kingdom soldiers.

More specifically, it was the loudest of the three men who had visited the church earlier—the one who had spoken with the most confidence and the least restraint. That confidence had disappeared entirely. His body was twisted awkwardly against the stone floor, his jaw visibly knocked out of place while his eyes had rolled halfway into the back of his head. He was breathing, though only just, completely insensible.

Robert let out a slow breath.

"This church really does seem to have an uncanny talent for attracting trouble," he murmured, the words carrying more weary amusement than surprise.

As he turned toward Mikoto, intending to gauge the boy’s reaction, he paused.

Sometime between one heartbeat and the next, Mikoto had already changed.

The loose white shirt was gone.

Black plate armor once again covered most of his slight frame, thick gauntlets encasing his delicate hands while muted pinkish-red accents traced portions of the pauldrons and arm pieces. Beneath the armor, the light grayish-purple tailcoat hung neatly, the heavy sabatons making scarcely any sound despite their weight.

Robert blinked once.

("Right, magic. Convenient.")

He could not help the small pang of envy.

To change one’s equipment in an instant without carrying so much as a single strap or buckle...

It certainly had its advantages.

"You’re expecting trouble already?" Robert asked, though he suspected he already knew the answer.

"Better to be prepared than to be an idiot," Mikoto replied without missing a beat, as though the conclusion were painfully obvious.

He did not hesitate.

Already he was walking forward.

Robert quietly fell in beside him.

They crossed the small front garden, passed the scattered stone path, and reached the wide church entrance. One of the great wooden doors had been ripped completely from its hinges and lay splintered off to the side. The remaining door hung crookedly, groaning whenever the breeze drifted through.

Without slowing, the pair stepped inside.

"A-ah! I-I’m so, so sorry about all of this!"

The apology sounded through the church almost immediately. It belonged to a young woman’s voice—high-pitched, soft, and strangely soothing despite the obvious panic within it.

Mikoto’s red eyes drifted forward.

Nicholas stood near the altar, and Catherine was beside him. Neither appeared injured, and standing opposite them, however, was a third individual.

The girl in the red hood.

The same one Mikoto had noticed earlier.

Even standing still, she drew the eye almost effortlessly.

Long strawberry-blonde hair spilled from beneath an oversized red hood, falling over her shoulders in waves. Her face possessed an almost innocent softness, delicate enough that it seemed entirely unsuited for the scene surrounding her. Large, brilliant blue eyes looked impossibly clear, expressive enough that every sign of uncertainty became visible without her saying a word.

Her clothing was equally unusual.

A tightly laced black corset emphasized her figure, trimmed carefully with lace around the neckline. Resting neatly at her throat was a black bowtie, and just above it hung a tiny metallic skull charm that seemed macabre compared to her otherwise gentle appearance.

Metal gauntlets encased both arms, more akin to armored bracers than ordinary gloves. Dark fitted trousers completed the outfit, fastened by a belt from which a chain descended lazily, ending in a sharp arrow-shaped pendant that swayed.

She was short.

Short beside Nicholas.

Short beside Robert.

Still...

She was taller than Mikoto.

His expression flattened almost imperceptibly; the fact clearly irritated him.

("The Nil from earlier...") His gaze remained fixed upon her; that familiar sensation returned immediately. That static-like presence unique to Nil. It clung to her, humming beneath the surface where ordinary people would never notice. ("She bears a contract as well...") His eyes narrowed only slightly. ("It’s familiar. Though not with this version of me. I suppose I should limit that presence.")

Robert’s attention wandered elsewhere; his emerald eyes slowly moved across the church floor. The remaining two Heart Kingdom soldiers were sprawled nearby in much the same condition as the first.

Neither looked capable of standing anytime soon, and neither appeared dead.

("Was that young woman responsible?")

Robert studied her again; the thought simply refused to settle comfortably. It was not because of her height, nor because she looked physically unimposing.

Rather, it was the expression she wore.

Those bright blue eyes held an innocence that almost felt misplaced. There was something remarkably earnest about the way she looked at Nicholas and Catherine, as though she genuinely regretted inconveniencing them. She possessed the sort of face that instinctively made people believe she could never intentionally hurt another soul.

And yet three trained soldiers now littered the church floor.

"Really... really... I truly am so terribly sorry," the hooded girl apologized again, bowing her head so quickly that the oversized hood slipped forward slightly. "I honestly didn’t mean for things to become even more troublesome for the two of you. Somehow I only ended up creating a much bigger mess."

The apology sounded completely sincere, almost embarrassingly so.

Before that apology had even fully settled, the red-hooded girl puffed out her cheeks ever so slightly.

"It’s just..." she began, sounding equal parts embarrassed and somewhat indignant. "...they were being so unbelievably mean." She lowered her eyes before huffing quietly through her nose. "One of them even tried touching my rear..." Her cheeks colored a little deeper as she glanced towards Catherine. "...and Catherine’s too."

The confession was said bluntly, and despite her distaste, she did not sound so vehement about it. However, Robert’s expression hardened as he heard her words.

Meanwhile, Nicholas slowly closed his eyes for a brief moment before opening them again, his elderly features softening with sympathy rather than surprise.

"I understand all too well why you felt compelled to intervene, child," he replied gently. "There are moments when standing idle ceases to be an option. No one should simply endure treatment such as that." His voice still remained calm despite the violence he witnessed most likely moments ago. There was no reprimand within it at all; however, there seemed to be understanding.

Catherine offered the hooded girl another reassuring smile, one that immediately eased some of the guilt lingering across the young Nil’s face.

"It’s alright, Paimon," Catherine said warmly, finally revealing the girl’s name. "Whatever consequences may come from this..." she shrugged lightly, "...we’ll simply deal with them together."

Her smile grew just a fraction wider.

"And besides..." She folded her hands before herself. "They really were becoming far too handsy."

Paimon’s shoulders visibly relaxed; a timid smile slowly found its way onto her lips. It was shy and almost bashful. The pale blush dusting her cheeks made her appear even younger than she likely was.

"...You two..." she murmured quietly. "...you’re both always far kinder to me than I deserve."

Neither Nicholas nor Catherine answered immediately; the warmth in their expressions alone seemed enough.

Several steps away, Mikoto silently observed the exchange without interrupting.

His red eyes remained fixed upon the hooded girl.

Then, without raising his voice—

"Be careful around the blonde."

Robert almost missed the words; he turned sharply towards Mikoto.

"Hm?" The warning had come so suddenly that it took him a moment to register who it had been directed towards.

His emerald eyes drifted back towards Paimon. She still looked nervous and relatively harmless. Nothing about her appearance suggested immediate danger.

Robert frowned.

"Hm... exercising caution is rarely a bad idea," he admitted quietly. "Still..." His gaze returned to Mikoto. "I’m a little surprised you even bothered warning me."

He studied the beautiful boy’s face, searching for some hint of what had prompted the comment.

"Is it because she handled those Heart Kingdom soldiers so effortlessly?"

Mikoto didn’t immediately answer; his eyes never left Paimon.

"Just do what I tell you." His tone remained flat, making it clear it wasn’t a suggestion; he seemed to be seeing something no one else did.

Robert slowly frowned.

"Right." He chose not to press further; experience had already taught him something important. Whenever Mikoto offered advice without explanation, there was usually a reason. Even if that reason only became obvious much later, the pair finally came to a stop several paces inside the church. Only then did the others become aware of their presence.

Nicholas was the first to turn, and Catherine followed a heartbeat later. Finally, Paimon looked over as well. Her brilliant blue eyes passed over Robert almost absentmindedly. She did not dismiss him outright; it simply passed without interest.

They settled instead upon the smallest figure standing besides him.

Upon Mikoto.

The moment their gazes met, she became completely still.

The shy smile lingering on her lips faded into surprise, her vivid blue eyes widening almost imperceptibly as they remained fixed upon the breathtakingly beautiful white-haired boy before her. For the briefest instant, the rest of the room seemed to cease existing, her entire attention drawn solely towards him.

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