Chapter 7. Favor and Calculation (3)

If I were to list a few good things about living as a nun, the first would be the stability of my residence.

Although our order is a newly formed organization, the church itself is using the previously existing Catholic church, what we call a cathedral, almost as it was.

Well, it has been renovated. Modern convents and monasteries are not just places for devout religious people, but also serve as orphanages. They also function as religious administrative facilities.

However, as long as the religion as a whole doesn’t completely collapse, the fact that I won’t be kicked out is a big advantage. Perhaps it’s one of the reasons why I wanted to stay a little longer.

If you live inside, you can just live without thinking too much.

The concept of being able to “live without thinking too much” includes not only housing but also food and clothing.

For meals, I just eat what’s provided, and for clothes, I just wear my nun’s habit. In the past, monastic habits were intentionally made uncomfortable, but if that were done in modern times, inheriting the role of an orphanage, it would be reported on social issue programs. The nun’s habit I wear is basically comfortable activewear.

And it’s also good that I can wear such activewear to official events. I don’t have to worry about what design of clothes to wear, and I don’t have to be bothered by people like stylists.

For men, a dark suit would suffice, but isn’t the design of women’s ‘suits’ too diverse?

“Still, you didn’t doze off.”

“Even so, I’m not always dozing off.”

As Ria teased me a little for sitting there perfectly without dozing off throughout the event, I protested.

The only class I doze off in is theology class. No matter how much I showed my grades or spoke about knowledge, Ria strangely didn’t believe that I was a rational and logical person.

Well, I didn’t doze off, but it was still boring, no matter what.

While the people from the church, including myself, were barely staying awake, the hunters who followed us were nodding off. Of course, those people were also there to escort me. Most of them knew Ria.

The fact that people who weren’t from the military or police accompanied us is probably evidence that the church is very conscious of the government.

The voice of the old gnome was a very low baritone, unlike what his appearance suggested, making the already boring speech feel even more tedious.

Moreover, the atmosphere itself was subtly authoritative. The lifestyle of the gnomes, who looked like early 20th-century capitalists, seemed to be genuinely like that.

“…The story has gone on for a long time. Let’s end the boring talk here.”

The gnome said, as if he was finally going to finish his speech.

“Now, we will begin the welcome banquet for the Saint Candidates. Please enjoy yourselves freely and happily!”

I chuckled softly as a few people were startled awake by the applause.

*

Although I could never say this to her directly, it was a great relief that Ria was by my side.

Ria is not only my friend but also my official escort knight, isn’t she?

Even if the knights came to escort me, they couldn’t all stick right next to me.

It was a great comfort that the only person sticking by my side was someone I knew well. Moreover, Ria was doing her job, fitting her position, excellently.

First of all, if someone I didn’t know approached me to speak, Ria would subtly step forward. She wouldn’t completely block me, but she showed a sense of unease that made the people speaking to me not take me lightly.

But at the same time, because the entity creating that unease was my friend ‘Ria,’ it didn’t feel very scary to me.

It wasn’t just gnomes who spoke to me.

The knights were gathered far away, watching only the two of us, but sometimes Sophie would bring a knight with her and talk to me about various things. Most of it was small talk, so that was fine.

However, a few government officials who accompanied us asked me quite persistently about various things. They weren’t asking about my personal life, but it was somewhat uncomfortable how they subtly inquired about my thoughts on the church.

Sophie is also a Saint Candidate like me, but she already has a history of recommending me to the church after seeing my powers. Moreover, although Sophie’s demeanor is gentle, she also has an aura of not being easily swayed.

On the other hand, I, who appear somewhat frivolous and even openly defy the church, would likely be seen as an easy target in many ways.

…Well, it’s not just the government; even the Hunter Association tried to recruit me.

As I started to feel a little uncomfortable hearing such things-

“Oh, look over there.”

Ria gently tugged at my arm.

It was as if an oblivious friend had joined the conversation.

“The muffins look like mushrooms.”

Saying that, Ria led me to a table laden with muffins.

“…Thank you.”

“Huh? What for?”

I said softly to Ria, and Ria, acting as if she hadn’t thought of me specifically, nonchalantly replied and picked up one of the mushroom-like muffins.

…

No, is she really not thinking anything? Considering her usual perceptiveness, it seems like she’s helping me.

“Oh, this is delicious. The sweetness is peculiar. It tastes like mushrooms too.”

Watching Ria say something that I would normally say, I laughed in disbelief and picked up a muffin.

The outside was soft and bread-like, but the inside was strangely firm. For dough, anyway.

“They are real mushrooms.”

A gnome who happened to be nearby chuckled and joined our conversation.

He is much shorter than me. Perhaps even shorter than the older gnome I saw earlier.

His appearance seemed somewhat youthful, making him look younger than me, but it’s hard to tell since he’s a gnome. Seeing him wearing a fancy dress that might have been worn in the Victorian era, it doesn’t seem like he came because he’s someone’s daughter.

His appearance… well, he’s beautiful. I don’t know if I should say that. I don’t know much about gnome aesthetics.

“It’s a… well, I guess you could call it a bread mushroom? In human language, that’s what it would be.”

Strictly speaking, it would be ‘Korean’ rather than human language, and the word ‘bread’ is even a foreign word, but since the only country gnomes have encountered is Korea, there was nothing to argue about.

“This is a mushroom?”

For the first time since the banquet began, I was genuinely intrigued and asked the other person.

“Yes, there are places that cultivate them. Generally, wild ones are much tastier, and these are wild ones. We also eat food that can be called bread, but this has its own unique flavor.”

Indeed, if there were no bread, it wouldn’t have been called ‘bread mushroom’ either.

“Ah, I’m sorry for the late introduction. My name is Clanet. I am the eldest daughter of the Stram family, which specializes in processing magic stones.”

“Ah, yes, I am Anna, a Saint Candidate.”

“You gifted us a precious treasure this time. Thank you very much. My family also had the honor of being able to touch that treasure directly.”

“Uh…”

Would it be better to say that I can create it, or not?

I chose to remain silent. If I said I could create it, people might start asking me to make them too.

Seeing my sudden discomfort as the conversation turned in that direction, Clanet smiled wryly.

And quickly changed the subject.

“Are the two of you not dancing?”

“Dancing?”

“Yes. I don’t know if you are aware of our gnome religion, but we honor God by dancing enthusiastically during rituals. Of course, the atmosphere is somewhat different from the dances performed here, but that doesn’t mean our religious people refuse to dance at banquets.”

Saying that, Clanet turned her gaze.

At the end of her gaze, a gnome woman and a gnome gentleman, dressed not much differently from other gnomes, were holding hands and spinning around joyfully.

A silver necklace glittered on the gnome woman’s neck. Although it was hard to see clearly due to her constant movement, it seemed to have some kind of symbol attached to its end.

So, that person must be a gnome cleric.

As I stared blankly at the scene, I felt someone patting my arm.

“…?”

Somehow, I felt like I knew what expression someone was wearing.

When I turned my gaze, a pair of red eyes were looking at me with amusement.

Seeing the playful smile on her lips, I felt like she was about to say, “See, what did I tell you?” from between her lips.

…Now that she’s found a reason, I guess I can’t avoid dancing with Ria.

Receiving Ria’s expectant gaze, I diligently put the bread mushroom in my hand into my mouth.