Free Life ~Record of the Struggle of a Different World General Merchant~

"[Sanctuary]"

After stopping the carriage on the side of the street and setting the fire, the defensive junction is activated. The dimming summer sky, only for a moment, became crisp and bright.

I was invisible, but I did have the reassurance that I was' protected '. Now, unless Melissa's magic runs out or the junction is destroyed, no one hostile to us will be able to approach her.

I don't think anyone can break the boundaries of Melissa at the Kanst level. If there was such a guy, he'd be attacking me a long time ago.

And then, you can relax for a while. The fact that assassins with poisoned knives are regularly attacked is unsettling.

There is too much level difference between us and the assassins, so there is no danger. Even if he was stabbed, he only feels to the extent he was eaten by insects. Nevertheless, you can't get used to being hit with intent to kill forever.

"Well, you're a little tired."

Melissa seems the same. The Virgin, who sighed uncommonly, sat down by the burning fire looking like a hundred million bucks.

"Sit down, Takahiro? We only have one hour to get together, but we have time to eat slowly. And..."

Once the words were separated, Melissa lurked a little smile,

"We have time to talk about church."

I said.

"The church is a very scary place."

Bring the water to a boil on the fire, in a large mug, and add the tea with plenty of honey dissolved.

Breathed into it, and where he had singled and dusted, Melissa began to speak one thing at a time.

"On the table, though I spread God's teachings, treat injuries and illnesses, and give bread and soup to people who are hungry... behind me, I'm full of bad things"

"Bad things? Like what?"

"You think you can kill dignitaries like me, defiant of the church? On the contrary, you think I'm going to turn you into a puppet with drugs and skills? The therapeutic skills are like cutting off the arms and legs of people who have been exposed to them to see how far they can heal."

"Sara!? Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

"Yeah, I am. Didn't you know? If you think you need a church, you're exposing people, and you're involved in human trafficking. Some of the orphanages in Sacred Capital Servario are about to raise children for experimentation and sale."

"Seriously... no, but I've been to the Sacred Capital too, but it wasn't that dark, was it? All the children were smiling like they were at peace"

"That's right. Guys, I don't know until the time comes when I'll be turned into an experimental bench, or sold to an uncle like a pig, or an aunt. They were all fine, laughing? You were like an angel, weren't you? That's because a healthy body 'keeps' it longer in experiments, and an innocent one 'ukes' it."

Melissa grins and mouths tea.

By contrast, I couldn't afford a cup of tea, and I felt something soothing in the back of my throat.

- Children I saw in the Sacred Capital. Are some of them sold?

Thinking about it, it makes my mouth bitter.

"I was also raised as an experimental 'material'. You've already been raised to take care of that, haven't you? He was an unfamiliar child, but I have a Sister who loves me. I have a lot of family. That's what I thought, stretching and getting bigger. But it was Sister who offered me to the scared."

"It's..."

The words of the parties are, above all, convincing. That church couldn't have done something that cruel. I tried to say that, but in the end, I couldn't speak up.

"A big country like Easwind can't do a big thing either, because the tide is like religion for 'the strong'... but you know, if you go to a country with a strong religious color, 'personal testimony' or 'honorable sacrifice' is normal, right?

I find it strangely painful the words that Melissa says, as if they were nothing.

"In the plan to create an artificial Virgin, the orphans were consumed on a hundred basis... and because of all the other bad things they do in many places, they say there's not enough 'material'. Besides, the church has a real team. He wants a lot of soldiers."

"Soldiers? Soldiers, you mean Temple Knight?

"Yeah, I'm not. Soldiers specialized in assassinations, intelligence, sabotage. That's what's surrounding us now, and you were in the village during the day."

"What? [Radar] didn't hear anything."

"Of course you do."

Knock, drink up the tea, and the Virgin laughed and said.

"If they don't want to kill, they won't respond to [radar], will they?

"Soldiers who are implied and usually live as ordinary people. That's called 'grass'. The amazing thing about these people, anyway, is that they can't tell from the others until they have a signal. Directed near the target, turning into an assassin with one signal. I'm scared, this is"

Grabbing bread and cheese and drinking a second cup of tea, Melissa talks about the dark soldiers.

"You were in the village yesterday, too, which means' you'd be there 'to be exact. The church only has a wide range of activities, so there is one person in every village."

"Seriously...... well, if I stayed that way"

"Yeah. You were attacked by that person. So, if I pay you back, now you're surrounded by angry villagers. Because 'grass' is usually no different than others. Because it's tailored to play" The Good Public, "there's a lot of trust in the village and the city."

"I see. When I knocked him out, I said, 'There's no way he's going to attack people!' So, are the charges denied in their entirety? I don't think so."

"Yeah... I couldn't wait to"

For the first time here, Melissa gave me an expression other than a smile.

He has a distant eye with a grieving, reluctant, negative emotions complicated teasing look.

"Maybe you, you've been attacked by 'grass'?

Melissa nodded silently.

"Huh? Why? You've been in Granferia ever since you popped out of the dark, haven't you? When did you get the chance to be attacked by 'grass'... maybe you were in the city?

"Yeah, I'm not. Granferia really has a weak church influence and 'grass' is hard to work with. I wasn't, I was attacked long ago... at a time when I was doing a lot of bad things as a dark hand."

"Huh...?

I don't know more and more. Why would a man who works as a dark man be targeted by a dark man?

Besides, the opponent is a precious artificial Virgin. There's no way you'd bother to imitate a kanst-level handkerchief.

"Even artificial is the Virgin, isn't it? Didn't they take care of you?

"Yeah, I'm not. Those who had given me orders treated me like a 'thing', and those in other departments aimed my life out of jealousy."

"Jealous?"

"Yes, jealousy. Without the Artificial Virgin, the status of those who were manipulating me would be lowered. That's why all sorts of people came after my life."

... is that what you mean?

I see, I'm certainly jealous. If you denigrate the others, the idea of your position rising is nothing but jealousy.

"If you go outside the city for a mission, you'll be surrounded by assassins. If I stay in a village or town on my way, I get attacked by 'grass'. So I prefer Nojuku. Because demons and assassins are more heartbreaking to their opponents"

Melissa didn't kill the guys she attacked during the day. I just had the shock of passing out, and I just left him.

You look a little radical, but if you do a bad job, the fight will be prolonged. To not do so, it must be 'one blow must fall'.

"I had no companion. No one could count on the same level. Brave men don't save individuals. There is no Virgin, and High Elf does not come out of the woods. So I was always shrinking in [sanctuary]"

Melissa put the mug down and moved next to me.

Keep your hips down and bring them to my arms.

"So when I found Takahiro, I was really happy. There were people in the same situation. I had company, too, and I was so happy to jump, right?

"But that's..."

"Yeah, that was a mistake. But I'm glad I met Takahiro. I'm so glad to see someone on the same level."

I know what Melissa's trying to say.

I also had an overwhelming sense of loneliness when Lian and Yusuke were gone.

There's only one person in this world. I'm the only one from Earth, as well as' man 'who has reached the Kanst level.

Even adventurers and knights, in this world with an average level of 150, the level of 250 was too high. That's the difference between others and yourself, to the point where you become unanimously aware of it.

No, no, me and these people, something is different from the ground up. The difference between where I came from and, above all, the level, created loneliness in my mind.

And as it were, I was supposed to rot and disappear - but thanks to Yumiel, I managed not to cross the line.

Being born, racing, level, being 'buddy' with a completely different Yumiel helped me find a place.

Often, there's a guy who says, "I can live alone," but that's a mistake. Humans can't beat loneliness. Always somewhere, I want to connect with others.

So I asked for Yumiel, and I guess Melissa thought absurdly, "Me and Takahiro are buddies".

"Same level". Based only on that, Melissa has pressed to keep me company. Seems sincerely happy. But be desperate.

Originally, I guess I couldn't stand loneliness just because I lived a happy life. I knew exactly how Melissa felt because I did, too.

"I'm sorry. The truth is, it's been a long time since I've been afraid to go outside the city, so I had Takahiro follow me. I'm sorry I lied about 'I'll give you a rest'. I'm a bad boy too, aren't I? Sorry......"

So far, you've been nervous about this guy, and Melissa started to get some sleep as she brought it to me.

I guess some of them lost their magic in the maintenance of [Sanctuary]. The white peach Virgin slumped her head around my thighs as she slouched and went straight into easy sleep.

"... well, let me forgive you this time"

The Virgin, bent over, counts on me.

I asked about the situation, and Melissa told me I was one of them. Then I'll protect him to meet that expectation.

"Gu......!

There was a small groan, out of the darkness in the distance, which did not even reach the ignition lights.

Apparently, it was a bad hit. Now that we're doing well, I let [Sleep Needle] go into the dark without a sound.

Now, it seems to have worked. Keep going, I throw a sleeping needle twice, three times. Again, I didn't hear any groans or screams.

"Well, you know what?"

I kept shooting [Sleep Needle] at the approaching assassins as I stroked Melissa's head.

"Hehe! I'm so caught up, you Usnoro Virgin!

"Our church's 'grass'! He who has opened the village of Weiss for generations now for this moment!

"There is no longer an escape. Rest in peace and be called to God alone!

"Hey, I'm not sure what happened"

The next day, waiting for us to arrive in the next village were not the villagers who were eagerly awaiting the patrol's Sister - but all the 'grass' who suddenly increased their willingness to kill and attacked us.

"Usher!"

Surrounding me and Melissa getting out of the carriage, Grandma and Grandpa with bent hips are shaking their chains. On the contrary, he began to run in circles like a ninja.

Fast movement of a body bent almost at right angles, moving only the lower half at a tremendous speed. Looks like a ten-one crowd run, but in creepy ways, this one definitely wins.

"Heh heh heh...! Your destiny, now, is over!

Shiatsu's grandmother increasingly crooks her face and laughs at her garlic.

- What do we do, no, I want to go home.

Last night, I just decided, 'Melissa or so, I'll protect you,' but I'm dying to go home ferociously.

Oh, I want to go home. I want to go home and drink the soup Yumiel made. I have fish stock, I want tomato soup.

But I can't go home. Because... because!

"Nor, faithful who shouldn't. This needs' Osioki ', right?

"Stop it -!? What are you going to do with that pencil?

"Yeah? You don't have to do anything, Takahiro? It'll be over soon, so you need to rest."

"Shh, we shouldn't end this right away! Grandpa's hips, they don't bend that way!

When I return, who will stop the Artificial Virgin?

Even war has rules!? Just because you're a whore, you can't miss the abuse of the old people! I mean, if I missed it here, the aftertaste looks so bad!

"Aguaaaaaaaa!?

In less than a minute, the Church's 'grass' was wiped out, and they could not escape Melissa's smell.

They just keep crawling...

"Oh, you can't move. The tea bowl I prepared is going to slip away."

"Give me a tea bowl!? I can't believe you used a tea bowl like that! Oh, I'm trying to stop you!

The Virgin, who grins and puts on a firm face. Villagers fleeing with blue faces. And me desperately stopping Melissa's barbarity.

This battle of triplets was not yet going to be over......