121-121-Awareness of Elena

'Only the priest and the queen are respectable, and the rest of the church are all rotten.

Whoa, buster!

When I unintentionally pouted, Elena puffed out her cheeks and waved her hands in the air.

''Because if God told us to let believers climb the mountain and we're going to obey him, why don't we just go ahead and do it ourselves!　You're not going to let helpless children go ahead of you, are you?　No wonder Sharon-san is so angry!''

D-D-Do-Do, relax. ...Well, to be honest, that's what bothered me too.

God demands 'believers to pray at the top', but in reality, the first priests who came up the mountain, other than the first priest, were 'orphans who lived in a separate institution (...) belonging to the church'.

Although they had been taught by God, it would be a bit too aggressive to classify them as believers.

The fact that God has given the same oracle over and over again is also 'You guys are good! Isn't it meant to be a warning to the people...?

But in a city like the Holy Royal Capital, it's not so bad, but in places where there's still a traditional custom like this, people really believe that sacrificing to them will cure diseases or stop natural disasters. In my home village of Hajime, they have a custom of praying in the middle of winter with water on your head and your wish will come true... and so on.

"If that's how you wish to make your wish come true, I'm totally fine with it!　Let's do it next time I come back!

'No, it's not like that...'

The conversation was going off on a strange tangent, so I spoke to Cecily again, soothing Elena.

'But why are these sacrificed people living here?'

In the end, those of us who climbed the North Mountain ran out of steam on the way up, and we were all saved by Mr. Snow.

At Cecily's words, White Dragon Snow nodded with a woof.

''And they all cried when they woke up and saw me?　I'm used to being scared, but it's going to hurt, indeed.'

Gosh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!

Looking at Cecily, who apologizes apologetically, Snow smirks with a grin just like the prince.

........I see......so she's a "teased" character, isn't she?

''But in that case, if you ask Snow, wouldn't she take you back to the village?

Father was concerned that his return would bring divine punishment on the country, so he asked Snow to bring him to this forest.

''I felt like I would die immediately if I left a human being out in a place like this, so I stayed with them until more people came and their lives were more stable~''

It's true that life would be easier in the forest compared to the snowy mountains, but it's impossible for a human to survive on their own.

With Snow the White Dragon with me, I won't have to worry about being attacked by beasts and monsters.

"Everyone else is concerned that if a famine or epidemic occurs after I return, they will be held accountable for it...

As the prince said that, he gave one small sigh of annoyance.

Even though it could only be called an accusation no matter how you look at it, the fact is that when they returned to the capital of the Yazmat nation, they could end up in a situation where 'any minor trouble is blamed on them'.

''But why would Prince Sidia get involved in this matter?''

The sacrifices were offered according to the oracle.

The sacrifices were rescued by the White Dragon.

Fearing they would be accused of causing the divine punishment, they began to live in the settlement.

........In other words, the conditions for the prince's involvement were nowhere to be found.

''I've been friends with Cecily ever since I was a child, but last year she was finally chosen as the sacrifice.

That's why Sidia-sama came along.

''What?''

As Elena and I were looking up at the astonishing revelation, Snow grinned at me.

''I don't know if you're a God's messenger or what, but I'm going to defeat you!　Cecily will protect you for sure!

Stop!

Apparently, he mimicked Prince Sidia's words when they first met.

Prince Sidia, whose face blushed bright red, huffed and turned to look at me again, while smacking Snow with a faintly Cecily-like movement.

''........Anyway, that was the first time I learned of the problems our country was facing as a result of that.

I see.

And while the prince was thinking of countermeasures, the brave Kanemitsu appeared, and Queen Litis sent out a request to defeat the White Dragon.......

''Why don't you talk to your mother about it?''

That's the hope of the people who live here.

?

For the reasons I mentioned earlier, they will not return to the capital, preferring to live here in peace and quiet. But if my mother learns of the settlement's existence, there will surely be an uproar involving Yazmat.

I don't know...

If the queen, who has the power of action to go against God's will and have the White Dragon strike force sent out immediately, were to find out about this situation, she would definitely try to bring them all back or provide financial support to this settlement.

If that happens, the fact that the sacrifices are still alive will be revealed, and it's not hard to imagine that the church side, which fears divine punishment, and the queen, who doesn't believe in it, will have another complicated conversation.

''If we ask Kanemitsu and the others, they might be able to get behind our backs, but if Snow is spotted later on when the investigative team is sent to the neighborhood, it's going to be a big mess.

'Yes.....

Seeing the prince's troubled shoulders as he said this, Hata and Elena noticed something.

''By the way, has anyone ever prayed on the northern mountaintop?

'What?　........No, I heard that Father was saved by Snow on the way, and I don't think anyone got there.

Snow nodded at Cecily's words.

It's not just a matter of time before you get to the top. It's like telling a human being to climb to the top and pray to the top.

Although Snow says so, Elena doesn't seem to be explaining it.

''If the same oracle is coming over and over again, every few months, I think it definitely means something.

Does that mean there's something up there?

"God is a man of many things, but he doesn't make a bunch of oracles for no reason.

Aside from me and Satsuki calling God a 'thing' because of my and Satsuki's education, it must be true if she says so much.

I'm sure you'll be able to find out what's going on in the world," said Elena, spinning around to look up at the huge mountain that rises in the southeastern sky.

I'm going to go check out the truth first!