PMEVBO 101

“You only heard what your brother did to me, but you didn’t hear what I did?”

“No, I heard.”

Aquila’s voice was flat. From that statement alone, I couldn’t tell what exactly he meant by “heard.” Was he referring to the incident that sent his twin brother, Atsula, into a divine power shock, or was he talking about the Hayut Massacre?

Well, come to think of it, even I don’t really know myself, so whatever.

I didn’t press the matter further and simply took the clerical robe Aquila had handed to me.

Given the circumstances, it seemed the original Lucariel had disliked clerical robes. So, since I’d possessed him, this was the first time I’d seen them up close and in such detail.

The design was much more form-fitting than I’d expected. But the fabric was stiff, so it probably didn’t feel very comfortable against the skin. Since I’m the type who can’t stand uncomfortable clothes either, I immediately understood why the original Lucariel hated the clerical robes.

But.

You crazy bastard. Even so, a cleric burning his own robes is going too far.

Apparently, the rule was not to wear a separate shirt under the clerical robes. Aquila, who had been stripped of his robe by me, wasn’t wearing a single thread on his upper body. So I naturally began unbuttoning my own shirt. It was just as I was about to undo the second button.

“Ah.”

…Hickeys.

Kiss marks accumulated over the past three days were scattered all over his body.

I hesitated for a moment, then looked at Aquila and said,

“…Turn around.”

“Alright.”

Aquila turned around without a word. It was a relief, but I was also a bit shocked.

Why is that guy so unguarded……?

What if I told him to turn around just so I could attack him from behind?

As I put on the clerical robe, I found myself unconsciously looking at Aquila’s back. Even at a glance, Aquila had a great physique. He was slim overall, but his dense muscles showed he’d been training hard.

My original body… I mean, his body type was roughly similar to the one I had before the possession.

Unfortunately, my body back when I was Kang Je-in had a constitution that didn’t gain muscle easily. Even though I’d started taekwondo as a child, competed in tournaments, and even majored in it. No matter how much I lifted weights or focused on protein supplements, I always failed to bulk up enough to move up a weight class.

Eventually, even my coach tried to talk me out of it.

He said that if I just bulked up without building muscle, my feet would just get heavier.

I remember following my coach’s advice because I didn’t want to ruin the kicking-focused style I’d built up until then.

Since Aquila was taller and more muscular than Lucariel, the robe was a bit loose on me. It might have looked funny seeing me in clothes that didn’t fit, but for someone like me who hates feeling constricted, it was a good thing.

“I’m all dressed. Here.”

I handed him the shirt I’d been wearing just a moment ago. It was the pajamas the guards wore while on duty, but to the eye, it looked like an ordinary shirt. I figured it wouldn’t be a big problem even if Aquila wore it.

Aquila accepted the shirt without hesitation and thanked me. It had been too loose for me, but fortunately, it fit him more or less.

“Since you need a clerical robe, I guess you’ll be staying at the castle for the time being? In that case, you should at least cover up your hair color.”

As he said that, Aquila reached behind my back. I reflexively grabbed his wrist.

“What are you doing?”

Aquila gave an awkward smile, looking embarrassed by my reaction.

“I was just trying to get the hood out. Sorry if that bothered you.”

“Ah….”

Only then did I let go of his hand. Just as Aquila was about to quietly withdraw his hand, I turned around and said,

“What are you doing?”

“Huh?”

“……Take it out. The hood.”

“Huh?”

Judging by the fact that he’d reached behind my back, the hood must have been stored there somewhere, but I couldn’t find it no matter how hard I looked. To begin with, I didn’t even know there was a hood when I put on the clerical robe.

…If I’d known, I would’ve just put it on myself.

Once again, Aquila obediently pulled out the hood. Then he even went so far as to put it on my head himself. Why is he being so nice to someone who basically robbed him of his robe? No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t believe he was a twin of that bastard Atsula.

“All done.”

“…Thank you .”

I offered my thanks with my back turned to him.

Soon, I heard a stifled chuckle coming from behind me. Curious, I turned around immediately and saw Aquila trying to hold back his laughter. The sight of his big glasses dangling above the hand covering his face was pathetic.

He took a deep breath before speaking.

“Lucariel, why have you gotten so docile?”

Even as he took off his smudged glasses and wiped them on his shirt sleeve, Aquila kept chuckling.

“I’ve really seen it all now. To actually hear you say ‘thank you.’ I used to get nothing but complaints even after writing your your scripture punishments for you for you…”

“Dcripture punishments for you” that must refer to copying passages from the holy book. I furrowed my brow and asked.

“…Did I ever make you do that?”

No, I’m not some kind of bully who makes others do my homework for me…

But Aquila shook his head.

“No, you just didn’t do it. You never once did the assignments I gave you.”

“The assignments you gave me…?”

I didn’t understand what he was saying, so I just stared at him. Aquila put his glasses back on and laughed as if he couldn’t believe it.

“What’s wrong, Lucariel? Don’t you remember? I was your mentor priest back when you were an apprentice.”

Ah, I had no idea they were that close… stolen content I suppose the original story didn’t cover that much detail.

I nodded, pretending I’d just remembered.

“…Ah, right. That’s true.”

Aquila’s expression was wistful, as if he were reminiscing about a fond memory.

“No matter how much I coaxed and pleaded with you, telling you that you had to submit a manuscript of the holy book to the higher-ups to complete your apprenticeship, you just wouldn’t listen… So I ended up writing it all myself and submitting it. Then you found out and hit me on the back.”

“……”

“That’s why I love winter. My back still feels warm from that hit.”

How could he laugh so carefree while telling a story about how he helped him become a priest by even doing his work, only to end up getting hit…? He was a funny guy.

I ended up chuckling. For some reason, it felt like meeting a friend I hadn’t seen in a long time.

***

“I heard the wine had run out at the main banquet hall, so I came up to the tower to bring some down.”

“……Oh, really?”

I replied as I followed behind Aquila. He was carrying two large wine barrels on his shoulders.

Bishops and higher wouldn’t be running errands for wine during a banquet, so is Aquila still just a priest?

No. If it were him, he might gladly do this kind of work even as a bishop…

When we emerged from the underground wine cellar and reached the first-floor lobby, Aquila turned around.

“It was nice seeing you after so long. Well, I’m off. …Don’t do anything too dangerous.”

“Yeah.”

I wanted to do the same, if I had my way.

For that to happen, though, three ginseng monsters would have to be gathered here in this tower, having a little get-together or something……

I had only one piece of information right now: that there were monsters somewhere in Chepony Castle. Until I captured all three and stored them in my inventory, I had no choice but to search the entire castle.

This was the least crowded spot in Chebpony Castle, even though a banquet was in full swing. Regardless of my disguise, going outside the tower was dangerous.

I should avoid the banquet hall, the place with the most people, as much as possible.

Unfortunately, I hadn’t spotted a single leaf on a ginseng monster’s head on my way up from the basement to the first-floor lobby. But it was too early to give up hope. I decided to search this tower first.

It was just then, as Aquila took a step toward the entrance, that it happened.

“Aquila.”

“Huh? Did you call me?”

Calling him to a halt was an entirely impulsive act. But even so, I knew exactly what I had to say. I lowered my gaze to the floor and began to speak.

“Thank you. For lending me the clerical robe, and for apologizing on my behalf.”

“……”

“And I’m sorry. …For turning your brother into what he is.”

Aquila, who had been standing there silently, spoke in a voice tinged with a smile.

“Thank you for saying that.”

When I looked up to meet his gaze, he was smiling as if a weight had been lifted. Seeing Aquila like that, my own heart felt a little lighter too.

After parting ways with Aquila, I quietly looked around the lobby. Candlesticks hung on the stone walls. But only a few of them had candles. The sporadically placed candles cast a dim glow on the old, grimy walls. I’d sensed it even back in the underground wine cellar, this tower really is rather shabby.

Was that why it felt unsettling?

Especially the stairs leading upstairs…… [stolen content]For some reason, I had absolutely no desire to head in that direction.