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*“I see,”* Tatsumi thought to himself. *“So this is what he wanted to discuss with me about.”*

No matter how much the Savaiv Church or the Kingdom of Largovere tried to sweep the incident under the rug, if Tatsumi—the person directly involved—went around spreading the word all over town, the news would spread like wildfire.

Of course, Tatsumi had no intention of doing such a thing, but from the perspective of people who didn’t know him well, they probably wanted to put him on notice before he did something reckless.

As for Tatsumi, if Giuseppe simply said it was to preserve the reputation of the Church or the kingdom, he would have been angry, but if since he said it was to prevent panic from spreading among the general public, that was still within the realm of what he could accept.

“…May I ask you something?”
“What is it?”
“The specter that possessed Baldio-san and Morgan-san this time—do all specters possess that much power?”

It possessed figures like Baldio and Morgana with ease and withstood Calcedonia’s Exorcism multiple times. If all specters possess that much power, then specters are truly terrifying beings.

“Well, I haven’t actually faced this specter directly and I’ve only heard the reports, so I can’t say for certain, but this particular specimen was likely one of the most powerful among specters.”

Normally, specters avoid possessing humans.

It is true that humans harbor the greatest desires of any living creature, but humans also possess magic—a technique effective even against the incorporeal specter. For that reason, ordinary specters do not even approach humans.

Furthermore, there aren’t many specters to begin with. Of those few, only the ones that possess wild animals and gradually accumulate power until they reach a certain threshold end up possessing humans.

Given these conditions, when a human is transformed into a fiend, it often results in a catastrophe. Considering all this, the specter they encountered this time was clearly no ordinary one.

And above all, there was the fact that it had withstood Calcedonia’s Exorcism multiple times. No specter had ever survived Calcedonia’s Exorcism before.

Therefore, Giuseppe concluded that this specter must be a particularly powerful specimen even among specters.

“It is said that when a specter becomes powerful, it gains the ability to amplify small desires or distort pure emotions. And the specter feeds on those swollen desires and distorted emotions. Well, all of this is just speculation based on past examples. After all, no one has ever had a calm conversation with a specter before.”
“Then… are you saying that neither Morgan-san nor Baldio-san was at fault in this incident?”
“I can’t say for certain whether they were entirely blameless. After all, every human lives with desires, to a greater or lesser extent. However, it’s also true that they were up against a formidable opponent in this incident.”
“I see… If so, then I will accept your request, Giuseppe-san.”

Even if Tatsumi were to make a fuss here, the higher-ups in the Church—besides Giuseppe—and the Kingdom’s leadership would only come to view him as a dangerous individual. If that happened, in the worst-case scenario, they might even send an assassin after him.

Admittedly, an assassin might be overthinking it, but he can’t say the possibility is zero.

Besides, since Giuseppe—who has been so kind to him—was bowing his head this low, there’s no way Tatsumi could possibly take a hard line.

“Are you sure? No, we’ve caused you trouble right from the moment we summoned you here. Do you have any demands regarding this matter?”

*“Basically hush money, huh?”* Tatsumi thought to himself with a wry smile.

“No, not really.”
“W-what!?”

At Tatsumi’s reply, Giuseppe’s eyes widened in surprise.

If this were modern-day Japan, and the incident was a traffic accident, one would normally demand medical expenses or compensation for pain and suffering. But medical expenses—or rather, the recovery magic—were covered by Calcedonia, so there’s no charge for that. As for compensation, not only is Tatsumi not asking for that, but Giuseppe and Calcedonia are even taking care of his living expenses. What more could he possibly ask for?

If this were a more “adult” scenario, a demand like, “Hehe, then hand over your granddaughter’s body in exchange,” might be the trope. But even if Tatsumi were to make such a demand, Giuseppe and Calcedonia would gladly comply. Or rather, he feels like this was already the case.

And obviously, Tatsumi was never one to ask such a demand.

“S-Sonny… after everything you’ve been through, you don’t intend to make any demands…?”
“No, Giuseppe-san. You and Chiiko have been so kind to me… I can’t possibly ask for anything more selfish than that.”

Here was a man of stature comparable to a king bowing his head. What more could one possibly ask for? However, perhaps this decision was far removed from the norms of this country, for Giuseppe seemed utterly astonished.

“You’re quite the man… ho ho ho, my, my, I’m truly amazed.”

His expression shifted from surprise to that of a child who’d found something amusing, and he wore his usual gentle smile.

.

“Master, Grandfather. I’ve brought Morgan.”

Following the sound of a knock on the parlor door, Calcedonia’s voice came from the other side.

Giuseppe waited until Tatsumi nodded, then called out to the two people behind the door, inviting them to enter.

Caledonia entered first. Behind her followed Morganaik, his head slightly bowed.

Today, he was not wearing his soldier priest armor, nor even his priestly robes—instead, he was dressed in the plain, everyday clothes one might see on the streets. Tatsumi, who had only ever seen him in armor, felt a bit out of place, yet also somewhat refreshed by the sight.

“Lord Tatsumi…”

Having stepped into the room, Morganaik called out Tatsumi’s name with a serious expression. He approached the bed where Tatsumi lay and knelt down.

“Regarding this incident… I’ve caused you to suffer a grave injury all due to my own shortcomings…I am truly sorry.”

Tatsumi silently stared at Morganaik, who kept his head bowed, but suddenly realized something and spoke up.

“…Are you…planning to leave the temple, Morgan-san? And not just as a traveling priest like Baldio-san, but that you intend to resign as a priest altogether…?”
“Why do you think that?”

Morganaik raised his head and asked in return, his expression still serious.

“Today you’re not wearing your usual soldier priest armor, and instead wearing just ordinary clothes. Doesn’t that mean you’ve made up your mind to resign as a priest?”
“You’re quite perceptive, Lord Tatsumi. It seems my judgment really was clouded after all.”

Morganaik offered a somewhat restrained smile.

To be honest, Morganaik had held Tatsumi in rather low regard.

Morganaik had fought countless mabeasts and fiends over the years. When he looked at Tatsumi through the eyes of a warrior and a mage, he saw nothing exceptional in him.

But it seemed his eyes really hadn’t seen anything at all.

Tatsumi, whom he had thought ordinary, defeated him who had been bewitched by a specter and brilliantly exorcised the specter that had taken root within himself.

True, his fighting style was clumsy and clearly that of an amateur, yet Morganaik was defeated by that very amateur. No, he was saved by him.

Morganaik had also been informed that the truth behind this incident would not be made public.

He understood that this was the correct decision from a political standpoint. Yet, he himself could not accept that decision.

He had once been ensnared by the specter. And the one who saved him from that state was the boy standing right before him.

Tatsumi must have heard from Giuseppe about the political decisions made by the temple and the nation regarding this incident. And yet, despite the fact that one could say Morganaik is the one reaping the benefits of this situation, the boy neither scolds nor condemns him; he simply converses with him as if nothing were amiss.

Exactly. He is conversing with him as if nothing were amiss.

It is true that sins committed while possessed by the specter are not judged by the law. However, the people of this country—no, the people of this world—shun those who have once been possessed by the specter.

After all, once you are captivated by a specter, there is no telling when you might be captivated again.

A person who harbors such great desire as to be possessed by the specter simply cannot be trusted.

Perhaps the specter still lurks within their body.

Given such reasons, it is only natural that people would come to shun those who have once become monsters.

In extreme cases, some even express clear disgust simply at being near someone who has been possessed by a specter.

And yet, here was a boy who conversed with him face-to-face as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

It seemed that the boy, whom he had assumed to be ordinary, possessed a character far greater than Morganaik had anticipated.

In reality, Tatsumi simply didn’t understand this world’s disposition for specters and all those involving them, but Morganaik had no way of knowing that.

.

While Tatsumi was unconscious for several days, Morganaik had heard about him from Giuseppe and Calcedonia.

The “Boy in the Dreams” that Calcedonia had always spoken of so fondly. That was Tatsumi.

When he accepted a request to exorcise a specter and traveled with Calcedonia, she would always tell him about the “Boy in the Dreams”—whether they were walking toward their destination or camping out.

As he heard the story over and over again, Morganaik eventually realized that she had developed romantic feelings for the “Boy” in her dreams.

But Morganaik didn’t take it all that seriously.

After all, he was merely a figure who appeared in her dreams. No matter how much she might pine for such a thing, the time would eventually come when she’d wake up and turn her gaze toward reality.

Just like a girl infatuated with the idea of love. Or like someone who admires the protagonists in fairy tales or heroic legends.

He even found it somewhat endearing, thinking that this was a path every young girl must walk at least once.

When the time came for her eyes to turn from the “Boy in the Dreams” to a real man, he hoped that he would be reflected in her ruby-like eyes.

With that thought in mind, he continued to watch over her.

But.

But the “Boy in the Dreams” actually existed. No, Calcedonia had summoned him from another world.

He, too, knew full well that summoning magic was a legendary-class spell. And he was equally aware of Calcedonia’s prowess as a mage.

It was certainly possible that she could successfully perform a summoning ritual. No, in fact, she had successfully cast a legendary-class spell, and as a result, the “Boy in the Dreams” was standing right before them.

It was surely her feelings for the “Boy in the Dreams” that had summoned him to this world.

There was simply no room for him to come between them.

The “Boy” would never do anything to make Calcedonia unhappy. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have thrown himself in front of the sword he swung to protect her, without a thought for his own safety.

The feelings a man had long harbored for a woman. The end of that love was also one of the reasons he resolved to leave the temple.

.

“I see. If that is your decision, Morgan-san, then I have nothing more to say.”

Tatsumi gently extended his right hand toward Morganaik.

“Starting today, I too will aim to become an Exorcist. It will be a long time before I reach your level.. but someday, I will definitely become an exorcist capable of protecting Chiiko…Calcedonia.”
“I will no longer be a priest or an exorcist, but even so, as a simple mabeast hunter, I intend to do my best for the people suffering from fiends and specters. Perhaps… the day will come when we fight side by side somewhere.”
“Yes. I look forward to that day.”

Morganaik gripped Tatsumi’s hand firmly, then turned to Giuseppe and bowed his head.

“I’m sorry, Your Eminence. I know the Kingdom and the Temple wanted to protect me, but I simply cannot accept that.”
“So, you’ve come to that conclusion as well… No, I had a vague feeling that might be the case.”

Giuseppe stroked his long white beard and said, somewhat listlessly.

“Honestly, between you and Baldio, you’re all such honest souls. Very well. I’ll handle things smoothly with the Temple, the Kingdom, and the people. So do as you please.”
“Thank you. I am truly grateful for all the care you have shown me up until today.”

Morganaik raised her head and turned to look at Calcedonia.

“Calcie. I’ve done terrible things to you, too. I don’t expect you to forgive me, but let me at least say I’m sorry. I’m truly sorry.”
“It’s fine now. To be honest, I can’t forgive you either. After all, you hurt Master. …But if he decided not to say anything more, then I won’t say anything either.”
“…………I appreciate that.”

Smiling bitterly at Calcedonia, who even at a time like this prioritized Tatsumi over herself, Morganaik bowed his head to her once more.

Then, after giving a final bow to the three people in the room, the Free Knight quietly departed.

.

A few days later.

At a house a short distance from the Temple of Savaiv, several people were bustling in and out.

“Where should I put this, Tatsumi? What is it, anyway? I mean, I can tell it’s some kind of instrument, but…”
“That’s called a guitar—it’s an instrument from my country, Barse.”
“Huh, so you can play instruments too, Tatsumi?”
“Well, just a little.”

After exchanging a few friendly words, Barse carried the guitar he was holding and the other belongings into the designated room, then immediately headed outside to fetch the next load.

“Hey, Tatsumi! The furniture delivery guys brought the furniture you ordered, but which room should they put it in?”
“Wait a minute, Bogard-san! Chiiko, go help Bogard-san out there.”
“Got it.”

Smiling as she responded to Tatsumi’s instructions, Calcedonia, who had been cleaning up in the kitchen, hurried out the front door.

Instantly, cries of surprise rang out from outside the house.

“It’s… it’s really the Holy Maiden…!!”
“Whoa… t-this is the first time I’ve ever seen the Holy Maiden up close…!!”
“I-I want to move into this neighborhood…”

It seemed the laborers who had been carrying in the furniture were surprised to realize that the person who had come out of the house was the Holy Maiden.

Smiling and greeting the laborers, Calcedonia efficiently gave instructions and had them carry the furniture inside.

Watching this exchange with a wry smile, Tatsumi slowly looked around the interior of the house.

“So it really starts today…”

Gazing at his “house” as it gradually took on the appearance of a proper “home,” Tatsumi muttered softly.

That’s right.

Just as Tatsumi said, it was finally beginning today.

His life with Calcedonia, his new family.

Nearly ten days had passed since Tatsumi had been summoned by Calcedonia and arrived in this world.

But it would be fair to say that Tatsumi’s true life in this other world was just beginning today.

“Master? Is something wrong?”

Calcedonia asked with a puzzled look, seeing Tatsumi standing there, staring intently at the interior of the house.

As she tilted her head slightly, the stray strand of hair on top of her head swayed gently.

“Nothing. More importantly, is there something you need?”
“Ah, yes. Lord Sankeelay has come to pay his respects and see how the move is going.”
“I see. Baron Sankeelay did help us out with the house, so I should go say hello too.”

Tatsumi urged Calcedonia on and headed outside. There, he saw friends like Bogard and Barse, who were helping with the move.

“Let’s go, Chiiko.”
“Yes, Master.”

Tatsumi and Calcedonia smiled at each other and walked out into the bright sunlight.

***
Author’s note:

This concludes Volume 1.