Chapter 6. Friendship and Relationships (10)

After the situation was resolved, it seems the government officially contacted us a while later.

First, an apology for interrogating me, who contributed to protecting the research institute.

The status of a Saint Candidate is an unassailable position within the church.

Officially, it was merely the position of a nun, but in practice, it was a position that could potentially reach the Pope’s level.

…Well, it’s not like other countries don’t have denominations. The Pope isn’t even in our country in the first place.

There are Saint Candidates in other countries as well, so the number is close to three digits.

It’s just that the denomination in this country decided to support me.

“Still, that’s a positive thing.”

“Why, because there are many candidates in other countries, you think you won’t become a Saint?”

“Isn’t that so?”

This denomination, if you consider it, is a new religion, but it’s not like it has no system at all.

And that system was mostly adopted from the old Catholic Church, and the members actually overlap significantly with that era. Even after a decade, with many parts re-established and new people flowing in, that fact doesn’t change.

Since the Catholic Church has never had an Asian Pope or an African Pope, in that sense, I… well, I might have an advantage. That is, as a condition for being eliminated from the candidate pool.

“There were Asian saints in the Catholic Church too, right? There were people from this country.”

“Ah.”

Does it work like that?

“Besides, wouldn’t they choose you precisely because of that? Even if this country doesn’t, neighboring countries have relatively weaker church influence.”

“…Are you saying you’ll use me to promote the denomination to other countries?”

I asked back with a hint of suspicion.

Is that possible?

…It doesn’t seem like it would be.

Ria, as if she also thought it wasn’t really possible, just shrugged her shoulders.

“…?”

The surroundings became quiet for a moment.

If there’s one fortunate thing about being treated as a high-ranking person like this, it’s that Ria is my escort knight.

If it weren’t for Ria, and if my escort knight were just an ordinary person- for example, if the Saint in the original work had done as she did and decided to use ‘Lee Si-yoon’ as her personal escort knight, then we wouldn’t likely be left waiting alone like this.

Ria’s skills are that excellent, I feel personally comfortable with her, and most importantly, the other party is also a trustworthy person, which is why we can be kept separate like this.

…Trust.

Come to think of it, where do we stand in our relationship?

I’m not just talking about the relationship between a Saint Candidate and her escort knight. Rather, I’m talking about a slightly more human relationship.

Ria seems to see me quite comfortably. I also feel comfortable with Ria.

But does that really make us friends? I’m a little hesitant. Even though the relationship of friends isn’t something you decide by saying, ‘From today, we are friends,’ it’s like…

…Ah, yes, let me be honest.

It’s just that the other person is a pretty woman, so I’m wondering if it’s okay for me to consider her a friend. Even though I’m also in a woman’s body right now!

Did I live my past life too far away from women?

No, I don’t think I ever intentionally distanced myself.

“…?”

Okay, let’s stop thinking about this. Ria will think for herself. For now, it doesn’t seem like she dislikes being by my side. Besides, we arrived a bit early.

As I decided to leave it at that, like a cat in a box, I heard a knock at the door.

Although they made us wait, they didn’t seem to be mistreating us. The place we were waiting in was, quite literally, a comfortably furnished guest room where we could relax.

Though I didn’t touch the snacks.

“Sister Anna.”

“Ah, yes.”

“The Minister’s meeting has just ended.”

At those words, my back stiffened slightly.

Even so, meeting someone high-ranking is still a bit difficult. I don’t intend to submit to authority, but it still feels awkward to make a slip of the tongue.

Besides, by the standards of this world, he is much older than me.

It’s like using polite language when meeting a battalion commander during reserve forces training. Outside, he’s an uncle with no relation to me, but at the same time, he’s an elder who makes me feel a bit uncomfortable when he’s in front of me.

“You don’t need to be so nervous.”

Ria said, placing a hand lightly on my back.

“I’ve seen him a few times, and he’s not a bad person. Although his thinking is a bit politically driven.”

…Is she telling me to calm down right now?

But judging by her serious expression, it seems to be the case.

I couldn’t think of anything to say in response, so I just nodded.

*

Diplomacy with other countries is normally handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but it’s difficult for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to pay attention to everything beyond the Gate.

Therefore, another department was created in this country to handle related administration.

The Ministry of Multidimensional Affairs.

It’s a department involved in establishing relations with civilizations beyond dimensions or bringing resources from beyond into this world.

Of course, after they come into this world, they are transferred to other departments, but still, the people in this department were quite important.

The reason these people summoned me was none other than that ‘magic stone.’

“…So, we requested a dispatch from the church.”

In other words, the ‘magic stone’ is actually a disputed item claimed by both gnomes and dwarves. To be more precise, it’s an item that was pilfered from a conflict zone, so neither race actually knows of its existence.

In the original work, it was eventually discovered because there were people who stole it, but in this world, such an event never happened.

However, from the government’s perspective, such an important magic stone has become unusable. It’s inevitable that they would want to make it ‘usable again.’

Moreover, that magic stone is the culmination of gnome processing technology.

With the technology of this world alone, there are limitations to research, and it was almost impossible to refill it with magic.

Therefore, they summoned me.

“Are you saying I should go to the gnome country and bring back that technology?”

“No, no, it’s not like that.”

As I frowned and spoke, the minister waved his hands in alarm.

“Rather, we are talking about the achievements of the Saint Candidate. We don’t have anyone who has achieved that level of success.”

“Achievements, what achievements- Ah.”

…I remembered a memory I didn’t want to recall.

That’s right. In another world, there were beings who regarded me not as a Saint, but as something akin to a god.

I resisted the urge to raise my hand slightly. Even so, I couldn’t slap myself on the forehead in front of the minister.

“That was, in fact, just a coincidence… It wasn’t something I intended…”

“They say even a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

The minister smiled gently and said to me.

“We thought it would be good to build friendly relations first. Coincidentally, the gnomes also showed interest in the holy relic that the Saint Candidate gave them.”

“Ah.”

The two holy relics I made as a reward.

I see. If you’re going to research it, researching it with other races is also a method. At least the gnomes had recognized the power called holy power long before our world did.

…?

Surely the church didn’t permit this with this in mind…

It’s just that things unfolded this way. In other words, it’s a coincidence.

Ria was looking at me with a somewhat meaningful gaze, so I wanted to jump up and shout no, but I couldn’t say it openly because of the minister in front of me.

“We are looking at this with a longer timeframe. If the Sister cooperates, it would be an unparalleled honor, but it depends on the Sister’s will, so I wanted to ask you directly like this.”

“…?”

Seeing a person much older than me, with graying hair, bow his head, I broke out in a cold sweat.

Well, it’s not that I strongly dislike it…

I know it’s something that has to be done eventually, but still.

I don’t know why I feel uneasy.

I suppressed the urge to sigh.

*

On the way back, in the car, I asked Ria, who was sitting next to me and was silent.

“Ria, is it okay?”

“Huh? Okay, what do you mean?”

“Every time I get caught up in something, you get caught up with me too.”

In the original work, Ria was fundamentally a good person, but she often bickered with the Saint. Especially when the Saint had to do something and she had to follow along.

It was probably half sincere, half joking. She meant that she would follow along because her friend was doing it, but she didn’t want to do it that much.

However, Ria, who was next to me now, looked at me with a slightly bewildered expression.

“No, well… it’s not that I dislike it. But it’s not like I’m eager to do it either. It’s work, right?”

“Is that so?”

She’s doing it because it’s work?

It’s a rational statement.

…?

But why does that answer strangely not sit well with me?

Oh, I’m thinking strange thoughts after asking.

I let out a light sigh.