episode_0023

Returning to the room, I lay sprawled on the bed blankly.

The sky, changing from deep blue to bright blue, colored the bed sheet.

“Let’s say I go to a bar in the evening. What should I do until then…?”

Muttering softly, I tried to organize my jumbled thoughts.

There were many places I wanted to go, like restaurants, cafes, libraries, and so on.

But with the sudden free time, I couldn’t even grasp what I should do.

At this time usually, I would be sitting in the chapel, being swayed by the Goddess and undergoing humiliating ritual.

When I was making a fuss in my inner world, the believers would look at my back and let out exclamations full of faith.

For me, having become a Great Saint, such things had become very natural.

But for this hour today, there was nothing but silence except for my breathing.

Was the quietness that came during a time that should be bustling this awkward?

It was like the first spring day right after graduating from university.

The compulsion that I had to do something, and the sense of liberation that I didn’t have to do anything.

The two conflicting feelings combined and gave me anxiety.

“Ugh.”

I groaned softly.

Should I just stay like this sluggishly until I feel like napping?

With that intention, I slowly closed my eyes.

Rumble.

“…I’m hungry.”

Now that I think about it, I didn’t eat breakfast today either.

Perhaps it’s because skipping meals has become a habit. I didn’t even realize I was hungry until now.

Outwardly, I’ve been framing it with excuses like needing a clean body for prayer, or feeling sorry for the other sisters, and so on.

The truth is, I just skipped breakfast because I wanted to sleep a little more.

Anyone who has gone through fierce competitive societies would understand this.

There are often times when you want to save even the time for one breakfast meal to sleep more.

I was the type that had gotten used to that as a habit.

Let alone for me, who falls into a sleep bordering on fainting after putting on a fountain show every day, breakfast was nothing short of a luxury.

“Alright.”

After lifting the back of my head from the bed, I immediately headed for the door.

Roughly straightening my veil and nun’s habit, I poured magic into the doorknob.

Let’s think positively.

Haven’t I been desperately wishing for something like this all this time?

For starters, let’s eat a light breakfast.

It won’t be too late to think about what I want to do after that.

It’s finally time to draw a line through the bucket list I’ve been longing for and enduring.

Thinking like that, my chest, which had felt stifled, began to get a little excited.

There’s plenty of time.

Things I wanted to do, places I wanted to go.

Let’s enjoy them all.

“Hehe.”

I smiled unconsciously.

I stepped down the stairs with light steps.

The morning sun, which had fully risen by now, felt warm.

***

With light steps, I headed towards Ruz city center.

From the sight of people busily walking the streets from the morning, I felt full of vitality.

It was then, as I was leisurely looking for breakfast.

“Oh, Lady Thecia?”

“Yes?”

Turning my head, an unknown girl was standing there, looking at me as if in wonder.

Sky-blue bobbed hair and clear green eyes.

She was a girl who gave a refreshing impression upon seeing her.

The girl was wearing a neat school uniform.

It was a stylish design, combining black and blue on a white base.

Could she be an academy student?

I subtly scanned the unknown girl up and down.

Just then, a giant lizard stepped forward in front of the girl with heavy steps.

“Hiss, hiss.”

Blinking and looking at me, it seemed to be greeting me.

When I slightly waved my hand, the lizard flicked its tongue.

Even at the sight of the lizard puffing steam from its nose, the girl was not scared at all.

It seemed to be the girl’s familiar.

What was that called again? A Salamander, maybe?

I know it’s quite a powerful high-level summoned creature.

That must mean this girl possesses powerful qualities.

“Oh my, are you really Lady Thecia?”

The girl, confirming my face, exclaimed as if excited.

“Yes, I am. Do you know me?”

“Of course! At the academy too, Lady Thecia is the idol of all the female students!”

Oh my, that’s quite heartwarming.

That means I have teenage girl fans I don’t even know about.

At the quite pleasant news, the corners of my mouth twitched on their own.

“Haha, thank you. May I ask your name?”

When I asked politely, the female student replied in a loud voice as if excited.

“Uh, I am Elena Schubert!”

“Schubert?”

Schubert, Schubert.

That’s a surname I’ve heard a lot somewhere.

Tilting my head, I traced back my memory.

Then the girl, as if shy, twirled her sky-blue hair with her fingers and said.

“The, of the Reinhardt Kingdom…”

“Ah, I see. You are a child of the Schubert Ducal family.”

“Yes, that’s right!”

Oh my.

To think that the girl I met by chance in the morning is the daughter of a Duke from a neighboring country.

This was clearly a sign that something good was about to happen.

Elena said, standing rigidly at attention, unlike a noble.

“I, I have always respected the Great Saint! Um, if it’s not an imposition…could you shake my hand!?”

“Of course, Miss Elena.”

She’s putting in too much effort.

At the girl’s freshness, who had stiffened her shoulders like stones, a smile naturally appeared.

I approached the girl extending her hand.

I gently covered Elena’s hand, which was full of cold sweat, with both of my hands.

“Oh?!”

Startled, Elena trembled her shoulders.

I greeted the girl with the public-facing smile I always wore.

For some reason, the girl’s gaze was directed towards my chest instead of my eyes.

Could she be so nervous that she can’t even make eye contact?

Seeing that even her cheeks are flushed red, that must be the case.

“Ahaha, I, I! My hand is sweaty! I’m sorry if it’s unpleasant!”

“It’s alright. It’s not unpleasant at all.”

This much stickiness, I taste every night.

The problem is that, quite literally, that sticky and salty taste touches my tongue.

“The Creator Goddess Isis has bestowed blessings upon everything of ours. There is no reason to find it unpleasant.”

I said to Elena as if preaching the gospel.

Perhaps she was moved by my benevolent appearance?

Elena was still staring fixedly at my face, with her face flushed.

“I hope the grace of Goddess Isis be with you.”

“Nyeheheh…”

Elena replied with a twisted tongue.

For some reason, the crazy women who had their way with me overlapped with her.

Nevertheless, for a beautiful girl to blush at me was quite a cute reaction to see.

Smiling contentedly, I withdrew my hand from Elena.

“I hope we can meet again if the opportunity arises.”

“Nyeheh! P-Please, definitely!”

“Hehe.”

With a light smile, I turned my back to the girl.

“Study hard.”

With a final greeting, I continued on my way.

From behind me, I heard a sniffing sound, as if smelling something.

It was a very unsettling sound.

Since Salamanders are said to have a good sense of smell, that must be the sound.

Yes, that must be it.

I imagined Elena becoming a capable mage in the future.

For example, yes.

Like Ariel.

“…No, that’s not it.”

I immediately murmured to myself and denied it.

A wise woman who rubs her vulva with her travel companion every night, really.

She is a type of person who can absolutely not be made into a role model.

I hope she grows into an excellent mage, but please, let her not become that crazy woman.

After offering a light prayer inwardly, I continued my steps.

I entered a street corner where a savory scent was slowly rising.

To soothe my constantly ticking belly clock, I quickly searched for a store.

Elena’s figure was already out of sight by then.