* * *
The unknown time spent in darkness ended when a priest knocked on the door.
Since both Batista and I were still completely naked, we flinched in shock.
Is it already morning?
If anyone saw us like this, there’d be no way to deny that we’d spent the night tangled up in the temple.
Which… well, wouldn’t be wrong.
Still, I wanted to stay on good terms with the temple staff, so I scrambled to my feet.
I grabbed my clothes from the floor, shaking them out before putting them on.
Ugh, they were terribly wrinkled.
Oh well, adventurers always look a little rough.
Instead of opening the door, I slipped outside myself.
“……!”
It was Fer.
The moment he saw me, his eyes widened in shock, and he quickly covered his mouth.
Was I that much of a sight?
He even took a step back, as if trying to retreat.
“Uh… I came to call you for breakfast, but, um…”
“But?”
Fer fidgeted before lowering his head.
His fingers hesitantly pointed at my neck and shoulders.
“Engaging in… those kinds of acts in a sacred temple is a bit…”
Oh. Right.
I forgot I was wearing a sleeveless shirt.
Even I had to admit that the marks were glaringly obvious, making my attempt to act nonchalant feel ridiculous.
Batista had a habit of leaving marks.
Sometimes he sucked hard enough that it stung, but since I could tell he was at least trying to control his strength, I never made a fuss about it.
If he hadn’t held back, my collarbone might have shattered by now.
Well, it was a bit embarrassing, but I couldn’t let this affect my reputation.
Tricking an innocent priest?
“Oh, come on. A priest, jumping straight to that conclusion? Do you even know what these are?”
It’s nothing.
I even lifted my collar a bit more, deliberately revealing the scattered marks.
The sheer brazenness must have thrown him off because Fer’s eyes spun in confusion.
As if a priest would have much experience with love bites.
Besides, I had been wearing a coat yesterday.
Today, I’d just thrown on a sleeveless top, which must have made things confusing.
I’d just insist they were there before, but he hadn’t noticed!
“Wait… wasn’t I wrong? Then…?”
“What else would it be? I stayed at an inn on the way here, but because the place hadn’t had guests in a while, they weren’t maintaining it properly. Turns out, there were bedbugs.”
I scratched at my skin dramatically.
Sure enough, the gullible priest’s face instantly filled with sympathy.
“Oh no…! Do you need some ointment for it?”
“That’d be great, thanks.”
Not that I needed it.
“I didn’t realize and just jumped to conclusions… It’s just that, um, you and Brother Bati seem really close, so I thought maybe…”
Fer lowered his voice, embarrassed by his own assumption.
Well, the first part wasn’t a misunderstanding, but this one definitely was.
What exactly did he see to make him think that?
“No, no way! Absolutely not!”
“But you two do seem really close…”
“Not a chance. Do you know what would happen if I even thought about dating Batista? His fan club of adventurers would kill me on the spot.”
I waved my hands frantically.
Fer, still clueless about the gravity of what he had just said, simply tilted his head before hurrying off to fetch the ointment.
That little slip of his nearly gave me a heart attack… I trudged back inside the room.
I really wanted a shower.
“Batista, I’m gonna go wash u—huh?”
Ah. Ow.
Ow.
Pain shot through me.
There was no way some kind of trap had suddenly been installed in the room while I was gone.
Which meant, of course, that the culprit was Batista.
What the hell was bothering him?
The entire atmosphere in the room felt like it had turned into a chamber of knives.
Even walking felt like my skin was being sliced open.
It was impossible to keep a straight face.
“W-why are you so mad?”
“Shut up.”
But I was really in pain!
“Ugh—!”
I tried to keep quiet, but a groan slipped out.
If Batista’s killing intent had been any stronger, the thing spilling wouldn’t be my voice—it’d be my blood.
I already felt like I’d been cut several times over.
My skin prickled like tiny beads of blood were rising to the surface.
Curling in on myself, I shivered as Batista clicked his tongue.
The sheer disdain in his voice was definitely not a positive reaction, but right now, it almost made me emotional.
Because, thankfully, his sharp aura had softened—just a little.
My whole body still ached like I was being crushed, but it was bearable.
I exhaled a long breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.
Seriously, what set him off?
Weren’t we in a good mood just a little while ago?
Or was I the only one who thought so?
But allowing someone to use their first name… that usually meant the relationship was good, right?
I wanted to ask what I did wrong, but since he’d already told me to shut up, I hesitated.
While I stood there at a loss, Batista remained silent, simply glaring at me coldly.
The summer heat outside was almost unbearable, but somehow, the air around us felt frigid.
And then, poor Fer, who had just come back with the ointment, took one look at the situation and immediately fled.
‘I wanna run away too…’
But that wouldn’t solve anything, would it?
If anything, it might just make things worse.
No, I had to ask, even if it only made him angrier.
I had no clue what was bothering him, so there was no other option. Just as I hesitated to speak—
“I’m leaving.”
“Already?”
I hadn’t even heard anything about the wandering knight yet!
Batista had no intention of telling me himself, so I needed to dig up even the smallest clue.
He said he’d be staying here for a few days!
I even paid extra for the accommodations on purpose!
I didn’t want to go against the hero’s will, but this was urgent for me too, so I had to protest.
“But I want to stay a little longer…!”
“Then stay by yourself.”
Ugh.
Well… technically, Batista not being here would make it easier for me to investigate.
It was hard to snoop around for information on someone when that very person was watching you.
Still, who in their right mind would cheerfully say, ‘Oh, okay! See you later!’ in this situation?
Only someone who wanted to ruin their relationship would do that.
Was he really telling me to stay here alone with the atmosphere like this?
“Oh, come on. What’s the point in that? I came all the way to your temple because I was interested in you. Obviously, I’d rather be with you.”
“……”
“I mean, I dragged you here even though you’re busy dealing with rampaging monsters. Who knows when I’ll ever get a chance like this again? That’s why I don’t want to waste it.”
I put on my best pleading act.
Slowly, the sharp aura swirling around Batista weakened—just a little.
Thank god.
I’m not sure how much better things have gotten, but just knowing there’s been some improvement is reassuring.
It means that if I try harder, I can make him feel even better.
“If you want to go back, I’ll take you back right away.”
For now, I should keep coaxing him.
“It’s not like you have any fond memories of this place anyway. And honestly, I don’t want to stay here if it means forcing you to endure something unpleasant. What matters most to me is how you feel.”
That part was sincere, too.
* * *
