Reincarnated as an Instructor in an Adult Game

Chapter 47: ☆Am I the ally... or the enemy?

The three of us sat in folding chairs in the corner of the church, watching the soldiers’ movements.

While the soldiers searched the church, a familiar face approached.

He had a good-natured look, black hair in an all-back style, and was as slim as me. His height was a little shorter than mine.

His name was Taylor. During the war, he had been my superior and vice-captain.

When he came closer, he looked at my face with a puzzled expression and said,

"Raide?" ƒreewebηoveℓ.com

"...Long time no see, Taylor."

"Ah... Mind if I ask? Those ladies over there are with you too."

The ladies Taylor called "miss" — Fia and Leah — looked at me with a silent "Huh?" while giving wry smiles.

...Well, it can’t be helped if it’s just about looks, right?

I replied with a wry smile and then nodded at Taylor.

He told me that he was now the captain of both the guard unit and the security force.

So he knew about what happened to the three songstresses, the church, and why I was here.

He also knew about Baron Tegagusa, my patron, and Baron Abonano, the manager of the church in the royal capital.

I explained all of that to him.

Taylor folded his arms and gave me a difficult-looking expression.

"...So you’re saying you went overboard?"

"Hm?"

"The one who was attacked died, and the priest has a knife in his right hand. Couldn’t you have waited until we arrived?"

"..."

"The man who died was attempting rape. That’s unavoidable. But for the priest, wouldn’t it have been better to wait until we got here too?"

I laughed a little at Taylor’s reaction.

Taylor looked at my smile, frowned, and eyed me suspiciously.

Fia and Leah also tilted their heads curiously while watching my face.

"Yeah, that’s correct. What Taylor said is not wrong."

"...Then what was the reason for not waiting?"

"Yeah... Who can give orders to soldiers? What kind of person is he?"

The intimidation I released made Taylor stop folding his arms and stand ready with a stern expression.

The surrounding soldiers also showed wariness toward us and watched closely.

I took one letter from the ones I found in the priest’s room and said,

"Let me ask first, Taylor... Are you a comrade of Baron Tegagusa?"

While the soldiers were still searching the church, I had already checked every letter I found.

Each one was short, so I could read them all in just a few pages.

Inside was proof that Baron Tegagusa and the priest were using the funds for their own gain.

A sentence saying it was fine to report to the soldiers.

And the name of Baron Deus, who had appeared only once.

If the letters were to be believed, it was understandable for the Santony soldiers to have assumed they were under Baron Tegagusa’s command.

Of course, there were other nobles ruling Santony.

But based on the letters, they assumed that noble was also connected to Baron Tegagusa.

"Let me ask again, Taylor... Are you my enemy? Or a friend?"

"...What if you’re the enemy?"

"Hahaha. Asking me that when we were in the same unit during the war?"

You were watching me during the war, right? I said that with a laugh and my eyes.

I have no memory of letting any enemy I judged live.

Even if they say I went overboard, that’s just it.

Compared to the danger my comrades faced and the predicament I myself ended up in, their criticism is nothing more than nonsense.

...It’s not like I’m so easy with enemy judgment that I need your forgiveness.

While staring at each other for a while, Leah lightly tugged at my shirt from the side.

When I looked at her, she gave me an embarrassed expression and whispered,

"This person doesn’t smell bad, does he?"

"...I know. Taylor, you really have a nasty personality."

"People... even those who were comrades, can change. I’m cautious, after all."

I answered with a wry smile and laughed wryly at Taylor.

It seemed even I had been suspected.

Taylor claimed I went too far, but he was also the kind of man who wouldn’t say something to my face.

Anyone who had even the slightest suspicion of being an enemy was investigated over and over, evidence was collected, and they were sometimes held in conditions close to imprisonment.

Considering the harm to comrades, he would scheme and eliminate them.

That was probably why he had been vice-captain.

If I was a doer, he was a schemer.

It’s really something to be called "overly cautious." I should look in the mirror too.

Taylor let out a sigh, lowered his guard, and told his subordinates to resume their search.

"You haven’t changed, Raide."

"You haven’t either, Taylor. Now that we’ve cleared the suspicion, shall we move on? It would be great if you could meet us at the outpost... there are things I’d rather not show you."

"...Coming to the outpost yourself. Understood. Let’s go."

I told Fia and Leah to reunite with Erika and the three sisters, and that I would entrust the sisters to them.

They smiled and nodded. Taylor, seeing that, said, "In that case, let’s hear the details first" and started talking with the two.

If Taylor had no connection to Baron Tegagusa, then someone else must be involved.

While I was lost in thought with my arms folded, our eyes accidentally met.

He seemed to say "I’ll tell you later," so I gave a wry smile.

The talk at the outpost ended around 6 PM.

No, really, it was a long time.

We started with an explanation of everything in my magic bag, then covered recent events, the problems I was facing — everything.

Well, I had promised to help him if anything happened, but that was fine.

According to Taylor, he had already captured the subordinate who showed suspicious movements.

More accurately, he had shown them to me.

The man in the prison cell looked terrified the moment he saw Taylor, started crying, begged for forgiveness, and clung to him.

I was a little taken aback... I should look in the mirror too?

"Raide-san!"

"Erika, you were waiting for me?"

When we stepped outside the outpost, Erika and the three girls came running over.

Erika approached with a relieved smile and took my hand, pulling me close to replenish my peace of mind.

She was truly exhausted and needed to be healed.

I took in her rose scent to calm down a little. When I released her, her cheeks turned red and she protested.

"W-what is it!? It’s outside, you know!?"

"I was healing you."

"Healing... what?"

While the three girls watched with mischievous smiles, Erika puffed her cheeks with her arms crossed, but it was obvious she wasn’t really angry.

As we walked back to the inn, I explained that the three sisters would also be staying at the inn.

Currently, Fia and Leah were staying with them.

"Instructor~ Are you okay~?"

"Yeah, I’m fine. It just took a while to prove my innocence."

"Taylor-san? The soldier captain?"

"Yeah, he was my superior during the war."

"Your... superior, Sensei?"

"He’s a friend now."

At the three girls’ words, Erika walked beside me holding my hand and asked in a soft voice while lightly blushing.

"I also had something to tell you. The name that only appeared once in the letter... Baron Deus."

"The adventurers’ report said it was maybe connected, but it gained real credibility."

I judged that I couldn’t speak too loudly, so I whispered into Erika’s ear.

When I told her about Baron Deus from the letter, she frowned and let out a sigh.

"...This is troublesome, isn’t it?"

"Right?"

Until we reached the inn, I told the four of them everything except what Taylor had asked me to keep secret.

Then I explained tomorrow’s schedule and everyone laughed that they were all busy.