𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟑: 𝐔𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐬
The name of the priest is Trias.
For the time being, we decided to introduce ourselves as “The messengers burdened with the duty to report the state of the country after returning from another world, as ordered by Saint Charlene-sama.”
Even though this was a setting thought up on the spur of the moment, he accepted it readily.
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While having the late-night meal prepared by the landlady, Trias spoke tearfully.
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“Ugh. . . . . .Delicious. . . . . .Shepherd’s pie. . . . . . It tastes like my grandma’s. . . . . .”
“Be careful, it’s hot. Eat slowly.”
“Hahi. . . . . .”
ㅤ
Condensing the content of the tearful and intermittent conversation, it was like this.
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Within the church, under the orders of Lulumia, it seems that they began to have meals with noble men, claiming it as hospitality for the saints.
When the saints meet with common men, they either do so across a net in a visitor’s room or are accompanied by their saint’s knight guard. The saints, consisting of young women from their teens to early twenties, possess a special ability called healing. According to church doctrine, only virgins have the healing ability (this isn’t actually the case). The saint Institute of the Church was originally established to protect saints, who would be too vulnerable in the public realm―now, it has merely become an organization for managing and effectively utilizing the saints with special abilities, but that’s another matter.
ㅤ
In any case, it’s quite difficult for a saint to meet with an ordinary man. Even I have only met with Chairman Robertson either across the church visitor room net or with my saint’s knight guard after going through a tedious application process. Lulumia are using the saints as hospitality towards high society.
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Having had his fill of food, Trias, who now had a somewhat calmer face, spoke.
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“The saints are also confused. They’re hesitantly following Lulumia-sama’s instructions, wondering if it’s right to do something that goes against doctrine saint saintOf course, troubles have arisen. There were saints who refused on the grounds of doctrine, but they were deliberately sent to harsh treatment sessions in remote areas.”
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Remembering that scene, Trias grimaces.
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“It’s the worst. I couldn’t help the innocent saints crying right in front of me. . . . . .Today too, I got dragged out by the saint’s knight guards when I defended the saint who was being harassed by rough miners at a treatment session. . . . . .Lulumia-sama has ordered hospitality, and if you interfere with that, this is what happens, and. . . . . .”
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When he rolls up his sleeve, there’s an ugly bruise.
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“Something’s wrong within the church. It’s divided into the Lulumia-sama faction and the High Priest faction, the order is chaotic. . . . . .No one knows what is right, what needs to be done. But the upper ranks are all focused on nothing but squabbles over which of the two major factions will control the church. . . . . .Both the saints and the priests are in bad shape.”
“. . . . . .It must have been hard.”
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When I pat his back, he begins to sob again.
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“Ugh. . . . . .I’m sorry. . . . . .Crying in front of a girl like you.”
“It’s okay to cry. If you push your feelings down, your heart will break. . . . . .Those tears are proof that you’ve been trying so hard.”
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For a man in his twenties, crying in front of a young girl must be due to immense suffering. It must have been very tough. I simply stroked his back to comfort him.
Even though it’s scary to look at Kami-sama, I guess He’s giving me some kind of permission since He’s not interfering.
I won’t think about what kind of “overwriting” will happen later.
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“I heard that both the Mayor of Makeido City, Baron Denizdon, and the influential Chairman Robertson, were avid supporters of Charlene-sama. Thinking that they were the only ones I could appeal to in this desperate situation, I fled from the treatment session and came here.”
“I see. I get it. . . . . .I know Chairman Robertson, I can get a message to him. He was also worried about the state of the city, so I think it will be a good information exchange for both of us.”
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Once he stopped crying and calmed down, I asked him again.
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“How’s the Saint’s Guard Knights doing?”
“Well. . . . . .I feel like it’s been a bit turbulent recently. As if they are scared of something. . . . . . “
“Scared?”
“Yes, recently there’s been some staff turnover.”
“Oh. . . . . .Like what?”
“With the reduction of staff, more knights from the National Defense Knights have been moving to the Saint’s Guard Knights. The original members of the Saint’s Guard Knights were mostly young nobles who, while they had study and overseas experience, weren’t really capable of practical combat. But now, we’ve got tall, muscular knights with fierce faces joining in droves. . . . . .as if they’re on guard against something.”
“I see. . . . . .That’s good to hear. Can you get a list of names?”
“It might be difficult with my status as a fugitive. . . . . . but maybe if I pull some strings.”
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Success. I feel a response and grin.
If I can get the internal roster of the Saint’s Guard Knights, it would be easier to investigate who attacked me and what their motives were.
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Kami-sama arrived with a calm demeanor.
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“Man. It’s fixed.”
“Hey, darling, don’t call him ‘man’. . . . . .Ah, the glasses?”
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He seems to have repaired Trias’s broken glasses. Trias joyfully accepted them and put them on, his eyes sparkling.
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“Amazing! They look as good as new. . . . . .! Thank you.”
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With his glasses on, he blinked at me.
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“. . . . . . Huh? Wait a minute. . . . . . You look a bit like Charlene-sama, don’t you?”
“Yeah, I get that a lot. That’s why Charlene-sama sent me as her envoy.”
“I see, that makes sense. Charlene-sama was also beautiful and wonderful. . . . . .”
“Hahaha.”
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I’m grateful he doesn’t dwell on it.
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“So, we should talk to Robertson-san tomorrow. Stay in the room next to the inn tonight. For safety, I’d like you to keep dressing as a woman for a while.”
“Yes! Thank you very much. . . . . .!”
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He smoothly settled into the vacant room next door (using Kami-sama’s special power), and I could finally relax for tonight.
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“Thank you so much. Good night, you two envoys of Charlene-sama.”
“Don’t share that story with anyone else. See ya!”
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Erasing unnecessary memories can wait until tomorrow.
As he was about to leave, he suddenly said, “Oh, by the way.”
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“Do you two envoys know? The church’s Land God Kai’s spiritual spring is drying up.”
“. . . . . .Eh?”
“The priests of the high priest faction are very excited. They claim that the gods are angry because Lulumia-sama is not the rightful leading saint. They’re using the reception of the saints and free treatment meetings as an excuse to condemn Lulumia-sama. . . . . .Really, it’s because of such actions that the god is angry, and the spiritual spring is drying up.”
“. . . . . .”
“Good night! Ah, I feel so much better now that my glasses are fixed. Bye!”
ㅤ
BANG
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When we were left alone in the room, I turned around and Kami-sama was looking down at me with a serious face.
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“. . . . . .Kami-sama.”
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His golden eyes and doll-like expression were terrifying.
With the moonlight behind him, Kami-sama’s body overshadowed mine.
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