Nellin, along with Godrick and his party, was guided by Deputy High Priest David to Presia’s room.
Knock knock knock.
“Saintess Presia, it’s David.”
After a moment, the door opened, and Presia appeared.
“Deputy High Priest David? What brings you he—oh?”
Presia was at a loss for words when she saw Nellin standing behind David.
Instead of Presia, who couldn't speak, Nellin raised a hand with a smile.
“Presia, it’s been a while. Still beautiful even with age, I see.”
"...!"
A reunion with a long-lost comrade.
Swoosh!
Even the usually serene and composed Saint of Healing, Presia, couldn't help but embrace her as soon as she saw him.
“It’s been so long. I’m so happy to see you again.”
Nellin chuckled as she hugged her and gently rubbed her back.
“What’s this? You’ve gotten more affectionate than before. Were you lonely?”
“You really haven’t changed a bit. Just like I remember.”
“I’ve just become a bit more clingy. But you haven’t changed either.”
“You just said I’ve aged.”
“It’s the essence that matters—the essence. And besides, you’ve aged beautifully. Don’t the older guys around here hit on you?”
At that, Deputy High Priest David, who had been listening quietly, shouted.
“Lady Nellin! How could you say that to the Saintess!”
“Oh, come on. Don’t they say youth lasts forever even with age?”
“Hehe, Nellin really is the same as ever. Please come in. Your companions too.”
At Presia’s words, Godrick responded nervously but promptly.
“Y-Yes, ma’am!”
“That’s the legendary Saint of Healing... Her aura is incredible.”
“Wow, I-I’m seeing a saintess for the first time!”
“Same here. She’s totally different from Nellin, even if they’re both heroes.”
“Skol, you wanna get smacked?”
“No ma’am!”
“Well then, I’ll be taking my leave.”
“Thank you.”
After Deputy High Priest David left, Nellin and Godrick’s party entered Presia’s room.
“Th-The room is so beautiful.”
“Big bro! There’s a sofa in here too!”
“This is true Saintess-class, huh. Heh.”
“Don’t make a scene in front of the Saintess.”
“You must be tired standing. Please have a seat.”
At Presia’s words, Godrick’s party all sat down on the sofa.
Presia sat on the sofa opposite them, and Nellin sat beside her.
Looking around the room, Nellin asked Presia, “Didn’t you say you didn’t like things that were too fancy?”
“I declined at first, but people around me said I needed to maintain a certain appearance as a Saintess, so I had no choice. Still, I think bringing in this sofa was a good call.”
Presia fondly stroked the sofa she was sitting on as she spoke.
“It’s perfect for listening to the troubles of brothers and sisters who come for counseling. And it’s comfy when receiving guests like now.”
“It is comfortable to sit on.”
“So Nellin, why did you come to the Great Church? And would you introduce your companions?”
“Oh, right.”
Nellin explained who Godrick’s party was and gave a brief account of their journey so far.
Their encounter with the slime in the Blue Elven Forest.
Letting it go because of the elder’s nagging.
Leaving the forest after reading Count Ludendion’s letter to confirm something.
Talking with the Count’s daughter, who was closest to the slime, and realizing it resembled the one she’d seen.
Getting a bad feeling and deciding to travel the world while keeping an eye out for the slime.
Meeting Godrick’s party after losing track of a smart slime due to an accident.
“Right then, I just had a feeling. Even if it was a little different, I knew the slime traveling with these guys was that slime. So I tagged along with them while looking for it. Then I heard rumors of a lich and came here. Finding the slime is important, but how could I sit still when a friend might be in danger, right?”
As Nellin finished his explanation, Presia looked at Godrick’s party with fascination.
Meanwhile, Godrick and his companions blinked and looked at Nellin.
“Nellin?”
“Hmm? What is it?”
“W-Wait, the slime was at Count Ludendion’s estate? I thought it met us after you found it.”
“Huh? Didn’t I mention that?”
“You never said a word!”
“Hah, that little guy. So it was a noble-fed slime! No wonder it was strong.”
“Does being noble-fed have anything to do with strength? Wait a sec... Sometimes when you called it, you’d trail off after saying ‘Al—’. Were you about to say the name it got at the Count’s place?”
‘Skol, why are you being so sharp all of a sudden?’
“Oh yeah, that did happen. Sorry. I meant to say it but totally forgot. Hahahaha!”
“Nellin…”
“U-Um, Marin—no! Nellin!”
“Call me whatever’s comfortable. Nellin, Marin, it’s all good~. What’s up, Def?”
“What was its name when it was at the Count’s estate?”
“Oh, that. Alexandros II.”
“Alexandros… the II?”
“Oof! That’s such a cool name for a slime!”
“What are you mad about, you idiot? But wait, why ‘the II’? Was there a I?”
“T-Tongtong is a much cuter name!”
“Def, what are you so competitive about?”
“Oh, I was curious too. They said it was small and cute, so they gave it the ‘II’ title.”
“Nobles and their logic… I’ll never understand it.”
While Nellin and Godrick’s group were chatting away, Presia called out to Godrick.
“Mr. Godrick.”
“Y-Yes, Saintess!”
“There’s something I’d like to ask.”
“Please, ask me anything!”
Presia gave a gentle smile toward the nervous Godrick.
“Please don’t be so tense. I might actually know where the slime you and Nellin have been looking for is.”
“R-Really?”
“What? Presia, you know Tongtong too?”
“To confirm that, I need to ask something. Mr. Godrick, can you tell me how you and the slime got separated?”
“Yes. So, what happened was...”
Godrick began explaining how he had to part ways with the slime unexpectedly during the lesser troll subjugation mission.
After listening to everything, Presia nodded as if convinced.
“Just as I thought. I believe I’ve seen the slime you and Nellin met.”
“Are you serious?”
“For real?”
“Yes. Actually...”
This time, Presia told Nellin and Godrick’s group the story of how the next Saintess, Amelia, and the paladin Paulen encountered the slime.
And she explained what name had been given to the slime and how it had been living at the Church.
“The next Saintess and the Paladin picked up Tongtong?”
“What the—! If we had just gone to the Holy City back then, we would’ve found Tongtong right away!”
“This is fate playing tricks on us.”
“S-So it was called Jiggly. I think that name’s cute too.”
“Wait, sparring with a Paladin? And what? Exercise…?”
“Wait, it was here? Then is it with your successor now?”
“No. Unfortunately, Jiggly is no longer at the Great Church. The lich took it.”
“What? Why is a lich suddenly part of this?!”
Just then.
Knock knock knock.
Someone knocked on the door.
“Saintess Presia. It’s Gracie.”
“Ah, someone who can explain in more detail is here. Come in, Miss Gracie.”
With Presia’s permission, Gracie entered the room and looked at Nellin and Godrick’s group.
“Who are these people?”
“I’ll introduce you. Gracie, this is my friend, Nellin. And these are his companions: Mr. Godrick, Mr. Hawane, Mr. Skol, and Mr. Def.”
“Saintess Presia’s friend, and Nellin?! C-Could it be? The Starlight Archer!”
“That’s right.”
Gracie, flustered, greeted Nellin and introduced herself.
“I-It’s an honor to meet you! I am Gracie Frail, proud descendant of the great Sage of Magic, Ventus Frail!”
“Oh, really? But descendant? Did he even get married?”
“Ah, well. Strictly speaking, I’m the granddaughter of his older cousin.”
“Aha. Well, same bloodline—still counts as a descendant.”
“Miss Gracie, could you explain to these folks what happened at the Mage Tower?”
“......!”
A legendary hero—Nellin the Starlight Archer—and her companions were in this room.
And they were asking her to explain what happened that day.
Naturally, Gracie assumed Nellin had come after hearing about the lich and was here to help.
“Yes!”
Gracie recalled the events of that day and explained everything to Nellin and Godrick’s group.
“And then the lich took the slime and vanished again.”
“T-Tongtong was really kidnapped by the lich!”
“Tongtong?”
“Even captured the heart of a lich...”
“Cut the nonsense! So where do we go now? The lich’s lair?”
“Nellin, this might be more serious than we thought.”
“Yeah, really. Hmm... but for a lich, it’s acting pretty mild. I expected something way more dangerous. The only thing it did was yank out the Mage Tower master’s beard.”
“Yeah, I was surprised it ended like that too. But I definitely felt the terrifying aura the lich gave off. By the way, earlier you called the slime... Jiggly ‘Tongtong’?”
“Miss Gracie, these people were with Jiggly before Amelia met it.”
“What!? Is that true?”
“Yes. If you don’t mind, could you take these four to meet Amelia? Nellin and I have something we need to talk about alone.”
“Ah, understood! Everyone, please come with me.”
“Uh, even if we meet the next Saintess...”
“Could you talk with her about how you bonded with the slime? Lately, Amelia has been blaming herself for not being able to protect the slime from the lich. Please be someone she can talk to.”
The first to respond to Presia’s request was Def.
“Yes! I—I was really sad when I suddenly had to part with Tongtong too! I know how that feels!”
“Well, I can understand how she’d blame herself.”
“A comrade in pain…”
“Not sure if talking will help, though.”
Not just Def—Godrick, Hawane, and Skol also understood what it felt like to blame themselves after being suddenly separated from the slime.
After Godrick’s group left the room with Gracie, Presia stood up.
“Nellin, thank you so much for coming. I honestly didn’t know what to do on my own.”
“That’s what friends are for. But what do you mean, you didn’t know what to do? Is this lich really that strong? If it’s that bad, should I call Katshal too?”
“That’s not the kind of uncertainty I meant. And since the dwarf village is in the southern region, even if we request him, it’ll take a long time for Katshal to arrive.”
“Knowing that guy, he’d probably just scoff and come anyway.”
“Ha ha, I think so too.”
Presia walked to a drawer, took out the lich’s sketch, and returned to the sofa.
“Nellin, does this bring anything to mind?”
“What is it?”
Nellin accepted the sketch and stared at it intently.
“A skull? Is this the lich? What the... it’s got decorations on its head, trying to look stylish? Hah! Guess even a wizard-turned-monster still wants to look cool—wait a sec. I feel like I’ve seen this before.”
......
As she laughed, a memory from the past surfaced, and Nellin’s expression stiffened.
She fell silent, eyes locked on the sketch.
A moment later.
Nellin put down the sketch and looked at Presia.
“Hey, Presia... this... what is this?”
Her eyes were trembling, as if she had just seen something she couldn’t believe.