"Is this alright?"

A promise to occasionally try on comfortable clothes.

The other party had encouraged me so strongly; there was no reason to back out now after coming this far.

Seizing the moment, I put on another outfit.

"This feels... a little awkward."

I was wearing light, short-sleeved pajamas. The thin fabric fluttered lightly, revealing my arms. With sleeves that couldn't fully cover my body, my numerous scars were in plain sight. The cool air touched my previously stifled skin.

As I stood still, feeling awkward, a voice that affirmed my attire reached me.

"It looks good."

It was Irene.

The girl standing beside me glanced at me briefly, then nodded with a faint smile. Her expression was strangely delighted.

I asked a question with an awkward smile.

"Isn't it a bit strange? It's been a long time since I wore something like this."

"It suits you well."

"That's a relief."

Even as I replied, I fiddled with the collar. I had always worn fitted, tailored suits, so wearing such loose clothing felt oddly unsettling. Wearing comfortable clothes was unexpectedly uncomfortable.

'They'll be surprised if they see me like this.'

I thought of my comrades.

Although many of them knew about my scars after spending time together, I had never shown myself dressed so casually. I always maintained an air of impenetrability.

As their mental anchor and sole savior, I had to uphold that image.

Even Neria, who had stayed by my side the longest, was no exception.

'It brings back old memories.'

To think I'd get sentimental over a single outfit. I must really be getting old. Shaking off unnecessary thoughts, I turned to the fox watching me and asked a question to clear my mind.

"By the way, I didn't expect to find clothes like this in my wardrobe. I thought it was all just suits."

"I brought a few pieces in."

"Hm?"

"I picked them up when we went shopping the other day. They weren't that expensive, so if you don't like them, feel free to throw them out and get new ones."

"This is fine. Because Irene chose them herself."

"...I didn't mean to brag."

"I'll cherish them for life."

"I told you to stop."

The fox snapped back sharply.

But her body was honest.

Her red tail swayed happily, and her folded fox ears perked up as if they had regained energy.

I couldn't help but chuckle at her straightforward reaction.

"Pfft."

"Why are you laughing all of a sudden?"

"It's nothing."

"Boring."

"I think I'm quite a tangy person myself."

"...Do you know how unfunny that is?"

As we exchanged light banter, the view outside the window had turned dark.

"It's getting late. Should we go to sleep?"

"Yes. Let's do that."

With that, we wrapped up our short conversation.

A night of rest for a busy tomorrow.

Both of us turned to head to our respective rooms.

Or so I thought.

"Good night."

A low whisper.

I could feel warm breath beside me. When I turned my head, there was the fox lying next to me under the covers. She had taken up part of the bed.

"......"

Was it going to be like this again tonight?

Since the school trip, Irene had been sleeping in my room instead of hers. Always in the same bed, too.

Rustle.

As she shifted, her warm body nestled into mine. The girl pressed herself close. Both of us were wearing light pajamas, so the sensation through the thin fabric was even more vivid. Soft skin clung to my scars.

Especially because of our chests touching.

The pressure on my chest felt heavy and warm, the soft shape flattening against me. The feeling of gentle pressure transmitted clearly. Between the warmth, our unsteady breaths mingled.

'We're close.'

It felt like an obvious thought now. I brushed it off with a slight smile.

Being held like this made me feel like a pillow.

With that peculiar thought, I spoke softly to the fox who was still awake, a hint of curiosity in my voice.

"Irene."

"Yes?"

"Why do you sleep here when you have a perfectly good bed of your own?"

"Because it's comfortable."

"Concise."

"Does it bother you that I'm here?"

"Not particularly. But I thought it might be better for you to sleep in your own room. There's only one bed in my room, after all."

"......"

Irene fell silent.

The silence lingered for a moment.

The stern atmosphere gradually crumbled. Her ears, perched atop her head, drooped, and her delicate fingers interlocked with mine as if to hold me close. She whispered softly, as if sinking into water.

"Just let me stay by your side."

Her gaze lifted slowly, her eyes reflecting only my face.

When she looked at me so plaintively, it felt impossible to push her away.

In the end, I let it go again this time. I patted her back gently.

"Alright."

"Thank you."

"It wasn't an issue anyway. Don't think about it and just sleep."

"Yes... okay."

Only then did the fox close her eyes.

I held her for a while longer, feeling her quiet breathing ease as she drifted off. Our warmth mingled like it was melting together.

Leaning on each other, time crept toward dawn.

By the time dawn arrived, only the serene glow of the moonlight and starlight illuminated the dark outside. It was a perfect night, without even a hint of the fading sun.

Gentle breaths escaped the fox in her sleep.

The snake glanced at the sleeping girl, then looked away and sat up. He moved quietly, stepping off the bed.

"......"

The liar remained awake alone.

Sitting lightly on the sofa, he attempted to recover his energy after days of overexertion.

He mouthed words as he summoned a blue window.

"I confess to myself. I have never once told a lie in my life."

A single familiar line, as always.

Before long, a notification rang from the previously silent status window.

-Ding!
[Lie partially restored.]
[Current remaining output: 24.3%]

The boy continued gathering strength.

His voice, devoid of emotion, recited sentences as cold eyes read them out.

"I had stew for lunch today."

-Ding!
[Lie partially restored.]
[Current remaining output: 24.8%]

"I am outside right now."

-Ding!
[Lie partially restored.]
[Current remaining output: 25.2%]

"I hate games."

-Ding!
[Lie partially restored.]
[Current remaining output: 25.7%]

"I am not human."

-Ding!
[Lie...]

A series of lies, repeated until dawn.

The snake spent the night crafting fabrications.

The next day.

I visited the Astro headquarters.

I was there to hear the report about the recent attack.

I had heard that one of the main witnesses had regained consciousness, so I immediately went to meet her.

This time, I didn’t take a carriage.

Instead, Lena came to escort me herself.

"Let's go."

The black-haired woman held out her hand in front of the shimmering portal.

Thanks to her, I arrived without delay.

After receiving a brief update from the deputy commander, I met with the witness waiting in the infirmary.

A woman with long, white hair.

"Miss Medro."

Medro Gardnier.

The church’s vicar and overseer of the Lisit branch that was attacked.

She was also a cooperative figure on our side.

I greeted her lightly and sat across from her.

"I'm glad to see you’ve recovered well. I was quite worried."

"It's all thanks to the grace of the Commander."

She had looked frail and weakened, but she seemed to have recovered in the past few days. The woman expressed her gratitude with a respectful bow—a characteristic gesture of church members.

"I heard you performed another miracle. Thanks to your devotion, countless souls were saved. I express my endless gratitude."

"A miracle... it was just a simple trick. Please don’t pay it much mind."

"A shallow life sustained by a precious bond is still life saved. Surely, it is the will of the heavens. The Commander must be a saint chosen by the divine."

"My subordinates are listening. It's embarrassing, so please, let’s stop here."

"As you wish."

Miracle, salvation, saint... I brushed off the praise and steered the conversation back to the original purpose.

I began asking about the events during the attack.

Since it was sudden, I couldn’t expect detailed information. But I was content to get a vague silhouette.

"I'm not sure if this will be helpful... but I saw a large shadow in the darkness."

"A large shadow...?"

"It was a wicked power. I don't know how much blood it had consumed, but facing it felt like a test of faith."

"If even Miss Medro, the vicar, felt that way, it must have been catastrophic."

"It was truly an ordeal."

"Hm."

This was a decent find.

A large shadow.

Knowing the original work, I had a rough idea of what it was.

The Conductor, and this entity too—it felt like their appearances were coming earlier than in the original. But at least I had noticed quickly. I could prepare more specifically for the upcoming threats.

"That's all for the questions. Thank you for your help."

"I'm glad I could be of help."

"You should stay here for a while. There’s still a high chance that the cultists are watching."

"Thank you for your kindness. By any chance, have the other brothers and sisters survived...?"

"We intend to protect them as well. However, we would appreciate it if the priests could assist us a bit in our work."

"Such a request would be gladly met."

"Heh."

With this incident

, I gained valuable reinforcements.

Lisit was originally a gathering of priests to defend a region. As such, it consisted of skilled and significant individuals. Considering my need to pursue Baob, the addition of experienced members was welcome news.

I stood up with satisfaction.

'That should... take care of one task.'

It felt like a good conclusion.

I left the infirmary and headed toward the next place.

It was the playroom where the children were gathered.