Chapter 213: Fire Drips, Pantile Gets Wet 7
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Shara Lansra, a former Sister of the Healer Faction whom the church had accidentally certified as a Saint, was trembling in fear.
Ever since she’d been forced to act as bait for a horde of Monsters, events had been dizzyingly tumbling in unexpected directions, enough to make her head spin.
…No, that was business as usual.
Shara recalled everything that had happened since meeting the Longdagger Couple and instantly gave up on that train of thought.
No, no, that’s not it, that’s not it.
Shara scolded her own mind for trying to escape reality.
If she looked away from the problem, she would die; Shara could declare this with near certainty.
The woman calling herself Shin’s friend, Jenniferlin Pantile, was listening with apparent delight as Erica recounted stories about Shin in Hecate.
Meanwhile, Erica’s face, as she spoke of Shin, looked as if she were challenging someone to a duel.
It was unbelievable that she could wear such an expression while haltingly spewing words of affection.
Furthermore, she couldn’t comprehend how the other person could nod along so cheerfully to that doting talk.
“This is the gemstone.”
As Erica proudly held up her left hand, Jenniferlin nodded with exaggerated delight.
“Ah, how enviable. I wish I could have been there too, Lady Erica. I bet I would have seen a truly interesting side of Shin.”
It wasn’t interesting at all, you know?
Shara retorted internally to Jenniferlin’s words.
“By the way,”
Erica swirled the tea in her mug.
It was an uncharacteristic gesture for her, as if filling the silence while searching for words, making Shara tilt her head.
“Jen-sama, what is your relationship with Shin? No, I mean, I have heard you are friends, but…”
Could it be…? Shara shuddered at her own thought.
Is Erica jealous of Jenniferlin-san… that’s long, Jen-san is fine, right? Yeah? Is she jealous of Jen-san?
You’ve got to be kidding!?
Shara retorted to herself.
Just moments ago, right before your eyes, your husband agreed to his wife’s unreasonable demand without a second thought and flew off, didn’t he?
Shara was astonished by Erica’s jealousy.
The shock was immense, especially since Erica had never shown any such signs when Shara, a woman herself, spoke with Shin-san.
No, wait. Could it be that Erica doesn’t even consider me a woman? Shara entertained a serious doubt.
“That’s right, we’re friends.”
At Jenniferlin’s words, Shara looked up from her doubt about not being seen as a woman. One could also say she followed her sense of impending doom that told her not to think too deeply about it.
“If I were to say it shamelessly, we’re best friends.”
Jenniferlin’s face, as she answered Erica, held a certain pride.
“You of all people should understand, but I am simply Shin’s friend. And I am very proud of that, being just a friend.”
Proud of being a friend?
Shara almost tilted her head again.
Is she okay? She’s Shin-san’s friend, you know?
Shara thought for a moment, imagining herself being called Shin’s friend.
…Nope, I’d want to pack my bags and run away immediately. Keeping about ten paces away from Longdagger is just right.
Despite appearances, I still hold aspirations for marriage.
I don’t want to end up like a certain Guild receptionist.
I wonder if that person will ever get married?
“Yes, I understand.”
You understand!?
Shara was surprised by Erica’s words. She’d been nothing but surprised for a while now.
What is it? Is there some kind of noble reason?
Shara thought this because Erica’s face looked happy.
That’s the face of someone happy that Shin-san apparently had a friend.
Being a noble must be tough.
Just the fact that her husband had a friend makes Erica look like that… what a rotten world the world of nobles is.
Shara sipped her tea, thinking this as the two women, who until moments ago had an atmosphere like “I’m going to stab you through the skull,” now smiled gently.
“However,”
Amidst that atmosphere, Jenniferlin shrugged.
“He is, however, dense enough not to realize his best friend’s affections.”
Jenniferlin, offering a wry smile, looked at Erica’s face and deepened her smile.
“Well, perhaps I shouldn’t have said that to you.”
What is going on!
The heartwarming atmosphere dissipated in seconds, and Shara nearly started trembling in fear again.
“Yes, indeed. Thanks to him, I am reminded daily of my own Greed.”
What does Erica want to become, declaring her husband is all hers with such a scary face? Also, the tea tastes sweet, even though there’s no sugar in it.
Receiving Erica’s provocative declaration that Shin belonged to her, the one it was thrown at looked momentarily stunned, then burst out laughing.
Shara didn’t understand and became scared.
“I see, that explains everything. So that’s how it is.”
Jenniferlin, uttering such words, looked like a monster or something to Shara.
“No, this is good, truly good, Lady Erica. You two are remarkably similar.”
Jenniferlin laughed until tears welled in her eyes.
“Greed is what we Pantiles love. Ah, it’s truly regrettable. Not becoming good friends with you when we were at the academy was a failure unworthy of a Pantile.”
Just what is this person?
How can she look so calm and say she wants to be friends after having that face directed at her?
I would be crying. I’m confident I’d definitely be crying.
As expected of Shin-san’s friend, Shara trembled in fear of Jenniferlin.
It was surprising enough that Shin had a friend other than the Prince (Pervert), but the fact that this friend was female was earth-shattering.
But given this personality, it made perfect sense.
Being able to laugh after Erica made that face at her was heroic in itself.
While wishing for Shin-san to return quickly, Shara was grateful that he wasn’t present at this moment.