Maxi quelled her own agitated heart and tried to pacify the girl. “Th-There is no reason…f-for you to be reckless…out of spite for your brother’s actions.”
“I am not doing this out of spite, and nothing you say will change my mind,” Idsilla said, stubbornly raising her chin. “The matter I wanted to discuss with you is not whether or not I go. The support party will be leaving in five days, and I wish to learn whatever I can of the art of healing before then. I know it’s not much time, but I intend to learn as much as possible before I depart. Will you help me?”
A storm raged in Maxi’s mind as she wordlessly opened and closed her mouth. Though her reason whispered to her that she must stop the girl even if she had to inform Alyssa or the clerics, her heart told her a completely different thing.
Maxi drew in a tentative breath. Before she could even organize her thoughts, she blurted out, “I-I shall…go with you.”
She stifled a gasp, alarmed by her own words. Had Riftannot exhorted her to wait for him in the safety of the basilica? She could almost see his livid reaction. Maxi nervously fiddled with the coin inside her pocket.
Idsilla’s lips curled into a bitter smile. “I would say that you are more impulsive than me, Lady Calypse. You do not have to enmesh yourself in this.”
“True…. I-It might be impulsive of me, but…” Maxi trailed off, unable to decide what it was she really wanted todo.
Idsilla pressed her lips together. The girl seemed to want Maxi to join her, but at the same time, she was obviously conflicted about dragging another person into this dangerous venture.
After hesitating for a long moment, Idsilla cautiously spoke. “I am left with only two choices: to return home or join the support unit. The clerics intend to send most of the noblewomen back to their houses, and I’m sure my family will summon me home soon anyway. You, however, can remain at the monastery. It is wholly unnecessary for you to put yourself in danger.”
“Th-That is not true. I also…”
Maxi bit her lip. The bitterness that had been accumulating in her heart came surging up. How many times during her stay here had she come to regret not more persistently entreating Riftan to take her with him? She was certain that nothing was worse than being separated from him. She was exceptionally talented when it came to torturing herself by conceiving the worst possible future. It would be better to follow the campaign party than to spend months mired in anxiety and nightmares.
“I am…g-going with you. I must go,” she asserted,though her voice sounded as though she were dislodging thorns from her throat.
Idsilla studied her closely. “Are you sure about this?”
Maxi slowly nodded, and relief flashed across Idsilla’s face. After making sure they were alone once more, Idsilla leaned closer to Maxi and revealed her plans.
“Then you must be sure to pack your things beforehand. I have an acquaintance among the female clerics. I will ask for her cooperation ahead of time. I intend to follow the party dressed as a cleric. Since female clerics usually wear a hooded robe to cover their faces, it would be the best way to join them unnoticed.”
Maxi swallowed hard. “Th-Then…wh-what should I do?”
“I will procure a cleric’s habit for you as well.”
Anxiety bubbled in Maxi’s chest. “W-Would it not be a serious problem…i-if we were caught impersonating a cleric?”
“Do not worry. Many of the female clerics joining the campaign are sisters who have not been officially designated as clerics yet,” Idsilla said. “If we were to get caught, we could say that we were training to become clerics but changed our minds.”
Maxi did not think such a preposterous excuse would get them out of trouble, but she chose not to argue. There was no other way, after all.
“Still, are you certain you wish to come?” Idsilla pressed.
Moistening her parched lips, Maxi nodded. Riftan would be furious when he found out, but Maxi desperately wanted to see him even if it meant being seized and rebuked.
Idsilla took her hand and squeezed it. “All right. Then…come to the back courtyard after the service. We have much to prepare.”
They walked out of the orchard and attended the morning prayer as though nothing had happened. When the service was over, the disconsolate noblewomen gathered in groups to discuss their plans for the future. Alyssa, whose disappointment seemed as colossal as her dashed hopes, returned to her room after expressing her desire to be alone.
Maxi furtively made preparations to follow the campaign party with Idsilla. She filled the leather bag she had brought from Anatol with items needed for healing such as herbs, magic stones, thread, needles, and special salves. Afterward, she scoured the monastery to gather as many linens as possible.
Whenever they had a spare moment, she would teach Idsilla about herbs and their usage, while Idsilla taught her what to do if they were to encounter a monster. Though she had never fought one herself, Idsilla was as knowledgeable as the knights when it came to monsters.
“They say that there are two ways to defeat a troll. The first is to cut off its head,” Idsilla explained, using a stick to draw a large, warty monster—presumably a troll—in the dirt. “Trolls possess such great regenerative abilities that they can heal their wounds in the blink of an eye. Records say that they are able to reattach a severed arm by simply holding it back in place. Complete damage to the head is the only thing they cannot regenerate.” She drew a slash through the troll’s neck. “If their head is done away with, even a troll will not be able to escape death. The second way is to attackthem with fire. They say that cauterizing an open wound impedes their regenerative ability. This is why mages usually use fire magic when fighting trolls.”
Maxi swallowed hard. Idsilla’s detailed explanation only fanned her fears. A chill ran down her spine at the thought that she was voluntarily going to a place teeming with these terrifying monsters that could withstand most attacks. Even so, her husband was currently battling said monsters, and day by day, this fact only strengthened her resolve to join Idsilla.
Time flew by in a flash. On the day before the support unit’s departure, Maxi waited for the cover of night to slip out of her room. Idsilla, who had been waiting for Maxi in a corner of the garden, let out a sigh of relief when she saw her.
“I thought that you might have changed your mind,” she admitted.
