After meeting Kiba, Richard wandered around Kuoh. He wasn't wandering aimlessly—rather, Richard was looking for someone. From the information Kalawarner had given him, Richard knew that a nun was coming to Kuoh today.
A poor nun, who worshipped God with absolute faith. She was so kind that she was even willing to help a devil. Her actions were undoubtedly noble—but the Church had used that very reason to cast her out. That made Richard feel truly sorry for her. And even worse, she was currently being tricked by Raynare. If Richard hadn't killed Raynare and the guys from the abandoned church, this nun's life would have ended today.
As Richard walked with his hands in his pockets, leisurely enjoying the atmosphere, someone suddenly bumped into him. Richard raised an eyebrow and turned around at the comical sight before him.
'Oh, here she is.'
Her arms were spread out wide, her face pointing straight down at the ground. It was a funny sight.
'That's definitely a clumsy way to fall,' Richard thought as he bent down to help the clumsy girl up.
"Are you alright? Let me help you," he said as he gently helped her to her feet.
"Auu… Perché continuo a inciampare… Oh, mi dispiace! Grazie mille—"
Although Richard could understand all languages thanks to magic, he recognized that this was Italian.
This was the first time Richard had ever felt someone this pure.
'Even more than I expected.' Suddenly, a gust of wind blew, unfortunately catching the girl's face and lifting her veil. Richard was taken aback.
Her golden hair, hidden beneath the veil, fell gently over her shoulders. It was straight and shimmered in the sunlight.
Then Richard's gaze shifted to her now-uncovered face.
His heart reacted in a way it never had before. No—this wasn't romantic. She was cute, sure, but it wasn't like that.
The world around Richard changed. Faint traces suddenly became vivid—everything became clearer, more alive.
Something about her presence… It felt as if the world itself whispered to him: if this girl ever cries, then the entire world owes her a debt.
'She…'
As far as Richard knew, she could've been using some kind of charm magic on him. But none of his senses or instincts detected any hostility. She was pure in both spirit and intent.
Her blue eyes were so beautiful that Richard felt as though he might get lost in them…
He stared at her for a long moment, and a powerful urge to protect her surged from deep within.
"U-um… is something wrong…?"
The nun looked up at him with concern.
"Ah, no… It's nothing… I just let my guard down a little…" Richard replied.
She was unlike any other nun he had ever met. Richard had been to countless churches, but he had never seen anyone this pure. He bent down and picked up her veil—it had thankfully fallen nearby.
"You're not a resident of Kuoh, are you?" Richard asked.
"No, I'm not. I was assigned to the Church in this town… You must be a resident here. It's a pleasure to meet you!"
She bowed her head, a shy smile appearing on her face.
"I've had a lot of trouble since arriving. Um… I don't speak Japanese very well… I got lost, and people don't seem to understand what I'm saying…" she said, her voice timid, eyes welling with tears.
"I'm Richard. Actually, I'm also kind of new to this town. If you don't mind, I can take you to the abandoned church." Richard offered.
"Thank you so much, Richard-san. May God bless you." Asia said happily, glad someone was finally helping her. Then she suddenly remembered something.
"I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself. My name is Asia Argento." Asia said nervously, afraid Richard would be angry at her for being rude.
However, Richard simply smiled and shook his head.
"It's alright, Asia. I'm not angry." He gently patted her head.
Then, just as the two were about to head to the abandoned church, Asia's stomach growled. It was clear she hadn't eaten anything during her journey to Kuoh. Embarrassed, Asia blushed and looked down.
Seeing this, Richard chuckled at her cuteness.
"No need to be embarrassed. Let me treat you to something to eat. Come on."
———
Now, the two of them were in a small diner. Richard rested his chin on his hand, gazing fondly at the girl in front of him.
He knew she had been locked away in a church for most of her life, but the way she reacted to everything on their walk had genuinely surprised him.
Even simple things like the roads, nearby buildings, and even his smartphone amazed her to the point of disbelief.
She acted like a child experiencing the world outside for the first time.
And now, Asia was struggling with a burger.
"Oh no, I ruined it!" Asia had held the burger incorrectly, causing everything to spill onto the plate.
"I'm so sorry! I've ruined the chef's dish!"
Asia began panicking and praying, her eyes welling up as though she was about to cry.
"Please forgive me for wasting such delicious food!"
"Alright, alright, don't cry, Asia. Here, take my burger. I'll make a new one for you." Richard swapped plates and showed her how to properly eat it.
Asia looked at him in amazement, as if he were performing magic.
"Muuu!" The moment she took a bite, her eyes lit up with delight, and it was as if a radiant light shone from nowhere, highlighting her innocence.
With a bit of sauce on her lips, she continued munching happily, humming with each bite.
"It's delicious! I never thought food could be this amazing!" She exclaimed with pure joy, her excitement almost overflowing.
"Thank you so much, Richard-san! It's all thanks to God that I met someone as kind as you!"
Hearing that, Richard just shook his head.
"I'm not as good as you think. Honestly, I'm surprised you trusted and followed a complete stranger so easily.
What if I was a bad guy?"
"No way, Richard-san is definitely a good person. It's like God told me so," Asia replied with a sweet smile, her voice filled with trust and confidence as clear as the blue sky.
After that, the two continued chatting more. Once again, Richard was impressed with Asia.
Not many people were willing to give up their own freedom to help others.
After lunch, Richard took the young nun on a little tour around Kuoh so she could get familiar with the town.
As expected, she was amazed by even the most mundane things.
Street vendors, vending machines, parks, and she even delighted in watching kids play at the arcade.
Richard also bought her a Pikachu plushie. She immediately snatched up Pikachu-kun and hugged it tightly to her chest.
"Thank you so much, Richard-san. I'll take good care of this plushie."
"Hey, if something like this makes you happy, I'll buy more for you next time," Richard said cheerfully.
She shook her head.
"No, Pikachu-kun that you gave me represents the wonderful day I met you. It also reminds me of you, Richard-san."
After that, the two made their way toward the abandoned church. They had spent so much time together, and Asia had completely lost track of time until she realized the sky was beginning to darken.
Today had been the happiest day of her life. She felt truly lucky to have met Richard.
At this point, Richard decided to take Asia to the church and then tell her the truth—that he had killed the people there and ask for permission to protect her.
But suddenly, he heard Asia crying.
"Asia, what's wrong?" Richard asked in concern. "Why are you crying?"
He gently pulled her into a hug and patted her back.
"D-do I even deserve to be this happy?" she asked, her voice cracking through her tears.
Author's note: Let me explain. Richard's feelings for Asia are not love at first sight. As you already know, he can sense whether someone is good or bad, and in his eyes, Asia is the kindest and purest girl he has ever met. Combined with the hardships she has experienced, this makes Richard feel a strong desire to protect her.