We live in the foothills of Dragon Peak.
Pray, Priscilla Organization.
The morning for those who serve as clergy begins early.
We finish getting ready before sunrise and begin our daily routine.
First, we cleanse ourselves.
“My, my, it seems like we’re playing in the water!”
Ruiseine smiles, chuckling.
But for me, who was rudely awakened in the early morning, it doesn’t look like a delightful sight at all.
Carried by Ruiseine and Madrine on either side, I headed to the lively courtyard even before the sun peeked over the Dragon Peak ridgeline.
There, the Mimicho Race, followers of the Priscilla Organization, were joyfully bathing in the lakeside.
“I’ve heard that the Mimicho Race lives in harmony with nature. They go to bed with the sunset and start their activities with the sunrise, don’t they?”
“No, no, Madrine-sama. It’s not even sunrise yet! Besides, judging by how much fun they were having last night, they’re quite the night owls!”
Nevertheless, it’s true that the Mimicho Race starts their day early.
Only Priscilla-chan, who is a sleepyhead, is the exception. The Mimicho Race people living in the Dragon Forest were also energetically active from the early morning.
The Mimicho Race people who started working at our mansion were already dipping their feet in the courtyard lake before breakfast, splashing playfully.
“…So, uh. What should we do about this?”
It was, of course, Priscilla-chan, the founder, who taught the Mimicho Race the wrong way to perform their ritual ablution.
Priscilla-chan knows that Ruiseine performs her ritual ablution every morning.
However, when it comes to teaching it to others, her childlike sense is added. And somehow, it got mixed up and became a custom of playing in the water from early morning.
“Fufufu. Everyone looks so happy this early in the morning.”
“Ruiseine is right. It’s summer, after all. It must be very enjoyable.”
The summer in the forbidden territory is considerably more pleasant than the summers in the Armēdo Kingdom or the Yorttenitos Kingdom. Perhaps it’s because a pleasant breeze blows through the deep forest and grasslands, carrying fresh air? However, it is summer after all. If you move, you will sweat, and during the daytime, you don’t want to be out in the sun. And, playing in the water on a hot summer day is very refreshing and enjoyable.
The ritual ablution performed by the Mimicho Race people had turned into a game rather than a purification ritual. Ruiseine called out to the Mimicho Race people and gathered them around.
Although it was indeed Priscilla-chan, the founder, who introduced the mysterious religion to the Mimicho Race, everyone knows that Ruiseine and Madrine are Miko who serve in the clergy. Therefore, the Mimicho Race people gathered around the two, wondering what was happening.
“Everyone, is playing in the water enjoyable?”
The Mimicho Race people nod with smiles at Madrine’s question.
“You all learned from Priscilla-chan to perform ritual ablution every morning, didn’t you?”
Yes, yes, everyone nods enthusiastically.
“Then, I have a question for you. Do you also play in the lake during the mid-winter blizzards?”
The Mimicho Race people, who had been nodding and smiling cheerfully, suddenly stopped moving. It was as if they had frozen. The smiling faces of the men looking frozen were frightening.
“It is called a habit, a daily routine, precisely because it is performed at the same time and in the same manner every day. So, will you continue this water play throughout the year?”
No Mimicho Race person nods in response to Madrine’s question.
“Enjoying your daily routine is a wonderful thing. However, it cannot be continued if it becomes ascetic practice, can it?”
It’s fine now because it’s summer. It feels good to dip your feet in the water, and even if you get splashed with water, it doesn’t feel unpleasant. It’s not a problem even if your whole body gets wet, and you won’t catch a cold. However, once summer passes, autumn arrives, and then winter… I wouldn’t want to play in the water in the dead of winter either!
Ruiseine and Madrine offer gentle, compassionate smiles to the frozen Mimicho Race people.
“Well then, everyone. We will teach you the correct way to perform ritual ablution that can be done year-round, without it being ascetic practice. Please come this way.”
And with that, the two led the Mimicho Race people into the mansion.
Huh!?
Isn’t ritual ablution done outside? I followed Ruiseine and Madrine, mingling with the Mimicho Race people.
Then, they arrived at the large bathhouse.
In the large bathtub, there was warm water, just the right temperature even for summer. A gentle Water Spirit stores the water and purifies it after use. It’s exquisite water that a cheerful Fire Spirit always heats to the perfect temperature.
I and the Mimicho Race people, with question marks floating in our minds, were watching Ruiseine and Madrine in the large bathhouse.
“Hey, hey, you two. Are we going to perform ritual ablution here? It feels quite different from the ritual ablution I know of?”
I know. Ruiseine performs ritual ablution almost every morning. In places like this mansion, she does it at the well. Even when camping outdoors, if there was a stream or brook nearby, she would perform it there. Of course, year-round.
However, the place where the Mimicho Race people were led was the large bathhouse.
“Fufufu, Elnea-kun. Ruiseine and I are ordained Miko who have received baptism. It would be too harsh to impose the same daily rituals as clergy serving in temple religions on ordinary followers, wouldn’t it?”
“I-I see.”
Ruiseine is right. It’s impossible for an expert and a novice to do the same thing. Moreover, the Mimicho Race people have only recently become interested in the temple religion. If we force ascetic practices on them immediately, their hearts will drift away. Temple religion is something that gives salvation to people’s hearts; it is not something that inflicts pain on the spirit or body.
“It doesn’t have to be well water or lake water. If you’re cold, hot water is fine. The important thing is to wash away yesterday’s impurities in the morning and start the new day with a pure body and mind.”
“Oh, Madrine-sama, you sound like a splendid Miko when you preach such profound teachings!”
“Muki! I am, and always have been, a splendid Head Miko!”
“That’s right!”
Well, jokes aside.
The important thing is to be aware that by performing ritual ablution every morning, we should cherish the day, right?
And, while clergy members perform it as part of their training, even in the cold, ordinary followers can use either cold or hot water.
Ruiseine is patiently teaching the Mimicho Race people the method of ritual ablution with gestures. Of course, it’s not a demonstration. Among the Mimicho Race people who are watching Ruiseine explain, there are both men and women. If she were to actually pour water here, she would be in an indecent state in front of the men. I, her husband, will not permit that!
Also, the men’s bath and women’s bath are separate!
Since the number of people living in the mansion has increased beyond our family, we have divided the several bathhouses into men’s and women’s baths.
By the way, the bathhouse used by our family is called “Family Bath,” without distinction between men and women.
The Mimicho Race men who received Ruiseine’s explanation immediately put it into practice. The women also moved to a separate bathhouse.
Unfortunately, this was the men’s bath.
“Elnea-kun, why are you looking at the women who are leaving?”
“It’s, it’s nothing!”
I hastily averted my gaze. But my movement only emphasized my guilt. By the time I realized it, it was too late. Ruiseine, pouting, grabbed my clothes.
“Well then, Elnea-kun, shall we perform ritual ablution too? You were watching carefully how I was teaching the Mimicho Race people earlier, weren’t you?”
“Y-yes…”
And so, I was led away.
Ah, I’m so glad it’s summer. If this were the dead of winter, I would definitely catch a cold.
“Elnea-kun, after you finish your ritual ablution, the next thing is prayer. After that, meditation. And after meditation, training with me. After training…”
“Madrine-sama, when is breakfast!?”
Miko-samas have a very busy morning, don’t they?
Again, I am surprised by the daily routine that Ruiseine and Madrine perform every morning. To think that they do this every day while I am sleeping.
I should try to emulate them a little. My father just warned me to have some restraint. If I live my life purely and correctly every day like the clergy, will I become a calm adult like Ruiseine?
I glance at Ruiseine. By the time she came to wake me up, she was already dressed and looked as usual. Surely, she must have finished her daily routine before lecturing the Mimicho Race people. As expected of Ruiseine. She is my proud wife, pure, righteous, and modest.
“Muki! Elnea-kun, don’t just look at Ruiseine. Look at me properly too!”
“Guh.”
I was so mesmerized by Ruiseine. Then, perhaps out of jealousy, Madrine-sama cupped my face with both hands and forcefully pulled me towards her. As a result, my neck is screaming.
“See? I’m beautiful too, aren’t I? Come on, look at me more. If you want, what’s hidden in my Miko outfit…”
“Madrine-sama, it’s unbecoming for someone in the position of Head Miko to say such things!”
“Ruiseine, what do you mean by unbecoming? In the relationship between Elnea-kun and me, it’s by no means unbecoming to be seen naked.”
“No, no, Madrine-sama. Loosening the hem of your Miko outfit in the hallway is already unacceptable for a member of the clergy, isn’t it?”
“Oh, you! Elnea-kun, in that case, we can go to your room.”
“Madrine-sama!”
Alas, I sigh.
Ruiseine and Madrine are supposed to be performing the same daily rituals as Miko. However, Ruiseine is modest, while Madrine has a personality that could be described as triplets with Yufilia and Nina. Why are they so different?
Mumumu.
Perhaps even if I perform ritual ablution every day, I won’t gain modesty like Ruiseine? Then, how can I acquire modesty and a calm personality?
As I was pondering this, a commotion from down the hallway rushed towards us.
“Um, good morning!”
“Good morning, good morning!”
“Nyah.”
“Elnea-sama, good morning!”
“Hey, Laira. Today is my turn to hug Elnea-kun.”
“Hey, Laira. Today is my turn to have Elnea-kun all to myself.”
“You know, Priscilla wants to play in the water too?”
“Hahahaha! Elnea-sama, please save me!”
“Laira, let go.”
“Laira, let go of him.”
“Laira-san, Yufi-san, Nina-san. Let go of Elnea-kun!”
“Muki! You all are lucky. Let me join too!”
“Madrine-sama, as I said earlier, that’s unbecoming!”
“Nyan. Still sleepy, nyan.”
“Priscilla, I woke up early today! So, let’s go play?”
“You all, be quiet!”
Laira, Yufilia, and Nina push their chests against me, and Madrine-sama joins them. Ruiseine tries to pull them away from me. Priscilla-chan, along with Ares-chan, is making a racket from the morning, and Nimia, who is on her head, is jumping around. And then, it was Mistral, holding a pot and a ladle, who brought down thunder on everyone’s noisy behavior.
I see.
It seems I won’t be able to acquire modesty. Because every day is this lively!
