Chapter 133 – Request to Adventurers

“I hate this guy.”

Lily pointed at Ted and said as much.

Geez.

“Lily! We’re heading out to hire some adventurers for your journey! I’ll be coming along, so Heart and Ted will serve as your escorts!”

“Heart’s enough. What about Gain and Fernet?”

Lily puffed out her cheeks in dissatisfaction as she looked around.

“It’s Heartsan, Gainsan, Fernetsan. Don’t use their names so casually. And since this is for my sake, no whining.”

“It’s not fair—Marie’s the only one who gets special treatment.”

“No matter what you say, I won’t indulge your selfishness!”

Lately, I’ve started to sound a lot like Note.

Ted chuckled at the sight.

“Come on, don’t pout. Let’s go.”

I grabbed Lily’s arm and pulled her out of the infirmary.

The Holy Knights waiting in the hallway surrounded us in an imposing security formation.

It wasn’t about guarding against attacks. They were on alert for Lily trying to escape.

Her status already bore the mark of permanent banishment from the capital.

There was no way she could get away, but her lack of trust came from her everyday behavior.

“Where’s Heart?”

“Checking the carriage for safety.”

Heart stood tall and gallant in his uniform before the carriage emblazoned with the church crest.

Spotting me, Heart took my hand, while Ted took Lily’s and helped us into the carriage.

“I wanted Heart too.”

“How many times do I have to say it? It’s Heartsan!”

From there, just as Gain had instructed me, I explained the precautions and mindset for the journey in detail to Lily.

Lily listened with a bored expression, tuning most of it out.

“You’ll be the one in trouble later. No take-backs once you regret it.”

“I get it already~. Marie’s naggy—worse than Dad, Mom, or even Kirika.”

Naggy…? Hmph!

“Don’t call it nagging. I’m saying this because I care. You don’t want to mess up again, right?”

“Yeah, but if you dump it all at once like that, I’ll forget.”

“Just tuck it away in the corner of your mind. You’ll remember it someday. And when you do, you’ll thank me from the bottom of your heart.”

“Something like that?”

“Something exactly like that.”

I let out a exasperated sigh, and Heart and Ted turned away, stifling laughs.

Darn it. I’d let my real self slip out completely.

But it was too late now. And hey, it was just Lily.

I bucked up again and continued nagging the thoroughly fed-up Lily about what lay ahead.

The carriage jolted to a halt, and the door was opened from outside by a Holy Knight.

Peering out, I saw we were in the alley behind the guild.

“Gain arranged for us to enter from the back.”

Heart glanced at my puzzled face, then toward Lily.

“Ah. Yeah, we can’t exactly have Lily out in the open.”

As expected of Gain.

He’d covered for my oversight perfectly.

Heart and I stepped down from the carriage first, then Ted tied a rope around Lily’s waist and led her out.

“I really hate this. Hey, are you listening?”

Lily grumbled, puffing her cheeks again in protest, but Ted didn’t bat an eye.

Ted’s tough. Or rather, he’s really going all out.

Grumbling all the while, Lily let Ted drag her into the guildmaster’s office.

“Hello.” “Hey.”

My big sister and Gobas, lounging on the sofa, each raised a hand in greeting.

“Big sis!? Gobas!?”

I shot them a what are you doing here? look, and the guildmaster who’d opened the door sighed with a weary “Gain, huh.”

“He specifically named these two as people who can ‘keep a secret and are trustworthy.'”

Sis winked and fluttered her hand, while Gobas looked ambivalent.

The guildmaster plopped down roughly next to them and jerked his chin for us to sit too.

“We’re incredibly grateful, but is this really okay?”

“She’s your little sister, isn’t she? Who else but us?”

Sis smacked Gobas hard on the back and tilted her head with a “Right?”

Gobas flushed bright red and grinned bashfully with an “Yeah.”

“Thank you so much. We’ll gladly accept your help then. Come on, Lily—say hello.”

I pulled Lily’s arm and sat her down with the three of them.

“N-Nice to meet you… please treat me well.”

I shot her a sharp glare to use proper manners, and Lily managed a stiff but polite greeting.

Confirming it, the guildmaster gave a resigned look before eyeing Heart and Ted behind us.

“I’m not taking responsibility no matter what happens.”

The guildmaster tossed the documents he was holding onto the table with a thud.

I picked them up and skimmed through: basically, a disclaimer stating they wouldn’t be liable if Lily ran away, got attacked by a magical beast, kidnapped, or anything else.

I looked to the guildmaster, who crossed his legs awkwardly and muttered “Can’t be helped,” propping his cheek on his hand as he leaned sideways against the sofa arm.

“No, this is fine. Thank you for your assistance.”

I signed all the papers and placed them gently before the guildmaster.

He sat up, checked them, and scratched his eyebrow with his index finger. “Sorry about this.”

The guildmaster wasn’t in the wrong. It was standard procedure.

A saintess’s relative—no, a criminal one at that.

The world thought Grandfather was my only blood kin.

If word got out about a twin sister, it’d be pandemonium.

I was deeply grateful they’d even agreed to a secrecy contract.

“It’s fine. Forget me—Gobas here is the real deal. Right!”

Gobas stared at me with dead-serious eyes, declaring “I’ll protect her with everything I’ve got.”

I’d known him since we were kids. When serious Gobas said something, he always followed through.

It was a huge relief to have someone reliable I could entrust this to.

“Marie. I’m kinda thirsty~.”

In the tense atmosphere, Lily’s carefree voice made everyone’s shoulders slump.

“Yeah, my bad for not thinking ahead.”

“No, I’m sorry for making such a selfish request.”

I stopped the guildmaster as he chuckled and started to rise, trying to stand myself—only for Ted to hold my shoulder from behind.

“I’ll handle the tea. Everyone, stay seated.”

Honestly, Lily—even for your own sake. She fiddled innocently with her hair.

How does she stay so shameless?

Ted served tea all around and set out some snacks on the table.

Lily quietly picked up a few treats and started munching away.

Sis and Gobas watched this Lily with warm gazes.

I don’t know anyone as patient and caring as my big sister.

“Big sis, she’s a selfish little sister, but please take good care of her.”

Sis chuckled softly and said “No problem,” eyeing Lily as she reached for her tea with carefree abandon.

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