Incubus Banishment Vol 2 Chapter 14

Chapter 14 – Flag of Strong Woman Appearing

Alicia and I were unable to take off our eyes for a while from the church notification that Rouge-san showed to us.

After all the person who was described in that paper suited Alicia’s characteristic to a tee.

The meaning of it was very plain.

The church was looking for the Sacred Knight Alicia.

But……what was the meaning of this?

I could understand if this country――Spermaria Kingdom was searching  for Alicia. The Sacred Knight would become the symbol of the national  power. It would be a disaster if such person got recruited by another  force.

Even discounting that, Alicia was also a daughter of Blueaiz House, a prominent family even in the capital.

No matter how laid-back……placid Blueaiz House was, there was no way  they could explain Alicia’s disappearance using something like a note  「Going to a training journey」 forever. It wouldn’t be strange for  pursuers to be sent seriously after Alicia soon.

But that wasn’t the case with the church.

Even if Holy Knight was a Gift that symbolized the church and Sacred  Knight was even further above that, the church=holy theocracy had no  right at all to take away the Sacred Knight from their home country.

If the person who received the Gift strongly desired it, it might be  possible for them to move to the holy theocracy in the form of studying  abroad or the like, but even that would be carried out under strict  agreement between the two countries as a diplomatic transaction.  Anything else than that would be out of the question.

That could be said as only natural when the strength of holy knight  type Gift that was even said as the pillar of the national defense was  taken into consideration.

No matter how I looked at this, it was strange that the church was searching for the Sacred Knight separately from the kingdom.

Furthermore according to Rouge-san this wanted poster was apparently circulating only among church related people.

In other words the church was pursuing Alicia secretly so the kingdom  wouldn’t find out about it……even a greenhorn like me who had just  obtained my Gift could smell just how suspicious this was.

There was also what Sister Claire said about the [church’s  corruption]. I couldn’t help but feeling distrust toward the church’s  influence that I had unconditionally believed until now.

「……From your reactioon, it looks like the person who the church is  looking for is really you just as I thought. I already heard about how  you two had some kind of circumstance, but to think it’s something this  major.」

「Tsu!?」

My shoulders jumped in shock.

Dammit.

Certainly the way we reacted was no different than confessing that we were currently being pursued.

I hurriedly tried to make excuse but I immediately noticed.

Rouge-san intentionally showed this wanted poster to us. On top of  that she had been making preparation to continue the penis sale.

In other words Rouge-san planned to overlook us from the start.

「……Why?」

I judged that there was no more need for me to keep secret from  Rouge-san who already decided that it was us who the church was looking  for. I confronted Rouge-san about my suspicion.

「Most of the times someone who is being pursued by the church is  either a criminal or a heretic. In the first place, getting in the way  of the church will not give you any benefit at all and only risk, so why  are you helping us……」

「There’s something reeally strange going on with the church for these several years.」

Rouge-san puffed out smoke from her mouth while answering my question.

「Most of the common priests are still good-natured people like usual,  but there are more and more really disgusting bunch occupying the  higher ranks recently. It’ll better for me to turn a blind eye to what  those guys are searching for. ……Thaat is what my instinct is telling  me.」

Rouge-san said such nonsensical thing while the corner of her lips rose up.

「What’s moree I’m a genuine Merchant. I will sell anything except my valued client.」

「……Thank you very much.」

I bowed my head to Rouge-san who was smirking while blowing smoke.

She said 「Well, forget about it」 and waved away my thanks, then,

「I guess there is no need to ask but, you two are going to leave this city riight?」

「Yes, we will. We need to hide somewhere……」

Our stay here had been pleasant that we extended the length of their  stay here against our better judgment, but from the start we didn’t have  any intention of staying for too long in one place while we were  eloping.

Thanks to Local Wife we would be able to meet with the people of this  fortress city anytime now. There was no more reason for us to continue  staying here.

We had to move right away, so that I would be able to continue  answering the feeling of Alicia who followed someone like me just so  that she could be together with me.

After all the only choice for someone like me who was banished  because of my disgraceful Gift to be able to continue staying together  with Alicia was by running away.

Not to mention that the church was searching for Alicia for an  unknown reason that felt disquieting. We needed to go to a place where  we would be able to hide ourselves better.

But in that case there was one problem.

「Our only choice is to run away but……there are churches everywhere. Where should we go?」

If the capital sent pursuer after us then in the worst case we could  just head to another country, but if our opponent was the church then  that option wasn’t available to us. The church of Romalia religion also  existed in this fortress city Gretona. And even small village usually  had a priest stationed permanently there.

「Aaa, that’s certainly troubling. If you want a place where there  aren’t many churches then demihuman country like elf, dwarf, or beastman  country will be better, but those countries are really far from heree.」

「That’s true……」

Furthermore direction-wise we would have to get near the holy  theocracy’s sphere of influence to get to those countries, so the way to  there would be really scary.

Although we would be able to feel quite safe once we reached those places, the way to there would be really risky.

This matter really troubled my mind. Then,

「In that casee, the remaining prospect I can think of is……this  recommendation also has its own share of trouble but……I thiink your only  choice is the dungeon city Sankrid that is located at the border of  Spermaria Kingdom.」

「Eh, dungeon city?」

I strongly reacted to those words that I had just listened to the other day.

Rouge-san seemed to think that I was asking a question. She explained  to me the reason why she picked the dungeon city among the places where  we could hide.

「Sankrid is filled with brigades, large scale adventurer parties that  are formed for exploring dungeon. Buut at the end of the power struggle  there, three brigades came out as influential forces in that city.  Thoose brigades are controlling the city right now, both on the surface  and also behind the scene, turning it into one of the few cities where  the church’s influence doesn’t reach. A loot of people also comes and  goes from the dungeon city, so that place is really convenient for a  wanted person to lay low.」

But……Rouge-san continued with a low voice.

「Like I mentioned just now, the dungeon city Sankrid is a lawless  city where three brigades are competing ruthlessly against each other.  Twoo of those brigades, the empress brigade and battle princess brigade  are especially high-handed. Youu risked catching their attention if you  go there and who knows what they will do to you in that casee. Weell,  it’ll still be better than getting found by the holy theocracy, and with  the strength of you two there won’t be any problem but……your opponent  will be organization. It dooesn’t change how risky it will be there. I  knoow I’m the one who mentioned it to you but, I really can’t recommend  that you go to this place.」

「I see……」

I considered Rouge-san’s words.

Dungeon city.

Certainly it was just like Rouge-san said, there would be a lot of  risks if we went there, but I thought there would also ne merits to make  up for it.

The dungeon city was relatively near from here. And the route to  there would have far fewer monitoring from the church compared to  heading to the demihuman nations.

On top of that if that place was a large city where a lot of people  kept coming and going, that would make it a perfect place for hiding  just like Rouge-san said.

Besides there was another merit for hiding in a place like Sankrid that had a large dungeon――.

「Erio……」

Alicia who had been staying quiet until now called my real name.

「……I want to be together with Erio forever. But……I don’t want to be a burden who keep needing to be protected.」

And then she said this with a serious expression.

「……I’ll also become strong with you at the dungeon city.」

「……tsu」

The merit of dungeon city.

There we would be able to fight inside a dungeon that boasted vast  amount of space without needing to worry about other people’s eyes.

In other words Alicia who had to work behind the scene until now to  hide her status as Sacred Knight would also be able to gather combat  experience there and grew rapidly, just like me.

Alicia herself was wishing for that.

The church was targeting Alicia for some reason, so it was essential for her to power up in every aspect.

There was no better place than Sankrid for us right now to hide.

And most of all, that mysterious nun had given me an [advice] as  though she had known that this would happen. I got the feeling that I  mustn’t ignore her advice――.

「Rouge-san……we’re thinking to head to the dungeon city.」

I made that decision even knowing the risks.

.

「……Ehehe. I had forgotten it a little recently, but if I get stronger  then I’ll also become able to push down Erio……I have to level up a lot  at the dungeon city……」

Alicia seemed to mutter something suspicious, but I decided that I hadn’t heard anything.

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