Chapter 79

Chapter 79

Workshop Life (4)

Amelia who shut herself in the room and saddened for a day came out to the living room the next morning in a disheveled state without even arranging her hair.

“Amelia, you came out.”

“Paulen...”

In Amelia’s eyes Paulen sitting on the living room sofa was visible.

Paulen smiled toward Amelia.

However Amelia could tell right away.

Not the usual refreshing smile but a smile made to forcefully hide negative emotions.

She could tell that the slime being kidnapped was a big shock not only to herself but also to Paulen.

Amelia sat beside Paulen.

A short silence continued then Amelia opened her mouth.

“I’m too powerless. Even when the lich took Budul I couldn’t do anything... Even though I’m a Saintess my holy law was easily blocked by the lich.”

“No. Amelia did her best. Rather the pathetic one is me. Clearly there must have been more I could do then. It was only watching.”

“No! Paulen was trying to protect me then. If I had a bit more strength. If I was strong enough for Paulen to believe in me and move...”

The two saying each other has no fault and blaming themselves shut their mouths again.

Right then Gracie came and said she also wants to find the slime, to take her along when going to the Holy City too.

Those words gave the two a big realization.

Staying still like this nothing gets resolved.

Now is the time to move in order to get the slime back.

Until Gracie who spent even shorter time with the slime than themselves spoke first doing nothing and just staying dejected felt too foolish.

“Gracie! Let’s go to the Holy City together! We must find Budul!”

“Gracie! Please take care of me from now on!”

“Yes? Ah. Yes, yep!”

Suddenly sending intense gazes of trust toward herself the flustered Gracie.

And a few days later, Gracie headed to the Holy City together with Amelia and Paulen.

Before leaving she returned to the house she lived in and explained the circumstances and conveyed the words of leaving for the Holy City.

The family worried saying not to overdo it too much, but at the words that support funds are hanging they supported saying they cheer Gracie with all their might.

As soon as arriving at the Holy City.

“Welcome, Saintess Amelia, Paladin Paulen. The high priests and Saintess Fresia are waiting.”

Holy knights were waiting for the two.

The news that a lich appeared was conveyed to the Holy City the fastest.

Therefore at the Holy City they were waiting for the two to hear more detailed circumstances.

“Who is the person behind?”

“Mage Gracie who was at the scene with us. She plans to attend as a witness.”

“Understood.”

Gracie also followed the two and moved to the conference room where the high priests and Saintess Fresia were waiting.

The gazes of the 8 high priests at the great church and Saintess Fresia who early defeated the calamity black dragon turned toward the three.

“We heard the news, Saintess Amelia. Paladin Paulen. Please tell the detailed story.”

“Understood. Then I will speak representing.”

Paulen explained the circumstances of the incident toward the high priests and Fresia.

First upon seeing the slime’s peculiarity the accompanying mage Gracie requested a paper proposal.

After accepting the proposal, the draft of the paper was completed and confirmed by the Magic Tower Lord Brooks Besilja.

The Magic Tower Lord also had interest arise and said he wants to know the slime more in detail.

Thus during the process of the Magic Tower Lord confirming the slime a magic accident almost happened.

Right then.

“A lich appeared.”

After the lich completely destroyed the barrier for safety and the magic circle, mentioning it has amazing mana it took interest in the slime.

It picked a fault at the Magic Tower Lord saying it doesn’t like the beard and shot magic and eliminated the beard.

And disappeared taking the slime.

After hearing all the circumstances, a short silence flowed in the conference room.

“Paladin Paulen.”

The first to break the silence was High Priest David.

“Did the lich really only do that much and withdraw? There were no particular words toward you or the Saintess?”

“Yes. It only mentioned that it followed the amazing mana and was unexpected that the Saintess and Paladin were there.”

“Heo...”

“How can that be.”

“Is it really a lich?”

The high priests were flustered.

That was because a lich just passed by even after seeing the Saintess and Paladin!

A lich is strictly undead.

If undead what is it?

The general term for existences most hostile to the church and existences that can be said to be natural enemies.

But such an undead.

Moreover an undead that can be said to be the fallen end of a mage that speaks human language didn’t show a dramatic reaction upon seeing the Saintess and Paladin?

It was a matter that doesn’t make sense by common sense.

If it makes sense.

“Don’t tell me that lich judged that a mere Saintess is not even its opponent.”

“Is there such a powerful lich?”

“But if not that there is no reason to show such a reaction...”

“Saintess Amelia, how was the guy’s aura! Was it that overwhelming!”

At the high priest’s question Amelia recalled the time and opened her mouth.

“Clearly it was a intense death aura to the point of feeling for the first time. But up to the specific strength... I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s not something for the Saintess to apologize for.”

“There are limits to just seeing with the eyes.”

“Was there no matter that could gauge the guy’s strength otherwise?”

“...I shot a holy sword at the lich but it was easily blocked.”

“To the point of easily bouncing the Saintess’s holy sword.”

“A lich is a lich.”

No matter how Amelia is a Saintess with almost no real combat experience, the high priests knew what kind of Saintess Amelia is.

A Saintess who has low self-esteem and is reluctant to go outside except for regular duties, but even so doesn’t neglect effort.

And a Saintess who exerts holy power befitting the name of Saintess and holy law that can contain that holy power.

The fact that such Amelia’s holy law holy sword was blocked was evidence of a powerful lich from the start.

While the high priests were conversing with each other Saintess Fresia gently raised her hand and the high priests’ conversation was cut off.

“Amelia, Paladin Paulen. First could you tell what the lich’s appearance was like? I think confirmation is needed whether it’s the same as the lich that appeared before or has other characteristics.”

“Y, yes! Saintess Fresia! That is...”

Amelia immediately tried to recall the lich’s appearance from memory.

“First it was wearing a robe... skeleton head...”

Even if wanting to recall as detailed as possible in terms of time it’s a month ago.

Rather trying to recall in detail without being wrong Amelia’s answer couldn’t help but be delayed.

At that time Gracie who had been silent until now raised her hand and said.

“Th, there. I remember the appearance well. If you give paper and pen I can draw the lich’s appearance right away.”

“Is that really true?”

“Hey, hurry and bring pen and paper.”

“Understood.”

A short while later, the believer who left the conference room entered the conference room with paper and pen and handed them to Gracie.

Gracie immediately started drawing the lich in her memory.

The lich that took away the evidence of her paper.

Gracie hadn’t forgotten that appearance of the lich that took away the support funds that feed the family.

Also as a mage drawing magic circles is everyday so Gracie’s drawing skill was considerably good.

Swish swish.

Gracie drawing the picture quickly with paper against the conference room desk.

A few minutes later, the montage of the lich capturing only the characteristics as much as possible was completed.

“Completed!”

Gracie held up the montage she drew so everyone could see well.

“Right! It looked like this!”

“It looks exactly the same.”

Amelia and Paulen also looking at the montage Gracie drew vividly recalled the lich’s appearance witnessed a month ago.

A blue robe that looks like a long time has passed.

In the place where the eyeballs should be a gaze like blue flames.

A skeleton with a crude head ornament that looks like a crown on the head.

It was unmistakably the lich seen a month ago.

“This is the lich...”

“It really looks evil.”

The high priests frowned looking at the montage and held wariness.

“...”

However Saintess Fresia was opening her eyes wide and surprised looking at the lich’s montage.

‘That is...!’

“Saintess Fresia? Why are you like that?”

“Yes? That. It’s nothing. I was also very surprised.”

“It’s natural for Saintess Fresia to be surprised.”

“Since a lich appeared after hundreds of years.”

“Look at that evil appearance. Even someone like Saintess Fresia being surprised is natural.”

The high priests didn’t particularly suspect Fresia’s reaction.

+++

Not long after Gracie drew the lich’s montage, the meeting was disbanded.

Amelia and Paulen, and Gracie who continued moving from the Magic Tower to the Holy City would need time to relieve the fatigue.

And the high priests also had to organize the duties they usually handle and prepare time for the full-scale meeting.

When the high priests returned to their respective duties, and the three who arrived at the Holy City were resting.

Saintess Fresia fell into a big worry in her room.

Fresia took out the lich’s montage brought from the conference room and looked at it.

Later, since they decided to copy with a magic tool what Gracie drew in more detail and distribute it the montage she could bring.

Fresia couldn’t take her eyes off the head ornament drawn in the montage.

‘This is...’

Fresia began retracing past memories.

The time when in the midst of the journey for the black dragon subjugation.

At that time when they had various experiences and became companions who could trust each other.

One night.

Everyone was surrounding the campfire and talking trivial talk.

“What are you planning to do after the subjugation ends?”

At the question of the human warrior who took the vanguard.

Later to be called the iron wall shield Aldor Meyer everyone answered.

The dwarf Cachal Demft later to be called the strong arm warrior snorted and said.

“Hmph, I’ll return to my hometown and look after the weapons of the guys hammering iron.”

Fresia who was called the healing Saintess even at the time smiled benevolently and said.

“I also want to return to my hometown the Holy City and extend a hand to those who need help.”

Nellin to be called the starlight shooter dug her ear with her little finger and said.

“All the same what. Have to return to the forest where grandma is, what can I do. Auh, already worried about hearing nagging.

And finally the human to be called the Heavenly Law mage.

Ventus Frail snickered and said.

“I also have to return to the Magic Tower. Now because of age it won’t work but... if it goes well I’ll become the Magic Tower Lord? Ah right, there’s something I thought of trying if I become the Magic Tower Lord? Take a look once.”

Ventus Frail used magic on the spot and made a head ornament and put it on his head.

“How is it? Doesn’t it have dignity befitting the Magic Tower Lord?”

“Puhahahaha! Dignity my ass! Only superficial! Aigo my stomach!”

Nellin clutched her stomach and burst into laughter.

“Nellin! Is it that funny!”

“What can I do if it’s funny!”

“Hmm, the design is a bit crude? Aren’t you embedding something like jewels?”

At Cachal Demft’s question Ventus turned his gaze.

“No, if I embed even jewels it looks somewhat like a crown so somehow it seems like it would be picked on by the royalty...”

“I have directly had an audience with His Majesty, but I don’t think you need to worry about that. His Majesty’s crown is not this crude and shabby. He won’t say anything just for embedding some jewels.”

“Aldor! I thought it with my best in my own way but saying it’s shabby is too much!”

“What can I do if it’s the truth?”

“Puhahahaha!”

“Nellin! Stop laughing!”

“Huhu.”

The memory of watching the noisy companions with a smile.

The memory of the time when her gaze particularly went to Ventus Frail whose face turned red.

The head ornament the lich wore was exactly the same as the head ornament Ventus Frail made in that memory.

Fresia stroked the picture with the head ornament drawn with her hand.

‘Ventus... don’t tell me is it you?’