I'm sorry, sister. I'm sorry, Sister.

'No. Since you're escorting me, let me at least do this.

　A short distance away from the encampment, Solte and the leader of the mercenaries were walking along with a man who was the leader of the mercenaries.

''It's a big help. Normally we'd have to walk through the forest with a wounded man in our arms.''

　It was only a few moments ago that he was woken up from his sleep and asked for help.
　I heard that one of the mercenaries had been wounded in a fight with a beast.

I had to leave the tent to keep the beast from getting Sister involved, but it backfired on me," he said. Being stuck with an injured leg is not good enough for a guard.

　To the man who looks dejected, Solte shakes his head and denies it.

''That's not true. All of you have served as our guards in the past. This time it was just bad luck. Fortunately, I'm confident in my healing abilities. If the wounds I've heard about are as bad as they are, I think I'll be able to get them up to the point where I can walk.

That would help. No, it really helps: ......

　It's a very good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.
　Before departing, the words and attitudes of the mercenaries left her terrified and repulsed, so she asked Ardis, whom she doesn't know, to accompany her for the sake of mental stability.

　The mercenaries, however, were serious about their duties as guards, and there was not much trouble.
　Their attitudes are as frivolous as ever, but that may be their original stance.
　It reminds me of a story I heard from some of the senior sisters that even with the way they look at Solte, it's inevitable that young men would see a woman like them as such an object when they see her.

　This and that, in the end, were just his own preconceived notions of how he was frightened on his own.
　Through this trip, Solte had come to think that way.

　It was none other than Sorte himself who had been so suspicious of the mercenaries that he had wrongly undermined them.
　Even if he didn't say it, it would have shown in his attitude, and it is easy to imagine that it would have hurt them.

　That's the unbecoming of a servant of a goddess.
　Sorte was ashamed of herself and had tried to interact with them as much as possible along the way.
　It is true that he still feels afraid of them in terms of emotions.
　But even that fear felt like he was treating them unfairly, and Sorte felt his immaturity.

''But wouldn't it have been better after all to have Aldis-san and the others accompany you?

　The girl continues to speak.
　I can't help but feel a smoldering fear growing in the back of my mind when I'm silent.

It's going to be okay. They will take good care of you. It's easier for you, Mr. Luggage Bearer, if you wait for them where it's safe.

　Aldis and two mercenaries remain in the camp.

　The man says that the more amateurs there are to protect, the greater the danger will be.
　The leader of the mercenaries said that it would be easier to protect them if they remained in a safe place.
　Sorte wondered if it would be better if everyone stayed in the same place rather than dispersing the forces, but he didn't feel comfortable arguing head-on against what the mercenaries, who were battle experts, had to say.

'I see. ......'

'And it's not too far away. We should be there by now.

　As if to prove the man's words, a figure comes into view out of the corner of my eye.
　Two men standing in the darkness. The lanterns in their hands dimly illuminate the trees around them.

　But--

''Why?''

　At the sight of him, Solte couldn't help but utter a question.

'What's wrong?　Sister girl?

No, I thought you had a leg injury ......?

　One of them has been wounded in his leg in a fight with a beast.
　The wound is so deep that it is difficult for him to return to the tent, which is why Sorte is going to treat the wounded man.
　That's what I thought he was going to do.

　I paused for a moment, wondering if I had been wrong in my perception.
　The two mercenaries in front of me were both standing calmly on their own feet.
　As the two of them walked up to each other side by side, Sorte felt the anxiety she had forced down was about to flood out again.

'Oh, um, ....... What does this mean?

　Although it's difficult to see clearly in the darkness, there's no sign of injury in the steps of the two who are approaching from the front.
　The leader of the mercenaries who have accompanied him up to this point laughs behind him as the girl questions him with a trembling voice.

''Kukku, kukku. You're a peaceful girl. Don't you see what's going on and what's going on?

　Solte turned around and saw a man with a disgusting smile on his face, mockingly telling her off.
　It's more appropriate to call him an animal than a human being, such eyes were licking the girl's body from bottom to top.

It's a good thing that you've got a good idea of what you're talking about," he said, "because it looks like you've been warned a lot at first, and I thought it was a bother, but you've come to trust me just by working diligently. As expected of a future saint, you are very kind.

　He adds an exaggerated gesture in a teasing tone.

'What kind of ......, you mean?'

　The questioning words were directed from the girl's mouth again.
　Of course, Solte is also fifteen years old. I know that my current situation is not good.
　But even so, the psychology of not wanting to admit the reality, the desire to be wrong, was entrusted to such words.

'Hmm?　Don't you get it yet?　Well, it's a pity that you're going to die without knowing anything, so I'll tell you--

　At the word "death", Sorte jumped up and down.

''In short, there are people who want Sister-chan to die, even if they want to splash out a lot of money.

......

　The man looks at the speechless Sorte and happily continues.

'Don't worry so much, I won't kill you right away. At least I'll keep you alive until we all get bored.

...... from the beginning, ...... with the intention of doing so?

　The mercenaries laughed at the words the girl barely squeezed out of them and replied, "Of course.

　Solte felt as if his eyes went dark in front of him when he heard that.
　The fear he had felt so far was not a misunderstanding.

　The result of stifling his own senses with dogma was the current situation.
　What a foolish person he was, Sorte regretted his decision.
　It was he, and no one else, who had pushed her into a corner because he respected the Church's teaching to be merciful to all.

Let's get on with it," he said. We'll only have about 7 days to play with the rest of our food.

　I'm not going to be able to get out of the house," one of the mercenaries urged impatiently.
　With those words, Solte quickly ducked down and tried to run away--.

You don't want the main character to run away.

　The leader grabs my arm tightly.

'Yay!　Please let go!

Don't get too excited. Come on, you're gonna have fun with us for a while.

'No!　Let me go!

　Sorte desperately tries to wring her hands, but the difference in power is not to be compared.
　A young girl, no matter how talented she is, cannot escape the restraints of the mercenaries training her to fight the beast.

''Someone, help me!　--Mr. Aldis!

Haha, if he had all that stuff, he'd be asleep and gone by now.

Nah. ......!

Come on, man, it's over. People don't come to this place.

　One of the mercenaries crushes Sorte.
　The remaining two are just laughing lowly at it.

''No!　Don't!

Be cool, man!　I'll make you feel good in no time!

　In spite of his desperate resistance, the man's hands were on his monastic clothes when a cold voice came from out of nowhere, "Oh, dear.　

The man's hand was on his monk's uniform, and then a cold voice came from somewhere else. I have no interest in meddling in the breeding practices of other species, but I find it disturbing.

　A voice that sounded boyish and yet feminine.
　The words, which seemed to be somewhat tongue-in-cheek, made me feel young.
　The mercenaries braced themselves at the voice that came suddenly.

''What did you say?''

　The man who had assembled Solte, the leader, asks his fellow mercenaries.
　But the one who was asked must not recognize himself. He shook his head with a puzzled look on his face.

　One of the mercenaries peers at his surroundings in an eerie manner.
　The lantern, the only light source under the trees where the starlight could not reach, made the surrounding darkness even more striking.

　Then the wind blew.
　The wind, which had weaved its way through the trees, leapt at one of the mercenaries whose gaze had drifted to the ground.

''Gua!''

　The next moment, Sorte saw a headless and bloody body.
　It was a human being until a moment ago, but it was slowly falling to the ground while losing its head and spewing blood from its neck.

''Enemy!　A demon?!

　Releasing the hand that had been pressing Sorte to the ground, the mercenary leader pulled his sword from his waist and held it ready.

'Vigilance!　That's fast!

Hi!

　In vain, the leader's warning was dismissed, and without giving him time to draw his weapon, the other mercenary's side was stained with blood.

''From where: ......!''

　The exclamation leader's gaze was directed at it as it bit into his companion's flank.

　A little over a meter in length. Supple and well-proportioned limbs. The faceted head had charming triangular ears, but the sharpness of the fangs that easily pierced through the leather armor and into the flesh told him that it was a dangerous carnivore.
　Its entire body, including its disproportionately large and thick tail, was enveloped in a golden (kogane) color that glowed in the light of the lantern.

''Ta, help ...... gofu.

　Blood floods out of the mercenary's mouth after being bitten on the side.

''d*mn it!　That's it!

　In an attempt to pull the demon away, the mercenary leader swings his sword at the golden body.
　Without even avoiding it, the demon lifts the body of the tucked-in mercenary and pushes it into the path of the sword.
　The leader's swung sword was sucked into his fellow mercenary, and with a dull sound, his foot left the main body of one.

''To a shield?''

　The man's eyes widened at the way he fought like an intelligent human being.

　The two fellow mercenaries, who had died out, were in the destination of his gaze.
　The demon that had been looking at us with cold eyes a moment ago had been scratched off before we knew it.

''Where?!''

　A confused man's eyes wandered around.
　If he didn't know what was going on, he would have looked like a comical clown, wielding his sword recklessly as if he were frightened.

　But there is no one here to laugh at it.
　The only people present are the mercenary clown, the horrible demon that killed them both in the blink of an eye, and a girl who has lost her mind due to the rapidly changing circumstances.

　This situation cannot last for long.
　Eventually the end will come.

　Sorte saw it.
　She saw the body of the man who had just assembled himself on the ground, split in two with his abdomen as the dividing line.
　The golden demon that accomplished this is gazing silently at Solte with sad eyes.