The Priest of Complete Dispel ~ Every Time I Save a Cursed Beautiful Girl with My Status Abnormal Cure Skill, For Some Reason Her Dependence on Me Maxes Out ~ - Chapter 72: Church School - Special Class

Chapter 72: Church School – Special Class

—Ugh, I really screwed up.

I left the saintess’s room just fine, but now I’m completely lost.

I was only trying to head back, but I can’t find the damn magic circle anywhere.

The red carpet just keeps going on forever.

It seriously feels like I’m wandering through some corridor with no exit.

“—Hey, what’re you doing, you?”

A voice suddenly came from behind me.

And man, the voice was shockingly cute.

When I turned around, there was this little girl standing there.

She was tiny—even smaller than Medina.

But her glossy silver-white hair caught the light like silk and really made her stand out.

“You lost too?”

“What did you say!? You’re the one who’s lost, aren’t you!”

“Haha, sorry, sorry. Wanna look for the exit together then?”

“Wh-what are you gonna do!? Th-this is—”

She was so small and ridiculously adorable.

I’m not great with kids, but for some reason this one was pulling me in.

Before I knew it, I had her up on my shoulders.

Little kids like high places—it’s just one of those things you pick up.

“How’s that? Pretty nice view, right?”

“Hm… You’re pushy, but not bad. I could even make you one of my retainers.”

“Then today I’m your retainer, got it.”

“Fufu. That actually sounds pretty good. —Forward, my servant!”

“…Feels like I just got demoted, though…?”

Retainer and servant are totally different things, man.

Still, this little girl—if she can come and go in a place like this, she must be someone pretty important, right?

Don’t tell me… the pope’s daughter…? Nah, no way.

She’s way too free-spirited. I always pictured someone like that being super refined and proper.

“Hey, what’re you doing? Right! Go right!”

“This way? Damn, you actually know your way around pretty well.”

“It’s not ‘you,’ it’s Nemesia!”

“Nemesia, huh.”

“Yes. So what’s your name?”

“I’m Shu.”

“Shu… Hm. I’ll remember that.”

We swapped names like that and kept walking down the hallway with her still on my shoulders.

But honestly, Nemesia’s directions were pretty shaky. We never actually made it to the exit.

“Oi, we’re not getting out at all!”

“I-I don’t know! Usually Grandpa guides me! I don’t remember the way!”

“So you really were lost, huh.”

“Sh-shut up! I don’t wanna be called lost by someone who’s lost too!”

She was being totally unfair, super childish, and somehow impossible to hate.

The way she kept lightly smacking the top of my head was oddly charming too.

After wandering around for another ten minutes or so, we finally found the transfer magic circle.

Nemesia said, “This is far enough.”

“You sure you’re okay?”

“Yes. I’ll praise you for bringing me this far.”

“Got it. See ya then.”

“…………Yeah.”

She crossed her arms and turned her face away, but she looked kinda happy underneath it all.

I gave a small wave, said goodbye to Nemesia, and headed back to the inn.

◇◇◇

The next morning I headed to the church school by myself.

Iris wasn’t coming with me. For a while she’s gonna be training under Haramaria.

“—It’s Shu Mileister again, I came yesterday too. My transfer stuff should be processed already—can you show me where to go?”

“Yes, we’ve been informed. Please come this way.”

The same nun I’d seen yesterday led me through the halls.

Halfway there, a man came around the corner.

“Leben-sensei. This is the new transfer student. The rest is yours, okay?”

“No problem. —I’m Leben Occult. I teach the special class. You’re Shu-kun, right? Looking forward to working with you.”

He had this kinda laid-back vibe.

Probably around forty, long naturally wavy hair tied back.

His monk robes looked like the teacher version, but they were all wrinkled and worn out.

“Likewise, looking forward to it, Leben-sensei.”

After a quick greeting, I stepped into the classroom with him.

“—Okay, quiet down. Starting today we have a new student joining the special class. Can you introduce yourself?”

The classroom had tiered seating—five levels with desks lined up.

About fifteen students total. Small, elite group vibe, with a few empty seats here and there.

And among them… two familiar faces.

“I’m Shu Mileister. Seventeen. Still got a ton to learn, but nice to meet you all.”

When I finished, the whole room went dead silent.

But then two girls broke it.

“To think we’d end up in the same class… Fate really is strange…”

“You…!”

One was the little girl I’d met yesterday in that special space inside Lumina Palace Grand Cathedral—Nemesia.

And the other was the third princess Alisha—the one who got attacked by bandits in the forest.

Nemesia going to school here was already surprising, but a royal like Alisha too? Also… how old even is Nemesia…?

“Okay, let’s give him a proper round of applause~ Shu-kun, go ahead and take the seat next to Canaan-kun over there.”

The boy named Canaan had neatly styled ash-brown hair and looked like a pretty, androgynous bishounen.

He had gentle, kind eyes.

“I’m Canaan Altria. I’m training to be a temple knight. Nice to meet you, Shu-kun.”

“Canaan, huh. Nice to meet you too.”

Temple knight trainee—yeah, I’d heard this class was full of students studying toward their chosen jobs.

So what the hell does that make me…?

“Oh, Shu-kun. Look over there.”

“Hm?”

Canaan pointed, and there was a girl sitting there.

“Myu myu, myumyumyu…”

“Huh?”

“Fueeeee~!? I-I can’t get the greeting out right~!”

For some reason she suddenly started crying.

I didn’t even do anything, right?

“Ahaha… She’s really shy around new people. But she does wanna get along, so be nice to her, okay? Her name’s MyuMyu Nyaaz.”

“MyuMyu, huh. Nice to meet ya.”

“Y-y-y-y-you too…!?”

Her reaction was so honest I couldn’t help laughing.

Long pink hair, and even through the monk robes you could tell she had a seriously impressive chest—she was definitely the type who stood out.

“—Alright, since we have a new transfer student today, let’s review church history.”

Leben-sensei might look sloppy, but he didn’t cut corners on lessons.

Church history… actually kinda interesting.

Maybe I’d get to hear something about when Artemisia was still human.

“Shu-kun, you don’t have a textbook yet, right? We’ll get one ready by tomorrow, so for today just share with Canaan-kun.”

“That cool, Canaan?”

“Of course!”

Canaan scooted his chair a little closer. The moment our distance shrank, a soft, sweet scent tickled my nose.

No question he was a beautiful boy. But more than that, he had this almost girlish, really nice smell.

“Ahaha… sorry. I write a lot of notes in my book… If anything’s hard to read, just tell me, okay?”

“Yeah, you’re really nice, Canaan.”

“N-no I’m not! I’m just normal. Look, we start here—”

His textbook was packed with tiny handwriting and notes everywhere. You could tell right away he was super meticulous and serious about studying.

That day’s lesson covered the founding of the royal capital Einfilia and the history of how the Misia Church was established.

But nowhere in it was there anything about Artemisia’s time as a human.

Maybe no one alive today even knows she used to be a person.

Maybe I’m the only one who can actually talk to her in front of the goddess statue.

Probably not many people have ever heard her real voice.

◇◇◇

“Nn~…”

First period ended and I stretched a little.

“Shu-kun, you’re getting tired already?”

“Yeah, sorry. It’s been forever since I did proper classroom stuff… I’m not used to it.”

“Huh, really?”

Sitting still and listening really wears you out more than you’d think.

After chatting with Canaan a bit, I got up and walked over to the desk of one girl sitting near the front.

We kinda knew each other already. Least I could do was say hi.

“Alisha. Nice to meet ya.”

“…………”

…Huh? Did she not hear?

“You hear me?”

“…Hmph. Don’t just talk to me out of nowhere, you filthy commoner!”

“…Eh?”

Whoa whoa whoa whoa!

What the hell is with this attitude switch!?

I saved you, you know!?

I wasn’t looking for a thank-you or anything, but come on… there’s gotta be some normal reaction, right!?

Maybe she didn’t even realize I was the one who saved her?

Complete Dispel Reverse probably doesn’t look like much from the outside, so I guess it makes sense, but still…

Alisha flicked her twin-tails and turned her face away with a huff.

Looked like she had zero intention of getting along with me.

I thought I’d gotten at least a little better at this stuff, but apparently my social skills still aren’t enough to reach Alisha.

“…Guess I got hated right off the bat.”

“Ahaha. Alisha-chan’s kind of special even in this class. And since she’s a princess, she doesn’t open up easily.”

Makes sense. Apparently everyone knows she’s a princess.

Still, changing your attitude that much depending on the person feels kinda off.

She was super polite to Iris and Seira.

“Well anyway, I’m gonna go hang with the little kid.”

“Eh, Shu-kun!?”

Next I headed to Nemesia’s seat.

She was sitting alone, staring out the window looking kinda bored.

“Yo, long time no see! Never thought I’d run into you at church school.”

“Hmph. I was surprised too—hey, wh-what are you doing!?”

“Come on, up we go—high high! Nemesia likes high places, right?”

“Wha—uwaa!? S-stop it, you idiot! Don’t treat me like a child!!”

“Wait, Shu-kun!? What are you doing to Nemechin!?”

Yesterday she loved the shoulder ride, so I figured she’d be thrilled again… guess I was wrong.

“Haa… haa… You went too far… I’m not a child—believe it or not, I’m fourteen…”

“Nah, you’re totally a kid… Wait, fourteen? You sure you didn’t mean ten?”

“I’m just short! I get tired really fast if I move too much. Treat me more carefully.”

“Got it. Gotta be gentle then.”

“Hmph. Good, as long as you understand.”

Nemesia was the same age as Medina—fourteen.

She acted way more mature than she looked, but her speech and behavior were still pretty childish.

…Man, church school really doesn’t care about age, huh.

I’m seventeen. Everyone else looks around the same age, but—

That’s when it happened.

“—Oi, you. Don’t get cocky.”

A guy in perfectly pressed monk robes suddenly spoke up.

He’d apparently been watching me quietly the whole time.

“I’m Gaits Riekert. I’m a deacon while attending school. Don’t do whatever you want in front of me.”

“Heh, big shot, huh.”

Short brown hair, eyes full of confidence.

Deacon—one rank above regular believers.

Come to think of it, Erina said something about going to school while working for the church too.

“Yeah, I’m a big deal. So don’t go standing out.”

“I’ll keep it chill.”

“Hmph… By the way, how good are you at recovery magic?”

“Hm, only up to lower level. I just learned Purification recently.”

I used to only know Heal, but the training in Hares got me one step up.

“Hahahaha! Lower level? Transfer student really is a scrub, huh. Right, Dad, Morris!”

“Don’t talk down to Gaits-san like that!”

“Y-yeah! I can only use lower level too, but…!”

First time seeing this classic lackey type.

Probably Gaits is treated as the strongest in this class or something.

Still, deciding who’s better just based on recovery magic feels kinda weird… but if it makes him happy, whatever.

Old me would’ve snapped for sure.

But now I know my own strength pretty well, and maybe because I’m mentally older, I’m a lot calmer than I used to be in my past life.

No point getting mad at someone like this.

—That said, I’ve definitely been marked now.

Church school life… already feels like nothing but trouble ahead.