Roxy Church

"All right. But I'd have helped you even if you hadn't asked. You did us such a huge favor this time. Come on, let's drink!"

Cain pursed his lips, clinked cups with the laughing Zoldat, and downed his drink.

"Ah, but I think protecting Roxy might be a bit much for us. We're not a famous adventuring party, and our strength is only a little above average."

"Right. That brings me to my second request. Please spread the word throughout the kingdom that Roxy is the Second Sword God's teacher. That should deter whoever's lurking in the shadows."

Zoldat only smiled and shook his head.

"No, no. I think that would have the opposite effect."

"Why?"

Seeing Cain's confusion, Zoldat smiled like an experienced senior, refilled Cain's cup, then filled his own.

They clinked cups and drained them in one go.

"Ah, that hit the spot. Didn't know you could hold your liquor."

Cain watched him with a serious expression. Zoldat smiled, spread his hands, and went on.

"Come on, Cain, have you forgotten? You saw it when you first arrived. Once people found out you were a Sword God, reckless adventurers started challenging you. If word gets out that Roxy is your teacher, I'm afraid the same thing will happen to her."

Zoldat watched Cain press his lips together and nod slightly, then thought for a moment before continuing.

"Still, since you've asked, I can help spread the word. I'll just put it differently. I'm sure you'll be satisfied, but..."

Cain nodded, his gaze firming.

"You want Aras Gold Coins? I understand. Whatever it costs."

Cain produced a bulging purse and pulled out a large handful of Aras Gold Coins. Zoldat chuckled, folded his arms, and nodded.

Of course, he would take a little money for the job. More importantly, though, he had confirmed that Cain was sincere.

"Roxy means a lot to you, huh?"

"Yes... She does. A great deal!"

Cain nodded without a moment's hesitation.

After saying it, though, Cain felt that Zoldat was giving him a rather... sly look. But now wasn't the time to worry about little things like that.

Zoldat took one coin from the handful of Asura Gold Coins in Cain's hand.

"Don't think I'm charging too much. This is payment for risking my life. One Asura Gold Coin isn't unreasonable, is it?"

Cain pursed his lips.

"Don't worry. I'll give it everything I've got. We'll take the job."

Zoldat smiled, then grew somewhat serious.

"Thank you..." Cain said, nodding gratefully.

The celebration at the Adventurers' Guild lasted late into the night. At its height, Zoldat, the commander of the successful Red Dragon hunt, made an announcement.

He embellished the story of Cain slaying three Red Dragons and credited his victory to a blessing spell bestowed by his teacher, Roxy.

He then told the adventurers gathered below, who firmly believed the gods rewarded prayer, that anyone who repeated Roxy's name in their heart and sincerely revered her could receive her blessing.

With Cain's slaying of three Red Dragons as proof, none of the adventurers doubted him. Nearly everyone answered his call. Thus, on that day, the Roxy Church was founded. In time, it would spread through the Three Magic Nations and sweep across every country on the Central Continent.

"Why did you have to found something like a church? 'Roxy Church' sounds so strange! Why use my name for it?"

Cain, whom Zoldat had dubbed the archbishop, happily held the thick spellbook. He gave a helpless smile as Roxy glared at him beside him, her cheeks flushed with embarrassed anger.

"I didn't expect Zoldat to come up with that idea either." Cain spread his hands, though he couldn't quite suppress his grin.

"What are you smiling about...?"

"Ahem. I remembered something funny."

"Idiot Cain..."

Roxy took a deep breath and pressed her lips together. She knew Cain must have asked Zoldat to do it.

She was truly grateful that Cain wanted to protect her. It made her happy that he would go this far for her, but it also meant she was falling further into his debt.

"But I don't know any blessing spells. Even if they pray to me, they won't receive a blessing..."

Roxy gripped her staff and pressed her lips together.

Cain smiled gently at her.

"That's all right. The church will give them something to believe in. That faith can give them the courage to fight for their lives when all seems lost. Sometimes that's more useful than any blessing."

And if people sincerely revered and prayed to Roxy, they would begin to see her as divine without even realizing it. That would protect her better than any deliberate guard could. Two birds with one stone. Huh. Was Zoldat a genius too?

Cain tried to comfort Roxy with those thoughts. Of course, when people truly faced a desperate situation, that kind of faith would give courage to only a scattered few. Harsh reality would swallow most of them.

But finding even a one-percent chance to survive when death seemed certain—that miracle was the teaching of the Roxy Church: never give up.

"So please, Roxy, don't turn down this gesture."

Roxy stole a glance at Cain's smiling profile and found herself at a loss. She understood his reasoning, but wasn't founding a church going too far?

"Oh, right, Roxy. Could you take me back?"

"Mm... All right..."

That night, Roxy led Cain back to the inn's courtyard.

"So you don't really know your way around, Cain?"

In the courtyard, Cain stood straight as he practiced swinging his sword. He suddenly froze, then turned and gave Roxy, who was reading the spellbook, a slightly awkward smile.

Was it just that he didn't know the way? He was the sort who could get lost even with only one road in front of him. It was like a curse.

But he was the archbishop, after all. He absolutely could not lie to his church's goddess.

"If I tell you the truth, you'll keep it secret, right, Roxy? You definitely will, right?"

Cain let out a breath, walked over to Roxy, and stood before her with an earnest look.

Why was he suddenly so serious? And why did he have to come so close? Roxy grumbled inwardly.

"O-of course..." Seeing how serious Cain looked, Roxy scratched her slightly flushed cheek, curious.

"Then... I'll tell you, but you're not allowed to laugh."

"Mm. I absolutely won't."

Cain breathed a sigh of relief. It was Roxy. Surely it would be all right to tell her.

"Actually..."

"Pfft—Ahem. C-Cain, are you saying you set out from the Sword Sanctum, got lost, and ended up back at the Sword Sanctum? And then, when you tried to go to the Asura Kingdom, you got lost again and wound up in the Ranoa Kingdom?"

Roxy, didn't you say you wouldn't laugh? Please don't talk to me while you're trying so hard to hold it in...

Cain looked at Roxy's face, red from suppressing laughter, as though the effort might hurt her. Blushing, he pressed his lips together and complained.

"N-no, I wasn't laughing. But it's just so strange, isn't it? They're so close, and you're a Sword God, aren't you?"

"Yes. As a Sword God who gets lost, I'm terribly sorry..."

"Ahahaha!"

Roxy wiped tears from the corners of her eyes. "A Sword God who gets lost" had been the last straw. She could no longer hold back her laughter and laughed until she cried.

Cain pursed his lips and puffed out his cheeks. Why was he a little angry? Well, his silly teacher had broken her promise to him.

"S-sorry. I-I didn't mean to."

"So you did it on purpose?"

The archbishop, betrayed by his goddess, puffed out his cheeks.

Roxy had laughed her fill, but seeing Cain standing there with his arms folded and cheeks puffed out, looking rather cute despite his anger, made her feel a little guilty. She had promised not to laugh, but a Sword God who got lost? She really, truly couldn't help it!

"H-how about I teach you healing and detoxification magic to make up for it?"

Roxy wiped away the tears of laughter as she tried to win the forgiveness of her dear, hopelessly lost little student.

Cain pressed his lips together and looked at Roxy with a show of anger.

"Didn't you already teach me Intermediate Healing Magic and Intermediate Detoxification Magic tonight?"

As he spoke, Cain took a small knife from his waist and lightly cut his hand.

"Intermediate Healing Magic."

Cain placed his hand over the cut. A green light shone as he used Chantless Casting, and the small wound on the back of his hand quickly healed.

"That's amazing."

"Please don't change the subject, Roxy. Even if you praise me, it won't make me happy."

Roxy pressed her lips together and managed a strained smile. Her student had seen right through her. There was no helping it.

"Ahem. All right, then. What kind of magic do you want to learn, Cain? As an apology, I'll teach you anything I know."

It sounded tempting, but Cain didn't want to spend this opportunity studying magic tonight. Magic was certainly enticing, but with Roxy's spellbook, he could learn those spells sooner or later.

Roxy watched Cain blush, spread his arms, and avert his gaze. She pressed her lips together and tilted her head in confusion.

"R-Roxy, may I hug you...?"

"Huh!? W-why...?"

Cain pressed his lips together. He said nothing, merely looked at Roxy shyly.

"A-all right."

Roxy smiled helplessly. If a hug was enough to soothe her dear student, she supposed she could allow it.

Before Roxy knew it, her eyes had gone blank and her whole body had stiffened as though she'd been shocked. Cain had already wrapped his arms tightly around her.

"Um, Cain, you mustn't do anything else strange to your teacher."

Roxy's face was bright red as she said it. Of course, she didn't believe that, on top of being hopeless with directions, her student was the sort to lust after someone as small as her. Besides, she doubted her rather thin body held any appeal for him.

"Could you not say things that ruin the mood, Roxy...?"

"O-okay." Roxy smiled helplessly and gently patted Cain's faintly trembling back.

Cain pressed his lips together. There was relief in his eyes... and lingering fear.

"I'm so glad you weren't killed, Roxy..."

"Huh? A-am I? I didn't even see the person who attacked me..."

Roxy blinked and spoke lightly. But hearing the fear of losing her in Cain's subdued voice made her a little happy. Her foolish student had been worried about his teacher after all.