Volume 2 - CH 13

It was the second morning after arriving in the frontier city of Ixendahl.

Hirune was having breakfast in the dining room.

(Hmmm…… it’s just plain rice, with a potato and a few vegetables on it. …… The soup also tastes very light. I think we need to improve the food situation. No bread in the morning means there’s not much wheat. ……)

Groaning, Hirune moves the spoon with her long lashes down.

Jeanne was serving her from behind. 

General priests using the cafeteria would see Hirune’s divine appearance and make the holy seal.

They also seemed impressed by her attitude of eating with everyone despite her position as a Great Saint.

(If wheat is scarce, it will be difficult for Phi Phi’s bakery to stay open. I want to go to bed with a full stomach. ……)

Hirune dreamt of herself eating lots of delicious food and going to bed.

Just thinking about it made her happy.

“Huh. ……”

Sighing, she looked up at the ceiling of the cafeteria and fantasized about strawberry bread and other unseen ingredients.

She also imagined fluffy futons and pillows.

“Hirune-sama ……is worried about the world at her age…. we must be diligent and devote ourselves…….”

The priests, who misunderstood, made the holy seal several times and returned to their duties with a moderate meal. If they could see inside Hirune’s head, they would be flabbergasted. Whatever the case, it was great to be motivated.

“Jeanne.”

“Yes, Hirune-sama?”

Jeanne, who had been pouring water into a glass, looked up.

“How is the food situation in the southern region?”

“─ The food situation in the southern region is not so good due to the miasma. The land is also contaminated, so the saints are gradually purifying it and expanding the area.”

“I see. I’ll have to help with that.”

“Hirune-sama is motivated ……!”

Jeanne clasped her hands, impressed.

“I think the south will be better with your help.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes! It seems that all the citizens were happy with the ward yesterday. They’ve decided to hold a festival every year to commemorate the day that Hirune-sama arrived.”

“That’s an exaggeration. …… My power is borrowed from the Goddess.”

Hirune remembered the appearance of the beautiful goddess Sophia.

It must be because of the body created by the goddess that she has the extra strength to sleep while keeping the entire vast city warded.

She felt like her holy magic had become more powerful since she became a Great Saint.

“Speaking of which, is Holly around?”

Hirune looked around the dining room.

The was no blue-haired girl in the large dining room.

“Holly went out in the morning to get rid of miasma. She consulted with Wanda and was going to focus on the fields and farmland.”

“Well, that’s just like Holly.

“It’s not good not being able to eat bread, and Holly said she wanted all the citizens to have a good meal together.”

“She’s such a sweet girl. I love Holly.”

“You should tell her that.”

“Yes, I will. I will.”

Hirune nodded and returned her gaze back to her soup and resumed eating. 

She looked up again and stared at Jeanne.

“Of course, I also love Jeanne.”

Hirune turned her unclouded eyes to Jeanne.

Jeanne’s cheeks reddened as she was suddenly told, she squeezed her maid’s apron and turned her face down.

“Ah….thank you. Well, me too, …… Hirune-sama.”

“I’m so happy that Jeanne is with me.”

Hirune said sincerely and smiled.

()

After breakfast, she finished her prayers (dozing) in the chapel and met with the saints who had been assigned to the south.

The saints accepted and praised Hirune.

No saint was capable of deploying a wide-area ward that covered the entire city.

They were happy that the night patrols would be eliminated and they could spend their free time in other areas.

Next was to go on patrol with the soldiers to the commercial district of Ixendahl, followed by thirty minutes of Bible reading at the House of Lord’s, and then the chanting of scriptures in the main square. They went on with their schedule.

Almost all the citizens gathered in the Great square, and the soldiers and priests seemed to be having a hard time keeping everyone in line, but when Hirune started chanting, it became quiet like a lie.

“– Blessed are all…”

She chanted a long scripture and waved a staff she had been given, glitter and stardust rained down on the large square. 

The applause went on non-stop, and the people all smiled.

After a half-digested busy day, and a much-needed thirty-minute nap, they had a meeting with the craftsmen who were rebuilding the Great Church.

Hirune was woken up by Jeanne and had no choice but to crawl out of her partner. 

“Well, Jeanne, let’s go.”

Hirune sat down comfortably on the chair, which ruined people’s backs with natural footsteps, and leaned her whole body against it, putting her arms slumped outward. Being sloppy was the best. 

“Let’s just go like this.”

“Please don’t sit in the bad chair with fluid movements.”

Jeanne calls it the bad chair these days.

“it’s fine isn’t it? Please push it.” 

“I can’t do that.”

“It’s up to the workers to decide how they want to work, Jeanne. If this increases efficiency, I’ll be happy, and they’ll be happy. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship. Yes.”

Jeanne thought for a moment that this might be the case and put her hand on Hirune’s back to push her, but then she looked up and said, 

“Of course not. Please don’t say something like that and try to wrap it in smoke.”*

“I’m sorry. I’m already a chair, a bad chair. Look at this unity ……!”

“Hirune-sama and the bad chair seem to be one and the same!”

“See? Come on, Jeanne, let’s keep going.” 

“ I’m pulling.”

“Oh, oh, Jeanne! Please Stop, please don’t– oh, no, I’m walking on my two legs.”

Hirune stood up with Jeanne pulling on her hands.

“It’s hard to stand still. I’m Sleepy.”

“If It’s hard to stand, drink some water. Here you go.”

“okay.”

Hirune drank the glass of water handed to her.

Jeanne was getting better and better at this every day.

“Phew. Water, yum.”

“Well done. Now, everyone’s waiting for you. Let’s go, shall we?”

It was hard to say no when Jeanne was staring at her with piercing eyes.

“It can’t be helped if Jeanne says so.”

Hirune had Jeanne arrange her Great Saints’ clothes, then left the room and proceeded down the hallway.

The priests and maids who passed her happily made the holy seal and bowed.

Hirune was not aware of it, but overnight she had become a central figure in Ixendahl.

“They are waiting for you over there.”

A large number of people were lined up in the square in front of the Church.

There were groups of people with tools that looked like carpenters, seamstresses, craftsmen painting the exterior walls, architects, furniture makers, stonemasons, and various other artisans. At a cursory glance, there were about a hundred people. There was also Wanda, the educator, and several priests.

“Wanda-sama took charge and reduced the number to a tenth. Those here are the representatives.”

The artisans stared at Hirune as she emerged from the Church, their eyes shining bright like children.

(I can’t believe how many people gathered here. I’m grateful, ……. We need to be enthusiastic for the sake of the Great Church)

Hirune stood in front of everyone and slowly made the holy seal.

She was a little slow because she was sleepy.

As soon as Hirune began to make the seal, everyone’s face turned mysteriously at once.

“Thank you all for gathering here today. Please look over there.”

Hirune pointed her hand towards the collapsed Great Church. Everyone turned their heads.

“When the Great Church is restored, peace will surely come to this land. The hearts of the citizens will be at ease. Let’s restore the peace that existed in this city when the Great Church and the Great Saint were here.”

(And let’s make it a white city where everyone takes naps together.)

Hirune added that in her heart, staring at the assembled craftsmen.

All of them were nodding their heads, buzzing with motivation.

Apparently, her brief speech was a success.

“Now, those of you starting from the left, please introduce yourselves briefly.” 

Jeanne said, and one by one, they gave their occupations and names.

(I can’t remember. …… Oh, Thomas-san.)

There was also Thomas from the bedding store Valhalla. He was a very important person to Hirune.

After all the names were said, Wanda, who was supervising, stepped forward.

“There are a lot of problems with the renovation of the Great Church. First of all, we are in great need of supplies. The stonemason, Pompey-sama, has something to say.”

The old man, Pompey, stepped forward.

He was short, but his arms were thick. His right arm was thicker than his left, probably because he had been swinging a hammer for a long time.

His white beard and downcast eyes gave the impression of an eccentric, stubborn old man.

“The quarry in the west, I want to use the holy Quartz there for the Great Saints’ Church.”

Pompey’s croaky voice echoed in the square.

(Holy Quartz? It sounds like a fantasy stone. ……)

As Hirune imagined this, a middle-aged man with a black beard beside Pompey raised his hand.

“Stonemason Baldic, please speak.”

Wanda held out her hand, and the big man, Baldic, stroked his beard and began to talk with a grim expression on his face.

“The quarry to the west is too polluted by miasma. Even if the Great Saint was to accompany us, it would be dangerous. Instead of using holy Quartz, I propose we build the outer wall with the cross-stones scattered in the southwest, Stauros.”

“The Great Saints’ Great Church uses Holy Quartz. If you’re afraid of dying, your people don’t have to come to the mining site. We’ll do it on our own.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Pompey. I’m telling you it’s impossible because it’s impossible. Don’t say you’re going to die in front of the Great Saint.”

“No, we can’t do that. The previous generation regretted not having the entire outer walls of the Great Church made of holy Quartz. I’ll make the Great Church worthy of the Great Saint Hirune. Ordinary stone will not do.”

“Then how are you going to mine it?”

“I’m going to work to death. That’s all.”

“Old man! Listen to me!”

The stonemasons, Pompey and Baldic, started to argue.

Wanda cleared her throat several times before they finally quieted down. But they were still glaring at each other.

The people gathered around looked at them in a jarring manner.

Only one person had a vague look on their face and was thinking about something else.

(Holy Quartz and cross stone Stauros. I wonder what kind of stones they are.)

Hirune raised her hand.

Everyone stared at her at once.

“Great Saint Hirune, please.”

Wanda handled Hirune equally and reached out her hand.

“What kind of stones are the Holy Quartz and the Cross Stone Stauros?”

Before Pompey could open his mouth, Baldic took the initiative.

“Stauros is a hard and sturdy ore with holy powers. It can be used in combination with other stones to increase its strength, and its holy blessings make it difficult for miasma to get to it. It is also very beautiful to look at.”

“I see. Pompey-san, what kind of stone is holy Quartz?”

Hirune’s sleepy eyes turned to the stubborn old man.

Pompey said in a hushed voice.

“Holy Quartz is iridescent, emitting a rainbow-colored glow, accumulates magical power, is cool in the summer and warm in winter. It’s the finest quality of stones. ”

Hirune’s eyes widened in disbelief.