Citrine, who had turned red for some unknown reason, quickly composed herself and calmly assessed the situation.
Thanks to that, I was able to enjoy my favorite food to my heart’s content while everyone else was heading off to dreamland.
“Here, have some of this too, Lady Murmur!”
“Yum, yum yum… Citrine, I’m thirsty.”
“Of course! I’ve prepared something to drink as well!”
Citrine beamed as she handed me the cup I pointed to with my finger.
Before my eyes was a spread of various dishes on a silver tray.
A steak with a rich buttery aroma, a sandwich with freshly baked bread, jam, and cheese, and even a sweet fruit salad—it was nothing short of a feast.
“Gulp, gulp… Ahhh…”
So this is what it feels like to be freed from hunger.
I was so happy that I unconsciously rubbed my belly with both hands.
“If there’s anything else you’d like to eat, feel free to order anytime.”
Citrine’s butler, Balkan, with his strikingly white hair, bowed at a perfect 90-degree angle as he spoke to me.
Of course, it wasn’t Citrine who prepared the meal—it was Balkan.
The expression on his face when he hurriedly opened the door at Citrine’s call…
I shouldn’t say this, but it was a masterpiece.
“Murmur is fine now.”
“Even though I, Balkan, am nothing but a wolf with thinning fur, I will continue to serve Lady Murmur with all my heart and sincerity.”
Balkan, though not as much as me, must have anticipated what would happen today.
Me, Murmur, devouring Citrine.
He must have known that future all too well, which is why he looked at me with such a complicated gaze when we greeted each other at the tower’s entrance.
It’s no wonder he’s shedding tears of joy seeing Citrine unharmed, after having steeled himself for the possibility of her losing an arm or a leg.
“Balkan, really… I plan to become a beautiful bride, just as Lady Murmur wishes.”
“Truly… a most admirable promise.”
“Citrine is Murmur’s precious friend. So I won’t eat her.”
It was harder than I thought to resist the ‘hunger,’ but I succeeded in the end.
I, who thwarted the schemes of the twisted Colette and Lady Jepar, couldn’t possibly fail to resist mere hunger!
“Thank you, Lady Murmur.”
Balkan bowed once more and handed me a freshly made custard pudding.
“Yum, yum… Citrine, this is delicious. Here, have a bite.”
“Ah, it’s an honor!… Aah~”
I fed the pudding directly into Citrine’s mouth as she opened it with a happy expression.
Citrine immediately let out a cute snort and was overcome with happiness. It’s delicious even for an adult like me, so it must be even more so for Citrine.
Anyway, the date with Citrine, which I arrogantly thought would go well, did indeed go well.
“Citrine.”
I spoke as I took Citrine’s pale hand and interlaced our fingers.
“See over there?”
“…Are you talking about Capella?”
Citrine looked where I pointed with my right hand and asked.
Thanks to the glass walls, it was easy to point out Capella, as we could freely look around in all directions.
“Yeah, Murmur wants to talk about Capella.”
What will Citrine think of this story?
There’s bound to be some awkwardness.
I understand that well, which is why I lured her with the promise of a date.
“Feel free to speak comfortably, okay?”
“…Is it okay now?”
“Lady Murmur loves me, who was born to become a bride.”
Citrine interlaced her fingers with mine and met my gaze.
“The people of the Holy Nation still seem bad, and I want to oppose the plan to get close to the Saintess… but Lady Murmur has accomplished things I thought were impossible.”
“Yeah, Murmur is strong.”
“Oh~hohoho! If Lady Murmur says I can become friends with the Saintess, then I must put in the effort!”
Her mindset has completely changed.
“Don’t overdo it, okay?”
“There’s no need to overdo it! It’s a merchant’s virtue to smile and talk to even the most unpleasant people if it means making money!”
Citrine’s bright smile showed she was willing to do anything for me.
“Thank you, Citrine.”
I gently stroked the back of Citrine’s hand with my thumb.
“Ahem! So, Lady Murmur, why did you bring up Capella?”
“Murmur wants to go to Capella. Can you help?”
“Huh? I really dislike the people of the Holy Nation, but they don’t deny entry to demons, do they?”
Citrine’s right.
There’s no problem with knocking on the front door and saying hello.
They’ll look at me, a demon, with disdain, but it’s not a restricted area.
“Yeah, Murmur knows that. I’m going somewhere else with Citrine.”
“Capella’s…? The building where the believers live is near the Cathedral, right?”
“Mm, not there either. When you look at Capella, you see a big tower, right?”
Citrine narrowed her eyes slightly and nodded.
“Yes, I can see the tower emitting a white light even now.”
“Yeah, Murmur is going to sneak into the top of that tower.”
“As expected of Lady Murmur! What a splendid plan! Oh~hohoho! Planning to sneak into Capella? Truly, the twelfth voice is impressive!”
Citrine laughed brightly, her red eyebrows twitching.
“…Sneak in?”
“Yeah, sneak in.”
“The tower’s…?”
“Yeah, so I need Citrine’s help.”
“Y-you know that tower in Capella is where the Saintess lives, right?!”
Citrine stood up in shock and shouted.
“Yeah, I know. That’s why Murmur said you could become friends with the Saintess.”
“B-but, this is…!”
Citrine plopped back onto the sofa and rubbed her cheek against my shoulder.
“It’s a crime, isn’t it?!”
It’s okay, Citrine.
If we don’t get caught, there’s no problem!
* * *
The Saintess ‘Monica.’
The ‘Capella’ where she is confined is, in simple terms, a ‘church.’
There’s a chapel, a few believers live there, and religious events are held occasionally.
It’s a place where students of Cosmos Academy go for healing or simple blessings.
“Ugh… how does Lady Murmur know about this hidden path?”
The narrow path between the old trees was barely lit by the moonlight.
The moss underfoot muffled our footsteps, and only the occasional hoot of an owl could be heard.
It looked like a path no one had used in a long time, but it was actually a secret path used by certain people.
“I saw it yesterday at Celestial Tower.”
“T-that can’t be…”
Anyway, shall we continue the story about Capella?
The Capella at Cosmos Academy is a bit more special.
Because next to the chapel stands a tower about ten stories high.
“It’s really pretty.”
“Are you talking about the tower?”
“Yeah, Murmur thinks it’s pretty.”
The tower, made of pure white marble, seemed to glow under the moonlight.
The decorations at the spire looked like they were reaching for the stars, and the windows adorned with sacred patterns were lined up regularly.
At the top of the tower, there was one particularly large window, from which a faint light seeped out.
“It’s a beautiful tower to me too. And this hidden path is much more secretive than I expected.”
Of course. This isn’t just an ordinary hidden forest path.
Originally, you could only find out about it by completing a sub-quest during summer vacation.
It’s a quest where a nun from Capella asks you to find a precious item she lost. You search all over the place but can’t find it, and only on this hidden path leading to the tower do you finally find it. It’s a perfect trap quest for beginners to waste time.
“Ah, here it is.”
“A handkerchief? Is it yours, Lady Murmur?”
I picked up the handkerchief, dusted off the dirt, and kept it.
It’s best to keep it since that ‘nun’ isn’t an ordinary person either. It’s surprisingly impactful for a sub-quest, affecting your reputation later on.
“We’re here, Citrine.”
“Sigh… the moment has finally come.”
Citrine swallowed hard and wiped the sweat from her forehead.
The beautiful night sky was lit by the moon, and the twinkling stars blessed us.
“All the other believers must have returned to the Cathedral by now.”
“Well, their lodgings are there, so it’s only natural.”
‘Cathedral.’
This is a ‘very large church.’
Not just large—it’s enormous.
“But Citrine, do you know about the Cathedral?”
“Of course I do. Hmm… unlike Capella, it can treat serious illnesses, and it’s where blessings, rituals, and ceremonies are held.”
“Yeah, they also lift curses and accept new believers. You know a lot despite disliking it.”
“I also know there are lodgings for believers to sleep in! And they have a vegetable garden too.”
Originally, it’s where the bishop resides, so it’s only natural.
“I think it’s easier to sneak into Capella than the Cathedral.”
“…Neither the Cathedral nor Capella are places you should sneak into?!”
Citrine covered her mouth with both hands and shouted in a small voice.
But this is the fastest, easiest, and surest way to meet Monica.
“Citrine, did you bring what Murmur asked for?”
“Yes, I brought it just fine.”
Citrine reached into the pouch at her waist and pulled out part of a ladder with some effort.
“‘The Infinite Ladder,’ right?”
“Yeah, that’s it. We’re going to climb it.”
I pointed to the top of the ten-story tower with my finger.
“I’d love to say this is absolutely not okay… but I’ll do my best to help.”
Citrine took ‘The Infinite Ladder’ and attached it to the wall.
─ Clank! Thud! Rumble!
The ladder instantly began to extend ‘infinitely.’
“But Lady Murmur, climbing this entire ladder will be incredibly difficult.”
“It’s okay. Murmur will climb it smartly.”
I clapped my hands together to summon the earth and wind spirits.
─ Squish! Squash!
“Oh? Why did you summon Talorin?”
“If Murmur climbs the ladder, it’s bound to shake. Talorin will hold it steady.”
“Ah… I’ll do my best to hold it too!!”
“Okay, I’ll leave it to you, Citrine.”
The wind spirit, Zephyra, held my back as I grabbed the ladder with both hands.
Climbing it step by step would be too much.
I plan to use Zephyra’s wings to jump up about ten steps at a time.
“Then I’ll go up. Citrine!”
“Okay! Come back safely!”
Citrine shouted, holding the ladder tightly despite her anxiety.
There’s really no need to worry.
“Deep breath…!”
First jump.
Thanks to Zephyra’s wings, I leaped up effortlessly.
The scenery of the academy bathed in moonlight spread out below me.
Second jump.
The wind grew colder.
Citrine’s figure was now small in the distance.
Third jump.
The final leap.
Now the moon felt close.
The window where Monica is was just ahead.
“Hyah…!”
Thanks to Zephyra’s wings, I used the ladder as a stepping stone to quickly ascend.
This part is just like the game.
“Deep breath…!”
In an instant, I reached the tenth floor and placed my hands on the large window.
Beyond this window is the ‘Saintess’ Monica.
The Saintess confined in Capella.
A friend to share a joyful academy life with.
“Hello!”
I tapped on the glass with my horn.
“Nice to meet you?”
Beyond the window, as expected, stood Monica.
The moonlight illuminated her pink hair, and she wore a gentle smile as if she had been waiting for a friend for a long time.
That’s just how Monica is.
The Saintess has that kind of power.
“Did you come to kidnap me, Murmur?”
Monica asked with eyes full of anticipation.
“Yeah, Murmur came to kidnap you.”
I reached out toward the window.
To enjoy a fun night with the Saintess confined in the tower.
