We live at the foothills of Dragon Peak.
Human Race and Temple Religion
“Scratch, scratch,” Nimia scraped at the door.
Then, the temple priests flanking the door respectfully opened it.
“Uh…”
As the door opened fully, Nimia unhesitatingly stepped inside.
Mistral, Lyra, and I, with strained faces, followed Nimia and entered the building from the corridor.
After Lyra escaped from the room where she was imprisoned. The next building we stepped into was a section within the royal castle grounds.
This was one of the many buildings surrounding the castle, and only this area was guarded by priests and shrine maidens, not guards.
While its exterior was unified in style with the other buildings and didn’t feel particularly special, once inside, it was a different world.
This building was a small shrine located within the royal castle grounds.
The first space upon entering was the prayer hall. The spacious area lacked walls or partitions, allowing it to accommodate a considerable number of people.
The pillars and floor were stone, adorned with intricate carvings. Even though it was a small shrine, it was part of the royal castle. Subtle yet beautiful decorations and carvings were present everywhere. The ceiling was an open space, with an altar set up in the back.
I wonder if this is a shrine for people working in the royal castle. But this isn’t the time to relax and observe the building.
In front of us, after entering the small shrine, stood three shrine maidens.
“This way, please.”
Led by the shrine maidens, we proceeded deeper into the prayer hall.
For some reason, Nimia was in the lead, followed by the three shrine maidens. Behind them, we followed with bewilderment.
“Uh, what is this?”
Faced with an unexpected situation, we looked at each other and tilted our heads in confusion.
After reuniting with Lyra, Mistral asked me whether we should go to the Twin Princesses or to Ruiseine next.
“Ruiseine first.”
I answered immediately.
“Oh, that’s unexpected. I thought you’d go to Yufi and Nina’s place and use their power to get out of this.”
I see. Mistral had envisioned a quick way to win over the Twin Princesses and use their position as princesses of the Armēdo Kingdom to navigate this situation.
But unfortunately, that’s not the case.
“While the Twin Princesses’ power is certainly appealing, there’s actually a better way.”
“A better way? Is that why you’re meeting Ruiseine first?”
Mistral tilted her head.
This was probably a method that was difficult for Mistral, who belonged to the Dragon Race, to imagine. Mistral had learned various human customs from Ruiseine, but thinking like humans was impossible. It couldn’t be helped. And that’s precisely why she hadn’t thought of it.
“Ruiseine is a shrine maiden.”
Strictly speaking, she’s a Battle Priestess, but in situations like these, “shrine maiden” is generally used to encompass both Battle Priestesses and ordinary shrine maidens.
“For humans, faith can sometimes be more influential than power.”
Mistral, still not understanding, tilted her head and gave me a questioning look with her eyes.
“The first thing you learn in school is this: if you get involved in any trouble, rely on the temple.”
The shrine maidens Kiiri, Inea, and Ruiseine, who were attending the lectures with us, gave bitter smiles, but we students nodded enthusiastically at the teacher’s words.
Big problems, small problems. Life is full of various problems. Sometimes you might be threatened, have power wielded against you, or get caught up in unreasonable situations.
Like the incident in the courtyard.
And when you find yourself caught in such insurmountable problems. The closest and most reliable people are the temple and its clergy.
Religion, shrine maidens, or priests. These have a stronger influence on humans than other races might imagine.
At times, it’s far stronger than even kings.
The clergy are sacred beings who serve the Goddess of Creation. And we humans revere them as much as we do the Goddess.
A common analogy is that no matter how terrifyingly evil a murderer might be, they would never harm a member of the clergy. No matter how cunning a con artist might be, they would never deceive a temple. That’s how it’s described.
And if you get involved in trouble. By involving the clergy, who are so absolutely revered, the other party will have no choice but to deal with the situation seriously. This is why we are taught, “If anything happens, go to the temple.”
Incidentally, it seems the temple doesn’t have a specific department to handle such matters, so it’s treated as a favor from the temple’s side.
“However, Ruiseine’s words were disregarded in the courtyard.”
“That’s right. Furthermore, even the Twin Princesses’ words had no influence.”
I believe the situation then was unavoidable.
Prince Grave and the Chancellor seemed fixated on capturing us. Although there were many onlookers, everyone was swept up in the atmosphere, and no one seemed willing to listen to our words. In their eyes, it was a prevailing mood that the words of the prince and the chancellor were more correct than those of us, some unknown entities. In a situation where the words of a shrine maiden or a princess couldn’t reach them, nothing else would. It was impossible to have a discussion in that situation, so we decided to get captured for the time being and observe.
Of course, when we were captured, I considered everyone’s safety, and for Lyra, who was the only one I was worried about, I had Nimia as a safeguard.
Well, after we were captured, we later found out that we weren’t even interrogated, just held pointlessly, so we escaped.
“While Ruiseine’s influence wasn’t felt in the courtyard, I think it’s a bit different now.”
“Meaning?”
“Let me say it again: Ruiseine is a shrine maiden. Even kings cannot neglect or absolutely judge a shrine maiden.”
The country cannot judge members of the clergy. If a member of the clergy causes trouble, only another member of the clergy can judge them.
It might seem unbelievable, but it’s a special position and right granted because they are consistently pure and incorruptible, and thus revered by humans.
“So, we were captured earlier, but Ruiseine, being a shrine maiden, wasn’t imprisoned in a cell, right?”
“Then where is she?” I answered Mistral’s question.
“As a shrine maiden, Ruiseine cannot be apprehended by guards. If that’s the case, she must be apprehended or protected by another member of the clergy.”
Clergy goes to clergy. And if this is the royal castle, there should be clergy of a certain standing. Ruiseine must be there.
While Ruiseine’s words were ignored in the chaos of the courtyard, once the commotion subsided, combined with the words of a person of standing in the clergy of this country, even the high-ranking officials would have no choice but to listen.
Choosing to meet Ruiseine next was, in essence, my plan to involve the temple as a mediator.
My plan was to have the temple’s mediation withdraw the suspicion and wanted notices against the Twin Princesses. Then, with their names cleared, we would request an audience with the King.
“Yes. In that case, we’ll have to find a way to bring someone from the temple to our side.”
“Yes. I believe that’s my role, so I’ll do my best.”
And so, we came to the small shrine under Nimia’s lead.
But why? Until we got here, Nimia hid our presence, using her magic to deceive the patrolling guards and the eyes of those working in the royal castle.
Yet, as soon as we arrived at the small shrine, Nimia boldly scratched at the door, and the guarding priests and the shrine maiden in the prayer hall recognized us and guided us in.
What’s going on?
Could it be that Nimia’s magic doesn’t work on the clergy? But if that were the case, it wouldn’t be a welcoming reception; it would be an uproar.
We followed Nimia, who walked decidedly in front, and after passing through a door beside the prayer hall, we were led to a solemn pair of double doors.
“Scratch.”
Nimia scratched at the door as usual.
Then, the three shrine maidens accompanying us opened the doors outward.
A room filled with the gentle scent of flowers.
Although it felt enclosed by stone walls on four sides, colorful fresh flowers decorating shelves, a fireplace, and a desk, brought a sense of living beauty to the inorganic room.
And at the back of the room. On a bench placed along the wall, Ruiseine and a woman were seated.
“Um, welcome back!”
As soon as we passed through the door and entered the room. Pricilla-chan pounced. Or rather, she had jumped here with a spatial jump!
Wha!?
Pricilla-chan, who leaped into my chest, had her mouth stained with sweets, and she buried her face in my chest as if to rub it off. The worry about getting my clothes dirty was trivial.
As if she was extremely happy, Pricilla-chan’s long, drooping ears twitched joyfully.
Wh-wh-what!?
At Pricilla-chan’s movement and appearance, not only I, but Mistral and Lyra also gasped.
Pricilla-chan being from the Mimicho Race was supposed to be a secret!
“It’s not ‘welcome back,’ is it? I expected Elnea-kun to come here eventually.”
Ignoring our bewilderment as we entered the room, Ruiseine stood up from the bench and smiled.
“Ruiseine, what is the meaning of this?” Mistral asked, looking at Pricilla-chan, her tone slightly accusatory.
But Ruiseine replied with a smile.
“The moment Nimia-chan was set in motion, I thought Elnea-kun would come here eventually. If you hadn’t come, we would have come to you.”
“Ruiseine, that’s not an answer.”
“Oh my, oh my, I’m sorry.”
Ruiseine continued to smile, “Fufufu.”
“Elnea-kun, why did you come here?”
“That’s, of course, to join forces with you, Ruiseine.”
“Just to join forces?”
“No. To join forces and to win over the clergy of this country who are likely with you.”
“Fufufu, as expected. You learned it in school, didn’t you? If you get involved in any trouble, rely on the temple.”
“Yes. Ruiseine, you remembered too.”
“Yes, of course.”
As Ruiseine and I were conversing, the woman sitting beside her stood up.
Young. Although, she’s older than me. Older than Mistral, but younger than the Twin Princesses, perhaps.
Long, beautiful hair like black silk. Her refined features had shed the youthfulness of a girl, possessing a mysterious and enchanting aura as she was transitioning into a mature woman. Her height was slightly shorter than Ruiseine, who stood beside her. She was a beautiful woman.
I glanced at the woman who had stood up.
“I was confident that Elnea-kun would follow what he learned in school.”
“You know me well.”
“Therefore. I thought it would be faster for me to act than to wait for Elnea-kun.”
Saying that, Ruiseine introduced the woman who had stood up.
“This is the Head Miko of the Great Shrine of the Yorttenitos Kingdom.”
“I am Madrine, the Head Miko. Dragon King Elnea-kun, Dragon Princess Mistral. And Lyra-sama, it is a pleasure to meet you for the first time.”
“Whaaaaaattt!?”
I was immensely surprised by Madrine, who bowed with the proper etiquette of a shrine maiden.
“Wh-wh-why is the Head Miko here!?”
The Head Miko is the highest-ranking shrine maiden in the country!
Why is the Head Miko here? And why does she know not only my name and Mistral’s but also our titles?
Ignoring my astonishment, Ruiseine continued her explanation.
“Elnea-kun wanted to win over the temple. If that’s the case, there’s no problem with me acting on his behalf. And if we are to win them over as allies, I decided it would be best not to keep any secrets.”
“Rather, if we receive your request as fellow clergy members, we can interfere as much as we want. Hoh Hoh Hoh.”
…Is it my imagination, or did I just hear a statement unbecoming of a Head Miko?
Certainly, I had intended to involve the temple as a mediator for the current problem.
When the temple interferes in problems by acting as a mediator or witness, they generally strive to maintain neutrality.
However, seeing the determined smile of the Head Miko, I found myself tensing up.
“In other words, to completely win us over, you told us our true identities and also informed us about Pricilla and Nimia?”
“Yes, was that not acceptable?”
To Mistral’s question, Ruiseine finally showed a worried face.
“No, on the contrary, I am grateful. Thank you, Ruiseine.”
“Fufufu, you’re welcome.”
It seemed that before we arrived, Ruiseine had already won over the temple entirely. That’s why the priests and shrine maidens let us in without hesitation.
Hmm, wait a minute.
When we arrived, Nimia had already dispelled her magic, and we were recognized. We made eye contact with the guarding priests and shrine maidens.
This means Nimia already knew that Ruiseine had won over the temple before we came here!
“Nyaaa.”
Nimia, as if receiving a reward, was happily munching on the sweets on the desk.
