Chapter 130: The Saintess’s Side Hustle

“You’re late!”

Because I was being punished by Celian Deretia and Yuri Atilea for quite a while, I ended up being slightly late for my promised meeting time with Mariel.

Actually, Celian and Yuri did let me go considering the appointment time, but it took quite a while afterwards to soothe my numb feet from the prolonged torment.

I roughly washed up, hurriedly changed my clothes, and dashed to the fountain, the meeting place, but Mariel was already waiting.

As soon as Mariel saw my face, she scolded me for being late.

“I’m sorry! I really didn’t mean to be late, there were circumstances….”

“Wouldn’t it be truly wicked if you were late because you wanted to be, Hero-nim?”

Of course, if she puts it that way, I have nothing to say.

Unable to retort to Mariel’s sharp tone, I just fidgeted awkwardly, watching her expression, until she finally sighed deeply and uncrossed her arms.

“Well… it seems like you know you did wrong… so I’ll let it slide just this once.”

“As expected of the Saintess…!”

Is she the Saintess because she possesses this level of benevolence! I’d only thought of her as a money grubber until now, but I retract that statement!

‘…It feels like you’re thinking something strange, but is it just my imagination?’

“Haha… Of course not. How could I, right in front of the Saintess?”

I probably didn’t even show it on my face, yet her intuition is as sharp as mine, or even sharper.

Mariel still looked at me suspiciously, but as I just grinned broadly and acted nonchalant, she eventually dropped her suspicion and spoke.

“So, why were you late?”

“Ehehe… Well, the circumstances are a bit long to explain…”

“Really? If it’s a long story, shall we talk over something to drink at a cafe somewhere?”

At my words that it would take a while, she seemed pleased, immediately grabbing my hand and leading me somewhere.

Perhaps she knew a good cafe nearby, as there wasn’t the slightest hesitation in Mariel’s steps.

Since I had planned to spend the day with Mariel anyway, there was no reason to refuse, so I let her lead me onward.

“Um, Saintess?”

However, Mariel’s steps weren’t heading towards the street where shops would likely be, but towards a completely different place.

Even though it hasn’t even been a year since I enrolled at Griffin Academy, I’ve gone out with friends often, so I know most of the decent restaurants and cafes.

As far as I knew, there were no cafes memorable enough in the direction we were currently heading.

“Fufu… Just follow me for now. There’s a really, really nice cafe.”

Well, Mariel has been at the academy for over a year longer than me, so she probably knows a few places I don’t.

I should remember it, and if it seems like a good place, I could introduce it to my friends.

We passed the main street, sometimes weaving through alleys, walking for several minutes. Finally, Mariel stopped.

The place we arrived at was unexpected.

I thought it was a cafe I didn’t know, but far from not knowing it, it was a place I knew all too well, which was the problem.

“Um, Saintess…?”

“Come on, let’s go inside! I’m sure you’ll be satisfied too, Hero-nim!”

As I hesitated at the entrance, she pushed my back, guiding me inside.

“Welcome.”

As soon as we entered, those who were serving noticed me and greeted me.

While bowing my head back in greeting towards them, I was still flustered and hesitated, unable to sit down in an empty seat.

Right. I could overlook the inefficient interior for a cafe. These days, there are plenty of cafes decorated with all sorts of weird concepts.

But why on earth are they running a cafe business inside the temple?

Furthermore, I could even overlook the fact that all the cafe staff were serving dressed in maid outfits. To run a business, you need a unique selling point different from what everyone else is doing to survive.

But what kind of coincidence is it that the staff members in those maid outfits are theology students I’ve occasionally seen at the temple?

“Here, here. There’s a seat right here! Hurry up and sit down.”

She took me, standing there blankly, and seated me in one of the empty spots, then sat down facing me.

Sitting down and looking around, the temple interior, now being used as a cafe, was packed with customers.

“Um… What exactly is this…”

Originally, this was supposed to be the time for me to explain in detail the reason for my tardiness, but instead, I found myself in a situation where I had to ask Mariel questions.

“How is it? My idea?”

“The Saintess’s idea?”

“Yes! I proposed it to show the citizens that the temple isn’t just a stiff and formal place. My friends from the theology department willingly agreed to participate too.”

Well… looking at it from that perspective, Mariel’s intention seems to have hit the mark perfectly.

At least the faces of the citizens currently inside this temple were filled with smiles instead of apprehension.

Still, even if she is the Saintess, how did she manage to get the higher-ups… no, the superiors, to approve such an unconventional event?

She must have worked tirelessly to persuade them. And likely persuading the female theology students currently serving customers as well.

Imagining Mariel running around diligently to improve the temple’s image, she seemed a bit… cool, different from the Mariel I usually knew.

“Hehet. How about it? Did you fall for this Saintess all over again?”

“The ‘all over again’ part bothers me a little… but… well… it is kind of cool.”

“Honestly, I really can’t help myself. Pretty face, great figure, and even capable. Of course our Hero-nim would fall for me.”

…Who would look at that and imagine Mariel as a Saintess?

Mariel’s brazen attitude is dumbfounding, but what’s even more irritating is that it’s hard to refute her words.

But perhaps that side of her is part of Mariel’s charm, so there’s no need to point it out.

“Mariel!”

As I was smirking at Mariel’s smug face, someone approached our table, calling her name.

Glancing over, I saw a girl in a maid outfit standing right next to the table.

She’s probably a student from the same theology department as Mariel.

“When did you get here? No, more importantly, today’s sales have already reached 150% compared to the same time yesterday! I think we’ll be able to take home a hefty allowance today too! Mariel, you’re going to get quite a nice sum today, huh?”

?

What is she talking about?

Tilting my head, I shifted my gaze back to Mariel sitting across from me.

However, Mariel wasn’t answering the girl who spoke to her, nor was she looking at me to explain the situation; instead, she was looking away somewhere else, ignoring the situation.

She was even whistling, ‘whew, whew’, clearly pretending not to know.

“Is this Mariel’s guest? Looks like a junior from school and someone Mariel knows, so it’s okay if I speak casually, right? What would you like to order? Since you’re Mariel’s guest, I’ll treat you specially! I think I’ll be getting a pretty good allowance today!”

The girl chattered on, answering her own questions without even waiting for a reply.

But seeing as she offered a free drink, she doesn’t seem like a bad person.

“Th-then just a moderate Caramel Macchia—”

“Which one?”

“Then Capucci—”

“Which one?”

“…An Americano, please.”

“Okay, one Americano! I’ll bring it right over. Just wait a moment.”

Would it be rude to say that I saw a resemblance to Mariel in the girl’s retreating figure as she trotted away?

Well… anyway, I got a free cup of Americano out of it, so it doesn’t matter.

Instead, I turned my head to look at Mariel.

“…Well, you earn some pocket money on the side, things like that… Strictly on the side!”

Is it really ‘on the side’?

Isn’t it more likely that this is the main goal, and improving the temple’s image is the ‘on the side’ purpose?

But I didn’t bother asking Mariel out loud.

If I heard the answer that it was indeed the case, what would become of me, who had just seen Mariel in a cool light moments ago?

For Mariel’s sake, and for my own, let’s bury the truth.

“More importantly! You have to explain why you were late!”

Anyone could see she was forcibly changing the subject, but since I had already decided to bury the truth and move on, I opened my mouth to play along.

“Um… Actually, I had a date with my boss yesterday.”

“Boss…? Date…?”

“Ah, yes. Actually, I was quite broke at the beginning of the first semester, so while looking for a part-time job, I met my current boss. She pays well, and she’s a good person.”

“Uh, uh…?”

“The work was quite bewildering at first, but now I actually enjoy it. She even gives me extra money each time.”

“Th-that’s totally…”

“Well… sometimes she shows an eccentric side, like spanking my butt, but it’s all just in jest.”

“W-wait a minute…!”

Mariel, who had stopped me, had eyes darting back and forth, unable to focus.

Well, from the perspective of money-loving Mariel, it must be enviable enough to make her whole body tremble.

It’s what you call a cushy part-time job.

Honestly, even I feel rather sorry every time Presia Gatina gives me money.

“Ah, perhaps even if the Saintess says she wants to do the part-time job like me, I don’t think I can introduce you to my boss. I’m sorry.”

“I wouldn’t do it even if you asked!”

Mariel shrieked.

Her sudden shout drew the attention of those around us, so I bowed my head towards the surrounding people in apology on her behalf.

Was being told there wasn’t a job opening that upsetting?

“What does being late have to do with that… boss person?”

Seemingly conscious of her own shouting just moments before, Mariel lowered her voice, speaking quietly so those around wouldn’t hear.

“Well, you see. After the date ended, I went to my boss’s room, and she asked me to sleep over.”

“S-so…?”

“Well, what could I do when my boss asked me to? I just slept over.”

“Just asking, just in case, that boss person… is she a woman? Or a man?”

“Hm? She’s a woman?”

“Phew, that’s a relief… Huh? Wait a minute… Is it not a relief…?”

Mariel tilted her head, wondering what the problem was. Still, her ears seemed open, so I continued making excuses for my lateness.

“Anyway… After staying out all night like that and returning to the dorm, two of my friends were waiting up, not even sleeping. Good grief. Do they distrust me that much?”

Especially since I had even told them beforehand through the teddy bear that I’d be staying out.

“In the end, being scolded by the two of them for so long left my legs completely weak… By the time I barely recovered and came out, it was already late.”

“S-so weak your legs gave out…”

“Exactly. I really tried to come on time, but I just couldn’t manage it.”

It wasn’t a joke; when I finally finished the punishment and tried to stand up, I couldn’t even stand properly on my numb legs and almost collapsed right onto the floor.

Fortunately, Celian and Yuri caught me as I fell, so I avoided an unsightly tumble onto the ground.

Having finished explaining the circumstances of my tardiness, I watched Mariel’s expression, hoping for her understanding.

However, for some reason, she had lowered her head deeply and was muttering something.

“N-no way… Then the invitation you gave me last time was also serious…?”

“I’m always serious with you, Saintess?”

Of course, I didn’t remember what ‘invitation’ Mariel was talking about, but since I had never once uttered falsehoods thus far, I said it confidently.

Perhaps Mariel was moved by my words, as she could only stare at me, unable to speak further.

Yes. Sincerity always gets through.