There Was a Cute Girl in the Hero's Party, So I Tried Confessing to Her (勇者パーティーにかわいい子がいたので、告白してみた。)

Yay!

I always wanted to ride in one of these!

You're getting too wound up, Shiek.

We're on our way to help Cecilia, you know.

You just had to tag along...

What? You were gonna leave me behind?

Damn it! It was supposed to be just me and Cecilia!

I'm sorry to drag you two along on my business.

What's wrong?

I think... I'm a bit motion-sick...

Should we take a break?

Oh, then drink this.

It's an infusion made from a secret pixie recipe!

Thank you so much.

I think I feel better.

Oh, good!

See? I'm pretty useful, right?

G-Get off me!

To be honest, I'm relieved that you're both with me.

Sure! You can count on me!

You can count on me, too!

I said get off me!

For crying out loud...

I heard they had been attacked by bandits...

This looks pretty bad.

Well, well!

I never expected Lady Cecilia to come to our aid.

And... who are these two?

My friends. They're here to help me.

They're skilled at healing, so don't worry about a thing.

Hello.

Ah, that is reassuring.

Thank you so much!

Take care of yourself, now.

Cecilia's really giving it her all.

Look at her, trying her hardest.

Take care.

Mr. Yoki.

Isn't Lady Cecilia a wonderful person?

Yes.

Right?! Isn't she?!

Still, the fact that no one was killed is kind of a silver lining.

Yes, the bandits suddenly turned and fled.

They fled?

Someone showed up out of nowhere and cut them down.

Infighting?

Next, please!

Cecilia...

Cecilia, maybe you should take a little break?

No, I'm all right.

Holy Bell.

It's okay! She's only asleep.

Do you have a place where she can rest?

Ah, she's awake.

You know what I'm about to say, don't you?

I'm sorry I used magic to put you to sleep without warning.

It's not right to ignore someone's own will.

But it's not good to overdo it, either.

If you'd kept healing like that, you would've knocked yourself out.

Yes, you're right.

But please don't ever do that again, okay?

I promise.

We finished treating the villagers, so don't worry.

Yoki...

Thank you.

So cute!

Aw, nah...

Come on in!

Ah, Lady Cecilia. Are you feeling better?

I'm sorry I worried you.

Not at all. I'm sorry to bring this up when you're exhausted,

but there's a little girl named Teal living on the outskirts of town.

Could I trouble you to take a look at her?

Did the bandits hurt her, too?

No, thankfully, she was not attacked.

But Teal has been sickly since she was born, and she's always stuck in bed.

I'm worried about her.

Understood.

Could you tell me where she is?

Excuse me.

Come in.

Who might you be?

I'm sorry to drop in unannounced.

My name is Cecilia.

This is Yoki, and this is Shiek.

The village headman asked us to come.

The headma—

Shiek, you're up.

Right.

Take this medicine.

Don't worry.

Despite how he looks, Shiek knows his stuff.

What?! Captain, what was that about how I look?!

I think I feel a little bit better.

That's great!

Thank you for giving me this amazing medicine.

This must be the guardian deity's divine protection.

Guardian deity?

You don't know him?

He's the statue of the god on the outskirts of town!

A statue of...

...a god?

The day the bandits came,

I suddenly grew sleepy on my way home from taking him an offering,

so I escaped their attack!

Wasn't that just coincidence?

That's not all! When I was seven years old...

Just when I thought it was all over...

the guardian deity saved my life!

What could it be if not his divine protection?

Intense sleepiness and black lightning?

Dark magic?

Yoki, this sounds a bit suspicious.

It isn't suspicious at all!

One look at him, and you'll understand!

Uh, this is...

...obviously...

He's so wonderful!

A demon statue?

I won't allow anyone to belittle the guardian de—

Teal!

I'm sorry we pushed you so hard.

Why don't I take you home?

You know, it looks just like...

the gargoyles in the Demon King's castle.

It really is a gargoyle! Shiek!

Huh?

Right here!

Captain, what should we do with him?

Man, you're quick.

Hey, can you speak?

If you want to kill me, do it!

'Kay!

Wait, wait, wait.

I just want to talk to him.

You haven't come to kill me?

You're the one who attacked us first.

I apologize.

I heard that you knew what I was,

and then something about the Demon King's castle.

We're sorry, too.

But how did a gargoyle like you become this village's guardian deity?

I was originally made to guard a certain temple,

but long ago, I was stolen from it by bandits.

Then they attacked this village,

so I brought down divine punishment upon them.

The villagers have been calling me their guardian deity ever since.

Only that little girl still comes to see me, though.

Teal?

Yes.

Nearly every day since I saved her from those monsters,

she has been cleaning this little shrine for me.

When I learned that bandits attacked again yesterday,

I kept her safe.

I see.

So you don't mean the humans any harm, then?

Not at all. I only live here.

I have no intention of involving myself with the humans in any way.

Guess there's no problem, then.

Sorry to bother you. Shiek, got a sec?

What is it, Captain?

I need to talk to you.

Going back to the inn first because he was sleepy...

Shiek is just adorable, isn't he?

He's still a kid, after all.

Though the truth is that I sent him back myself.

Now it's just the two of us!

Is something the matter?

Oh, no! Nothing at all!

I mean, uh...

I was wondering if it's okay to just let that gargoyle be.