Chapter 11
The next day, as previously planned, Reina's education began.
In a room deep within the shrine, Reina was seated at a desk, and the start of the lesson was declared.
"Well then, shall we begin our studies?"
"Yes! Thank you very much!"
Reina responded with sparkling eyes.
Thanks to two days of nutritious meals, Reina's complexion had greatly improved.
Though her body was still thin, her overall health was steadily improving.
"Miss Reina, do you have any subjects you're good at or ones you're not fond of?"
"Um... I'm not really sure, but I like reading books. My mother used to read to me a lot when she was alive."
"In that case, let's begin with a theology lesson."
She had never studied before.
It's easier to learn by starting with a subject one seems to enjoy.
"Then, let's read this scripture aloud. You can read the letters, right?"
"Yes, my mother taught me."
"Very good. Then, please begin."
"Okay. Um...'In the beginning, there was darkness. God said, Let there be light, and light filled the dark world'"
The scripture of this world borrows heavily from the Bible.
It includes Genesis, the Tower of Babel, Sodom and Gomorrah, and Noah's Ark.
What differs is the part that comes after. There is no Jesus Christ; instead, a being called the 'Saint' appears.
"Seeing the ruined world, the great Saint of the Beginning said: I shall bring healing to this world"
"Yes... Since the descent of the Saint of the Beginning, beings known as Saints have appeared in this world from time to time. The Saint pours power into the earth, dispels evil, and brings prosperity to the people."
The previous Saint passed away about twenty years ago. Apparently, she lived a long life and died at eighty.
That Saint was the daughter of a duke and became the wife of the king at the time.
In other words, the current royal family carries the blood of the Saint.
(Because the previous Saint came from noble blood, Reina gets bullied at school with things like 'Why is a commoner's daughter here...')
There were even scenes where rival characters like princesses or daughters of dukes accused her, saying they were more suited to be the Saint.
In the end, all those rival characters got their comeuppance.
(You can't change the status you're born into. So at the very least, I need to make her strong enough to endure any attacks.)
"Thus, the Saint of the Beginning joined hands with the First King and created the Golden Kingdom"
"Alright, that's enough for now."
She read the scripture for about two hours, and the lesson continued with some commentary added along the way.
Reina took the lesson without complaint—in fact, she seemed to enjoy reading the scripture.
"Let's take a break soon. Shall we have some tea over there?"
"Yes! But still... I thought scriptures would be more difficult. It was really easy to read, and it was interesting too!"
"That's because it's a simplified version for children to study. The original scripture is much thicker and takes days to read through."
To become a priest, one must memorize the contents of the scripture, which is as thick as a dictionary.
Since one must also master the Holy Arts, priests entrusted with the shrine like Clael are considered part of a very elite group.
(Becoming a priest is tough, but once you're in, it's a stable life... I'm glad I started studying early.)
Born as the fifth son of a marquis, Clael once aspired to a different-world reincarnation power fantasy.
But he quickly faced reality.
His physical and magical talents were just "decent."
Compared to commoners with little magical power, he was quite strong, but as a noble, he was only slightly above average.
Then he thought, how about a production cheat... but that failed too.
Entertainment like playing cards and chess already existed, and there was no room to innovate in agriculture or industry either.
If only he had excelled in a specialized field like medicine, but in his previous life, Clael had been a gamer and corporate drone, so he had no such knowledge.
Even though he was born into a marquis family, as the fifth son, he held no real power.
He quickly gave up on aiming for the top and chose the stable path of a priest.
(If only I had realized sooner that this world was like a game, there might have been more I could do...)
"Sigh..."
"Is something wrong, Priest?"
"No... it's nothing. Oh right... since we're at it, why don't we learn how to brew tea as well?"
Clael took tea leaves from the shelf.
Reina tilted her head curiously.
"I think I can make tea, probably?"
"The way commoners brew tea is different from how it's done for nobles."
Just like there are business manners for serving tea, there are proper etiquettes when serving nobles too.
The amount of tea leaves and hot water, the placement of cups and sweets, how to let the tea steep... Unlike commoners, there are complex rules, and failing to follow them leads to being seen as uncultured.
"There might be a chance you'll attend a tea party with nobles in the future. It wouldn't hurt to know this just in case."
"I don't think I'll ever get such a chance... but if you say so, Priest, I'll do my best!"
Once she starts attending the academy in the royal capital, she'll interact with upper-class people, including capture targets.
To avoid being looked down on as a country commoner, she should learn manners like table etiquette.
"I'll also teach you how to use a knife and fork during meals. There'll be a lot of unfamiliar things, but... let's take it slow and learn together."
"Yes! I'll do my best!"
Reina nodded firmly, watching Clael's every move as he brewed the tea.
After that, Clael taught her manners and etiquette in a relaxed manner.
She had always been a quick learner.
Alongside her studies, she was able to master etiquette as well.
Her naturally beautiful appearance became even more refined with proper manners.
(At this rate, she might end up being able to eat more gracefully than I can.)
In a year or two, she would surely become a lady who could be presented anywhere without shame.
Clael thought so with the heart of a father watching his child grow.