Although, well, it really does look very nice.
But… Yukari tried twisting her body a bit, the light skirt fluttering along with her, like a blooming blue flower, leaving her feeling somewhat insecure.
The main reason she wore this one was because it was so quick to put on. If she had to change into something else, it would have taken a bit more time. Otherwise, Yukari would never have chosen this light, floating dress—there’s absolutely no sense of security wearing it.
Just thinking about having to walk down the street in it soon, a flush swiftly crept over Yukari’s face.
“Not bad! Yukari-chan, you’re really good at wearing dresses now, huh.”
Mm… While it sounded like a compliment, Yukari really didn’t want this kind of praise at all.
If she wore it a few more times, she’d probably get completely used to it. Who knows, maybe by then she could calmly put on a dress and walk through the streets like it was nothing.
It felt like something inside her was slowly being lost, while something else was rapidly awakening.
No, now’s not the time to talk about dresses.
Since that woman from the Sacred Flame Cult knows Iris, then there must be some kind of relationship between Iris and the Sacred Flame Cult.
“Iris, what is the Sacred Flame Cult?”
Faced with this question again, Iris didn’t plan to keep it from Yukari any longer. After all, the Sacred Flame Cult’s people had already come to her themselves; to claim ignorance now would be unreasonable.
“That’s an ancient organization that’s existed for a long time. At first, it was formed by a group of unique individuals whose beliefs were completely different from the mainstream at the time.
Back then, their reputation was even worse than it is now—they were hunted by every faction out there.”
Hm… So from the very start, they were already a heretical cult despised by the world?
An evil god paired with an evil cult—now that sounds like a perfect match.
“I used to think their group had already faded away into history, but I didn’t expect it to survive to this day. And its reputation is still just as bad; you’d think they’d at least try to be more discreet.”
Yukari had already suspected that the Sacred Flame Cult might have existed for a long time. But now, hearing it confirmed by Iris, she was still somewhat surprised.
A heretical cult everyone wants to destroy, yet it managed to last this long. Not only that, but after all this time, it’s still seen as a heretical cult despised by all. Are they really that committed to their “original intention”?
“Iris, what’s your relationship with the Sacred Flame Cult?”
That blonde woman seemed to know Iris quite well. Plus, she’d called her “milady” so respectfully—could it be the relationship of a deity and her follower?
“We only had a cooperative relationship in the past. After I fell, the cooperation naturally ended. I didn’t expect the later members of the Sacred Flame Cult to still be able to find me. And that woman didn’t seem at all surprised to see me.”
A god who had already fallen suddenly appears in the world again, even if only as a lingering soul—no matter what, shouldn’t seeing it with your own eyes at least warrant some surprise?
That woman’s expression hadn’t changed at all from start to finish.
Was she just emotionless?
As for the mask she wore, Iris seemed to remember something about it, but after thinking for a moment, she couldn’t grasp anything concrete. Tsk… Sealed away for so long—her memories really had become a bit fuzzy.
Too many memories were buried in slumber. She’d probably only get them back after her power had recovered.
Although Iris’s explanation clarified a bit, this kind of vague answer didn’t really offer any useful information. Yukari faintly sensed that the relationship between Iris and the Sacred Flame Cult might not be so simple.
If only she could catch that blonde woman and ask her directly. But she was a riddle-speaker, and the kind who disappears right after. Even if she did answer, she’d probably just leave a pile of riddles and vanish.
Yukari hated people who spoke in riddles.
“Iris, why do you think someone from the Sacred Flame Cult came looking for me?”
“Hmm…”
Iris rested her chin on her hand and thought for a moment. This situation really was unusual. After all, Yukari didn’t have anything special about her, and she was just an ordinary, pathetically weak adventurer. If it weren’t for Iris’s help, Yukari would’ve died several times over by now.
“Maybe it’s because of me? But that person said she was here for you, Yukari. Could it be there’s something special about you that even I haven’t noticed?”
She circled around Yukari, scrutinizing her, but didn’t find anything unusual.
Exceptionally pretty—did that count as something special?
“Big sis, are you done yet?”
She almost forgot, it wasn’t just her and Iris here; there was also the little girl who had turned away.
“All done!”
At her words, the girl turned around. Seeing Yukari now dressed in a skirt, the girl’s eyes sparkled.
“Big sis, you look so pretty in that dress.”
Eh?
This sudden compliment brought a faint blush to Yukari’s cheeks. Although it faded quickly, Iris still caught sight of it.
“Hehe~ Yukari-chan, I told you this dress suits you. So, how does it feel to be complimented?”
“It’s nothing.”
“Tsk, so stubborn. Yukari-chan, that’s what’s not so good about you—soft body, hard mouth.”
“You’ve never even touched me, how do you know my body is soft?”
What she said—when she finally gets herself a physical body, she’s going to pin stubborn Yukari down and let her see for herself just which part of her is actually “hard-mouthed.”
“Big sis, who are you talking to?”
The girl blinked her eyes, full of curiosity.
“It’s nothing, I was just talking to myself. Oh, by the way, what’s your name?”
“Alyosha.”
“All right, Alyosha. These are a little thank-you for helping me avoid those knights earlier.”
As she spoke, Yukari took out some provisions she’d prepared earlier—some bread, some dried meat and such. The moment Alyosha saw the food, she swallowed hard.
After that, Yukari pulled out two or three silver coins and pressed them into Alyosha’s hands.
Seeing those shiny coins, Alyosha’s face was full of delight, but soon she handed all the coins back to Yukari.
“I’m sorry, big sis, you’ve already given us lots of food and several copper coins. That’s enough for us to get by for a good while. These coins are too valuable—I can’t take them.”
Alyosha shook her head repeatedly, refusing to accept the silver coins.
Yukari knew that if she kept insisting, Alyosha would only keep refusing, so she had to think of another way.
“How about this, then. Why don’t I buy you and the other kids some new clothes?”
The mention of new clothes made Alyosha’s eyes light up, but then, glancing at her home—which was more like a trash heap than anything—she said, “It’s too dirty here. New clothes would get dirty fast too.”
“How about this: I’ll take you outside, and you can pick whatever you want. Or, you could get something for the other kids too.”
“Something I want…”
“If you’re not sure, let’s go take a look outside. Maybe you’ll find something you want.”
Alyosha nodded gently and left the alley with Yukari.
Outside, Alyosha looked across the street. There, a girl about her age was holding a teddy bear, hand in hand with her mother, her face brimming with happiness.
Looking at the mother and daughter, a clear, undisguised envy flashed through Alyosha’s eyes.
That look—Yukari understood it.
Her past self, hiding in the shadows because of a curse, had worn that same look, gazing at others her age who could walk freely in the sunlight, accompanied by their families.
Thinking back on it now, it still stung in her heart.
“Let’s go.”
She knew what to give Alyosha.
Just then, a rough voice called out to her.
“Miss, please wait.”