“This is the entrance to the sanctuary,” Fuuko said.
“I see. This wall has a magic barrier device attached to it,” Catherine replied.
“Wow, you can tell just by looking?”
“For a fairy like me, I can tell as soon as I see it!”
When Kent and Fuuko moved to the front of the sanctuary’s gate, Fuuko noticed the magic barrier device surrounding it. As Kent was surprised by this, Fuuko adopted a very proud demeanor.
“Welcome, Kent. Oh my? I haven’t seen your companion before. Do you have business with the Captain?” a Holy Knight guarding the gate asked.
“I’m currently on duty. This time, I’m not here for Otsupain. This child wanted to see the sanctuary, so I brought her. Can we go inside?” Kent replied.
“Yes, that’s fine. However, the people who were evacuated to the sanctuary have just returned home, and all the staff are busy with cleanup work, so it’s a bit chaotic. But we welcome general visitors. Please come in,” the Holy Knight said.
Kent asked the Holy Knight guarding the gate if they could enter. The Holy Knight replied that although they were in the middle of cleanup work, there would be no problem with them entering.
“Well then, Fuuko, let’s go.”
“Right. Um, well, I don’t mind holding your hand, if you want,” Fuuko said shyly.
“Yes, yes,” Kent replied.
“Ah…” Fuuko whimpered.
Passing through the sanctuary’s gate, Kent and Fuuko walked across the garden towards the building. Fuuko then asked to hold his hand. Hearing this, Kent gently grasped her hand. Though Fuuko’s words indicated displeasure, her expression was one of pure joy.
“Hey, that partition is for the storage room in the back.”
“Sorry, could you clean this area?”
“Fold the sheets neatly.”
As Kent and Fuuko entered the sanctuary building and looked into the sanctuary hall, they saw the staff in the midst of busy cleanup work. Until yesterday, many evacuees had sought refuge in this place, battling anxiety and fear without knowing what would happen. With the emergency alert lifted, the evacuees had returned to their homes yesterday. As a result, temporary partitions and mats were left as they were. As areas were cleared by the staff’s efforts, long tables and benches originally placed in the sanctuary were being brought out from storage and rearranged.
“There’s a statue of the Goddess in the back. Do you want to go see it?” Kent asked.
“Yes. I’m not leaving yet. I want to see how exaggerated Hanako’s statue is with my own eyes,” Fuuko replied with a determined look.
Still holding hands, Kent and Fuuko carefully made their way towards the statue of the Goddess, taking care not to disturb the staff’s work.
“Oh, Kent. Have you come to offer a prayer to the God?” Cindy, a priestess, asked.
“Ah, Cindy. You’re working hard. Something like that,” Kent replied.
“It’s good to have strong faith. Oh? And who is this?”
Cindy, the priestess, stood before the statue of the Goddess. Unusually for her, she was performing her duties as a priestess, attending to visitors.
“This is Fuuko,” Kent said.
“Hmm? Hmm?” Cindy replied, looking at Fuuko.
When Kent introduced Fuuko to Cindy, she walked around Fuuko, seemingly deep in thought.
“Cindy, what’s wrong?” Kent asked.
“Hmm, I feel something extraordinary from this child, like a God. But she doesn’t seem like the God you brought before, Kent. And she looks completely different,” Cindy said.
“Hey, priestess. What are you comparing the chest size of me and that useless Goddess statue for?” Fuuko interjected.
Cindy had been comparing Fuuko’s chest size to that of the Goddess statue. Noticing this, Fuuko glared at Cindy with eyes full of killing intent.
“Ah, it’s… I get a thrill from that gaze, I’m going to… Ah, no, no. Come on, come on!” Cindy exclaimed as she began to tremble. She then collapsed to the floor, unable to support herself.
“Cindy, are you okay?” Kent asked, concerned.
“Hah, hah… I felt such a strong power, I almost… came,” Cindy panted, her eyes unfocused.
“This priestess is lying. Just admit you came,” Fuuko stated.
“Ah, ah, I don’t understand… but when you glare at me, I get these tingles. Ah, no, I’m sorry. Despite my position as a priestess, I lied before God,” Cindy confessed.
Fuuko, who was a God in her own right, was displeased that the priestess had lied. She sternly addressed Cindy’s lie. Cindy’s demeanor then changed to something strange.
“If you understand, then kowtow before me and apologize,” Fuuko demanded.
“Yes, as you command,” Cindy replied.
“Hey, Fuuko, you’re going too far!” Kent intervened.
Cindy was about to kowtow as Fuuko had commanded. Noticing this, Kent hurried to intervene and stop Fuuko.
“Ah, but she lied! She’s a priestess and she lied! And in front of me!” Fuuko protested.
“Yes, yes, for now, apologize to Cindy,” Kent said.
“Tch, lucky you. It was my fault,” Fuuko conceded grudgingly.
Kent told Fuuko, who had been a bit too harsh, to apologize to Cindy. Reluctantly, Fuuko offered her apology.
“No, I should apologize for my unpriestly behavior. Oh, but… what is this? This exhilaration I feel?” Cindy remarked.
Cindy seemed to be deeply devout, which was rare in this country, and she felt something from a God of another country. She looked at Fuuko with great excitement.
“Still, looking at this Goddess statue makes me angry. Maybe I should mark it,” Fuuko declared.
“Mark it? What are you planning to do? Hey, why are you taking off your pants there?” Kent exclaimed.
“I’m going to purify it with my holy water,” Fuuko explained.
“Stop it!” Kent yelled.
“Ah…” Fuuko yelped.
Fuuko was about to commit a sacrilegious act toward the Goddess statue. Kent reflexively smacked Fuuko on the head, stopping her.
“Um, about that holy water… may I have it?” Cindy asked, her eyes wide.
“Cindy! Come back to this world!” Kent pleaded.
Cindy’s state was erratic. Kent tried to stop her as she knelt to receive the holy water from Fuuko.
“Hah, hah… I’m terribly sorry. Um, would you like to offer a prayer to the God?” Kent managed to say, finally bringing Cindy back to reality.
Kent’s efforts paid off, and Cindy was somehow brought back to this world.
“Pray? Don’t joke. Why should I pray? Ah…” Fuuko said.
“Since you’re here, you can’t escape that. Even if it’s just for show, please,” Kent urged.
“If Master says so, then I have no choice. Only for show, mind you,” Fuuko replied.
At Kent’s urging, Fuuko reluctantly offered a prayer to the Goddess statue along with him.
“Pfft.”
As Fuuko grudgingly prayed, a laugh could be heard from somewhere.
“Ah, Catherine, you’re working hard,” Kent greeted.
“Kent, you’re out with Fuuko-chan. Still, seeing Fuuko-chan pray so reluctantly was so funny I couldn’t help but laugh,” Catherine said.
“Hey, Saintess, don’t laugh at my pathetic sight!” Fuuko protested.
The source of the laughter was Catherine. Fuuko, embarrassed by her display, protested to Catherine.
“Saintess, have you finished the accumulated paperwork?” Cindy asked.
“Ugh, not yet. I keep signing, but the pile of documents never shrinks. Can’t I take a break for a little while?” Catherine retorted.
“Yes, yes, I’ll help you too, so let’s go back to the office,” Cindy suggested.
“…Alright. Well then, Kent and Fuuko-chan, it’s nothing special, but please enjoy your stay,” Catherine said.
Catherine seemed to have been slacking off. She was then escorted back to her office by Cindy.
“This country’s sanctuary is strange,” Fuuko remarked.
“Really? Are the Duchy’s sanctuaries different?” Kent asked.
“Yes, I am an object of worship. Many priests and priestesses, including the Saintess, work for me, and everyone bows down to me. But the Gods in this country seem to act as they please, and neither the Saintess nor the priests seem to show much respect to the Gods,” Fuuko explained.
“I see,” Kent replied.
Fuuko explained the differences between the Kingdom’s and the Duchy’s sanctuaries to Kent.
“I’m done with the sanctuary. Let’s go somewhere else,” Fuuko said.
“Understood. Let’s go outside for now,” Kent agreed.
Fuuko seemed to have lost interest in the sanctuary and suggested going elsewhere. Kent agreed, and they decided to leave.
