Chapter 16. Gratitude and Repayment (3)

Christmas is a Christian holiday. It’s the day when the most important saint in Christianity, after the New Testament was written, is believed to have been born.

There seem to be various stories about its exact origins, but at least it’s undeniable that it’s celebrated for ‘that reason’.

The most widely believed religion in this world is fundamentally unrelated to Christianity, but it’s true that the denomination has adopted many things from that religion to exist as a ‘denomination’.

Except for creating a new object of faith and scriptures, they basically followed all the customs.

Even the holidays.

I understand. The existence of denominations isn’t that old. Even if the object of faith changed, people still wanted to keep their traditions.

Come to think of it, people even set holidays based on the shape of cookies and exchange cookies, so it’s strange to be picky about that now. Buddhist monks don’t go to work on Christmas, do they? Unless it’s a workplace where you have to work on Christmas, of course.

“But isn’t it a bit strange for a ‘nun’ to be working on that Christmas?”

Ria asked me with a truly strange expression.

“The God we believe in is a different God, right? I understand why Christmas remains a holiday and we get to rest, but why do we have to come to church and pray on that day?”

That… is true.

It’s understandable that it remains a traditional holiday, and therefore, it’s also understandable to celebrate it traditionally by making trees and exchanging gifts. It’s nice to have at least one such joyful day left.

However, there’s no need to come to church and pray on that day.

The Saint’s birthday is not Christmas. Nothing particularly grand happened on Christmas either. For the ‘denomination’, it’s not actually a religiously significant day.

“But traditions can’t be ignored.”

“That’s an interesting thing to say for someone who always claims to be an atheist.”

As I wrapped small lights around the tree, Ria said, holding my waist.

It was a step I could easily reach, and it wasn’t shaky at all, but Ria’s words of ‘I’ll protect you’ seem to apply in everyday life too.

My heart tickled a little. If it were a few months ago, I wouldn’t have felt anything about this. I pushed those feelings deep down inside and said,

“Think about it. What would happen if a place that used to call people together every Christmas for comforting events suddenly stopped all of that because they decided to change religions?”

For the same reason, the ‘Common Era’ we use is also the same.

If we were to try and forcibly change the Common Era, which is divided into BC and AD, into the denomination’s system, it would probably cause considerable confusion for a long time. It wouldn’t destroy the world, but it’s better to leave it as it is than to fix it and make things troublesome.

I think there were talks about creating a ‘new era’, but the denomination was basically an existing organization that was born believing in a new God. Once the argument of ‘if we change one thing, don’t we have to change everything?’ came up, everyone just shut up.

It’s only been a little over ten years. If we categorize it by ‘era’, it’s still nothing short of a period of confusion.

“So, it’s for a similar reason to why you help people.”

I looked back at Ria’s answer.

Ria looked up at me, smiled, and then,

“Kyaa!?”

She tightened her grip on my waist and lifted me up.

Then she gently set me down beside her.

I quickly looked around and saw people looking this way. It seemed they saw me scream.

My face flushed a little.

I wanted to argue, but Ria continued speaking.

“You said you could have faith if it meant saving people.”

No, I did say it like that.

I did say it, but when summarized like that, the story seemed a bit different from my intention.

“…….”

However, the meaning seems to overlap a bit. Maintaining a day that is no longer religiously significant in order to help people.

Come to think of it, atheists didn’t stop resting just because it was Christmas.

I also felt a sense of excitement around that time. Well, I didn’t have a girlfriend to spend it with.

I could hear some murmuring nearby. Ria’s hand was still on my waist, and she was looking down at me with a smile.

At this rate, she might even start stroking my head. I don’t know why I thought that.

“……There’s still a little time left, but even if we prepare diligently, we’ll be busy. After all, we have to prepare for the first service of the New Year together.”

Feeling embarrassed for no reason, I made an excuse and turned away from her hand.

It’s all Ria’s fault.

It’s Ria’s fault that I’m having strange thoughts. She treats me like a hot pack, saying winter is cold. She lies down on the same bed when we go to watch a movie.

She always puts her hand on my waist, and strokes me when I say something a little commendable.

…….

What is this?

Thinking about it again, it’s a bit strange.

This is like-

It’s like being raised.

It’s like being tamed.

It’s even more annoying because I don’t hate it. Damn it, if Ria didn’t look like that.

…….

Is it really because of her looks? It might not be just that.

Either way, it was equally troublesome.

*

The next morning.

As usual, I was sitting in the dining hall, spreading jam on my bread.

Although it’s a church, the dining hall doesn’t have the feel of a chapel. It’s just a normal cafeteria. However, the fact that most of the people eating there were wearing religious attire was a bit different.

Meals are served based on nutrition. The portions aren’t very large, but they haven’t been unsatisfying.

However, lately, the menu has changed a bit… no, to be honest, it has changed quite a lot.

What used to be served in fixed portions on plates or trays has now become self-service. While the variety of food isn’t huge, it’s like a simplified Korean buffet, with large quantities prepared daily, changing the menu.

I think it’s a suitable system for growing nuns, but I have a strong feeling that it’s not for that reason.

Perhaps it’s because of me.

I’m still not a ‘Saint’. But I’m certainly being treated as if I were. Perhaps the Vatican knows that I have a big appetite.

Still, I’m just having bread and cream soup for breakfast.

It’s not a lack of appetite, but a matter of adaptation.

Before Ria arrived, I usually sat alone and ate moderately. It wasn’t that I felt lonely. I was more used to eating alone until I graduated from university. After maintaining that for a long time, even with more menu options, it was honestly more convenient.

Now… it’s a little different.

Not only Ria, who is sitting across from me, but all my acquaintances in this church are occupying the seats around me.

Gloria was poking at her salad with a fork with sleepy eyes, and Davi was eating even more sparingly than that.

On the other hand, Faina and Ferti were having very meat-heavy meals. Is it because they are beastmen? They were eating delicious bulgogi stuffed between bread like they were making hamburgers. Come to think of it, this might be the first time I’ve seen exactly what beastmen eat.

Well, since they’re working hard in various ways every night, they must be quite hungry in the morning.

Ah, perhaps the menu changed because of them. We can’t starve people who are princesses from other countries. Maybe our church is receiving more funding from the government.

Hmm.

I see why we’re all sitting together in this area.

Since everyone, including me, is a person of high status, they must be afraid to sit next to us.

And.

“…….”

I turned my gaze to the opposite direction of where Gloria and Davi were facing.

“Mari?”

“……Anna.”

At ‘Anna’s’ words, Mari glanced at us. It was an expression that was a bit difficult to see on Ria. When Ria is flustered, she’s really very serious.

The reason Mari is flustered is probably because Anna is picking up a cherry tomato with her fork and offering it to Mari.

The way she sat with her chin propped on one hand, pointing the fork towards Mari, was strangely devoid of any ill intentions.

……However, unlike her appearance, I somehow felt that there might be another reason behind that action.

So… well, isn’t that right? The last two people left in the world. A being who stayed by their side for years.

To be honest, there seems to be no explanation other than the word ‘love’.

Mari looked around her eyes, and finally stood up slightly and put the cherry tomato Anna offered into her mouth.

I didn’t hear what the two of them said as they properly regained their senses and looked at each other. I could imagine it, or maybe not.

If I met Ria in that way, how would I have reacted?

Could I have acted normally, as the two of them are now?

As I shifted my gaze, I made eye contact with Ria.

Both of us looked at each other with expressions that suggested we had a lot to say.

I lowered my gaze to the bread I was holding and shook my head. Eh, bread doesn’t look that good to eat.

…….

Maybe I should get some salad next time.