Chapter 41 : That Girl is Really Cunning, You Know?

The Serpent Archipelago is a cluster of islands located in the southeastern part of the continent.

As the name suggests, the shape of the archipelago on the map resembles a serpent, which is an appropriate name, especially since serpents actually live in the area.

Another noteworthy feature is that the residents of the islands are pirates.

This was a natural occurrence.

The geographical location, difficult to approach from the mainland, made it an ideal hideout for criminals.

Since the only thing criminals could do in such a place was plot crimes, the rise of pirates was inevitable.

The neighboring port city of Whitten sees numerous goods moving along the sea routes.

Pirates would plunder these trade goods to make a living.

The current mission was to investigate these pirates.

Connections to heretics were suspected… No, it was confirmed.

Depending on the situation, it might be necessary to eliminate both the heretics and the pirates, effectively erasing the archipelago.

This was a serious mission, which is why Judith was concerned.

“oto…!”

They had arrived in Whitten.

When Bersia(Usher)stepped off the carriage, she marveled and looked out toward the sea.

Her wide-open eyes, with the breeze lightly brushing her cheek, gave her a fresh, beautiful aura. Her pale blue hair and eyes matched the deep blue sea, creating a serene and clear atmosphere.

Her white dress and straw hat completed the look, making him seem like the perfect tourist.

Is this mission really okay?

A warning bell rang in Judith’s mind.

Known for her intelligence within the order, she felt that this atmosphere was dangerous.

Above all, she was worried about Bersia.

Given that she had once gotten her guard half-dead by being careless, was she really just enjoying herself like this at the sea?

Of course, Judith didn’t believe that her behavior was genuine.

Unlike some fools.

“Hehehe, Bersia, you really are pure, aren’t you?”

Judith glanced at her guard, Melvin.

He had short black hair, a solid build, tanned skin, a sparse beard, and a bulky physique. He was the type of guy who looked like he was drawn in a picture.

Judith couldn’t help but mutter to herself.

Why is my guard always like this?

He was completely oblivious.

Well, at least he was better than a bald guy, right?

Judith rationalized it in her mind and replied.

“Do you really think that’s sincere?”

“Eh? No way, why would the saintess pretend like that?”

“She’s doing it to catch the guy’s attention. She’s a really sly one, you know?”

Judith pointed at Usher(Bersia), who was standing beside them.

“Her eyes only sparkle when he’s around. Remember when we went to the clinic the other day?”

“Ah, right, she was certainly downcast then.”

“Downcast? She looked like she was trying to kill me!”

“Really?”

Melvin scratched the back of his head.

He was so oblivious.

If he weren’t so tough, she’d have replaced him by now.

Judith clicked her tongue and put her pipe in her mouth.

“When we went on a mission with Halia, it was different. You need to stay sharp here.”

“Ah, of course! I’m always on alert!”

“Don’t just say it, actually stay alert.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

“……”

He didn’t seem to understand at all.

Judith sighed and exhaled, checking on her group once more.

“Is it really that nice?”

“So, so beautiful…”

A couple was giggling away.

“Ah, youth, isn’t it wonderful?”

A strong idiot.

“……”

And herself.

“……Ah.”

Judith suddenly had an overwhelming desire to go home.

The sea’s blue surpassed Usher’s expectations by a wide margin.

The emerald-colored endless waves, the white sunlight breaking over them, and the vastness of it all.

It was the kind of natural beauty one could only imagine.

As he faced it, it felt like all the worries he had carried up to that moment simply disappeared.

He inadvertently recalled the words of a man from his past.

It’s love. I shared love with that sea. Usher.

Truly, anyone would fall in love with the sea like this.

A smile spread across his face.

His heart raced.

He realized that coming here had been a great decision.

One thing was for sure, that could never happen.

Usher moved forward, smelling the salty sea breeze.

Eventually, they arrived at a high-class inn in Whitten.

The city was famous not only for its trade through the port but also as a renowned resort for nobles from various countries.

Such inns were not uncommon on the main streets, so their presence did not seem out of place.

‘First day, rest.’

That was the plan.

Above all else, rushing to investigate every corner as soon as they arrived could raise suspicions.

Perhaps the only moment when they could purely be tourists during this journey was now.

They planned to go out, have some food, or visit the beach.

It was a reason to feel the incoming waves while standing on the sand.

And so, Usher, who had been grinning, slowly lost his smile.

It wasn’t for any particular reason.

“……”

Usher, who had unpacked, awkwardly picked up what could barely be called clothes— a thin scrap of fabric.

It was a cover-up. It was barely even a cover-up, more like a white swimsuit.

Was he really supposed to wear this?

Was that truly the case?

Could it be that Bersia had tricked him?

He thought about it, but after arriving here, his resolve crumbled.

Looking around, Usher noticed people at the beach wearing swimsuits.

How could they wear such indecent clothes without feeling embarrassed? They strutted around, wearing barely more than underwear, walking proudly on the beach.

Usher trembled, but then finally made his decision.

…Right, culture means following the local customs.

If he was in Whitten, he had to follow Whitten’s laws.

It wasn’t difficult.

Usher was someone who could change clothes perfectly, even with his eyes tightly shut.

The swimsuit, being practically underwear, should be easy to put on and take off too!

That was what Usher thought at that moment.

Ugh!

It was the material.

The swimsuit didn’t comfortably support his body but instead, due to its stretchiness, tightly squeezed his body.

On top of that, the smooth fabric brushed against his skin, creating a chilling sensation.

Enduring those feelings, he finally managed to get it on.

White fabric, white skin,

and pressure.

Usher’s body trembled.

The feeling of air on his exposed skin was enough to make his shame rise.

Could he even go out?

No, more than that, could he even take a step?

Usher couldn’t even bear to look in the mirror.

It felt like he was secretly admiring Bersia’s body, her curves.

He fidgeted with his toes for no reason.

He lowered his head to look at them, but then quickly raised it with a snap!

Because, with his chest together, his gaze landed not on his toes but somewhere else.

“ofo…!”

That was the moment.

Knock knock—

Can I come in?

It was Bersia.

Usher jumped in surprise.

His gaze wildly shifted.

Was it right to show this?

Wasn’t this too revealing?

What would she tease him about now?

Could he endure whatever teasing would come?

After a moment of such thoughts…

…Open it. You have to open it! Usher!

Usher made the decisive resolution.

Yes, if he couldn’t even show his own body to its original owner due to shame, then he couldn’t go outside.

Also, approaching the archipelago by boat was completely out of the question.

Aah! It wasn’t just for relaxation; it was something they had to endure for the mission as well.

Usher swallowed a dry gulp.

Fighting back the heat in their face, he moved one step at a time and stood in front of the door.

Thud!

He grabbed the doorknob.

Even now, his heart raced, knowing he was exposing his bare skin to someone else.

It felt like he had become a shameless exhibitionist.

Usher tried to suppress these feelings and squeezed his eyes shut.

He opened the final barrier to themselves.

“Ah, you’ve arrived!”

He raised his head and glared with wide eyes.

He made eye contact with Bersia, who was standing in front of the door.

At that moment,

“…….”

When the door opened, Bersia, who had been smiling crookedly, froze. Her expression became stiff and awkward. Her body also stiffened.

Usher shrank back at her reaction.

Was something wrong?

Was this not the way it was supposed to be worn?

Thoughts whirled around in his head, and naturally, his arms wrapped around his exposed skin to cover it.

His legs clamped together, and his gaze avoided Bersia, focusing on the floor.

The skin all over his body felt like it was burning.

“Why, why are you…?”

It was at that moment.

Clink, the door shut.

Bersia grabbed a large cloth and draped it over Usher’s body.

Usher looked up, confused.

The tense expression from earlier was gone, and Bersia was grinning playfully as usual.

“You actually believed it.”

“Huh?”

“You really believed you had to walk around in that scrap of underwear. I can’t believe you actually believed that.”

Usher’s face went blank.

It took a moment for the words to register, one, two, three.

Then it hit him.

“…Huh?”

“Sorry, it was a joke. Swimsuits like that are something nobles wear if they want to show off their bodies, you know? Well, technically, it’s clothing for finding a mate.”

At that moment, Usher’s rationality shattered.

Overcome by betrayal and humiliation, her grabbed Bersia’s wrist and forcefully slammed her to the ground.

Thud!

“…Ouch.”

“The Saintess is the worst! You really went too far!!!”

Usher shouted the harshest words he could think of, grabbed his clothes, and ran to the small room, slamming the door shut behind him.

His back ached.

Bersia, sprawled on the floor, stared at the ceiling.

Then she covered her face with her hands and exhaled deeply.

The image of what she had just seen wouldn’t leave her mind.

The embarrassed eyes, the body curled up, the flushed skin.

Those images were burned into her mind and refused to fade away.

‘Why?’

It was perplexing.

Normally, she would enjoy teasing people with vulgar words and relish in their reactions, but she had never felt this way before.

It was just that, as soon as she saw that expression, she had thought…

This was something she couldn’t show anyone else.

This expression belonged only to them, only to her.

A desire for exclusive ownership so vile that it forced her to act.

Thud, thud.

Her heartbeat felt strange.

It was as though something hot was rising up her throat.

The sensation was so unfamiliar that Bersia pressed her hand to her chest.

She gripped her collar tightly, so hard that veins appeared on her knuckles.

It was hard to calm down.