Chapter 14: Ghost of Mist 1
A week at Holy Sword Academy ends, and another week begins.
The first day of the week was a regular class day, but the day after that was the first day of extracurricular activities.
The contents of the extracurricular activities ranged from assisting the Holy Tree Church and the Royal Army of Yggdrasil in their military activities, to cleaning up the surrounding monsters, attacking dungeons, and more. The subjects were chosen from among the most pressing problems of the month that could be dealt with by the boys and girls who were military apprentices.
Christo and the other members of the Bina class are assigned to exterminate wild dogs in the wilderness north of the royal capital. However, the actual killing of the wild dogs will be done by the church knights who will accompany them, while Christo and the others will be in charge of treating the injured, transporting supplies, setting up tents, and so on.
Since this is their first extracurricular activity after entering the academy, the academy is taking this into consideration.
The actual extracurricular activities consisted of camping overnight in the northern wilderness, protected by the church knights, and then returning to the camp. Nothing is dangerous, as the church knights will take care of everything, even the disposal of wild dog carcasses.
According to Patricia, Keter class, the extracurricular content of the class is to take down bandits. Compared to the substantial activities of the Bina class, the Keter class seems to be slightly more challenging.
Perhaps the tasks are set with the presence of the Hero Setanta and his brides in mind.
Considering that all the results are scored and used as the basis for individual evaluation and class points, it is a matter of opinion whether the tasks in the Bina class are better since the maximum points are fixed, even those in the Keter class, where it is easier to earn points but the risks are greater.
The amount of money given to each student by the church will increase or decrease depending on the number of class points.
If the results are poor, no money is given for the month.
On the other hand, if the student achieves excellent results, he or she will receive a considerable amount of money according to the amount of money that the Academy has made.
Since those in the academy are basically the children of wealthy nobles, many of them do not care about money. However, the pride of the nobility does not allow them to be inferior to the other classes, so they all take the challenge seriously.
Christo and the other members of the Bina class were from relatively poor families, so there seemed to be quite a few who were just after money.
On the morning of the extracurricular activity day, when they arrived at the academy, they did not enter the classroom building but went to the changing rooms in the training grounds, where the academy lent them a set of "light church knight's clothes".
It is a general light armor made of cloth and leather. The emphasis is on ease of movement, but there is thick leather protection in critical areas. However, if you fight with a wild dog and got bitten, you must break free quickly or it will eventually bite your limbs off.
"Ah, it's nice, isn't it? The women's armor is designed to emphasize their breasts. And underneath is short skirt-based waist armor and leather over-the-knee boots. The thighs peeking out between the waist armor and boots are dazzling......"
Inside the locker room, the representative of the erotic kids in the class was saying such things while shaking his body. The other males also had various reactions to his words.
"I'm curious about Laranoa-sensei's armor. Can her breasts be covered by the equipment?"
"It would be too big and would stick out from the sides. Even the skirt would be raised at her hips, and things that shouldn't be visible will......"
"Sensei's equipment is different from ours, maybe."
“Patricia-sama’s breasts. She's a mother of one with that look."
"Damn it, that bastard Setanta must be fucking her every night."
“I'm so jealous that in addition to Patricia-sama, Gwendolyn-chan is also his wife.”
"Gwendolyn-san. Those eyes. They're cool and great. If she'll allow me, I'd like her to cuss me out in bed."
“But don’t you think Gwendolyn has a strong personality?”
"It's true. But a good face is justice. She smells good when we pass by each other, and her skin is white and smooth."
"But her family is poor. Even if Setanta had slept with her, she would still be in debt."
"Ah, I see. Then it must be Patricia-sama!"
"Patricia-san is certainly stable."
"She is stable being Setanta's wife..."
"――Which reminds me, Christopher."
As he was checking the condition of his leather armor, a male in his class pointed at him.
Christo looked up.
"Yes, what is it?"
“Are you living with Melvina-san?”
"Yeah... at the boarding house in the west district."
"Wha? Wha? Have you already done it? Did you kiss her, touch her buttocks, go to bed together, and go further?"
The man is breathing hard.
Christo stepped back with a friendly smile on his face.
"Y-yeah? Why do I have to tell you that?"
"No, I'm curious. Are you dating?"
"Yeah. I'm dating her on the premise of marriage."
"Damn iiiittt!"
"Melvina-san, she's cute. It seems that she can't use holy arts, but she has a good personality and a wonderful smile."
"I hope you don't make too much eye contact with my woman."
Christo says so, troubled.
He will never forget the guy who said it.
If he persists too much, he will kill him later.
"But Christopher."
A boy who was getting dressed next to me gives me a serious look.
“That's fine for now, but what are you going to do in the future? You're not considering the option of splitting up, are you? Neither Melvina-san nor you can use the holy arts, and neither of you will retain to be a nobleman in the near future. What are you going to do about your livelihood? Was that out of line?"
"No, it's a natural question. ――Well, actually, I don't really have a concrete plan. I'm hoping to find something while I'm at the academy. On the contrary, I'd like to ask you guys, do you have any good ideas?"
In response to Christo's remarks, the men all looked at each other.
Silence fills the changing room.
"Good idea, huh? You can't become a noble. It's said that even children who are born can't use holy arts."
“It can’t be helped that you both will become commoners. On top of that, how do you make a living? Some kind of craftsman, a merchant… at worst, an adventurer?”
“Adventurers are a bad idea. It's too dangerous and not very profitable. If you die, you're finished, and even if you continue without dying, you'll give Melvina-san a hard time. Maybe you should ask Setanta to give you a small plot of land somewhere and live there."
“Is he going to bow down to the person he quarreled over with his sister… But you can’t turn your back on him.”
“Christopher can use magic, right? Moreover, he beat Setanta. Also, he's the [Hero of the North], in case you were wondering."
Christ shook his head.
"I was able to take the demon's head thanks to Lancelot-dono. The reason I were able to beat Setanta was because I had a good strategy and gave him several decisive blows before he strengthened his physical abilities."
“When it comes to making golems and digging holes, isn’t it related to civil engineering and construction?”
The good-natured male student offered an unusually sane opinion.
The boy next to him nodded.
"That's it. Setanta will give you a plot of land somewhere, and you will work as a civil engineer or a pioneer magician, using your magical talents. You'll be successful enough in life."
"And have a lovely wife too."
"Haa. I have to inherit my father's land, so I will not be able to lead such a free life. I envy you, Christopher."
That was the end of the conversation about Christo and Melvina's future.
As for the future, he didn't care what the guys think, because he is going to buy a country and live there. What was interesting was their evaluation of Melvina.
For the past week, all the men were either embarrassed or turned up their noses at Melvina when she spoke to them. However, when he asked them about it, he found that none of them wanted to marry Melvina.
It is probably inevitable because they are all children of nobles. There were second sons among them, but they were going to join the mercenaries and live on their own. Considering their work and their unborn child, Melvina seems to be out of the question.
(It is good that there are no competitors. But as a husband, I want everyone to know how good Melvina is. I need to get to know Melvina better myself for that purpose.)
Christo left the changing room with these thoughts in mind.
× × ×
"Christopher."
On his way from the training grounds to the school gate where the meeting was to take place, he was suddenly stopped by a faint voice as he crossed the school grounds. He looked in the direction of the voice and saw Gwendolyn standing quietly in a corner, in the shade of an oak tree. She looked around to make sure no one was watching, and then motioned with her hand for him to come to her.
Christo went behind the big tree where she had hidden.
Gwendolyn had changed into a woman's slender leather armor and was leaning against the trunk of a large tree.
"I haven't seen you since Monday. How are you and Setanta after that?"
"We try not to see each other too much. I guess that's to be expected."
"I see. Time will tell, I hope."
"Here."
Before he could ask him what she wanted, Gwendolyn handed him a dark brown brush in her hand.
It's a horsehair brush.
It seems to be useful for cleaning the top of a desk.
"You'll give it to me?"
"Take it. It's a good luck charm. In my hometown, it is said that horsehair can ward off bad things. You and I fought together in the North. Once we fought together, you're already my comrade-in-arms. I wish you the best of luck, my friend."
"Thank you."
It was a surprise.
I had assumed that this woman saw Christo only as a convenient affair partner. Gwendolyn's way of thinking makes it hard to imagine that the flames of love have flared up and she is turning up the heat on Christo, but――
“I'm telling you, my husband is Setanta. You are my comrade-in-arms and my friend with whom I have sex."
"Me too. I have Melvina."
"Good. It looks like our interests are aligned."
Gwendolyn said seriously, then looked Christo squarely in the eye and smiled cheerfully.
"I enjoyed the last three days. Thank you. I was so busy when we parted on Monday that I didn't get a chance to thank you properly. I'd love to have sex with you again if I get the chance. Or rather, I'd like to have sex with you on a regular basis."
"I guess you're in love with me after all."
"Ha? That's not true. The joke is only on the amount of ejaculation. It's not you I want, it's my own beauty."
Gwendolyn looked down at her body and continued.
“Since I met you, I feel so much better. My body is full of energy and my skin is more radiant than before. I feel as if my beauty as a woman has improved. I have never felt this way before."
"That's just an assumption. My semen doesn't have the same effect as that of an incubus. Or do you suspect that I'm actually an incubus?"
"I don't care what your true identity is."
Gwendolyn shrugs her shoulders. “Even if you are a demon, as long as you help me maintain my beauty, that’s fine.”
"Why are you so obsessed with your beauty?"
"Because if you are not beautiful, you will be exploited. On the other hand, if you are beautiful, you have unlimited possibilities!"
These are the words that give him a sense of darkness.
Well, he already knew from last week that Gwendolyn has an inner side far removed from that of a normal person, so he was not surprised anymore.
"In exchange for your semen, I will do whatever you want. Since we are going to have sex, it would be a loss if you don't enjoy it. If you need my help in any other way, please don't hesitate to ask. I will help you as long as our interests are aligned."
However, since you are strong, it may not be necessary―― she concludes.
"Okay. If I need help, I will get it."
"I love you as a comrade-in-arms and as a friend to have sex with."
With that, Gwendolyn raised herself from the trunk of the tree and walked over to Christo.
She then straightened up, cupped Christo's cheeks and put her lips on his. The smell of rose perfume, and also fresh breath. The soft contact between the mucous membranes lasted nearly ten seconds. When she parted her lips, she licked her lips and smiled lewdly.
"Your naughty milk, let me drink a lot from now on, okay?"
"Okay. Then, when we both come home safely, do you want to have sex?"
"Fufu. Idiot."
Gwendolyn flicked Christo's forehead, then takes a light step and spins around on the spot. Then she folds her hands behind her back and makes a smile.
"Well then! Don't get hurt!"
"Yeah, you too."
She slips out from behind the big tree and crosses the school grounds.
Christo looked at her back for a while.
× × ×
The location of the extracurricular activity is a little less than a hundred kilometers north of the royal capital.
From outside the walls of the royal capital, they traveled in a covered wagon prepared by the church for military use.
It took several hours to travel through the reddish-brown northern wilderness.
They would arrive at the encampment around noon or early afternoon, set up their base, and prepare for the night.
In the meantime, the plan was for the knights of the kingdom and the church to patrol the area and destroy the packs of wild dogs. There were no difficult instructions. The plan was simple and clear.
The covered wagon was to be driven in pairs.
Since it was just an exercise, the wagon only contained large items such as camping equipment.
Next to the line of carriages, the kingdom and church knights run side by side.
They would take care of the perimeter, so Christo and the others had nothing to do except take turns whipping the horses.
"What am I going to do in the future?"
Melvina, sitting next to Christo, repeated Christo's question.
Her hair, tied at the ends of her head, fluttered in the wind as she looked into the distance.
"As long as Christo-san doesn't abandon me, I'm Christo-san's wife."
“Then, is there anything you particularly want to do?”
"I can't think of any."
Christo looked at her holding the reins.
"Before the duel between Setanta and me, what did you plan to do? Isn't that what you wanted to do in the future?"
"Before, I was going to assist my brothers as much as I could, and when I could no longer be of help to them, I was going to leave home and become an adventurer."
“Adventurer? That's another crazy plan."
"Yes, I chose it by process of elimination. I couldn't get married, and I couldn't get a job in the church. Then the first thing I can think of is to work as a maid in a house somewhere."
"You said that before."
“Yes. But...... looking at the past records, those who chose to be tutors or maids usually committed suicide. If you are a woman who can't use the holy arts, or if you are a woman who was kicked out of the hero's house, you will be looked upon strangely in your new home, and you will end up being the target of attacks."
"I guess it's a narrow society."
Whether or not she can adapt to the environment there, including human relations, will be up to her, but it is not difficult to imagine what kind of character a person raised in the house of Lou would grow up to be, given the temperament of Setanta and the others.
The pride of being a member of the hero family and the aggressiveness fostered by living in close proximity to battle. It is impossible for her to blend in with the rest.
"So, you will become an adventurer who will be a lone wolf and also makes use of the education given to you by the Hero Family?"
"Yes. Even if I can't use the holy arts, I can make a living by taking on requests outside of combat."
"I hear that adventurers face the risk of death, and that even if they continue to work without dying, the payoff is minimal."
"Even so, if I'm alone, I'll be able to do something, I'm sure."
(You're optimistic......)
"Can't we get some land from Setanta?"
When Christo asked, Melvina smiled wryly and shook her head.
"My own mother will kick me out."
(Darkness even darker than Gwendolyn!)
He wanted to ask Melvina about her mother and why she had given birth to Melvina without aborting her, but it was not a good idea to gouge her wounds any further. As Christo was thinking about changing to another topic, Melvina looked at him with a soft smile.
"I am grateful to Christo-san."
"I haven't done anything worthy of your gratitude. I just wanted to marry you because I fell in love with you."
"It's not that one. Didn't you tell sister-in-law Patricia to come to our boarding house, right?"
"Come to think of it, I said that."
Patricia and he talked about it when he bought the rune magic book.
“I am glad that I was able to talk to sister-in-law Patricia after a long time. I had thought that I might cut off my sisters-in-law during my time at the academy, and that we might be separated for the rest of our lives. Christo-san was the one who connected us together."
"That's a big understatement."
"Christopher Söderholm-san."
Melvina slurred as if testing the taste of her food, then turned her sparkling ash blue eyes on Christo.
“I want to know more about you! What foods do you like and dislike? What are your hobbies, what are your special skills? What was your life like in the monastery before you came here?"
"If I tell you every detail of my past, there is a good chance you will become disillusioned with me."
"Eh!? What on earth have you been doing!?"
A sordid sex life with the nuns.
A play that trains a dumb country girl and raises her into a pervert.
That was about 90% of it.
Life―― no, a demon's life is thin.
"I prayed to the holy tree. Pray, sleep, wake up and pray again."
"Well, how pious! A life with nothing to be ashamed of, I suppose. Christo-san is not a playboy, right? I thought you were playing with girls. Because you're so used to it being mean to me."
"Hahahaha. That's not true. By the way, you can see the Blue Holy Tree very well today. It's a fine day."
"That's right."
Melvina glanced back.
The rear was completely covered with cloth, revealing the carriage behind and a huge blue tree towering over the mountains far to the south. The tree, which seemed to be transparent against the blue of the sky, stretched its countless leafless branches toward the sky.
It seemed as if it had its roots in the sky.
“Christo-san, do you know what is at the base of that holy tree?”
"Isn't there the head temple of the Holy Tree Religion on the mountain of that holy tree?"
"Yes. There is a cathedral of the church at the base of the holy tree. It is only open to the public for a limited time until halfway up the mountain, but the cathedral, which can be seen from there, is one of the ten most beautiful sights in the Kingdom of Yggdrasil."
Melvina continues.
“You are good at magic, right, Christo-san? If you are going to work in the field of civil engineering and construction in the future, it would not be a bad idea to take a look at the cathedral."
"Yeah. I'm interested in the architectural style of the Kingdom of Yggdrasil."
It will be helpful for him when he builds an administrative office in the future.
"Rumor has it that the original of the Holy Sword of Lou the Hero is kept at the head temple. I don't know which of the seven swords it is, or if it is really kept there in the first place, but..."
"The head temple would be well guarded. It would be reasonable to store the holy sword there. Maybe they have at least one?"
“If there really is one, I'd like to see the original sword. What does it look like? I wonder if it is very similar to the pseudo-holy sword as depicted in the illustrations of the book."
“I heard that the holy sword drops the seeds of the pseudo-holy sword. I'd like to see the holy sword produce the seeds."
"It's a very imaginative story. It's a world far away from ours."
"For the time being, I'm holding the seed of the holy sword, so it's not that far off."
“Speaking of which, will you hand over the seed to sister-in-law Gwendolyn?”
"No, I would never sell it to her."
"I feel bad for sister-in-law, but I think it's a wise decision."
Having said that much, Melvina looked at the sky ahead and raised her eyebrows a little.
A few gray clouds were peeking over the horizon.
Melvina says, "No. It might rain," and puts her hand on her cheek.
"Extracurricular activities may be canceled if it rains heavily."
"If it rains, the army won't retreat right away. They'll set up their tents, I'm sure. Ah, no. My socks will be soaked. The fire won't start right away, and we'll have to do indoor exercises to keep our body heat up!"
"I'll dry it with magic, so there's no need for that."
"Well... we'll warm up by huddling together, huh?"
Melvina blushes and glances at him.
Christo remembered that Gwendolyn had licked his lips, which had made him sexually aroused. Melvina did not mean it as an invitation, but rather as an invitation for them to get close to each other as if they were lovers.
Christo hugged Melvina's shoulder and whispered to her.
"I like, that."
“…….…………”
After shaking her body, Melvina timidly leans back.
The knight of the kingdom, who was riding alongside them, blatantly clicked his tongue and increased the speed of his horse.
× × ×
The group of Bina class horses was moving through the wilderness in a line.
There was one white shadow watching them from the top of a sheer cliff.
It was the figure of a person in white, magnificent full-body armor.
The man, who was called the [White Knight] by the elves, Gilsanas and the others, caught a dark-haired man flirting with a woman far below.
"Christopher Söderholm. The [Hero of the North] who uses magic."
The White Knight muttered, and with a jerk of its back, a huge white wing sprouted from his armor.
In the next instant, it took off into the open sky and stood still for a moment. Immediately the white wings caught the wind and began flying at super speed.
The White Knight's figure fades away, and a quiet, teasing voice reverberates behind.
"Are you an enemy of ours, or a reassuring ally?"
Tftc.
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