Chapter 60
Once again, Clael and Reina began living together.
Having lived together for five years, there were no particular problems now, and they resumed their life together without issue.
If there was anything to complain about, it was the bug bites that were bothering them.
Even though the futons had been washed and aired out, red marks often appeared on their necks or chests in the morning.
(Well, it's not itchy or anything, so I guess it's fine...)
Tilting his head, Clael went about his day without seeming particularly concerned.
It would be great if they could just relax and live like this until the end of summer break... but unfortunately, that wasn't going to happen.
It had been a week since Reina returned.
Clael decided to make a certain proposal.
"Shall we go on a trip? Maybe to a seaside town to escape the heat."
"Where did that come from, all of a sudden?"
When he made the suggestion over breakfast, Reina tilted her head curiously as she stirred her soup with a spoon.
"Well... there's no particular reason, but I realized we've never gone on a trip together, just the two of us."
Though Clael had been with Reina for five years, they had hardly ever left this town.
At most, they had gone foraging for wild vegetables in the nearby forest or visited neighboring villages or towns.
"Since we have the chance, I thought a trip might be nice... or do you not want to?"
"I don't mind. Let's go. Let's go right now!"
"O-oh...!"
Reina clenched both fists and leaned forward over the table.
"W-well then, shall we head out once we're ready? It looks like the substitute priest will arrive this afternoon."
In this world, shrine priests also serve as doctors who treat injuries and illness.
Since their absence would be problematic, a substitute is sent from another shrine when they need to be away for a long time.
They had requested one in advance, and the message had said the substitute would arrive this afternoon.
(It was hard to find someone willing to come to such a rural town... maybe this is Reina's influence?)
To tell the truth... they had also requested a substitute before Reina enrolled at the academy.
However, they couldn't find anyone willing to come all the way to this rural town, so they had been unable to leave.
"Excuse me, is the priest here?!"
"Oh...?"
A voice from the chapel called out to Clael.
Clael stood up, interrupting his breakfast.
"Reina, please continue eating. I'll go check it out."
"Understood."
When Clael went to the chapel, a middle-aged man in a monk's robe stood there holding a travel bag.
"Ah, you must be Clael-dono! The one who discovered the current Saint!"
"Y-yes... that's me, but who are you?"
"I have come from the Grand Shrine in the royal capital. My name is Gieville! I have come to this shrine as the substitute priest!"
The middle-aged priest, speaking in a strange tone, gave this self-introduction with a glint in his glasses.
Apparently, he was the priest who had come as a substitute.
They had been told he would arrive in the afternoon, but it seemed he had arrived earlier than expected.
"For one week starting today, I will be in charge of this shrine! I heard you're going on a trip, so please take your time and relax!"
"Y-yes... thank you. But still, you came all the way from the Grand Shrine in the royal capital?"
"But of course! After all, I get to manage the shrine where the great Saint was raised! Everyone fought over who would come, you know!"
Gieville flared his nostrils and insisted, "Hmph-hmph!"
Eggbell, once just a rural town, had become widely known as the birthplace of the Saint.
It had only been about half a year since Reina was publicly declared a Saint, but already many clergy were making pilgrimages, and there were even tourists.
Some people had even started selling wooden statues and sweets modeled after Reina, turning them into new tourist attractions.
"Um... Clael-sama, is that the substitute priest?"
Reina, who had been eating in the back, peeked into the chapel.
Then, Gieville's glasses sparkled with a "Shiiing!" as he knelt at Reina's feet.
"Oh, Saint-sama! It has been too long!"
"U-uh...?"
Reina blinked in confusion.
Come to think of it, this priest named Gieville had said he came from the Grand Shrine in the royal capital... could it be that he knew Reina?
"Reina, do you know him?"
"Um... his face does look familiar?"
Reina tilted her head with a question mark hanging above it.
In other words, they only knew each other to that extent.
The Grand Shrine in the royal capital had hundreds of clergy, so it was no surprise he left little impression.
"To be able to work in this shrine alone with the Saint-sama while Priest Clael is away... I am truly honored! Haa, haa... d-don't worry, I'm fine... This Gieville will never commit a mistake... Yes, Saint-sama. No touching, I swear!"
"Um... Priest Gieville. I'm going on the trip with Clael-sama, so I won't be at the shrine either, okay?"
Reina said modestly, and Gieville froze with a "Heh...?"
"U-um... wasn't I supposed to look after the Saint-sama while Priest Clael was away...?"
"No, I don't think we ever said that..."
Reina glanced over at Clael.
Clael nodded as if to say "of course."
"It's true that on the application for a substitute, I wrote that the Saint would be staying here and that I wanted a one-week vacation... but I don't think I ever wrote that you'd be looking after Reina."
"............"
Gieville's mouth dropped open with a loud "Gakun!"
With his jaw hanging so low it looked like it might fall off, he let out a scream like something from a famous painting.
"N-n-n-n-nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"
Gieville's scream echoed throughout the neighborhood, causing a major disturbance early in the morning.