PMEVBO 40

Breakfast and lunch would be porridge. Nothing beats porridge for a patient’s diet.

‘Even if he’s all better now, bleeding that much still makes him a patient.’

I simmered it slowly with chicken torn from the cook, perilla leaves and chives delivered fresh from the garden. When the ingredients had softened, I added beaten eggs to adjust the consistency.

Once it was all done, I realized this alone wouldn’t fill him up. So I made a full plate of ham and cheese toast too. Only then did I feel at ease.

First, I should go to the room, feed the kid, then go out and find Seriha… Huh?

That silhouette… Isn’t that Seriha?

On my way back from the kitchen to the room, I spotted a wild Seriha.

“Huh? …Lucariel!”

Seriha, who spotted me, ran cheerfully from the end of the hallway. He was smiling brightly. Even though he had a human face, I could almost see a tail bobbing up and down near his hips.

Wait, did I really run into him this easily…?

Only I felt embarrassed, I have been prepared to infiltrate the main residence to find Seriha.

Seriha, who had sprinted at full speed right up to me, grabbed his knees and panted heavily. His face, nicely tanned by the sun, was flushed red.

“We really… met again… in the duke’s castle…!”

But why is this guy so excited…?

I wanted to jump around with him, but I couldn’t because I was carrying a tray of food. Spilling it would get me punished.

“…Yes. You’ve been doing well?”

“Yes! Have you been well, Lucariel?”

“Uh, yes, I’ve been fine…”

Seriha was so intensely happy to see me that it made me seem like I wasn’t that thrilled to see him. If anything, I should be the one happier.

It’s not like he would fail a quest or anything just because he couldn’t meet me, right?

But something happened.

(5/15)

(6/15)

Did I just get a praise point for being happy to see him now?

What is he, some kindergarten kid greeting mom and dad? Why is this grown man so pure….

It felt like I was standing before a natural monument that needed to be cherished and preserved.

I opened my mouth a beat late.

“…Thanks for being happy to see me. I’m happy too.”

Seriha smiled brightly, dimples showing. His eyes, sparkling with such vivid joy it seemed almost tangible, were truly beautiful, like sunflowers.

I instinctively checked the status window. But the praise achievement status hadn’t changed from a moment ago.

Guess he doesn’t feel joy about everything after all.

At least he has a human side. That’s a relief.

“So Lucariel was from the Hayut Castle. ……You must have had a hard time handling duties with that injured finger.”

He seemed to have mistaken me for a servant of the duke’s household. ……My conscience pricked me, but I decided not to correct him. What if I told him honestly that I was actually a disgraced priest exiled to this annex, and he started avoiding me out of fear? If that happened, the praise quest and everything else would be over.

Come to think of it, I used the same tactic on Iser. Well, it didn’t work…

Iser had seen through my true identity from the start and, strangely, didn’t seem particularly afraid of me. But the person before me now was the official coward of the original story, Seriha. I had to be careful not to make the male lead run away crying.

Seriha’s gaze was fixed on my finger, injured in Gayae Forest. Looking at my finger with concern, Seriha reached out to me and said.

“Please give me the tray you’re holding. I’ll carry it for you.”

“Thanks. Well, it’s heavy, but could you hold this for me?”

I placed a couple of warm toasts, wrapped in paper for easy eating, into Seriha’s hands.

“And you don’t have to give it back.”

“Huh?”

He looked at me, flustered and unsure what to do. His clueless expression was so funny I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“It’s for you to eat.”

“Ah…”

“My hand’s already all better, thanks. I appreciate it.”

“I was so worried about you! I’m so glad!”

Seriha rubbed the tip of his nose and smiled shyly. Intuitively recognizing the reaction the original male protagonist showed when genuinely happy, I reflexively checked the status window.

(6/15)

(7/15)

The number of points increased by one.

…Is he really this happy just because a tiny scratch on someone else’s hand healed?

Even I, the owner of the hand, didn’t feel this happy about it…

“Um, so… does Lucariel mainly stay in this annex?”

“…Well, yes.”

After all, this is his place of exile.

“Actually, Duke Hayut designated this annex as the residence for our guild members.”

“What, really…?”

“Yes! So I’m delighted we’ll likely meet often while staying at the ducal castle.”

No, I’m the one who should be happy… Honestly, I couldn’t believe my luck.

But assigning the Tirovis merchants to the annex… that was very duke-like. In this world, all those engaged in commerce were commoners. So the duke didn’t want to give the main building, where he stayed, to commoner merchants.

Though Seriha is actually royalty.

Then again, a piece of trash like the duke probably didn’t know Seriha’s true identity. If he had, he would have tried to fleece this innocent person.

Unaware of my thoughts, Seriha still wore an excited expression. I asked him as he admired the toast I’d given him to eat as if it were some work of art.

“So, what were you doing here?”

“Ah, well… I was looking for someone.”

“Someone? Who?”

After a moment’s hesitation, Seriha opened his mouth resolutely.

“…I wish to meet the priest who is exiled here. Do you happen to know where his room is, Lucariel?”

No, how long has it been since I decided to hide my identity… Why must I face this trial…

His face was so earnest that I briefly wondered if there really was another exiled priest here besides me.

Come to think of it, he knows my name is Lucariel. But why doesn’t he know I’m that priest?

…Ah, right. Priests were usually addressed only by their middle names. Well, I suppose it’s understandable.

I feigned ignorance and asked.

“I know where he is… but why are you looking for that good-for-nothing?”

Seriha flinched at the word ‘good-for-nothing’. Apparently, calling someone a derogatory term like ‘good-for-nothing’ itself made him uncomfortable.

But he only pursed his lips, never uttering a single complaint. I chuckled softly and corrected myself.

“That person. Why are you looking for that person?”

Only then did Seriha’s stiff face relax. He really is a good-natured fool.

“I… wanted to borrow a holy book from him.”

Ah, so that’s why…

In the Levana Empire, holy books were quite expensive luxury items. Only royalty, nobles, clergy, and a very small number of commoners ever owned them. So, he probably figured the only person likely to have a holy book here in this annex was me, the priest.

“…Why borrow the holy book?”

“The duke has invited our guild to tonight’s banquet. But I don’t have a holy book to bring with me…”

“Ah, then you must borrow one.”

Bringing a holy book like a totem to a formal meal was basic etiquette in this world. It was to show respect to the Creator God who provided daily sustenance, as the original story stated.

Of course, I had never once brought a holy book to either of the two dinners the duke had invited me to. There was no need. Surprisingly, a priest could substitute for the holy book. Meaning, at a dinner attended by a priest, there was no need to bring a holy book.

“I have a holy book too. I’ll lend you mine.”

If it was simply to borrow a holy book to bring to the banquet, anyone’s would do. Besides, I happened to be the priest he was looking for.

But when Seriha heard my words, he looked distinctly flustered. His pretty eyes began to shook as if hit by an earthquake.

“That…”

“Ah, is that not good?”

“Yes… I’m sorry, after you went to all that trouble…”

Seriha looked dejected, as if he’d committed some grave sin.

No, why on earth is he so fixated on that scoundrel’s holy book…

To Seriha, the priest exiled in this annex must be nothing more than a complete stranger, a scoundrel. Why on earth would he try to borrow a holy book from such a guy? Is there something different about the holy book a priest possesses? I had no idea because I had been in possession of this body for some time without ever opening it.

I didn’t understand, but if he needed it that much, there was nothing I could do. I tilted my head to one side and asked.

“So, just bringing me the holy book is enough?”

“Huh? What do you mean….”

Seriha, who’d been avoiding my gaze, feeling guilty for rejecting my offer, suddenly turned his head up. Staring at his startled, deer-like face, I lied without a second thought.

“Wait here. I’ll go steal it for you.”

I meant my own holy book, of course. …Where did I put that thing again?