Chapter 1: I Picked Up a Saintess

Ah, it’s the world of an otome game.

It was when a certain girl arrived at the temple in a rural town that Clarel Burn, a priest serving there, realized a shocking truth.

“Priest-sama, may I offer a prayer?”

“Huh…?”

The girl appeared to be no more than ten years old. Her disheveled gray hair reached her waist, and her clothes were tattered rags, giving her a pitiful appearance. But upon closer inspection, her features were refined, and her almond-shaped eyes sparkled with jade-like irises at their center.

He could swear it was their first meeting. Yet, Clarel knew this girl.

Why? Because she was Reina Laurel, the heroine of the otome game The Rainbow-Colored Sparkles From Beyond that Clarel had played in his previous life.

“No way… Seriously? Is this actually the game world…?”

“Priest-sama?”

The girl—Reina—looked up with uneasy, wavering eyes. Perhaps she thought her shabby appearance would get her chased out.

“U-um… Is it… not okay?”

“…N-no, no! It’s not a problem at all!”

Clarel hurriedly waved both hands, then cleared his throat with a cough and adjusted his tone.

“My apologies, I was lost in thought… This is the house of the Goddess. Its doors are open to all. Pray as much as you like, for as long as you wish.”

“Th-thank you so much…!”

Reina’s face softened with relief as she knelt before the statue of the Goddess in the temple’s chapel.

“…………”

Reina closed her eyes, clasped her hands, and began to pray. Then… a change occurred almost immediately. Particles of white light, like snow, overflowed from her slender body and were absorbed into the statue of the Goddess.

The statue, having absorbed the light, began to glow faintly. That radiance melted into the temple’s floor, walls, and the stained-glass windows. The entire temple was enveloped in a kaleidoscope of red, blue, yellow, and white light, as if they’d been thrown into a prismatic wonderland.

“It’s beautiful… It’s just like the game’s opening scene…!”

A sight impossible in reality. A scene truly befitting a divine miracle… but one that mirrored the opening of the game perfectly.

Reina was the protagonist of the otome game—and a Saintess.

She was the child of a merchant’s mistress, but after her mother died of illness, she was taken in by her father. Though her father’s household was wealthy, as the child of a mistress, she was cruelly mistreated by her father and stepmother. That’s why her hair and clothes were in tatters, and her body was gaunt.

Three years after being taken in by her father, Reina visited the temple to mourn her mother on the anniversary of her death. There, she performed a miracle and was recognized as a Saintess.

Reina’s prayers turned into light, absorbed by the Goddess’s statue, and that power returned to the earth as a blessing to protect the people… This scene represented that miracle.

“I see… The nameless mob priest who discovers Reina. That’s my role, isn’t it…?”

As he watched the miracle unfold before him, Clarel came to understand his place in the world.

Clarel was a reincarnator who had once lived in Japan. In his previous life, he was an avid gamer, playing a wide range of games, from classic RPGs to otome games.

After ten years at a toxic company, enduring grueling work while growing his savings through investments, he finally slammed his resignation letter on his awful boss’s desk. Just as he was about to relax and enjoy a life of gaming, a sudden chest pain struck, and he died. Probably a heart attack from overwork.

And then… he found himself reincarnated in this world.

Clarel was born into a noble family in the Seincle Kingdom, but as the fifth son, he had no chance of inheriting the estate. Eventually, he’d have to leave home.

So, Clarel chose the path of a priest. He figured that working as a priest in a temple would allow him to live comfortably off donations without much effort.

He studied hard, graduated from an academy in the capital, and was assigned to a small temple in a rural town.

A week after starting his post, he was just getting used to life here… when Reina, the game’s heroine, appeared.

The name ‘Clarel Burn’ never appeared in the game, and I didn’t memorize the place names either. If I’d paid more attention to the setting, I might’ve realized sooner…

In this world, Clarel’s role seemed to be that of the mob priest who recognizes Reina as a Saintess.

In the game’s storyline, this mob priest—meaning Clarel—reports her to the Grand Temple in the capital, allowing Reina to escape her abusive family and be taken in by the Grand Temple.

She’s adopted by a noble family, attends the academy where the story takes place, meets the romanceable characters, and the love-filled, fantastical otome game begins.

“Phew…”

Reina opened her eyes and stood. As she stopped praying, the light vanished.

“Thank you so much… Thanks to you, I was able to mourn my mother.”

“That’s good to hear… And I got to witness something wonderful myself.”

“Something… wonderful?”

“Yes, it was a truly magnificent sight.”

Feeling as though his heart had been cleansed, Clarel bowed his head to Reina.

If he followed the game’s script, Clarel would now report Reina to the Grand Temple. That would be the end of his role as the nameless mob priest.

Wait a second… Is that really okay?

Clarel suddenly realized something.

Sure, that was his role in the game’s storyline. But sending Reina to the Grand Temple wouldn’t guarantee her happiness.

Recognized as a Saintess, Reina would undergo harsh training at the Grand Temple to master her holy powers. That training was so severe it could practically be called abuse—enough to make players recoil in horror.

The developers likely wanted a Cinderella story where the heroine overcomes early hardships to find happiness, but the brutality was so extreme that plenty of players put down their controllers.

Whether she stays with her toxic parents or gets sent to the Grand Temple as a Saintess… either way, Reina’s just going to keep suffering, isn’t she?

If he didn’t know, that’d be one thing. But knowing she’d face such cruelty and still sending her there? That’d make him the worst kind of person.

If I know she’s doomed to suffer either way, then maybe…

“Priest-sama…?”

“Oh, it’s nothing… Would you like to have some tea in the back?”

Putting on the mask of a devout priest, Clarel invited her, and Reina’s eyes widened in surprise.

“But… I’m dressed like this… and I haven’t bathed, so I’m dirty…”

“That’s no issue. Hmm, do you dislike apple pie?”

“N-no… I like it, but…”

“Then let’s eat some together. Come to the back room.”

Clarel led Reina to the living quarters at the back of the temple. Taking an underage girl to his room might look bad, but he had a noble reason, so he hoped it’d be forgiven.

At the dining table, where Reina sat nervously, he offered her an apple pie bought from a nearby bakery and some tea.

“Go ahead, dig in.”

“R-really? I can eat this…?”

“Yes, of course. Eat as much as you like.”

“I-Itadakimasu (T-Thanks for the food)…!” Reina’s voice trembled with gratitude as she began eagerly devouring the apple pie.

For Reina, who hadn’t had proper meals under her toxic parents, the apple pie must’ve been a feast. She stuffed her mouth full, cheeks puffed out, even shedding tears. “Ish sho good~ sho delishious…!”

“Calm down, chew properly. There’s plenty more, so no need to rush.”

“’Kay…!”

Seeing Reina shed tears, Clarel felt a pang in his chest. How could anyone force such a brave, fragile, pitiful girl into a miserable fate? As a player of The Rainbow-Colored Sparkles From Beyond, there was no way he could overlook his favorite character’s suffering.

I can’t send Reina to the Grand Temple… and of course, I can’t leave her with her toxic parents either.

So, what should he do? Clarel thought for a moment before steeling his resolve.

“Um… I haven’t asked your name yet. May I have it?”

“It’s Reina…”

“Reina-san… No, may I call you Reina?”

“Y-yes… That’s fine…”

“I’m Clarel Burn, and I’ve been serving as a priest here since this month. I know this is sudden, but… would you like to work at this temple?”

“Huh…?”

“I saw you praying earlier, and… it seems you have the potential to be a priestess. Would you like to work here as a sister and learn to use the ‘divine power’ bestowed by the Goddess… the art of ‘Holy Magic’?”

Yes… this was Clarel’s brilliant plan to break the situation. By taking Reina in at this temple, he could protect her from her abusive parents. And here, he’d teach her Holy Magic, helping her develop her powers as a Saintess.

I’m not bragging, but I’m pretty skilled at Holy Magic. I should be able to teach her the basics well enough.

He’d guide her in Holy Magic until she could protect herself, then report to the Grand Temple. That way, she could attend the academy as a Saintess. This plan should save her from both her toxic parents’ abuse and the Grand Temple’s harsh training.

“Um, is that… okay? Someone like me, staying here…?” Reina’s voice wavered, bewildered, as a piece of half-eaten apple pie fell from her mouth.

“You’re needed here… Please, will you do it?”

“Uu…” At Clarel’s words, Reina’s face crumpled. For someone who’d been abused and treated as a nuisance, being needed by someone must’ve been overwhelming. “U-Uwaaaaaaaaah!” She burst into tears, sobbing far louder than when she ate the pie.

“…There, there.” Unsure how to handle a crying child, Clarel patted her head.

Reina clung to his chest, smearing tears and snot on his clothes. “Uwaaaaaaaaaaah!”

“…Good grief.” No one can win against a crying child, not even the most virtuous priest.

Clarel spent nearly an hour soothing the sobbing Reina.

“For now… it’s probably best if you stay at the temple starting today.” Sending her home would only mean more violence from her toxic parents. He had no intention of letting her return to that place. He’d take her in at the temple for good.

“B-but… if I don’t go back, my father and them…”

“They’ll worry… is that it?”

“N-no… um…” Reina’s voice faltered. Of course, they wouldn’t worry. Her toxic parents wouldn’t care if she stayed out all night.

“Ugh…” She seemed to know her parents didn’t care about her. She clutched the hem of her tattered clothes and looked down.

“It’s not your fault. Don’t make that face.”

“Ah…”

“Don’t worry about your family. I’ll talk to your father tomorrow.”

“Priest-sama…”

“Now, let’s prepare dinner. Anything you dislike?”

“N-nothing… Oh, let me help! Please, let me help…!” Reina pleaded desperately.

He didn’t need help, but refusing might make her feel uneasy. “Alright, shall I ask for your help? Thank you in advance.”

“Y-yes! I’ll do my best!” Reina clenched her fists with a “Mmph!” of determination.

Clarel and Reina moved to the kitchen to start preparing dinner.

“For tonight’s menu………… Oh.” While thinking about the menu, he realized giving Reina apple pie might not have been wise. Feeding solid food to a starving child could upset her stomach. He should’ve started with something easy to digest, like soup or porridge.

“Um… Reina, does your stomach hurt? No nausea or anything?”

“Huh? I’m fine, though…” Reina looked up at Clarel, blinking curiously.

“I often eat grass from the yard or tree bark, so my stomach’s pretty tough. I can eat anything!” She casually dropped a heavy, tragic anecdote as if it were normal.

Her stomach seemed fine, but Clarel’s tear ducts were on the verge of breaking.

“R-right… Then we’re good. Let’s start cooking.”

“Yes!” Reina replied energetically.

Clarel grabbed ingredients from the shelf while thinking about the dinner menu. Reina’s stomach seems okay, but just to be safe, let’s go with barley porridge and vegetable soup. We’ve got the ingredients for that. Living alone, he didn’t have much food stocked, but this menu should work.

“Can you wash the vegetables?”

“Got it! I’ll peel them after washing!” Reina replied, her voice brimming with enthusiasm. She set to work, washing the vegetables in a bucket of water and peeling them deftly with a fruit knife.

Clarel had been worried about letting a child handle a knife, but his concern seemed unnecessary. Her movements were practiced, likely honed by the endless chores forced upon her by her toxic parents.

“I’m done peeling. I’ll cut them into bite-sized pieces now.”

“…Yes, please.”

He couldn’t let Reina do everything. Clarel poured barley and water into a pot and set it to heat. He added extra water to cook the barley until it was soft, seasoned it with a pinch of salt, and stirred in an egg. For an upset stomach, vegetables low in fiber, like cabbage, carrots, and turnips, are best. I’ll keep the flavor mild, too…

“Alright, it’s done.”

Dinner was completed without any issues. Thanks to his experience of staying single in his previous life, Clarel could handle cooking just fine.

“Now, let’s bring it to the table.”

“Yes!” Reina’s reply came with a beaming smile, but at the same time, her stomach let out a cute “Guu” sound. It hadn’t been long since she ate the apple pie… As she’d said, her stomach must be quite sturdy.

“Auu…” Reina blushed, embarrassed.

“That’s the spirit! It’s good to see your stomach’s happy too.” Smiling at her flushed cheeks, Clarel carried the dishes to the table.

“Let us give thanks to the Goddess for this meal… Itadakimasu.”

“I-Itadakimasu!”

After a brief prayer of gratitude, Reina began eating with frantic energy. Munch, gulp, nom nom…!

“Hey, hey, eat slowly. The food’s not going anywhere.”

“’Kay!” Her reply was enthusiastic, but the speed of her fork and spoon didn’t slow down one bit.

Come to think of it… There was a scene in the game where she got scolded for her table manners… In the game, Reina, newly taken in by the Grand Temple, devoured her food like this and was harshly reprimanded by her mentor sister. She was whipped on the back and ended up vomiting the meal.

I’ll have to teach her table manners eventually… but for today, it’s fine. Until now, she hadn’t been given proper meals under her toxic parents. For just one day, she should be allowed to eat without worrying about manners.

Besides… it’s not bad. Having someone enjoy my cooking like this… Watching Reina eat so earnestly, Clarel felt an odd sense of fulfillment in his heart.

“Munch, munch!”

After enjoying a warm meal and some cozy time together, it was time for a bath. In this world, where science and technology weren’t very advanced, there were no appliances like water heaters. Still, they could boil water using magic items, so there was no need to burn firewood like in a Goemon bath.

“A b-bath? Um… I’ve never been in one. It’s scary…” Reina’s voice trembled with unease.

“I-If someone like me takes a bath, I’ll be punished… If you let me use the well, I can wash with water there, so it’s fine…”

“No, that’s something I’d worry about…” It was early spring, and the nights were still chilly. Making a little girl wash with cold water was simply too cruel.

“We’ve got nice warm bathwater ready, so I’d really like you to use it…” Clarel furrowed his brow, deep in thought. He wanted her to bathe, but it was harsh to expect her to do it alone when she’d never bathed before. There was one perfect solution to the problem, but he hesitated to choose it.

Me, bathing with her? A ten-year-old girl? It reeked of criminality. If this were Japan, it’d be a case for the police to come running over an ordinance violation. But it’s also true there’s no other option. I can’t just leave her like this…

Reina’s body was covered in dirt, and her clothes were in tatters. Her hair, which should’ve been a beautiful silvery-white, was dulled to gray. Not washing her wasn’t an option.

“Um… If Priest-sama bathes with me, I’ll try the bath…” Reina spoke up first, her voice tentative.

With his escape route completely blocked, Clarel’s face stiffened. “Uh… Bathing together is a bit…”

“I-I’m sorry… You don’t want to bathe with someone as dirty as me, right? I’m sorry…” Reina’s eyes dropped, her voice thick with shame.

“N-no, no, no! That’s not it at all!” Seeing her sad expression, Clarel hurriedly raised his voice. “Let’s bathe together! It’s fine—I’ll teach you how to use the bath!”

“Yes… Um, please take care of me…”

In the end, they ended up bathing together, completely bare. The guilt was overwhelming, but the moment Clarel saw Reina’s naked body, those feelings vanished.

“This is…”

Reina’s body was covered in countless scars—marks of abuse. Bruises from punches, welts like whip marks, burns as if from cigarettes pressed against her skin. It was a stark reminder of the horrific environment she’d endured.

“…Heal.” Biting his lip, Clarel activated a healing holy spell. Reina’s body was enveloped in white light. As the soft light was absorbed into her skin, every scar disappeared completely. The dirt remained, and her skin wasn’t in great condition, but her body was free of wounds.

“Priest-sama, my body… The stinging is gone.” Reina touched her once-scarred skin, her jade-green eyes blinking in surprise. “It always stung and hurt, and it made me sad. But now it feels so much better… Did something weird happen to me?”

“No… This is how it’s supposed to be. There’s nothing to be afraid of.” Forcing a smile onto a face that threatened to twist in anguish, Clarel spoke gently. “Thinking pain is normal—that’s what was wrong to begin with… Now, let’s wash your body before getting in the tub. Sit here.”

“…Okay.” Reina nodded, her voice soft but trusting, as Clarel sat her on a bath chair and slowly poured water over her.

“Hau…” Reina let out a soft gasp as the warm water cascaded over her.

“Was it too hot?” Clarel asked, his tone gentle but concerned.

“No… It’s fine, I think…?” Her voice was uncertain, her small frame shrinking into itself, bewildered by the unfamiliar sensation of bathing. Clarel carefully poured water over her several times, rinsing away the dirt caked onto her hair and body until her white skin emerged, soft and clean beneath the grime.

“There, you’re all clean now.”

“This is… me…?” Reina’s eyes widened as she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror on the wall. The face staring back was that of a refined girl. Her cheeks were gaunt, and her long bangs half-hid her eyes, but she was undeniably cute—a diamond in the rough, destined to become a beautiful girl in the future.

“You’ve become cute. This is the real you.”

“Cute? Me…?” Her voice trembled with disbelief.

“Yes. Very cute.”

“…!” The beautiful girl in the mirror looked as if she might cry. What a crybaby this girl was. Clarel gave a wry smile and gently lifted Reina, placing her in the tub.

“Hau…” Reina shrank in fear at first, intimidated by her first time in a bathtub, but as the warmth enveloped her, her expression softened into a relaxed, almost goofy smile.

Seeing her like this, Clarel’s own face softened with a fond smile.

After the bath, it was time for bed. In one of the temple’s rooms, on the same bed, Clarel, dressed in sleepwear, and Reina, wearing one of his oversized shirts, slept snuggled close together.

“Suu… Suu…” Reina’s soft breathing filled the quiet room.

“Good grief… Well, I figured it’d end up like this,” Clarel murmured. The temple was home only to him, the priest. Naturally, there was only one bed. There was a guest room for visiting pilgrim priests, but it hadn’t been cleaned in ages before his arrival and wasn’t in any condition to use.

Clarel had tried to give the bed to Reina, but as expected, she shook her head vigorously, insisting she was used to sleeping on the floor. There was no way he’d let a young girl sleep on the cold floor. After some back-and-forth, they ended up sharing the bed.

In Clarel’s arms, Reina breathed softly in her sleep, her expression utterly peaceful, like a cat curled up in a sunbeam. Even though he’d fed her and bathed her, she was far too trusting of a man she’d just met—he almost wanted to lecture her about it.

Well… I guess it can’t be helped. Reina was a ten-year-old child. Heroine or Saintess aside, she was still at an age where she’d want to cling to a parent. Yet she’d lost her mother to a sudden illness, was taken in by a father who was nothing but poison to a child, and had endured abuse from her toxic parents while desperately holding on. To Reina, Clarel was the first person besides her mother to show her kindness. It was no wonder she couldn’t help but cling to him.

“No… It hurts, no…” Suddenly, Reina’s sleeping face twisted. Was she having a nightmare? She grabbed Clarel’s clothes with a desperate expression, tears streaming from the corners of her closed eyes. “No… I don’t want to be alone… I’m lonely… It hurts…”

“…It’s okay. I’m right here.” Narrowing his eyes sadly, Clarel whispered into her ear.

“Mind Cure.” He cast a holy spell on the distressed Reina—a spell that nullified status ailments like “confusion” or “fear” in the game. Her body was enveloped in white light, and her sleeping face regained its calm, as if cradled in her mother’s arms.

Clarel let out a soft sigh of relief. “Kuu… Kuu…” Reina’s breathing steadied, her expression one of pure relief.

“It’s alright. Everything’s alright… Your struggles will definitely be rewarded. Absolutely.” Until now, she’d walked a path of thorns barefoot, enduring pain with every step. He couldn’t know how much she’d suffered, but her time of misery was over. From now on, she could live a life gathering the happiness she’d lost. She could eat delicious food until her stomach was full, soak in a warm bath, and sleep without a single worry. That’s how a child should live.

“You’ll definitely find happiness. You’ll become a heroine that everyone envies and admires… I’ll make sure of it.” Yes, Reina was the protagonist of the otome game The Rainbow-Colored Sparkles From Beyond. She was destined to meet a wonderful man, fall in love, and seize a happy future. A golden, radiant future awaited her, one that would erase all the hardships of her past.

“Someday, you’ll spread your wings as a heroine and soar into the world. Until that day comes, I’ll stay by your side. So sleep peacefully…”

“Suu… Suu…”

“…Goodnight, Reina.” With firm resolve, Clarel closed his eyes, feeling Reina’s warmth against his chest.

◇ ◇ ◇

For Reina, daily life was a constant struggle against enduring pain and suffering. Her mother succumbed to a plague and never returned, and she was taken in by a father she’d never met.

“This is your room from now on. Don’t leave without permission!” her father barked.

“Ah…” Reina was shoved into a storage shed. Dusty old furniture and trinkets were crammed inside, and spider webs stretched across the ceiling. On the floor, a single tattered blanket lay carelessly thrown.

Reina stood stunned by the awful conditions, but this was only the beginning of her hell.

“Hurry up and clean!”

“You’re still not done?! You useless thing!”

“Why are you crying?! Stop making noises, you’re annoying!”

Everyone in the mansion forced Reina to do endless chores—cleaning, preparing ingredients, and weeding.

If her work lagged even slightly, she was yelled at, berated… and beaten. Being slapped with bare hands was the least of it. At its worst, she was disciplined with whips or wooden sticks. Her meals came once a day: dinner, consisting of hard bread and spoiled soup, or vegetable scraps that should’ve been thrown out. Once she realized crying only earned her more beatings, Reina learned to bite her lip and endure the pain and misery in silence.

The violence came mostly from her stepmother. Her father rarely laid a hand on her but never helped her either. Occasionally, he’d tell the stepmother, “Don’t leave marks that’ll make her unsellable,” but Reina couldn’t grasp the meaning of those words. Since being taken in by her father, she grew thinner and thinner, while the scars of abuse on her body only multiplied.

“…It hurts.” Touching her bruised, purple skin filled her with an overwhelming sadness. Each slap, each punch, felt like it was erasing the happy memories of her life with her mother. Yet, she realized at some point that she’d stopped crying… and that realization brought a stinging, blood-seeping pain all over again.

Those days continued for three years. To an adult, three years might seem short, but for Reina, it was roughly a third of her life—more than enough time to carve deep wounds into her heart and body.

“…Mama.” Reina suddenly realized that today was the anniversary of her mother’s death. She hadn’t visited her mother’s grave once since being taken in by her father. They’d been too poor to afford a proper funeral, and Reina didn’t even know if her mother was buried in a proper cemetery. If she didn’t mourn her mother, she felt like her mother would vanish from her heart entirely… Overwhelmed by that fear, Reina couldn’t stay still.

“…I have to go.” She’d never dared to do it before, but that day, Reina defied her father’s orders for the first time and left the mansion. She might get slapped later. She might get punched. She might get kicked. Even so… she had to go. To protect the lingering image of her mother in her heart, Reina pushed through the pain screaming from every part of her body and ran to the temple.

“No way… Seriously?”

“Priest-sama?”

And there… Reina would have an encounter that would change her life forever. Happiness and misfortune are two sides of the same coin. Both can arrive suddenly, without warning. That day, Reina met someone who would become an unforgettable part of her life.

“Fwa…?” Near dawn, Reina stirred awake. Unsure of her surroundings, she directed a bleary gaze toward the ceiling.

“…………?”

For a moment, she lingered in a half-dream state, but she soon recalled that she was staying at the temple.

“Ah…” She looked at the man sleeping beside her. He was the priest of this temple, who had introduced himself as “Clarel Burn.” Clarel was fast asleep, unaware that Reina had woken.

“…………”

Reina stared intently at Clarel’s sleeping face. He was a young man with bluish-black hair, of average build and not particularly striking appearance. Yet his gentle features warmed her heart just by looking at them, making her feel as if she were basking in a sunbeam.

“…Warm.” Reina buried her face in Clarel’s chest, sniffing softly. Her actions were like a kitten trying to memorize its owner’s scent. Pressing herself closer to Clarel, she recalled the events of the day. When she cried, he patted her head. They cooked and ate together. They bathed. He washed her body. How many years had it been since she’d eaten or slept with someone? Not since her mother died.

“Warm… Priest-sama, so warm…” Feeling someone’s warmth was something she hadn’t experienced in so long. She’d completely forgotten how comforting human touch could be.

“Priest-sama… No, Clarel-sama…” Careful not to wake him, she whispered his name softly. “Clarel-sama… Clarel-sama… Clarel-sama…” Strangely, saying his name seemed to make the warmth in her chest grow. Her face naturally relaxed into a smile. With a look of pure happiness, Reina tightly gripped Clarel’s shirt.

“……Clarel-sama…………”  Soon, sleep began to reclaim her. Praying this moment wasn’t a dream, Reina, for the first time in years, felt her heart flutter with anticipation for tomorrow as she drifted back to sleep.