Xenon had insisted he would follow me this time, and had rebuffed his own master.
Perhaps the imperial palace saw no reason to detain Xenon, as they readily accepted his departure.
"Please, don't scare me like that."
Xenon, who was checking his bag to see if the magical stones he had hastily packed were still there, suddenly spoke.
Seeing the magical stones seemed to remind him of what had just happened.
Seeing his face full of grievance as he looked at me, I widened my eyes and retorted.
"When did I ever scare you?"
"You scared me so much by saying I might lose my magical power."
"When did I say you would lose it? I asked if you weren't afraid you *might* lose it."
Despite my protest, Xenon still wore a sullen expression. He had been perfectly calm when actually giving the guarantee, but now that it was all over, the matter seemed to be dawning on him with terrifying clarity.
Seeing Xenon like that, I shook my head and turned away. The events that had just taken place in the hall flashed through my mind.
『The Resurrected One of the goddess...』
『Ooh! The one chosen by the goddess!』
My claim of being the Resurrected One chosen by the goddess was, of course, proven true. Xenon's magical power also remained perfectly intact.
I had worried that adding the part about Xenon being the last person blessed might cause problems, but fortunately, the concerns I had did not come to pass.
The Emperor wore a strange expression, and the nobles showered praises. The faces of the Roam people were as lifeless as glass dolls, and Lilia stood there with a pale, sickly face, looking as if she might collapse at any moment.
Was it because my identity was confirmed not through some vague oracle, but through the Magic Tower's guarantee, which is a relatively commonly used method?
Even those who had feared I might be a Monster now seemed to accept me entirely as an apostle of the goddess.
'If I had known it would be this effective, I would have tried it much sooner.'
Thinking that, I glanced around. The Roam knights who had said they would bring a carriage to take us to the Lindea River were still nowhere to be seen.
Are they building a carriage from scratch?
Just as I was about to cross my arms out of sheer spite, I sensed a presence behind me.
"I never imagined the goddess's blessing would be confirmed in this manner."
The person approaching with Samuel was Morico. I thought he had left early since he exited the hall so quickly.
Meeting my gaze, Morico smiled brightly and bowed with a neat posture.
"I am Morico, a priest who serves the goddess. I am overjoyed to see the Resurrected One again like this."
"Again?"
Muttering as I pondered the slightly peculiar nuance, Morico nodded and replied.
"Yes. You likely do not remember our first meeting. At that time, the Resurrected One's neck and head were separated."
Ah, no wonder the name Morico sounded somewhat familiar...
"You were that high-ranking priest who recovered my remains."
"Yes."
"...I don't think I ever thanked you for that. Thank you for recovering my remains."
It was possible I was resurrected intact thanks to him placing my scattered body parts together. For now, I politely offered my thanks.
At that, Morico's eyes widened. He looked surprised, as if he had heard something unexpected.
"You seem to have found some composure since we last met. That is fortunate."
"Huh?"
"I recall the Resurrected One being extremely sensitive when you awoke in the Grand Temple."
I recalled myself at the time I awoke in the Grand Temple.
That time when I tried desperately to drive away those around me with my tantrums. When I even considered self-harm to shut their chattering mouths.
I was certainly on edge then. It felt as if enemies were swarming all around, and I could hear voices mocking me even in the darkness.
The scar left on my neck was grotesque, and my resurrected body was horrifying.
'Right, that's how it was.'
...Right, that's how it was.
"Xenon! You rascal!"
Snapping out of my pensive mood, I looked up. I saw Xenon's master, the Lord of the Magic Tower, whom Xenon had shaken off in the hall, huffing and puffing as he approached.
The Lord of the Magic Tower, who seemed to be heading straight for Xenon, stopped in his tracks upon spotting Morico.
Eyes blazing with fury, he pointed his staff accusingly at Morico.
"Don't think I'll ever forget you luring away my precious disciple."
At that threatening admonishment, Morico sighed in a low voice.
"Secian, let bygones be bygones regarding the past incident where you spirited away the Resurrected One and then feigned ignorance."
"Who spirited away and feigned ignorance?"
"Who else? Your precious disciple."
Saying that, Morico glanced at Xenon. Xenon, who had been trying his best to act oblivious as if it had nothing to do with him, flinched and turned his back to Morico.
At Morico's words, the Lord of the Magic Tower, Secian, struck his own chest.
"Ah, to think my luck with disciples in my later years would be this wretched!"
Seeing him lamenting his lack of disciple fortune to the heavens, Xenon cleared his throat primly and spoke.
"The old man's energy is truly overflowing..."
"Shut up, you little brat! Shut up!"
*Thwack, thwack!*
The sound of the staff cutting through the air was fiercer than a north wind.
"Ah, ah! It hurts! Did you make that staff out of steel? Why is it so hard!"
Judging by the fact that he was taking all the blows from the swinging staff while crying out, this didn't seem like the first or second time this had happened.
And most likely, only by taking those hits would Secian's anger subside.
[Tsk. This male only improves his skill at avoiding vital spots while getting hit.]
[I told you he's a clever pup.]
The wolves, walking side by side and wagging their tails, watched Xenon getting beaten by his master and exchanged affectionate remarks.
Somehow, I felt I understood a little of how Xenon usually lived at the Magic Tower.
"Mages are truly lighthearted and noisy."
Morico, who had drawn near at some point, subtly initiated conversation.
"Still, seeing them so full of vigor is pleasant at times. It's a pity one only feels that way when seeing them occasionally."
From his bold personality, enough to handle an unrotting corpse, it was clear he was no ordinary person.
I glanced at Morico, who seemed to have a personality as peculiar as Secian's. He watched Secian amiably swinging his staff and Xenon getting beaten, then turned away.
"My task here is finished, so I should return to the Temple. Please take good care of our Sir Samuel."
At those words, Samuel, who had been quietly standing guard behind Morico all along, took a step forward and spoke.
"Are you leaving already?"
"My duty ends here. More importantly, I heard from the High Priest. To receive the mission of guiding the Resurrected One is a surprising and grateful matter, is it not? Please do your utmost."
Samuel gave a curt nod. Morico, who had bowed to him in return, turned to me and bowed as well.
"I shall pray that the goddess's grace always reaches the Resurrected One's path ahead."
Only after Morico had bid farewell and left first did the Lord of the Magic Tower's beating stop.
Secian's face was flushed red from how vigorously he had swung his staff. Panting and occasionally hurling abuse at Xenon, he finally caught his breath and straightened his back.
"So, you're not returning to the Magic Tower?"
"Isn't that obvious?"
"What has this brat done right to talk back so boldly...!"
The staff rose once more, but this time, another mage who had come along desperately clung to Secian's arm, preventing it from being swung.
Secian, seemingly lacking the strength to shake off the person clinging to him, groaned and lowered his arm.
"I told you not to get involved."
Glaring at Xenon while grunting, he suddenly turned to look at me.
I'm not sure if this is the right expression, but Secian's face right now was exactly that.
'The face of a parent looking at the bad friend who lured their exemplary, kind, and upright child down the wrong path.'
It was a face I had often seen when visiting the households of those I considered friends, after my notoriety had grown.
And without fail, after seeing that face, the association would be severed.
"I understand you're chosen by the goddess, and so you're saying you can truly resolve this Monster attack situation?"
"...Yes."
"And you're sure my foolish disciple won't end up shouldering the responsibility for no reason?"
Secian's eyes were full of doubt. To him, whether I was truly the goddess's Resurrected One or not didn't seem to matter much.
What he seemed most concerned about was probably Xenon's safety. Fortunately, that was something I cared about too.
"That won't happen."
I answered calmly, but it seemed it didn't earn Secian's trust. Secian continued in a still distrustful voice.
"Do you know what kind of Monster appeared there? You're not even a mage; if a fearsome Wyvern shows up, could you even hold a sword with those slender wrists?"
Wyverns weren't fearsome. If anything, they were kind and cheerful, if anything.
I wanted to correct his mistaken knowledge, but I couldn't quite bring myself to do that. To do so, I would have to explain the source of my correct knowledge.
I just awkwardly kept my mouth shut when Xenon subtly interjected into the conversation.
"Why would a Wyvern appear? There were no Wyverns in that river."
"What do you know, butting in?"
"If I don't know, will you teach me, Master?"
"Why should I teach you! What's so endearing about this disobedient, good-for-nothing brat!"
It seemed Secian was truly deeply hurt.
Despite the relentless scolding, Xenon didn't even blink. Instead, he spoke in a flat voice.
"Based on the circumstances, it's presumed to be a fallen fairy."
"A fallen fairy?"
His master paused. Rubbing his chin and lost in thought for a moment, he narrowed his eyes.
Xenon, who had been observing Secian's expression, subtly added a remark as if lowering a fishing line.
"The books said it was a fallen fairy."
"If it's a fallen fairy, then it must be a Rusalka!"
Xenon's master took the bait all too easily.
It hadn't even been five minutes since he had shouted he wouldn't tell.
It was also a moment where I could glimpse a little of where Xenon's soft and easygoing personality originated.