Published: August 3, 2025
It seemed that he quickly grew bored of making me squeak, as Sylvester’s fingers stopped moving. However, it wasn’t boredom—his attention had simply shifted to something else.
“...What is this?”
At that mutter, Sylvester smoothly pulled out the hairpin from my hair.
Huh? Before I could react, strands of my hair fell loose. When I looked up sharply, Sylvester was examining the ceremonial hairpin that my family had made for me with great interest.
Sylvester looks like a man in his late twenties, but his behavior was akin to an incomprehensible elementary school boy who doesn’t know his own strength. The moment I realized that, the word “broken” popped into my mind. A cold wave swept over me.
“P-please give it back.”
I instinctively reached out. At my voice, Sylvester narrowed his eyes into a Cheshire cat grin. He raised the hairpin just out of my reach, dangling the green leaf ornament that slipped between his rough fingers. He had absolutely no intention of returning it.
“Come on, try and get it.”
“Give it back!”
I chased after Sylvester as he raised and lowered his hand, jumping up and down. Soon, I was out of breath.
“I’ve told you to give it back... My hairpin. The one Father, Mother, and Tulli made for me.”
I fixed my gaze sharply on the hairpin held high and clenched my fist tightly. At the same time, I felt mana surge throughout my body.
...I hate boys like this.
“Whoa! Shrine maiden apprentice!”
Darmel’s panicked voice echoed.
The High Priest and Karlstedt turned around with narrowed eyes, quickly drawing their Glowing Batons and raising them.
“You idiot! I told you not to mess with her too much!”
“Don’t disgrace yourself acting like that towards a child!”
Snap! The sound of two blows struck Sylvester’s head simultaneously. I gasped, surprised to see Sylvester being hit with what looked like a transformed baton resembling a ritual scepter.
“Come on, don’t both of you have to scold him? I was just teasing a little.”
Sylvester seemed unrepentant, but the moment he realized the High Priest and Karlstedt would restrain him if he went too far, the anger that filled me slowly drained away.
The High Priest quickly snatched the hairpin from Sylvester’s hand and returned it to me.
“Myne, can you put it back by yourself?”
“Yes. Thank you, High Priest.”
I quickly secured my hair with the hairpin. Sylvester, watching with amusement, reached for it again.
“Hey!”
Karlstedt slapped Sylvester’s hand away, then pointed at the bewildered Darmel.
“Play with Darmel, not Myne. She’s sturdy.”
The High Priest nodded in agreement. “That’s right. Play with Darmel. Myne is this side.”
Then the High Priest scooped me up under his arm and returned to his office desk to resume planning with Karlstedt. Darmel’s pitiful cries of “Stop it, please!” were completely ignored as the two studied the map and quickly decided on their route.
I sighed in admiration as I looked at the map spread out on the desk. It was more detailed than the one I had seen at the Merchant Guild.
The map I saw at the Merchant Guild only showed city names and roads; this was the first time seeing a map showing the shape and terrain of the territory. The territory stretched long from north to south, color-coded in red and blue by some criterion. Most of the area around the city was red, with blue increasing the farther you went.
...I wonder what the basis for the color-coding is?
I wanted to ask, but I judged it would be rude to interrupt their serious discussion right above my head, so I quietly continued to study the map.
“Hmm, this should do.”
“Well then, let’s depart.”
“Darmel, carry Myne. Sylvester, take this. Karlstedt, you take that.”
Once their opinions aligned, we headed immediately toward the noble gate. Karlstedt and Sylvester, burdened with heavy luggage, left the room, and Darmel lifted me into his arms.
I whispered quietly to Darmel.
“Darmel-sama, if possible, I’d like to keep as much distance from that priest as we can.”