Chapter 293

Even with the arrival of the new year, the sun still rises, of course.

The first thing Clael saw upon waking that morning... was the sleeping face of a radiant beauty, Reina Laurel.

"Ugh..."

He wanted to praise himself for not screaming.

A face so perfectly beautiful it could be called divine craftsmanship was right in front of his eyes, and the moment he opened his eyelids, it struck his brain.

(Reina... wait, why is she here...?)

Yesterday, Clael had discovered that Reina had taken over his bed, so he had gone to sleep on the sofa in the living room.

And yet, looking around now, he was in his own bedroom. Beside Reina on the bed.

Just when did he move here?

"Seriously... if it weren't me, I'd have turned into a wolf by now..."

"Nnngh..."

Letting out a sigh, Clael slipped out of the bed.

Reina let out a ticklish breath, but he made an effort not to hear it.

"Alright... I need to get ready."

Shaking off the mysterious emotions swirling in his chest, Clael quickly changed out of his nightwear.

Reina was still asleep. She was surprisingly not a morning person.

It had become a habit that when Clael woke up first, he would prepare breakfast.

"Mochi should be fine for this morning..."

He heated a frying pan to grill the mochi, and boiled water at the same time.

After placing the multi-tiered box of osechi on the table and setting out the dishes and cups, Reina woke up.

"Good morning, Lord Clael..."

"Good morning, Reina... About last night..."

"I had a really nice dream. I slept so well."

"...That's good to hear."

He had his doubts... but Clael swallowed them down.

(Maybe I was the one who was half-asleep...)

The fact that Reina had been sleeping in Clael's bed was the root of it all, but he decided not to pursue it.

He left Schrödinger's cat in the box.

"It'll be ready soon. Please wait a bit."

"I'll help. I'll make the tea."

Reina stood beside Clael and helped prepare breakfast.

The mochi was soon grilled. The two sat down at the table to eat breakfast.

While snacking on osechi, they chewed on the mochi flavored with sweet soy sauce.

"Looks like today's going to be busy..."

"Yes, let's do our best!"

Since it was the New Year, many people were expected to visit the shrine today.

Moreover... Eggbell was currently packed with tourists.

Who knew how many humans would come for the New Year service. They needed to eat properly while they still could.

"I'll clean up the dishes—"

"Yes, please. I'll head to the chapel first."

Eventually, they finished eating and both stood up.

Reina carried the dishes to the sink while Clael headed to the chapel.

"Come to think of it... I wonder what happened to Gieville?"

Maybe he was still asleep in his room.

He had been glowing outside until late last night, so it wouldn't be surprising if he overslept.

"I hope not, but... he's not still outside, is he? Hahahahaha..."

Feeling a vague sense that this was a flag, Clael stepped into the chapel.

The chapel looked the same as yesterday. When he opened the entrance door... there was a glowing, naked, skinny man with glasses.

"Not here... thank goodness."

The outside of the shrine was covered in snow.

There wasn't a glowing naked figure there. Even looking up, nothing was flying.

Clael felt relieved. Truly relieved.

"Good morning, Priest. Happy New Year."

"Ah, Mrs. Lottel. Happy New Year to you too."

The one who had come to the shrine was the housewife living next door... Mrs. Lottel.

"I came to pray right away. I heard you were back, but is Reina dear in the back?"

"Yes, in the kitchen. I think she'll be here soon."

"I'm so happy. The two of you came back. It's been four months since you returned for summer. It felt like such a long time even though it was just that short."

Mrs. Lottel laughed cheerfully as she stepped into the chapel.

"Good morning, young priest."

"Oh my, you're back, aren't you?"

"Reina dear! Where is Reina dear!?"

Following Mrs. Lottel's lead, townsfolk began arriving at the shrine one after another.

All of them were familiar faces. People they had grown close to since being assigned to this town.

"Oh my, it's been a while, Priest."

"Ah, Oratorio. I'm glad to see you're well."

A muscular, flamboyant man waved and greeted him casually.

Oratorio, the clothing store owner, had shown up too.

"Since you went to the royal capital, you've become even more manly. You're so handsome now, it's wonderful."

"Hahaha... thank you."

Clael gave a wry smile to the winking flamboyant shopkeeper.

"Everyone, I'm really glad you came right away... The town's changed so much, I was relieved."

"Ah yes, you must've been surprised it turned into such a tourist spot? It used to be a quiet countryside town, but it's developed so much, it's complicated."

"It's fine that the town is prospering, but it's a problem when it gets overcrowded... I was worried that a huge crowd would rush into the service today."

"Oh, no need to worry about that. The substitute priest... Gieville seems to be doing his best."

"Huh... Gieville is?"

Clael blinked.

He hadn't seen Gieville since morning... Was he outside the shrine?

"He was floating down the street."

"Floating...?"

"Yes, over there."

Oratorio pointed outside the shrine.

Clael stepped outside the grounds and peeked down the street... and there he was.

"............A bodhisattva?"

There was a glowing figure floating in a seated zen posture.

It was Gieville. A bald, naked man with glasses, floating in midair while spinning around in a seated position, glowing. Snow was still falling from the sky, but the spinning caused it to be flung away.

The townspeople, though exasperated, avoided the glowing figure as they passed by. But tourists from outside were frightened by the strange unidentified flying object and couldn't approach the shrine.

"Only those who truly believe in the goddess may pass through this path. Those who would only trouble Saint Reina, begone!"

"Gieville..."

Gieville was acting as a deterrent to keep the tourists from flooding in.

Clael felt like he wanted to thank him... but honestly, he also felt a little grossed out.

"Our shrine... won't get weird rumors, right?"

What if it became known not as 'the shrine where the Saint grew up', but 'the shrine with the strange glowing figure'?

"............"

With mixed feelings, Clael returned to the shrine and quietly closed the door.

――――――――――

[New Release]

The Golden Annihilator

~The Useless Hero Who Was Abandoned, But When He Threw a Coin, the Castle Collapsed~

https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16818093092685255471

If you'd like, please give this one a read too!