Copy Skills with Affinity!

Chapter 136

Omitted (2)

Even though I had decided to return to the Grand Sanctuary, it wasn’t something we could do immediately.

We had to cross the water, the tools we could use were limited, and we didn’t even have any proper equipment or facilities. In this situation, everything from start to finish had to be handled through crude improvisation.

Even if the distance across wasn’t that great, it was still clearly too burdensome to ford it with our bare bodies, and that meant we had to come up with some kind of method.

Fortunately, it was clear that there were elements nearby that could satisfy those conditions.

If someone asked what the most immediate solution was when crossing a river in the forest, nine out of ten people would probably answer with a raft.

“I never thought I’d live to see the day I’d end up making something like this.”

The Pontiff grumbled as he tied the logs in front of him with plant fibers.

When the question of where we were supposed to get rope came up, Sir Aiden had plucked a few wild grasses growing nearby and answered that we could simply tie them with these.

Most of the royals looked at him with eyes that seemed to ask how he knew such things, but even for Sir Aiden, it was knowledge he had learned through a route he would rather not have known.

…Because I almost died trying to eat it once.

It was knowledge I had gained when there was a time I couldn’t even get a single proper meal and tried stuffing anything I could find into my mouth.

It wasn’t something that could possibly be swallowed, so I tried biting through it with my teeth somehow to eat it, and it’s a secret that one of my molars still wobbles to this day….

“That’s what’s a bit strange.”

While I was reflecting on that thought, those words suddenly dropped.

It was the Pontiff, who had been grunting while diligently tying the wood together.

Recently he had been in so much pain that it had been hard to see him—

“Do you know what the plant you just mentioned is called? The academic world designated it recently.”

“…Pardon?”

“It’s called Hanpuli Flower. A plant said to carry a tearful story.”

“……”

“It’s something with many uses. It can be used as medicine, you can eat it if you boil it properly, and like this, it can even be used as a tool.”

The problem was that it was such an extremely common plant that the ones who discovered all of those characteristics were war orphans who wandered from place to place, stuffing whatever they could find into their mouths, which was probably why it got that name.

What the Pontiff was pointing out was essentially asking whether Sir Aiden had gone through that sort of process in the past.

“I don’t know how you ended up putting something like that into your mouth, but you must have had quite a rough time in the past, huh?”

“……”

The moment I heard that, I reflexively glanced around my surroundings.

…Fortunately, in the midst of misfortune, it seemed Morrigan had gone far away somewhere out of sight.

Scary….

Lately, ever since that window appeared saying something about her harboring sympathy toward him, I had often started feeling that Morrigan had begun paying noticeably more attention to me.

It was like she would approach casually and indifferently, then suddenly toss out startlingly proactive kindness that even made the people around us jump in surprise before leaving.

Just why is she like that….

Honestly, her attitude was so affectionate that I couldn’t bring myself to tell her to stop, but at the very least I wished she would choose the right time and place.

Whatever the situation, she would first take care of Aiden before anything else, worrying about everything from one to ten, and watching Noel’s nerves get continuously scraped by that sight made my blood dry up….

“Why else? It’s maternal instinct.”

“……”

“Isn’t it the kind of feeling where you worry about a child left by the waterside and want to take care of everything from one to ten?”

…I really wish this man would stop doing things like mind-reading.

When I narrowed my eyes and glared at the Pontiff, he smirked and continued speaking.

“That’s already a done deal, brat. Just accept it quietly.”

“…Accept what?”

“They say the most dangerous kind of relationship is when you start thinking ‘this kid can’t live without me.’ She’s probably having a similar thought when she looks at you right now. Feelings like that can’t be stopped even if defenders line up all around you.”

“……”

“Just give up and accept the euthanasia, brat. You don’t even have an escape hole left—”

Instead of replying, I flicked the Pontiff on the head.

“You said you’ve never even dated before.”

“……”

“Then how do you know something like that?”

“Indirect experience is an excellent teacher in life.”

“Doesn’t that just mean you learned about dating from books?”

“……”

“Just focus on your work. We don’t even have the time to worry about things like that right now.”

As I said that, I pointed at the clumsy knot he had tied, so awkward that it looked like he wanted to prove with his entire body that he had never once done something like this in his life.

Still, compared to earlier, it seemed his body had recovered somewhat. While everyone else bustled around working, it was obvious he felt awkward being the only one resting, which was why he was doing this.

After all, someone in a position that guided others couldn’t just sit around idly sucking their fingers.

…Thinking about it again, in matters like this he really did seem like a proper leader practicing noblesse oblige. Though the way he kept moving his mouth so obnoxiously hadn’t changed at all.

“Where in the world is there someone who lays a hand on the Pontiff’s head?”

Of course, perhaps because she herself wasn’t used to being treated this roughly, the Pontiff grumbled, but instead Sir Aiden simply smiled faintly and returned the words right back to her.

“What can you even do?”

“……”

“What can you do when you can’t even use supernatural abilities?”

“…Once my condition gets better, I’ll beat you to death first.”

Grinding her teeth as she answered like that, the Pontiff drew a snicker from Sir Aiden, who then helped her with making the raft beside her.

Returning the teasing this way after being teased by this person all this time made the resentment that had built up inside me sink down pleasantly….

And while we continued working together like that, building it bit by bit, another helping hand quietly joined in from the side.

“Ah, Sir Noel—”

Naturally thinking it was Noel, I was about to offer my thanks, but my body suddenly stiffened.

“…Who are you?”

It wasn’t a joke—I truly didn’t recognize the face, so I asked that question, and the other person answered with a faint smile.

“I am Bailey Varga. Is this our first time meeting in person?”

…The moment she said she already knew who I was, it felt like an ominous tension instantly filled to the brim.

I quickly scanned her from head to toe.

She looked strongly like a statue carved out of obsidian.

Her hair was black, her eyes were black, and even the clothes she wore were entirely black.

Overall, she carried an air that felt both antique and dangerous, as if it flowed through her entire body.

Beautiful, but not someone I wanted to approach. It felt like she might devour me….

As those impressions naturally repeated in my mind and my eyes gradually narrowed, Bailey spoke in a subtle voice that sounded like jade beads rolling on a silver tray.

“Normally I shouldn’t approach you like this… but I found it rather remarkable. I simply couldn’t hold myself back.”

“…Pardon?”

When I blankly asked back at Bailey’s words, she glanced around once before speaking.

“Everyone already seems used to it, don’t they? To you taking command of the situation.”

“……”

“Even though when you first arrived here, you were someone who drew hostility from all directions, now in such a short time you’re already steering the people around you.”

He has the qualities of a born leader. Without a doubt.

Barely swallowing words like that, Bailey looked at Sir Aiden with a faint smile in her heart.

This man basically had a tendency to undervalue his own worth far more than he should.

If anything, the person who judged the value of the gem he possessed the most harshly was himself.

While Bailey looked at him with that thought reflected in her gaze, her eyes gleaming brightly, Sir Aiden’s body gradually shrank back.

Then, from the side, a sentence filled with irritation suddenly dropped.

“You, is this really okay?”

“…?”

At the Pontiff’s abrupt remark that came out of nowhere, both Bailey and Sir Aiden turned their heads at the same time.

It wasn’t as if the Pontiff wasn’t usually arrogant and full of irritation, but the emotion on her face right now carried a chill that was close to outright hostility.

“Let’s just focus on what we’re supposed to be doing. You’re not someone who should be here, are you?”

“……”

And Bailey, who had been quietly listening to those words, smiled faintly.

“…As you say, that is true. My apologies.”

Leaving only those words behind, she bowed lightly to Sir Aiden and the Pontiff before calmly withdrawing.

From Sir Aiden’s perspective, all he could do was blink blankly.

…What was that?

Not only had a woman who looked that dangerous retreated obediently after a single remark,

but the Pontiff’s reaction—springing out the moment that woman approached—had not been ordinary either.

“Your Holiness. Do you know that person?”

“No. First time seeing her.”

“Then why did you suddenly act like that—”

“It already makes no sense for a commoner student to approach the Pontiff’s group like that. I don’t want to be an authoritarian, but unless she thinks I’m a pushover, it doesn’t add up.”

It wasn’t entirely unreasonable for her to grumble like that, but…

…the feeling.

More than that, it felt like there was something between those two.

Considering the Pontiff’s personality, who treated her own citizens more gently than expected, it felt like something beyond that—

“The atmosphere she gives off is filthy. I just hate people like that.”

“……”

“Don’t you?”

…If she put it like that, I couldn’t help but agree with that point.

Certainly.

Whether she was injured or not, one thing about this person was absolutely clear—her convictions were unbelievably strong.

Beyond simply being strong-willed, it almost felt like her default state was being rough toward other people.

Huh.

Then does that mean Sir Aiden himself was actually being treated specially?

Aside from the very first time we met, this person had never once treated me harshly until now.

In a way, it was almost the same as openly showing favor toward me—

“Aya.”

Feeling someone knock him lightly on the head with a thump, Sir Aiden rubbed the spot he had been hit and looked forward.

When he checked who it was, it was Her Highness, standing on tiptoe with her fist tightly clenched.

“…No unpleasant thoughts.”

“……”

Hm.

Is mind-reading hereditary?

Watching the mother and daughter both read exactly what I was thinking was almost enough to give me chills….

“Stop having pointless thoughts. If we’re going to cross, we should cross quickly now.”

“…Pardon?”

“Something strange is starting to happen again.”

Saying that, Her Highness pointed beyond the horizon.

And the reason she said that became immediately clear from what appeared there.

The rain had stopped, but seeing the ‘tidal wave’ rushing in along with the strengthening wind, Sir Aiden pressed his hand to his forehead.

“…For fuck’s sake.”

It was the kind of situation where words like that came out automatically.

It wasn’t just that the waterway had suddenly become violent like that.

Because with those violently crashing waves, something that had been hidden beneath the sea surface was now occasionally coming into view.

Something… was there.

Something unbelievably large.

Something sinister and massive enough to make even the dragon I had seen before feel small.

Without a doubt.

It was not a sight that gave a good premonition.

“……”

Of course, whether such a premonition existed or not,

Sir Aiden, who was staring at it, simply stroked his chin thoughtfully.

“Ah, fuck.”

And the moment she saw that expression on his face, the Pontiff immediately spat out a curse.

“…What is it?”

“Don’t make that kind of face. It makes me uneasy.”

“……”

“You had that exact same expression the last time you went to kill that dragon.”

…Now she’s even complaining about my face.

Sir Aiden scratched his head pitifully.