Chapter 822 – Opportunity for Pride

000

Cleon, who noticed that her mood was strange as he watched Tokoyo sit down next to her with a serious face, sat at a distance from her and looked at her.

Moreover, since she has just entered the bathhouse, she is not even wearing the colored glasses that seal her magical eyes.

“… Huh? Now that I think about it, I saw my eyes in this state…”

Cleon suddenly realized that fact and looked at Tokoyo, and she closed her mouth for a moment at Cleon’s realization, then turned her head and rested her chin with a slight blush on her face. Br〉

Laila Naquon and Sasha also realize that nothing much has changed when they make eye contact without Cleon and her group.

I think someone definitely told me the reason at that time-

＂Before.＂

As if to interrupt Cleon’s thoughts, when Tokoyo opened her mouth, she continued speaking with her face red enough to be seen even through the hazy vapor.

“The kiss we had earlier… That was the first time.”

The tingling of Cleon’s cheeks flashbacks to Tokoyo’s words-

However, it was the feeling of her lips that I saw before that.

It was a lover’s kiss filled with the hope that they would be together for the rest of their lives, and the joy of being able to feel the other person.

“I haven’t even experienced love properly yet, but I kissed you like that. Do you understand?”

“… I feel sorry.”

In any case, her cause was that Cleon attracted her.

It was a separate responsibility issue from the fact that she had decided to be the vessel.

“Are you really sorry?”

＂Of course.＂

In response to her doubtful words, Cleon nods her head and says there is no lie.

After hearing his answer, Tokoyo came closer to Cleon, little by little.

“Then. Will you take responsibility?”

＂… Kiss’ responsibility?＂

Cleon was silent for a moment at her words, and then-

“But the day Kuon and I first visited the temple and met you, you even told us to do something right in front of you…”

Cleon was hinting that she, who had such different sensibilities from ordinary people, did not know that she could take responsibility for something like a kiss.

Upon hearing that, Tokoyo raised her voice and said, ‘Haa!?’.

“Well, that and these are different! Watching others do it and doing it myself!”

＂Reckless…＂

She speaks while shouting the logic of an alley leader in the loudest voice.

“Now, listen carefully, Cleon. We shamans and priests are very open to the idea of ​​people who love each other mixing bodies. The sacred act of having a child is like a ritual of creation granted by the gods to humans.”

Cleon quietly listened to her story, looking at her as she quickly spoke out words that somehow sounded like excuses.

“But! Conversely, such acts between people who do not love each other are strictly prohibited for the people of the temple! Ethically speaking, it’s something that shouldn’t be done anywhere! We live within those rules.”

＂… If no one else sees it…＂

＂There’s no way I, a great shaman, could get away with something like that!?＂

Cleon wonders if the rule is going to get that serious, and Tokoyo replies that it is.

In response to Tokoyo’s violent reaction, Cleon sighed and asked while brushing back his hair, which had been soaked in the warm water of the hot spring.

“So… “What do you want to do?”

＂Ssssscht too

When she thought Cleon’s voice lowered a little, Tokoyo flinched and shook her shoulders for a moment, but then cleared her throat, regained her pace, and answered.

“It’s simple. Even though the order has changed a little, there is no problem as long as we love each other.”

＂… Is that so?＂

Cleon himself was wondering for a moment whether such a force would work, but he probably needed to first convey the fact that there was a big problem.

＂… But, how? ＂

It was the most fundamental question and the biggest barrier to her reaching that conclusion.

＂… How?＂

As if she hadn’t even thought about it, she just blankly repeated Cleon’s answer.

And, a man and a woman looking at each other.

In a steamy hot spring, your body becomes warm while immersed in the water, improving your blood flow, but basically you feel dizzy due to the heat accumulated in your body.

But even in the midst of all this, Cleon had not yet lost his cool.

Being attracted to each other is something that can happen when working together.

She had a common acquaintance named Kuon, and she had feelings for him as her friend and colleague, and the same was true for Cleon.

But if you were to say that this is the emotion that applies to love between a man and a woman – it would be a little different from that.

That’s not to say she doesn’t have her charms, she’s definitely an attractive woman, and there will be men who recognize her charms even if she isn’t herself.

“Aren’t you taking this too seriously, Tokoyo? Don’t push yourself too much. Because I won’t tell anyone. If you’re worried, I’ll tell Aisha and Noctis.”

As Cleon said that, as Tokoyo came closer to him, Cleon moved to her side.

“I took a bath to wash away all the difficulties I had going through her ritual. I’ll take a sigh, and take care of Kuon again. Not only will I do my job as the protagonist of the exorcism, but I will also concentrate on tomorrow’s plans.”

Cleon answers in a business-like manner, to the point where it seems a bit excessive.

Of course, it’s not that Cleon doesn’t care, but no matter how much I think about it, Tokoyo is a little impatient – Nayuta’s words from Noctis earlier.

Because she was very conscious that the power of her love was making her magic stronger, she felt that her attitude had become strange.

Cleon understood her feelings, but if she did what she did because of her momentary impulse, she would be the one who would regret it the most.

So, Cleon was saying that he needed to cool off a bit, but the next moment, he became embarrassed.

Something liquid-like was making a sound as it fell into the warm water of the hot spring.

At first, Cleon thought it was caused by sweat or water dripping from his head.

He raised his head and saw the face of Tokoyo, who was sitting a little away from him-

It was the sound made by tears like chicken droppings falling from her face.

＂To, Tokoyo…?＂

Even for Cleon, the reaction was unexpected.

Tokoyo is the type that laughs off any joke, or doesn’t show it even if she’s embarrassed –

I thought she had a friendly personality that was a little different from Laila and was easy to get along with.

However, she had a girl-like face – unlike usual, she was shedding tears in front of Cleon with an expression of great hurt in her heart.

＂Uh, huh? I’m sorry… I, why.”

However, Tokoyo herself probably realized too late that she was crying, and as she said that, she wiped away her tears with her wrist.

“Wow, that’s strange. Haha, it wasn’t something that should have shocked me like this.”

As always, she asked Cleon a bit of an unreasonable request, and as usual, Cleon sighed and gave her a realistic answer.

Still, she couldn’t help but be surprised that she was so heartbroken that he rejected her – even if it wasn’t really a rejection, just a realistic statement.

If you do this, it seems like you are sincere.

Of course, there are parts that are sincere.

The fact that she is the only one holding Kuon back if things continue like this continues to weigh heavily on her psychology.

And even though she couldn’t do it herself, Tokoyo was able to purify her noble, Aisha.

If people around her showed such a difference in skill, she couldn’t help but feel anxious, even if she didn’t like it.

So, even if she had to rely on the message Nayuta left behind, she wanted to achieve something.

For Tokoyo, who had never thought deeply about the love between her man and woman, the only way to prove her love was through her actions.

So, it was a calculation that by leading Cleon into that kind of atmosphere and mixing with her body, feelings that had never been there before would sprout up somehow.

So, before that, Tokoyoga did not attach much importance to his feelings-

The fact that she was shocked by Cleon’s obvious rejection was something she had not expected.

So, agitated, she felt strange, and she stood up.

She stood there, parting the water, and stepped out of her bathtub, as if running away.

“Sorry, Cleon. Me… Tsk…!”

I am ashamed of myself.

She thought it was such a foolish thing that she tried to do something herself.

The fact that she was treating him like a fool was no different from the way she treated Cleon himself.

This was nothing short of rude to Cleon and to her lover, Cuon.

Tokoyo, who realized that far, could no longer stay there with Cleon.

No, even if she was by Kuon’s side, she might become even more discouraged as she remembered what happened a little while ago.

But if I don’t get out of here right now, I feel like I won’t be able to calm down the rush of emotions that make my head and heart feel like they’re about to explode.

Somehow, I wanted to be alone, free from the resistance of the water, the cold air, and the slippery floor that held me.

And, of course, such embarrassment and agitation are a hindrance to moving the body – of course, if it is in a bathroom where it is easy to fall –

＂──＂

The next moment, she felt the soles of her feet suddenly being pushed forward several tens of centimeters further than she had expected.

If her legs, which were supposed to support her own body, lose her balance, her upper body instantly loses balance and her back is tilted backwards, almost causing her to fall.

Boom! She does and with the sensation of her body floating, she feels as if time has stopped.

─I was punished for treating Cleon like a fool.

The next moment she thought.

Dump! For a moment she did not understand what had happened, as instead of the sound of a hard impact hitting her head and back, the sensation was hard, but less like a stone floor.

＂──Dangerous… It’s dangerous! What are you doing!!”

When Cleon shouted loudly in her furious voice, she made eye contact with him looking down from above her, looking into her own eyes.

Just before she fell, Cleon also stood up to catch her, so fortunately she was not late and caught Tokoyo, who had fallen behind her.

If it weren’t for Cleon, Tokoyo would have been hit with her head on the stone floor, losing consciousness and being seriously injured.

＂… I’m sorry… I’m sorry, Cleon. Furthermore, I…”

Tokoyo looked up at Cleon, covered her eyes with her barely moving arm, and continued her words while panting.

Cleon, who felt that she needed to calm down somehow, carefully woke her up.

“… Okay. Okay, let’s go out first. It’s okay to decide what to do later.”

As Cleon said that, he took her crying and left the bathroom.

001

＂… Is this okay for a change of clothes?＂

When Cleon finds her clothes she had left behind and takes them to her, Tokoyo, who is sitting inside her main hall, stares blankly at them for a moment, then nods her head slightly. It was

She stopped crying, but Cleon looked at her quietly, not knowing what to do with her, as she looked like her psychology had been greatly damaged.

Of course, her own rejection was a fatal blow, but in many ways, she also felt like everything she had been building up until now had exploded.

In other words, depression broke out.

She usually seemed bright, and her stress, which had been building up without even Kuon by her side knowing, exploded during her five element ritual – and before her most important task.

In fact, it may not have been unusual for her to explode at any time.

＂Can you change clothes by yourself?＂

“Yeah… It’s okay. Just sit back and relax a little longer… I’m sorry, Cleon. For showing me this…”

Even though she apologized, she quietly looked at her clothes and smiled as if she had no energy to get up from her seat.

If you don’t wear these clothes, you can’t go to her ritual place.

There’s still about an hour left until my shift with Kuon, but if I hurry and get ready and don’t dry her hair.

However, Cleon, who thought he could not leave Tokoyo behind, approached her.

And, he spoke to her carefully.

＂… I shouldn’t say things like this, but… Tokoyo. “I know you’re feeling something… Impatient.”

“… Oh, as expected? Hehe. Indeed, it is Cleon.”

Cleon looked at Tokoyo’s helpless response, silenced her for a moment, and then scratched her head.

“So, if you need help to overcome it… I can help you.”

“… How? Nayuta said that the power of her magic is strengthened by love. “It’s impossible for us to love each other right now, right?”

Cleon was silent for a moment in response to Tokoyo’s answer.

Saying something like this from yourself is something that is rarely true-

She felt a bit ashamed that she had to say this on her own, even though most of the time it was someone else’s request or someone else’s idea, but she thought there was no other way for her to do it.

Cleon was making a proposal to her cautiously.

“… I will create a magical connection with Kuon through the magical power I possess. Then, it will be easier to coordinate Kuon and magic power. No, if you wish, it is possible to temporarily supply magical energy and increase your magical output, Tokoyo.”

Even though she said it herself, Cleon is worried that if she thinks she knows the actions required for this, she will slap her again for her own suggestion.

However, after hearing those words helplessly, Tokoyo quietly looks up at Cleon and answers.

＂… What does that mean? ＂

“… Of course, if you ‘don’t like it’… ‘Act like that’.”

After hearing Cleon’s answer, Tokoyo remained silent for a moment.

She knows.

This is the sympathy I receive from Cleon.

She was so kind that she couldn’t leave me alone, and although I was grateful-

I knew it wasn’t love.

That’s right, because we’re not in a relationship like that.

If I think about the shock I felt earlier, my feelings have calmed down a bit.

It seemed like she had bigger feelings for Cleon than she thought.

The gap in the size of this emotion was created by the conversation from earlier, and the gap has not yet been bridged.

But—Tokoyo nodded to Cleon’s suggestion.

A small glimmer of light appeared in Tokoyo’s eyes once again.

Even if there are no such feelings between the two – you have to do what you have to do.

Whether it was using expedient methods or straight attacks, it was necessary to protect Asteris by keeping in step with Kuon.

For him – he can do anything.

In order to become a great shrine maiden who can answer those who believe in her—

＂… Please, Cleon!＂

Her hand reached out to her, and she caught it with both of her hands.

＂Give me a chance…!＂