Chapter 8. The Saint and the Knight (4)

Although the government and the church seemed to still have some matters to discuss with the gnomes, I, Ria, and the accompanying party decided to return to Earth.

That doesn’t mean we left that day. No matter how quickly you act, there are always established procedures.

After informing the government officials that we were leaving, and then telling the church officials that we would be leaving first, the Gnome government prepared one more banquet before our departure, so we left three days later.

During those three days, I leisurely toured the gnome territory and resolved the remaining matters.

The first place I went was the workshop that had taken on the commission I had given.

“I never thought it would be completed this quickly…”

Actually, I had gone for an interim check, but Clanet had already shown me the completed crystal.

I had planned to ask the church members who stayed behind to help with the cleanup if it took longer.

The crystal was beautiful and very small. Much smaller than the magic stones I saw in that vault last time. About the size of a diamond for a ring… or rather, a little bigger.

In fact, it was already set on a ring.

“Normally, we would need to extract all the magic from the magic stone that previously held magic, and then refill it with holy power while selecting the stones.”

“Yes, and?”

As I looked at the ring and then at Clanet, Clanet smiled sheepishly and said,

“Well, since the lake you visited, Anna-nim, was already full of holy power, we just washed several magic stones and they were easily selected. We then chose the best one and re-crafted it.”

“…”

Ah, um.

Right. That’s true. The lake must still have the holy artifacts I put in floating around. We also did some purification work on the outskirts before pouring in the sand.

“Would you like to test it?”

I nodded and took the ring in my hand.

Then, I summoned my holy power.

Slowly, I felt the power seeping into the ring.

It felt a bit strange. When I put holy power into a normal stone, it felt like pressing a blocked wall with my hand, but now, it felt like the gem was absorbing the holy power like a sponge.

I stopped the holy power midway, as I would have collapsed if I hadn’t.

When I opened my fist, a faint light was emanating from the ring in my palm. More precisely, from the gem embedded in the ring.

Since I didn’t feel any blockage, I would be able to store much more holy power in the future. It was better because it was small and in the form of a ring. It would be easy to store, and if I wore it on my hand, I wouldn’t lose it, and it would be convenient to use.

“It’s wonderful.”

As I said with a smile, Clanet nodded.

“Which finger would you like to wear it on? We can adjust the ring size quickly.”

“Uh, well.”

I pondered for a moment.

On which finger do people usually wear rings they carry around? Wearing it on the ring finger is usually for engagement or wedding rings.

I think graduation rings are sometimes worn on the index finger, but it would be a bit inconvenient to do so. After all, I handle guns.

“May I make a suggestion?”

Clanet said that and held up another ring.

“Two?”

“Yes. There was another good stone. If there are two like this, then of course there is only one finger to wear them on.”

No way?

“Uh, well, I don’t have a lover or anything like that yet…”

“Yes?”

At my words, Clanet’s eyes widened as if he had never heard such a thing, and he blinked once. Then he looked back and forth between me and Ria.

…Why?

“Uh, but from what I heard-“

“…Whatever you heard, it was probably wrong.”

No, who on earth is spreading such rumors?

It’s probably only foreigners with many prejudices who would link two women walking together as a lesbian couple. In Korea, friends can link arms and walk around. I sometimes do that with Ria when necessary.

…Ah, or is it that? Perhaps it’s because of the dance I had with Ria?

“Ah… Aha!”

Clanet clapped his hands as if he had realized something. Then, with sweat pouring down his face, he quickly said,

“Oh, is that so?”

Is that so?

“Still, I think wearing it on the fourth finger is best. While the fourth finger of the left hand is for engagement or wedding rings, the fourth finger of the right hand signifies unchanging friendship.”

“…Not the index finger of the left hand?”

My eyes narrowed.

I know that much. More precisely, I read it. Even though I look like this, I used to read a lot of web novels.

In yuri novels, it’s common for the shy heroine to buy a friendship ring for the protagonist and have it fitted on the index finger of the left hand.

I don’t know if that’s true or not. No, do women even exchange friendship rings in the first place? At least men would never do that. They’d be misunderstood one hundred percent.

“In gnome society, it’s like that. If the fourth finger of the left hand is unchanging love, then the fourth finger of the right hand is unchanging friendship. In fact, this also has a social aspect. We often use our hands, don’t we? When wearing rings, the fingers that are less likely to be bothered are the ring finger or the pinky, but since the pinky finger is on the outside of the hand, it often comes into contact with things.”

“Ah…”

As expected, from a practical standpoint, it’s only the ring finger.

“However, even if it’s unchanging friendship.”

I looked at Ria.

Ria’s cheeks were slightly flushed.

Isn’t it a bit embarrassing?

I don’t know if it’s because my sensibilities are stuck in adulthood, but friendship itself changes its form over time. When we were young, even friends we met and played with every day become less enjoyable to meet and talk to as they get worn down by society.

Wouldn’t it be the same for women?

“…It’s fine with me. I have to wield a sword anyway, right?”

“Well, if that’s the case, it doesn’t matter.”

“If you feel too shy to wear it, I can make you a nice necklace. Since you are a hero who helped us, I can make you anything. Wearing a ring on a necklace is also not a bad choice.”

Ria nodded at those words.

I shrugged my shoulders too.

In the end, the rings were made in various meaningful and practical ways.

*

“…Is that so?”

At the farewell banquet held before our departure, Gloria, who saw the ring on my hand and asked about its meaning, had a somewhat ambiguous expression after hearing the story.

“Why, is it a strange meaning in elven society?”

“No, it’s not necessarily like that… In fact, elves don’t place much importance on rings. However, what I want to say is.”

Gloria’s gaze turned towards Ria.

There was a slight question in that gaze.

“The scene I saw that day, from above-“

However, those words couldn’t be finished.

For some reason, Han Yu-ri, who was near Gloria as if they had become friends, blushed, frowned, and slapped Gloria’s forearm. It wasn’t malicious, but it was enough to interrupt her.

“Ouch, why are you doing that!?”

Gloria protested Han Yu-ri’s sudden action, but Han Yu-ri grabbed one of Gloria’s wrists and pulled her towards her.

“Let’s talk for a moment.”

Then, Han Yu-ri dragged Gloria towards Lee Si-yoon, who was talking with the church people from afar.

Ah, come to think of it, he also awakened in the end.

It’s natural for the knights to show interest. Han Yu-ri was probably looking at that.

All the knights who followed me were women.

Anyway, she’s so jealous.

When I turned my head towards Ria to discuss such things, Ria’s face was somehow bright red.

She even let out a long sigh as if relieved.

…Why?

Ria turned the ring into a necklace and wore it around her neck. Just in case, I also infused the ring with holy power. From now on, I plan to consistently accumulate holy power before sleeping. Because I don’t know when I’ll need it.

Ria, making eye contact with me, cleared her throat and extended her hand to me.

“…Then, shall we dance?”

Perhaps she had nothing else to say, or perhaps it was to prevent me from being asked to dance by someone else again.

Seeing Ria, whose face was flushed, asking me to dance, I couldn’t help but smile softly. Ria glared at me a little, but she didn’t say anything else.

“Okay.”

I placed my hand on Ria’s hand. A soft, slightly firm, and definitely warm hand.

Ria gently pulled my hand towards her.

And then, she slowly led me to the center of the dance floor where people were dancing, and pulled me completely towards her.

Feeling Ria’s hands on my waist, I looked up at her.

She smelled a little nice.

Even though we use the same shampoo and body wash.

Honestly, it’s like cheating.

…

But still.

Throughout the dance, Ria’s face was flushed bright red, unable to look me directly in the eye.

I don’t know the reason, but still, for this one time, I feel like I’ve won.

I don’t know what I won against, or how I won- but seeing that Ria doesn’t reject me, it can’t be a very bad thing.

Thinking positively, I danced softly, led by Ria’s hand.

Perhaps, my face was also a little red this time.