I Became a Raid Boss

“Oh my…!”

Selin covered her mouth with both hands and her eyes sparkled.

“….”

Gulp.

With an intensity that was almost overwhelming, I gripped the hem of the nun’s robe tightly and avoided her gaze, but her eyes relentlessly held onto me.

Sneak-

Finally, I could escape from her piercing stare only after hiding behind Joanie.

“What a cute little nun! Wouldn’t it be great if you joined the Edel Church like this?”

“Ah, no way…! Kana is traveling with me!”

“Oh, even as a nun, you can travel!”

“But if I become a nun, I have to wear the nun’s robe all the time, right?”

“You can wear something comfortable when resting, but when you’re active, yes. You have to.”

“If that’s the case, then it definitely won’t work. It’s undeniable that Kana looks cute in a nun’s outfit, but it’s a shame to make her wear just one outfit.”

“I suppose… if that’s the reason, there’s no helping it.”

I could confidently say that the conversation they were having would provide no benefit for my mental health.

So instead of trying to understand what they were saying, I just kept fiddling with the hem of the nun’s robe.

I’d never worn clothes like this before…

I mean, clothes that only women wear…

…What’s with the slit in the leg part anyway?

If you have that, there’s no reason to make the skirt long.

Complaining wouldn’t change my situation of wearing this outfit, but I couldn’t stop because I felt like I’d lose my sanity if I didn’t.

“Don’t worry, it suits you well.”

“…I’m not worried.”

I never once hoped it suited me.

I felt bad saying this to Joanie, who was super excited about the festival, but I had to finish my business as quickly as possible and leave.

I pulled Joanie’s arm.

“Hmm? What’s up?”

“Please pass on a message.”

“A message? To Selin?”

“Yeah.”

After hearing my words, Joanie grinned mischievously.

“If you say ‘Onee-chan, please~’ I’ll pass it on!”

“….”

The translator I brought for times like this is broken…

I tilted my head in confusion at this unexpected turn of events.

Um… What should I do?

While I was contemplating, a past incident popped into my mind.

‘Oh no…’

‘What’s wrong?’

‘Ah, Vice Leader. As you can see, the magical device is broken. At this rate, we can’t proceed with the operation… Should we retreat?’

‘Stand back.’

‘Huh? What are you planning to do… No, Leader! That’s expensive! You shouldn’t touch it carelessly!’

‘You said it’s broken anyway.’

‘But what do you think you’re doing, hitting it like that! It might have been fixable if we brought it to a repairman, but why are you just smashing this expensive thing…’

‘…? I’m fixing it right now.’

‘…How is this fixing?! You’re breaking it—’

‘Ah, done.’

‘—…huh? How is this working? It shouldn’t be working if it’s broken…’

‘It’s a thing that gets fixed when you hit it.’

-That time was something else.

The reason that incident popped into my mind was probably to suggest I use the lesson learned then.

Yeah, that must be it.

“Wait a second! Let’s talk it out!”

I always feel like I have a remarkable sense of crisis detection.

Just as I mentally prepared to throw a punch, Joanie read my intent and hightailed it out of there.

I feigned disappointment and asked innocently.

“Why are you acting like that all of a sudden?”

“…No use pretending to be innocent! I can clearly feel the killing intent coming from Kana…!”

“It’s just in your head.”

Even if I wasn’t one to read the room, there’s no way I would commit murder inside the Holy Kingdom for such a trivial reason.

“…Where should I focus my complaints?”

Should I complain about the ‘trivial reason’? Or the ‘inside the Holy Kingdom’ part?

Joanie muttered under her breath.

“Tch, fine! What do you want to say?”

“Oh, it’s fixed.”

“Hmm? Fixed? What’s fixed?”

“Oh, nothing. Just ask if I can use a personal prayer room.”

“A personal prayer room?”

I nodded.

“Yep.”

Given the time and content, it would be better to use a private prayer room rather than a worship hall with other people’s eyes and ears around.

Of course, there’s no guarantee that Edel will answer my question…

But if that’s the case, there’s really nothing I can do.

“Was Kana this devout…?”

Joanie relayed my words to Selin while mumbling her doubts.

With a serious expression, Selin conveyed my message.

“‘It’s technically a place only open to the members of the church, but… I’ll try to find a way.’… she said.”

Joanie mimicked Selin’s way of speaking.

Hmm, am I asking for too much?

Feeling a bit sorry, I observed Selin’s face, finding the gentle expression I’d seen for days there to greet me.

I couldn’t figure out if she truly wasn’t troubled or if she just didn’t show it.

So I simply bowed my head to express my gratitude.

“Thank you.”

“Thanks, yeah.”

“Thank you…!”

“Oh, you’re welcome. But first….”

Waving her hand and smiling, Selin pointed to one side.

“Shall we eat first?”

*

“Hmm~! Delicious…!”

“Does it suit your taste?”

“Suit my taste? Who wouldn’t love such wonderful food?”

Joanie put down her fork in response to Selin’s question.

Raising her eyebrows in an exaggeratedly serious expression, she said, “Is there anyone who wouldn’t find such excellent food to their liking?”

Selin laughed happily at Joanie’s jest.

“I was worried it might not suit your taste, but I’m relieved it does.”

“Not only did we get provided with accommodation, but we’re also treated to such a splendid meal… What should we do, this is embarrassing?”

“As I said before, the grace you two have bestowed upon me is far greater, so don’t worry about it. I actually feel sorry for being able to provide only this much.”

“Only this much?! If it weren’t for Selin, Kana and I would’ve been huddled together on a chilly street corner trying to sleep… Oh wait, thinking like that, it’s not all bad, is it?”

Mid-sentence, Joanie fell into her own thoughts.

Kana looked at her dismissively while munching on bread.

“I guess you must like it if you’re eating without complaining… You wouldn’t have known this, but her tastes are quite picky.”

“Oh, really?”

“Don’t even get me started. She’s such a kid that she won’t even touch vegetables. Last time, do you remember what she said? You won’t believe it—”

With that, Joanie rambled on about how picky Kana was with vegetables and how she loved sweets.

Selin’s take on Joanie’s speech was simple.

“She’s cute.”

“Eh—”

“Isn’t she cute?”

“…Well, I mean, if you’re going to debate whether she’s cute or not, then yes, she’s cute.”

Looking at how picky she was with vegetables and how she lost her mind at the sight of chocolate, the gap between her usual self and this was undeniably cute…

Even as she agreed with Selin, Joanie still wore a dissatisfied expression as she didn’t get the response she wanted.

Selin looked at Kana with warm eyes.

“I understand Joanie’s heart as well. You’re worried about Kana’s health.”

“Um, that’s not—”

There are people who should be worried rather than me, right? Who’s worried about who here?

Joanie, who was jokingly complaining, tried to deny it, but Selin got to the point faster than her.

“One of the kids we take care of is like that as well. At first, I was also confused like you, but over time, it resolved itself. I’m sure Kana will be just fine too.”

“I-I see…”

With a reply far more serious than she expected, a bead of cold sweat dripped down Joanie’s forehead.

“That child over there who’s looking at us is also one of those kids.”

“Selin…!”

A young nun at a nearby table blushed and, as Joanie’s gaze reached her, hurriedly ran away.

Watching that scene with a content smile, Selin turned her head back.

“So, don’t worry.”

“Hmm…”

Things take care of themselves over time, huh.

Joanie pondered Selin’s words and glanced at Kana.

Her expression was as usual.

But Joanie could see it clearly.

“The angle of her eyebrows has lifted about one degree, and her lips are slightly pouting.”

Also, when she brought food to her mouth, instead of instantly shoving it in like when it was meat, there was a brief pause.

Putting these together, Joanie concluded that Kana was currently dissatisfied…!

This conclusion was reached with nearly obsessive observation skills that were only honed when looking at Kana.

Shiver—

“…?”

Feeling something ominous, Kana looked around, trembling, but in the end, she found nothing and returned her attention to her meal.

Realizing she might have exposed her inner thoughts, Joanie finally let out a sigh of relief.

“I sure hope so.”

Given how much she disliked it, I’m not so sure…

Crunch.

Instead of continuing her thoughts, Joanie swallowed a piece of vegetable.

“Oh right, about the request Kana made earlier. I found a method.”

“Really? Already?”

It’s nice that it’s fast, but isn’t this a bit too quick?

While thinking that, Joanie delivered the news to Kana.

“However, I’m not sure if Kana will like it…”

Selin’s hesitating gaze fell on Kana.

More specifically, it landed on the nun’s robe that Kana was wearing.

“What’s going on then?”

“Well—”

Selin hesitated to say it.

After prompting her until she finally spoke up, Joanie heard the answer.

Joanie’s reaction to what Selin said was:

“…Will she accept that?”

“Well….”

In a situation where no one could say for sure.

Kana, who had been left out of the conversation, tilted her head in confusion.

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