CH 20

A few hours before Hirune’s encounter with the Goddess Sophia.

There was an air of incompleteness in the city.

The three days after the ceremony for the promotion to sainthood were a holiday. The holy light did not come from Hirune, the key person.

It had been three days and twelve hours since Hirune had begun her trial prayer.

Today was the last day of the holiday.

“Did you see the light?”

“No, father.”

The owner of the skewer stall, where Hirune often got skewers, came out of the alleyway.

Since the stall was located in a back alley, the light could not be seen until they reached the main street. On the main street, looking up at the center of the royal city, his daughter was shaking her head. The daughter, who would turn twelve this year, looked worried because she loved Hirune like a younger sister.

“I see.”

The stall-owner put his hand on his daughter’s head.

She looked up at him.

“I’m sure Hirune-chan will be fine. We were surprised when we found out that she was a saint apprentice, but we thought she was different from the others, didn’t we? The fact that she can doze off anywhere is a testament to her courage. She’s also a great eater of skewers.”

“……, she had sauce all over her mouth from eating our skewers.”

“She was scolded by the educator.”

“She was scolded, but she still fell asleep.”

His daughter smiled as she remembered.

“it’s going to be a big one.”

The owner also laughed.

Thomas, the owner of the Valhalla bedding store, was passing by when he noticed the skewer shop owner and bowed.

“Oh, Thomas.”  

“The light hasn’t come up, has it?”

Thomas, a dandy man in his forties, approached him with a smile half tinged with worry.

The two men had become friends through a chance conversation about Hirune.

Afterwards, the skewer store owner, his daughter, and Thomas prayed for the success of Hirune’s trial.

()

A heavy air had fallen over the saint apprentices’ dormitory in the West Church.

Wanda, the educator, was sitting in the backyard, staring up at the sky, not saying a word, not even sitting down.

“…… Hirune.”

She was the child whom she had scolded and punished the most out of all the saint apprentices in the past, and yet she was strangely untouchable.

It’s not uncommon for the holy light to not come up for an entire day, but three days is unusual, and they’re not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing.

She was worried.

She couldn’t help but imagine such an ominous thing as a failure to be promoted to saint.

The girls from the Saint Apprenticeship also gathered in the backyard and continued to pray.

Wanda’s eyes widened as she thought she saw a shooting star in the starry night sky.

But she was mistaken, and let out a breath.

Remembering Hirune’s sleeping face, Wanda murmured in her mind, “Please hurry up and show everyone your smile.”

()

Most of the priests had gathered in the chapel. Seventy percent of the two hundred couches were occupied.

There had never been such a long ceremony for the promotion of a saint.

Everyone was worried about Hirune and praying that she would become a saint.

“Are we done yet? It’s been three days and twelve hours, even I’ve never prayed this long before. The longest I’ve ever prayed was one day and five hours, twenty-two years ago. – Why hasn’t it come up?”

“The Archbishop is investigating the case”

Perhaps because it had been three days, whispers of confirmation of the situation could be heard from everywhere.

In a corner seat, Holly, who had been promoted to saint, was holding hands with Jeanne, waiting for Hirune to come out.

“Jeanne, Jeanne?”

“What is it……?”

“Go to sleep for goodness sake. How long are you going to be here?”

“Hirune-sama hasn’t come out yet. …… I’m worried about her. ……”

Despite the blessings of physical strength, dark circles formed under Jeanne’s eyes.

She had been waiting for Hirune for a long time.

“If you fall, Hirune will be very sad. Come on, let’s go, shall we?”

Holly gently pulled Jeanne’s hand, as if she were admonishing her own child, but she too looked tired, as if she hadn’t slept well.

“I’ll stay here. Holly-sama, please get some rest.”

Jeanne was stubborn when it came to Hirune.

It was only because of her love for Hirune that Holly sighed.

“ I can’t help it. …… I’ll stay with you. It’s just for now. And if she doesn’t come out until late at night, I’ll sleep with you, okay?”

“Okay.”

Jeanne nodded and stared at the door of the room that Hirune was in.

In truth, she would’ve liked to confirm the safety of Hirune right then. She wants to open that door, but it is forbidden to enter during the prayer of trial. As soon as someone enters, the ritual of promotion to sainthood automatically fails.

“…… Hirune-sama ……”

It’s unknown how many times she felt like crying.

When Jeanne was about to break, she remembered Hirune’s crumpling and laughing face and held back her tears. She reminded herself that she was Hirune’s maid, and straightened her back with her chest out.

Holly had been by Jeanne’s side the whole time, caring for her.

Having just become a saint, Holly was also quite tired. The day she became a saint, she slept well, and after that, she repeatedly slept lightly and went to the chapel.

“–“

Holly chanted a scripture and cast a purifying spell on Jeanne.

It has a purifying effect on the body. It was Holly’s typical attention to detail.

“Thank you, Holly.”

“Just this once, okay? If she doesn’t show up today, you’ll sleep in your bed, okay?

“But, will she really come out? Isn’t she going to go to the heavens where the Goddess lives? Hirune is beautiful and looks just like the Goddess. That’s why the goddess likes her so much.”

“Jeanne.”

Holly squeezed Jeanne’s hand.

“It’s okay.” Holly squeezed Jeanne’s hand. “ I’m sure she’s dozing off. That’s why she’s not coming out.”

“Is that so, ……?”

“Yes. Of course it is.”

Holly looked into Jeanne’s eyes and smiled.

Holly who was wearing beautiful white Saints’ clothes, said so, and Jeanne was somewhat calmed.

“I’m sure you’re right. I’m sure Hirune-sama will be fine.”

Jeanne also smiled.

The priests around her were listening to the children’s interaction and looking at them with compassion. The healthy girls looked dazzling to the adults. The tearful male priest wiped away his tears with a handkerchief.

That’s when it happened.

A murmur came from the seat in front of them.

“Jeanne!”

Holly noticed and stood up, and Jeanne stood up too, as if she had been bumped.

‘Look! The stardust is ……!”

Holly pointed to a statue of the goddess, and from behind it, in the room where Hirune was, stardust erupted, dancing like a flood of water.

The sound of light metal scraping echoes and sparkles filled the floor of the chapel.

“This is Hirune?”

“Wow! Whoa!”

The stardust streamed down to their feet.

Holly and Jeanne stomped their feet as if they were walking on a beach.

The stardust doesn’t get trampled, but instead slips through the gap in their legs and jumps into the church. The muddy stream of stardust quickly left the chapel and covered the interior of the church.

“Jeanne! That’s a lot of stardust! It must be Hirune!”

“Yes, it must be!”

Surprising voices are raised from the priests who were packed in the chapel. 

They ran forward and stopped in front of the statue of the goddess.

From that point forward, only saint apprentices undergoing trials could enter.

The stardust dances like waves that come and go.

It was like being in a sea of stardust.

“How beautiful it is. ……”

“It’s so sparkly.”

Holly and Jeanne’s eyes sparkled as they watched the stardust spread out before them.

Then a magic circle appeared at their feet.

With a tremendous size, it completely wraps the chapel and spreads deep into its depths.

“Ah!”

“-!”

At the same time the two of them shouted out, everything before their eyes went white.

A holy light rose up around Hirune’s room.

It lasted for a few minutes and then turned into a huge torrent of light that enveloped the entire main church.

The light enveloped everyone in the main church and illuminated the people.

Holly and Jeanne waited hand in hand for the light to end, and when it did, they slowly opened their eyes.

“Is it over?”

“Yes, the holy light is out.”

“I feel very light.”

“Me too.”

They both looked down at their hands.

–Gachari

Meanwhile, the door to the left opened casually and a blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl came out with a sleepy look on her face.

“I’m sorry to have kept you waiting. I’m sorry I’m late. I’ve been dozing off for a while…”

“Hirune!

“Hirune-sama!”

Holly and Jeanne jumped at Hirune.

“Whoa!”

Hirune almost fell over, but supported them with both her hands.

“What’s wrong?”

“You’re late coming out! Do you know how long we’ve been waiting for you?”

“Hirune-sama! We’ve been waiting for you!

Hirune looked into Holly’s and Jeanne’s eyes and patted them both on the head, feeling bad for making them worry. Jeanne hugged her languidly, and Holly hugged her modestly.

Hirune’s eyes were iridescent with improved magic.

The priests in the chapel were making their holy seals after witnessing such a miracle.

Such a large magic circle, such a large amount of stardust. The goddess Sophia sent her blessing to Hirune. They all thought so.

Archbishop Zekyutos, who arrived early, looked terribly relieved and told Hirune, Holly and Jeanne to rest.

(Yes. I can sleep on the futon.)

Hirune smiled as she looked at Jeanne and Holly who were clinging to her.

()

After a large pillar of light went up from the main church, the royal capital was in a festive mood.

To the biggest holy light of all time, people were saying, “A great saint candidate is born! “Long live Saint Hirune! “Long live Saint Hirune!” “Tonight, a toast to the snoozing princess! “Here’s to the snoozing princess tonight!”

The owner of the skewer stall, his daughter, and Thomas of the bedding store Valhalla also saw the light and cheered.

“she did it! Hirune made such a big light!”

“Yes, yes! Hirune-chan is amazing!”

“A new legend will be born at ……. No, Hirune-chan is a normal girl who likes to sleep – I just want her to relax when she comes to my house. If that happens, I’ll have to get a new comforter for her!”

All three of them let out voices of joy and raised their fists to the night sky.

On the other hand, in the backyard of the West Church’s dormitory, feverish shouts were also echoing.

“Hirune!　　That’s amazing!” I’ve never seen such a big holy light! It’s wonderful!

I’ve never seen such a big holy light before!” Wanda, the educator, also had tears in the corners of her eyes as she saw how the holy light turned darkness into daylight.

It took her three days to make the night as bright as day, even though she was just napping. …… She’s such a rascal.

The older I get, the more tearful I get.

Muttering such a thing, Wanda wiped her eyes with a handkerchief and looked up at the night sky.

Holy light pierces the sky, and clouds with holes like donuts can be seen in the night sky. From that hole, a golden full moon like Hirune’s hair color looked into her face. The full moon looked sleepy for some reason.