Facing the apologies from Raynare, Kalawarna, and Mittelt, Takumi lifted his hand and released a green light.
"[Area Heal]!"
In an instant, the trio's wounds were restored; stamina and mana both returned to peak.
"You've already done enough. Merit will be rewarded in due course—head back to the church and wait for me." Takumi gave the order without hiding anything from Mio and Maria. After all, Raynare and the others were among the first batch of slaves; naturally, Mio and the rest had no objections.
"Thank you, Master!" x3
The three, whose hearts had been trembling, were overjoyed at Takumi's words. They immediately beat their wings toward the church, eager to await his arrival.
"Takumi-nii, take a stroll outside for a bit—we'll head back first." Maria quickly tugged Mio along toward home. After all that happened today, dinner hadn't even been started yet. And after such a big battle, they really should celebrate properly—Maria planned a feast.
Understanding her intent, Takumi didn't rush home. Leaving the park, in the glow of the setting sun, he saw that Kuoh Town was in an uproar. The extreme magic wave Katerea had unleashed had pierced the mirror-dimension and bled into reality.
Large swaths of glass had shattered, causing no small panic.
Roads that should at least have a few cars were now empty. No—not entirely empty.
Looking ahead, he spotted a girl in a nun's habit struggling to drag a suitcase along the sidewalk. A white veil covered her head; silky golden hair spilled from beneath it. Her features were cute and delicate; her cool-pale skin was smooth and poreless.
Petite and dainty, her conservative habit hung to her ankles. Takumi could only see a pair of brown boots peeking out below—there was no glimpse at all of snow-white thighs or soft, fair calves.
The cute nun was tugging her suitcase along; from the nearby bus stop behind her, it wasn't hard to guess she had been waiting a long time. With no bus arriving, she had to walk.
But she hadn't gone far when Takumi heard a cute little yelp.
"Wah-wooo!"
In his field of view, the nun pitched straight forward, arms spread, face-first toward the ground—an absurd pose. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he might not have believed anyone could fall like that.
He quickened his pace, reached her, and helped her up.
"Awuu~~ Why did I fall… ah—sorry, and thank you." Asia rubbed her cheek and thanked him in a sweet voice.
Takumi smiled. "Even when rushing, you have to watch your step—the ground isn't flat everywhere."
As he spoke, a breeze swept by.
Whooo
Asia's veil lifted and flew; the golden hair pinned beneath slipped free. Her big, watery green eyes met Takumi's.
Zzt!
A feeling like static jumped between their hearts. Asia stared at Takumi, a little dazed. A full ten seconds passed before she started and snapped back to herself, a lovely blush blooming over her smooth, egg-round cheeks.
"S-so sorry… I…"
She apologized on reflex, as if to cover the stir of emotion inside. Takumi shook his head with a smile and bent to pick up her fallen suitcase.
"No need to apologize. Are you here sightseeing?"
Taking the suitcase, Asia bowed lightly and explained: "N-no, not traveling. I actually arrived today to take up an appointment at this town's church… You live in this town too, right? Please take care of me from now on!!"
Her clumsy cuteness really struck Takumi's fancy. After explaining, she brought her hands together before her chest and shared her trouble. "I ran into a problem right away, because… I'm not very good at Japanese… and then I got lost. No one on the road understood what I was saying…"
By the end, Asia was peeking up at him nervously. Up till now, Takumi was the only man she'd met who could communicate with her. And he felt so kind and friendly—like God had sent him specifically to guide her!
Yes, that had to be it! Thinking so, Asia's gaze grew even warmer. "Um, I'm Asia Argento! Please call me Asia! What's your name, sir?"
Takumi answered honestly. "Takumi."
"Takumi… Takumi-san, I'm very happy to meet you." A sweet smile blossomed over her face. The two walked side by side, and Takumi neatly punctured the truth. "Asia, you're lost right now, aren't you?"
"Uu… yes, Takumi-san." Asia twisted the hem of her habit, mortified. She'd meant to report to the church, but didn't know where it was. She'd wandered Kuoh Town and ended up here, utterly lost.
"I know where the church is."
Takumi's next words shone into her heart like light.
"R-really!? Th-thank you~ This must be the Lord's guidance!"
Tears pricked at Asia's lashes; she looked genuinely moved. Takumi arched a brow and tapped her cheek. "This is my guidance~ But it's already late at the church, and something just happened in Kuoh Town—trains and such are stopped. If we walk, we might not make it by dawn. Come to my place first—you can stay the night."
Like the big bad wolf from a fairy tale inviting Little Red Riding Hood, Takumi made his offer. And Asia—convinced he was the Lord's guidance—nodded at once and trotted after him.
It was only from here to his place, not far. Chatting and laughing, they soon arrived at his door. Gazing at the handsome three-story villa, Asia couldn't help a soft exclamation. "So you live here, Takumi-san—what a big house."
Ever since being expelled from the Church, she'd drifted from place to place. It had been a long time since she'd seen such a spacious, beautiful home.
"Treat it like your own, Asia. Come in." Takumi smiled and opened the door.
Asia followed close behind and stepped inside.
"Takumi-nii, you're back! It's still a bit early—dinner needs a little more time~" Dressed in a cute kitchen outfit that showed off her charms, Maria peeked out—immediately locking eyes with a very flustered Asia.
...
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