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“Ah, you know how to live life. I always felt frustrated being around this finicky, red-haired miser, and a certain blond priest who doesn’t know how to have fun.”

It was only then I understood Robur’s abrupt friendly approach. Drinking buddies were important, after all. Thinking about it some more, there was no harm in getting closer to the elites whenever possible so I gladly accepted. “You did say later, but when I think about it, today wouldn’t be bad either. Are you up for it?” I did have some work to do, but it could be put off a little.

“You bet I am!”

“Wait, Jun! You drank with His Excellency yesterday, yet you’re going at it again now?” Axion interjected.

“There’s yesterday’s drinking, and then there’s today’s drinking,” I replied.

Robur nodded. “I love the sound of that. Come, let us women strike up a friendship.”

“Ha-hang on now! I’ll go with you two!”

* * *

August arrived only after he finished his morning prayer, but by then we were already long into the drinking party. The priest looked around the office where bottles were rolling around the floor, bewildered. “What are you all doing… in broad daylight?” he muttered.

I laughed awkwardly. To be frank, I was drinking during work hours so I had to tread carefully. Robur, on the other hand, felt no such guilt; standing proud and tall, she laughed cheerfully and shook a bottle of liquor as she joked, “Oh, sir priest. How about a glass yourself? There’s no command of Saint Marianne that forbids drinking now, is there?”

“To polish the talent granted unto me in gratitude to God without a moment of indolence—that is my duty. To drink in broad daylight is to sin against God’s mercy,” he replied.

“So stiff…”

Despite Robur’s grumbling, August’s stance remained firm and so the party was forcefully stopped there. Axion and Robur left, leaving me alone with the priest. Feeling uncomfortable, I opened the window to let in some air since I could still vaguely smell alcohol lingering in the room. August clicked his tongue and began, “It is troublesome to be swayed around by Sister Robur. You are our vice-captain, are you not? You must take control, sister.”

“…Are you acknowledging me as vice-captain?” I asked in surprise. It was the first time August had mentioned my rank. With a heavy sigh, he said, “Judging by the competence you have shown so far, there is no reason to not acknowledge you. And if truth be told, it is no affair of mine whether to accept you or not.”

His words were the truth, But I couldn’t stop myself from glancing at him in curiosity. Although his face was as stiff as ever, I had the feeling that his expression had softened. “It’s reassuring to hear you say that,” I said.

August made the sign of the cross as he added, “The men’s opinion of you will be reversed soon. You are someone who polishes the gift granted by Saint Marianne without judging it by human standards. That is why I pray for Marianne’s blessing to be with you.”

It finally dawned on me why I felt he had been so curt and purposefully kept his distance on our first meeting. Not because I was a support mage, but because he had been wary of me being someone riddled with inferiority and dissatisfaction due to my job class. Or worse, being a slacker who overly trusted the status of ‘spellcaster’… The former case was Wipera, while the latter could be someone like Axion, who wasn’t a slacker but was full of himself all the time. August was more religious than I had thought, and it surprised me that such a man could get along well with Mayer, who didn’t seem that devout…

“So even if Sister Robur suggests something like drinking in broad daylight in the future, please refuse. If you keep playing along with her, you will end up having liquor replace the blood in your veins.”

As August seemed to have the wrong idea, I made an honest confession. “…Just saying, but I was the one who suggested we drink.”

Even if I kept up a good image with lies, it’d only backfire harder when the truth came out. August wrinkled his brow as he asked, “Did Sister Robur tell you to say that?”

“…What?”

With a solemn expression, he continued, “You need not defend her with such a lie. I know everything.”

It really was my fault, but August was not buying it at all. Feeling sorry for Robur, I swore to pay her back later. I helplessly passed over the matter with a laugh, feeling my conscience prick at having Robur wrongly blamed.

Ding-ding. The bell of the monastery telling the hour rang, and just in good time too. I looked out the window at the monastery spire as I changed the subject. “Come to think of it, when I first came to Nochtentoria Castle, I thought it felt like a monastery. I wondered why, but now I see it’s because I can always hear hymns being sung.”

“The dukedom of Nochtentoria has been unsparingly supportive of religion since past generations. They have always given abundant donations as well. His Excellency, the current grand duke, has inherited the will of his predecessors and is a devout servant of our goddess… and that is why I chose to be with the Dark Knights.”