Chapter 57 (1/2)

No, that's not her. That's not the Soara I once knew.

Where is that sweet, soft, gentle girl?

When I was a burden to the party, she always encouraged me with patience, and when I was tired, she would gently make me tea.

Whenever I pushed myself too hard, she would take the initiative to help me heal my wounds.

She was the personification of a devotee to God.

I don't think this is because of the brainwashing's influence on her personality....

”You think because I'm a priestess I deserve to be treated like this! You're going to pay for this, you little son of a bitch!”

I am beginning to believe so.

Was Soara really like that?

She scratched her head and briskly sat on the other bed.

”That fool needs to be punished for what he did to me!”

”Soara.”

”Yes?”

”You're back to normal, aren't you?”

”Yes, all thanks to you, Toru.”

I'm afraid of Soara. A murderous smile appeared on her face.

I don't know how to respond, so I smiled back.

The black aura that formed around Soara caused Kaede and Frau to hide behind my back.

”It's very scary.”

”She's very dangerous, how did you manage to have been with her all this time?”

”She's usually a nice girl. Maybe the brainwashing made her react differently...”

Although I know that last part I said isn't all that believable.

Since Nei did not turn out like this.

Soara looked at Kaede and the others out of the corner of her eye.

”So those are your new partners - slaves?”

”It was inevitable. I went through times where I doubted everyone, and I had a hard time making friends.”

”...I see. There's nothing wrong with that, Toru.”

I was relieved when the tone of her voice returned to normal.

Soara stands up and stomps her right foot.

”It's all that little rat's fault! I can't believe he had that forbidden ability, the stupid welp, he makes my blood boil, aaaaah!”

”Are you hungry? Is that why you're cranky?”

”Thank you for your concern. But as strange as it sounds, I'm not hungry.”

”Just to be safe, let's eat, even if it's just a little. I'd like to talk to you calmly.”

Her cold face turns warm with a beautiful smile that lights up her face.

”Sounds good to me. Let's talk about how to get rid of that bastard.”

Soara was very scary.

She's more fearsome than any enemy I have ever fought.

”I see... So Toru was the Manyu Brigade.”

As she said that, she put her glass of sake down on the table.

There were a few bottles already opened.

I didn't know she was such a drinker.

”Thank you for helping Nei. I've always regretted not doing something. I don't know what I could have done to help her.”

”I'm sure she's back in town safe and sound by now.”

”It didn't seem like it, but she was always very fragile, I guess she wasn't as strong as I was.”

A sad expression appears on her face.

Nei and Soara were very close.

I'm sure you've had a lot of regrets up to this point because of the things that have happened.

”Nei was very worried about you.”

”I kept my true personality hidden since we were children. You see, my family is a family of priests, and I have been brought up in a way so as to be someone who is willing to help others without anything in return. But the result of all that education was the opposite.”

I think I remember some of that back when we were kids.

She had a very masculine look back then, and once hit Nei and made her cry.

I had forgotten because I was apart from them when I played. Soara had an aggressive personality as a child.

”What are you going to do now? If you have nowhere else to go, you can stay with me.

”I will have to abstain. I'm not qualified to be around you right now.”

”Qualified?! What do you mean?”

Suddenly she hit me on the head with an empty bottle, causing it to shatter and shards of glass to fall everywhere.

”I am not refusing your offer. There are many things I have to do, like praying for God's forgiveness, performing redemptive service, and to counteract the false love I was subjected to. I have to reaffirm my true love within me.”

”I don't understand what you're talking about.”

Don't hit me with a bottle again.

If this had been the Soara from a while back, she would have scolded me with a simple ”meh”.

Is it too soon to tell her I'm level 300?

”I'm calmer now thanks to Toru. I'm sorry you had to see me so miserable.”