Chapter 76
"Saint, it's an honor to meet you...!"
"Please, hold this child. We ask for your blessing!"
On the return ship, passengers were gathering one after another around Reina.
It was because her identity as the Saint had been exposed.
Some women came to thank her while holding her hand, and others asked her to hold their babies.
"Saint... thank you so much. Thank you for saving this land, truly...!"
Having heard from the Fairy Queen Titania that Reina had defeated the evil god's followers, some even looked on the verge of tears with gratitude.
"S-Saint. If it's alright, once we return to shore, would you and I... whoa!?"
"Shoebill!"
Some tried to flirt with the radiant beauty that was Reina, but they were pulled away by the plushie inhabited by the Holy Spirits.
Only those without wicked hearts—those who were pure—were allowed to touch the Saint.
"She sure is popular, huh, Reina..."
"Yes, it seems that way."
A little distance away from the crowd.
Clael, who had moved to a different bench, was being spoken to by Eric.
"Priest Clael. I apologize for earlier. I acted rudely."
"No... please don't. Your Highness, Crown Prince."
Clael gave a bitter expression in response to Eric's apology.
"You haven't done anything that requires an apology. Please raise your head."
"No... now that I think about it, my attitude earlier was indeed rude. I'd like to properly apologize."
It seemed he was apologizing for glaring at him earlier.
While Eric and the other capture targets had been giving him rude looks, Clael didn't seem particularly bothered.
"I've wanted to talk to you properly for a while now, Priest Clael."
"...Is this about Reina?"
"Ah... let me get straight to the point. What do you intend to do about Reina?"
"What do I intend to do...?"
Clael made a puzzled expression.
He didn't understand what Eric was trying to say or the intent behind the question.
"I've heard that you're Reina's foster parent... but honestly, the distance between you two today didn't seem like that of a parent and child. It looked more like lovers or a married couple."
"...Is that so?"
Clael genuinely looked confused and tilted his head.
Due to his lack of romantic experience in his previous life—and never having married or raised a child—he couldn't really grasp the difference between the closeness of lovers and that of family.
Isn't it natural for close families to hold hands?
"Aren't you overthinking it? Reina and I are just family, you know?"
"...I hope that's true. No, I suppose I'm just being nosy."
Eric traced the wrinkle between his brows with his finger and let out a deep, deep sigh.
"Even though I just apologized, I seem to have been rude again. Please forgive me."
"............"
He didn't really get it, but Eric's worries were unfounded.
The closeness between Clael and Reina was simply because they were a loving family.
At least, that's what Clael believed.
Even though she invited him to bathe together or sleep in the same bed... it was all out of familial affection.
"...You really are just family? I'm starting to seriously worry, you know?"
"No, really! We're absolutely family, okay?"
As Eric glared at him with half-lidded eyes, Clael hurriedly waved his hands side to side.
"I want Reina to be happy... more than anyone else in this world. I sincerely, wholeheartedly wish for her happiness."
Reina deserved to be happier than anyone else.
Abused by her father since childhood, yet never losing her pure heart... a world where someone like her isn't rewarded is wrong.
Clael's own happiness came second.
As long as Reina could live happily, he didn't mind putting himself last.
"I see... I'll trust those sincere eyes of yours."
Eric seemed convinced by Clael's heartfelt words.
"Please continue to pray for Reina's future. In remote Eggbell."
"And may Your Highness find happiness with your fiancée as well."
"............"
Not wanting to be the only one on the receiving end, he threw in a tiny verbal jab.
As expected, Eric looked awkward and fell silent.
"Oh, awesome! They're biting like crazy!"
"Hey... don't yell so loud! You'll scare the fish away!"
A short distance from the bench where Clael and Eric were chatting, Vincent and Will were fishing.
Luy was lying on his back on an empty bench, a white towel covering his face.
(So the incident is already resolved... then what the hell did these guys even come here for...?)
He had assumed it was some kind of game-enforced event, but apparently, he was wrong.
Could it be... they really just came on a trip, the four of them, for fun?
(Are they college students or something...? Well, not that it matters.)
"Oh... awesome! It's a big one!"
Apparently, he had hooked a big catch.
Vincent gripped the bending rod, trying to reel in his prey.
"I caught iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!"
And then... eventually, the big catch was hauled onto the ship's deck.
"Huh...?"
"Ah...?"
And then... everyone who saw it opened their eyes wide in shock.
"G...gu..."
What had been pulled up with the fishing line hanging from its mouth was a monster that looked like a cross between a human and a fish.
"Is that... a 'Sahuagin'!?"
At the sight of the monster hauled onto the ship's deck, Clael stood up from the bench.
The monster called Sahuagin was an enemy that appeared in the event taking place at this beach.
(I heard Reina defeated it... was it just a miss?)
"Huh...!?"
Meanwhile, Reina, who was surrounded by passengers a short distance away, raised her voice.
"Everyone, grab onto the ship and get down! Hurry!"
"Reina, what's going on!?"
"You too, Clael...! There's a huge presence coming from below...!"
The next moment, a heavy impact struck the tour ship.
The ship rocked violently in all directions, and huge waves formed.
It wasn't just a high wave. Something massive had surfaced from the sea.
"A whale... no, that's not it...!"
'Ooooooooooooooooooooooo!'
"It's a monster!"
Someone screamed, and the ship's deck descended into chaos.
What appeared was a towering Sahuagin. A half-fishman the size of a sperm whale.
"'Deep Gigant'!"
"Tch... you're still alive!?"
Clael and Reina shouted at the same time.
It was the boss of the Sahuagin. The guardian deity of the ancient sealed city on the ocean floor... Deep Gigant.
The boss monster of the event at this beach. Reina was said to have defeated it... but apparently, it hadn't been completely finished off.
'Ooooooooooooooooooooooo!'
Deep Gigant let out a roar that seemed to echo from the depths of the sea, its massive body covered in deep wounds, clearly on the verge of collapse.
"I'm sorry, Clael... this is my fault...!"
"No... it's not your fault, Reina."
In the first place, an enemy that can be soloed isn't called a boss monster.
Even if Reina couldn't finish it off, it wouldn't be unreasonable.
"Those who can't fight, please hide inside the cabin! Those who can, grab your weapons!"
"A giant fish monster, huh... sounds fun! Let's do this!"
Eric urged the passengers to evacuate and grabbed a sword himself.
Vincent readied his spear and boldly stepped forward, preparing to face the enemy.
"Luy! How long are you going to sleep? It's battle time!"
"Huh...? Reina's lap pillow was so comfy... wait, a giant monster!?"
Will raised his magic staff, and Luy hurriedly pulled out his bow and arrows.
The four capture characters stood together, ready to face the boss monster.
"Reina, stay back!"
"Yeah, leave this to us!"
"We'll take down this half-dead monster."
"Reinaaa, watch me shine!"
To protect the ship, the passengers, and... to protect Reina, they bravely challenged the mighty enemy.
For the sake of their beloved, the battle began with the men's pride on the line.
"Judgment Lightning"
'Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah...!?'
...Or so it seemed.
When Reina raised her hand to the sky, a powerful bolt of lightning enveloped the monster's body.
Like a waterfall, the torrent of lightning swallowed the monster's massive form, incinerating it without resistance.
"Ah..."
In front of the men who had readied their weapons, Deep Gigant was easily defeated, reduced to a charred corpse.
"Phew... are you okay, Clael?"
"Y-yeah... I'm fine, but..."
"I see. I'm glad you're not hurt."
"...Yeah, right."
Reina seemed like someone who couldn't read the mood.
That was supposed to be a scene where the four capture characters worked together to defeat the enemy.
(No... maybe it's fine since nothing bad happened...?)
Thus, the threat that attacked Amira Coast was completely wiped out.
Though the men's pride was a noble sacrifice, a major event in the game was resolved all too easily.