CHAPTER 345: CHAPTER 345 ⤞ I CHOOSE TO IGNORE YOUR PERFORMANCE

"Adam-senpai, it’s terrible—!"

Kazuma’s panicked voice grew closer as he burst into the room and rushed toward Adam.

Sitting on the sofa, Adam looked at him curiously and asked, "What’s wrong, Kazuma-kun? By the way, your Adam-senpai is doing very well right now, better than ever before."

"...What are you talking about, Adam-senpai?" Kazuma clearly didn’t understand the hidden meaning in his words. Without dwelling on it, he continued shouting, "Adam-senpai, it’s terrible, something awful has happened! Aqua has..."

Hearing the familiar name of his squad member, Adam composed his carefree expression and asked seriously, "Hmm? What happened? What did Aqua do to make you so panicked?"

"She left saying something like, ’I, as the high priestess of the Axis Cult, am going to the Axis Cathedral to let everyone praise me’!"

"...Is there a problem with that?"

"There’s a huge problem—!" Seeing that Adam wasn’t taking it seriously, Kazuma became even more anxious, "Adam-senpai, you know Aqua’s personality, and with this town’s twisted perception, what if she actually gets kept there?!"

The residents of this town all have mental problems. This was the unanimous opinion of the squad members.

To keep people from leaving, to make travelers join the Axis Cult, these residents would do extremely outrageous things. Just like that old lady, even her own little granddaughter...

"Well, no need to be so tense, Kazuma-kun." Adam calmed his agitated mood, then curiously asked, "Why are you suddenly so concerned about her? Don’t you always think she’s troublesome?"

"Yes! Exactly because she’s troublesome!" Kazuma explained, "Please think carefully, Adam-senpai, Aqua is the Water Goddess worshipped by the Axis Cult, right?"

"Yes."

"Look, Aqua has mental problems, she’s a hopeless idiot, right?"

"Umm..."

"Then, although it’s been a short time, the members of the Axis Cult are equally a bunch of mentally challenged people, right?"

"...Yes."

"So, if Aqua the idiot plus the idiots of the Axis Cult produce some kind of terrible chemical reaction, what then?! The world will be doomed—!"

"..."

What strange logic...

But Kazuma’s concerns made sense; if Aqua continued to interact with the Axis Cult members, something bad really could happen.

Fine, I’ll go find her myself.

"Is Aqua at the Axis Cathedral?"

"Yes, that’s right."

Hearing his question, Kazuma nodded in confirmation and asked him to quickly bring that idiot Aqua back.

"Adam-senpai, I’m counting on you."

"Ah, leave it to me." Adam put on his cloak and left the hot spring inn.

✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧✧

Walking on the street again without Darkness’s company, he felt a bit lonely.

However, this feeling disappeared in less than five minutes when another incident occurred.

"Ahh—! Somebody—, quick... Somebody—, please help me—!"

A girl’s clear yet sharp cry for help came from ahead of Adam in the remote, empty alley.

He couldn’t help but sigh... Here we go again.

Although the girl’s voice was sharp, perfectly expressing a helpless plea for help, the villain acting opposite her wasn’t as impressive.

"Hahaha, beautiful lady, just give up. Nobody will come to save you."

The villain was muscular, imposing, and intimidating. But his expression was stiff, and his tone lacked emotion; Adam suspected the girl had outperformed him.

He stopped, watching the two. He even leaned against the wall, assuming a posture that suggested he was interested in the upcoming plot.

"Uh..."

"..."

The two suddenly stopped, and the air became still.

Just like in a hero-saving-damsel scenario, both the "Helpless Girl" and the "Fierce Villain" were surprised by the newcomer’s sudden appearance.

But Adam knew they didn’t know how to continue their act.

According to the ideal script, he should have jumped out and said something heroic, then they would continue their performance. However, his refusal to follow the script left them at a loss.

What Adam hadn’t expected was that the girl playing the "Helpless Girl" role would improvise, changing the script as she ran toward him.

She hid behind him, tightly hugging his waist while pitifully sending out a distress signal.

"Please... help me, mister, he’s threatening me."

Like a switch, the man playing the "Fierce Villain" also reacted to the signal, skipping the previous scene and continuing with the next part of the plot.

He stepped forward, looking at Adam who was the same height as him. With fierce eyes and a hostile tone, he threatened the man who had "suddenly" appeared.

"What’s this, who are you, daring to shout at me?"

See, he gave himself away.

Adam hadn’t said a word since arriving, simply leaning against the wall watching their performance, yet the "Fierce Villain" was reciting his predetermined lines.

Not a qualified actor at all.

"..." Without answering, Adam just silently looked at him.

Even though the man was muscular and seemed intimidating, Adam showed no signs of fear.

In the "Helpless Girl’s" eyes, Adam’s behavior was even more unusual. Hiding behind him, she quickly signaled with her eyes for the "Fierce Villain" to continue with the plot.

"...Oh, oh, I get it, are you too scared to speak? I know, I know, a weakling like you must be trembling with fear when facing a powerful enemy like me!

But! Even a powerful man like me has a weakness: ’The Axis Cult’s Sacred Relic.’ Only a relic containing the Water Goddess’s divine power can completely defeat me! If it’s not ’The Axis Cult’s Sacred Relic,’ I won’t lose under any circumstances! And to get ’The Axis Cult’s Sacred Relic,’ you must join the Axis Cult!"

Afraid Adam wouldn’t understand, he repeated it several times.

This desperate attempt to make another person worship Aqua and join the Axis Cult both angered and amused him. It was because of people like them that the Axis Cult had such a terrible reputation.

But also because of them that Aqua could be called a Goddess.

"Hehehe..."

"W-what, why are you laughing?"

"No, I just suddenly thought how cute you both look trying so hard."

"Cute... or whatever, we’re not!..."

"Yes, yes, I understand." Interrupting their attempts to explain, Adam gently patted their shoulders and sincerely thanked them both, "Thank you for your hard work."

"I... you... we..."

"Yes, I am the Water Goddess Aqua’s representative, I suppose I’m a high priest... Although you two might not believe it, that’s okay, I’ll prove it to you."

Pure water elements surged in his hand, washing over their bodies, dispelling their doubts.

Unlike Aqua loudly proclaiming herself to be the Water Goddess, Adam saying he was the Axis Cult’s high priest was more acceptable. Besides, high priest was an advanced profession, one that wouldn’t joke about their faith.

"H-High Priest... sir!"

The two had tears in their eyes.

"Well, I have some business to attend to, so I’ll take my leave now. You two as well, don’t work too hard."

"Yes, we understand!" they replied in unison.

They said this, but judging from their expressions, Adam knew they would work even harder.

Huh? Did they misunderstand that I had expectations for them?

How could that be! They’re Aqua’s followers, members of that Axis Cult...

They’re all a bunch of idiots!

✧✧✧

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