Me, the Weakest Member of the Hero’s Party? I’m the Villain Though? - Chapter 140
In truth, there was no need for Kyle to protect me at all, but even so, I was grateful for his resolve.
“That, well… I’m grateful, too.”
Why did it feel so embarrassing to tell Kyle I was grateful? Maybe it was because my guilt was greater than my gratitude.
“Grateful? Don’t say things like that between us.”
Again, he said ‘between us’. What exactly was the relationship Kyle had in mind for us?
Friends? Companions? Or a weakling who bothered him?
“If anything, I’m grateful that you became part of our group. You’re an important member to us, so of course I’ll protect you.”
“Yeah, I understand.”
Embarrassed by Kyle’s serious voice, I tried to pass by him before my face could heat up.
But suddenly, Kyle grabbed my shoulder. I flinched and turned my head, and this time, Kyle grabbed both my cheeks.
“Why…”
I wondered what he was trying to do, and then he kissed the same spot on my forehead that Caesar had kissed earlier.
In that moment, goosebumps rose all over my body, and a prickling, tingling sensation ran over my skin as if I had been electrocuted.
“What are you doing!”
I shouted in bewilderment and stepped backward. Kyle shamelessly looked at me with a smiling face and said,
“I was just trying to copy the greeting too, why are you so surprised? Let’s hurry back. Everyone must be waiting.”
While I stared blankly at Kyle’s face, dazed, he took my hand as he pleased and led me along.
It was clearly the same kiss Caesar had given me, but somehow, my cheeks felt hot.
* * *
Just as Caesar had said, after walking for about half a day more, an old monastery appeared. Just hearing the name had made me imagine an old building, but the real thing went beyond my imagination.
It looked as if it had been left abandoned for a very long time, broken here and there. Moss and bushes covered the walls, and part of the ceiling had collapsed, with a large tree growing through the gap.
“We should spend the night here today. I think it’s going to rain this evening.”
Kyle muttered as he looked up at the sky. Just as he said, the weather had been quite ominous ever since Caesar left earlier.
The sky covered in ash-gray clouds and the chilly, damp wind seemed to warn us of the storm that would soon come.
“Do we really have to sleep there? I don’t even want to go near it.”
Gerard grumbled with a displeased face. At that, Elonen patted his shoulder as if comforting him.
“Kyle really hates getting rained on, you know. If you don’t like it, sleep outside by yourself.”
Despite the gesture, his tone was quite cold, and Gerard let out a small groan as if he had no choice.
“Kakaros heard that the wild dogs’ active territory begins past the monastery.”
Once Kakaros parted from the fairies, he returned to the way he had spoken when we first met. Maybe because I had gotten used to it, this way felt friendlier now.
“That means if we’re unlucky, we could be attacked while sleeping.”
“I don’t sense any presence nearby, but just in case, let’s not let our guard down.”
Kyle was the first to head inside the monastery. Most of the walls had already collapsed, leaving only their rough shape behind, so it wasn’t difficult to get inside.
Unknown weeds had grown thickly up to waist height in the monastery courtyard, so we had to push through them as we moved forward.
“It doesn’t look like anyone has been coming in and out recently.”
“Then that’s better for us.”
I answered Kyle while looking around. I didn’t want to waste time pointlessly running into the wild dogs and getting into a fight.
As soon as the group entered the building, raindrops began to pour down as if it were a lie. Kyle looked extremely relieved that he hadn’t gotten rained on.
“Let’s tie the horses near the building entrance.”
Since we couldn’t leave them outside in a storm, we tied the horses we had ridden near the building entrance and gave them water and food.
After that, the group moved deeper inside the building.
“It seems to be a building constructed during the ancient kingdom era. The architectural style is quite old.”
Elonen muttered while carefully looking around the inside of the building.
Everyone already knew this building had been built during the ancient kingdom era, but Elonen’s sharp eye was admirable.
“Let’s eat dinner first.”
Gerard skillfully took a brazier out of his subspace. We had received food from both the dwarves and the forest fairies, so we had plenty.
