Chapter 103
After finishing breakfast, Clael was to try on the ceremonial outfit that had been tailored yesterday.
"How should I put this... Isn't this outfit a bit too flashy...?"
"Oh no, not at all. It looks absolutely wonderful on you!"
Wearing the completed ceremonial outfit, Clael furrowed his brows slightly.
The outfit, which the flamboyant tailor in front of him had completed in just one day, was primarily made of white fabric and lavishly embroidered with gold and silver threads.
Even to an untrained eye, it was clearly an expensive outfit—perhaps even on par with what a cardinal might wear. It was truly splendid.
"I feel like the clothes are wearing me, rather than the other way around..."
Clael's expression remained bitter.
To begin with, he had never wanted to be recognized as a Saint.
Clael knew his place.
He held no value beyond being Reina's foster parent.
The fact that someone like him was about to become a high-ranking figure in the shrine as a Saint made him feel guilty.
"Excuse me. Lord Clael, your change of clothes..."
The door to the room opened, and a young girl stepped in.
It was Reina, dressed in a white sister's habit.
"Ah, Reina... About this design, I think it's a bit..."
"Fwah...!"
"Reina!?"
The moment their eyes met, Reina dropped to her knees on the spot.
Clael rushed over, wondering what was wrong, but Reina just stared blankly and opened her mouth, trembling.
"So... dashing..."
"Huh...?"
"L-Lord Clael... That outfit suits you so well... It's just too wonderful..."
Though Reina was on her knees, she covered her mouth with both hands as tears began to fall.
Her emotions were in disarray, and her tear ducts had completely given out.
Clael grimaced, wondering why she was so overwhelmed.
"It suits you... Lord Clael. That outfit—white, silver, gold, so cool, white, and dashing..."
"Reina, please calm down. Your vocabulary is breaking down."
At the very least, he didn't think it was 'dashing.'
Clael had thought it was too flashy, but at least it seemed to strike a chord with Reina.
"...Well, if Reina is okay with it, then I suppose it's fine."
"See? I told you, didn't I? It suits the priest perfectly."
The flamboyant tailor chimed in with a grin, following up with a smug smile.
"I'll fix the hem and other details by the end of the day... I'm so looking forward to tomorrow's ceremony, right, Saint?"
"Yes, I'm really looking forward to it! Finally, the day has come when Lord Clael will be properly recognized by the world!"
Reina, now finally standing, clasped her hands together and smiled radiantly.
"I always believed that Lord Clael should be acknowledged and respected by many more people... Finally, this day has come!"
"I'm not that remarkable of a person though..."
"You are remarkable!"
Reina declared firmly.
Her tone was so strong, it was as if she couldn't accept otherwise.
"At tomorrow's ceremony, that will surely be proven... everyone will recognize that Lord Clael is worthy to stand beside the Saint."
"...Did you say something?"
"No, nothing in particular."
Reina tilted her head.
He thought he heard her say something suspicious in a hushed voice... but once again, it must have been his imagination.
"You two think it suits me as well, right?"
"Yes, without a doubt."
When Reina asked, the two sisters standing behind her answered in unison.
He had been curious from the start... Who exactly were these two?
"Reina, who are those two?"
"They're sisters I'm mentoring."
"Mentoring... Ah, so they're junior sisters?"
Unlike rural shrines like Eggbell, the Grand Shrine had many priests and sisters.
So it was only natural for senior members to look after the newcomers.
(Though both of them seem older than Reina... Well, some people do enter the shrine after turning twenty. That happens, sure.)
On a side note... the two sisters had unusually lifeless eyes, as if devoid of any light.
Since some people are forced into religious life against their will, it wasn't necessarily unnatural.
"Now then, you two. Shall we go clean the shrine?"
"Yes, we shall accompany you."
The two followed Reina out of the room.
Clael silently watched their backs as they followed her like soulless dolls.