Saint, You’re So Vulgar!

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#024 Chapter. It’s Soft and Feels Good

Hello, my beautiful first love.

Deron felt a pang in his heart.

With excitement, he followed the promise of treatment to the inn.

And what he found was this.

As soon as he spotted a handsome man, he blushed and hurried over.

Whispering sweet nothings, he broke into a bright smile.

Ah, she was a woman with someone else.

Deron couldn’t help but think.

“I liked her first…!”

No, that wasn’t it.

“Is this what it feels like to be robbed…!”

He had never had such feelings before.

Deron’s heart felt cold.

For some reason, his stomach felt hollow.

Amidst this, two people approached him.

“Shall we start with the treatment?”

At that, Deron nodded.

They would be applying medication and wrapping him up. At least he could keep that memory.

He tried to steady himself, but even that was futile.

“Come over here.”

The treatment was done by the man.

And then he realized,

“Are you a priest?”

“Haha.”

The man replaced his response with a somewhat unworthy smile.

*

Not everyone on the continent recognizes the position of a Saintess.

In fact, the information available to the public about a Saintess is usually limited to hair color and general appearance.

It’s quite hard to associate someone based solely on such details.

Deron, the miner, was no exception.

He didn’t recognize Asher.

He only knew him as one of the priests belonging to the order.

Thus, it was easy to persuade him.

“We’ve come to investigate. There was an incident regarding a dead Knight from our order.”

“Oh, yes. That did happen….”

With a fitting excuse at hand, he asked if he could hear more, and Deron readily nodded.

Since work for today was already out of the question, it seemed he had plenty of time.

Considering he had intruded into the matter, he felt inclined to agree to compensation.

So, they moved to the inn’s top floor.

In the meantime, Asher was keeping an eye on Bershia.

She appeared to be in a very bad mood.

Perhaps she had learned about the argument that happened earlier that morning.

He could see her struggle with wanting to say something multiple times.

Finally, she sighed and said,

“Don’t wander around alone. You need to be careful as a woman.”

“Yes….”

“I was just worried. I’m sorry.”

Wrapping her arms around his waist, she smiled sweetly.

But it was different from usual.

There were no vulgar jokes, and her demeanor seemed drained.

It was serious.

It was true that Bershia’s body was vulnerable compared to her original one.

Asher took a moment for brief reflection.

“I’ll be careful….”

“Are you going to listen to me from now on?”

Asher nodded.

Only then did Bershia seem somewhat satisfied.

Anyway, they finally arrived at the top floor.

“Hey? What about that partner of yours?”

Rubena crossed her legs and scrutinized Deron up and down.

Deron flinched, his nerves betraying him.

He must have shrunk under her oppressive aura.

Asher chuckled and broke the tension, asking about the matter after they were settled.

“Initially, nobody paid much attention. Everyone knows mining is dangerous, and above all, the mines in Pured are notoriously intricate. It’s easy to get lost. They thought it was just an extension of that kind of work.”

Deron scratched the back of his head.

“Then one day, a highly regarded team among us miners went missing. The leader, Bourbon, has been a veteran in the mines for over 40 years… such a team. Yet half of them went missing.”

“There was an accident?”

Deron shook his head vigorously.

Immediately after, he gulped.

His expression became serious.

“I don’t know. The surviving team members said that someone who was just working alongside them vanished in the blink of an eye. At first, they tried to search. But then they felt something strange and escaped to call for help. That’s when things became really problematic.”

His eyes were filled with a kind of fear.

“Another person went missing from the search party. That day, there were screams echoing in the mine like madness. Thus, they gave it the nickname of a ‘Wraith’.”

It was a chilling story.

However, it had too many suspicious points to just dismiss it as a mere ghost story.

“Even so, are the miners still going to the mine?”

“Oh, that mine has been closed. Sometimes the wraith looks for other paths to abduct people… but we can’t starve just because we’re scared, can we? We have to eat and live. Besides, there are also occasional missing person reports outside the mine.”

“Ah….”

Asher exchanged glances with Bershia.

He nodded.

It seemed true.

“That closed mine is indeed suspicious.”

If we assume heretics are hiding there, it all fits well.

A mine that kidnaps people, a vast subterranean space that has been closed off, and the continuing incidents of disappearance.

While they move behind the fear of the public, from the perspective of the order, these are rather clear circumstantial evidences.

Asher turned his gaze back to Deron and asked.

“By any chance, where is that abandoned mine located?”

He had found a clue.

*

While they could still conduct further investigations, there was no reason to waste more time.

The purpose of this covert operation was ultimately tracking.

With a suspicious area visible to everyone and rumors floating around, it was only right to first explore that place.

They couldn’t go during the day.

As they had to arm themselves, they needed to avoid the public eye, so they decided to proceed late at night.

Asher memorized the map he received from Deron.

It wasn’t just a simple map to the abandoned mine; it also contained the paths inside the tunnels.

Since their departure was delayed, the group had taken a nap.

Asher, having memorized the map to some extent, headed to bed for a quick rest.

Then, he let out a sigh.

Asher’s expression turned serious.

Because lying on his bed was Bershia.

“So, why are you lying here?”

“It’s boring to be alone.”

“Get out. What kind of audacity is it for grown men and women to sleep in the same bed?”

“It’s fine. We’re engaged after all.”

“That’s just the set-up….”

He couldn’t help but suspect what she was trying to pull this time.

It was good that she returned to her usual self, but couldn’t she stop with these pranks?

He felt a pout rising on his face.

Yet, that frown didn’t last long.

“It’s dangerous where we’re going. I worry about you.”

“Ah…!”

“So, come here and reassure me.”

Asher realized his mistake a moment too late.

In retrospect, it made sense. Bershia had a lot of experience in medical aid, but no experience in tracking heretics.

Moreover, trapped in a body that lacked the divine power she once had, her situation was far more precarious.

The level of risk was different, so it couldn’t be the same as usual.

“How could a Knight in guard duty overlook such a point?”

He began to feel shame.

Asher softened his expression and approached, sitting on the edge of the bed.

Then he placed his hand over hers.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t think it through….”

It was in that moment.

Whoosh! Bershia yanked Asher towards her.

And then, holding him close, she began to poke his belly.

Asher was taken aback.

“W-what are you doing! Let me go!”

“I’m just relaxing. It feels soft and good.”

“Please stop! Let go of this…!”

“Who told you to poke at me?”

Asher struggled, but being in a bed made it hard for him to fight back.

What’s more, the sensation of being poked in the stomach was quite bizarre.

Laughter and breath mingled in the back of his neck.

The firmness of her arms made his body tense up.

“Yikes! Oh my gosh!”

“Do you dislike it?”

“I do!”

“Got it. If you don’t like the belly, what can I do….”

Her hand smoothly moved upward.

Bam! Asher’s face turned crimson as he blocked it with precision.

“Cancelled! It’s cancelled!”

“Why didn’t you say so from the start?”

Poke poke—

His stomach was poked again.

Asher’s body trembled in humiliation.

His resolve became firm.

“I will remove it. I swear…!”

I will absolutely obliterate this belly fat.

I will create rock-hard abs, leaving no room to touch.

As he thought about how to repay the indignity of today, Asher found himself becoming Bershia’s plaything for quite a while.

“By the way, you collapse your guard pretty quickly.”

“Yes?”

“No, it just seems that if you appeal emotionally a little, you give in easily.”

“…Just stop there. Seriously.”

“If you end up with the wrong husband, you might be beaten.”

At that moment, Asher’s gaze lit up.

A lower voice added on.

“So, you better stay close to me. I can’t be a husband… but I won’t hit you.”

Asher quickly closed his mouth, wanting to retort.

He simply scrutinized Bershia’s expression.

“Why is she acting like this?”

While it felt like her mood was getting better, she was still uneasy about something.

This fluctuation of emotions was vague, leaving Asher clueless about her thoughts.

*

Late at night arrived.

Having had enough rest during the day, Asher and the group arrived at the entrance to the abandoned mine.

So far, there were no obvious abnormalities.

At least, they felt they should go in as far as the revealed area to learn something.

However, it was already a predicament.

“…Um, Rubena?”

“…What?”

“Could you perhaps loosen your grip on my shoulder?”

Asher felt uncomfortable.

The issue was that right after they stepped out, Rubena refused to leave his side.

That wasn’t all.

“Just keep walking. I’m not uncomfortable at all. And bald guy! Didn’t I tell you to stay no further than three steps away from me!”

“…Yes, I’ll stick close again.”

He even called Saturn to join them.

Asher felt the tremor in her tight grip on his shoulder.

A nervous smile went up his corner lips.

A drop of cold sweat trickled down his back.

“Don’t tell me….”

She’s not scared, is she?