Fisher was a content man, satisfied with any enhancement as a gain. After receiving the rewards from the Demi-human Girls Completion Manual, he stood up and took a breath before looking outside the room.
This morning their "Seeking the Frost Snow Phoenix Tree" team was having a meeting, much like the monthly Mage meetings he used to attend at the Nali Magic Association, though the mood of Valentina’s team was decidedly more harmonious.
"I’m off to the meeting, you’re not coming with me?"
After changing into a fresh set of clothes, Fisher turned his head towards Emhardt, who laid motionless on the bed. Since last night, Emhardt had been ignoring him, probably angry, but Fisher had no time to cajole him. He felt there was no need given Emhardt’s shamelessly persistent demeanor.
"I don’t want to go, it’s just watching you flirt with girls, it’s boring. You go by yourself."
Watching Emhardt twitch on the bed, Fisher, too lazy to consider his wishes, forcefully dragged him off the bed and stuffed him into his shirt, heading towards the door.
"You’re so annoying, I said I didn’t want to go... Huh, Sister Ilois, what are you doing at the door? Wait, your belly is better?"
Unexpectedly, as soon as Fisher opened the door, he saw a rabbit nun standing calmly with her hands in front of her chest in the corridor outside. Her belly, which had previously resembled that of a pregnancy, was now completely flat. Upon seeing Fisher and Emhardt in his arms, she nodded somewhat embarrassedly and said,
"Yes, after taking the medicine Mr. Fisher gave me, I felt much better... It seems touching ears doesn’t result in babies after all, hehe~"
"...Only an idiot would think you could get pregnant that way."
Fisher agreed with Emhardt’s biting commentary. Even this unconscious quip put a pouting expression on Ilois’s face, but she had a good temper—or perhaps all the nuns of the Mother Goddess had this trait?
Like Sister Theresa from his memories, she simply made a praying gesture to let her irritation go, then continued speaking to Fisher.
"Since Mr. Helldor’s death yesterday, Miss Valentina has seemed quite dejected. I wonder if she will be better today... May the Mother Goddess protect her..."
Fisher thought for a moment, and couldn’t help but remember the image of the young miss in her wheelchair. He then shook his head and said,
"After last night, she won’t be the same as she was yesterday... It’s less that yesterday was a holiday for us, and more of a reprieve for her, right?"
"Yes, indeed. Speaking of which..."
Reaching the top of the stairs, Ilois suddenly turned her head to look out at the snowy landscape of the Nebalon Kingdom. The scenery remained as it was, compressing decades into a single moment before her eyes. After a few seconds, she turned back smiling at Fisher and said,
"Mr. Fisher, I will probably be returning to my Church soon. I’ve completed the help that Miss Valentina required of me, and she has acquired the Seal. There is nothing more I can assist with now. So, I’ve decided to leave the Nebalon Kingdom and return to the Healing Corruption Church."
Fisher wasn’t surprised. Valentina’s assignment for her had ended, and without a reason to seek the Frost Snow Phoenix Tree, Ilois had no need to stay. Even if she wanted to, Valentina would certainly send her back first for her safety.
He didn’t continue downstairs, but instead spoke to Ilois,
"I thought you would stay in the Nebalon Kingdom, it is, after all, your homeland. As the last of the Moon Rabbit Species’ direct lineage, Nebalon will not ignore you, and you would have a good life here."
Ilois shook her head with a smile,
"This was my home when I was a child, but I have promised Sister Shalu that I would be a nun, and so I must not break my vow. Nebalon will get better and better without the Moon Rabbit Species, but the Healing Corruption Church would cease to exist without me. I must return, and if by then you, Mr. Fisher, have finished your tasks and you return, I invite you to have seafood soup..."
Watching Ilois, Fisher genuinely understood her feelings. As a "rebel" who grew up in the Mother Goddess Church atmosphere and, while he didn’t believe in the Mother Goddess himself, he was very familiar with the Church’s history and many of its doctrines.
The Church did not accommodate demi-humans. As he had previously stated, the Mother Goddess was the mother of humans, not demi-humans. Historically, the Church had once wielded ignorance like a blade against unarmed civilians, hunting Witches, exterminating heretics...
Hence, Fisher truly thought that Sister Shalu, who had helped Ilois, a demi-human, and treated her as her own, was a very good person. Going back there to fulfill her duties was the right choice.
Fisher had no extra advice to give, only sincerely wished her well,
"You will be the Church’s first demi-human nun, and one of the kindest."
"Ah? That said... I’m a bit nervous, the kindest and all... Seems a bit... too much praise, doesn’t it?"
Ilois shook her hands, her cheeks flushed, and her rabbit ears swayed as she spoke, eliciting a cold chuckle from Emhardt, who sarcastically remarked to her,