No, How Can an Atheist Become a Saintess!? – Chapter 84

No, How Can an Atheist Become a Saintess!? – 84

EP.84 Boundaries and Barriers (2)

“Oh, I didn’t rent it with money. Don’t worry, you won’t have to pay me back later or anything.”

“……”

Ria saw right through my concerns immediately. I’d been mentally calculating the costs without even realizing it, and now I felt a little embarrassed.

“I helped them out before.”

“Yes! Back then, Chae-eun was such a huge help!”

The woman, who seemed to be the store owner, beamed at us. She looked to be in her early thirties, running a shop like this…

Well, to be honest, I wasn’t really sure what that meant in terms of skill or experience. The only job I’d ever had in my previous life was a short stint at an office.

……

Short? Wait, was it?

I remembered it being short. I hadn’t been working there for long before…

I was definitely alive until my mid-twenties.

Then I read that novel, sent a donation message to the author, and the next day—

I ended up in this world.

“Anna?”

Ria’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

“Huh? Oh, it’s nothing.”

That strange sense of unease again. I’d felt it before, but I could never quite grasp what it was.

“What, you don’t believe I saved someone?”

Ria smirked as if she were joking.

I shrugged.

“That’s not it. If it’s you, I’m sure you’ve done all sorts of heroic things.”

“……Really?”

For some reason, she seemed pleased with my response.

“Well, whatever. Even if I borrowed the place, we can’t waste too much time. Let’s pick something quickly. I’ll help you.”

“Wait… Does that mean I have to try on swimsuits in front of you?”

“Of course. To be honest, I don’t trust your fashion sense at all.”

“……”

I squinted at her.

Sure, I’d never really picked out clothes for myself in this world, but come on—swimsuits weren’t that complicated.

As long as I didn’t choose something too flashy, it wouldn’t really matter, right? I had a decent face and figure, so even a simple swimsuit would probably look fine.

“Come on, don’t make that face.”

Ria lightly nudged my shoulder, pushing me further into the store.

Why is she so invested in this?

Wasn’t she just using this as an excuse to go to the beach?

…Well, I guess I couldn’t blame her. It was the perfect age to want to go. And with her looks, she was bound to be popular there. Even if she wasn’t interested in guys, she’d still get to show off her figure.

“……”

For some reason, that thought annoyed me. Even if we weren’t dating or anything, the idea of the pretty girls around me getting boyfriends didn’t sit well. That weird irritation completely pushed away the nagging sense of unease in the back of my mind.

*

Even someone like me, who had zero interest in fashion, knew there were different types of swimsuits.

Especially ones that weren’t too revealing. It didn’t have to be a one-piece—there were rash guards, or even outfits that looked more like regular clothes.

I’d never had a girlfriend, so I’d never seen one wear a swimsuit up close, but I’d still been to pools and beaches before.

And let’s be real—beach episodes were everywhere in movies, dramas, and anime.

“But why do you keep handing me these?”

I held up two bikinis in my hands.

Both were, unfortunately, bikinis.

One was black, almost like a nun’s habit, while the other had an inexplicably bold leopard print.

If I had to choose, I’d go with the black one, but honestly, I was starting to question Ria’s so-called “sense of style.”

“Don’t they have something more practical, like a competitive swimsuit?”

“Wearing that to the beach would be kind of weird, don’t you think?”

Ria answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world, which only made me more baffled.

“…We’re going into the water. Why does it matter what kind of swimsuit it is?”

“Anna, there’s a proper outfit for every occasion.”

She spoke as if she were reciting some unshakable law of the universe.

“I distinctly remember never having to wear anything other than my nun’s habit.”

“I told you, showing up at the beach in a nun’s habit would make you more conspicuous.”

“……”

I had no counterargument for that, so I just shut my mouth again.

“But more importantly—why are you in the dressing room with me? The sign clearly says only one person at a time.”

I wasn’t entirely sure why that rule existed in the first place…

…

Oh.

Now I get it.

Even if it’s not always about romance, there are plenty of ways that situation could go sideways. Not that I would ever be in one of those situations. But realizing it just made me even more annoyed.

Seriously, she went on about me getting hit on, but isn’t she in the exact same position?

She’s beautiful, she’s well-known, and on top of that—her figure is ridiculous. Almost unrealistically so. She keeps acting like this is just my problem, but she should have just as much to worry about. The more I thought about it, the more irritating it became.

I have my own boundaries.

In my past life, my job was about helping people. Some were older than me, some were much younger. Some looked my age but were mentally far less mature. Working in that kind of environment, the most important thing was knowing the lines you couldn’t cross. Because the moment you did, things would go wrong. Not just between me and the people I worked with, but between everyone involved.

Before meeting Ria, I preferred to be alone for that very reason—I didn’t want to risk stepping over any lines. I knew myself well enough to understand that I wasn’t some perfectly virtuous person. But when I was around Ria, those boundaries felt like they were starting to blur. And not because she was pushing them.

It was me. I was the one feeling unsteady, like I was about to tip over the edge.

At the end of the day, I wanted to keep things the way they were. This friendship—I wanted it to last as long as possible.

“What’s the big deal? We’re both girls. We even live together. And we—oh?”

“We change separately.”

I nodded as I spoke.

I could defend myself by saying I wasn’t just being fussy.

At the convent, physical contact between women wasn’t something to be taken lightly. The Church understood exactly how dangerous it could be if certain “boundaries” were broken. Though, to be fair, that “danger” was defined in a very religious sense… Still, things getting complicated in a dormitory setting wasn’t exactly ideal.

“And anyway, even among girls, you don’t just strip in front of each other. You just… naturally change in the same space, that’s all.”

“Oh… yeah, I guess that makes sense.”

Ria finally admitted it.

“And honestly,” I added, “handing me those swimsuits feels like you’re just messing with me. It’s not like there’s some rule that says you have to wear a bikini at the beach. I do know my swimwear, you know.”

Ria blinked.

For once, she looked like she’d taken a hit.

Wait…

Was she actually trying to tease me?

No, something was off.

She did look like she’d lost an argument, but there was also this strange hint of frustration in her expression. So if she wasn’t just messing with me… then what was her deal?

“Anyway!”

Feeling weirdly thrown off by that look on her face, I quickly changed the subject.

“In that case, you try one on first.”

I pointed directly at her.

“If you pick a swimsuit for yourself then I’ll get one that’s similar. Show me what ‘proper’ looks like.”

“……”

Ria stared at me, momentarily stunned—

And then—

“…Alright.”

Her eyes burned with an almost fiery determination.

“So if I wear it, you’ll wear something similar too?”

“Uh, wait, Ria?”

But it was already too late to take it back.

“…Fine. Stay right here. I’ll go pick one.”

With that, she swept aside the dressing room curtain and strode out.

All I could do was watch her leave, completely dumbfounded.

…

Wait.

Why did she tell me to stay here…?

*

It turned out Ria did have some common sense after all. When it came time to change, she sent me outside. Still, for some reason, I felt strangely nervous as I paced in front of the dressing room, listening to the faint rustling of fabric against her skin.

About five minutes passed.

Then—silence.

“Ria?”

When I didn’t hear anything for a while, I cautiously called her name.

There was a small, startled noise from inside.

A moment later, the curtain cracked open just a bit, and Ria peeked out.

“Uh… Anna?”

Ria spoke with a completely serious expression.

“…How about we call this a draw?”

“……”

I stared at her, momentarily speechless.

Then, slowly, I placed my hand on the curtain.

“If you started this fight, you have to see it through. Show me. What exactly are you wearing?”

“Wait, no—hey!”

“Oh, if you grip it that hard, it might tear, you know?”

With a grin tugging at my lips, I gave the curtain a firm pull.

For nearly a full minute, we wrestled over it, each refusing to let go.

In the end, though, Ria had no choice. If she kept this up, she wouldn’t be able to change back—so with a frustrated sigh, she finally released her grip.

And standing there, inside the dressing room…

Well.

It was something, alright.

“Ria,” I said solemnly, “let’s just call it a draw.”

But it was too late.

Ria, who had already shown me her true form, gave me a fierce smile and replied.

“…If you start a fight, you have to see it through,” she echoed, a wicked grin spreading across her lips.

…

I should have accepted the draw when I had the chance.

With a sigh, I pressed a hand against my forehead.