Under the clear blue sky, waves of people swayed.
Just like in any city, the market was like a bloodstream flowing with gold and silver. It was the reason various facilities were located around this massive crowd.
However, where there is light, there is also darkness.
This bustling human forest cast a shadow of equal size.
As the saying goes, if you want to hide a tree, hide it in the forest; those wanting to conceal their traces also made use of the market. It was commonplace to pull down hoods and obscure one’s face.
Today, I and the Lady Virgin Saint were no different.
The two of us were pretending to follow a specific group, acting nonchalantly. Of course, we also stole glances around to avoid raising suspicion.
Then, as if suddenly remembering, I asked, “Did we mention that we would be going to the city today?”
“Of course we did. How much do you think they worried at the orphanage? The rumors must have spread.”
In other words, if we didn’t pay attention, our identities could easily be exposed.
A soft murmur escaped my lips. As I discreetly glanced at Liya’s expression, the Lady Virgin Saint shot me a reproachful look and said, “Stop, stop looking! They’re already paying attention to us from over there.”
Upon hearing that, my body froze. I then naturally turned my gaze to the Lady Virgin Saint, beginning to act like a couple engaging in a conversation.
Even though the whispers we exchanged were completely unrelated to romantic love.
“Well then, what should we do? Two people wearing hoods from the beginning is too peculiar.”
“It’s fine in the Holy Kingdom. Pilgrims often wear hoods. It’s a way of expressing their shame over their sins while embarking on a path of penance towards the Lord.”
Yet still, they were suspicious of us over there.
It must have been because our behavior differed from that of typical pilgrims. I had to ask the Lady Virgin Saint once more.
“Is there never a case where only two people embark on a pilgrimage? It seems we look quite awkward together…”
Unlike before, the Lady Virgin Saint hesitated and couldn’t respond immediately.
As I wore a puzzled expression, a merchant observing us burst into laughter.
“Are you newlyweds? It’s quite rare these days for couples to embark on a pilgrimage to commemorate their marriage… I hope blessings come to the young couple. Emmanuel!”
As he said that, he slyly offered a silver-plated cross necklace, proving that he was indeed a merchant.
I almost denied the merchant’s assumption out of embarrassment. However, before I could do so, the Lady Virgin Saint’s hand quickly grabbed mine, freezing my body with an unexpected soft touch.
Meanwhile, she smiled and confirmed the hypothesis with certainty.
“I wanted to thank the Lord for arranging our meeting. And I also want to express that we wish to start anew as a couple, as if we are being reborn in the Lord’s embrace.”
“Wow, what a passionate love… What do you think, dear husband? Shouldn’t you give a small gift to your beloved wife?”
‘Newlyweds.’
I hesitated for a moment, but looking back, that was about the only relationship suitable for embarking on a pilgrimage alone together. Unlike me, the Lady Virgin Saint could not even conceal her feminine features beneath a thick hood. There was no hiding the fact that a man and woman were traveling together.
Moreover, there was strength being conveyed from the hand of the Lady Virgin Saint that continued to hold mine.
I soon managed a wry smile and said, “That’s enough.”
Just as the merchant’s expression was about to turn peculiar, I quickly added, “Do you have a cross made of pure silver instead of plated? It’s a gift for my wife, after all; I should give her something good.”
At that, the faces of both the Lady Virgin Saint and the merchant brightened at the same time.
Only after I had chosen a rather exquisite rosary could the Lady Virgin Saint and I be free from the merchant. It was also the moment when the suspicious eyes of Liya and Perry’s group were averted.
Only then did I sense it. There was only one way to achieve our goal while avoiding the suspicions of others.
With a meaningful smile, the Lady Virgin Saint stood on tiptoe and whispered in my ear, “Shall we go, dear husband?”
Absolutely.
I muttered absentmindedly, and the chase between the Lady Virgin Saint and me resumed.
I could feel eyes watching us from somewhere.
Afterward, surprisingly, we were able to enjoy a pleasant time.
Liya and Perry’s group occasionally showed signs of vigilance towards us. Nevertheless, since our paths overlapped too much, there was little we could do about being conspicuous.
Each time that happened, we had to act exaggeratedly from a bit farther away.
For example, we played the ‘stick candy game.’
In this game, each person took a bite from either end of the stick candy, and the one who managed to eat more won. Naturally, it was quite popular among fresh young couples who had just become lovers.
Pretending not to notice when our lips would touch was appropriate for advancing the relationship.
The Lady Virgin Saint was particularly reluctant to play this game. To be precise, it would be more fitting to say she felt ‘shy.’
“How could I be so indecent in front of others…!”
Her trembling voice revealed her embarrassment. Having already engaged in very intimate physical contact, why was she still feeling shy? That thought crossed my mind just then.
Suddenly, a question flickered through my mind.
‘What about me, the one who is not the Lady Virgin Saint?’
Was it so?
I gazed at the Lady Virgin Saint with an odd sense of emotion. Her blushing face, averting her gaze, resembled that of any ordinary woman.
She just happened to possess an extraordinarily beautiful appearance.
The Lady Virgin Saint could not freely express love.
Even if she harbored feelings, she could not reveal them. Her status itself was akin to a religious symbol.
The woman who had discarded her name.
The weight of that meaning pressed heavily upon my heart. She hadn’t been a woman who had forced herself to suppress her emotions and fit into a mold of thought.
To even whisper love on the street must be both embarrassing and frightening for her.
So, I decided to stubbornly push the issue.
“I want to do it.”
“N-no, dear!”
Surprised, the Lady Virgin Saint hurriedly altered her call of my name.
It was a clear faux pas.
The reactions of the passersby watching us immediately ignited. Playful cheers rang out from all around.
“Are they newlyweds? Looks like she’s still quite shy!”
“There’s nothing to be shy about between husband and wife! Go ahead, do it!”
Once the atmosphere heated up this much, it was impossible to back out.
With her face turning crimson, the Lady Virgin Saint approached me hesitantly.
“I will never forget this debt…”
“I’ve already incurred enough debt; it’s fine.”
At my nonchalant reply, the Lady Virgin Saint squeezed her eyes shut. The stick candy game that began next was unexpectedly ended with her victory.
It was because I couldn’t respond promptly to Liya’s sudden advance.
Before I could react, our lips met, and I felt a sweet, moist sensation.
Our tongues touched and then drew back. I was momentarily startled and attempted to pull back, but before that happened, the Lady Virgin Saint withdrew from me.
Hah, hah.
Silver threads fell from the tip of the Lady Virgin Saint’s tongue as she panted heavily. It was but a fleeting moment, yet I found her appearance quite alluring.
The Lady Virgin Saint turned her face away, blushing.
“You’re truly a pervert…”
Anyone would think it was me who initiated that.
Of course, my feelings of injustice would never turn into words. If I pushed her a bit further, her face would likely explode.
Surprisingly spirited by the Lady Virgin Saint’s conduct, the onlookers cheered with applause. The roar of joy deafened the ears.
Among them, Liya and Perry’s group was also mixed in.
They burst into cheerful laughter while watching me and the Lady Virgin Saint. With young men and women gathered, they would surely not be devoid of interest in romance.
The gazes directed at us were intensifying.
My eyes flicked over to Liya and Perry’s group before settling down.
The suspicion deepened.
“…Why did we come here?”
It was a sudden question posed by the Lady Virgin Saint, snapping back to her senses. As I walked silently, the scenery around us registered in my retinas.
It was an alleyway. The evening glow had yet to set in, but the dim atmosphere cultivated a subtle sense of unease.
Today had been enjoyable.
I had laughed a lot and captured the many cute moments of the Lady Virgin Saint in my mind. Perhaps it wasn’t just my whim; the Lady Virgin Saint, having a good time, had unknowingly arrived here.
I spoke in a calm voice, “I must have brought a precious person to a humble place.”
“Please, that’s a joke, right?”
The Lady Virgin Saint shook her head in disbelief, sporting a haughty smile.
“What humble place would a former orphan know? In fact, I spent a lot of time hanging out in alleys during my childhood. The orphanage back then was too cramped.”
She spoke the truth.
The Lady Virgin Saint showed no particular reaction to the streaks on the walls in this area. A person of noble bearing would instinctively express discomfort.
Encouraged, I decided to ask the Lady Virgin Saint about her childhood.
“Wasn’t it dangerous? No matter how kind the Holy Kingdom is, there wouldn’t be a city that was benevolent towards orphans.”
“You’re right, it was.”
It was a refreshingly straightforward acknowledgment.
It also meant that the distance between the Lady Virgin Saint and me had narrowed. She had wished to conceal her origins to the extent of abandoning her name from her orphanage days.
Before long, our connection had deepened this much.
“When I went out to the city, I made sure to smear myself with soot. Not just me, but Yulen too. Any child with a nice face would find themselves missing all too often.”
“Even the Holy Kingdom was a place where people lived.”
At my agreement, the Lady Virgin Saint chuckled lightly.
It seemed to bring back memories from long ago. Painful yet the time before she donned the mantle of ‘Lady Virgin.’
What followed was a remarkably light-hearted confession.
“Isn’t everywhere like that? In fact, back then, I held no expectations at all.”
“The Heavenly Deity must have been saddened.”
“Yes, perhaps. Yet despite that, I prayed ceaselessly. Hoping that our children would go to a good place… no, further, that all suffering children would be saved.”
At this point, I raised my hands as if surrendering.
It was a depth of conversation I could not manage. Upon my gesture, the Lady Virgin Saint chuckled softly.
“Of course, in reality, it was just a small struggle. More than that…”
At that moment, my hand unconsciously moved toward her waist. While the Lady Virgin Saint wore a proud expression, a silver streak burst forth.
Instantly, a bright red flame exploded.
Scarlet petals rained down and soaked the wall and the ground. Even at that moment, the Lady Virgin Saint remained speechless.
Thus, I had to raise my voice to yell.
“Get down!”
Faceless assailants were climbing over the walls.
As expected.
