A man and a woman, drenched in sweat, were rolling around in a flower garden.
It was chaos—utter madness—but understandable in a way.
Rubena had always been open-minded about such matters.
The problem lay in the fact that her partner was Bersia.
They had known each other for ten years.
Learning that Bersia’s thrill-seeking tendencies extended to outdoor activities was a rather shocking revelation.
And, as for anything else of note—yes, this was the first time Rubena had ever seen Bersia’s bare legs. Her skin was as white as snow, and the curve from her thighs to her ankles was so elegant that it could take anyone’s breath away.
Rubena couldn’t help but think, ‘If artists saw this, they’d burn with passion and insist on immortalizing it in their work.’ Even someone like Rubena, who harbored a deep dislike for Bersia, felt tempted to reach out and touch. That alone made further explanation unnecessary.
Well, anyway.
“Fine, we were sparring, and somehow I ended up falling over. Got it? Now can we stop?”
“Are you sure you understand what you’re saying? Really?”
“Ugh, this is getting annoying.”
Rubena’s expression twisted in irritation.
Usher pursed his lips.
At this point, he didn’t even have the energy to mock her for putting on an act.
He decided to interpret it as a love-struck misunderstanding or something along those lines.
Why not? While her sharp, calculating face was far from endearing, her escort was objectively a handsome man.
Rather than being rugged, his delicate facial features and tall, slender frame were a stark contrast to her own bald, brutish guard.
Not that she felt jealous of having a good-looking porter.
It might have been nice to have someone like that when traveling, but this was hardly the time for such thoughts.
Thud—
Rubena tossed a letter onto the tea table.
“What’s this?”
“What else? It’s an order.”
“An order?”
Rubena spoke irritably.
“We’re being sent on a covert mission. You and me.”
Honestly, there wasn’t a single thing she liked about this.
Rubena left.
Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, she didn’t bring up the earlier incident again.
Rather than truly believing him, it seemed more like she didn’t care, though her annoyance was evident.
The reason for her frustration was clear—the covert mission order.
“…The northeastern region, is it?”
“Yes, the area with many mines.”
“Indeed, it would make sense for cultists to be active there. It’s a place with many hidden tunnels.”
Even among the heretics Usher had hunted, many lived underground, digging burrows rather than staying exposed on the surface.
After all, who would conduct live experiments or sacrificial rituals out in the open?
Moreover, the cult’s numbers had reportedly grown, thanks to the witches’ uprising. They would have needed extensive tunnels to accommodate everyone.
Usher’s expression grew serious.
“There seems to be a high rate of disappearances among the locals. There are also strange rumors that can’t be explained by natural causes… And more importantly, a knight from the local branch was killed in an incident.”
“A knight of the fourth rank… Just recently graduated, but still something worth noting.”
“Could it simply be an accident or a personal grudge?”
“Unlikely. Look here—it says, ‘No visible wounds.'”
“And why is that significant?”
“Knights don’t die that cleanly.”
This was due to their combat prayers.
Even cadets, from the moment they began training, learned the “Prayer of the Warrior,” which temporarily dulled pain to enhance their endurance in battle.
It wasn’t hard to imagine what a knight’s combat scenario might look like.
When they died, it was usually after fighting to the point of being utterly destroyed.
The phrase “no visible wounds” was indeed unusual.
“An overwhelming ambush by a superior foe or the work of a cultist’s curse would be the most likely explanations. Considering the situation there, it’s probably the latter.”
“Hmm…”
“What’s bothering you?”
“No, it’s just… For someone who was supposedly ambushed, the knight didn’t seem to have many injuries.”
Usher tilted his head.
“Avoiding unnecessary injuries doesn’t mean fighting recklessly. Risking harm doesn’t mean deliberately taking hits, does it?”
“…Seriously, what’s bothering you?”
Bersia’s gaze was peculiar.
Usher narrowed his eyes.
Soon, an answer came.
“No, it’s just… this is the first time I’ve seen someone brag about themselves in such a roundabout way.”
“Pardon? I wasn’t boasting, though…”
It was simply that no opponent he’d faced thus far had posed such a challenge.
He tried to explain further, but Bersia changed the subject.
“Anyway, it’s a battle, right? Hmm, do you think I can handle it?”
“…I apologize to Sir Heisenberg, but we’ll have to rely on him.”
Usher felt guilty for leaving it to a senior knight to shield a junior, but there was no other choice.
Even if Bersia could handle a few aberrations with the help of combat prayers, her lack of combat experience made potential mistakes inevitable.
Moreover, Saturn Heisenberg, who was Rubena’s guard, was one of the top-ranked knights, known for his breakthrough power even among the elite.
As long as they secured the initiative, hundreds of cultists wouldn’t stand a chance against Saturn.
The bigger issue was always the same.
“…We mustn’t be discovered.”
“It should be fine. Rubena doesn’t seem to care one bit about my eccentricities.”
“You never know…”
Usher let out a deep sigh.
There were three days left until the covert mission.
During this time, Usher focused on training Bersia and improving his own stamina.
He also worked on a way to utilize combat prayers sealed by his limited divine power.
“Talismans, huh?”
“Yes. By pre-infusing them with divine power, I should be able to fight a few times using them.”
Talismans were a type of magical tool, embedding specific prayers into a medium that could be burned to activate them.
Though inefficient, the overwhelming output could compensate for the gap.
After finishing his preparations, Usher carefully placed the talismans in his pocket.
At that moment, he raised his head—
“Whoa! You startled me!”
“Hmm?”
“Why are you standing so close!”
Bersia had approached until they were nearly breathing the same air.
Her curious gaze soon turned playful.
“Did your heart skip a beat?”
“Of course not! I think you’re forgetting, but you’re borrowing my body right now! How could I possibly get flustered looking at my own face?”
Honestly.
He grumbled, taking a step back.
The flinch wasn’t without reason—he had recalled the incident in the garden a few days ago when they had fallen and ended up tangled together.
For some reason, a warm flush crept up his face.
Even as he dismissed it as nothing special, the vivid memory of Bersia’s furrowed brow and the sensation of her sweat dripping onto him remained unnervingly clear.
Shaking off the thoughts, Usher stood up.
It was time to head to the rendezvous point.
Bersia chuckled softly and stood beside him.
Then, as if remembering something, she let out a small “Ah.”
“By the way…”
“If you’re going to spout nonsense, don’t. I’m really not going to listen anymore.”
“How irreverent you’ve become. Still, I’m technically of age.”
“And I’m the adult right now.”
He had to adopt a certain level of shamelessness.
Otherwise, in front of Rubena and Saturn, he might slip up and call her “Saintess,” which would undoubtedly lead to catastrophic embarrassment.
Bersia let out a faint laugh.
“Anyway, it’s not nonsense this time.”
“…Then go ahead.”
“When we leave, you’ll have to bathe on your own, won’t you?”
Flinch—!
“So, you’re finally acknowledging it. My body.”
Usher frowned and glared at Bersia, who responded with a sly smile.
No matter how many times he saw it, he could never get used to seeing such a seductive expression on his own face.
Was it her personality that was the issue?
Regardless, it was clear now—there was no avoiding what he had been putting off for far too long.
The thought alone was embarrassing, but that didn’t mean he could simply avoid it.
A filthy saintess who didn’t bathe? That wasn’t just a personal issue for Bersia; it was something that could tarnish the entire church’s image.
So, Usher had made up his mind.
For the past few days, he’d kept his eyes half-closed, observing how Darlin bathed his body.
Even if it was just a silhouette, he now had a clear idea of what Bersia’s bare body looked like.
The guilt was unavoidable.
Clearing his throat with an awkward cough, Usher spoke with a reddened face.
“…Don’t worry. I’ll make sure not to look too closely. I’ve figured out a way.”
“I wasn’t worried, though.”
“…Could you at least pretend to be?”
“But you’re a knight, aren’t you? Aren’t you supposed to be bold?”
“…?”
Usher’s eyes sharpened.
Bersia chuckled.
“It just means I trust you that much. If you’re worried, let me know—I can bathe you myself.”
He couldn’t let himself get dragged into this.
Suppressing the retort that almost escaped, Usher turned his head sharply and walked away.
The destination: the rendezvous point at the church’s north gate.
There, Rubena stood with her arms crossed, dressed in a casual outing dress, while Saturn, clad in leather armor, stood silently nearby.
Since it was a covert mission, they had disguised themselves to avoid being recognized as members of the church.
As they walked, Usher’s brows furrowed.
Saturn’s head reflected the sunlight like a mirror.
Bersia whispered, “It amazes me every time. Does he have a special scalp care routine? It shines more than other bald heads.”
“It’s not that. It’s because of his vision technique. And don’t say things like that in front of him.”
“I know, but I’m curious. What kind of vision technique makes your scalp glow?”
…Could this journey really be okay?
“Hey! What are you dawdling for? Get over here!”
Rubena shouted irritably.
Usher quickened his steps.
Once they reached the carriage, Rubena gave Usher a once-over and asked, “You’re planning to walk around in that robe?”
“…”
“You haven’t forgotten what your role is, have you?”
Right.
Even Usher had been assigned a role for this covert operation.
Usher and Rubena were to pose as the daughters of a merchant coming to purchase precious metals from the mining town. Bersia, meanwhile, would play the role of Usher’s fiancée.
And Saturn would act as their servant.
Reluctantly, Usher began removing his robe.
His movements were full of embarrassment, his red earlobes revealing his inner turmoil.
Underneath was a clearly feminine outfit.
A white blouse paired with a navy skirt that fell to mid-calf.
The thin fabric accentuated Bersia’s feminine curves.
Usher couldn’t calm his racing heart.
As Rubena’s scrutinizing gaze swept up and down, he instinctively shrank back, his hands fidgeting and his eyes fixed on the ground.
Bersia teased nonchalantly, “You look beautiful, Saintess.”
“…Please stop.”
The way she even adjusted her tone in front of Rubena made it all the more humiliating.
Rubena shot a disgusted glance at Usher and said, “Let’s just get going. You two ride in the back carriage. I don’t want to witness any of your disgusting antics.”
“We—we wouldn’t—”
“Fix that lovesick expression first before making excuses. It’s honestly nauseating.”
Thud—
A metaphorical dagger lodged itself in Usher’s chest.
He froze in shock, while Rubena climbed into the carriage without a second glance.
With a sharp neigh, her carriage set off.
Bersia poked Usher in the side and said, “Shall we go too?”
“……”
“Oh, by the way, what should I call you from now on? ‘Lady’ doesn’t fit since you’re not a noble, and ‘Miss’ feels too hierarchical. Hmm…”
Usher’s heart ached.
It felt like he had no allies.
This covert mission wasn’t off to an easy start.