"How's it going, Yi Yan? Do you still want to swing an axe? ”

"Hmm...... The pain has subsided a bit. Lin Yiyan stood up with his legs on the ground and stretched out his right hand. Taking over the keel axe, it is indeed much lighter than the sword of the green rose.

At the very least, I hope that the act of swinging the axe will increase that parameter. With this in mind, I gripped the handle of the axe and pulled back to the back [Take back].

………

"Uhh......hh It's so comfortable......" Immersed in the warm water with a tired body that he was not used to, at this moment, Lin Yiyan couldn't help but say such words.

The bathhouse of the Lulid Church is a structure in which a large copper bathtub is embedded in the tiled floor, and firewood is added to the stove outside the wall to heat the water. People can't help but think of whether the bathhouses in medieval Europe were designed by the creators of the world, or the result of independent evolution over hundreds of years of internal simulation, Lin Yiyan didn't know at all.

After dinner, first the two girls, Sister Asalia and Serka, used the bathhouse, then I and the other four boys went into the bath, and the children finally walked out after a lot of noise. However, this full basin of bathwater was not dirty at all. He picked up the clear liquid with both hands and slammed it on his face, making a whining sound again.

At this moment, I have been in this world for about thirty-three hours.

Subconsciously, I waved my right hand and cut through the water, and the splash hit the wall in front of me, making a slight sound. At the same time, a voice came from the other end of the door leading to the undressing room, which brought Lin Yiyan back to his senses.

"Ale, who's coming in again?" Lin Yiyan realized that it was Serka, so he hurriedly stood up.

"Ah, that, I-Yi Yan. Sorry, I'll be out right away. ”

"Hmm...... Well, it's okay to wash slowly, remember to pull out the plug from the tub and turn off the lights when you go out. Then goodbye...... I'm back to my room, good night. Realizing that Serka was about to leave, Lin Yiyan suddenly called out to her through the door, "Ah...... Serka. I have something to ask you, do you have time tonight? ”

Serka, who stopped suddenly, was silent for a moment as if hesitating, but finally said in a voice that could barely be heard, "...... Just a little bit is fine. The children in my room should have already slept, so I'll be waiting for you in your room. ”

Without waiting for me to answer, she walked away with small steps. Lin Yiyan hurriedly came out of the bathtub, pulled out the wooden cork at the bottom of the tank, turned off the lights on the wall, and walked to the undressing room. Even if you don't wipe it with a towel, the water droplets will dry quickly, so after putting on a lounge coat, I made my way to the corridor where calm had been restored, and climbed up the stairs.

Opening the door to the guest room, Serka, who was sitting on the bed swinging her feet back and forth, lifted her face. Unlike last night, he was dressed in kapok pajamas, and his brown hair was tied into three braids. Serka, whose expression did not change, picked up the large water glass placed on the table next to him and handed it to him.

"Oh, thank you." Lin Yiyan took the water cup, sat down next to Serka, and drank the cold well water in one go. Feeling the moisture pouring into my thirsty body, bit by bit, penetrated the tips of my limbs, and I couldn't help but exclaim, "Woo, nectar!" ”

"Nectar? What's that? Then, with a puzzled expression, Serka tilted his head, oh no, the word is not found in this world, and hurriedly explained, "Eh...... In other words, it is delicious, and you can get healing water just by drinking it...... That's about it. ”

"Hmm...... Like Elixir? ”

"So, what's that?"

"Holy water blessed by the monks and adults of the Church. You may not have seen it, but with a vial of that thing, the Destiny that has been reduced by the injury and illness can be restored in an instant. ”

"Eh...... "If there is such a thing, why does infectious diseases cause so many deaths?" I thought about it, but I realized that it was better not to ask, so I fell silent. At least, the world ruled by such a great name as the Congregational Church is not a paradise!

Taking the dry water cup from Lin Yiyan's hand, Serka said in a quick voice, "If you have anything to ask, hurry up." After bathing, it is forbidden to enter the boys' rooms, but the guest rooms are not included, but if Sister Azalia finds out, she will be blamed. ”

"That'...... I'm really sorry. I'll just talk about it briefly, the ...... What I want to hear about your sister. Suddenly, the slender shoulders under the white pajamas trembled slightly.

“…… I don't have a sister. ”

"yes, now? I heard about it from Eugeo. Your sister, Alice's business ......" Before Lin Yiyan's words were finished, Serka raised his face, which made Lin Yiyan slightly surprised.

"From Eugiona? He told you about Alice's sister? Speaking of where? ”

"Ah...... Well. That one...... Alice also studied divine art in this church...... Six years ago, he was integrated and stayed in the central capital......"

“…… That's it......" Serka breathed a sigh of relief, lowered her head, and continued in a small voice, "...... Yugeo, you haven't forgotten it...... Sister Alice's business......"

"Huh......?"

"The people of the village...... Neither father, mother, nor nun would ever talk about Sister Alice. My sister's room was cleaned up a few years ago...... It's like Sister Alice didn't exist in the first place...... So, I think everyone has forgotten about Sister Alice...... Giugeo is also ......"

"Forget something, Eugeo misses Alice a lot. That's why...... If he didn't have a vocation, he might have rushed to the central capital right away. Hearing Lin Yiyan's words, Serka was silent for a while, and then whispered, "That kind of thing...... Then, Yugeo couldn't laugh, and it really had something to do with Sister Alice. ”

"Eugeo...... Can't laugh? ”

"Well, when my sister was in the village, he kept smiling all the time. It's rare to see him without a smile. I was very young, but I still remember it vividly...... However, after my sister's absence, I can barely see the smiling face of Eugeo. And that's not all...... On his days off, he was either bored at home or went to the woods, and he was always alone......"

While listening to this, I thought about it in my heart. It is true that Eugeo is a calm person, but it does not give the impression of being emotionally closed. He had gone to the forest, had already returned to the village from there, and had time to rest, and he had smiled more than once or twice when he talked to him.

He couldn't smile in front of Serka and the villagers, and the reason for that was probably guilt. Let the next generation of nun Alice, who is loved and has high hopes, be taken away, and can't even help her...... this sense of guilt? Only when he didn't understand the situation at that time, as an outsider, he wouldn't blame himself, probably that's it.

You have to go to Yangdu. Lin Yiyan once again strengthened this thought. It's not just for himself, but also to think that Yugeo will leave the village and see Alice, and the two can't be reunited, and this kind of thinking can't be dissipated for a long time. For this, Kigassida had to be cut down......

“…… Well, what are you thinking? Serka's voice pulled Lin Yiyan back from her thoughts, so Lin Yiyan raised her face and said to her, "No...... Just remembering something. Eugeo, as you said, has always taken Alice very seriously. ”

Just as Lin Yiyan said what he thought in his heart, Serka's face seemed to tremble a little. The beautiful eyebrows and large pupils ooze a lonely look.

"This ...... Ah, sure enough. Seeing her drooping her shoulders and whispering this, Lin Yiyan quickly noticed it and asked hesitantly, "Serka...... Like Yogeo? ”

"What...... What are you talking about? Although the corners of her eyes rose in protest, her face facing Lin Yiyan was already blushing to her neck. I thought she would bow her head, but she said it with a little nervousness.

“…… It's just a feeling, unbearable. Whether it's my father or my mother, I don't say it explicitly, but they always sigh when they compare me to my sister who is gone. The same goes for other adults. That's why I left home and moved to church. Even if you come here...... Sister Azalia too, when teaching me the Divine Arts, I always thought she would say that my sister only needs to teach it once. That's not the kind of guy in Eugeo...... However, he always avoided me. When you see me, you think of my sister. These...... It's not my fault! I don't even remember my sister's face......"

The petite back wrapped in thin pajamas trembled, and when Lin Yiyan watched the twelve-year-old girl crying, not knowing what to do, and her whole body became stiff, Serka wiped the corner of her eye with her right hand and wiped away the tears.

“…… Sorry, I'm a little excited. ”

"No...... It's okay, that. When I feel like crying, I think it's better to cry. Why did Lin Yiyan say such a thing. Although he thinks so, the lines of idol dramas that are flooding the real world in the 21st century make Serka smile and nod bluntly.

“…… Well, yes. I always feel a little happy. It's been a long time since I've cried in front of others. ”

"Eh, Serka is amazing. I'm still crying in front of others at your age. Hearing Lin Yiyan say this, Serka's eyes widened and he looked at Lin Yiyan, "That'...... Yi Yan, memory recovered? ”

"Ah...... No, no, how could it be...... I just feel this way...... In short, I am myself. And not someone else...... So, as long as Serka does what he can do, I think it's fine. Again, these were quoted lines, and Serka thought for a moment, then nodded again.

“…… Oh, yes. I...... may not be able to face up to himself and his sister......" Seeing her say these words with full fighting spirit, Lin Yiyan always felt that it was full of guilt to take Yugeo away from her. Just when Lin Yiyan was in distress, the harmony of the bell tower sounded overhead.

"Ah...... It's already nine o'clock. It's time for me to go back to my room. That's right...... Is that all Yi Yan wants to inquire about? Serka, who said this to the leaning head, 'Well, that's enough,' gave such a vicious reply.

"Well, I'll go back." Standing up from the bed, Serka took a few steps towards the door, then stopped, turned around, "I said...... Yi Yan, do you even know the reason why my sister was taken away by the integration knight? ”

"Hmm...... Ah, what's wrong with that? ”

"I don't know. Father didn't say anything...... I had asked Eugeo a long time ago, but he wouldn't tell me. Well, what's the reason? Lin Yiyan hesitated slightly, but when he thought of that reason, he couldn't help but say, "That...... It's like, I entered a cave in the upper reaches of the river, and through that cave I crossed the End Mountains, and my hand touched the land of the Dark Country, and that's all I heard......"

“…… That's right...... Passing through the Ending Mountains......" Serka seemed to think about something, but after a while she nodded her head and continued what she had just said, "Tomorrow is a day off, but the time of prayer is the same as before, so remember to get up." I don't want to call you again. ”

"I, I'll try it." For a moment, Serka smiled, then opened the door and left.

Lin Yiyan heard her footsteps go away before she lay down on the bed. Although I wanted to get information about Alice, a mysterious girl, for Serka, who was only five or six years old at the time, she really didn't have any memory. All you know is that Eugeo has a deep affection for Alice.

Lin Yiyan closed her eyes and tried to imagine the figure of the girl named Alice. But her face certainly didn't come to mind, and only a golden light flashed in her eyelids.

………

The next morning, Lin Yiyan was painfully told by the facts how inconsiderate he was.

When the bell rang at half-past five, I opened my eyes and climbed out of the neat bed while thinking, "I can still do it if I want to." I opened the east window, stretched out, and took a deep breath of the cool air with the color of dawn. After a few deep breaths, the drowsy residue that remained near the back of the head disappeared completely.

Listening intently, the children in the room across the hallway are also starting to get up. In order to be able to go to the well before them, he quickly changed his clothes.

Lin Yiyan's "Initial Equipment" tunic and cotton pants have no obvious stains, but Yugeo says that if the clothes are not washed often, the destiny will quickly diminish. That being the case, it's almost time to think about getting a change of clothes. Let's discuss this matter with Ugeo today—Lin Yiyan thought as he walked out the back door and came to the well.

When I scooped a few glasses of water from the bucket into the basin and leaned down to wipe my face a few times, I suddenly felt someone approaching quickly behind me. Probably Serka, Lin Yiyan thought as he lifted up, wiped the water on his hand and turned around.

"Ah...... Good morning, nun. Standing there was Sister Asarya, dressed in monastic robes that showed no hint of sloppiness. Lin Yiyan hurriedly lowered his head, and the other party also nodded and replied Good morning. Seeing that the corners of her stern mouth were tighter than usual, Lin Yiyan was startled.

"That...... Nun, is there anything ...... up? Lin Yiyan asked tremblingly. The nun blinked hesitantly, and said briefly, "—Seca is gone." ”

"Hey......"

"Yi Yan, do you know something? Serka seems to be very close to you......"

Is this a suspicion of what he did to Serka? I felt embarrassed for a moment, but I immediately felt that it was not the case. In this world, there is an absolute law of taboo catalogs that no one violates, and I am afraid that the nun will not even think of such a big crime as abducting a girl. In other words, she believes that Serka's disappearance was based on her own volition, and she simply wants to ask herself if she knows where she went.

"That...... No, I haven't heard anything either...... It's a day off, right? Isn't it home? She said as she thought desperately with her unawake brain, but the nun immediately shook her head.

Serka didn't go home once in the two years since she came to church. Even if she did go back, she wouldn't say a word to me, not even the morning service. Even if—there are no rules that prohibit her from doing so......"

"So...... Did you go shopping? How do you prepare the ingredients for breakfast? ”

"I bought two days' worth of food yesterday evening. Because all the shops in the village are closed today. ”

"Ahhh......h I see. At this point, Lin Yiyan's poor imagination has come to an end.

“…… She must have something urgent. Definitely will be back soon. ”

“…… If only that were the case......" Sister Asali said with a slight sigh as she still frowned worriedly.

"Then, wait until noon, and if you don't come back, you will consult with the people from the village office. Sorry to bother you, but I still have to prepare for the service, so I'll take my leave. ”

"Where...... I'll be looking around in a moment. Seeing the nun nod and leave after saluting, and when she poured out the water in the basin, Lin Yiyan's heart swelled with a feeling of unease. I remember talking to Serka last night, and I felt a little worried. But I can't remember what the concern was. Did Lin Yiyan say anything that caused Serka to disappear from the church?

After finishing the service with anxiety in his heart, he asked comfortingly, 'Where has Sister Serka gone?' While the children had finished their breakfast, the girl still did not return. Lin Yiyan helped clean up the dishes and chopsticks for breakfast and walked out of the main entrance of the church.

Although he hadn't made an appointment to meet with Ugeo before, when the bell rang at eight o'clock, he still saw flaxen-colored hair walking into the square from the north road, and Lin Yiyan ran towards him with a sigh of relief.