Estio Volume 3
- Episode 25
I followed him to protect him. Estio was quite small compared to Neju, and he looked a little precarious. I thought that he had to protect him from collapsing, who lives with the faint light.
But looking back, Estio had been protecting me all the time.
Even when someone coveted Neju as a commodity and tried to take it away, even when they tried to harm him, it was Estio who entered the guild and prepared a place for him so that he could live among people in a respectful way even though he was a wild beast.
"I'm sorry to hear you say that, Neju."
"Keang. That doesn't mean it's bad!"
Neju expressed her honest feelings towards him with red, tearful eyes.
"It's because I'm worried. I was worried that Estio might be attacked by people again because of Neju."
In fact, Yeon-yeon-rang's words didn't hurt Neju in any way. Neju was only preoccupied with her Estio worries. She was gloomy because she was afraid that she couldn't help herself, and she was just depressed.
"Isn't there a lot more people in the capital than in other towns? Neju won't go in and I'll wait outside."
"You don't have to."
"That's it."
pat pat.
Neju was taller than Estio, so when he was standing, his hand barely touched his shoulder instead of his head. Estio, who encouraged her little yeti, took her first steps.
"It's not your fault."
"I know. People who say things like that are bad."
"Yes."
Neju smiled heh heh, fiddling with his stroked shoulder. And she started following him down the hill.
"The next time I hear the same thing, I'll be mad."
"What?"
"It's not dirty, it's just something else."
Neju can't be angry. She was always on a leash in the city because she was a threat just by standing still. That doesn't mean he can turn into a little cat like Tsuki. Even if a large beast loses its sanity a little and runs wildly, people all point out that it is a 'monster'.
So, Estio realized that he had to get angry when an unreasonable situation came up.
"I'll fight with you, so don't hide in front of those gazes."
The young white-haired monkey fixed his gaze on the back of the young man ahead. When we first met, I thought that my back, which looked small, had grown quite a bit.
Ahur, who had been listening quietly, also broke the branch as if boasting.
"Come to me for sure. If anyone says anything else, I will be scolded!"
"Ugh, thank you."
Neju smiled brightly. She didn't say she was going to stay outside any longer as she ended the conversation.
As we went down the hill, we reached the castle gate where identity was being checked. There were a total of 7 roads leading to the castle gate. People from various directions other than the road where Estio and his party came from gathered, and it was very busy from the entrance.
Fortunately, Neju didn't pay attention to it.
All kinds of rare animals and people with special abilities flock to the imperial capital. Large animals like Neju came and went hundreds of times a day. So, a guild member with a white fur monkey was not a strange combination that drew much attention.
"Where are you from?"
"It belongs to the Ignis Guild."
"Please present an identification card with guild recognition."
In the capital where the imperial palace is located, there was a strict identity check. He did not pass it with a plaque proving that he was a member of the guild. The gatekeepers sent them into the castle gate after carefully checking the documents with the master's seal.
"Wow, this smells good."
"Do you smell it?"
"Can't you feel Estio?"
It did smell. However, the smell of perfume, sweat, and food from all over the place mixed together, so it couldn't be said that it was very good. While Estio was contemplating the cactus's special sense of smell for a moment, Ahur realized something and smashed the branch.
"Aha? This is probably the smell of divine power."
Come to think of it, the city was full of divine power.
As soon as they crossed the gates and entered the sacred barrier, people felt their bodies lightened and their minds cleared. It was none other than the divine power effect.
The imperial capital, where the imperial and priesthood was compatible, was the only one connected to the Vatican through a direct portal. You cannot go to the Vatican without going through the capital, and the same is true when you leave the Vatican. Thus, the entire city could always be kept in a state full of divine power.
Ahur was accepting the energy of the divine power as a smell, not just a feeling.
"Oh my God! Ahur-sama, can you feel the divine power?"
"Heh heh. I didn't know either."
"Are all plants sensitive to divine power? Anyway, that's amazing!"
Parker, who had been picking up things about divine power while working as a delivery man, trembled with fuss.
"Is that great?"
"It's not great! The divine power can only be felt by priests chosen by God."
"Hey, you were chosen. creeps."
Parker smiled awkwardly, imagining the scene where a cactus with a flower on its head was dressed in a priest's uniform and radiating divine power.
"Originally, I heard that grass and trees grow well in sacred places. Conversely, they wither and die in places with unclean energy. This is the hypothesis that plants are the first to sense divinity and disaster. Maybe that's why... .?"
"It's not a fact. No guesswork."
"Ahaha. It's generally impossible to talk to plants. There's no way to ask a question if you're curious."
Parker scratched the back of his head.
In fact, he was only about Neju and passed without attracting much attention in front of the castle gate, but I was sure that if I had known that the Ahur that Neju was holding was a talking cactus, I would not have been able to enter so quietly.
People passing by immediately would be stunned to see Ahur. It was just that the strange fact that the cactus was talking about because there were so many people around was not discovered.
"Estio."
It was then that Kai, who had been silent, opened his mouth. When Estio, who was called by her name instead of the title of 'leader', turned around, Kai said with a broad smile.
"Are you familiar with the meeting place with the client?"
"Yes."
"Then let's take it easy today."
Everyone focused their attention on the guild master in a light tone, as if going for a walk.
"How many more days are left?"
"...I do, but."
The date and time of the meeting were not written in the request sent to Estio as a secret document. Instead, an expiration date existed.
'Until exactly three days later.'
If you arrive at the appointed place within the deadline, you can meet the guide sent by the client in advance. This method was often used for clients with difficult-to-reach status.
According to the request letter received by Estio, the expiration date was 3 days away.
"It would be better to delay the tangent as much as possible and wait until joining the combat personnel."
The Heiga estate is located at the edge of the Rubarzan Empire. To get to the capital from Heiga, you have to change portals four times. The portal technology, which still has frequent side effects, is limited by one day, so no matter how hastily started, it seemed that it would arrive on the last day.
Estio let out a small sigh.
'I remembered that I would call you if necessary, so I pointed it out on purpose.'
Thinking about that long journey, I felt a little sorry too.
As Estio agreed, Kai turned his gaze to Parker, who was following him.
"Bernie Parker."
"Yes, old!"
Parker, who had only followed Estio as a team member, but suddenly found out the identity of the guildmaster wrapped in a veil, was nervous whenever he talked with Kai.
Kai gave instructions in a soft tone, looking at the guild members who were frozen.
"Do you know the location of the Ignis Eli branch?"
"I come here every year for delivery business, so I know it well!"
"I think it's fine. Then please guide me."
"Yep!"
What about Parker who answered loudly? He looked into his eyes with a desired face.
"Mas..., how about Kai?"
"Well, I have someone I want to meet for a while while I'm in the capital. Please go first."
Kai stopped in the middle of a crowded road.
"Zen."
Hearing the master's call, the doll appeared from somewhere like the wind. As if she had been by her side from the beginning, Parker shuddered and flapped her wings when she saw Jen, the red-haired doll, who naturally stood in front of Kai.
'Hey. It was true that the master's dolls were watching anytime, anywhere.'
I heard the rumors and knew it, but seeing it with my own eyes was kind of creepy. Noticing that she was afraid, Kai waved her hand as Kai smiled.
"Then I'll go."
* * *
After Master Kai disappeared into the crowd, Parker followed Estio's instructions and took Estio to the guild building in the capital.
The Ely branch was not comparable to the headquarters, but the building was still very neat and grand. Unlike other branches, all facilities in the capital were engraved with a beautiful imperial mark in a mixture of gold and silver.
It was a proof that he was directly under the management of the imperial family.
"Huh, I suddenly have time left."
The next day we arrived in Eli.
As soon as the day dawned, Estio left his luggage at the guild dormitory and went down. Parker's steps down the marble steps following him limp.
"To have three days of free time. If I had known this would happen, I would have come to hang out in Rainville for a bit."
Parker overcame the aftereffects of the portal that shook his head and walked all the way to Ellie, so the sudden free time was a bit disappointing.
"You can rest more."
"No, well. You're really nice today. But where are you going?"
Estio thought for a moment before answering.
"I heard that the guild has a separate team to deal with information."
"Information management team? Do you have any necessary information...... Oh! It's about the father of a child named Rian."
"......"
Parker convinced himself that he would understand, but in fact, that wasn't his real purpose. However, Estio didn't bother to correct it because 'Finding the Father Who Was Dragged' was also one of the tasks that Rihann asked for.
"Uh-huh. Leave it to me right away! Usually, errands like this are what the Leader Support Team is supposed to do."
"No, it's not necessary."
"Leader, come down slowly! I'll go first and call the intelligence team!"
paddock.
Because of the white feathers suddenly scattered all over the place, Estio had to raise his arms to cover his eyes. By the time he got back up straight, Parker had already flew down too far. Even the long stairs are useless in front of the winged joiners. Parker, who went down from the 5th floor to the 1st floor in an instant, could only see an emerald-colored head.
「You know that?」
"What?"
Neju, who yawned with his cavernous mouth wide open, looked at Ahur in his arms.
"It was said that every time a pigeon flaps its wings, 100 teeth fall off!"
"Ji, really?"
"Ahur."
Unlike Neju, whose eyes were wide open, Estio did not show any signs of surprise. As he started going down the stairs again, he gave a soft warning.
"If you keep making fun of me, you might get really hated later."
Estio Volume 3
- Episode 25
I followed him to protect him. Estio was quite small compared to Neju, and he looked a little precarious. I thought that he had to protect him from collapsing, who lives with the faint light.
But looking back, Estio had been protecting me all the time.
Even when someone coveted Neju as a commodity and tried to take it away, even when they tried to harm him, it was Estio who entered the guild and prepared a place for him so that he could live among people in a respectful way even though he was a wild beast.
"I'm sorry to hear you say that, Neju."
"Keang. That doesn't mean it's bad!"
Neju expressed her honest feelings towards him with red, tearful eyes.
"It's because I'm worried. I was worried that Estio might be attacked by people again because of Neju."
In fact, Yeon-yeon-rang's words didn't hurt Neju in any way. Neju was only preoccupied with her Estio worries. She was gloomy because she was afraid that she couldn't help herself, and she was just depressed.
"Isn't there a lot more people in the capital than in other towns? Neju won't go in and I'll wait outside."
"You don't have to."
"That's it."
pat pat.
Neju was taller than Estio, so when he was standing, his hand barely touched his shoulder instead of his head. Estio, who encouraged her little yeti, took her first steps.
"It's not your fault."
"I know. People who say things like that are bad."
"Yes."
Neju smiled heh heh, fiddling with his stroked shoulder. And she started following him down the hill.
"The next time I hear the same thing, I'll be mad."
"What?"
"It's not dirty, it's just something else."
Neju can't be angry. She was always on a leash in the city because she was a threat just by standing still. That doesn't mean he can turn into a little cat like Tsuki. Even if a large beast loses its sanity a little and runs wildly, people all point out that it is a 'monster'.
So, Estio realized that he had to get angry when an unreasonable situation came up.
"I'll fight with you, so don't hide in front of those gazes."
The young white-haired monkey fixed his gaze on the back of the young man ahead. When we first met, I thought that my back, which looked small, had grown quite a bit.
Ahur, who had been listening quietly, also broke the branch as if boasting.
"Come to me for sure. If anyone says anything else, I will be scolded!"
"Ugh, thank you."
Neju smiled brightly. She didn't say she was going to stay outside any longer as she ended the conversation.
As we went down the hill, we reached the castle gate where identity was being checked. There were a total of 7 roads leading to the castle gate. People from various directions other than the road where Estio and his party came from gathered, and it was very busy from the entrance.
Fortunately, Neju didn't pay attention to it.
All kinds of rare animals and people with special abilities flock to the imperial capital. Large animals like Neju came and went hundreds of times a day. So, a guild member with a white fur monkey was not a strange combination that drew much attention.
"Where are you from?"
"It belongs to the Ignis Guild."
"Please present an identification card with guild recognition."
In the capital where the imperial palace is located, there was a strict identity check. He did not pass it with a plaque proving that he was a member of the guild. The gatekeepers sent them into the castle gate after carefully checking the documents with the master's seal.
"Wow, this smells good."
"Do you smell it?"
"Can't you feel Estio?"
It did smell. However, the smell of perfume, sweat, and food from all over the place mixed together, so it couldn't be said that it was very good. While Estio was contemplating the cactus's special sense of smell for a moment, Ahur realized something and smashed the branch.
"Aha? This is probably the smell of divine power."
Come to think of it, the city was full of divine power.
As soon as they crossed the gates and entered the sacred barrier, people felt their bodies lightened and their minds cleared. It was none other than the divine power effect.
The imperial capital, where the imperial and priesthood was compatible, was the only one connected to the Vatican through a direct portal. You cannot go to the Vatican without going through the capital, and the same is true when you leave the Vatican. Thus, the entire city could always be kept in a state full of divine power.
Ahur was accepting the energy of the divine power as a smell, not just a feeling.
"Oh my God! Ahur-sama, can you feel the divine power?"
"Heh heh. I didn't know either."
"Are all plants sensitive to divine power? Anyway, that's amazing!"
Parker, who had been picking up things about divine power while working as a delivery man, trembled with fuss.
"Is that great?"
"It's not great! The divine power can only be felt by priests chosen by God."
"Hey, you were chosen. creeps."
Parker smiled awkwardly, imagining the scene where a cactus with a flower on its head was dressed in a priest's uniform and radiating divine power.
"Originally, I heard that grass and trees grow well in sacred places. Conversely, they wither and die in places with unclean energy. This is the hypothesis that plants are the first to sense divinity and disaster. Maybe that's why... .?"
"It's not a fact. No guesswork."
"Ahaha. It's generally impossible to talk to plants. There's no way to ask a question if you're curious."
Parker scratched the back of his head.
In fact, he was only about Neju and passed without attracting much attention in front of the castle gate, but I was sure that if I had known that the Ahur that Neju was holding was a talking cactus, I would not have been able to enter so quietly.
People passing by immediately would be stunned to see Ahur. It was just that the strange fact that the cactus was talking about because there were so many people around was not discovered.
"Estio."
It was then that Kai, who had been silent, opened his mouth. When Estio, who was called by her name instead of the title of 'leader', turned around, Kai said with a broad smile.
"Are you familiar with the meeting place with the client?"
"Yes."
"Then let's take it easy today."
Everyone focused their attention on the guild master in a light tone, as if going for a walk.
"How many more days are left?"
"...I do, but."
The date and time of the meeting were not written in the request sent to Estio as a secret document. Instead, an expiration date existed.
'Until exactly three days later.'
If you arrive at the appointed place within the deadline, you can meet the guide sent by the client in advance. This method was often used for clients with difficult-to-reach status.
According to the request letter received by Estio, the expiration date was 3 days away.
"It would be better to delay the tangent as much as possible and wait until joining the combat personnel."
The Heiga estate is located at the edge of the Rubarzan Empire. To get to the capital from Heiga, you have to change portals four times. The portal technology, which still has frequent side effects, is limited by one day, so no matter how hastily started, it seemed that it would arrive on the last day.
Estio let out a small sigh.
'I remembered that I would call you if necessary, so I pointed it out on purpose.'
Thinking about that long journey, I felt a little sorry too.
As Estio agreed, Kai turned his gaze to Parker, who was following him.
"Bernie Parker."
"Yes, old!"
Parker, who had only followed Estio as a team member, but suddenly found out the identity of the guildmaster wrapped in a veil, was nervous whenever he talked with Kai.
Kai gave instructions in a soft tone, looking at the guild members who were frozen.
"Do you know the location of the Ignis Eli branch?"
"I come here every year for delivery business, so I know it well!"
"I think it's fine. Then please guide me."
"Yep!"
What about Parker who answered loudly? He looked into his eyes with a desired face.
"Mas..., how about Kai?"
"Well, I have someone I want to meet for a while while I'm in the capital. Please go first."
Kai stopped in the middle of a crowded road.
"Zen."
Hearing the master's call, the doll appeared from somewhere like the wind. As if she had been by her side from the beginning, Parker shuddered and flapped her wings when she saw Jen, the red-haired doll, who naturally stood in front of Kai.
'Hey. It was true that the master's dolls were watching anytime, anywhere.'
I heard the rumors and knew it, but seeing it with my own eyes was kind of creepy. Noticing that she was afraid, Kai waved her hand as Kai smiled.
"Then I'll go."
* * *
After Master Kai disappeared into the crowd, Parker followed Estio's instructions and took Estio to the guild building in the capital.
The Ely branch was not comparable to the headquarters, but the building was still very neat and grand. Unlike other branches, all facilities in the capital were engraved with a beautiful imperial mark in a mixture of gold and silver.
It was a proof that he was directly under the management of the imperial family.
"Huh, I suddenly have time left."
The next day we arrived in Eli.
As soon as the day dawned, Estio left his luggage at the guild dormitory and went down. Parker's steps down the marble steps following him limp.
"To have three days of free time. If I had known this would happen, I would have come to hang out in Rainville for a bit."
Parker overcame the aftereffects of the portal that shook his head and walked all the way to Ellie, so the sudden free time was a bit disappointing.
"You can rest more."
"No, well. You're really nice today. But where are you going?"
Estio thought for a moment before answering.
"I heard that the guild has a separate team to deal with information."
"Information management team? Do you have any necessary information...... Oh! It's about the father of a child named Rian."
"......"
Parker convinced himself that he would understand, but in fact, that wasn't his real purpose. However, Estio didn't bother to correct it because 'Finding the Father Who Was Dragged' was also one of the tasks that Rihann asked for.
"Uh-huh. Leave it to me right away! Usually, errands like this are what the Leader Support Team is supposed to do."
"No, it's not necessary."
"Leader, come down slowly! I'll go first and call the intelligence team!"
paddock.
Because of the white feathers suddenly scattered all over the place, Estio had to raise his arms to cover his eyes. By the time he got back up straight, Parker had already flew down too far. Even the long stairs are useless in front of the winged joiners. Parker, who went down from the 5th floor to the 1st floor in an instant, could only see an emerald-colored head.
「You know that?」
"What?"
Neju, who yawned with his cavernous mouth wide open, looked at Ahur in his arms.
"It was said that every time a pigeon flaps its wings, 100 teeth fall off!"
"Ji, really?"
"Ahur."
Unlike Neju, whose eyes were wide open, Estio did not show any signs of surprise. As he started going down the stairs again, he gave a soft warning.
"If you keep making fun of me, you might get really hated later."
