Chapter 72: Beyond Rescue
[space_man][space_man]Eld woke up to the sensation of being poked. When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was the color red. He lifted his still-sleepy body and saw Mary standing there with her arms crossed. In her hand, she held a mountaineering staff.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Ah, good morning, Mary. What time is it? I feel like I slept for quite a while.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Eld asked, rubbing his eyes and yawning.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”It’s past noon already. Well, it was snowing lightly until early morning, so it can’t be helped that you slept until this hour. You went through a lot yesterday, after all.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Eld tilted his head at her angry tone. Then he saw Orpha standing behind Mary with a demonic expression on his face. Further back, he could see Yarolk holding his head.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”I’m glad everyone is safe. Moira should be over there……”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]When Eld turned to where Moira had been sleeping, it was empty.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Moira!? Don’t tell me she woke up early and went outside!?”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]As Eld tried to get up, he put his hand on the ground and felt a soft, squishy sensation. It wasn’t the feel of a blanket, he wondered, and when he looked down, he saw Moira sleeping next to him, and his hand was on her chest.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”……Huh?”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Eld was confused and bewildered. Orpha grabbed Eld by the collar, lifted him up, and slammed his back against the wall.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”You! What have you done!?”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”No, I didn’t do anything! We were sleeping on opposite sides of the campfire!”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Eld desperately defended himself. As if hearing Eld and Orpha’s exchange, Moira woke up and sat up.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Hmm…… Good morning, everyone……”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Moira said, looking around. Seeing Orpha grabbing Eld, she hurriedly stood up.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Orpha! What are you doing!?”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Moira! You slept with this man last night, didn’t you!?”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Moira’s shoulders trembled at Orpha’s angry voice. Then, after taking a breath, she put her hand on her cheek and said,
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Yes, I slept with Eld yesterday.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Hearing that, Yarolk crouched down, holding his head. Orpha tried to punch Eld in the face, but Eld sensed the danger and tilted his head to the side, dodging it. Orpha’s fist struck the rock wall. Moira hurriedly tried to cast a healing spell on Orpha, but he brushed her off, telling her not to touch him.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Mary watched the whole exchange in silence, her arms crossed.
[space_man]
[space_man]
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]They returned to the base cave. The path was covered in snow due to the avalanche, making it difficult to walk, but they arrived in about 30 minutes.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”It wasn’t swept away as much as I thought it would be.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Eld muttered.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Yes. I’m glad we weren’t swept away to some strange place.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Yarolk said, sounding truly happy. He led Eld into the hut. Mary took Moira and went upstairs.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Please, have a seat. I don’t believe you slept with Moira of your own free will.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Yarolk pulled out a chair and urged Eld to sit down. Orpha had gone somewhere to cool his head. He wouldn’t listen even when told it was dangerous.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”I appreciate that.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Eld said as he sat down. Yarolk also sat down.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Rather, I should apologize. Moira acted on her own in this matter.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Eld nodded with a wry smile. Seeing that, Yarolk sighed.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”I talked to Mary-san last night, but Moira didn’t agree to that engagement in the first place.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”I figured as much. I had a feeling.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”You’re saying the same thing as Mary-san.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Yarolk said with a wry smile.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”The engagement talk started when the Central Temple, which oversees all churches, told us to transfer the Saintess after her succession was decided. Orpha then said he was planning to get engaged to Moira.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Huh?”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Eld tilted his head.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Then the High Priest of the Central Temple said that if we brought the Ice Tiger’s fur, he would approve the engagement and marriage.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”……Moira wasn’t keen on transferring?”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”That’s right. She’s originally from the central capital, but she always said that the Afdedi Church was her home. She couldn’t agree to it when it was suddenly brought up.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”So…… Orpha said that to protect Moira?”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Well, I think there’s that too. I’ve known Orpha for about ten years. But as I said before, I think it’s also Orpha’s self-satisfaction. Moira is beautiful, you know. She’s had quite a few suitors since she was young.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]I even proposed to her when I was about her age. She turned me down, saying she thought of me like a brother.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Yarolk laughed cheerfully. Since he was laughing, Eld smiled as well.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Still, even though we slept together, it was an emergency. I still have questions about Orpha’s actions, though……”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Yes…… There’s a rule, or rather a law, in all churches that unmarried men and women shouldn’t share a bed.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Ah, so there are such strict rules after all.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Yes. It’s been a long time since the aristocracy system was abolished, but for some reason, only this rule hasn’t been revised.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Yarolk scratched his cheek.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Well, I understand why Orpha was angry. But he could have just kept quiet. Is he that strict?”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”He’s not that strict, but we’re being monitored by the Central Temple this time, so……”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Eld reacted to the word”monitored.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Monitored? From the beginning?”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”To be precise, it seems there’s a contract that Orpha has to show his memories when we bring the Ice Tiger’s fur. That’s why Orpha told us to wait here this morning. He said we shouldn’t do anything that would make the Central Temple suspicious……”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Hearing that, Eld sighed.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”……What’s going to happen now?”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”According to the rules of the Central Temple, Moira will be expelled from the church. But there is one loophole……”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Eld was speechless at Yarolk’s next words.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”……Does Mary know about that too?”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Yes. Actually, Moira was aiming for that on this trip. She was hoping to find someone she liked even before meeting you…… Of course, Orpha doesn’t know that. If he did, he wouldn’t have let this happen.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Eld looked up at the ceiling as if looking at the two upstairs.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”So that’s why Mary took Moira with her……More importantly, what should I do……”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Yarolk couldn’t answer Eld’s question.