We live at the foot of Dragon Peak.
Night stroll and future plans
It turned out to be a lively night.
The never-wilting, mysterious flowers are very expensive when sold at the market. We were treated like heroes after bringing back bags full of them.
The children, especially, were overjoyed, wanting to make presents for Anya.
The adults, too, seemed moved that we gave away the never-wilting flowers without asking for anything in return, and they threw a village-wide banquet for us.
Of course, all the adventurers who helped us were there too.
Oh, right.
During our adventure, Doran and the others realized our true identities and suddenly became distant or showed fear.
But they are adventurers at heart. Or rather, they probably have no connection to formal behaviors or upper-class speech.
Although Doran and the others were a little awkward at first, they soon returned to their usual selves.
“At first, I wondered if we could casually approach such great heroes, you know. But seeing your friendly conversations and natural interactions with the villagers, I thought there was no need to be cautious. I felt like you were actually quite approachable,”
Doran said, speaking more freely after drinking.
My wives and I joined the grand banquet with the village adults.
Adventurers and villagers constantly came to our side, offering us drinks and food.
As this is a remote village, the environment doesn’t have ample supplies of food and drinks, but a lack of provisions can be compensated for by the satisfaction of the heart.
We were very satisfied with the warm hospitality of the villagers.
Priscilla-chan, in particular, with her belly full of local cuisine, had a blissful expression.
Even Alicia, who is usually serious, chuckled at her gluttonous sister.
“Hey, Elnea boy. A man should be able to drink, shouldn’t he?”
“I’ve heard similar words from the Dragon Race!”
The banquet continued late into the night.
Since the women were my wives, the village men and the adventurers kept their distance from Mistral and the others, not interfering with them strangely. Instead, I, with my beautiful wives, was targeted by everyone, leading to a difficult situation.
Doran, with a glass of what seemed to be strong alcohol, cornered me. He then proceeded to pester me, saying, “You can’t drink my sake, can you?” in a manner similar to a stubborn artisan lecturing an apprentice.
“I’m not good with alcohol. If you want drinks, look at the twins over there; they’re bottomless.”
At my words, Yufilia and Nina reacted sharply.
However, Sefina grabbed both of them by the collar.
“Sisters, it’s almost bedtime.”
“Oh, the night is just beginning.”
“Oh, the drinking is just beginning.”
“No!”
It seemed Yufilia and Nina were preempted by Sefina.
Once they start drinking, they can’t stop. So, in Sefina’s strategy to take them away from the banquet before they got too drunk, the twin princesses regrettably exited.
However, this created a problem for me.
After all, I don’t think I can match Doran’s drinking.
Seeing my predicament, I scanned my surroundings.
Then, I saw Mistral and Laira also about to leave the banquet, coinciding with Yufilia and Nina’s departure.
Laira, in particular, looked sleepy.
That’s understandable, isn’t it?
It hasn’t even been a full day since Laira and I snuck out of the royal palace late at night. Conversely, we’ve been so busy and noisy since last night that we haven’t even had a nap, let alone a proper sleep.
Considering that, it’s natural for her to be sleepy.
Upon seeing Laira’s sleepy appearance, I also started to feel sleepy.
“A lot has happened today, and I’m sleepy too. So, I can’t drink!”
While I appreciate the invitations from Doran and the villagers, the ability to know when to bow out is also essential for a top-tier adventurer.
Well, I’m not an adventurer, though.
However, I’ve attended various banquets with people from different races before.
I’ve picked up the knack for gracefully leaving a lively gathering.
Before leaving, I thanked and expressed my gratitude to Doran and the villagers, and then left with a smile.
The villagers also didn’t try to force me to stay, saying, “It must have been quite a day for you.”
Those who still wanted to have fun would likely continue the banquet late into the night, led by Doran.
With the lively lights behind me, I headed towards my lodging for the night.
Are everyone else back and preparing to sleep already?
Priscilla-chan had left early with Alicia. So, once we get back to the inn, it’ll be time to sleep peacefully.
Or so I thought.
“Speaking of which, what happened to Ruiseine and Madrine?”
They are both in religious service. Therefore, there are times when they decline banquet invitations. However, when they decline, it’s usually because the political situation makes it unsuitable for clergy to attend.
Since tonight’s banquet is a way for the villagers to express their gratitude, they should have been able to participate without hesitation.
But when I looked around earlier, they were no longer at the banquet.
Hmm. Where could they have gone?
On the way to the inn, Madrine approached me.
“Elnea-kun, the moon is beautiful tonight.”
“Yes, it’s a very beautiful night.”
Madrine appeared from the side of a dirt path without any lights.
At the sound of her voice, I looked up at the night sky.
“It’s not a full moon tonight, but it’s a very beautiful moon.”
“On a full moon night, Madrine is busy with rituals, right?”
“Yes. I can’t neglect my rituals. …So, with that said…”
For some reason, Madrine smiled and grasped the hem of my clothes tightly.
“Let’s elope. Let’s go somewhere far away, just the two of us. And then, let’s have a love ritual, just for us!”
“No no no, I’m not Laira, so you can’t just run off! Besides, I know. Madrine, you’re actually a serious person. I can see clearly that you wouldn’t irresponsibly abandon your duties.”
Her flirtatious behavior is just an act, unlike Yufilia and Nina. She has a genuinely serious personality, which is why she was appointed Head Miko of the Yorttenitos Kingdom at such a young age.
And because she fulfills her duties splendidly as Head Miko, I believe the other Mikos and Shinkans respect and follow her.
When I told her this, Madrine shyly lowered her face.
“By the way, Madrine, what were you doing out so late? And what about Ruiseine?”
Madrine, who is usually so bashful, is quite rare, and I’m tempted to tease her further.
However, self-restraint is also necessary.
After all, despite our promised future, Madrine is a legitimate Head Miko.
If I push her too much, I might incur divine punishment from the Goddess.
So, I changed the subject.
Madrine cleared her throat ostentatiously and, as if to say, “You’re asking just the right question,” she answered with pride.
“Since we were out in the countryside, Ruiseine and I visited the temple of this village.”
“So, what about Ruiseine?”
“Uh… about that… Ruiseine returned to the inn ahead of us.”
A little after Madrine spoke to me earlier.
I had sensed Ruiseine’s presence quietly departing in the darkness.
I suspect that something transpired between them, and they decided to leave Madrine and me alone tonight.
“I see. So, Madrine was taking a walk and happened to encounter me while exploring the village at night?”
“That’s right! This is the guidance of the Goddess!”
Whether it was truly the Goddess’s guidance or not, I decided to take this opportunity and invited Madrine to continue strolling through the village roads a bit longer.
“Well then, Madrine, let’s go.”
Saying that, I didn’t hesitate to take Madrine’s hand.
Madrine looked a little surprised, but soon she returned my grasp with a composed smile.
“Elnea-kun, you’re surprisingly bold.”
“It’s not surprising; I am bold. After all, I’m planning to include not only my wives but also Madrine and Sefina among my kin?”
“Fufufu, now that you mention it, that’s true.”
I never imagined I would become such a womanizer before meeting Mistral at the Moss Garden.
You never know how life can change.
“So, Elnea-kun, where are you planning to take me? Even for you, Elnea-kun, we’re not married yet, so we shouldn’t do anything to attract unwanted attention…”
“It’s the clergy who are thinking strange things!”
“Muki! That’s not true!”
Of course, I wouldn’t take her behind bushes or into an abandoned house.
However, it’s my first time visiting this village, and it’s nighttime. Where should we go?
“Ah, I’d like to visit the temple too!”
“Oh, a pious believer, are we?”
Madrine chuckled, implying that I’m usually an impious person. As she said this, she took my hand and guided me to the temple.
The thick gray clouds that had been present during the day had disappeared by night, and the moon and stars shone beautifully in the sky.
Madrine and I walked along the moonlit path, seemingly under the stars, at a leisurely pace.
Soon, we arrived at the village temple.
Well, that’s to be expected. It’s a small village, so wherever you go, you arrive quickly.
In fact, no matter where we went, the sounds of revelry from the people still celebrating in the plaza could be heard.
The temple we arrived at was a small one, fitting for such a small village.
“This temple is managed by a couple, a Miko and a Shinkan. They have two daughters who are still young, but I believe they will become splendid Mikos in the future.”
Even at night, a bonfire was lit in front of the temple for those who wished to pray.
The crackling sound of the bonfire, permeating the chilling winter night, was a pleasant sensation to the ears.
Illuminated by the warm flames, the temple offered a sense of peace to its visitors.
“So, in small villages, they are run by couples, right?”
“If requested, they can be dispatched from nearby temples, but usually, the management is handled by people from the village or town itself,”
Madrine explained that due to the nature of their profession, where clergy often marry each other, such couples manage rural areas.
“By the way, I have a question. Even though it’s a small temple in a small village, it’s made of stone, isn’t it?”
Despite its small size, the temple itself was solidly built of stone.
It seemed a bit strange that even a small provincial temple would be made of stone, let alone the Great Shrine in the city or the capital.
Then, Madrine began to tell a story, as if recounting a fairy tale.
“Long, long ago. It is said that there was an era when humans ruled the world. And at that time, in the holy capital that was the center of the world, a magnificent Great Shrine was built.”
Though hard to imagine now, temple religions tell of an era when humans dominated deities, demons, and other races.
And at the center of the country ruled by humans, the center of the world, there was a place called the “Holy Capital.”
Incidentally, the place that clergy call the “Sanctuary” is said to be the location where that “Holy Capital” once stood.
“Those of us who serve the Goddess are scattered across the world. However, our teachings and worldview are common throughout the world. The most evident example of this unifying principle is the temple, recognizable no matter where you visit. Therefore, temples are, in principle, made of stone, just like the Great Shrine of ancient times.”
“No matter how far apart, the hearts of people around the world are connected through the temple, aren’t they?”
“Yes. And through the moon in the night sky, the Goddess is always sending down her benevolence.”
It’s likely through the moon in the night sky and the temple on earth that we feel the presence of the Goddess.
“Thank you for the insightful stories, Madrine.”
“You’re welcome. I’m always happy to share such stories… By the way, Elnea-kun.”
As we were talking in the small plaza in front of the temple, Madrine looked at me with an uncharacterfoot expression.
I instinctively straightened my posture.
“This is related to the topic of the temple, or rather, it’s something I’ve been meaning to discuss with you.”
“Yes, what is it?”
For a moment, I thought she might suggest getting married soon, but Madrine still has duties and a position to inherit, so she wouldn’t irresponsibly say something like that.
So, what could it be about?
What topic comes to mind when thinking of temples…?
“It’s about the temple being built in the paradise near the eastern border.”
“That’s the temple for clergy training, and also to deepen friendships with the Dragon Race and spirits living in paradise, right?”
“Yes. We plan to invite the Mimicho Race, whom you are currently taking care of in the Forbidden Territory, to that temple, aren’t we?”
“That’s under the condition that they wish to come, of course.”
Given that it’s being established as a “training temple,” the days there would undoubtedly be far more arduous than training in an ordinary temple. Moreover, they would also have to deal with the Dragon Race and spirits.
Knowing that, it’s still unknown how many Mimicho people will volunteer.
“If the Mimicho can train at the temple in paradise, I think that would be wonderful. However…”
Madrine looked me straight in the eye with an unusually serious expression.
And then, she voiced her thoughts.
“I believe they have a problem they cannot avoid. Therefore, there’s one more woman I would like to personally invite.”
“Could it be…”
The Mimicho people currently living in the mansion in the Forbidden Territory. A woman who is deeply involved with them and has also shown interest in temple religions.
The possibilities were limited.
“You mean you want to invite Istericia to the temple in paradise, don’t you?”
Madrine nodded slowly at my words.
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