Me, a priest? How could that be!

Chapter 65 I Can't Recognize You After You Put on Your Clothes

Charlotte straightened her clothes and left the room.

Then I got a fright.

"...Kazuma, what are you doing?"

What comes into view is a bright and shining boy with clear eyes free of any gloom and a slightly upturned mouth full of anticipation for the future, as if he is a model student always ready to embrace the new era.

This death...

He seemed to have a great time last night.

Having shed all her former glamour, Sato Kazuma shone brightly, like the protagonist in the final episode of an anime who has achieved great success. He clasped his hands in gratitude and said, "I feel like I've been reborn! Thank you, big sister from Nightmare Shop. Thank you, Charlotte."

"Oh, oh... You're welcome?"

Charlotte remained noncommittal.

Although it's a bit of an exaggeration, he had the same feeling; it was as if the heavy shackles binding him had been removed after he woke up in the morning.

He is free!

No wonder Axel's Nightmare Shop is so popular; even the Demon King frequents it.

Decided!

He wants to protect the best nightmare shop!

Just as they were about to have breakfast on the first floor of the hotel, they suddenly saw the Red Demon girl sitting in the corner, hunching her shoulders and trying to be invisible.

"……long?"

"Mr. Charlotte, and Mr. Kazuma?"

She raised her pretty face, looking somewhat bewildered.

The three of them sat together.

Youyou asked with slight surprise, "Why are you two here so early in the morning? Shouldn't you be living in a mansion in the suburbs?"

"It's just something."

Charlotte gave this vague answer.

Forgive him for not revealing the truth; this kind of thing is not appropriate to tell a simple-minded Red Demon girl, and he also promised Duster and the others to keep it a secret.

"that……"

Yu-Yu seemed a little uncomfortable with the still-shining Kazuma Sato, and cautiously asked, "Mr. Kazuma, what's wrong? You seem a little different than usual."

"It's nothing, I just found the meaning of life," said Kazuma Sato.

"...What?"

She looked at Charlotte with a blank expression.

"Ignore him, he's just having a relapse."

"oh."

Youyou accepted it readily.

After all, he was the only normal person in the Crimson Demon Clan. He had been surrounded by a group of clansmen who were always acting like chuunibyou (a Japanese term for someone with delusions of grandeur) since he was a child, so he was used to it.

Rather, it's a miracle that someone could grow up in that kind of environment and still have a normal personality.

"By the way, Youyou. How about coming to the mansion? You haven't been there since Huihui moved in, have you? If you don't have anything to do today, why don't you come over for a visit?"

"Is it...okay?"

"certainly."

"Won't we hear excuses like, 'Oh, I was just being polite, why did you follow me so easily? It's unbelievable that there are such shameless people in the world!'...?"

What exactly have you been through?

Charlotte smirked at Youyou's dejected remarks. To be honest, her inferiority complex was on par with the chuunibyou (middle school syndrome) of the Red Demon Clan.

After realizing that Charlotte's invitation was sincere, Youyou was overjoyed and insisted on bringing a precious gift when she visited, as this would show that she valued the visit. Unable to refuse her request, Youyou went to buy an expensive gift after leaving the hotel.

As for the matter of Little Nightmare, Charlotte had already put it out of his mind.

It's nothing serious.

It's like seeing someone sleeping soundly, and you unknowingly feel tired and drift off to sleep yourself... This kind of thing often happens in real life.

Besides, Charlotte didn't lose out.

However, after a few days, he noticed something was amiss.

Someone is following him.

It's a little nightmare.

It wasn't that Charlotte's counter-surveillance skills were particularly outstanding, but rather that the other party's tracking methods were simply too clumsy. That conspicuous pink short hair always inadvertently entered his field of vision, making it impossible not to attract attention.

Especially since she had clearly spotted him, but instead of hiding, she stood there whistling and looked up at the sky.

Could they have mistaken him for an idiot?

OK OK.

Charlotte didn't expose him on the spot. Instead, under the increasingly wide-eyed and incredulous gaze of the other party, she put on the priest's robes of the Church of Eris and walked into the church with an air of nonchalance.

So, do you still dare to follow me after this?

As he chatted with Theresa, he glanced at the spot where Nightmare was hiding out of the corner of his eye, a provocative smile playing on his lips.

Afterwards, they went to the statue of the goddess at the church to offer their daily prayer.

An hour later.

Just as he finished his homework for the day and got up to go to the confessional at the church, he found that the little nightmare was still there. Instead, as if it had made up its mind, it was about to walk into the church.

"Wait, wait!"

Charlotte quickly stopped her, then took Nightmare's slender wrist and led her to a corner of the church courtyard. It was a secluded spot, rarely visited, making it a good place for a secret conversation.

of course.

That's not the focus right now.

"Are you an idiot?!" Charlotte pressed her hand against Nightmare's temple, then spun it around as she shouted angrily, "How dare a mere Nightmare step into the church! I'll banish you!"

"It hurts so much! I'm sorry, I was wrong!"

The little nightmare waved its arms and begged for mercy repeatedly.

As everyone knows, goddesses and demons have been sworn enemies since ancient times. As a believer in the goddess, Charlotte should have immediately driven away any demons she encountered. However, since the demons were harmless... no, beneficial to the peace of the town, she pretended not to see them. She never expected them to dare come to the church.

Charlotte pushed even harder.

Are you underestimating me?

"No, no, that's not true!"

The little nightmare's pleas for mercy grew louder.

Seeing that she knew she had made a mistake, Charlotte didn't punish her further. Instead, she asked the dizzy little nightmare, who was rubbing her head, "What's gotten into you these past few days, following me?"

"Has it already been exposed?"

"...I'm angry."

"I'm sorry, I was wrong."

If it weren't for Little Nightmare's sincere apology, Charlotte would have truly thought she was feigning ignorance to provoke him.

"Um...this..."

She was a little hesitant.

It was only then that Charlotte noticed that the little nightmare in front of her was not wearing the revealing clothes in the store, but a light green dress with white trim, black socks on her fair legs, and brown leather shoes. Her horns, wings, and tail were also hidden. She looked very pure and lovely.

Charlotte spoke instinctively.

"I hardly recognized you after you put your clothes on."

"...What?"

"Nothing. So, what is it? Based on your answer, I'll consider whether to dismiss you."

"Please don't say such frightening things!"

Her pretty face was a little pale.

However, under Charlotte's constant urging, Little Nightmare slowly spoke and pleaded, "Could you please come to the shop?"

"……Um?"

Charlotte raised an eyebrow.

It had been several days since he went to the Nightmare Shop. Although he was full of energy, he knew how to restrain himself. In addition, he had no reason to leave the mansion and was constrained by his status as a priest, so he did not have the opportunity to go to the shop.

But now the other party has actually come knocking on our door.

Why do I feel...?

I feel inexplicably good.